Suited to anyone who wants a smoothing, shine-boosting finishing step rather than a curl definer — Mixed Chicks positions it across curly, wavy, and straight hair types. It's most useful for people who blow-dry or flat-iron regularly and want a lightweight layer of heat protection, or who want to knock down frizz and flyaways on any hair type without adding curl hold. It's a consumer, take-home product used sparingly (a few drops), not a professional in-salon service.

Hair Silk earns its place as a finishing step rather than a primary styler: its silicone-and-silk blend smooths the hair's surface and reflects light for shine in a way water-based leave-ins can't, while also giving some cushion against heat damage before blow drying or flat ironing. Because it works on both wet and dry hair, it can double as a quick touch-up for flyaways later in the day without restyling.

A little goes a long way with this serum.

1. Dispense a few drops into your palms.
2. Rub palms together, then smooth over mid-lengths and ends, avoiding the scalp.
3. On wet hair, apply before blow drying or air drying.
4. On dry hair, use sparingly to smooth flyaways and add shine throughout the day.

• Pro: Very lightweight and non-greasy for a silicone serum, so a small amount goes a long way.
• Pro: Works on wet or dry hair, giving flexibility to use it pre-blow-dry or as a dry-hair touch-up.
• Pro: Adds visible shine and smooths flyaways across curly, wavy, and straight hair alike.
• Con: Heavily silicone-based, so hair that's prone to product buildup may need a clarifying shampoo periodically since these silicones aren't water-soluble.
• Con: Contains added fragrance, which may not suit fragrance-sensitive users.
• Con: Comes in a small 1.7 oz bottle, so daily heavy use will run out faster than a larger leave-in.