the haircare heroes

L'Oreal Elnett Satin Hairspray Diamond Hold | Macadamia Natural Oil Control Hairspray* | Lush Coconut Deodorant Powder 
 Schwarzkopf got2b Guardian Angel Heat Protectant | Fudge Urban Sea Salt Texturising Spray | Anti-Frizz by Yuko Leave-In Conditioner*

I'm no haircare expert. My hair is usually the last thing I do before I'm out the door, and more often than not you'll find it in a messy bun or a side braid. That said, when it comes to hair products I know what I like, and that's this lot.

I'm not fussy with my shampoo and conditioner, the Naked shampoos are great for when I can be bothered to seek out SLS free products and the Lush shampoos and conditioners are a firm favourite - especially the honey shampoo, it smells amazing. However when it comes to dry shampoo I get so picky, I really dislike Batiste as it makes my hair feel almost chalky when I touch it and the same is true for the few other dry shampoos I've tried. My alternative is the Lush Coconut Deodorant Powder, which although it's awful at being an actual deodorant, it's rather good at absorbing any excess oil that makes my hair feel greasy without giving that chalk-like texture. I guess it works the same way talcum powder does (but coconut scented, never forget that it's coconut scented).
Leave-in conditioner used to be something that I shied away from, but since trying Yuko's offering my views have changed and I cannot get enough of the stuff. It's heat-activated, so I use it before blow-drying (My heat protectant of choice is the got2b Guardian Angel. It's cheap, cheerful and has a halfway decent spray nozzle, which is all I ask for.) and spray it onto the ends of my hair. As soon as my hair is dry I can see the difference. It leaves my mane feeling so soft, it feels like I've just dipped the ends in a vat of silicon - except my hair doesn't feel weighed down at all. Gold is listed as one of the ingredients too, so uh... that's interesting.
I use the Fudge Urban sea salt spray for when I want my locks to have texture and volume, spraying it in when I'm halfway through blow-drying my hair. It also stops my hair going greasy as quickly when I use it on my roots, which can be a lifesaver if I've got a busy week ahead of me as it means I can go an extra day or two without washing my hair. This works equally well when used on straightened and natural hair for me, on straightened hair it gives the effect of backcombing and used on my natural hair it enhances the slight wave my hair has.

As for hairspray, I have two that I turn to. If I want an extra-extra-extra firm hold, like on the rare occasion that my hair is curled I use the famous L'Oreal Elnett hairspray. But if I just want to tame any flyaways, keep my hair straightened throughout the day or simply if I need a bit o' volume, the Macadamia Natural Oil hairspray works wonders. It doesn't leave my hair feeling crunchy, adds shine and that huge bottle will last me a lifetime. And just look at the packaging.

Do you have a hair product that you can't live without?

*PR sample.