At home: three products, nothing more
Three, not thirty
Drugstores sell 50-piece collections. Reality: for a normal head, three products are enough. Here they are.
01 · Shampoo
Frequency: 2–3× a week. No need to wash every day — you'll over-dry the scalp.
What to buy. Anything without sulfates. Not for marketing reasons, but because sulfates aren't necessary and strip less. Good options: Reuzel Daily Shampoo, Layrite Shampoo, Proraso Shampoo. All around 12–18 €, lasts 3–4 months.
How. A dab of product, massage into wet hair for 30 seconds, rinse. Two shampoos is unnecessary.
02 · Styling
The choice depends on the look you want, not your hair type. Three types, pick one.
Pomade (classic, water-based) — shine, firm hold, restylable during the day. Classic for side parts and pompadour. Reuzel Red Pomade, Layrite Original.
Matte cream — natural look, no shine, medium hold. For textured cuts, messy looks. Reuzel Grooming Tonic (if your hair is straight), Baxter of California Clay Pomade.
Sea salt spray + blowdrying — maximum texture, no product-look. For longer tops. Hanz de Fuko Sponge Wax, Davines Sea Salt.
How. On slightly damp hair (not dry). A pea-sized amount. Rub between palms, apply. Start at the back, finish at the front. Don't use a full handful — most clients use 3× more than needed.
03 · Beard oil or balm
If you have a beard. One thing, not both.
Beard oil — daily on damp beard after the shower. Proraso Beard Oil, Reuzel Beard Foam (despite the name, it's oil in foam form).
If your beard itches, it's usually dry skin. Oil fixes it.
What not to buy
Hairspray. For a classic cut, unnecessary. If you use it, the hold is rigid.
Keratin shampoo. Marketing. Keratin isn't absorbed through the scalp from a shampoo.
Hair-growth products with caffeine. Placebo. If you're thinning, consult a dermatologist, not a pharmacist.
2-in-1 "shampoo + shower gel". Bad shampoo and bad gel in one bottle.
Where to buy in Bratislava
On our shelf (Reuzel, Proraso, Layrite — what we use on heads). Or online — DM, Notino, domestic stores. Drugstore chains carry the basics, which covers the three items.
Total
Full kit for 3 months: ~50 €. Less than one visit with product upsell.