One of our worst mistakes upon application of styling products is using the wrong quantity. Do you really know how much of wax, gel, oil or hairspray you need to apply, using metrics such as peas, coins or tennis balls? It definitely depends on your hair length, type, and natural texture as well as the look you want to achieve. Let’s estimate it and be accurate!
More Than Necessary
If not experienced enough, the first thing you do when a product fails to give the desired effect, is adding more, which usually makes your hair heavy, sticky, greasy and in need of an immediate wash or brush off, the latter usually being an inadequate solution.
Knowing the recommended quantities for each type of product in advance will save you time and energy, offering your hair a convenient texture to work with.
- For a moisturizing lotion, styling cream or similar formula, that will amount to a pea or coin-sized portion.
- For a serum sealing off split ends, shine-booster or hair oil, it’s just 2-3 droplets. Add a couple more if you use this oil as leave-in treatment on frizzy or dry curly hair.
- For hair wax, the ideal amount is pea-sized.
- Be equally frugal with gel, because extra quantity doesn’t offer you greater holding power. Once more, your starting point will be a pea-sized dollop with a small chance to layer a bit more if needed. You can even dilute it with a bit of rosewater into your palms or a drop of silicone-based serum for a smoother effect. For mid-length hair, increase it to a coin-sized amount, which you might double if your hair is longer or thicker.
- Be more generous with mousse that needs to subtly dampen your hair. Ideal quantity ranges from walnut-sized to egg-sized and even tennis ball-sized, depending always on hair length!
Less Than Necessary
Some people, though, are less generous with styling product quantities, half-protecting and half-treating their hair in cases that require a sufficient amount spread all over their head. This is the case of heat-protecting, fine conditioning, texture-enhancing and volumising formulas. Smooth out your heat protectant along every single strand before using a blow-drier or flat iron.
The same applies to any anti-frizz cream for curly hair. Spray enough hydrating lotion from roots to ends, and avoid the roots only when having fine hair. Spritz salt spray across different layers of your hair, not only on the surface. Finally, comb your mousse from the roots through the ends, to give volume everywhere!
General Tips
There is always a way to diffuse the effectiveness of each product throughout your head, for a more natural effect. Never apply wax, gel, and styling cream directly onto your hair. Place the product inside your palms, then rub them together to warm it up and bring forth all its magical qualities.
When using oil or serum, warm it up same way and then softly touch your hair ends or the frizzy parts in focus. Delicately work any excess product close to the roots through the tips of your hair. Use it also selectively as a finishing touch to tame flyaways. Replace any brush or comb with your fingers, when applying products. That’s the cool and natural way of doing so!
