How-To (beauty)

No matter what your hair type, start with gentle-formula shampoos: They don't strip the hair with major detergents. Then go for super-rich conditioners. "You'd be amazed at what regular deep conditioning can do," says Rita Hazan Salon stylist Kevin Mancuso. "After a while, silicone-based glosses can leave your hair dry. Real texture comes from conditioner."

Moisturizing creams create a natural-looking separation and ease. "You want something that's conditioning, and, if you've got color, something to protect it so it doesn't oxidize or fade," says L.A. stylist and salon owner Jonathan Antin.

Waxes are great on the ends: "The right one gives you a little hold, too," says Mancuso. "I like the idea of a cream version of hairspray: It gives hair that morning-after response but with a fresher, looser feel."

Avoid pure silicone serums. "They can give hair an artificial feeling," says Mancuso. "Some silicone is okay, but you want it mixed with emollients so there's a weight to it that gives you softness, bounce, and movement."

Play up your curls with a soft, manageable, defining gel. "You want a product that has a perfect balance of moisturizing and drying ingredients," says Mancuso. "The kind of thing stylists mix up on a photo shoot. You want it to add volume, not flake, and be touchable but really last."

For softer hold, mix gel with a drop of defrizzing serum.

"Use a volumizer that thickens hair from the inside out," says Manhattan stylist Stephen Knoll, owner of the Stephen Knoll Salon in New York. "It doesn't just sit on the hair, weigh it down, or leave it stiff."

If you don't want volume, use a silicone leave-in while your hair is still wet, and finish with cream or serum.

Cocktail products: Massage in a gel at the roots as a thickener, then blowdry with your head upside down. To finish, rub a tiny dab of cream or wax between your palms and run it through your hair in sections, from midpoint to ends. "You'll have more control, fewer flyaways, and great texture," says Mancuso.

Work a cream in first, starting an inch from the roots: "When you go in with the curling iron, straightening lotion keeps the wave softer, more natural-looking," says Mancuso.

Break up curls with your fingers using a bit of serum or putty: "It makes them more lived-in and uneven," says Knoll. Use a light spray afterward—especially if you have naturally fine hair.