3 Hair Styling Secrets

Style Smarts

Three strand secrets that will help you kick bad hair days.

In general, clear styling products such as gels beef up roots, while white or opaque products like lotions and creams smooth flyaways and frizz, says celebrity hairstylist Sally Hershberger, who is based in New York City. An exception: mousse, which actually does both.

Products with a "heat activated" label contain ingredients that work only with the help of a blow-dryer, flatiron, or curling iron, explains Adrian De Berardinis, a stylist in New York City. Spritzing without heating creates icky buildup that zaps shine and flattens hair.

There's a reason pro colorists don't shampoo your mane before applying dye or bleach. "Natural oils and styling products prevent your hair from drying out, plus they help the color absorb better," De Berardinis says. Skip a wash before tinting at home or the salon.

Originally published in FITNESS magazine, January 2010.