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Last month, our team shared our skincare routines<\/a>. (It was SUCH a treat hearing readers\u2019 recs in the comments, too; I screenshotted all the lip balm suggestions!) Today, we decided to do the same for hair: our daily routines, our favorite products, and the little tricks we\u2019ve learned along the way. Here goes\u2026<\/p>\n Alison Piepmeyer<\/a>, Partnerships Director<\/strong><\/p>\n How would you describe your hair?<\/strong> Tell us about a typical morning.<\/strong> What kind of detangler do you use?<\/strong> What\u2019s your wash routine?<\/strong> Air-dry or blow-dry?<\/strong> Do you have a favorite hair-styling trick?<\/strong> Do you have a nighttime hair routine?<\/strong> Do you have a hero hair product?<\/strong> Any other treatments?<\/strong> What\u2019s the biggest haircare lesson you\u2019ve learned?<\/strong> Christine Pride<\/a>, Columnist<\/strong><\/p>\n How would you describe your hair?<\/strong> Do you have a go-to style?<\/strong> What kind of brush do you use?<\/strong> What does your wash routine look like?<\/strong> Air-dry or blow-dry?<\/strong> Do you have a before-bed hair routine?<\/strong> Do you have a hero hair tool?<\/strong> Any other treatments you regularly do?<\/strong> What\u2019s the biggest haircare lesson you\u2019ve learned?<\/strong> Jannelle Sanchez<\/a>, Senior Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n How would you describe your hair?<\/strong> How do you do your hair in the morning?<\/strong> What kind of brush do you use?<\/strong> Tell us about your wash routine.<\/strong> Air-dry or blow-dry?<\/strong> Do you have a favorite styling trick?<\/strong> What\u2019s your nighttime hair routine?<\/strong> Do you have a hero hair tool?<\/strong> What\u2019s the biggest haircare lesson you\u2019ve learned?<\/strong> Joanna Goddard<\/a>, Founder and Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n How would you describe your hair?<\/strong> How do you do your hair on a typical morning?<\/strong> What kind of brush\/comb do you use?<\/strong> What does your wash routine look like?<\/strong> Do you have a favorite styling trick?<\/strong> Do you have a nighttime\/before-bed hair routine?<\/strong> Any other treatments you regularly do?<\/strong> What\u2019s the biggest haircare lesson you\u2019ve learned?<\/strong> Kaitlyn Teer<\/a>, Senior Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n How would you describe your hair?<\/strong> Do you have a go-to style?<\/strong> What kind of brush\/comb do you use?<\/strong> What does your wash routine look like?<\/strong> Do you have a favorite styling hack?<\/strong> Do you have a nighttime hair routine?<\/strong> Do you have a hero tool?<\/strong> What\u2019s the biggest haircare lesson you\u2019ve learned?<\/strong> Kelsey Miller<\/a>, Senior Editor<\/strong><\/p>\n How would you describe your hair?<\/strong> How do you do your hair on a typical morning?<\/strong> What kind of brush\/comb do you use?<\/strong> What does your wash routine look like?<\/strong> Do you have a favorite hair-styling trick or hack?<\/strong> Do you have a before-bed hair routine?<\/strong> Do you have a hero hair product or tool?<\/strong> Any other treatments?<\/strong> What\u2019s the biggest haircare lesson you\u2019ve learned?<\/strong> How do you like to do your hair<\/a> these days? Any tricks or products you swear by?<\/strong><\/p>\n P.S. Nine women on going gray<\/a>, and a super-easy hair trend (that\u2019s great for summer heat too)<\/a>.<\/p>\n Note: If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission or have a sponsored relationship with the brand, at no cost to you. We recommend only products we genuinely like. Thank you so much.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cupofjo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-collage-1520-x-920-px-11.jpg\")
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My hair is one of the things I really like about myself<\/a>. It\u2019s wavy\/curly with lots of texture. It usually cooperates with whatever look<\/a> I\u2019m trying to pull off, which I appreciate!<\/p>\n
Depends on my mood and energy level. Sometimes I\u2019ll do a full\u00a0curly-girl routine<\/a>\u00a0(with\u00a0a microfiber towel<\/a>,\u00a0mousse<\/a>,\u00a0defining cream<\/a>, and\u00a0hair wrap<\/a>).\u00a0But that takes a while. So, I usually let it air dry into loose waves \u2014 that way I can stretch washes longer, along with dry shampoo<\/a>. I used to part it down the middle, but lately I\u2019ve been copying\u00a0Natasha Pickowicz\u2019s half-up style<\/a>.<\/p>\n
