Prep School

Alto Bella Curl Solutions Serum

Alto Bella Curl Solutions Serum is shamelessly synthetic—heck, the gel-like substance is even flecked with golden specks. But this man-made agent is mighty powerful when it comes to defining curls and calming frizz. It worked best when I sectioned off my hair to apply great, liberal fistfuls—with extra emphasis on scrunching the product into the fuzz-prone ends of my strands. Best of all, it causes only a hint of crunchiness. $11, 4 oz. Available at Rocco Altobelli Salons & DaySpas

Photo by William Clark

Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Hair Balm

Making friends with—and moisturizing—your curls means no more daily shampoos. In turn, you might look an awful lot like Albert Einstein in the morning! But this fat tube of Intelligent Nutrients Certified Organic Hair Balm offers a slick trick for resuscitating frightful bed head. It’s handily shaped like an Uhu Glue Stick, so you can tamp down frizzy flyaways by simply coloring your crown with a few coats of this seed-oil and beeswax blend. .6 oz, $24. Available at Lakewinds, select Regis Salons, StormSister, and Intelligent Nutrients, 983 Hennepin Ave. E., Mpls., 612-617-2002

Photo by William Clark

Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother

Aveda’s popular Be Curly line is, in fact, best left to women who want to boost their curl quotient—in other words, those with wavy hair. If you have a serious case of the corkscrews, then go for the straightening anti-frizz products. They work wonderfully when applied lock-by-lock, painstakingly, in order to separate and define each spiral. My favorite is the Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother, which made my bouclés look more Beyoncé than Carole King. $24, 3.4 fl. oz. Available at Juut Salonspas

Photo by William Clark

Kinky-Curly Curling Custard

All natural, petroleum-free Kinky-Curly Curling Custard elongates my poodle curls, creating the overall effect of a raven-like Sarah Jessica Parker. The heavy glop comes in a tub and works best when applied to soaking wet hair. Afterward, each strand is rather crunchy until the hair dries (which takes forever, by the way). But you can expect soft, sexy curls by late afternoon. As a bonus, the product packs the aphrodisiacal scent of vanilla pudding. Of all things I tried, this was by far my favorite. Now, if only the Beverly Hills startup that manufactures Kinky-Curly could increase supply to meet the public’s overwhelming demand. $26, 16 oz. Available at StormSister Spatique, 635 Smith Ave. S., St. Paul, 651-221-4668

evaCurl AnGell

Photo by William Clark

DevaCurl AnGell

In the past decade, New York City’s Devachan salon spawned a global pro-curl movement (not to mention a big-buck product empire). Twin Citians can get Deva indoctrination by picking up Curly Girl, the pro-curl manifesto penned by Devachan founder Lorraine Massey in 2001. You can also sample from an expansive line of sulfate-free DevaCurl hair care products, which were introduced to our market three years ago. My favorite? DevaCurl AnGell gave my hair extra volume and tight, well-defined coils—a big, bold statement for Saturday night. $17.95, 12 oz. Available at Ulta, 42nd Street Salon, and other local salons

Photo by William Clark

Regis DesignLine Dual Action Mousse

Regis DesignLine Dual Action Mousse worked well when I wanted big ’80s rock star hair but didn’t have a lot of extra time to fuss. The inexpensive product might work like a gel, but because it has the consistency of mousse, it’s quick and easy to lay it on thick. I liked this product best when applied extremely liberally, covering every fiber and thereby wrestling every last lock into frizz-free conformity. $9.95, 9 oz. Available at Regis Salons

Photo by William Clark