Breaking beauty news: The first-ever Shop TODAY Hair Awards are here!
For our inaugural Hair Awards, we spritzed, combed and slathered on more than 140 products, from hair tools and color kits to styling potions and growth solutions.
To reveal the winners, Shop TODAY editorial director Adrianna Brach stopped by Studio 1A with some of the products that seriously impressed our team of testers. From the staples we've been singing the praises of for years to the hyped-up new launches we sorted through so you don't have to, each of these hair heroes earned their place among the slate of winners.
Ready for more good hair days? Just keep scrolling to see some of our editor-tested and approved hair favorites, and be sure to check out the full list of winners here.
Hair Awards winners seen on TODAY
This shampoo and conditioner duo won best strengthening set with a perfect score. You might be surprised at the key ingredient, fermented rice water, but rinsing the hair with rice water actually dates back over a thousand years (when Japanese court ladies evidently used it on their famously floor-length hair)!
We spoke to dermatologists about the ingredient, who say you could actually see benefits including fuller-looking hair, calming down inflammation and balancing the pH of your scalp. Plus, the brand is offering 35% off with code TODAY through August 21.
Are you in search of a reliable, no-fuss way to conceal those telltale roots at home (and extend the time between pricey color treatments)? Unlike sprays or powders, which can be messy, this stick gives you total control — just use the crayon end to color in your part and flip to the opposite end to blend and sweep away any excess.
"A hairstylist recommended this to us and says to think of it like filling in those test score bubbles from school: Start off light, then go back and fill in where needed," Brach instructs. "Genius little thing to throw in your purse and easily touch up in your car or even to travel with."
For an extra boost of moisture, the team became totally obsessed with this strengthening hair mask. To reap the conditioning benefits, just apply a small amount from top to bottom once per week, leaving on for 3 to 5 minutes before rinsing.
“Where has this hair mask been my entire life?” Writes deputy managing editor Jess Bender. “Outside of professional salon visits, I don’t think my hair’s been this soft or bouncy or frizz-free in a long, long time... One colleague also commented that my tresses had gotten ‘so long’ during the time frame I’ve been using it, which may be a fluke but I’ll take hair compliments any day!”
This anti-frizz hair oil boosts shine by penetrating the hair shaft and seals split ends, the brand says. Just apply a small amount in your palm, rub hands together, then comb your hands evenly through damp, towel-dried hair.
“I’ve used it for years and it helps tame my frizz,” associate editor Shannon Garlin says of this hair oil. “Also, I’ve had the same bottle for probably 6 years or more!”
Say goodbye to heavy, bulky towels that come unraveled! This hair wrap is sleek, stays put and is so absorbent. The brand says the soft material is woven with antibacterial silver ions to keep it fresh and clean between uses.
If you have to go to bed with wet hair, this is the way to do it, as one dermatologist we spoke to recommended detangling, applying a leave-in conditioner and wrapping your hair in a towel like this that absorbs moisture and prevents friction and breakage before going to sleep.
Summer can wreak havoc on our hair, from pool and beach days to sun exposure — now is the time to reset and repair before the fall season, and this extreme repair overnight serum with peptides and more dermatologist-approved ingredients is a great place to start.
“We love that it works while you sleep so you don’t take time out of your busy morning,” Brach says. “Just apply 2-6 pumps to mid-lengths and ends before bed and let it sink in overnight. No rinsing necessary in the morning!”
To help with fading, our best demi-permanent hair dye winner will get your color looking fresh and shiny again in just 20 minutes — with results that last up to 16 washes! The kit includes everything you need to DIY at home: gloves, developer and a color tube with a handy tip to apply directly from the bottle.
"Not only is my color vibrant and long-lasting, but my hair feels softer after use, too," vouches commerce editor and producer Julie Ricevuto, who has been using the kit to refresh her color at home.
Hair Awards winners seen on 3rd Hour of TODAY
No pun intended, but this compact hair dryer blew the competition out of the water in our tests. It earned a perfect score for its powerful motor, which can produce airflow up to 23 miles per hour, the brand says, drying your hair in just three to five minutes (that's five times faster than traditional hair dryers, for reference)!
Unlike pricier options on the market, we found it really easy to use, thanks to its straightforward three-speed, three-temperature settings and magnetic attachments. It's quiet and lightweight (it's less than a pound), so your arm won't get tired by the end of your drying session. Plus, you can score 48% off on Amazon with code TODAYWAVY through August 17.
For busy mornings, dry shampoo is a must, and this is our pick because it’s a three-in-one that gives your strands a zhuzh from root to tip. Not only does it absorb oil and refresh hair with zero white residue, but it also smooths frizz and defends from UV rays, the brand says.
I personally swear by this on day two (or three... or four...) hair, because it doesn’t give that starchy, crispy feeling other dry shampoos can. Plus, it smells amazing and really helps to tame my wild ends. See below for proof!
