You tgo o your stylist because she knows just how to get your hair looking its best. Chances are she has some tricks up her sleeve that gives her the advantage. Those DIY hair secrets are something they teach when you're studying to be a stylist, but that doesn't mean you can't find them for yourself. Here are 10 fab tips from the best stylists in town. They'll save you some cash and leave you with a good hair day, every day. Thanks goes to Redbook magazine for clueing us into these at home styling tips for the best hair ever.
"If you often have some frizzy or unruly areas of your hair after blow drying, especially in the back or underside, you need to section your hair as you dry it. This ensures that every piece is smooth, and you'll also save time and cut back on heat exposure, because you won't be going over the same areas again and again. Buy a few alligator hair clips — they look like duck bills with teeth. Section damp hair into four quadrants by parting it in the middle, then splitting each side in half horizontally; clip up the top sections. Blow dry with a round brush, working on one-inch-wide pieces of hair. When you finish the bottom layers, undo the top ones and repeat until all of your hair is dry." —Harry Josh, creator of Harry Josh Pro Tools and celebrity stylist whose clients include Olivia Wilde
(Sephora Collection Hold It Together Blow Dry Clips, $10 for 4; sephora.com)
"I have curly hair and don't want my curls to look flat around the top of my head, so this is how I style my own hair: First, use a volumizing shampoo and conditioner to prevent curls from getting weighed down, and do a final rinse at the end of your shower with your head flipped upside down, which helps encourage volume at the roots. When you get out, flip your head upside down again as you wrap a towel around your hair. Wait five minutes, remove the towel, then flip your head over one more time and work a drop of lightweight glossing cream throughout hair to prevent frizz and define coils. From there, you can air-dry or blow-dry with a diffuser, and your curls will be lush and springy."—Orlando Pita, creator of Orlando Pita Play haircare
(Orlando Pita Play The Gloss Up Weightless Polishing Cream, $26; ulta.com)
"Using high heat on fine hair can actually flatten it, so switch to the low-heat setting on your dryer. Then, toss hair around with your fingers as you dry, which helps beef up texture, and alternate between flipping your head upside down and having it upright to kick up fullness even more." —Adir Abergel, celebrity stylist whose clients include Reese Witherspoon
(Harry Josh Pro Tools Pro Dryer 2000, $250; dermstore.com)
"If your hair is looking dry or a bit damaged, try this move once every two weeks: Skip shampoo and conditioner and use a leave-in conditioner instead — on your dry hair. Wet your hands, then massage a quarter-size dollop throughout your hair, but don't rinse. Or if you can't bear to not shampoo, try applying the suds only to your scalp every other time you wash. Work it into skin with your fingertips, but don't spread the lather through the rest of your hair." —Marcus Francis, Suave Professionals celebrity stylist whose clients include Shailene Woodley
(Suave Professionals Honey Infusion 10-in-1 Leave-In Conditioning Cream, $5.98; at drugstores)
"Textured hair is already prone to breakage and split ends, and putting it against a cotton pillowcase can cause friction that makes the delicate strands even more vulnerable. I tell my clients with textured hair to either tie it up at night in a silk scarf or bonnet, or sleep on a silk pillowcase. Once they start doing this, they tell me that their hair is noticeably less dry and damaged." —Kim Kimble, celebrity stylist whose clients include Beyoncé
(Slip Silk Pillowcase, $69; slipsilkpillowcase.com)
"This is my foolproof method for thickening fine hair, whatever the length. First, squirt a golf-ball-size amount of volumizing mousse in your palm and blend it through your damp roots. Blow-dry your hair as usual, and when finished, add in a few Velcro rollers, which takes only a couple of minutes. Start by sectioning off a four-inch-wide chunk of hair from your hairline to the crown, similar to where a Mohawk would be, down the center of your head. Using two-inch Velcro curlers, wrap the section around three to five curlers so they're in a row and secure each one with a duck-bill clip. Hit the rollers with your blow-dryer for about 30 seconds, then give your hair five minutes to cool before taking them out. This quick extra step sets volume so it lasts and lasts." —Mark Townsend, Dove celebrity stylist whose clients include Rachel McAdams
(Dove Style + Curl Curls Defining Mousse, $3.99; at drugstores)
"You truly don't need a curling iron, even on straight hair. Work a drop of styling cream throughout damp hair, then part it in the center. Make a tight braid on each side—or for very long or thick hair, make two braids on each side. Sleep with the braids in or just let them air-dry all day, then take out the braids and finger-comb for soft, lovely waves." —Tommy Buckett, Garnier celebrity consulting stylist whose clients include Felicity Jones
(Garnier Fructis Style Smooth Air-Dry, $4.29; at drugstores)
"No matter what your hair type, a cleansing conditioner will improve it. These sulfate- and detergent-free formulas contain extra-mild cleansing agents that remove dirt and oil without stripping hair's natural oils; use it once a week in place of shampoo. You need to apply more than regular shampoo, though — about six to eight pumps, depending on your hair length — and let it sit on your head for three to five minutes before you rinse. Eventually you'll find that your hair looks healthier, has less frizz, and behaves better overall." —Mara Roszak, L'Oréal Paris celebrity consulting stylist whose clients include Emma Stone
(L'Oreal Paris EverPure Cleansing Balm, $11.99; at drugstores)
"To minimize static, especially on fine or dry hair, avoid plastic brushes and use metal ones instead. And make sure your blow-dryer has ionic technology — it'll say so on the box — which means it releases negatively charged ions that help neutralize static." —Jenny Cho, Suave Professionals celebrity stylist whose clients include Jennifer Lawrence
(Sheila Stotts Removal Brush, $31; sheilastotts.com)
Whether it's a decorative barrette or comb or even just a fresh flower, it'll look best in hair that's tousled. Mist a texturizing spray throughout the length of dry hair to give it some grip. Then, for long hair, twist it into a low bun and pin into place—the less perfect, the better. Same goes for the accessory: Stick it off-center in the bun. For short hair, clip it on the fuller side of your part an inch above your ear. Having the style be a little haphazard adds to the charm."—Guido Palau, global creative director for Redken
(Chloe + Isabel Crystal Baguette Hair Clip, $38; chloeandisabel.com)