Most of us do the bare minimum for our hair, or overload it with styling products. The result is dull, damaged or limp hair. However, just one extra pampering step can make the difference between having good hair and great hair. Here are our pick of the best treats for your locks.

FOR FINE, WISPY HAIR. Wispy strands often look flat, limp and stringy. Many hair serums, leave-in conditioners and hair oils promise to feel weightless and not to weigh down your strands, but you know they always do. To strike the perfect balance between keeping frizz and flyaways at bay without having to plaster down those fine follicles, you need a conditioning hair mist. The formulas of hair mists are mainly water-based, so their ingredients have to be lightweight and fast-penetrating. For the best results, spritz onto damp, towel-dried hair before blow-drying on medium heat. This helps the water in the formula to evaporate, keeping strands fresh, shiny and weightless..

TRY:

Etude House Silk Scarf Moist Hair Mist, price unavailable.

Tsubaki Shining Hair Water, S$16.90.

Asience Leave-On Treatment Water, S$14.90.

Shu Uemura Art of Hair Depsea Foundation Daily Style Refresher, S$58.

FOR WAVY OR CURLY HAIR WITH NATURAL TEXTURE. Taming unruly hair can be tricky, and even more so if you want to embrace and enhance your hair’s natural texture like lush waves and billowy curls. You need heavy-duty smoothing and shaping without compromising on its softness and bounce. Hair serums are great for defining natural textures and are usually gel- or water-based, so that they deliver more strand-softening and conditioning ingredients compared to hair mists. Most serums can be used on both damp and dry hair. Try spreading it on damp hair before blow-drying. If you want more sleekness and shine, add a drop or two more onto dry hair.

TRY:

Etude House Silk Scarf Hologram Hair Serum, price unavailable.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease Original Formula Hair Serum, S$16.90.

Kérastase Cristallise Cristal Sculpt, S$49.

Toni&Guy HairMeetWardrobe Glamour Serum Drops, S$22.90.

FOR DULL, LACKLUSTRE LOCKS OR OVER-DYED HAIR. We don’t usually think of anti-ageing for our hair, but just because we don’t get wrinkles on our tresses doesn’t mean our strands won’t look old. Dull, lifeless locks or washed-out dye jobs can take a serious toll on how youthful and luscious your hair appears. Thankfully, hair emulsions or creams offer a dose of healthy hydration and shine. These milky-textured lotions infuse hair with moisture and effectively coat the hair fibres to leave them looking silky, shiny and healthy. Smooth onto towel-dried hair and blow-dry with a large paddle brush, aiming the dryer nozzle downwards along the hair length. This smooths the cuticles to lock in more shine and reparative ingredients.

TRY:

Tsubaki Damage Care Hair Emulsion, S$16.90.

Asience Leave-On Treatment Oil, S$14.90.

Shu Uemura Art of Hair Satin Design Polishing Milk, S$52.

Liese Frizz-Free Styling Milk, price unavailable.

Sunsilk Damage Reconstruction Instant Damage Reconstruction Cream, S$5.90.

FOR DRY, COARSE OR DAMAGED TRESSES. It’s time to look at the flood of hair oils in the market, which literally, are made for those with hay-like hair. The oils melt and infuse into strands easily, alleviating dryness instantly as well as nourishing and restoring softness. They also coat the hair to give touchable smoothness and protection from further harsh environmental damage. For extra dry or damaged hair, apply oil on damp hair before blow-drying — this helps to protect hair from the heat damage and makes it more manageable to style. Or apply on dry hair for extra softness, hydration and an added sheen.

TRY:

Marc Anthony Repairing Macadamia Oil Treatment, S$18.90.

L’Oréal Paris Extraordinary Oil, S$26.90.

Kérastase Elixir Ultime, S$62.

Shu Uemura Art of Hair Essence Absolue Nourishing Protective Oil, S$92.

Percy & Reed Totally Intensive Treatment Oil+, S$50.

Adapted from the March issue of Style magazine out now.