I love the\u00a0T3 paddle brush<\/a>\u00a0because the bristles are spaced far enough apart that they detangle my hair without ruining the curl pattern. (Curly hair can get\u00a0very<\/em>\u00a0poofy very quickly.)<\/p>\n
I wash my hair only once or twice a week, because curly hair gets dry so easily. I also color my hair, so less frequent washing makes the color last longer. I rotate between a few shampoos:\u00a0Nizoral<\/a> (for dandruff and hair-loss prevention), a\u00a0purple shampoo<\/a> and conditioner<\/a>\u00a0(when my blonde starts getting brassy), and\u00a0Odele\u00a0shampoo<\/a> and conditioner<\/a> for regular washes, because it\u2019s acne-safe (I have acne-prone skin<\/a>, and I\u2019m very strict about this!). <\/p>\n
Mostly air-dry. If I\u2019m doing the curly-girl method<\/a>, I\u2019ll diffuse it, but otherwise it dries into slightly chaotic waves that I\u2019ll clean up with this straightener<\/a>.<\/p>\n
Following hairstylists on Instagram has taught me everything. Ashley Streicher<\/a> completely changed how I use a flat iron<\/a>.\u00a0Amber Yackzan<\/a>\u00a0has great styling tips for bobs.\u00a0Sophie Marie<\/a>\u00a0taught me \u201cThe Bowl Method\u201d<\/a> for curly hair.<\/p>\n
If my hair is curly, I\u2019ll sleep in a\u00a0silk bonnet<\/a>\u00a0to help preserve the curls and prevent frizz. Otherwise, I throw it up in\u00a0a silk scrunchy<\/a>\u00a0and fix the waves in the morning.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Living Proof dry shampoo<\/a>\u00a0forever! I use it constantly, since I go a while between washes.<\/p>\n
I have a lot of grays, and my hairstylist explained that blonde highlights are the easiest way to blend them naturally. The grow-out is softer, which means I can go much longer between salon visits.<\/p>\n
Do. Not. Cut. Bangs. I\u2019ve been laughing because all the online hair girlies are obsessed with\u00a0Mika Abdalla\u2019s haircut<\/a>\u00a0on the new show\u00a0Off Campus<\/a>. But\u00a0thank god for PSAs like this<\/a>,\u00a0you\u2019re doing the Lord\u2019s work.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cupofjo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-collage-1520-x-920-px-1-scaled.jpg\")
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Long and thick. Also: reliable. I\u2019ve had the same simple hair \u201cstyle\u201d (if you can call it that) for decades, and though sometimes I want to chop it all off, I\u2019ll take my steady, familiar hairdo over novelty. <\/p>\n
I have exactly<\/em> two hair looks: a top knot\/bun (80% of the time), or blown out waves (20% of the time).\u00a0Maybe \u2014 MAYBE \u2014 you\u2019ll catch me with a side braid, if I\u2019m feeling wild.<\/p>\n
My hair tangles easily, so I use this Tangle Teezer brush<\/a>, which is good for gently working out snarls and smoothing my hair out.<\/p>\n
Boring and low-maintenance:\u00a0I use TRESemm\u00e9\u00a0Curl Shampoo and Conditioner<\/a>, then slap on Nourish & Shine<\/a> and Ouidad Leave-In Conditioner<\/a>\u00a0for extra moisture.<\/p>\n
Blowing it dry myself takes 193 hours. So, if I want a really good blowout, I go to Blo Bar<\/a>. Their blowouts last me five precious days.<\/p>\n
If my\u00a0hair has been blown out, I sleep with it in a bun in this blue bonnet<\/a> \u2014 it\u2019s very sexy.<\/p>\n
I tried the Rev Air<\/a>\u00a0for a hot second. It\u2019s basically a vacuum\u00a0meets a blow dryer. But it didn\u2019t give me dramatic results, despite the amazing before-and-after photos all over the internet. Not a hero product, but I thought it worth mentioning, because there\u2019s a lot of hype around this thing! <\/p>\n
I get my hair chemically straightened\u00a0four times a year, like clockwork. And now I\u2019ve added a color rinse to the routine, to cover grays. I can\u2019t do these treatments at the same time, so it makes for eight annual visits to the salon! (Shout out Beauty Bar<\/a> in Harlem.)\u00a0At home, I try to use this deep conditioner<\/a> for 10 minutes, once a week, so my hair doesn\u2019t get too damaged from the aforementioned treatments.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s only hair.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cupofjo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-collage-1520-x-920-px-3.jpg\")
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Very full and very long. My hair also has a slight natural wave (for those who use hair charts, mine is 2b).<\/p>\n
