The Best Products for Straight and Wavy Hair of 2023

I date around a lot when it comes to hair products, but I knew this duo was different when my beauty-obsessed teenager was busted stealing them from my shower and when my husband commented that I smelled good. Not only does this brand definitely kill it when it comes to fresh scent combinations, the sulfate-free shampoo is baby-gentle on my fine, frizz-prone hair, leaving it silky and perky. The conditioner seals the deal without weighing my hair down, and its delicate scent really does linger for at least a day. I think I might just commit to these for a while. —Petra Guglielmetti, contributor

I pretty much stopped using everything else in my shower once Rōz’s Foundation shampoo and conditioner came into my life. I’ve waxed poetic about this duo before, but there’s something about the scents—both smell divine and slightly different—plus the clean, botanical ingredients and effective formula that my thick, dry hair just loves. (It’s never looked healthier either, though I do have to credit founder Mara Roszak for helping me maintain it all with her amazing cuts; we also have a similar hair type, which might explain why her formulations work so well for my hair.) And in effort to be more mindful about the products I bring home, I appreciate the fact that both shampoo and conditioner come in reusable metal bottles, which I’ve already refilled. —Talia Abbas, senior commerce editor

For years I struggled to find a line that didn’t dry out my already moisture-deprived hair or leave it feeling limp and heavy—and then I met Moroccanoil Color Care. Formulated without sulfates and with Moroccanoil’s proprietary ArganID, which infuses argan oil into hair’s cortex and helps seal and repair it, plus silicone-based sun protection and pomegranate extract, this impressive system protects hair and keratin from color loss, sun damage, and environmental aggressors while smelling and feeling amazing on the hair. And it really does help prevent fading! My color is lasting longer and looking more radiant than ever before, while my hair looks and feels silky, smooth, and hydrated without having become limp, dry, or damaged. This is truly a color-care game changer. —Danielle Sinay, associate beauty editor

Having dyed and heat-styled my hair for most of my adult life, I’m no stranger to hair damage, split ends, or breakage. Fortunately, they have nothing on Verb’s Bonding Mask. Formulated with amino-bond complex, matura butter, and manketti seed oil, this ultra-reparative hair mask moisturizes and protects the hair while relinking broken protein bonds, helping restore damage, and preventing further breakage over all. Now that I’ve been using it weekly, my hair is soft, silky, and smooth, and shedding significantly less every time I brush it. Plus, it smells amazing! —D.S.

A hair mask has to be stellar for me to use it, because frankly, I don’t have the patience for them. But Guerlain’s Abeille Royale is truly in a league of its own, and one that I will gladly take the time for. It includes a double formulation (which, to be honest, is really fun to use when you squeeze the bottle) to replenish the fiber structure from the root while also reviving my color—and adding shine—thanks to a floral oleo-extrait. I leave it on for 10 minutes before rinsing out (just make sure to also massage it into your scalp and all over your strands) and my hair is softer, shinier, stronger, and way more manageable. —J.R.

I’ve always been a low-maintenance-hair girl, so I had doubts about adding a hair serum to my life. But just quickly applying this serum to my ends gives my hair such a silky feel for almost no effort, so consider me a convert! —Anastasia Sanger, senior manager of social video development

I’m very picky about dry shampoo, and Kim Kimble’s checks off all my boxes. A nontinted formula that absorbs excess oil, neutralizes odor, and leaves zero white cast? Check, check, check. —Ariana Yaptangco, senior beauty editor

I love Olaplex and I love dry shampoo, so are we surprised I love this product? No. I could go on and on about how well it works, how good it smells, and that it leaves little to no white cast. But I won’t, because what’s most impressive is that my husband, who couldn’t care less about hair products, fell so deeply in love with my bottle that he took it for himself. Now I have to replenish his stock along with mine because we’re both so obsessed. That, to me, is proof enough. —D.S.

Formulated with ginger and centella asiatica extracts, this serum hydrates and replenishes the scalp and hair so it looks super full and feels soft and silky. The massage applicator is what really sets this apart. Not only do you get a full hair care recharge, but a soothing massage comes with it! —Carrie Clayton, executive director, content production, branded entertainment

My main gripe with my hair is how dry it is, so I am on a never-ending quest for products that will give my tresses that baby-soft, silky feel that I covet. I instantly felt a difference after using the Function of Beauty texturizer on my hair. It felt soft in the middle and (most importantly) at the ends, and continued feeling hydrated through the next day, instead of feeling greasier. —Stephanie McNeal, senior editor

I’m an air-dry girlie through and through, but I like to keep it simple. (No 10-step routines for me, sorry TikTok!) That’s why I was intrigued by this texturizing hair foam from Living Proof, which I used in lieu of a styling cream after my leave-in conditioner. Once my hair dried, I was left with mermaid-like waves and minimal frizz. And it’s great for next-day hair too; I gave my hair a spritz of water, then ran another pump of the hair foam through, and it looked as good as new. —L.S.

Take it from someone whose hair has seen every color in the rainbow: this Revlon ColorSilk Hair Color is the most salon-like at-home dye I’ve tried. The applicator is much easier to use than other dyes I’ve tried, and the pastel shades are so flattering. —A.S.

Travel hair dryers live in this weird space between something I don’t ever feel like buying and something I desperately wish I owned while traveling. I loathe checking a bag, so if I’m going to lug around another hair tool, it better be compact. That’s why I love the Chi Vibes So Smooth travel hair dryer. It’s sleek, folds up tiny, and dries my hair quickly and easily. Perfect to throw in my bag for a weekend trip or to slip in my carry-on. The fun rainbow colors are just the icing on the cake. —S.M.

Confession: I’m 33-years-old and have curled my own hair maybe five times. But now that I’ve found this wand, expect that number to skyrocket. For a hairstyling novice, having a cordless hair tool is—and I don’t use this term lightly—game-changing. So much so that I could style my long, wavy hair in under 15 minutes, and it actually looks good. Thank you, Harry! —L.S.

No one wants to add a million more electronics in their bathroom, so the versatility of the Mermaid Blow Dry Brush made it a clear winner in my book. The two interchangeable dryer barrels let you really customize your blowout, and the nylon bristles gave my hair such a luxurious shine. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s pink—I’m a woman who knows what she likes! —A.S.

As someone who is really bad at straightening my hair, I was hesitant to use this flatiron. However, the Revlon Hair Tools One-Step AirStraight is as easy as it sounds and has empowered me take on my curly hair section by section, without fear of burning my scalp. I was nervous that the tool would just give me a blow-dry effect, but my strands came out so straight and smooth. Plus it works for all hair types, since it has six heat and airflow settings. —Andrea Lewis, assistant to the global editorial director, Architectural Digest