Pros and Cons of Hairstyling Products

Gels, mousse, hair creams, hair sprays, hair wax... you name it, I'm sure you've tried it. Whether it worked or not, all of us have used hair products at one time or another. Some of us use products for the look it gives, some for the texture, and some for its nourishing effect. Whatever are reasons were, all of us have gone through the "shoot and miss" dilemna when choosing the right product for you. Here are a few tips that hopefully help you through in choosing what's right for you.

Hair Gels.

Since the 80's hair gels has been a mainstay in salons for its hairstyling needs. A classic solution for taming wild and unruly hair, hair gels contains polymers and glycols that give a natural hold and shine that would hold whatever hairstyle you shaped. Humidity resistant additive makes gel-styled hair last the entire day and ensure a wet-look to your style. Alcohol-additives, however, makes long-term use of this product not advisable as it could damage your hair and cause more harm than good. Development of water-based gels makes this product less-harmful but is not as humidity and sweat resistant as alcohol-based hair gels.

Hair Mousse.

Appearing in the late 80's and early 90's, hair mousse was a revolutionary product when it first came out. Providing a very firm hold while retaining natural softness to your hair, it was ideal for producing a natural, everyday look to your hair. However, it was later found out that long-term use could be harmful to your hair as this product also contains alcohol-based ingredients that could definitely harm your hair.

Hair Spray.

A salon styling-aid, hair spray provides a very stiff hold for those very radical hairstyles. Along with hair gels, hair sprays came out in the 80's and produced those very wild-looking hairstyles well known during that decade. Resistant to heat, humidity, water and sweat, hair spray is perfect for special occasions that require long-lasting hairstyles. But again, alcohol content makes this product not ideal for everyday use.

Hair Creams.

Light and oil-based, hair creams provide a nourishing effect to your hair. Oil additives also provide a nice light hold to your hair that provides a natural look to your hair. However, this product lacks that long-lasting effect of other products as it does not contain humidity-resistant and water-resistant properties.

Hair Wax.

The most recent product that came out of the market, hair wax combines some of the positive qualities of creams and gels. Containing beeswax, it provides the nourishing effect of oil-based products while retaining a firm hold of alcohol-based products. Able to hold even the most radical styles, hair wax made possible all the styles we see today. The natural look it gives eliminates the "stiff" look produced by hair gels or sprays and the wax provides natural resistance against humidity and water. However, like alcohol, wax could be harmful to your hair when used for prolonged period of time.

So take your pick, but whichever you chose make sure that you do everything in moderation because too much of anything could do more harm than good.