Not Your Mama's Hair Spray

This month, three new styling & finishing products have arrived at Salon A.  As I was testing them out on my hair, I couldn't help but think back to the 1980s when, at the risk of exposing my age, I had perfected the art of shellacking my bangs to hold the teased sky-high look throughout third period gym class and beyond.  Of course, disappearing into a fog of hairspray was merely in keeping with a habit going back to the days of the Priscilla Presley bouffant 'dos, where hairspray was...king.

Oh, how we have evolved, and in this case for the better.  Rene Furterer has added two new products to its Vegetal Styling Collection, a Strong Hold Finishing Spray and a Texture Spray.  Arrojo has introduced Fierce Firm Hold Hair Spray.  Each of these products provide hold, but more importantly, they provide movement.  The biggest problem with strong hold sprays in the past (and quite frankly, still exists in many products out there) is that they leave the hair stiff, sticky, or even flaky once brushed out.  But these new styling products from Rene Furterer and Arrojo will hold your style through a long day of work, an evening of dancing, or even third period gym class, all while maintaining the health and hydration of your hair.

The key ingredient in the Rene Furterer Vegetal collection is an anti-dehydration complex consisting of Cakile extract, a Mediterranean plant that holds hydration even with a lack of water, and vitamin B5. The key ingredients in the Arrojo Fierce Spray are panthenol to retain moisture, copolymers to maintain hold, and silicone to create softness and eliminate stickiness.  Best of all, these products all have pleasant scents, Rene having citrus and floral notes while Arrojo has guava and lily.

“Fierce is perfectly timed for the surge in eighties inspiration we’re seeing in the salon and on the street. It’s helping us modernize those iconic styles with natural texture and softer, more touchable finishes –– but still with all that glamorous gloss and shine.”  Nick Arrojo, owner and founder of ARROJO

If you look at any red carpet or runway, it's clear that the trends all include hair with movement.  This was particularly clear to me when a few of the hairstyles at the Emmys (I won't name any names) were so stiff that they sadly stood out as a reminder of how far we've come from those days.  If you, like me, emerged from the eighties vowing that as God as your witness you would never use Aquanet again, then you'll totally appreciate these new styling products.  They're like the promise of New Coke with the taste of Classic Coke.  It's like they taste great, but with less filling.  The bottom line is that they rad.