Moisturizing Hair Products to Use If You Live in An Arid City

I'm still based in L.A., and to say my hair loves the affable environment would be an understatement. My strands have never looked better or had superior health than when I'm in this city—something I even noticed during the three months I interned here back when I was in college. Alas, much to my hair's chagrin, I frequently stir the pot by making impromptu visits to Tucson, Arizona (aka the Sonoran Desert) where my parents recently retired, and back to the extreme conditions of Minnesota where my sister and her family are still settled. Therefore, my hair's cortisol levels are constantly pushed into overdrive, desperately attempting adaptation to whichever environment I've decided to plop them in.

Leonor Greyl L'Huile de Leonor Greyl Shampoo Treatment

Despite the fact that I have a history of berating any oil tinged with yellow (most have stained my light blonde strands!), this gem treatment from Leonor Greyl proves to be the exception. Even though many of my other fellow ishonest editors swear by the nourishing powers of this pre-shampoo treatment, I only just discovered it a couple of weeks ago after conducting a hair routine swap with my roomie and co-worker, Amanda Montell. Suffice to say, I'm now addicted and eating my words. (Read: So far, I haven't noticed any staining.)

If my hair is suffering from extra dryness like when I'm visiting my parents just north of the Mexican border, I like to drench my strands in the stuff, let it marinate in a high bun for roughly 10 to 15 minutes, and then rinse it out thoroughly before getting on with the rest of my routine. My strands are left so velvety that I don't really need to apply a detangler, leave-in, oil, or shine spray thereafter. Of course, as a product junkie, I do anyway.

Dove Nutritive Solutions Color Care Shampoo & Conditioner

Celebrity colorist Cassondra Kaeding first introduced me to this dynamic shower duo, and I've kept matching bottles in the bathroom at my parents' house ever since. Not only is it easy on the bank account and easy to snap up virtually anywhere you are (gotta love a good drugstore find!), but it also does a supreme job of moisturizing my dry, dehydrated strands whenever I'm in an arid climate that has my hair begging for moisture.

Because my head usually harbors a hearty supply of dry shampoo, styling products, oil, and the like by the time I sud up, I like to do a double wash. This Dove formula gets my hair clean in a jiff and also keeps my color intact and hydration levels supple and sufficient.

Kérastase Aura Botanica Shampoo for Dry Hair

Being the hair product snob I've always been (hey, I'm growing out of it), I've used and loved Kérastase's collection of hair elixirs since I first spied its formulas on the pages of glossy beauty magazines back in high school. I've loved virtually every product I've ever tried, but when my moisture-starved strands met this new sulfate-free shampoo for dry and fine hair types, it felt like destiny.

With potent natural actives at its strategic and effective center, post-shampoo my hair is left feeling light (never weighed down or greasy like many hydrating formulas), voluminous, and impeccably nourished. It's become my new P.I.C. whenever I find myself in Arizona over the holidays.

OGX Coconut Miracle Oil Penetrating Oil

I'm not sure when it became a habit, but I've added a few heaping spoonfuls of clear, nutrient-packed oil to wet strands post-shower for as long as I can remember. I'm convinced it helps with my detangling and shine efforts. Thus, when I found myself without my usual go-to last year during the holidays in Arizona, I was in a state. Luckily, my mom is more of a product hoarder than I am, and after a quick scan of her stockpile, I discovered this beauty from OGX.

So why do I love it? It's affordable, you can find it at the drugstore easily, and it contains an excellent melding of nourishing oils sure to save even the driest and ravaged of strands. It also smells delicious—like coconut and vanilla —if you care.

It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product

Topped off with sunflower seed extract (hello, omegas!), green tea leaf (and you, antioxidants!), silk amino acids, and vitamin C, this cult-loved leave-in is one of the saving-grace products that singlehandedly saved my strands after they were practically bleached off my head a few years ago. It's one of the few leave-ins that truly does it all (moisturizes, detangles, imparts shine, and all the heat protection), and I make sure to bring a travel size with me wherever I go. This is in addition to the full-size bottle I keep stashed in my Arizona bathroom.

Oribe Curl Shaping Mousse

I hate packing more than almost anything in life, and since I know my mom has plenty of beauty products waiting for me in Arizona, I usually leave all my usual must-haves at home in order to save time, checked bags, and energy. I'm lazy. Plus, there's just something exciting about going completely rogue, raiding my mom's collection, and discovering new alternatives to my old standbys —which is exactly how I discovered this moisturizing formula from Oribe a couple of years ago around Christmastime.

Whenever I venture into dry temperatures, what little natural wave I have will instantly deflate. I actually love humidity since it makes my natural hair so much better. Therefore, when in the desert conditions of Tucson, my limp strands need a helping hand, which comes at the mercy of this curl-shaping mousse from Oribe. It smells intoxicatingly good, gives my hair the perfect, featherlight waves, and is great for days when I just want to let my strands air-dry, which is most days.

IGK No More Blow High Speed Air Dry Spray

Are you sick of hearing me talk about the greatness of this masterpiece from IGK yet? I hope not, because I won't be done talking about it for a long, long time. Not only does a thorough spritz help detangle my hair and feed my thirsty strands with shine and hydration, but it also cuts my air-dry time by about half. For someone like me who avoids heat styling whenever possible but also hates walking around with wet hair for hours at a time, this is a godsend. If the brand ever stops making it, my hair and I will be in an overly parched tizzy.

Amika Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo

While many dry shampoos often leave my hair dry and brittle—to the point where it's actually cracked off at night—this beloved oil-absorbing mist from Amika doesn't. Therefore, it's been a mainstay in my luggage and Arizona-curated collection of hair stuffs for years now.

Bumble and Bumble Bb. Prêt- -powder Très Invisible Invisible Nourishing Dry Shampoo

A relatively new discovery on the dry-shampoo front, this option from Bumble and bumble is one of the best options if you live in a dry climate but yearn for hydrated strands sans grease and oil. It's smartly designed for all hair types, banishes oil while nourishing roots, and protects strands against the sun thanks to UV filters. In other words, it's perfect for those who live in the desert, whether it's just for the holidays or all year round.

Slip Large Slipsilk Scrunchies

A unanimous Team ishonest favorite, these large, pure-silk scrunchies maintain your hair's smoothness in every condition and climate. I take them with me wherever I go, and I'm convinced my strands love them all the more whenever I enter the dry and decrepit desert status of my parents' home in Arizona.

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