The hair oil trend is hard to deny (it's just a matter of time before Supercuts starts offering Argan oil treatments). For the oil connoisseur, there's Rahua -- a natural, organic line with ungurahua oil (yes, the name is real) from the Amazon. The oil is derived from the ungurahua nut, which grows in the rain forests of Ecuador, and it's been used to treat dry, itchy scalp issues for centuries. This fall, Rahua is offering an in-salon treatment that takes their Rahua Omega 9 Mask and kicks it up a notch with even more oil.
I stopped by the Mizu Salon in New York City to experience it for myself. After a double wash with the Rahua Voluminous Shampoo, my stylist combined the mask with a dropper-full of straight ungurahua oil. The oil cleanses and detoxifies the scalp, and it feels warm and tingly while it works. While the nutty scent takes some getting used to -- it's like Argan-meets-espresso -- the silky hair definitely doesn't.
Price: $60-75 excluding blowout
Where to get it: rahua.com for salons
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At home: Clear 7 Day Intensive Treatment
If you want a bargain treatment, but one that's crazy effective, this seven-day treatment includes seven tubes that are less than two bucks each. And as long as you don't have Rapunzel hair, you can stretch one tube into two or three sessions, bringing the grand total down to 75-cents a pop. The formula contains ingredients like aloe, coconut oil, and vitamins C and E, which nourish your scalp while hydrating your hair. Bonus: Not only is it safe for colored hair, it's good for your color.
After using it just once, a friend commented about how soft my hair looked, and said she couldn't resist touching it. Which she did. Please note: not all flattering comments get a greenlight to invade my personal space. I made an exception for this one -- because she was right!
Price: $14.99
Where to get it: Drugstores
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At home: Rene Furterer Lissea
I stopped by the Rita Hazan Salon in New York City to meet with stylist extraordinaire Nelson Vercher and to experience the new Rene Furterer Lissea collection for "unruly" hair. While my hair isn't without its problems, unruly isn't the first adjective I'd use to describe it -- flat, brittle, and dull all come to mind. Fortunately, Lissea worked for those problems, too, making my hair as soft as an infant's and beyond bouncy. Although there isn't a mask in the line, Vercher suggests leaving on the conditioner for a few extra minutes for treatment-like benefits.
Price: $39
Where to get it: lovelyskin.com
Reality check: Labor Day is around the corner and that inevitable back-to-school anxiety will hit soon. Of course you have a million things to do to get ready, so let's ignore the things you don't want to do (like putting your summer stuff in storage and breaking out those scarves) and let's talk about your hair. Your poor, poor hair.
For all of the bliss and fun of summer, your hair takes a serious beating from so much exposure to sun, salt water and chlorine. The good news? While retailers fill the aisles with 3-ring binders, salons rack up on new damaged hair treatments and hair care brands launch amazing products for at-home use, as well.
We tested the newest hair treatments -- from the salon splurges to the best drugstore buys -- and rounded up the seven we're in love with. Find one that suits your hair and budget now! (At least your hair will be ready for the first day of school.)