I have to admit, I don’t generally do drugstore hair products. But this hair oil is fantastic. Incredibly light, smells lovely and smooths and hydrates in a non-greasy way.

I jumped on the Argan oil bandwagon a while ago. It really is a very effective beauty oil I try to incorporate head to toe. I love that John Frieda is bringing it to masses and combining it with his historic Frizz-Ease technology.

Take it from me—and I have the coarsest, trickiest tresses that go bezerk in humidity—skip your pricey hair oil and pick this up at your local drugstore for under $10.

P.S. My other favorite frizz-fighting products.

If your hair is at all processed, you really need to think about protecting it from the sun as much as you think about protecting your skin. Color, keratin, straighteners and bleach all make hair react five times faster to UV exposure. So dryness, dullness and brassiness can happen over a summer weekend.

Protecting your locks is simple, though, with this dream duo. Hair in the Sun gives UV protection that stays in hair even after washing. How amazing is that? Use it as a light styling product, in tandem with your usual routine. Hair After the Sun deeply moisturizes—hydration being the key to strong, healthy hair. Use it as a leave-in conditioner or rinse it out. The more moisturized your hair is, the less likely it is to get parched by the elements.

Both products utilize Sachajuan’s patented Ocean Silk Technology. That means lots of nourishing proteins and minerals extracted from really high quality sea algaes to protect and replenish hair. I love how these products smooth and add shine without weighing hair down.

About the brand: Sachajuan is a really excellent Swedish haircare brand, founded by two hair stylists known internationally for their fashion editorial work. They have a highly regarded salon in Stockholm and their line of products are all produced in Sweden.

P.S. These products are only available now at BeautyBar, but will be available soon at Barneys, Net-a-Porter and SpaceNK.

I was recently sent this Amika curling wand to try and I must admit—it sat unopened on my desk for a while. Many of you know I am deeply wedded to my beloved Sedu curling wand. I wasn’t looking for a new styler. My almost-four year-old Sedu and I had settled into a very comfortable relationship, thank you very much. But, I suppose, like all good relationships, I realized there was room for improvement. And thankfully, unlike a marriage, three isn’t a crowd among hot tools.

This tourmaline-inflused, clip-free ceramic curling wand gives me great quality waves like my Sedu. It’s a super high quality iron with a nice digital temperature read. But what I really love is that you can change the barrel size to achieve different looks. In some ways, this wand arrived just in time because I’ve been craving bigger, looser waves, and the 1.25″ Glam Goddess barrel is my answer. Did I mention the interchangeable barrels have names? The starter Switch Kit comes with the most popular 1″ Hollywood Vixen and the three additional barrels are the aforementioned 1.25″ Glam Goddess, the 1.5″ Supermodel Allure and the tapered 1″Beach Bombshell. All available for $30 each. Endless options, one cord. LOVE it.

P.S. Watch the quick how-to videos for each wand…they’re so clear and helpful.

I’m one of those people known for my hair. I’ve always had a sort of an unusual shade of dark auburn. When I was a toddler people used to actually ask my mother if she colored my hair. (This was in the 1970s, of course.)

As I grew up, my identity as a redhead was constantly reinforced. I’d get nice compliments from random people pretty often, sure. But I also got teased. By boys. In junior high. I distinctly remember Josh L. writing me a note in 9th grade on a wrapper of Big Red chewing gum.

Being a redhead defines me. For example, if I’m about to meet someone at a restaurant I’ve never met before, and they ask me what I look like,  I’ll say “I have long, dark red hair.” When I fill out paper work at the DMV, and I get to the question of hair color, I check the box “Red.”

Until I wasn’t.

After I had Julia, my hair got really dark. As in, Very. Dark. Brown. Except when I stood directly under the sun and a hint of red shimmered from within. So rather than go through an existential crisis after childbirth (because Year One is difficult enough, isn’t it?) I swallowed my pride and lost my hair processing virginity. My genius colorist Steven Amendola at Serge Normant at John Frieda brought my hair back to the age of “Rapper’s Delight” and Kramer vs. Kramer where it belongs. 

The trickiest part of being a bottled redhead is the maintenance. I had no idea my hair grew so fast. Like, at least half an inch each month. I get roots, a serious issue I never really understood prior to turning brunette post-partum. Leave it to celebrity colorist Rita Hazan (who has also amazingly colored my hair) to develop the best root concealer on the market, by far. Hazan’s Root Concealer is a convenient, easy-to-use spray, in contrast to the popular mascara-type root covers I find difficult to use. It comes in five shades that work well on a wide range of colors, including grays—and it stretches me at least a week or two when I need my color done.

I haven’t worn my hair stick-straight for years now. I like movement. I want some bounce. The trick, for me, is to attain movement and bounce without making my hair too big. I like a sort of flattened wave, if you will. (Rachel Zoe does this particularly well.) I’ve tried everything: braiding, concave brushes, curling irons and flat irons with curved plates. Truthfully, they all work, they all just require a lot of time and a fair amount of precision.

Then I discovered the Sedu Revolution Clipless Curling Iron, herein referred to as “The Wand”. I promise you, and I do not say this lightly: IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE. It is a 1″ clipless barrel and it is absolutely fool proof. You know how one side of your hair always comes out better than the other side? Doesn’t happen with The Wand. Those kinks and bends you can get with a curling iron? Eradicated with the Wand. And it couldn’t be easier. Start with dry hair–and you don’t have to agonize over a perfect blow out because the wand, at up to 350 degrees, smoothes hair. You can even sleep in a wet bun. Then, all you do is wrap hair around the barrel, count to maybe 5, and voila! Perfect, silky waves that last. The best part? It takes about 5-10 minutes to do your whole head.

The Wand is pricey, at about $150, but it is worth every penny. I have actually stopped getting blowouts for special occasions. And I have never gotten so many compliments on my hair.

Tips to remember: leave the bottom inch of strands straight for a slightly edgier, less bouncy look. And a small warning: The Wand is extremely hot and I recommend using the glove that comes with it until you get into a groove. I got a few burns in the beginning because I didn’t wear it. Also, be sure to use a heat protectant spray on your hair. I like Chi 44 Iron Guard because it’s paraben free and seems to provide some hold, too.

Frizz is scientific—although, believe me, I know it can get emotional. But, simply put, dry, damaged hair expands when it is exposed to moisture and, depending upon the natural structure of you hair, humidity can curl it, poof it or flatten it—or, as in my case, all of the above.

The leading anti-frizz fighter for the past 30 years has been silicone. Idea being, coat hair with a moisture-resistant material and it wards off the frizzies. Silicone works okay, but it can really make hair greasy. My humidity-blocker of choice is hands down Living Proof No-Frizz. It’s an entirely new molecule that was discovered by a scientist who was trying to figure out how to keep moisture of the wings of airplanes. And it works. Not only does it work, but it protects hair so well, it actually repels dirt, too. So your hair is softer, smoother and cleaner.

I’ve been using Living Proof for five years and the line has really grown. These are my personal favorites for thick, medium-coarse hair. But my friends with finer hair have been equally as happy with the products formulated for them.

1: no-frizz wave shaping, curl making styling cream: This gives nice hold if you like more movement in your blowout or use hot styling tools.

2: restore revitalizing spray: With heat and UV defense, this restorative spray instantly polishes the cuticle and protects hair from damage.  Works well on all hair types.

3: flex shaping hairspray: provides soft yet enduring hold and smells really good for all hair types.