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Sleek hair is trending on TikTok, kicked off by hair-fluencers like @audreyvictoria_, whose “so-shiny-it-looks-liquid” hair hacks have collected millions of views. We also saw glass blow-drys with middle parts all over the runways at fashion week, with hairstylists heralding the return of the blowdry.
There’s one catch. If you’re like me and deal with split ends, baby hairs and generally frayed and fried strands (like those fun broken hairs that stick up from your chic middle part like an aerial antenna), this hairstyle will only accentuate them.
@audreyvictoria_ Ummm I’m shocked. I thought it wasn’t going to work 😍 #hairtok #haircareroutine #longhair #hairinspo #ricewater ♬ original sound – xxtristanxo
Part of the sleek hair trend is that perfect swish and glossy shine. This is achieved by ensuring the cuticle is smoothed and sealed. So, I’ve rounded up the products that help me do just that.
Virtue Labs, Healing Oil
As someone with fine hair, I am gun shy of anything that risks weighing down my locks or making them greasy, rather than glassy. Enter Virtue Labs, Healing Oil ($63).
The oil in this little blue bottle is the lightest I’ve tried. I shake to activate, then add just a few drops to my palm before working through my hair. Virtue Lab’s patented repairing Alpha Keratin complex is combined with Watermelon seed oil (fancy!), coconut oil, and marula oil. The product leaves my hair silky, shiny and most importantly, weightless. Plus, it smells like vanilla.
Hask, Argan Oil Repairing Shine Oil
Suppose you are curious about the high-shine benefits of hair oil but are hesitant to shell out $63 (understandable).
In that case, I have a dupe for you. Hask, Argan Repairing Shine Oil ($3) sits in the SINGLE DIGITS. Initially, I thought ‘How could anything that starts at $3 be good enough to put in your hair?’ I was wrong.
Like Virtue Labs, the Hask product feels more like a serum than an oil. Apply a very small amount to wet or dry hair and you’ll find this elixir smooths roughed-up ends in a flash. While the back of the bottle suggests applying a coin-sized amount, I used far less. Think half a pea.
Like Virtue, Hask combines nourishing oils (in this instance natural heat protectant argan oil) with keratin amino acids. Keratin is the protein your hair is made of. Applying the ingredient topically seals the hair shaft, without adding weight, resulting in a smoother cuticle and higher shine. Meanwhile, argan oil hydrates and softens.
tweak, Sleek Styler Anti-Frizz Hair Wand
The tweak, Sleek Styler Anti-Frizz Hair Wand ($24) is the perfect handbag product for maintaining sleek hair. Infused with lightweight glycerine and castor oil, this formula makes short work of baby hairs (perfect for the super-sleek bun). The wand also flattens those rogue, spiky hairs — highlighted by your trendy middle part — and smooths flyaways. Perfect on the go maintenance and currently 20% off with the code SLEEK20.
Oribe, Supershine Moisturising Cream
I’ve used Oribe, Superhsine Moisturising Cream ($78) for years, and I’m only now onto my second tube. Yes, it’s expensive, but a little bit goes a long way.
The leave-in conditioner uses vegetable-derived proteins to help hair retain moisture and protect from the shine-destroying impacts of heat styling. Meanwhile, Ginger and Amber extracts provide antioxidant protection while hydrating and softening.
I work a small amount through damp hair before diffusing and follow with one of the light hair oils mentioned above for superior gloss and heat protection.
Dyson Corrale Hair Straightener
As a beauty writer, one of the most frequent questions I get asked is, “is X exorbitantly expensive beauty product worth it?” Usually, what people mean by this is, “is it actually good?”
When I’m genuinely trying to assess whether something worth it, I ask whether there’s something comparable. When it comes to the Dyson, Corrale Hair Straightener, ($699) you have a truly unique product on your hands.
It all comes down to the Corrale’s manganese copper plates. While your average hair straightener pulls your strands taught, creating resistance that can lead to breakage, the Corral copper plates curve to the shape of your hair and move with it rather than against it. This means you straighten your hair faster, with less roughage, fewer broken strands (flyaway) and less significant heat damage (shine). Additionally, the Corral allows you to set your desire. If you invest in one Dyson product, make it this.