I wash my hair every three days. For the first two days, I\u2019ll wear my hair down and tousled. I\u2019ll comb out any tangles, smooth frizzy bits with my straightener<\/a>, and leave the rest untouched so the waves stay intact. Three days post-wash, my hair is oilier, so I comb it out and pull it into a sleek, middle-part ponytail. I\u2019ll top it off with a layer of hairspray<\/a>. The smell always makes me think of my grandma getting ready for work. <\/p>\n
I\u2019ve been using the same wide paddle brush<\/a> for eight years!<\/p>\n
For the past two years, I\u2019ve boughtthe jumbo pack of Nexxus Advanced Hydration Therappe Humectress Shampoo<\/a> and Conditioner<\/a> from Costco<\/a>, and it worked well. But just this week I tested out Hairstory\u2019s Air Dry Kit<\/a>, and I was shocked by the results. I used the pre-wash<\/a> and cleansing cream<\/a>, and as soon as I looked in the mirror \u2014 my hair still soaking wet \u2014 I could see more defined waves. The next morning, my hair was super soft and looked extra voluminous.<\/p>\n
Air dry. And for date nights or special occasions, I like to curl my hair with this big curling iron<\/a>. I\u00a0love the glamorous look of barrel curls!<\/p>\n
When I was six, I was over at a friend\u2019s house when her mom mentioned that we should brush our hair before showering. And omg, that<\/em> was life-changing! You know how hard it is to work shampoo into tangled wet hair?! Ever since that playdate, I\u2019ve brushed my hair first.<\/p>\n
Honestly? Nothing. With three kids<\/a> under five, I\u2019m lucky to get my washes in!<\/p>\n
A toothbrush!\u00a0I have lots of postpartum baby-hair bangs, so when I want sleek hair, I\u2019ll spray my roots with hairspray and then go over my hair with a toothbrush, smoothing down all the fly-aways and baby hairs. It works like magic.<\/p>\n
It took me 20 years to learn which hairstyles work with my face shape \u2014 and which I don\u2019t. I can rock a bob<\/a>. I can rock bangs. I cannot<\/em> rock a fully slicked back ponytail, or straightened hair with a middle part. Learning this has saved me from many crabby days and salon meltdowns. <\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cupofjo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/collage-1520-x-920-px.jpg\")
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Straight and fine. And my grays are definitely coming in!<\/p>\n
Wash, air-dry, and that\u2019s it. I used to blow it dry every single morning, and my hair would get damaged. Now that I\u2019m doing less with it, my hair feels softer and smoother.<\/p>\n
I use this comb<\/a> when my hair is wet. (I don\u2019t want a brush to break my hair.) But when it\u2019s dry, I use the Mason Pearson brush<\/a> that my aunt gave me \u2014 it was my English grandmother\u2019s<\/a>, and I remember seeing it on her bedside table during my whole childhood. Hair stylists always say how amazing boar bristles<\/a> are for your hair \u2014 and I do as I\u2019m told. <\/p>\n
I wash my hair every day (I know!). I use R\u00d4Z shampoo<\/a> and conditioner<\/a>, and then I comb R\u00d4Z milk hair serum<\/a> through my damp hair (I\u2019m very brand-loyal when it comes to their hair stuff). I\u2019ll scrunch it in my hand, while it\u2019s drying, which gives me a bit of a bed-head wave.<\/p>\n
No, I\u2019m useless! But if I take an overnight flight, I\u2019ll bring a baseball cap for the next morning \u2014 it makes me feel like an actress in the airport to have a baseball cap over my greasy hair.<\/p>\n
Honestly, I just read my book and pass out. Right now I\u2019m reading It\u2019s a Lot<\/a> by Alison Leiby<\/a>, which is so great \u2014 she wrote a big chapter on being an only child<\/a>.<\/p>\n
I get my hair cut by my friend Reagan Baker<\/a> \u2014 named after Ronald Reagan, like the \u201980s kid she is. Her haircuts are a splurge, but they fall so beautifully without any styling, and they grow out so well that I only need to get two a year. Then I get my grays covered by Aliya<\/a> at Fox & Jane<\/a> in Brooklyn. She\u2019s young but super talented.<\/p>\n
For me, less is more. My hair is so much healthier now that I mostly leave it alone.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cupofjo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/pink-collage-5.jpg\")
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Thick and wavy.<\/p>\n
I have a razor-cut shag with thick bangs (I go to a stylist who specializes in razor cuts, like the ones made popular by Edo Salon<\/a>). The cut works really well with my wavy texture and means I don\u2019t have to do any additional styling. I can just wash and air-dry!<\/p>\n
