It feels that we just discussed perfumes we associate with people we love – and here we are, the next Saturday. But since it’s a weekend, I won’t complain.
Saturday Question #38:
Do You Use Scented Hair Products?
We’re not talking shampoos, conditioners or styling products that have a scent while you’re using them but disappear within minutes after that. The question is rather about products that leave a scent trace for a noticeable period of time or are specifically designed for scenting hair.
My Answer
Until recently the only hair product with a distinct scent I used was Moroccanoil Hair Treatment, and, as I told in the Fantasy Vacation Scent post, I was using that product rather for its scent than functionally.
But then earlier this year, while searching for a bottle of Fresh Cream Warm Cashmere by Philosophy (I wrote about it in the post Got Milk?), I read in some reviews that the Fresh Cream dry shampoo smelled great and similar to perfume. Since I like perfume and use dry shampoo from time to time, I decided to try this one. I like it – both as a product and for how it smells, but when I use it, it’s extremely hard (if not impossible) to pair it with any perfume. But it is perfumed enough to wear it on its own, if you like the scent. And it stays on your hair for at least 8 hours.
The news about collaboration between Byredo and Ouai came right when I was on my last drop of Mojave Ghost perfume sample. As I was considering the purchase of a bottle, and, as I said, I am using dry shampoo, with the price of it being the same as for Ouai’s regular dry shampoo ($24), the purchase of this one wasn’t even a question. I went to Sephora as soon as the store in our area opened and got a spray of the limited edition Ouai Super Dry Shampoo x Byredo Mojave Ghost. I love the scent, and I like the product. I pondered for a while whether I should get 1-2 more cans of it, or if I should rather add those dollars towards getting a bottle of perfume… When I went to buy another one, it was completely sold out everywhere. Of course, now Byredo sells Mojave Ghost Hair Perfume ($75 for 75 ml), but I could never explain to myself what would be a justification for buying hair perfume in addition to or instead of real perfume: how much perfume do you need to spray into your hair to do any real damage from the amount of alcohol that will get into contact with it?! Now I’m definitely saving that money for the future perfume purchase.
Speaking of hair perfumes… Even though everything stated above is how I feel about that type of products, recently I caught myself being drawn to … not one but two such products! One is from Ormonde Jayne – Ta’if Hair Mist. I do not need it since I have this perfume in 4 different versions already (and a back-up bottle), but I want it just because I love that perfume, and it’s my number two all-time favorite. So, at least it’s more or less logical (and I’m still not sure I’ll end up buying it). But the second one is completely illogical: Chanel No 5 The Hair Mist. Why illogical? I do not like No 5 in any version. I’ve never liked it. But at least once a year I approach it again thinking that maybe this time… Have you seen that cutest 1.2 oz frosted glass bottle? I do not need it. I will not buy it. But I want it.
Undina's Looking Glass 
I think that Ta’if Hair Mist needs to go on your Christmas list :)
I don’t use products specifically to scent my hair but I do love the Brilliant scent in Aveda hair products I use the Brilliant Damage Control heat protection spray. It smells great and is curly girl friendly.
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I’ll try to smell Aveda once we’re allowed to touch/smell something at a store :)
I’m thinking about Ta’if. [Un]fortunately, it’s available only from the UK site, and I don’t want to pay for the international shipping… So, I think I might wait and buy it the next time I’m in London.
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We have to wait to do so many things at the moment but I’ll be glad for any excuse to have you in London again one of these days.
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Like Undina, once we’re able to sniff products in store again, I’ll have to check out the Aveda Brillian Scent product you mentioned…Have some naturally curly/wavy hair too.
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It’s very distinctive. I hope you like it.
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Nope I don’t. Since I’m a guy with short hair who doesn’t really like to even use hair styling products, shampoo and conditioner are the only scented products I use for my head.
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You should be saving a ton of money on hair products! :)
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No, I don’t. I only use shampoo and conditioner and once in a while few drops of an almost unscented Moroccan oil. I don’t like any other scents to interfere with the perfume I am wearing.
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In general, I agree: none of the two dry shampoos I can wear with another scent. Moroccanoil smells nice when applied, but since it doesn’t project much, it doesn’t prevent me from applying any perfume after it.
