With an illustrious career spanning 15 years, Long Beach, California native Tippi Shorter has become one of the most esteemed and recognizable hairstylists in the beauty industry — she was the first female African-American hairstylist to be a spokesperson for major brands like Pantene, Avon, and Clairol; she has created the looks seen in the runway shows of designers like Richard Chai, Cynthia Steffe, and Adrienne Vittadini; and she has tended to the locks of celebrities like Beyoncé, Alicia Keys, and Rihanna. Her latest undertaking: an eponymous hair care line that encapsulates the motto by which Shorter has always functioned: "big, sexy, healthy hair."
The Hair by Tippi Shorter line, then, incorporates sulfate- and sodium chloride-free cleansers, moisturizers, styling aids, and treatments that seek to nourish strands, repair damaged and chemically-treated strands, smooth frizz, and restore elasticity and shine via formulas that rely on vitamins A, C, and E, as well as antioxidant-rich botanical extracts, keratin and wheat proteins, and fatty acid-rich ingredients.
The buiding blocks of the Hair by Tippi Shorter collection are the Hair By Tippi Shorter Smoothing Shampoo ($14 at HairByTippiShorter.com) and Hair By Tippi Shorter Smoothing Conditioner ($16 at HairByTippiShorter.com), which smell like a scoop of orange sherbet and have a pale creamsicle-esque tangerine shade. The cleanser lathers nicely, gently removing dirt and debris without drying out strands — thanks to the argan oil in the formula, which moisturizes, softens, and smooths hair thanks to its extraordinarily high concentration of fatty acids (over 80% of its composition) and vitamin E content. Once you rinse off the shampoo, your locks will feel clean but they won't feel stringy or brittle. The conditioner, meanwhile, will amplify this feeling. Boasting a lightweight but indulgently creamy texture, the conditioner helps to hydrate strands, practically inflating them from within so that hair has more volume and movement, while still being completely manageable.
If, when you step out of the shower, you can still detect some knotted sections, spritz on the TK Hair By Tippi Shorter DTangle Conditioning Leave-In Spray ($10 at HairByTippiShorter.com), a light mist that smells a bit like coconut and instantly cools the scalp with a mixture of soothing aloe leaf juice and chamomile extract. The wheat amino acids in the formula, meanwhile, function as humectants and lock this moisture into strands.This moisturizing agent, however, won't weigh hair down in the least — mainly thanks to the delicate balance struck by the mixture of ingredients in the formula. Oak bark extract, for instance, works as a powerful astringent that cleanses and clarifies strands, removing excess build-up, while palma rosa oil balances oil production, keeping your mane at its optimal moisture level. In terms of results, though I was ecstatic that Shorter had incorporated a leave-in conditioner and detangler into the line, I was a bit disappointed by this product. It did, in fact, soften my tresses and cool my scalp, but it fell short of my expectations as a detangler — in fact, I still had to struggle a bit when combing my hair even after spritzing a considerable amount of the DTangle spray.
Luckily, the Hair By Tippi Shorter Glaze Conditioning Leave-In and Smoothing Balm ($13 at HairByTippiShorter.com) proved to be everything that the DTangle wasn't — in fact, this might just be my favorite product in the entire collection. The bright orange, serum-like liquid looks like it will be sticky and gel-like in its tube, but it actually has a delicious consistency, akin to that of hair gel but minus the viscous, gummy quality. Ideally, you want to apply the Glaze to damp hair, squeezing a quarter-sized amount into palms and smoothing it all over your head. Once you do, your hair will not only benefit from a dose of moisture but, as it dries, you'll notice that it looks shinier, feels softer, and has volume without being unruly (meaning it has movement and size but frizz and flyaways are controlled).
What's in this magic potion, you ask? Well, the Glaze features a potent mix of botanical ingredients like: chamomile extract, which softens hair, soothes the scalp, adds sheen, and helps to accentuate highlights on blond and light brown hair; balm mint extract, which calms the scalp and alleviates itchiness and irritation; lemongrass extract, which is believed to prevent hair loss and strengthen hair fibers; yarrow extract, which increases the hair's luster; sage leaf extract, which can stimulate hair growth at the scalp; aloe leaf juice, which calms and softens strands; dog rose fruit extract, a rich source of trans-retinoic acids that, when bound to cell receptors, stimulate the production of proteins and prompt cellular regeneration, thereby making this botanical extract an excellent treatment for damaged hair; geranium extract, a natural antiseptic that balances the production of sebum at the scalp; and panthenol or pro-vitamin B5, which conditions and softens strands.
Now, whenever I need an instant moisture pick-me-up, I'll reach for the Hair By Tippi Shorter Sleek Argan Oil ($16 at HairByTippiShorter.com), a very concentrated styling aid and conditioner that can be applied to wet, damp, or dry hair. I actually love using the Sleek product before blow drying my hair to protect it from the heat exposure and then adding a hint right after I've completed my look so as to smooth down any rebellious strands and make ends appear healthier. Throughout the day, if my ends start looking a bit frayed, I'll apply a few drops and, in a matter of moments, they'll look healthier.
Last, there's the Hair By Tippi Shorter Flex Argan Oil Infused Styling Cream ($14 at HairByTippiShorter.com), a slightly thicker styling product meant to yield greater control when creating sleek, polished looks. If you want a high ponytail or an intricate chignon, for example, you'll want to apply this paste-like cream to the top of your heads and to the sides, applying a bit of pressure as you run your palms over these areas so as to flatten them a bit. Similarly, if you want to create luscious waves, you can apply the cream to hair as you twirl the strands around your fingers or pin them up to create those big bouncy coils.
After trying the Hair by Tippi Shorter collection, I have yet another reason to tip my hat to Miss Tippi.
