About the Shampoo: "Cleanses away anything that gets in volume's way to build body, shape and movement into hair. Hair is left textured, voluminously sexy and shiny. Safe for color-treated hair."

About the Conditioner: "Adds incredible body oomph and lift to accentuate voluminous contours. Perks up shine as light moisturizers tame and detangle with frizz control. Safe for color-treated hair. Follow with Vavoom styling and finishing for big, glamorous results."

Jen's Experience: When I first got this shampoo and conditioner, I wasn't impressed. Where is this "bust-out" body they speak of? But after a few weeks of use, I became more and more impressed. It really does wash away all the build-up so you can use it every single day without your hair becoming dry or limp. Plus, I've had no trouble with my blonde color becoming too washed out or brassy with continued use. As far as the body goes, it doesn't exactly deliver knockout results on it's own, but it does make my hair look thicker while remaining extra soft. It also seems to cut down on the frizzies that I get from living with high humidity. And all that volume can be achieved, as they recommend, with the various styling products Vavoom has to offer.

Retail Price: $14.00 each (go to Matrix.com to find a salon near you)

Rating:

What They Say: "For Fine / Medium hair. Use before blow-drying hair. Ultra light lotion helps protect hair against blow-dry heat. Gives natural body shape and movement. Follow with Iron-in Volume Protective Dry Mist to heat-seal design."

Jen's Experience:  I had great results with the MATRIX Amplify line, and really good results with the Vavoom Iron-In Spray, but I guess the run had to end at some point.  Perhaps I can attribute my healthy ends to near daily use of this product before my blow-dry.  It does seem to give a little bit of a volume boost, although not nearly as much as the Amplify ThickLift Volumizer did. 

The biggest problem that I had with it was that it was hard to get just the right amount.  Any at all on my bangs and they'd be stringy for the rest of the day.  On other parts of my hair, one pump just didn't seem like enough, two made my hair a little bit greasy looking.   Used along with the Iron-In Volume product, I got much better results, but I think that had more to do with the other product than this one.

In the end, the bit of shininess and volume that I got from using this just wasn't enough to justify it's place in my beauty routine. 

Retail Price:  $16.00 (Visit Matrix.com for a salon near you)

Rating:

What They Say: "For Fine / Medium hair. Use before ironing hair. Mists on ultra-dry. Smoothes for a faster iron glide as it seals in body, shine and static-free finish."

Jen's Experience: Flat-ironed hair for me has never been my best look. I only have a handful of baby fine hair, and when I flatten it, I look something like a drowned rat. So, as you can imagine, I was pleasantly surprised to get to try a product that promised volume along with flat-ironed hair designed for those of us with fine hair. I was even more pleased to find that it actually works! In fact, it creates so much volume that I can't even use it on my bangs or they become downright bushy. All of the other fabulous effects of flat-ironing remain: my hair is frizz-free, shiny, and the ends just look so healthy.

I've tried it a little with my normal curling iron, and I don't get nearly the same effect; this product was clearly meant to be used with some serious heat. One thing to mention, though: if you spray too much on, it will become sticky on your hair in the iron and make it not glide as easily. This doesn't prevent me from recommending it wholeheartedly to those with fine or thin hair. if you've always been looking for a way to get straightened hair but just can't spare the volume, this is exactly the product you need to get the look you've been wanting.

Retail Price: $16.99 (Visit Matrix.com for a salon near you)

Rating:

What They Say:
(about Blow-In Control)

• For Medium / Coarse hair
• Use before blow-drying hair
• Flexible control serum helps protect against blow dry heat
• Disciplines and tames volume and turns on shine
• Follow with Iron-in Control Protective Dry Mist to heat-seal design

(about Iron-In Control)

• For Medium / Coarse
  
• Use before ironing hair
  
• Mists on ultra-dry
  
• Smoothes for a faster iron glide as it instills contol, shine and static-free finish

