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Some hybrids flirt with genius (the Prius, Cronuts), while others have their own entry in the Encyclopedia of Bad Taste (see: Easy Cheese). But, on the beauty front, there’s a new class of hybrids making their way into our medicine cabinets and onto our heads: multi-benefit hairstyling products. And, unlike spray-can foods, these products can actually work wonders.
Sparked by the great BB (and CC and DD and...) cream boom — and driven by our culture’s fetish/need/impulse to accomplish more in less time — these hybrid beauty products have evolved into what market-research company Mintel has called a major global trend of the year. According to the group’s 2013 research, 70% of American women are interested in multifunctional makeup, and nearly just as many (68%) believe these types of products will help them save time.
This year, as Mintel forecasted, the trend has moved from makeup and skin care to hair care. And, Kattia Solano, owner of Butterfly Studio in New York, is psyched about the styling possibilities these multitasking products present: “These hybrid hair products are so easy to travel with,” she says. “And, because they are so versatile, they can be mixed and matched to create different styles.”
The hairstylist, who has created runway looks for Oscar de la Renta, Ralph Lauren, and Carolina Herrera, keeps reaching for Oribe Surfcomber, a wax-mousse hybrid that creates texture and hold, and Shu Uemura Art of Hair Ultimate Remedy Extreme Restoration Treatment, a serum-cream hybrid that smooths, conditions, and gives light hold. But, there are so many more hybrid hair products out there, and they all go way beyond that proto-hybrid, two-in-one shampoo. Read on to see some of our favorites.
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