What They Say: "Makes styling faster, easier.

* Exclusive plant infusion--a blend derived from organic aloe, maize and guar bean--creates a smooth surface on hair
* Organic tapioca defends against humidity for up to 12 hours
* Hydrolized wheat protein protects against surface damage from heat styling

Features our Smooth InfusionTM aroma, a fresh spicy citrus-floral featuring certified organic bergamot, certified organic palmarosa, Bulgarian rose and Australian sandalwood."

Jen's Experience: The area where I live is very humid, and lately it seems like it's been about 90% humidity or higher every day. And when that happens, all the stuff I put in my hair to give it body backfires on me and makes my hair have lots of volume of the frizzy variety.

I was pleased that this product totally delivered on protecting my hair from humidity. My hair looks sleek like it was flat-ironed for hours after using this and feels incredibly soft and silky (and smells good too!). The problem with that is that my hair has very little in the way of volume and is difficult to do any sort of styling. It doesn't look greasy or limp, just a little deflated. So while I don't think it necessarily makes styling faster and easier, if you get the frizzies in the rain or humid summer air, this might be something to add to your hair care arsenal.

Retail Price: $24.00 (Aveda.com)

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: "A non-petroleum based pomade made from unique avocado lipids that provide control to tame frizz, add styling detail and achieve sleek, shiny results. Provides soft control and extreme shine on wet or dry hair. ...Contains avocado to create hold without buildup. Mica crystals offer heat protection and shine. ...100% vegan. Sulfate-free. 100% free of synthetic dyes. Cruelty-free.

Application: To smooth and control medium to coarse textured hair with shine and softness, emulsify a small amount between palms, work through hair and blow dry.

To sculpt (mold), add texture, separation and shine to all hair types, emulsify a small amount between palms and work amount between palms and work through dry hair."

Melissa Says: It's always nice when you know that the product you're using came from a company making strong efforts to be cruelty-free and close to nature. It's an added bonus when the product creates results you love. That's the case with this pomade, at least when I use it on my hair before blow drying.

I was very impressed with the difference it made in the smoothness and texture of my hair, without making it feel greasy. I was very careful about concentrating the product on the ends after thoroughly warming the small amount in my hands first, and then lightly smoothing the remainder on my palms up the rest of the surface of the strands. This also created a good amount of shine.

On dry hair, I thought this significantly reduced flyaways and added great shine, but when the hair is dry you have to be extra careful to use a tiny amount so it doesn't accumulate in some areas and weigh your hair down (if it's longer). My husband tested this out on dry hair as well, and thought it had a finished look and flexible light hold for short hair, but said he'd prefer something with a bit more holding power and texturization.

Retail Price: $16.00, 2.65oz (at fine salons - go here to locate one near you)

DeLush Rating:

What They Say: "The world of hair has become a dangerous place where damaging straightening irons, blow-dryers and other thermal tools have become a way of life. Fear no nore - Graham Webb's Heat Response Soft Finish Spray is a liberator in a spray bottle to help save your hair from those weapons of mass destruction. This solution not only protects 30% more from hot tools, but also gives hair electrifying shine and a soft smooth finish with long-lasting hold. Heat Response Soft Finish Spray is enriched with TRIPLE the amount of our patented Thermacore® Complex ingredient, which is found in all Graham Webb products, and turns hot tools into a beneficial conditioning treatment for hair. Here's how it works...

• Thermacore® Complex is a remarkable blend of three conditioning and moisturizing ingredients that become active with the application of heat over 98° from hot water, blow dryers and styling tools.
  
  • Panthenol - vitamin B5 derivative with tremendous moisturizing properties to help repair, thicken and strengthen damaged hair
    
  • Allantoin - Well known for its moisture content, water-binding capabilities and ability to to maintain softness
    
  • Myristyl Alcohol - Conditioning emollient derived from coconut, which served as the binding vehicle for the entire complex
  
  
• Once heated, the crystal breaks down into molecular particles small enough to penetrate the hair shaft working to repair and restore even the most damaged hair.

To Use: Shake well, distribute throughout damp hair and blow dry. If using with straightening or curling irons, most lightly on sections of dry hair immediately before wrapping or pressing.

Melissa Says: As with many Graham Webb products that I've been fortunate enough to test out, this is another that I'm going to keep in regular rotation. The formula separates into to layers when it sits, so it is important to remember to shake it well before applying.

Mostly, what I love about this product is that softens the coarse ends of my hair and adds shine overall. They describe an "electrifying shine", and while I don't know if I'd go to that extreme, I definitely saw a noticeable difference when using this before blowdrying or curling. I don't feel ANY residue or notice any added weight, so I believe this could even work well on thin or fine hair without creating a buildup that weighs it down.

I wouldn't say that this made my hair take to curl more or straighten differently, but the look does stay for hours and the result is very manageable and soft. When blowdrying, my hair stayed smooth with little to no frizz. I curl with a very large curing iron and liked the results, but I do somehow feel that if you want tighter curls the soft results just might loosen the resulting curl a bit, so that's something to keep in mind. Don't confuse this for a hairspray as you know them. This is a whole new breed of styling spray.

Retail Price: $19.95 (at salons and select distributors - go here to find a location near you or call 800.456.9322)

DeLush Rating: