I remember it like it was yesterday, or at least last week: Fresh off the farm as a brand-new college student, I wandered into a Target to buy myself some shampoo, and I rebelliously bypassed the sensible White Rain and Suave to look at the ‘fancy’ options.

And fanciest off all was John Frieda and his Sheer Blonde Shampoo and Conditioner. I hemmed and hawed, then plunked my money down. $5 seemed ridiculously extravagant, but it promised to my hair blonder, and I always was vain about my hair. And that began my love affair with Mr. Frieda – or at least, with his hair products. I always admired his ingenuity when it came to tackling specific problems. Besides the color-specific lines, John Frieda has turned out anti-frizz, clarifying, and volumizing lines, and now he’s added a few more products to the family.

For devotees of Frizz-Ease, two new sets of shampoo and conditioner go to work before the groundbreaking serum: Smooth Start Shampoos and Conditioners come in both Hydrating, for extremely dry hair, and Reparing, for damaged locks. John Frieda stylist Harry Josh notes that frizz is easier to prevent than treat, so these new products help get the jump on misbehaving strands. Olive oil in the Hydrating line moisturizes hair so it won’t pull water from the atmosphere, while the Repairing line uses silk protein to reinforce abused hair.

To round out the Root Awakening line, the Strength Restoring Smoothing Lotion strengthens hair, like other products in this line, using eucalyptus and vitamins, but in a light moisturizing form. Likewise the Gel promotes healthy hair with its alcohol-free formula that works on both wet and dry hair for a soft, brushable finish. Finally, the Hairspray uses an advanced pump applicator to create an aerosol-like mist without all the nasty aerosol chemicals.

All these products retail for $6.49 at drugstores and supermarkets nationwide, and are also available at www.johnfrieda.com.

I got the opportunity to attend an event last week where I met THE John Frieda — who has been described as the founding father of modern hair products, according to Vogue. Frieda started as an assistant at age 16 to Leonard, a leading stylist in the 70s.

Frieda made his name by making models’ hair look perfect in a matter of minutes when on the sets of photos shoots with magazines like British Vogue and Harpers & Queen. You could say he was the David Copperfield of styling and an illusionist of cutting.

He was one of the first to recognize that different types of hair have different types of problems and so he began working with chemists to create potions that controlled and manipulated hair for best results.

He opened his first salon in London where his clients even included royalty, and in 1988, his first product line was tailored to the needs of fine, unmanageable hair. His first product was called, “Thickening Lotion,” and was an overnight sensation. “Thickening Lotion,” which was seized by Boots and performed well enough for a 20,000 bottle order in 1988. Demand grew to the size of 1.2 million bottles of Thickening Lotion.

Now, if you don’t know what Thickening Lotion is, let’s put it into perspective for you: before 1988, products were used to add volume to the hair (e.g. Madonna) but Frieda introduced the Lotion to tone down volume. The Frizz Ease line was the world’s first-ever frizz-fighting serum and one sells for every 15 seconds (it was launched in the U.S. in 1990).

The whole tag line behind Frizz Ease was that it helps protect the hair from the damage of heat and UV rays. Frizz and color fading typically come from heat-inducing factors including the sun, hair dryers and flat irons.

The Frizz Ease has a thermal shield complex (a blend of silk protein and Vitamin E) and this enables hair to be smooth. It can be used on wet or towel-dried hair as well as on dry hair.Now, there are other frizz fighters on the market like got2B Smoothing Serum Anti Frizz Treatment and Bio Iconic KeraSmooth anti-frizz treatment, and most treatments contain Vitamin E.

But many customers keep coming back to Frizz Ease because Frieda started filling a niche.

So if humidity has hit an all time high, you can forage in your drugstore for this.

This finishing creme can be your secret weapon in your hair arsenal. It’s a flawless finishing creme, so the idea is to transform dull, dry hair into something manageable and shiny.

Before

After

Directions: Rub a dime size amount into your hair, and massage through, from roots to tip. This is great for travel and your pocketbook — just a smidgen will tame flyaways in a second.

Yes, I know I need a haircut –I’m beginning to look like a Shetland pony– but thank you John Frieda for easing my frizz a bit.

There are other products in the Frizz-Ease family: the Frizz Ease Hair Serum, Moisture Barrier Firm Hold Hair Spray, Dream Curls Curl Perfecting Spray, Straight Fixation Smoothing Cream, Curl Boosting Mousse, and Thermal Protection Formula, among others. Why we love the Secret Weapon out of all these is because it is a quick fix — dry or wet hair alike.

Available in drugstores everywhere, of course…

xoxo

Charu

You’d be hard up to find a woman who isn’t familiar with John Frieda Frizz Ease products. Especially a woman with curly hair. If you’re one of our crew, you’re familiar with the early junior high school mornings involving blow dryers and flat irons and the buckets of products promise to straight your hair, or make your curls un-frizzy. But if you embrace your curls, or simply want to change it up once in awhile, it’s vital to find a product that won’t leave you looking like you’ve been struck by lightning. John Frieda Frizz Ease Dream Curls Spray has become our new favorite because unlike his heavier Frizz Ease Serums, the Dream Curls Spray doesn’t leave your hair greasy and weigh it down.

It may not be Baltimore in the 1960s, but we’re still devout fans of hairspray. John Frieda’s Luxurious Volume All-Out Hold Hairspray isn’t only meant to keep your locks in place, but to give them a shot of energy. We were pleased that it didn’t have the nasty chemical smell of some other brands, and absolutely saw an increase in our hair’s volume. If you’re looking to increase volume, definitely schedule a date with John Frieda. The Luxurious Volume line also has corresponding shampoos, conditioners, and styling products.

If chestnuts and chocolate are brown themselves, isn’t it about time us brunettes were able to smell like those delectable ingredients? We adore John Frieda’s Brilliant Brunette Shine Illuminating Conditioner for its delicious brown sugar scent, silky yet not greasy texture, and shine-enhancing results. The counterpart to Frieda’s “Sheer Blonde” and “Radiant Red” products, Brilliant Brunette products are great for color-treated hair. While it won’t turn your blond locks brown, it’s great for maintaining a healthy head of brunette hair.

All John Frieda products should be available in your local drug store. For more information, visit www.johnfrieda.com.