Melissa Says:
(about Blow-In Control) As I'm growing my hair back out from an above-the-shoulder length, I'm reminded how much my hair tends to "puff" out more as the layers grow more into one length. I also have lots of little wiry strands that like to stand up and wave, which of course doesn't produce a very finished look. I thought this serum helped tame those somewhat, and did reduce the "puff" a bit which resulted in more of a second-day look (and all of us with thick/slightly coarse hair know our locks looks best the day after washing and blow drying, right?). I should also note, though, that there's a very delicate balance between controlled and weighed-down, so make sure to start with less product and add more slowly, concentrating on ends. If my hair were any less thick, this may have felt too heavy for me.

(about Iron-In Control) I'm always glad to have a heat-protection product to reach for when using any styling tools, and this one did add the slight control and shine to help produce a clean and smooth result quickly with the straightening iron. It also, like the Blow-In Volume serum, added some "heft" to my hair slightly. I might still opt to add a bit of shine mist or a serum afterward, but this overall did a decent job.

Retail Price: $13.95-15.95 (at professional salons only - go here to find one near you)

DeLush Rating:
(about Blow-In Control)
(about Iron-In Control)

What They Say: "Adds density and grip for double dimensions of volume and texture. Fortified with ceramide to help strengthen and rebuild fine, limp hair."

Jen's Experience: A few weeks ago I extolled the virtues of another Matrix Amplify styling product, their volumizing liquid. I have also been testing out this texturizing spray, and I have to say, I hold this product in at least as high a regard as the volumizing liquid. I spray maybe 8 or 10 pumps of this on my damp hair right before drying, and I am guaranteed to have lots of extra volume until I wash my hair again. A little too much and things can get a little sticky, but when I use the right amount, I sometimes feel like my hair can read my mind when it comes to styling. It does leave my hair a little tangly at times, but I find that to be a small price to pay for a great volumizer that makes my hair behave as well as this one does.

Retail Price: $15.99 (go to Matrix.com to find a salon near you)

Rating:

What They Say: "Leave-in densifying treatment creates ultra thickness, volume and shine without the weigh-down. Ceramide + soy protein complex helps strengthen and repair fine, limp hair leaving it thicker and healthier looking.

To use ThickLift Liquid Volumizer, pump a small amount and apply to towel-dried hair, distributing evenly roots to ends. Don't rinse it out. Blow-dry or air-dry, then scrunch, use a flat iron or a curling iron as usual. If your hair has a part, make a part on the other side your style. It will make your hair appear thicker."

Jen's Experience: As much as I would love to have thick, luxurious hair, I had pretty much written off volumizers. Sure, they make my hair thicker, but usually they also weigh it down. What's the point of having thick hair if it has no body?

After trying this volumizer from MATRIX (which, incidentally, is more of a gel than a liquid), I have definitely changed my tune. With no other products in the mix, I have had a ton of really great hair days in the past month. I found after some trial and error that I got better results when I applied the product after my hair had a chance to air dry for a while. I also learned not to apply it to my bangs or shorter layers. After working out the kinks, I am just so pleased with this volumizer.

I do have one complaint: it makes my hair a little greasy by the end of day 2. Still, for fabuluous hair when it counts, I would absolutely recommend this product to anyone with thin or fine hair who could use a bit of oomph in their style.

Retail Price: $14.95 (find a salon near you)

Rating:

What They Say: "Matrix Color DNA Shaping Mousse volumizes hair with a clean boos of body and shine. Free form sculpts style with workable, lasting hold, lifts without stiffness and lightly conditions for smooth control."

Jen's Experience: When I recently got blonde highlights again, I really wanted to maintain the color, and was really intrigued by this new line from Matrix that promises to help protect your color and provide some deeper conditioning to color-treated hair. Mousses tend to be especially drying, so I was very excited to try this one. The conditioning effects are very obvious. Even though it's a mousse, it's never sticky no matter how much I use, and it really does make my hair seem softer and healthier when I use it. It provides a little bit of body to my hair and a little volume to the roots, but not quite so much as products that I've used in the past (which, admittedly, don't condition nor help to keep my hair color). The bottom line? I was hoping for something a little more dramatic in terms of volume, but it's hard to complain about anything that gives me soft, touchable hair with a touch of added volume.

