24 Helpful Hair Products That’ll Give You Exactly What You Paid For

Squirt one to two pumps in your hand, work through your hair and let it air-dry or use a diffuser.

Promising review: “This was salon-owner recommended to me in 2015, and I’ve used little else since. It’s the only product that works for my fairly thick, wavy-curly hair. I let my hair air-dry about 75%, then work one pump of this through my hair with scrunching motions (if you put it on right after towel-drying when it’s wetter, then your hair will end up a bit curlier). This leaves my hair with nice, loose, natural curls that stay looking good sometimes even into a second day. Also really cuts down on frizz and leaves very little ‘crunch,’ just enough to keep a nice natural shape. I repeat, this product is the only thing that works for me and it works amazing.” — Mandy

Get it from Amazon for $14+ (available in three sizes).

Promising review: “I’m a brunette with a lot of blond balayage highlights, and pretty low-maintenance when it comes to my hair. Over the years my mom (a blonde) has been quick to spot my consistently brassy ends and call me out. My response has always been something like, ‘Really? Oh.’ (Meaning = I don’t know what you mean by ‘brassy’ and I’ve never noticed it before and I don’t know what to do to fix it besides waiting till my next hair appointment in six months?). After recently getting more blond put in my hair and loving/wanting cooler tones, I have finally seen the light. I put this in my hair once a week and my highlights stay icy, bright, and perfect. Never going back.” — Brianna Wright

Get it from Amazon for $9.48.

Promising review: “This is the best dry shampoo I’ve found. I have super-fine hair that tends to flatten out and look greasy if I don’t wash every day. This helps me stretch it to a second day easily and sometimes a third. It doesn’t leave any residue, and I feel like it effectively makes my hair at least look cleaner. It fluffs it up a bit without having that really noticeable heavy feeling or excessive fluffiness that some dry shampoos leave.” — Amazon customer

Get it from Amazon for $39.

To use, divide strands into sections, squeeze one to two drops on each section, and gently massage the formula into your scalp. Don’t rinse out this scalp treatment, because it’s made to be applied after shampooing and conditioning and before hair styling.

Briogeo is a Black-owned, woman-owned business known for haircare products that are free from SLS/SLES sulfates, silicones, parabens, phthalates, synthetic color and DEA.

Promising review: “This serum helps with itchiness by restoring hydration back to the scalp. It is made with tea tree oil, charcoal, biotin, and witch hazel. The charcoal helps absorb impurities that cause buildup and the tea tree oil, biotin, and witch hazel help with dryness and itchiness. I have noticed less dandruff since using this product.” — Briogeo customer

Get it from Briogeo or Amazon for $32.

Promising review: “I absolutely love and appreciate this product. This is my second time ordering it in just a few months. I use it when I work out and put my hair up in a bun. It take care of all the frizz for so many hours. Holds great. Smoothes hair out and leaves unsticky or greasy. A great alternative to gel or mousse. I was very skeptical when I bought it, in spite of the great reviews. I am telling you this product is amazing and totally worth the money.” — Rose Girgis

Get it from Amazon for $7.98.

Promising review: “Pleasantly surprised at how well this worked! Was a little skeptical because it was so cheap but it works great. I keep a little bit of my sides trimmed really short and didn’t really have a way of smoothing them out. I’ve used the comb side to help get a perfect line for a trim and the brush side makes it look so smooth and perfect. It even works on my tiny baby hairs that are always unruly. For reference I have mixed hair that is very fine but gets fuzzy and some days it curls and others is stick straight. The bristles are a little rough but as long as you are careful it doesn’t hurt. Maybe would be rough for a child unless they are used to getting hair done a lot. But I have really sensitive skin and it doesn’t bother me. Worth the price to try it out!” — Cort

Get it from Amazon for $2.49.

It also has a ceramic coated barrel that acts as a shield against heat damage.

Promising review: “I’m a low-maintenance girl and a morning showerer, so I bought this. And it’s wonderful. It gives some volume on top of being able to dry my straight hair quickly. It literally doesn’t tangle, and trust me, just brushing my hair has always been painful because it tangles easily, but this doesn’t tangle in your hair, it runs through so smoothly. I use this more than my straightener and blow-dryer combined!” — Sarah N.

