6 Secrets for Growing Thicker, Fuller Brows

While summer is awesome for a number of reasons (hello, cute swimsuits!), the heat and humidity can do a number on your hair, making daily shampooing a necessity. Or so you thought. Dry shampoo is a beauty cabinet staple that has made every day hair-washing a thing of the past. Whether you spent the day walking around in 90-degree weather or you hit the gym for an indoor cycling class, dry shampoo will refresh your hair by sopping up excess grease, all without stepping foot in the shower. But if you thought you were limited to powder or spray options, you'd be wrong. Dry shampoo foam is here, and it's amazing. It looks like a mousse and cleans hair sans powder, meaning there's no chance of being left with bothersome residue. All you have to do is shake the can, pour a blob into your hands, and massage it into your roots. Here are the best products for dry shampoo foam we can't get enough of right now.

Ouai Waterless Dry Shampoo Foam

This waterless foam dry shampoo from Jen Atkins, hairstylist to the Kardashians, is the ideal option for those with thick, curly, coarse hair who don’t have time to go through the cleansing process every day. It cleans hair with diatomaceous earth, busting through oil and product buildup, as well as pumping up the volume on any mane that’s fallen flat.

Amika Phantom Hydrating Dry Shampoo Foam

Sometimes dry shampoo leaves your hair feeling, well, dry. But this foam option contains conditioning agents and sea buckthorn berry to ensure your locks, from root to tip, stay hydrated. If you have colored or dry hair, this is the foam dry shampoo for you to get nourishment.

Drybar Detox Whipped Dry Shampoo Foam

The brains behind Drybar know their stuff, which is why we’re not surprised the brand developed an innovative foam dry shampoo. After all, when you get a blowout, you want it to last as long as possible. This one is made specifically for those with scalps on the parched side, and with coarse, thick, or dyed hair. It relies on volcanic ash to absorb oil and vitamin B5 to cut down on friction when brushing.

Marc Anthony Grow Long Volumizing Dry Shampoo Foam

If your hair is looking a little limp but you’re not feeling the idea of having to wash and style your hair again, reach for this foam dry shampoo featuring rice starch, which dries super-fast and adds extra oomph to your roots without any stickiness.

Beyond the Zone Sugar Rush Dry Shampoo Foam

Sugar is sweet. But did you know it's good for your hair? Yep! This dry shampoo foam, which is formulated with rice starch to sop up oil, is also infused with sugar to soften and enhance your hair's shine.

How to use Dry Shampoo Foam?

Step one...shake the can, then pour a blob into your hands, and finally massage it into your roots.

Hope you'll find a way to skip your next summer shower with one of these dry shampoo foams. Follow us on social for more inspiration and join our newsletter for more beauty hacks and ideas.

B+C Studios in partnership with Function of Beauty

Around the Brit + Co office the subject of hair comes up A LOT: bad/good hair days, new hair cuts and colors, cheeky accessories and of course our fave hair care products. We teamed up with Function of Beauty to challenge three staffers with super different hair types to give their custom shampoo and conditioner a try.

Function of Beauty’s shampoos and conditioners are all custom made (take the quiz!) + vegan, cruelty-, paraben- and sulfate-free. Sounds awesome, right? But did it meet our hair goals or did it fall flat? Check out the full report below!

Micaela Friedman, Account Manager

We were so coveting Micaela’s curls when she showed up after two weeks au naturel, something she NEVER does. Here’s her hair story.

Micaela’s hair goals: “I naturally have super curly hair, but it's fine, which makes the potential for frizz immense! I usually try to "tame" my curls by letting my hair air-dry after a shower and then wrapping it up into a bun for a few hours to keep it under control. I tend to get self-conscious of their unruliness and never let my natural hair be itself. With my Function of Beauty trial, I wanted to see if I'd feel confident enough to just 'let it go!'

Her take: “The smell of this stuff is amazing! I chose the peach fragrance. After the first week (I wash about 3 times a week) I was still sticking to my normal post-shower routine: Leave-in conditioner, brush, let half-dry, then BUN.”

“By week two, I decided to try letting my hair dry all the way, and was so surprised to find that the curl definition is REAL. With damage from straightening, my hair is usually really curly until the last 2-3 inches, which look sort of tired and limp. FOB perked those right up! I felt like the curls were finally cohesive and the frizz significantly less.”

