Nowadays men and women have a variety of hairstyles to choose from in order to make a fashion statement. One can also flaunt a new look with different hairstyles. Contemporary hair styling is all about wearing your hair in a new way that complements your personality and is also in conjunction with social standards.

The right styling products used in the right way, decide the health and look of the hair in the long run.

Effective hair styling products help change the texture of the hair, give a new shape and also help hold a particular hairstyle in place. They have influenced the creation of hair styling trends since ancient times. Back during the Egyptian Era, a fatty substance was used to keep hair in place. People in the ancient Western European region used soap-like wax to style their hair. The 1950s saw the birth of hair sprays to style and keep the hair in place.

Hair styling products for men and women
Here’s a brief description of different hair styling products available in the market for men and women:

• Hair gel
  It’s used to dress the hair in a particular style and stiffen it. It’s specifically used by men though some gels can be used by women too. It is stronger than hair sprays but gives a similar look and feel.
• Hair wax
  It’s a thick hair styling product with wax as its main ingredient. It helps hold the hair in place and keeps hair flexible, unlike hair gel that gives a hard texture. Styling paste is the latest version of hair wax.
• Hair mousse
  It’s available in cream and spray form and gives hair extra volume and shine. It’s applied specifically to the roots before drying and doesn’t cause clumps. Women can also use it to define curls or to add extra texture.
• Pomade
  The greasy water-based or oil-based substance used for tight hairstyles and doesn’t dry like hair spray and hair gel. It gives a shiny and slick appearance, and most of them contain perfume and coloring agents. Most pomades are formulated with petroleum jelly.
• Hair spray
  It’s the most commonly used hair product and is directly sprayed to the hair, which gives a definite shape and holds it in place. Most hair sprays have water-soluble properties including natural polymers and solvents.
• Hair volumizer
  It’s specifically useful to give life with volume and shine, to thin and flat hair. It helps give a dense look with more volume, that results from attracting moisture. They are available in the form of shampoo and conditioner that can be applied to damp hair at the roots.

Other popular hair styling and hair care products vastly used by men and women include serum, hair conditioner, hair tonic, and hair clays.

Disadvantages of using hair styling products
The right usage of hair styling products doesn’t cause any damages. However, some problems such as dryness and dullness of hair occur due to certain ingredients that dissolve natural oils present in the hair. Some harmful ingredients can cause hair breakage and hair thinning.