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I don’t buy scented hair perfume, I usually spray a bit of my perfume over my head and let it settle on my hair. I do use some dry shampoo in between washes.
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I use my perfumes on the neck under my hair.
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Matty…that about sums up what I do as well. Usually a lite spritz of whatever perfume I am wearing for the day….and use DryBar detox dry shampoo in between washes.
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Hi Undina,
I have that exact same bottle of Moroccan Oil! I’m in two minds about its scent, which I find rather strong and smelling more like a hairdresser’s salon than a perfume. I think the “raw”
oil doesn’t smell very nice, so a strong fragrance is necessary to cover up the natural odour.
The best scented hair product I had was ‘Shalimar Beautifying Hair Gel’ (more like a silicon smoother), which a friend passed on to me. It came in a tall, dark blue bottle which was absolutely gorgeous. However, it was so heavily scented I couldn’t imagine using it with any perfume other than actual Shalimar (which I rarely wear). So, another friend who admired the bottle got to keep it.
If my hair needs a freshen-up between washes, I just lightly spritz it with the same fragrance I’m wearing that day. Specific ‘hair scents’ sound luxurious in theory, but I find the thought of trying to mix/match them with my multitude of ‘regular’ scents stressful!
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I do not think that Moroccanoil smells like perfume, but I like the scent itself and do not mind using it from time to time. But with the amount I need, it doesn’t project much, so I can wear another perfume together with it. The other two products though do require a commitment that day.
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I only discovered hair perfumes or “mists” pretty recently, when I found Tocca’s Colette and Liliana har perfumes for a song at TJ Maxx. I didn’t already own those scents in any format, so I thought, why not? and bought them. To my surprise, I really enjoyed using them occasionally. I don’t have beautiful hair (I mean, it’s fine, but it’s not BEAUTIFUL the way some women’s hair is), so it really never occurred to me to make it a focus of scent. Since then I’ve bought the Shalimar hair perfume and that really is a great way to wear Shalimar, as it’s very light and subtle, but clearly identifiable. If anyone is intrigued by Shalimar but finds it a bit overwhelming, the hair mist might be a great option.
It’s so funny that you mention your interest in the No. 5 hair perfume, I’ve had that same sense of being attracted to it without really knowing why! But I DEFINITELY think you need that Ta’if har scent, I know how much you love that fragrance. I wonder if you could spritz a bit of the hair mist on Rusty, lol!
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I laughed at the idea of spritzing Rusty with a hair mist. I can only imagine his indignation! :) I mean, I don’t think it’s alcohol he objects to in real perfumes. But when I get it (see – I don’t even say “if” ;) ), I might do a light “transfer” experiment.
If I were, let’s say, even 4-5-perfumes-person, I would have got everything available for those scents, including bath and body products. But with my habit to wear each perfume just a handful times per year, getting anything beyond perfume makes sense only for the top 2-3 perfumes.
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I have fairly short fine hair, so I have never bothered with hair mists. But if I found some at TJ Maxx for a song I might try them anyway. When I’m wearing a perfume that has lower sillage I will sometimes spray a mist over my hair anyway. I think if I had long hair I would definitely use hair mists!
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Do you style your hair with any products? I do not need/use any since I have long hair (Moroccanoil that I use is just for the scent), but I know that many styling products for short hair have interesting smells. Not a replacement for perfumes but nice on their own.
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I don’t – I prefer to keep my hair as low maintenance as possible, and I touch it too frequently throughout the day just out of habit so any smell would just end up on my hands. If I like a scent, I’d rather have it as perfume.
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Once I’m done with the Ouai dry shampoo, I’ll probably go for that Byredo perfume.
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This product category had passed me by completely, I must be honest. The closest I have come to it is a kind of styling ‘souffle’ that had an amazing scent – like Miller Harris Fleurs de Sel, no less – yet sadly left my hair rather sticky. I sometimes take my tub out and sniff it, but that is as far as I get. ;)
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Most of the hair styling products seem to make my hair look worse, not better :) But dry shampoo is an exception: the results “after” are clearly (some pun is intended) better than “before.”
