Zara Hair isn't a product range I thought I'd ever find myself writing a review on. Having been in this business for a decade, I am firm in my belief that luxury, premium haircare brings a level of joy to my life that I don't want to be without—and a Zara Hair range ain't it. From hair masks and purple shampoos to hairspray and volumising products, I tend to lean toward the more luxurious offerings when it comes to hair care.
However, when I first learned that Zara was moving into the hair styling space, I was intrigued. Not because I thought that a high-street fashion brand has what it takes to launch genuinely great styling products, but because the product development was headed by Guido Palau—a man who certainly does have what it takes.
Palau is one of the most esteemed hair stylists in the game, having worked in salons, with celebrities, and on countless fashion shows. He is somewhat of a backstage legend. So, when I heard that he was behind Zara's foray into hair styling products, I suddenly had high expectations.
When it comes to reviewing hair products, however, I appreciate that my preferences are niche. My hair is very, very long, fine, straight, and deceptively thin. As a result, it doesn't take well to styling products, and I have spent my entire career looking for styling products that deliver some much-needed volume without leaving my hair sticky, flat, and matted. Oh, and I hate the feeling of any sort of product in my hair—I want it to feel silky and freshly washed at all times.
So, fully aware of the fact I was setting both Palau and Zara up for failure, I decided to put every Zara Hair product to the test. I have been testing each product over a period of 6 weeks to ensure I can give a truly well-rounded review here. So, here it goes—my brutally honest thoughts on the new Zara Hair range.
Truly, I haven't met a texturising spray as good for my thin hair as this one. It delivers the perfect amount of grit to create that lived-in look, while also remaining impressively weightless. The only texturising spray I have used that compares to this is Oribe's Dry Texturising Spray (the exact name copy isn't great, I'll admit) and that's £46 a can. In fact, I'd even go as far as to say I prefer Zara's version. You can be a bit more heavy-handed with the spraying without fear of overdoing it. I absolutely adore this stuff—I think it's a feat.
I'm a sucker for a good blow-dry spray. I love for my super-long hair to feel silky and look sleek after I have made it endure a barrage of heat. This stuff did exactly that. You can use it on wet or dry hair to protect it from heated styling tools (like a hair dryer, curling wand, or straightener), and it's basically undetectable. In fact, I think it actually delivers a bit of invisible nourishment, hence the super-shiny finish.
If you're after a hair spray that is going to freeze every strand into place, I can tell you now this isn't it. However, if you're after a spray that delivers an impressive amount of staying power without making your hair look like it has any product in it, then it's a great option. I used it to secure a slicked-back bun that I still wanted to appear a little undone and live-in, and it worked an absolute treat. It's nice, I like it, but it's just a hair spray.
I'm going to be totally honest here, I knew this product wouldn't be for me from the moment I saw it. My hair is simply too fine and flat to take well to any sort of leave-in product that comes in a cream or balm format, no matter how lightweight it may be. However, if you have slightly thicker hair that holds its style, I can assure you you'll love this. It really is very lightweight. Just work it through the ends and your blow dry or heat-styled look will hold for an impressively long time. And don't be put off by the word balm, either—it's definitely more of a lotion/cream. I think this would be stunning for those who have a natural curl or wave to their hair.
As noted, my hair is very straight—so it goes without saying I couldn't personally test this one. I did, however, pass it on to a friend with curly hair. She liked it and said it did a great job of defining curls without making them feel heavy or weighed down. It's worth me saying, though, that her hair sits in the 3A/3B curl type, and I would say her curls are already defined and well cared for. So if your curls are tighter, there's a high chance you will be after something more heavy-duty.
If you also have fine hair that is long and on the thinner side of things, you can problem relate to the fact that I dislike a mousse. I find them heavy and weighted. I only turn to a mousse when I'm curling my hair with tongs and want the style to last for an evening—but you better believe the minute I get home I'm washing out that horrid stickiness. Having said that, this mousse was by far the most bearable I have ever used. It really is very, very lightweight, so I'm keeping hold of my bottle. If you have thicker hair, again, I'm sure you will adore this. Do note, though, I don't recommend this product for those who turn to heavy-duty mousse on the regular—you're not going to get intense results.
