At K18, we think about hair a lot. Like… a lot, a lot. We test it, research it, write about it, analyze it under microscopes, and talk about it constantly. When you spend your days thinking about the limitless possibilities of what healthy hair can look and feel like, you can’t help but become a little obsessed.

We know from personal experience that healthy hair is about more than how you look—it’s about how having hair like new* makes you feel. This holiday season, we asked the K18 team  to share how healthy hair empowers them—with all our different textures, colors, and signature styles—and their top biotech-powered picks. 

I have very thick, very curly hair that I’ve spent most of my life straightening (or searing, I should say). The first time I ever colored my hair, it ended in total disaster, the kind of mess only a 12- hour bleach-filled color correction session could fix. I loved my time as a platinum blonde but that, on top of a lifetime without heat protection, wrecked my natural texture. It was only after my curls were taken from me that I vowed to embrace my natural texture if they should ever come back. It was around this time I started using K18, long before I worked here. There was a whisper network of fellow magazine editors raving about this new biotech-powered brand, and immediately I saw the effects it had on my limp, lifeless hair. My curl pattern came back, my hair had shine and movement and body. Just like that, I was back. 

When my curls are healthy and happy, I feel more like myself. My hair has become my #1 accessory: an integral part of me and the foolproof way for friends to find me across the room at a party. Now, I’m not afraid to have fun with my curls, to style them with maximum drama: think sky-high volume, a touch of Julia Roberts, brushed out or piled on top of my head with a claw clip. My curls have taught me to have more fun, to embrace every imperfection, to never take myself too seriously. 

top 3 K18 picks: 

• leave-in molecular hair repair mask (gave me back my curl pattern)

• molecular repair hair oil (a must for taming frizz)

• AstroLift™ reparative volume spray (the secret to big, bouncy curls…this gets it Dolly Parton big)

I don't love labeling my curls but I consider my curl patterns to be 3b/3c. I used to dye my curls all kinds of colors after being fearful of damaging my hair beyond repair. I've had blue curls, green curls, purple curls, and I have also been a redhead. The blue curls were definitely my favorite but the reality is, I'm a high-maintenance-once-a-week-so-I-can-be-low-maintenance person, and having colored hair is just always high maintenance, in my opinion. 

Having healthy curls was something I tried to achieve through styling products, but my actual hair health was subpar. The market is so oversaturated, I always found it difficult to understand what product my hair needed, what it didn't need. Now that K18 is an intricate part of my hair routine it's become so much more simple. I spend less time fussing with my curls and my wash days last so much longer. My curls are more resilient, uniformed, bouncy and overall happy which has helped my self image, my self esteem and makes me feel invincible. 

top 3 K18 picks: 

• leave-in molecular hair repair mask 

• PEPTIDE PREP™ detox shampoo

• AirWash™ dry shampoo

I have naturally blonde hair, but I do lighten it. I typically let my hair air dry, though I’ve been loving the look and feel of blowouts lately! I used to bleach my hair to a platinum “college blonde,” and while it never got to a point of falling out or feeling severe damage, it definitely didn’t look its best. I’ve been using K18 for over 2 years now, and my hair has never been healthier or looked better. I get excited styling my hair, knowing it has the shine and length that I love. 

I’ve posted pictures on Instagram, and have had friends and friends of friends ask what I use on my hair, which feels like such a big compliment. 

top 3 K18 picks: 

• leave-in molecular hair repair mask (of course)

• molecular repair hair oil

• HeatBounce conditioning heat protectant 

• honorable mention of PEPTIDE PREP™ detox shampoo

I’ve got super thick hair, but it’s fine in texture and has been on quite the adventure—15 years as every shade of blonde before stepping into my copper cutie era. My signature vibe? Shiny and gorgeous, always. Whether I’m rocking a half-up ponytail with cascading curls, big-volume bangs with a sleek finish, or a carefree messy bun, glossy, healthy hair is at the heart of my look—and I love making it shine.

When I was younger, my go-to cure for a bad day was curling my hair and putting on makeup—it was my ultimate self-care ritual. That feeling of transformation stuck with me, and now healthy hair is non-negotiable. It’s what makes me feel confident, grounded, and ready to take on whatever the world throws my way. When my hair looks and feels its best, I feel unstoppable.

top 3 K18 picks: 

• PEPTIDE PREP™ detox shampoo (my weekly reset button)

• AstroLift™ reparative volume spray (keeps my hair healthy and fights humidity like a pro—which is clutch when I’m hopping between climates around the world)

• Professional molecular repair mist*

*I wish this existed when I first started my career and was doing color corrections daily (because I got everyone’s redos!). It’s a true game changer for our industry—healthy hair and bold artistry finally living in harmony. 

My hair has always been a way for me to express myself and take creative risks. In high school, I regularly cut my hair to donate to Locks of Love. As I got older, I started experimenting more with color. I’ve been blonde, brunette, and now I’m rocking a cherry cola red. My go-to style is usually curls, because I love the volume and bounce they give my hair. 

After going blonde in 2020, I started noticing how much damage it caused to my hair. For nearly four years, I tried to grow it out, but it kept breaking and never seemed to get past my shoulders. That all changed when I started using K18. Since then, my hair has become healthier, shinier, and now reaches the middle of my back. K18 not only helped my hair grow, but it’s also made it the healthiest it’s ever been. My hair gives me so much confidence, and I love it when people compliment how strong and vibrant it looks.

top 3 K18 picks: 

• molecular repair hair oil (it’s amazing for my fine-haired girlies, never leaves my hair looking greasy)

• leave-in molecular hair repair mask (my holy grail for repairing and growing my hair),

• HeatBounce conditioning heat protectant  (love how soft and shiny it leaves my hair after styling with heat)

I feel like my hair is different every day, so it requires styling on some days and not others. I tend to just use a hair dryer and some product. When I was younger, I would get my hair cut short and then I’d like the way it grew out…until I grew tired of it, then I’d cut it back to short. I’m currently in the phase where I like the way it looks and keep it medium or long.

My parents taught me early on that it was important to take care of yourself, including your hair. It’s a concept I’ve kept on with while growing up, I never go outside without making sure my hair looks right. I’ve always been into sports, so my hair gets oily or dirty quickly. I build my routine around my activities, so I usually shampoo after every time I bike or run. 

top 3 K18 picks: 

AirWash™ dry shampoo (i had rarely used a dry shampoo before, and this is a game changer for me)

AstroLift™ reparative volume spray (my hair falls a bit flat, I love how the Astrolift lifts it up a bit and gives it a bit of texture. Also love the smell)

PEPTIDE PREP™ detox shampoo (i recently visited my parents in France, where the water is really hard, using the detox made a real difference)

I have 3A curly hair. I get a keratin smoothing treatment on my hair every 6-8 months. I mostly wear it curly but sometimes flat iron it. My curl pattern has changed a lot since starting at K18. I thought my hair was healthy but now I have really strong curls + much tighter curls after using the mask for 4 years.

top 3 K18 picks: 

• leave-in molecular hair repair mask

• HeatBounce conditioning heat protection 

• PEPTIDE PREP™ detox shampoo