treat your haircut right

No one ever looks as good when they style their own hair as they did when they walked out of the salon. HerCut is the first hair care line designed to cater to the needs of your individual hair cut.

Created to address the five major hair styles—the bob, the pixie, the shag, the blunt cut and long layers—HerCut employs “catalysts” that work on a molecular level to ensure that hair conforms to your cut, picking up where your stylist leaves off. The catalysts are customized to meet the specific needs of every cut (i.e., weighted, forward motion for bobs and controlled separation for shags) to maximize every style regardless of hair type.

Honestly, when I first heard about HerCut, it sounded like a bit of a marketing ploy. But I tried it anyway. First, I shampooed with the Dry Hair Shampoo ($22), designed for straight to wavy, normal to dry hair--which is me to a T! It smelled a bit soapy but left my hair squeaky clean. Next, I conditioned with the Medium Conditioner ($22), for medium-textured, single processed hair (again, my description exactly!). It improves elasticity and adds moisture (not to mention a silky feel!) while protecting your color.

But the real unique element to the HerCut formula is the catalyst. I tried the catalyst for Long Layers ($28), designed to keep my long layers full and give them a cascading feel from roots to ends. It has a Spring Polymer Technology that creates flexible connections between layers to give hair body and bounce.

I wouldn't have believed this for a minute if I hadn't seen it for myself. I dabbed a drop into my towel-dried hair and let it dry naturally, only to watch healthy, waves and lustrous layers magically appear. The style even held up nicely after I blew my hair dry, but I could have walked out without a stitch of styling and my hair would have looked great.

Don't take my word--see for yourself! Choose the HerCut products that are right for you at www.sephora.com.

expert advice: salon owner Rodney Cutler

So times are tough and we're not supposed to be spending frivolously... But when it comes to beauty, who's to decide what's frivolous? I asked Rodney Cutler, owner of Cutler/Redken salons, how to maintain a hair cut and color without breaking the bank. "At CUTLER salons (in midtown Manhattan and SoHo), an average cut costs $100 – much more affordable than $200 at most other high-end salons," says Cutler, whose sleek salons offer exceptional service without the pretentious vibe. Cutler adds that in these tough times, it's important to look and feel your best in order to keep your spirits up. "Find a way to treat yourself without spending a lot," he recommends. "It will help you get through the tough times." According to Cutler, you don’t have to give up on your color either. "Talk to your colorist about ways to lengthen the time between color touch-ups," he says. "There are creative ways for colorists to do color placement so that you don’t have to get your hair colored as often.” For some budget-friendly treatments, try Cutler's Recover at Cutler (let's hair recover after brushing, blow-drying and styling), Strengthen Up (brings back strength and vitality to color-treated hair), No More Fading (prevents fading of your natural color due to stress and the environment), Soft and Silky (moisturizes brittle dry hair) and Get It Straight (gives you a silky, smooth, frizz-free finish). Each only $35, or $25 when combined with another salon treatment. Go to http://www.redken.com/ for more info or www.cutlersalon.com to see a treatment menu and find out how to schedule an appointment.