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For something that isn't even alive, we sure do invest a lot of time, money, and effort into our hair. I guess you can say we're attached to it.
Hair is high priority to so many of us, but because our goals and needs are so unique and specific, it's rare to find products and tools that readers agree on across the board. But this year's winners—most of which were previous years' winners—have ample fan bases that span a range of hair types and hopes.
If you've ever been on the fence about trying one of these winners, let this be your sign to take the leap. Your hair will thank you—and you'll thank your fellow readers for the recs.
Be sure to check out our other 2024 Readers' Choice categories, like skin care and makeup, to see if your favorite products made the cut.
All the Winning Products:
- Favorite Hot Tool: Dyson Airwrap, $600
- Favorite Hair Tool: Wet Brush Original Detangler, $15
- Favorite Shampoo: Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo, $30
- Favorite Conditioner: Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner, $30
- Favorite Hair Treatment: K18 Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, $75
- Favorite Leave-In Conditioner: Ouai Leave In Conditioner, $30
- Favorite Hair Oil: Mielle Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil, $11
- Favorite Dry Shampoo: Batiste Original Dry Shampoo, $12
- Favorite Curl Definer: Ouai Curl Crème, $32
- Favorite Volumizer: Living Proof Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray, $36
- Favorite Hair Color: Color Wow Root Cover Up, $35
Readers' Choice Awards: Hair
Few hair tools could be considered more covetable than the now-iconic Dyson Airwrap. Nine out of 10 beauty editors would agree: The Airwrap is one of the most game-changing stylers of the 21st century. This customizable device (you can choose which attachments, like brushes and barrels, are most suited for your hair type) confidently demands its $600 price tag. We've yet to meet anyone who regrets their splurge.
The Wet Brush Original Detangler has become a non-negotiable part of many Allure readers' post-wash hair routine. Its especially soft bristles do what was once seemingly impossible: easily glide through wet hair without breakage or pain. It can be used on dry strands, too. And because it's so affordable, you might as well get one fun color for after the shower and another bright shade for dry touch-ups.
"My ultra-long, red hair is usually the first and last thing everyone notices about me, so hair health is the top priority of my beauty routine," says Allure's associate director of social media, Kassidy Silva. "I reach for the Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo to keep it shiny, soft, and strong." Even if you're not the proud owner of several feet of ginger hair, your strands will benefit from the smoothing, color-safe, gentle cleansing the shampoo provides.
File under: Not the Least Bit Surprising. Allure readers love Olaplex No. 5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner as much as its shampoo counterpart. Adding as much strength as it does shine with the brand's famous bond-repairing molecule, bis-aminopropyl diglycol dimaleate, this frizz-reducing formula leads to a noticeable difference in how easy it is to work with your hair, no matter the type.
The brand says that in just the first four minutes after applying its Leave-In Molecular Repair Hair Mask, repair noticeably gets underway—and our readers aren't calling bullshit. They've found it's the real deal for strengthening and smoothing hair that's been chemically damaged, whether by bleach or texture-changing treatments, and the peptide-driven results last from one wash to the next (and beyond).
Have you really conditioned your hair if you haven't followed up your in-shower, rinse-out conditioner with a leave-in? Give your hair even more of a fighting chance against knots, frizz, and heat-styling with Ouai Leave In Conditioner. Packed with nourishing vitamin E, panthenol, and hydrolyzed proteins, Allure readers say it leaves hair smelling like a zesty floral dream.
Few elixirs deserve to be called magic potions the way that Mielle Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil does. It's made up of more than 30 botanical oils and extracts, including biotin and the titular rosemary and mint to help with scalp health and hair nourishment. A biotin boost gives follicles a surge of strength. And whether you use it as a scalp treatment or a daily smoother, it's a reliable way to keep your split ends under control.
"There are very few products I actually purchase—I know, I know, it's a perk of the job—but Batiste dry shampoo always finds its way into my virtual cart," says Allure associate features director Dianna Mazzone of this absolute classic. "It's one of the rare formulas that doesn't just cover up grime, but leaves my fine hair feeling cleaner than it was before."
Did you know that Ouai gives credit to its fans for coming up with its Curl Crème? Perhaps that's why it's such a crowd-pleaser: It gives the curly girlies everything they really want. The silicone-free formula offers curls more definition, less frizz, and protection from pattern-compromising humidity. And with coconut and babassu oils, you never have to worry about a crunchy finish.
Call it bedhead, call it sexy hair, call it, "I just took a jaunt in my convertible." Whatever you call voluminous, perfectly imperfect hair, Living Proof has made it incredibly easy to achieve and maintain with its Full Dry Volume & Texture Spray. Even the finest, flattest hair gets incredible oomph from this heat-protecting, oil-absorbing stroke of genius, and because it works on dry strands, you can pump up the volume whenever you deem it necessary.
Whether you're trying to extend the time between color appointments or hoping to camouflage some sparse areas, Color Wow Root Cover Up is ready to help. The powder format and precision brush make it ever so easy to apply. According to the brand, you can even go for a swim without it budging and it will stay on until you shampoo. (Executive beauty director Jenny Bailly can confirm this is true.) Just be sure to keep it away from your makeup—it's all too easy to confuse it with a gorgeous eye shadow.
