I get asked everyday “what product do you use in you hair?”

Frankly, it really bugs me. While I am flattered that people want to emulate my hairstyle (or they’re so revolted that they want to know what NOT to do… could go either way, really), it’s silly to think that hair product alone will transform your hair into something cool. It’s much more complicated than that. There are several things you have to consider:

• Your haircut. If your hair won’t vaguely resemble the style you want (without product), then product is not going to help.
• Your hair type. Coarse/smooth? Curly/straight? Thin/thick?
• How often you wash your hair. Natural oils play a big part in styling.
• Styling tools (blowdryer, flat iron, etc).
• How much time you have to get ready in the morning (seriously).

I was excited to receive some sample products from Old Spice to review, so I finally have an excuse to make a hair tutorial.

The nice thing about Old Spice: all of these products smell great. They all have a really pleasant, subtle scent, that blends nicely with whatever cologne I wear. I really dislike the traditional smell of shampoo, so it’s great that it’s not a problem with these.

Here’s the first thing: I only shampoo my hair about once a week. Disgusting? Naw. My hair is incredibly coarse, and pretty thick. It takes a while for the natural oils to build up. Otherwise, I would have a Napoleon Dynamite fro. The Kickstart shampoo is a true cleansing shampoo, meaning that it doesn’t leave any residue in your hair. Have you ever heard someone say that they alternate shampoos because their hair gets used to it? BS. What’s really happening is that they’re never getting rid of the residue left behind by many shampoos, especially moisturizing shampoos. Not that it’s a bad thing, but if you have really fine hair, it’s just something to consider.

These are the shampoos I would use on a more regular basis. Naturally, a shampoo + conditioner/moisturizing shampoo would leave more of the oils in my hair, which is exactly what I want, because it tames the natural frizz and wiriness.

Here’s the styling products Old Spice sent. I generally stay away from matte finish products, because my hair is so coarse. I find that pomade products work best for me, so I decided to use the Spiffy Pomade.

First thing: start with clean, dry hair. I find that wetting my hair causes it to curl unevenly. You might find that product works better if you wet your hair. Try for yourself! Notice that even though my hair has no product, it’s still holding the basic shape of how I want it to look. I usually achieve this my combing my hair upwards as it dries after a shower. Other people use blow driers and flatirons, so that might be something to consider if your hair is particularly unruly.

I usually start with a finger tip amount and work my way up.

Rub the product between your palms until it warms up. Cold product doesn’t apply as well.

Just rub it through your hair randomly. I don’t think that’s a wrong way to do this.

Next step: comb it! The comb is really the best way to even apply the product once it’s in your hair. Even if you’re going for a messy look, try combing through it first.

And finished product! Not only does my hair look great, but it also smells great. I really like the Spiffy pomade. It adds enough shine without being greasy, which is pretty tough to do.

Anyway, hair is a really personal thing. You’ll have to do a lot of experimenting to get what you want. I’m still trying different things, and my hairstyle is constantly (if ever so gradually) changing. I’ve been cutting my own hair for the past two years, and I’m sure it shows in how uneven it is, but it’s a huge improvement since when I first started. You gotta take risks sometimes, even if you end up with weird hair for a few weeks.

Now that my hair’s in order, I’m off to steal your girl.

This post was sponsored by Old Spice