A Gift Guide for Great Hair
With the holiday season in full swing, You Look Stella is here to spark some inspiration for your gift-giving this year. I am sharing my favorite hair care, accessories, and tools, suitable for all hair types and needs. Those who are on the receiving end will be able to achieve salon results at home. So, give the gift of great hair this holiday season and shop my Stella-approved hair care, tools, and accessories, perfect for stocking stuffers, Secret Santa, and Christmas morning.
Tools
As a professional hairstylist, hair tools are an obvious staple in my hair kit, and easily one of the most essential steps in achieving effortless styles in the salon. When shopping for hair tools, I opt for items that are not only effective but will also keep the integrity of my client's hair. Our hair goes through a lot, but with these tools, you won't have to worry about causing additional damage thanks to their high-quality, patent technology.
Bio Ionic offers professional and affordable hot tools with an amazing life span and a swivel base for the wire for easy use. The Bio Ionic Moisturizing Heat™ Technology keeps the integrity of the hair, leaving a sleek finish. Their flat iron limits tension because it has "silicone" grips within the plates, giving a smoother and more controlled experience.
For anyone on the market for a new curling iron, this is my go-to tool to create effortless waves in half the time than a traditional curling iron. The curling iron comes in different sizes to achieve loose or tight curls depending on your preference. I recommend the ceramic barrel to achieve loose curls, without any curling iron creases thanks to the clipless barrel.
GHD hot tools has a sleek design that will look amazing on your bathroom counter. Each tool is preset to 365 degrees, the scientifically proven safest temperature to style your hair for the healthiest results. Their collection of tools makes styling a breeze.
If someone regularly switches between straightening and curling their hair, the GHD Cordless Flat iron will allow you to create a flat iron curl or straighten your hair, so need for having multiple hot tools. The GHD Flat iron has temperature control technology and the wireless design makes for seamless use.
Ibizia Hair tools cater to every texture, concern, and purpose. Ibiza Hair is among my favorite brushes to use on clients and on myself. Everyone should have a high-quality brush in their kit, especially those with unruly hair to gently de-tangle without any unnecessary breakage.
The OC4,OC6 & OC7 is a must have trio, with each one designed for a different purpose but all have the main idea of de-tangling and manipulating the hair in the most effective and efficient way. From distributing product for fine textures to managing tangles with mixed bristles, these light weight brushes make hair styling easy.
For our eco-conscious friends, Reverie offers an amazing line of hair brushes that are sure to meet their sustainability standards. This eco-friendly brand provides quality brushes designed to stimulate the scalp and brush through tangles with ease.
The Jaspe Pneumatic bristle brush has mixed bristles made from natural boar and nylon to gently stimulate the scalp and distribute oils to the ends without breaking and snapping. The Jaspe bristle brush is an ideal gift for those with hair that easily tangles, or for anyone who loves to rock a sleek pony tail.
Products
With a wide range of hair care on the market, it can be hard to narrow down which product will be beneficial to the person you wish to gift. Luckily, I have shared an array of products that are designed to cater to different needs, so there is a gift for everyone. These hair products are versatile, gender-inclusive gift ideas that deliver flawless results and are staples in my hair care kit.
Reverie not only offers amazing hair tools, they also provide a wide range of clean hair products. And for every bottle sold, Reverie funds the recovery and removal of twice as much ocean-bound plastic waste through our partnership with rePurpose Global. Shop the Reverie collection for amazing products with a purpose.
The Milk + Cake Duo by Reverie is a great unisex gift, combining scalp care and grooming qualities for amazing results. This dynamic duo works great to nourish and restore the strands to reveal shiny hair from scalp to end. The Cake treats the hair follicle with a powerful blend of ingredients to boost hair growth, while Milk strengthens the follicle and combats frizz for an all over shine.
For your curly haired friends, The RAKE styling balm is brilliant as a curl cream. The balm provides nourishment and hold to help define your curls with ease. This lightweight balm conditions the hair while providing structure without any sticky residue that traditional curl creams often leave behind.
Cult + King combines clean beauty with salon results. And their beautiful packaging makes gifting hair products a luxurious experience. My favorite combo is the Style forming lotion to help give control when the hair is damp, then adding in a good amount of Jelly to amp up the texture and movement. The Style lotion is also a great product for getting rid of fly aways.