After FOB: “I wore my curls out for a lunch date with my best friend and when she greeted me her first words were "Finally! I've been telling you to wear your hair natural forever!" I still think it will take me a bit to get used to the new styling, but what I can say about Function of Beauty is that my curls feel amazing — bouncy, soft, and consistent, and my hair healthier.”

Morgan Sizemore, Executive Assistant

Morgan gave the brass-busting purple for blondes a go (you can choose from a range of colors for ultimate shower eye candy) and she also went for the most-popular peach scent.

Her hair goals: “Because I lighten my hair every 4-6 months, it tends to get very dry and brittle. I always use a leave-in conditioner to brush out my hair post-shower to give it more moisture so I was hoping for something more hydrating.”

Her first impression: “I LOVED how the bottles came personalized with my name. I felt like the products were really made for my personal hair care needs!”

Her take: “After the first week of using FOB, I could already tell a huge difference, not only in my hair health, but how shiny it was. Using Function of Beauty I NEVER had to use a leave-in conditioning product and my hair was softer than ever.”

After FOB: “I would always have to blow dry/straighten/curl my hair before leaving for an event because my hair was so frizzy after using other hair products. After using Function of Beauty, I confidently left my house without using ANY heat on my hair. Not only did I feel great that this was my natural air-dried hair, it saved me so much time getting ready. My boyfriend started using it because he liked the smell so much!”

Natasha Thomas, Marketing Manager

You can choose up to five goals to mix the perfect recipe for your hair. Natasha chose Deep Condition, Hydrate, Curl Definition, Lengthen and Volumize in the (f)lower to the people scent.

Her first impression: “I was completely skeptical of Function of Beauty. As an African-American woman who wears her hair in its natural state, I didn't believe that Function of Beauty could give me the moisture that my hair demands. Boy, was I wrong!”

Her take: “I tested their products after wearing my hair in twists for a few weeks. As soon as I felt the shampoo in my hair, I was impressed. Not only did it smell AMAZING, but my hair has never felt so clean and moisturized without feeling like there are heavy products in my hair.”

“It was so easy to detangle my hair using the conditioner, and my curls have never been so defined. The best part is I didn't have to restyle my hair in between washes. My curls stayed intact.”

After FOB: “I couldn't stop raving about it to my friends. Function of Beauty is my new go-to shampoo and conditioner.”

We’re convinced! Needless to say, everyone in the office is signing up to get their own custom shampoo and conditioner from Function of Beauty. Intrigued? Start with the quiz, which asks you to pick five hair goals (like hydration, color-protection, volume...) and your preferred scent and color, then get going on your own custom shampoo and conditioner!

Author: Theresa Gonzalez

Photographer: Kurt Andre

Styling + Art Direction: Anjelika Temple

Models: Micaela Friedman, Morgan Sizemore, Natasha Thomas

B+C Studios in partnership with Function of Beauty

Though Black Friday is traditionally the official start of the holiday shopping season, we argue that it’s been kicking since mid-October. We know, we know: it still feels extremely early to start thinking about the holidays, but they’ll be here before you know it! Plus, many brands and retailers are already promoting their holiday goodies with plenty of sales and discounts available right now.

If you’re ready to embark on your holiday shopping journey, but still need answers to questions like ‘when’s the best time to shop?’ and ‘where should I shop for gifts?’ and even ‘how the heck do I save money this season?’, you’ve come to the right place. Consider this your go-to guide for holiday shopping in 2024.

Scroll on for our best guidance on navigating this busy time of year and finding the best gifts possible!

When's the best time to do holiday shopping?

Kaboompics / PEXELS

The best time to do holiday shopping really all depends on your personal shopping goals. Do you want to get a jump on items you know will sell out soon? Do you want to save the most money possible? Do you want to focus on handmade, personalized gifts? These factors will undoubtedly influence your holiday shopping schedule.

Cottonbro Studio / PEXELS

Shopping early can be advantageous for all of the aforementioned goals. A lot of retailers start promoting their holiday products early on, giving you ample time to snatch up that limited-time lip kit or fancy water bottle you’ve been eyeing way before the holidays.

Plus, some of the best deals for holiday shopping happen ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday – in 2023, Experian observed a surge in early spending in October, thanks to early discounts, a trend likely to continue in 2024.

Finally, shopping early can be especially helpful if your plan is to focus on handmade or personalized gifts, giving the artisan you buy from (or yourself, if you’re DIY-ing your gifts) plenty of time to craft the item with love and care.