I brush out my waves before showering, and afterward I use a wide-tooth comb<\/a> on damp hair.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve used Hairstory\u2019s New Wash<\/a> and Hair Balm<\/a> for years. I also use an anti-dandruff shampoo<\/a> once a month, to keep my scalp healthy.<\/p>\n
I apply Hair Balm<\/a> while my hair is still dripping wet, to lock in moisture (a tip I got from Samin Nosrat<\/a>). It reduces frizz and makes my waves look defined.<\/p>\n
I always sleep in a messy bun, with my bangs pinned back \u2014 I can\u2019t stand the feeling of hair on my face when I\u2019m sleeping! On a typical morning, I shake out my bun and smooth out my bangs. If I\u2019ve got some real bedhead, I\u2019ll wet my bangs for a fresh start. <\/p>\n
My stylist encouraged me to get my own feather-styling razor<\/a> so I could trim my bangs at home whenever I got the urge! I\u2019m always taking off a little here, a little there, to keep them on point.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve learned never to put my trust in an inspiration photo! Never! It led to so much heartbreak when I was younger. Now, if I\u2019m looking to change things up, I bring in like 10<\/em> reference photos to communicate the vibe I\u2019m going for. But I\u2019ve also come to accept that my hair is always going to look like my hair, not anyone else\u2019s.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/cupofjo.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Copy-of-collage-1520-x-920-px-15.jpg\")
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Super-fine, but a ton of it. It\u2019s silky, which is nice, but I\u2019m often trying to rough it up a bit to create a little texture. <\/p>\n
Most days, I just rake out the tangles and go, then I almost always wind up in a ponytail by 11 a.m. I genuinely love my hair, but having it around my face distracts me! Even on my wedding day<\/a>, our photographer had to kindly remind me to stop tucking my hair behind my ears. <\/p>\n
I am obsessed with the UNBrush detangling brush<\/a>. I initially bought it for my daughter, who has curly hair. I thought $18 was a little steep for a plastic brush, but the reviews were incredible \u2014 and frankly, I\u2019d have paid anything for a brush if you told me it would make bedtime brushing less scream-y. Let me tell you, that $18 piece of plastic lived up to the hype! And it\u2019s just as incredible on my heap of fine hair. It takes care of tangles without ripping. It\u2019s the only brush I\u2019ll use on either of us now. <\/p>\n
I\u2019m a wash-every-day person, like Joanna (I also know!). I shower at night, and for the last couple years, I\u2019ve used Herbal Essences Grapefruit Volume Shampoo<\/a> and Conditioner<\/a>. It rinses clean and conditions very well, but it doesn\u2019t add weight or residue. I\u2019m a lifelong drugstore-shampoo advocate.<\/p>\n
I just learned this hair-tuck trick<\/a> on TikTok, and I wish someone had shown me it years ago. It\u2019s the one thing that actually does allow me to keep my hair down without feeling the constant urge to tuck it behind my ears or pull it into a ponytail.<\/p>\n
I have an extremely glamorous sleep-on-totally-wet-hair method. If I do manage to let my hair dry before going to sleep, the pineapple-bun method<\/a> is great. As a kid, I\u2019d braid my hair to prevent tangles, but this is even better. Also, I\u2019m a side-sleeper, and it genuinely makes sleeping more comfortable. <\/p>\n
For the past decade, Iles Formula Finishing Hair Serum<\/a> has been the only styling product I use. I rub a tiny dollop between my hands, then finger-comb it through the bottom half of my hair. It\u2019s the one product that actually smooths without overwhelming my fine hair and creating greasy-looking clumps. It\u2019s definitely my most expensive hair product, but the bottle lasts me around two years. My other hero is toddler hair ties<\/a>, which are made of magic sweatshirt-esque fabric and are soooo gentle on your hair.<\/p>\n
I get a haircut once a year, and that\u2019s all she wrote. I don\u2019t have the patience for salon hair coloring, but I do love to mess around with tinted conditioners at home. The Christophe Robin copper conditioner<\/a> is sooooo pretty and easy (on my hair, it just adds a little warmth). It\u2019s the most user-friendly type I\u2019ve tried \u2014 meaning, it doesn\u2019t leave neon stains on my skin when I inevitably smear it on my forehead.<\/p>\n
YOLO. Get the cut, try the perm, do that Angela Chase dye job your inner child\u2019s been pining for. Hair is never permanent (nothing is, right?), so why the heck not? <\/p>\n