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Living in New York, it can feel like a journey to find hair products that work year-round—when we leave the house, New Yorkers must be fully prepared for whatever may come our way. Not only do we have the most brutally warm and humid summers, but in the blink of an eye, the most stunning day can turn into a torrential downpour. So when it comes to hair products we’ve got to use some heavy hitters, because this city is a fickle angel.
No brand quite understands the fragile-yet-strong nature of New York quite like Amika does. The hair care company is regularly featured on “best of” lists for one simple reason: It gets the job done.
AMIKA
FOUNDED: Nir Kadosh, Vita Raykhman, and Shay Kadosh, 2007
BASED IN: Brooklyn, New York
BEST KNOWN FOR: Affordable luxury haircare in vibrant packaging that allows the consumer to bring salon-quality products into their homes.
MOST POPULAR PRODUCT: Perk Up Dry Shampoo, Reset Cleansing Oil
FUN FACT: Amika means “friend” in the international language Esperanto. The name Amika is a symbol of the brand’s belief in the power of community and the beauty of diversity.
OTHER BRANDS YOU’LL LOVE: R+Co, Gisou Haircare, Odele Beauty
Based in Brooklyn, New York, surrounded by an artistic community of amazing creatives, the Amika team came into the industry as outsiders and delivered colorful, eye-catching hair products to the professional salon world, which hadn’t seen anything quite like it. “From the very beginning, we wanted to challenge the status quo on what was considered traditionally beautiful and ensure that anyone who interacts with the brand always feels welcome,” brand president Chelsea Riggs shared. “While we’re known for our vibrant packaging and our signature fragrance, our brand DNA has always been around responsibility and inclusion. As we like to say, we were kind and clean before it was a thing.”
Amika has always formulated to EU standards, which means it excludes more than 1,300 ingredients. The brand—which is vegan-certified and has been certified cruelty-free since 2012—is always pushing to go cleaner and greener, whether through responsible ingredient and materials sourcing, recycling initiatives, or giving back programs. And at Amika, all hair is welcome, shared Riggs. “Our team is committed to celebrating and representing hair from all walks of life and promoting diversity across all facets of the brand. We have 10 collections for every hair type, texture, and style, and we’re constantly working on exciting new products in the pipeline.”
Ready to learn more about Amika? We gathered our favorite products you need to check out before you checkout.
Perk Up Talc-Free Dry Shampoo
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Perk Up Dry Shampoo is the #2 prestige dry shampoo in the U.S., was one of the first dry shampoos made without talc or aluminum starch, and leaves your hair looking freshly washed with no white residue, ever. Riggs herself admits to stockpiling it so she never runs out, which is deeply admirable and relatable.
Reset Charcoal Detoxifying Scalp Cleansing Oil
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Reset Cleansing Oil and the brand’s dry shampoo are a dream team: The cleansing oil works hard to break down product buildup, oils, and dead skin. According to the brand, the formula was inspired by skincare cleansing oils and cleanses and treats the scalp through a powerful blend of salicylic acid, charcoal, and pink clay. Plus, it leaves your scalp feeling refreshed with minty menthol.
Bust Your Brass Blonde Purple Conditioner
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Purple conditioners are a great way to maintain platinum blonde hair and remove brassy tones, leaving hair as bright as when you left the salon. Amika’s purple conditioner will actually condition the hair, too, leaving it feeling unbelievably soft and weightless. It’s easy enough for daily use without worry about staining your hair.
High Tide Deep Wave Hair Crimper
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For those of us who aren’t quite as handy with a curling iron as, say, a professional hairstylist (or really anyone), this hair waver is built for our ailment. This tool creates crease-free, flawless beach waves that are as effortless to create as they are in appearance, for all hair types. You’ll be happy to have this one in your arsenal, trust us.
Soulfood Nourishing Hair Mask
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As a person with hair as thick as a lion’s mane I, without shame, have used an entire tub of this hair mask on my head. It’s perfect for curly hair, and especially for damaged hair—it’ll make your strands soft but not weighed down. This mask is easily one of my most recommended products for a reason.
The Wizard Detangling Hair Primer
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Not only will you love the fragrance, but a little goes a long way with this product—use a few sprays on your entire hair, and watch the comb glide through easily and effortlessly.
Hair Blow Dryer Brush
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Ah, to have the physical agility to both comb and blow-dry your hair at the same time. While we’re not close to being octopuses with multiple arms to help us achieve the sleek smoothness of an in-salon blowout, this blow dryer brush will help you become as close to an octopus as you want. (Kidding.)
The Shield Anti-Humidity Spray and Heat Protectant
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Remember what I said before about the brutality of a New York summer? This product is the single best fighter in the battle against the humidity that overtakes the city like King Kong during the summer months. Flyaways are afraid of this spray. I know, they told me.
The Kure Bond Repair Conditioner for Damaged Hair
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Even the most damaged of hair will soak up this conditioner. If you’re into detangling with conditioner in the shower like I am, this one won’t yank out your hair. Once you rinse, your hair will be left silky, soft, and shiny.
Curl Corps Curl Defining Cream
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This is a product that does exactly what it says on the label: It truly will define those curls, lock them into place, and do so without any crunch or stiffness. If you have a history of frizziness or limp curls, it won’t be an issue here.
Bust Your Brass Cool Blonde Purple Intense Repair Hair Mask
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This mask is for my blonde sisters. It’s the best mask on the market for maintaining and toning between appointments, keeping your blonde tone gorgeous. You’ll see brighter, shinier hair that feels stronger and more conditioned—the brand claims this product will leave you with 56 percent less breakage.