Gallup reported in 2023 that one in four shoppers start shopping as early as September, a trend likely to continue in 2024 – so you might already be embarking on your shopping spree!

Mikhail Nilov / PEXELS

If right now is just still too darn early for you to start holiday shopping, Black Friday and Cyber Monday are some of the best times to shop since so many retailers offer their largest discounts of the entire year. Plus, the late November-early December timeline can feel a bit more appropriate for the gifting season opposed to late October-early November, when everyone’s still recovering from Halloween.

The only thing to consider during this time is the shipping timelines for the items you purchase – but most retailers will typically advise their specific shipping schedules, so you don’t risk your goodies arriving late.

Where should I shop for gifts?

Ron Lach / PEXELS

You have three main options when it comes to where to shop for holiday gifts: online, in-store, and via our amazing gift guides. Of course, each method has its advantages and disadvantages.

Shopping in-store offers a tangible experience: the opportunity to hold specific items in your hands and gauge exactly what they’ll be like when you give them as a gift. The pitfall with shopping in-person is that it typically requires a commute and journeys through potentially very busy malls and shopping strips, which can add to the already-stressful holiday experience.

In-store shopping can be more physically exhausting, but it’s all about preference! Sometimes strolling through the stores that get all dolled up for Christmas is the best part of the season.

Andrea Piacquadio / PEXELS

Per Google, 65% of those planning to shop for the holidays say they will shop online more. Shopping for gifts online can be super helpful since you can centralize your findings in your browser’s bookmark tab or via virtual cart(s). Plus, shopping online can pose more opportunities for saving some money: lots of retailers typically offer discount codes for online users, especially if you sign up for their digital marketing channels (like email and text) and make a purchase.

Shopping online isn’t just shopping, either. The internet can be a stellar research tool to help you vet whether certain products are worth it, where they can be bought, and when they’ll be available. In fact, Google reported that more than half of U.S. holiday shoppers who went into a store last year say they looked up product reviews online and/or located an item in-store by checking it online.

Kaboompics / PEXELS

Last but not least, scrolling gift guides has to be our favorite place to shop for gifts – and not just because we write and publish them.

At their very core, gift guides help streamline the holiday shopping process, alleviating the stress that bubbles up when you’re wondering what the heck to shop for in the first place. Our gift guides are backed by real people, real experiences, and real opinions from our editorial team. We only promote products that we really love and believe in, oftentimes ones we’ve tested and reviewed ourselves.

We have gift guides for just about everyone on your list, with more on the way! Check ‘em out:

• Gifts for Him
• Gifts for Her
• Gifts for Foodies
• DIY + Handmade Gifts
• White Elephant Gifts
• Gift Sets

What are the best kinds of gifts to give?

Kaboompics / PEXELS

The best kinds of gifts to give are thoughtful gifts that consider the giftee’s interests, wants, and needs. These gifts can be sentimental, practical, or both simultaneously. What matters most in a gift is that it’ll be meaningful to them past just the holiday season, whether it’s helping them get through daily tasks, reminding them of a memorable trip or event, or giving them small doses of joy.

“Shoppers are increasingly looking for personalized and unique gifts that reflect the recipient's personality and interests,” says Mia Anderson, Owner of ChicSew. “With the rise of online shopping, many consumers are opting for curated gift boxes or experiences that add a special touch.”

Cottonbro Studio / PEXELS

Gift boxes, personalized items, books of interest, self-care goodies, and even gift cards can all be thoughtful gifts depending on the recipient. If you have no clue what your giftee is into, it’s not a bad idea to ask them what they want the most!

“My idea of a great gift is something that is in tandem with the recipient's interest and offers something new to the person, be it learning a new skill, enjoying a calming activity, or simply spending quality time with the family,” says Alfred Christ, Sales Manager & Marketer at Robotime. “This season, we encourage shoppers to shift their focus on quality and the memories their gifts will create and not just merely material aspects.”

When is Black Friday?

Sora Shimazaki / PEXELS

Black Friday is always the Friday after Thanksgiving. This year, Black Friday lands on November 29.

When is Cyber Monday?

Kindel Media / PEXELS

Cyber Monday is typcally the Monday after Thanksgiving. This year, Cyber Monday will land on December 2. Oftentimes, retailers and brands extend their online offers through the week (coined Cyber Week) after the event. Salesforce reported that 67% of shoppers in 2024 plan on shopping during Cyber Week!

Subscribe to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on our best 2024 gift guides, shopping advice, and all things holiday!