Get it from Amazon for $39.99+ (available in two colors).

Promising review: “I’m low maintenance when it comes to hair, and love the look of a lived-in curl/wave. I wasn’t sure this thing could live up to all the hype- but with minimal effort, my hair looked great in about 15 minutes! Love the volume it gave my fine, pin straight hair. Don’t do what I did and keep it on your wishlist for a year while you struggle to achieve the beachy wave with your curling iron — just buy it! SO happy I did!” — Jessica

Get it from Amazon for $27.86 (available in two colors).

Reviewers can’t get enough of this hair oil and gave it a 4.7-star rating!

Promising review: “This bonding oil is an absolute hair saver! I am 10 months postpartum, and since having my son, I’ve had nothing but issues with my hair. I always had long, silky, beautiful, maintenance-free hair that I never had to worry about and then it became dry, brittle, and frizzy. I’ve been using this oil for a week and my hair has never been this silky and smooth and shiny. The container may be small, but you don’t have to use hardly any oil when putting it in your hair, and it’s well worth the money. It also smells fantastic!” — Deanna D.

Get it from Amazon for $28.

Bread Beauty Supply is a woman-owned business known for their amazing haircare lineup. You’ll find hair masks, scalp treatments and more products that’ll make your routine more enjoyable.

Promising review: “I recently started using Bread products and I really love how lightweight and easy they are to use. Since I have mixed textured hair that’s been frequently dyed, it tends to get very dry. After using this deep conditioner my hair felt so much better and softer. In addition to that, the smell is A-MA-ZING. Definitely one of my new favorite washday products.” — Kayla Boyd

Get it from Bread Beauty Supply or Sephora for $28.

See them in action on TikTok here.

Promising review: “I will admit I bought these from seeing them on TikTok and I needed new clips for my thick hair. I am not disappointed and beyond glad I got them. The colors are gorgeous and they stay put without hurting my head. I’m very impressed.” — Amazon customer

Get a 4-pack from Amazon for $10.99 (available in 19 sets).

Promising review: “I feel this product has improved my overall hair health. I use this serum after showers to help detangle and it has a pleasant scent. It is not a heavy product and I can still style my hair in the morning after using it at night without needing to wash it out.” — Sephora customer

Get it from Sephora for $56.

Promising review: “I love this comb! It’s comfortable to hold, does a GREAT job detangling my hair after shampooing. It’s also great for parting hair. I’m really glad I bought it!” — Amazon customer

Get it from Amazon for $5.99+ (available in eight colors and two-packs).

Brush it through wet hair in an outward motion and twist it to shape curls. You can also use it while blowdrying your hair to make the styling process a little easier.

Check it out on TikTok here.

Promising review: “This is the most amazing brush I’ve ever owned. I have thick curly hair, and I feel like it’s able to reach and detangle everything. My daughter has 4c hair; this works really well on her hair and detangles easily. I also really love that this brush can be taken apart and cleaned because my brushes fill with hair really fast and in all honesty, it was always easier to just get a new brush than sit there trying to clean them. I highly recommend this brush, especially if you have thick and/or curly hair.” — ABC

Get it from Amazon for $23.95 (available in two colors).

Promising review: “This hair oil is the real deal. I recently dyed my hair blonde and picked it up because my ends are a mess. I use this oil daily and don’t wash my hair often. It doesn’t cause buildup or give my hair a greasy look. However, it is super powerful! My hair is noticeably softer and shinier.” — Sephora Customer

Get it from Sephora or Amazon for $14+ (available in two sizes).

Cannabis sativa seed oil is the key ingredient of this formula that hydrates thirsty hair and doesn’t feel greasy. Shake up the container, spray it on dry or slightly wet hair, and use a comb to evenly distribute it before air drying or using hot tools.

Promising review: “I absolutely love these hair products. Since using them, my hair has practically been restored to it’s natural curls! This has been super helpful in that it protects hair from heat damage while also easily detangling — two big things for me. I love it and won’t ever be going back to anything else!” — Katie P

BuzzFeed editor Elizabeth Lilly loves this hair care essential and said: “I have a very thick head of naturally curly hair and have put it through just about everything, including all kinds of hot tools, at-home dye kits, the gamut of shampoo and conditioner types, basically every dry shampoo and hair oil in existence, and just about anything else to try for a story for you dear readers. Lots of products have either straight-up failed, been meh enough for me to not recommend, or fantastic but so costly that I feel guilty recommending them. Basically, a lot of stuff ends up in the trash or pawned off on my (grateful) friends when it isn’t a fit for me. But THIS STUFF. This stuff has become my go-to for spraying on my wet hair and then blow drying. Normally I’d apply a heat protector and an oil treatment or leave-in conditioner before blow drying. But this 10-in-1 treatment takes the cake!”