Curly, coily and wavy hair types, listen up! This curl-activating detangler brush is designed to be used on wet hair, with wide set bristles that help reduce breakage and fallout.
“This is super gentle... one of our testers even used it on her kids’ hair and it was super easy to pull and didn’t make their hair frizzy at all,” Brach says. “Another tester says it’s one of those things she never knew she needed for her curly hair routine, but it’s become a staple because it makes such a huge difference in the bounce of her curls.”
We all know and love the Revlon One-Step Blow Dryer Brush. Now, meet the latest version that's been upgraded to take you from wet hair to a salon-quality blow dry in minutes. The 1.5-inch width is like a curling iron barrel, which testers thought was perfect for getting volume at the roots and bounce in your strands just like a professional blowout. It's suited for all hair lengths, but we think it's especially great for bangs, layers, bobs and lobs because of the smaller barrel that gives you more definition.
"The volume! Does what it claims on the box — terrific way to lift roots and style hair for lasting volume and body," reports vice president of commerce Ashley Parrish. "My new favorite hair tool to travel with."
To go with your new favorite hair tool, we found the best blowout spray out there. Think of this weightless spray from Amika as kind of like a primer for your blowout — it protects from heat up to 450 degrees, moisturizes and smooths for styling. Just spray on damp hair in sections and comb through before drying.
Commerce writer Danielle Murphy tried a few popular volumizers and said this one genuinely gave her the best blowout of her life.
"What gives this volumizing spray its edge is that my hair remained full and thick for days, without feeling heavy or crunchy," Murphy says.
Anyone experiencing hair loss — for any reason, from hormone changes to stress and tight styling — or hoping to prevent it is a candidate for this winner. These restoring hair and edge drops are by Cécred, a hair brand from Beyoncé, and they took home the award for best growth product for hairlines.
Our testers found that it didn't feel overly oily or greasy and was perfect for making hair feel fuller and even helping with itch between washes on braided styles. The formula is packed with dermatologist-approved ingredients like biotin, peptides and keratin.
More Hair Awards winners to shop
Ringing up at less than $4, this curl mousse seriously impressed our testers for its value. It has a pleasant scent and really defines curls, per reviewers.
A new launch our team fell in love with, this conditioner is great for color-treated hair. It's designed to hydrate, add shine and detangle in one step.
Dealing with hair loss? This treatment from Shop TODAY-loved K-beauty brand Dr. Groot may be just what your routine is missing. It has a roll-on applicator, which is ideal for targeting areas along the scalp like the hairline and part.
Want silkier, stronger hair immediately? This in-shower treatment works its magic in just seven seconds. Pro tip: Skip your usual conditioner step on the day you use this product — your hair won’t even need it!
Summer heat and humidity is no match for this latest launch from Color Wow. The hairspray dries fast, locking in your style with both heat and UV protection, the brand shares. As its name suggests, it’ll help you achieve big, voluminous styles that don’t feel sticky or weighed down.
Another personal favorite, the Ouai Hair Gloss surpassed all of my expectations. My usually unruly, frizzy split ends were tamed and glassy, sans smoothing balm or hair oil. I swear the color looked more vibrant and dimensional, too. Even my coworkers noticed a difference after I used this, commenting on how “glossy” and “beautiful” my hair looked!
What if coloring your hair at home was as easy as brushing through it? With this device, it is. Simply choose your color cartridge, power the device on and brush through your hair to cover roots and deposit dye evenly.
With nine levels of heat and ceramic plates designed to cover more area, this is our favorite splurge-worthy hair straightener. Ricevuto vouches that it made her hair smoother with just a single pass.
After planning a wedding, Ricevuto noticed she was experiencing some stress-induced hair loss. To combat it, she employed the help of this red light hat as part of a three-pronged hair growth approach (check out the review of her full hair routine here), and noticed an improvement in her hairline after just a few weeks.
Meet the experts
- Adrianna Brach is the editorial director at Shop TODAY, with over a decade of experience as an editor covering beauty, fashion and shopping.
- Shop TODAY is a team of shopping editors and writers who spend hours every day finding the best new products, tried-and-true favorites and more that are worth shopping, according to our high standards.
How we chose
Shop TODAY’s first ever Hair Awards had our team of editors and staffers across the entire TODAY team try and review more than 140 products to find the best products on the market. From growth products to masks and more, this list is everything that has earned the Shop TODAY stamp of approval.
We sorted through over 350 new launches, editor recommendations, trending and tried-and-true products to come up with 52 winners. We incorporated products into our everyday, regular beauty routines over the course of over six months to see if they meet requirements when it comes to value, satisfaction and quality for hair products and tools. Finally, our panel of experts reviewed some of our winners to give their sign-off based on ingredients and other factors.
As an editorial team, we independently create content and determine coverage based on research, reporting and what we think TODAY.com readers would like to read about. The goal of our content is to provide a service and inform readers who are on the hunt for the latest products to help make their life better. Items are sold by retailer, not TODAY. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time.
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