The Best Hair Styling Tips and Secrets from Professional Salon Stylists

From the best hair products and styling tools to how-tos, we've got you covered with tips that will make your locks turn heads.

 Read more below to get the breakdown on everything you need to know about styling your own hair at home, including haircut basics, combatting frizz, finding the best styling products and more so you can better achieve whatever look you desire. To get the best hair styling tips and techniques for our readers, we talked to celebrity hair stylists expert opinion on flattering hair styles and the Beauty Lab experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute to learn about the best products for any hair issue or concern. 

 Getting to know your hair can prevent you from wreaking havoc on innocent strands. So, before you pick up a heating tool or brush, learn to distinguish your hair type. Hair typically falls under two categories: Fine and thick.

 

1. Have flat hair that could use a little more bounce? "Try face-framing layers and short, soft layers to boost volume," says Jenny Cho, Suave Professionals celebrity stylist.

 

 2. Your hair is thick if it feels coarser; bobby pins can’t hold styles in place; and your biggest problem is taming frizz. You seem to have an infinite amount of strands and they weigh a ton. 

 

3. When it comes to thick hair, Edward Tricomi, master stylist and co-owner of Warren-Tricomi Salons, recommends growing your hair long with density-lessening layers or lopping it off. Just avoid shoulder-length cuts — those can look too boxy and chunky, he says. 

 

4. Someone with thick, curly hair, on the opposite end, might want richer oils and thick creams to lubricate strands and might not worry about weigh down. "Selecting products specific to your hair type ensures that formulators and product developers have kept your hair type in mind when creating products," Wnek adds. 

 

5. Hair gels are more liquid-y to the touch, but they dry quickly into a shiny (almost “wet”-like) hard shell. They’re best for creating spikes on short hair, slicking hair down, and defining curls. 

 

6. For fine hair, brushes that exclusively house natural boar bristles are the best. They smooth and enhance shine without pulling or tugging.

 

 7 . Other finishing products, like creams and serums, are the lightest of the bunch and perfect for last-minute touch ups.

 

 Lastly, Cho says she always has a bottle of hair oil in her makeup bag. Described as an all-in-one miracle product, it penetrates the cuticle, heals damage, calms frizz, and adds luster.

 

 For everyday grooming, choose paddle brushes. When you blow-dry, use a round brush to easily grab every strand. But watch out for round brushes with metal frames — when combined with hot air from a dryer, it can heat up way too fast and burn your tresses. Your safest bet is to stick with a wooden one. But not all brushes are made equal, and when you factor in bristle types and hair texture, a brush could make or break your hair.