Get it on Amazon for $18.95 (sold in a 2-pack).

Promising review: “I recently took the red hair plunge and I was prepared to deal with the constant upkeep because red hair fades so quickly, but then I found this and it’s unbelievably good! I got Copper and it’s perfect on my 6rc hair. I use it as a deep conditioner like once a week and the color stays so vibrant. I don’t have to use freezing water every time I wash my hair, thank god! I tried using it like the directions said, but I felt like my hair didn’t get ‘clean,’ so I don’t use it like a shampoo, but the color, smell, and results are amazing and I highly recommend it.” — beautypot

Get it from Amazon for $22 (available in two sizes and 19 colors).

Promising review: “Love this diffuser! It’s super easy to use, it fits both of my hair dryers (most importantly, my favorite hair dryer that has a wide nozzle), and does a great job on my curls. It hasn’t fallen off once and attaches and detaches like a champ. Every time I use it, I think, ‘Man. This is a very well-designed product.’ Get it. You’ll be happy.” — Amazon customer

Get it from Amazon for $25 (available in seven colors).

Promising review: “It is incredible just how good this shampoo is. I had used it after an unfortunate incident with hair coloring that damaged and altered my hair, leading to a significant hair loss. It worked wonders. I used it faithfully and experienced rapid hair growth and my thickness came back. Fast-forward a couple years. And now I am in perimenopause and my hair is just not the same. Started using Purador again, the results are so amazing I just ordered another bottle and I am never going back to drugstore shampoos! Love, love, love this product! ” — MissValTat2

Get it from Amazon for $29.99.

Promising review: “I have thick 4c hair and I love this set. My hair came out so curly. It really reminded me of the movie star curls because it has been such a long time since I have seen my hair curl without having to use heat to it. I will either use a curling cream or a curling gel and leave the rods in overnight and then I get my curls in the morning.” — Marisa Fields-Williams

Get a 42-pack from Amazon for $13.99.

You can also buy the matching conditioner bar to complete your routine!

Promising review: “I found Ethique’s products when searching for a solid shampoo, and I’m in love! They offer many different options of both shampoo and conditioner to fit your personal hair needs, and they work even better than I had hoped. I also love that they’re eco-friendly because I’m not discarding all those plastic bottles anymore.” — Virginia Gal

Get it from Amazon for $15.75 (available in 12 scents and two-packs).

Promising review: “I have been buying these for years, I have a lot (probably two to three times more hair than anyone I know) of medium hair that I keep straight, it’s very silky but very heavy. Most hair ties don’t hold my hair tight and stretch out (and break) and other hair ties slip within minutes of using. Not these: They last and hold my hair perfectly! I’m able to workout and not constantly re-pull my hair up for 45 mins of kickboxing. The black seems to be the tightest hold compared to the gray color.” — Jackson

Get a pack of three from Amazon for $11.29 (available in nine different color and quantity packs).

These hair extensions are heat-resistant up to 300-ish degrees, so you can blow-dry, straighten, and curl them with the rest of your hair.

Promising review: “I consider myself pretty low maintenance in terms of my beauty regimen and have never used hair extensions of any kind. These are so simple to put in and blend in with my natural hair flawlessly. The price cannot be beat! I have the hair I’ve always dreamed of for $9! I’d recommend these to anyone looking for natural looking fullness & length for their hair. And with a price like that, can you really go wrong?” — Cookie

Get them from Amazon for $9.99 (available in five lengths and 56 colors).

Promising review: “Super-cute pieces that are identical to the photos provided. The wide range of styles and designs make it so there is a perfect clip for every outfit. These don’t give me a headache and hold all my hair nicely. I have some thick and curly hair and these do a great job!” — Hannah Wells

Get a 20-piece set from Amazon for $13.99.