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Salon professionals put styling formulations to the test. They expect to gain volume where it might otherwise be lacking. Curl retention that lasts. Frizz to be kept at bay. Sleek locks without stiffness. And protection from high-heat tools deployed when creating their client’s look.

Happi asked hairdressers from across the US about their go-to styling products and their all-time favorites. Plus, stylists dished on what’s missing from their toolkits. Their responses ranged from formulations with improved feel to heat protection—and some longed-for discontinued products.

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Jacqulyn Coleman

Signature Color and Extension Specialist
BeautyWorx Hair & Nail Salon, Phoenix, AZ
@J.colehair 

All-time favorite: Hydraday Whipped Cream by Alter Ego Italy. I have been doing hair for 14 years, and it helps all of my clients’ styles hold longer, leaving the hair feeling softer and healthier. 

Current go-tos: First, Hydraday Whipped Cream, because of the amazing foundation it gives to the style. Infused with rice water, this lightweight leave-in mousse also conditions the hair to help with shine, softness and hydration. I also love Alter Ego Italy’s Silk Oil and Liss Control Spray. A wet/dry product, Silk Oil helps tame frizz while adding softness and shine. It is also a heat protectant. I also pair this with the Hydraday Whipped Cream for thick hair! Finally, recommended for all hair types, heat-activated Liss Control Spray creates a microfilm around the hair fiber and does not leave blonde hair yellow! 

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Suzie Bond

Salon Owner/Hairdresser/Educator
Bond Beauty, Mooresville, NC
@suziebond, @bondbeautyus

All-time favorite: ArtTec Aeromousse. Now discontinued, this volume mousse was amazing, because it lifted the hair, regardless of texture and density, up from the scalp and remained soft in the finish. It sprayed directly onto the hair, making it easy to apply exactly where needed. L’Oréal Professionnel has launched a new version that is not in the United States yet. (Fingers crossed for its arrival).

Current go-tos: Kérastase Elixir is my go-to oil for almost every hair type and client. It’s lightweight, nourishing, super shiny and amazing on clean or day-old hair. Shu Uemura Watta Wave is a magical texturizing spray that holds hot tool styling on the straightest hair. On dry hair, it lifts at the scalp and can be used to prep hair for heat styling while not dulling shine. I wouldn’t be living in the South without hairspray! L’Oréal Professionnel Tecni.Art Infinium 4 brings the magic. I use Infinium 4 on dry hair to lift at the scalp, prep for heat styling, protect from humidity and hold the style while the hair remains touchable and soft.

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Lorrene Conino 

Owner, Salon Lorrene, Palatine, IL 
@salonlorrene

All-time favorite: Davines OI All-In-One Milk, a multitasking hair milk that delivers multiple benefits in one simple step. It’s perfect for busy clients who want salon-quality results without fuss. This lightweight formula softens and detangles hair, helps transform dry, tangled strands into smooth, manageable hair; enhances shine and softness; and so much more. I also love Goldilocks Texture Spray, which gives just enough texture without feeling heavy; Davines Strong Hairspray, which gives all day hold without the feel of hairspray; and OI Oil (Potion), which is not an oil but a sealer for the cuticle that puts moisture back into the hair. It’s also great for a day-to-evening refresh! Two drops scrunched into hair soften, refresh and put the bend back into your look.

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Angela Copozzi 

Salon Suite Owner and Educator 
The Witch Who Does Hair, Massapequa, NY
@thewitchwhodoeshair

All-time favorite: TIGI Copyright Dry Shampoo. It was unreal. It gave the hair texture and fullness, absorbed oil the way a dry shampoo should, and left the most beautiful matte finish! But it wasn’t just a dry shampoo; it doubled as an incredible texturizing product, especially for up-dos and styling work. It was the first dry shampoo I ever used that delivered on everything it promised. I was completely obsessed and was genuinely heartbroken when it was discontinued.

Current go-tos: Right now, my ride-or-die styling products are the Pure Brazilian Silky Smoothing Balm paired with Shine Oil. Silky Smoothing Balm works beautifully on all hair types. It conditions, softens and smooths the cuticle in a way that makes blowouts look polished without feeling heavy or coated. It gives me control without sacrificing movement. I love pairing it with Pure Brazilian Shine Oil, because one to two pumps is actually enough. It adds shine and softness without oversaturating the hair or weighing it down. 

That combination has become a staple in my everyday styling work.

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Davey Matthew

Celebrity Stylist

All-time favorite: I couldn’t live without a good working hairspray that’s brushable but still buildable. milk_shake Lifestyling Let it Shine is a staple in my kit, because it’s so versatile. I’m constantly using it in unconventional ways, whether that’s as a blow-dry product on wet hair or as a texture spray on dry hair. Once you really understand how the product works and how to play within its limits, the possibilities are endless!