Retail Price: $17.99 (see LogicsHair.com for salon locations)

Rating:

What They Say: "Work that body! This long-lasting aerosol hairspray offers ultimate workability that you can layer on to lock in texture, volume and lift. The water-free formula even includes UV filters to protect hair from sun damage."

Melissa Says: I haven't really been much of a "hairspray girl" for several years. Mostly, I keep it on hand for the occasional half-up style or to keep some still-growing-out hairs in place in a ponytail. For those purposes, this spray worked quite well. If spritzed lightly and not super-close to the head, it didn't make my hair crispy-feeling, added some nice shine, and held everything in its place. Still, I wanted to give this spray a chance to do some real work. Per the suggestion on the back of the bottle, I tried to also utilize this by spraying near roots and blowdrying for volume and style memory. Well, as they also say, the formula dries quickly, so you might want to work on only a section at a time, but this really did add volume when dried with a round brush near the roots. I did have to make sure to brush out any hardened bits, but they worked out easily with no dry flaking - and again the overall effect was still clean-looking with a bit of shine, only with added texture. Though you may not use this every day, this is still an effective product for its intended use.

Retail Price: $13.95 (at select salons, go here to find a location near you)

DeLush Rating:

About the Shampoo: "Matrix Amplify Shampoo leaves hair looking and feeling thicker. A weightless cleansing complex works beneath the surface of the hair fiber to add fullness. Matrix Amplify Shampoo actually generates volume with each use. Especially formulated for volumizing. Good on all hair types. Safe on chemically treated hair."

About the conditioner: "Matrix Amplify Conditioner provides weightless conditioning that hydrates and protects hair's strength while it gives hair more volume and thickness. Hair is manageable and shinier. Matrix Amplify Conditioner is especially formulated for volumizing. Good on all hair types. Safe on chemically treated hair."

Jen's Experience: I recently decided to dye my hair darker (kind of a medium brown) for fashion week. My hairdresser recommended this shampoo and conditioner combo in particular to give my newly colored hair some volume and protect it from fading. My hair looked great when I left the salon, but when I started using this shampoo, it just went down hill. It's fine when I first get out of the shower, but throughout the day it looks greasier and greasier. As a result, I end up having to wash it every single day. With all the washing, my color faded away in just weeks. Not so good for chemically treated hair after all, I guess. I originally thought that perhaps the color infusion had made my hair more moisturized and that was why my hair looked so greasy. But switching to another shampoo and conditioner pair immediately improved the appearance of my hair. So, basically, I'm not impressed.

Retail Price: $11.95 each (visit Matrix.com to find a local salon)

Rating:

You know how your hair stylist always manages to make your hair look divine, and then you wash it and poof! It all goes to hell?  Well, my current stylist makes my hair look like a million bucks, and I've learned that a lot of it has to do with this awesome styling product.  Oh sure, I've used mousse before.  But none that I would recommend so whole-heartedly.

What They Say: "Great for overall volume and a soft-tousled, sexy look, Boost-it mousse sets the foundation for a voluminous mane."

My DeLush Downlow: My hair styles remarkably well with Big Trix.  I get really incredible volume for my fine hair and it holds my style even after a long night's sleep.  Seriously, I put a brush through my hair in the morning and think, "I could skip the shower and have time for a mocha on the way to work."  My hair is even shinier when I use it.

Tips: Make sure you apply only a handful and that you dry your hair thoroughly.  Follow these simple rules and you will be in mousse heaven.  Ignore them and you will have stiff, sticky hair until you wash it again.  You have been warned.

