Save vs. splurge: Straight hair

Each week we’ll be doing a Save/Splurge post about our favorite beauty finds. This week, it’s all about straight hair.

Outside of the infamous pin curl, straight hair is the hardest thing to get right. Sure, you can spend a ton of cash getting your hair blown out at a salon three times a week, but let’s be honest. No one has the bottomless pocketbook that requires these days.

I, like many of you, have a number of jobs. I write about film, television and video games. I do makeup for film, television and runway. I’m also on camera quite a bit. That means I have to do dastardly things to my hair. Curling irons, flat irons, product slathered all over it and shampoo that strips it all away… my hair hates me.

Splurge:

I’m always on the lookout for something affordable to make amends. Now, there are treatments out there that keep your hair straight, but they definitely go in the Splurge side of things. Prices vary, of course, so I won’t even attempt to give you a ballpark. Out here in Los Angeles, they’re outrageous.

Save:

This week, I got to try out a couple of Save products that I went mad for. I was at a press junket in South America, in the wind, the heat and humidity so high you could almost ring out your clothes and create a puddle. My hair is long, kind of curly and with all the damage I’ve done to it, pretty darn fuzzy in that climate. Before I went on camera, I used Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Ever Straight Anti-Breakage Serum and Flat Iron Spray.

Check out even more of our fave beauty finds >>

The results

Full disclosure. I’ve been a fan of the line for a while (I have a shower full of them), but I wasn’t expecting anything to work over there. It smelled delicious, so I gave it a shot, but really, I was just crossing my fingers, hoping for fewer fluffy tufts catching the camera light. Also, my flat iron doesn’t work in South America. I sprayed, glossed and twisted the hair, hoping for the best.

Not only did my hair feel softer and smell like a tropical drink, it looked sleek. Since those were the only products I had on hand, I was blown away. No gel, no hairspray, no styling products of any kind. (Anyone else sick of the “no liquids over 3 oz. thing?”)

I’m definitely recommending these. They also have a shampoo and conditioner that I didn’t get to try, but I’m on my way out to the store to grab them right now.

Organix Brazilian Keratin Therapy Ever Straight Anti-Breakage Serum and Flat Iron Spray are available at most discount stores, including CVS, SafeWay, Walgreens and ULTA and retail for $8 each. The shampoo and conditioner are also available for $8 each.

More tips for smooth hair

A guide to salon hair smoothing treatments
Secrets of a perfect salon blowout
How to manage frizzy hair in dry weather