The Mafia’s Favorite Hair Products, plus: basic hair care tips.

Just all the things.

We’re going to chat today about caring for long hair v. short hair, some basic hair care principles that apply to EVERYONE, regardless of your age or gender, and, following that discussion, you’ll find my favorite picks for hair care and a few items that you can give as a gift this holiday season so that we can continue with our Holiday Gift Guide Series! This is installment number 6!

How long is too long? No such thing. If you it makes you happy, grow it. If you hate it, cut it!

Am I too old for long hair? I grew up in the south. There’s a generation or so of folks who feel that women of a certain age should, frankly, cut their hair. Guess what? Who cares. I’ve always loved updos and long braids on women of ANY age. So, I’m keeping my long her. I’m of a certain age.

Should I cut my hair while I’m transitioning to my natural color? Again, up to you – if you have a stark/bold line of ‘demarcation’, and don’t like it, you might want to! You can cut it all off, or maybe work in some layers to soften then effect. Some ladies, and gents, also add highlights or lowlights to soften the line. My gray? Silver? whatever you want to call it. I think I like the color name ‘wisdom’ that my friend came up with is pretty dark, and my red hair color from about a year and half ago is fading, so the line is not too bold. If you know anything about red hair color, you know it’s more red at the ends, and less so as you move up towards the roots. It doesn’t bother me, so I’m letting it be. I wear my hair up 99% of the time, anyway, so it’s not really a big deal. You might also just try some hats! Fall & Winter are perfect seasons to sport some hats.

There are pros and cons to all BOTH answers to this question. One thing that helps people decide, is the COST of one or the other…so, which is more expensive? Well, that just depends. On a lot of things, but in my experience, short hair is more expensive. Why? Because Maintenance cuts. They are MUCH more frequent, requiring more time and money. If your hair is long, depending on the type of cut, the health of your hair, and it’s general length, you can go weeks or even months in between hair cuts. You can also do a few maintenance trims of your ends at home (CAREFULLY! Please ask your stylist to give you some pointers and get some QUALITY hair scissors.) Whether long or short hair is easier, only you can answer. I’m just as busy as every other mom. And I find long hair easier because I can just throw it up and go. Also, working from home, I don’t have to worry about drying it. You may feel the same about short hair! It often depends on your hair’s personality and texture.

“But long hair requires more product.” That’s what people say. Is it really true? Think about it…with shorter styles (I’m thinking chin length and shorter), you really have to spend time daily fixing your hair…making sure nothing is sticking up, maybe fully wetting, maybe straightening, maybe curling, maybe just refreshing. But, more than likely, if you do use any products on your hair, you’re going to be using them DAILY. If it’s long, You don’t really have to…especially if your hair is healthy and has minimal texture. If you hair has any texture to it (waves, curls, etc), you’ll want to, at minimum, give a little water daily. Now, I say that knowing that I don’t always practice what I preach. My hair is at its best when I make sure to give it at least a minimal refresh or a few spritzes of water each day. It’s only actually washed about once a week. But, I don’t really use much product. 3-4 times a week, my hair gets a little bit of curl cream or gel. But, mostly just water. Also, what you’re going to learn below, is that we all should be using about the same amount of shampoo cleanser.

During the more humid months, I’ll of course use a leave in conditioner and something a little extra to finish things off, like Rose Water. The Rose Water also saves me from midday or evening frizz if I end up going back out later in the day.

As completely unqualified as I am, other than HOURS of research and lots of practice, I get asked OFTEN for hair care advice, which is very flattering – I can generally get people started in the right direction, and suggest what I think they would personally like, based on nt their style and budget, but really, it’s a personal choice and everyone has what I like to call different hair personalities. Also, because I’m not actually a professional, it’s really easy for people to dismiss my suggestions if they don’t like them (even if I’m actually right, and sometimes I’m not. Sometimes.)

Brad Mondo covers it ALL right here – I watched it all – and the only thing I would add, wrapping your hair like a turban when wet, is not the same as a ‘plop’ that many curly girls do. I’d love to hear some other’s opinions on that! I do agree, especially for those prone to hair loss, that a tight turban right out of the shower might not be a great choice. He also doesn’t get into ethnic hair care in this video specifically, but many, many of the principles here are universal! Also, he’s MUCH more entertaining to listen to than me.

Some opinions, some straight up legit facts in Brad’s video… below, you’ll find my very short list of absolute favorite brands & hair products.

I’m not one to try EVERYTHING, and I’ve been using these brands for well over a year now. Other than a short stint of making my own hair gel, this is my curly grail.

Innersense Organics. Please, visit the website and read the product descriptions, take the quiz. What works for me might not work for you. I trust this brand 100%. Products in my home that I use regularly (not always at the same time, and minus the hair mask because I think I loaned it to someone and can’t remember who – only used a couple of times personally):

• Hydrating Creme Hairbath
• Hydrating Creme Conditioner
• Sweet Spirit Leave in Conditioner
• Quiet Calm Curl Control
• Whipped Creme Texturizer
• Hydrating Hair Mask

Ecoslay – I have only used the Orange Marmalade Gel, but have never heard one negative thing about any product by Ecoslay. There is nothing I can ‘unrecommend from this site. Love the gel. So very much.

Upins. I tried my first Upin 2 years ago. Didn’t even know what that was. My mother has had short hair my entire life, so hairties, barrettes, and the ever popular banana clip were about the extent of my hair product knowledge. When I was introduced to the Swerve U-Pin two years ago, my hair was forever changed, for the better. No more damage from hair ties. No more tangled up mess from leaving hair ties in too long. I have left this amazing item in my hair for five days straight without issue.

A nice hair towel. There are many out there, and I didn’t really get why it was such a big deal until I got one. I use the Lilla Rose Bamboo Hair Towel, and love it. It holds well, absorbs the excess water, and dries quickly (aka, no stinky mildewy towel hanging in the bathroom!).

Denman Brush – I don’t what it is about this thing, but it is truly remarkable. Game changing. I use it mostly for product distribution, and sometimes for styling. In the wash day video above, you can see how I do that.

Wide Tooth Comb. This is a must in the shower. Did you know it’s better to detangle and comb your hair wet? I actually RARELY brushed or combed my hair before learning all this curly hair stuff…now, I do it every time I get in the shower. I own a basic Conair Shower Comb. If I ever need to replace that one, I’ll try this one from Lilla Rose. Either way, you’ll want one with that nice hook on the end so it can hang over the shower rod.

Olaplex. This stuff is just magical. I’ve used I think four times since posting this video in July – and still love it. It’s a hair REPAIR, not a deep conditioner.

@themessybunmafia

Bad video. Cool hair stuff! #hairrepair #olaplex #haircare #summerhair

♬ Come Alive (Dry Bones) [Live] – Lauren Daigle & Various Artists

A silk or satin pillowcase, and silk scarf. I don’t really have any recommendations here, I got my scarf at Goodwill, and my pillowcase on clearance somewhere! These are very helpful for prevent frizz and breakage. If you have a favorite brand, drop in the comments!

Giftables!

Here are some great gift ideas for your loved ones to pamper their hair:

I hope that gets you started on some fun things for the hair! There are so many possibilities, I could go on for hours. Let me know what your or your loved one’s hair struggle or addiction is and I’ll see if I can find something perfect for them!