Things in my hair kit:
Brush. That's obvious.
Rat-Tail Comb with metal base. Definitely a must.
What I call my "ratting brush". Helpful in giving maximum body and for smoothing out "bumps". I use this on my own hair on a daily basis. Approximately $5 at Sally's.
Bobby Pins. Don't buy them at Wal-mart. Buy them from a beauty supply store like Sally's. They will hold SO much better! I buy them in the big tub at Sally's. For dancers, I've found that the extra long/large pins really help hold a bun in better, especially if you have long/thick hair, so make sure to have one pack of those as well. For any bridal or formal event where the hair will be up, make sure you have plenty of bobby pins, it is better to be safe than sorry and have more than you need. It's a pain to scramble around looking for a few more bobby pins if you run out! Also, I recommend buying them for your particular hair color. They have black, dark brown, light brown and even blonde bobby pins out there!
Not to be confused with bobby pins, "hair pins" are ESSENTIAL for ballroom hair and for wedding styles that have a lot of detail. They are much smaller and don't show so much when there is a lot of twisting and swirling details on the back of the hair. They don't pull so much like bobby pins do either!
Of course, hair elastics come in all colors, best to have a few that match YOUR hair color!
These small clear elastics are a MUST for ballroom competitors, always have at least 6 or 7 of these on hand. Brides, this is sometimes helpful to section off hair in an updo to give better spread to the curls and to stay in better. No one needs a full pack of these, but always having a few on hand is great.
Gel is a must for ballroom hair styles. Required for the detail and slicking back to hold the hair in while dancing!
Some kind of smoothing serum is nice, especially if you are prone to frizzy hair. If you are planning on wearing your hair down in waves/curls, the serum is nice to bring out some shine and give added bounce. Not as necessary for updo's.
Love this shaping cream. Too bad they are discontinuing it :(
I couldn't survive without this hairspray:
I'm sure not many of you use this hairspray...but I love it!! It holds well and it doesn't cost a lot. I would not use this when doing an updo, it is too wet. I mostly recommend this for ballroom hair because it's cheap and you can use a ton of it and it comes in a very large can. There are a few different kinds, any will work, but try to pick one that has the maximum "hold" factor, meaning it holds really well. If you don't like scented hairsprays, AquaNet also comes fragrance free!! And PS...I HATE liquid hairsprays. I think they are heavy and weigh the hair down a lot. The aerosol sprays are so much better to work with.
This is definitely on the expensive end of hairsprays, but is made for specific hair types, so it isn't just your generic hairspray. I recommend this if you are planning on having your hair down/in loose or tight curls for a formal event. It is long lasting and can help add body!
I love finishing spray. It really gives a healthy glow to your hair. It can be a little expensive, but is well worth it. It really helps bring out colors if you have highlights/lowlights/different colors in your hair. All the shine sprays I've tried also smell really good! This is also best in an aerosol spray, not a liquid spray. Here are my 2 favs:
Hopefully this was helpful!! Let me know if you've found any product that works really well for you and I'll check it out!!