Current go-tos: I reach for a shine spray more during the winter months. With how dry the air is, hair needs a little extra help to get that glossy, healthy-looking finish. The milk_shake Let It Shine spray is hands down one of the best. It’s reflective without feeling heavy, glossy without being greasy, leaving the hair smooth and glossy.

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Sacha Quarles

Celebrity Hairstylist, Los Angeles

All-time favorite: My all-time favorite product is Redken starch. It was my go-to for all the signature curling iron work I did on set at the OG “Sex and the City.” The curls were soft, never crunchy, naturally beautiful and lasted 14 to 16 hours a day while shooting. Unfortunately, like a lot of great products, it was discontinued and broke many hair stylists’ hearts.

Current go-tos:  I love using Oribe Royal blowout and Oribe gold dry heat protection spray. The blow out gives you a bouncy, long-lasting style. It is also my go-to for a curl-set that lasts! I also love Obliphica Seaberry Multi-Task Styling Cream. This all-in-one styler blends the volume-boosting power of a mousse with the luxurious hydration of a cream. Plus, its thermal-protective properties shield hair from heat damage while smoothing frizz and adding lasting moisture.

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Paula Schwartz

Stylist, Salon Owner and Educator
PS Hair Studio, Benicia, CA
@pshairstudio

All-time favorite: Kenra Texture Taffy. It gives the hair a beautiful natural texture and style compatible with any hair type. Curly Hair: Controls frizz and creates definition Straight Hair: Adds flexibility and shine Thicker Hair: Smooths Fine Hair: Lifts and holds the style.

Current go-tos: I just started using the Chris Macmillan styling product line. They all deliver targeted, specific results for each unique style I am creating. I especially love the Mousse and Blow Dry Spray that work beautifully on all hair types. Even though it’s a brand-new entry with new technology, it is reminiscent of all the great products I have used over a 50-year career as a stylist and educator

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Nick Stenson

Founder, Nick Stenson Beauty 
@nickstenson 

All-time favorite: My favorite styling product is the Nick Stenson Beauty Smoothing Cream. I love the versatility in this product. It can be used to create the perfect smooth blowout or to define natural curl. Plus, it leaves the hair with shine and hydration.  

Current go-tos: I love layering products. For example, I apply the Nick Stenson Beauty Root Lifter to the hair at the scalp area, then apply a generous amount of Volume Crème from mid lengths to ends.

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On Their Wish List

Even with favorites, stylists are always looking for new options.  What attributes do they deem important for performance and convenience? We asked, and they answered.

“The disappearing gel is so needed! With all of the beautiful hybrid technologies in styling, the basics have left the building,” said Bond of Bond Beauty, Mooresville, NC. “I also have a huge need for styling products in travel sizes. All brands seem to struggle with maintaining production of these tiny things. We know they have a high cost to produce, but the consumer will pay for the convenience. Let’s get some mousse, spray gel (for root lift), gel and hair spray in tiny containers please.”

“I still haven’t found a heat-protectant hairspray with 450-degree protection that I truly love,” shared Matthew. “I’m looking for something lightweight that I can apply before using hot tools, without ever worrying about compromising the integrity of the hair.

Some mentioned products they wish were still on the market.

“Privé used to make the perfect green gel. It was my all-time go-to when I wanted perfect hold on all hair types with no build up. Clients still talk about it many years later,” said Conino. 

In addition, Conino is looking for “Davines to bring out a softer paste with OI Oil.”

Coleman, a color and extension specialist, has a similar request: a texture spray with strong hold but gives shine and doesn’t leave a tacky film or feeling on the hair.

“There are products that do this individually with a texture spray or a hairspray, but nothing that combines all those benefits in one product. I’d use it daily for short pixies, textured bobs or even when styling curls,” Coleman said.

Quarles, who was nominated for an Emmy for the hairstyles he created in the original “Sex and The City” series, is putting out a call for “products that hydrate the hair and repair damage without weighing the  hair down, plus give hold that lasts all day.” 

According to Quarles, “Everyone’s hair—and especially those in front of the camera all day—can use a little love when it comes to counteracting damage from high heat, bleach and other chemicals.”

“I want to see more brands commit to protecting the hair first, always,” shared Copozzi. “We need more products rooted in integrity—formulas that prioritize hydration, strength and long-term hair health. Hair should always be kept in its best state, not constantly pushed to its weakest point and then ‘repaired’ after.”

Of course, some stylists take matters into their own hands when they can’t find exactly what they need.

For example, Stenson, founder of Nick Stenson Beauty, says he’s interested in volumizing products that are not sticky. 

“I am working on a few new formulas as we speak to address that gap,” he said.

Jayne Morehouse is salon industry expert and president of Jayne & Company, a full-service agency for companies, brands, salons and spas. She has frequently contributed to Happi. Her email is: jayne@jayneandco.com.