Clean Haircare is Here: 12 Styling Products for Salon-Quality Results at Home
Clean ingredients have taken center stage in skincare and makeup over the past decade, and now clean haircare is finally having a moment, giving “clean hair” a whole new meaning. Although “clean” is an ambiguous and unregulated term, hair products labeled as such are free from phthalates, sulfates, synthetic ingredients, and other potentially harmful chemicals. Upgrading your hair styling routine to include formulas without these ingredients can have a host of benefits for your overall health, the environment, and your scalp.
To help you find the best clean styling products for salon-quality results at home, we have tapped eight hair experts to weigh in on their favorite clean picks for everything from hairspray to heat protectant. We have also sampled and researched dozens of products to come up with 12 unparalleled clean styling products, including drugstore gems and splurge-worthy styling creams, that will suit all hair types.
1. Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Hair Oil
This catch-all styling product increases shine and softness, tames flyaways, and repairs damaged hair. Olaplex’s signature ingredient, Bis-aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate, repairs broken bonds to strengthen hair from the inside out and protects it from heat damage. This vegan, cruelty-free, and gluten-free oil quickly absorbs into all hair types, even fine, thin hair. Dispense a dime-sized amount, distribute it through wet or dry hair, and style as usual.
2. Odele Air Dry Styler
This affordable hair hero from Odele works on every hair type, takes care of frizz and flyaways, adds shine, and hold. This vegan, cruelty-free, and sulfate-free cream comes in sustainable packaging and has a beautiful scent that combines notes of oakmoss, cucumber, and ylang-ylang. To use, work a small amount into towel-dried hair.
3. R+Co Bleu Super Style Crème
This splurge-worthy Cream offers a host of benefits, ranging from taming frizz to sealing split ends. The leave-in moisturizer also smooths out air-dried styles and offers curls and waves with ample hold and definition. The cream also seals split ends, adds movement to hair, and keeps frizz at bay thanks to ingredients like vitamin E and sunflower-seed extract. The Leaping Bunny-certified packaging is also designed with the environment in mind.
4. KRISTIN ESS HAIR Style Assist Blow Dry Mist – Hair Heat Protectant Spray
This styler is lightweight enough for fine hair and provides salon-worthy results at an affordable price. It cuts down on drying time, adds shine, smooths split ends, and serves as a heat protectant. This vegan, cruelty-free, and sustainably packaged mist leaves hair smelling like fresh laundry. Apply it on wet hair before blow-drying or onto dry hair before thermal styling.
5. JVN Complete Conditioning Mist
This plant-based leave-in conditioner hydrates, detangles, adds shine, and protects hair from heat. It does not contain silicones and is formulated with squalane and hemisqualane for amazing hair benefits without clogging pores or irritating the skin. The tremella mushroom extract holds 500 times its weight in water to keep hair well-moisturized. However, the mist sprays out unevenly, so try spraying it directly into your hands, rub your palms together, and then run it through your hair.
6. Fable & Mane MahaMane Smooth & Shine Hair Oil
This adaptogenic hair oil is made with ayurvedic herbs to support overall hair health. It may be a bit heavy for those with very fine hair, but for other hair types, it adds amazing benefits such as reducing frizz and enhancing shine. The oil can be distributed evenly or used on specific areas in need of some extra love.
Clean haircare is giving new meaning to “clean hair,” and upgrading your hair styling routine with clean products is not only better for your scalp, overall health, and the environment, but it will also give you salon-quality results from the comfort of your home.