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not been interested in the hair mists before, but then I saw Shalimar Hair Mist (!!!) and Ormonde Jayne Ta’if Hair Mist (triple!!!) I feel myself falling into another rabbit hole… ooofff-aaaahhhh. I think these 2 are in my future. i usually just spray some of my perfume over my head and let it settle on my hair like matty1649, but I’m intrigued for sure.
I do love the Ouai hair oil. I’ve been using it lately and it’s great as a body oil, too. The rose scent is very faint in mine, though.
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That first line should have started “I had not been interested…..” Having a sentence fail, apparently! LOL
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I know how you feel! Do I need any designated “hair mists/perfumes”? Of course, I don’t. Do I want them? (sigh…) :)
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In theory, scented hair products sound great. In everyday life, I never use them as my hair already smells of either dry ends serum or hair wax. But I get the urge to buy a hair mist every once in a while. Some of them smell just amazing.
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You see: for me, in theory, those mists always sounded redundant and unnecessary. But the functional products with perfume scent have extended my acceptance of the other, less functional, hair scenting ideas :)
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I have short grey hair and just use shampoo and rarely something else, so a hair mist is useless. If I want to scent my hair, I walk through a perfume mist sprayed in the air.
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You must have great hair if you don’t need any styling products for your short hair!
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Hi Undina,
It would be a bit silly for me to use scented hair products as I shave what’s left off every fortnight. I could use a beard oil but the fact is I’m not really that kinda guy. I like to spritz my fragrance onto my body really. Sometimes if my hands have some body moisturiser residue I’ll run it over my stubble and beard but otherwise nope.
When I had lovely locks I used to love getting perfumed shampoos.
Portia xx
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So, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to use special beard grooming scented products?! Just think: it’s a whole new category of smelling things you can apply! (Just kidding).
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HA! You had me. I was totally formulating my response. Ha Ha ha
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I have several: Chanel No. 5 Hair Mist in a 40mL columnar bottle (so thinking I may have to get the 35mL because it is CUTE), Carnal Flower (smells just like the perfume) and Tom Ford Black Orchid (haven’t used it yet). For some reason I thought I had a 4th one but now couldn’t think of what it is. When I wear a hair mist, it is my perfume for the day. It is no different than spraying and walking into the mist 🤣.
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I think it was your comment on NST that alerted me to the new design of that Chanel hair mist, so I intentionally went by the counter to check it out. And it is cute!
I know you “walk into cloud” method, but for some reason I prefer a more targeted application. So, in theory, hair mists should be up my alley. But I’m still working on accepting that “concentration” as a stand-alone or complementary product.
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I don’t have any perfume hair mists but have several hair products that are perfumed. I love Moroccanoil, and can use it lavishly as I have longish curly hair. There’s one product that is very effective if I want to swish and smell: Aussie Scentsational, it’s a spray in conditioner with a jasmine scent. I run my fingers through my hair after applying body oils too. Would I shell out for a dedicated perfume hair mist? I don’t think so, I’d rather have the perfume and spray on my body, and spray a mist into the air and let it settle on me if I want to be fully immersed in the fragrance. I could be persuaded though, with a small bit of arm twisting 😉
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Interestingly, I do not see that Aussie product on the US sites. But if I come across it, I’ll give it a try.
The more expensive the product is, the less likely I would buy it. But if it seems like perfumath free… Or if it’s something I love… Or a very nice bottle… Yeah, I might not be strong enough. :)
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I realize this is almost an entire calendar year later but I just read this post and they have that Aussie product at Target.
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Thank you! I’ll check it out.
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No scented products as such. but funnily enough I just bought the Le Labo Basil shampoo and conditioner only because of how they smell. I never use conditioner but use this one at night just because I know I can shampoo it out in the morning. Man this stuff smells good. Nevertheless I would not want my hair to smell of it all day and it doesn’t. But the kick in the shower is the bomb. No hair mist though. Well maybe Carnal Flower. Oh no what have you started. xxx
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You’re in trouble: more and more brands are releasing hair mists, so it’s just a matter of time before you come across one you “need” :) I just saw several offered by Memo…
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No. I won‘t be in trouble. Not really. The Carnal Flower is nice I must admit but in reality I would never use it. And I dislike Memo perfume so that is of no danger. Still you might be right, never say never and I might well eat my words!!!
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