My Dominican roots gave me the privilege of having naturally curly hair. But during my adolescence, I dreaded my mother combing through my curls every morning. They felt too heavy on my scalp, tangled too often and were too unpredictable to maintain. To manage, I would simply tie my hair in a tight bun each morning and call it a day.
When I reached high school, I wanted to let my hair down. There was just one issue: my unruly curls. To make styling easier, I sought after permanent treatments that would straighten my hair in a way that prevented me from needing an iron every morning. After doing these treatments twice, I was left with immense damage.
Now, it’s evident my hair is not as thick as it used to be. There are no curls, just waves that struggle to form. You might see them shape underneath or strive to find their curl on top. It’s a wavy mess to say the least, but the worst of it all is the dryness and frizz that all the processing left me (and those damaging treatments were more than seven years ago!).
I am well aware that it might be impossible to get my natural curls back, let alone my hair back to health. But to my surprise, there is a possible solution to minimizing the look of damage: Color Wow's Dream Coat Spray
Color Wow Dream Coat Supernatural Spray.
When you read about what the spray does for your locks, you’re struck by two things: it’s anti-frizz capabilities and anti-humidity technology. The two together apparently leave a glossy shield over your strands without the heavy residue. If any moisture were to get on your hair, videos from the brand suggest it slips right off.
You'll need to use a blow dryer to activate the formula
To see these results, you have to shampoo and condition your hair first. The product needs a blank canvas, so once you’ve stepped out of the shower, only apply the product to towel-dried hair. Make sure it’s lots of it, too, in separate sections. That part is extremely important, and if you have an immediate post-shower hair routine like me, the step can be difficult to adhere to. But I made sure to put my styling products to the side (it is instructed you use them after you’ve blow dried) and let the product work its magic.
At first, activating the product was a bit tricky for me. My daily hair routine consists of using a curl/wave mousse and gel to allow my waves to form. Then, I either use a diffuser to set or let my hair air dry by “plopping” (aka putting my hair in a microfiber towel to absorb moisture), depending on how much time I have. Since this product requires you to use your blow dryer and a round brush with tension (essentially giving your hair a blow out), I was worried my lack of technique would affect how it “seals.” It ended up being easier than expected, but I suggest setting some time aside in the morning to determine your best method.
The anti-frizz benefits were impressive
Once I was finished blow drying my hair, the shine was definitely peeking through. Although my hair wasn't as luminous as the modeled photos (evidently from my hair being on the drier side), there was certainly a difference in texture. Typically, my split ends are emphasized by texturizing and drying products. But the heat from the blow drier with the spray sealed my strands with its moisturizing ingredients, so my ends looked healthier than they did before use.
I’ve used a handful of hair masks, oils, serums and other solutions that promise to combat my damage. In those trials I’ve dealt with more errors than successes, but even the products that gave me some results did not meet everything I expected, fixing my frizz being one of them.
I was pleased to see that my frizz was more manageable and easy to comb through after using the spray. I did have some here and there, but my frizz wasn't as noticeable as it was before.
Another benefit of this product is its water-resistant properties (I tested it with a few droplets, and can confirm that they "slip off." After four to five washes, the product promises to stay put. My hair didn't stay blown out after a few washes, but it still looked more tame than it did with my more normal hair routine.
Since my hair has become thin over the years, the moisturizing properties in the formula were unfortunately too heavy on my head. That isn't its fault, though. The instructions do suggest lathering your hair with the spray for best results, so the application might need to be accommodated to suit thin and fine hair.
I’d argue that the Color Wow Dream Coat Spray is best used on its own or accompanied with a light hair oil once blow dried. It’s a very moisturizing formula, and can be too overwhelming for similar hair types. This glossy effect might be more appealing for those with naturally thick hair. So if your hair needs extra assistance with styling, this product will work well.
To put it simply: The product isn't meant for thin hair like mine, but will be great for fuller hair. In the meantime, I’ll still be on the hunt for the next best thing for me.
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