The Jelly by Cult + King is designed to reveal soft, natural curls without the need for additional products. This non-toxic formula infused with Pink Himalayan pink salt provides volume, bounce, and shine, especially when working with wavy to curly textures.
For the ride or die dry shampoo users, the Cult + King Hair Powder is a clean, non-toxic alternative to keep hair fresh in between washes. The hair powders come in two shades to absorb oils and blend in seamlessly with your hair color. Often times, dry shampoos leave a white cast but with the Cult + King “light” and “dark” hair powders, this quick fix will revive your hair and can even be used to temporarily cover grays, all while nourishing the scalp with its clean ingredients designed to strengthen the hair follicle.
Virtue Labs has a product for every hair concern. They offer a unique formula, free of sulfates, parabens, phthalates, synthetic colors, and dyes, that truly elevates your hair care experience. The mini hair care sampler is a great gift for someone looking to switch up their routine. Try out the entire range of Virtue products and see the results for yourself.
The Virtue Labs Texturizing Spray has a lovely fragrance that lasts the whole day, while giving your hair the grit it needs to pump up the volume. A texturizing spray is a great gift for those who love bounce and movement for their everyday hairstyles. Shop the minis collection, ideal for the busy people in your life, to throw in their purse and fluff throughout the day.
During the holiday season, we can anticipate extra styling for parties and paired with the dryer weather, our hair needs some extra attention. The scalp treatment set and scalp brush is an amazing way to gift others with a Stella spa moment at home. Everybody needs some extra me time, and this gift is perfect for those in need of some time to unwind after the busy holiday season. Add some essential oils to a bath for shower steam and you can create whole experience.
When it comes to identifying your specific hair care needs, I offer virtual or in-person consultations to discover which products best suit your needs. Milbon USA has been my personal favorite product and always recommended to clients. The Milbon products cater to different hair care needs and instantly give the results you are after. Stay tuned for a complete list of Milbon products and uses in an upcoming blog post. Can't wait? Email you.look.stella@gmail.com for purchase inquires to get your Milbon USA products just in time for the holidays.
Accessories + Aftercare
Lastly, a hair kit is not complete without a collection of accessories and nighttime essentials to keep the bed head at bay. These businesses are women-owned and prioritize sustainable practices to create one-of-a-kind pieces. They are great stocking stuffers to pair with any of the hair products and tools to complete their hair kit with style.
When it comes to hair accessories, LRN Beauty features a collection of statement pieces to pair with your fresh do after every visit. The featured products are from Glitter is the New Black, a women-owned small business that creates unique statement headbands and earrings that are perfect for the holiday season.
If someone likes to be more understated with their accessorizing, you can't go wrong with gifting a set of satin scrunchies. They are great for the lazy hair days or to spice up your up-do without the headache from traditional hair ties.
Lunya's washable silk scrunchies are one of kind in design, with adjustable tabs to tighten your pony to avoid your hair from being ripped out. Lunya prioritizes sustainable practices by using organic fabrics, free from harsh chemicals or dyes, that are good for you and the planet.
Kitsch is a one-stop-shop for all your hair care basics. But the brand is anything but basic, by implementing sustainable practices and creating high-quality products for everyday use. Kitsch has a wonderful selection of hair essentials, from eco-friendly claw clips to satin sleep caps to heat-less pillow curlers, ideal for gifting those who want to use less heat on their hair.
When it comes to post-shower care, help friends switch from their regular bath towel to an ultra-comfortable micro fiber towel to limit unnecessary breakage. The microfiber towel is not only adorable, but the highly absorbent, friction-free material will cut drying time in half. This is the perfect gift to complete someone's shower routine and complement their new products to promote healthy hair growth.
Stella's Secret for Santa
Hair products, tools, and accessories are an under-rated gift, and one of my personal favorite items to receive right before the new year. If you need help discovering which products or tools you should buy or what to ask Santa for this year, email you.look.stella@gmail.com for inquires on individualized recommendations. If not, shop the links and give the gift of great hair this holiday season with my highly recommended and most frequently used items. And as always, be sure to follow @you_look_stella on Instagram for upcoming holiday hairstyles and to stay in the know with all things Stella!