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There are hair products out there for every style under the sun, from tight ringlets to bouncy bobs to sleek buzz cuts.
Once you know which products are right for your hair and desired look, they will save you time spent in front of the mirror and help you avoid a bad hair day.
We have taken a look at some of the most common hair styling products and have asked stylists which ones are best for different types of hair and styles.
Before you start styling, you should shampoo, and condition and treat your hair. Be wary of overdoing this if your goal is a voluminous hairstyle, as conditioner can weigh your hair down.

If you want your hairstyle to last all day, you may want to use hair lacquer – a type of very strong hairspray designed to last longer than regular hairspray. When applied, it will make hair feel almost stiff, and it is rather difficult to brush out.
“Short-standing hairstyles or styling can be fixed at the end with a hair lacquer,” says master hairdresser Antonio Weinitschke. There will be little chance of stray strands of hair falling out of place when this is used.
“Hairsprays have a drier spraying process and are usually easier to brush out again,” says Weinitschke.
Regular sprays are particularly suitable for longer hair, as they are lighter than lacquer and will not weigh hair down, and the resulting hairstyle can look bouncier as a result. You can find variants of both products that will give you different levels of setting.
You may think of pomade, a greasy, waxy substance, as old-fashioned, but it works well for many of today’s popular hairstyles.
“Pomades are products for a damp, straggly look that can be remodelled,” says hairdresser and creative director Sascha Rohn in Berlin, Germany. That makes them ideal for hairstyles with a precise side parting, say, or tight ponytails where you want the hair to remain firmly in place.

You may see products called names like “air pomade” or “pomade spray wax” – these are ultrafine, spray pomades that create a light, non-greasy look. They are good for soft styling and give you definition and shine.
You can use spray pomades on damp or dry hair – simply spray all over your hair or on individual strands before working it in with your fingers.
Mousse sets, shapes and adds volume to your hair. Different products are available for fine, coloured, dry and high-maintenance hair.
Products with thermal protection and moisturising ingredients are useful if your style involves blow-drying or straightening, as they will protect your hair from the damage caused by heat and dehydration.
Combs and brushes can help you apply hair products easily, and they can help distribute product through your hair.

Hair gels, popular in the 1990s, are celebrating something of a comeback. They can be used to create sleek, smooth looks or spiky, gravity-defying hairstyles. Gels are usually wet in consistency, says Weinitschke, but they harden quickly once in your hair.
There are different kinds of hair gels, including some that contain setting substances like rubber extract, which are good for keeping extreme or very particular looks in place. Curl gels, meanwhile, define your curls and waves.
Depending on the length of your hair and desired style, gels are applied to dry or damp hair before you shape your hairstyle.
Most gel products contain alcohol and will dry out your hair. This means that, when you wash your hair, you should use an intensive moisturiser.
Like gel, styling milks create a smoothing, shiny effect, but they provide less hold, so do not use them if you have heavy curls. Rohn says styling milks have been on the market for around 15 years, which makes them a newer product than many of the other styling aids.
In contrast to hair gels, styling milks are more nourishing and help to moisturise your hair. Use a strong setting agent if you have fine hair and a lighter one for strong hair.
“Style short, stand-up hairstyles with a textured look with gel or wax,” says Weinitschke. “If you have longer hair, creams or softer pastes are more suitable.”


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Hair gel, mousse or spray? Stylists offer tips on which product is best for your hair

Discover the perfect hair product for your style, from pomades to sprays to gels to mousses, to avoid ever having a bad hair day. Photo: Shutterstock

Before you start styling, you should shampoo, condition and treat your hair. Photo: Shutterstock

Products with thermal protection and moisturising ingredients are useful if your style involves blow-drying or straightening. Photo: Shutterstock

Combs and brushes can help you apply hair products easily. Photo: Shutterstock

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Khalaf Allah al-Talhi picks flowers alongside his workers on his plantation, where he says he cares for his roses “more than I care for my own children”. Photo: AFP

Freshly collected Damask roses on a farm in Taif. Every spring, roses transform pockets of Saudi Arabia’s desert landscape into fragrant pink patches. Photo: AFP

A worker pours roses into a container used to produce rose water and oil at a farm in Taif. Photo: AFP

Talhi collects rose oil distilled from the steam generated by boiling rose petals in vats. Photo: AFP

Workers harvest Damask roses at a farm in Saudi Arabia’s western city of Taif. Photo: AFP

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Lifestyle

Fashion & Beauty

Discover the perfect hair product for your style, from pomades to sprays to gels to mousses, to avoid ever having a bad hair day


Discover the perfect hair product for your style, from pomades to sprays to gels to mousses, to avoid ever having a bad hair day.


Hair gel, mousse or spray? Stylists offer tips on which product is best for your hair

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Discover the perfect hair product for your style, from pomades to sprays to gels to mousses, to avoid ever having a bad hair day

Discover the perfect hair product for your style, from pomades to sprays to gels to mousses, to avoid ever having a bad hair day