Rating:

Reviewed By: Jen

What They Say: "Formulated with high-tech polymers and smoothing agents that let you smooth curls or blow dry hair straight. . . while adding structure, thermal protection and flexible control. Humidity barrier locks out frizz for a long-lasting smooth style."

Melissa's DeLush Downlow: My previous stylist turned me on to this product for my coarse, wanna-be-wavy-but-instead-let's-just-flyaway hair. This is truly one of the better smoothing cremes I've ever tried for my hair type. I can definitely tell some difference when I apply this before blowdrying. I get less little frizz along my hairline and my hair feels nice and soft.

*Available in salons.

Rating:

If you subscribe to a multitude of women's fashion magazines like I do, you've probably noticed an awful lot of the "tousled updo" showing up this month. InStyle shows you how to do updos, and Glamour made a mention. Well, it's a great polished look for a night on the town, and an easy look to achieve with the right products on hand and a few tricks up your sleeve!

Start off with slightly dirty hair, not freshly washed, but you don't want it greasy at all. I use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner in the shower, and I think that's a great way to get a head start on the body you need. You want the hair at the crown of your head to have volume, and if you have thinner hair, you'll need the extra body to make your hair look thicker in the updo.

After my shower, I skip any smoothing products and head directly for the mousse. Even when you're showing far in advance of your planned updo, the mousse will help you get the lift you need and that volume at the crown. The mousse that I chose when I was working on this story (no pictures yet, but they're coming!) was Umberto Giannini's Glamour Shimmer Mousse with gold highlights (Rite Aid Stores, $3.99). I had pretty much sworn off drugstore mousses because I found them too drying for my poor, color-treated hair. (I was lured in by the adorable pink can with retro styling.) This mousse has almost the opposite effect: less volume than I would like and a little too much moisturization for this application. I do like this mousse for my sleeker hairstyles, but I don't recommend it highly for this application. Make sure the mousse that you choose doesn't leave your hair feeling stiff at all; you need your hair to be flexible when you're styling.

After you've allowed your hair to get a little dirty, refresh your volume by rolling with large hot rollers or a medium to large curling iron. After you've curled your hair, separate the curls and make them lightly piecey with the use of a wax product. My choice is Matrix FlikTricks (salons, $17.99), which will let you style your hair but keep it touchable. The container recommends applying to the hair directly, but I like to apply it to the palms of my hands and work into the ends of my hair to build it up to the desired level of hold. (A side note: small amounts of FlikTrix will also help maintain your style even when you wear your hair down.)

Finally, we're ready for the updo part! If you've got bangs or shorter layers near your face, you can style them like normal or brush back into your hairline to blend in with the rest of your hair. For the tousled updo, shorter front layers are really ideal, and your style will look a little less coiffed than those with longer layers. If your front layers extend beyond the chin, you might want to pin them back in a small barrette. I tease my fine hair to give it a little bit of volume and then pin back far away from my face. You can leave a small piecey section or two hanging in the front to frame the face if you like.

How your proceed from here depends on the length of your hair. This month's Glamour outlines some excellent strategies for shorter hair (as illustrated by the lovely Scarlett Johanssen), but I can only relate my strategy for shoulder-length or longer hair.

There are two basic approaches to this look: the high ponytail or the french coif. The high ponytail is clearly the easier of the two and looks a little more casual and fun, while the french coif will give you a little more polished look.

After your hair is up, use a hot curling iron to calm any stray pieces of hair down and separate with more wax pomade. For this look, you want a few rough edges. It should look like you didn't try too hard to achieve the look (even though, clearly, this is a time consuming process). If your shorter layers are not following the program, you'll need to get out your box of bobbi pins or small barrettes. For a more formal look, hide your bobbi pins, but for a more fun look, use a variety of cute barrettes and pins and let them show!

With a little practice, this is a look that's easy to master and that you're sure to find useful in the upcoming holiday season!

Rating:

Umberto Giannini's Glamour Shimmer Mist

Matrix FlikTrix