Everyone who’s ever met her agrees—my mom has the best hair on the planet. Her hair is thick, healthy, and grows extremely quickly. Did I mention she’s in her 50s and has been highlighting her hair for over 30 years?

Whenever I’m home, I always raid her beauty cabinets for her hair products. Even though she’ll never admit it, she always has some insanely cool, insanely effective product that I, a beauty editor, have never even heard of. 

I’ve been trying to grow my hair out for months, so I finally asked her if she’d give me a full rundown on everything she puts in her hair. The best thing about my mom’s haircare routine is that it’s simple and won’t break the bank, but it works. She’s a middle school teacher, so the time she has in the morning to do her hair is minimal, and over the years, she’s been able to streamline her routine into something that works for her.

“My colorist has always said that this shampoo and conditioner is the best product for keeping color fresh. I’ve been using it for years, and I think it makes my hair maintain its blonde shade without going brassy. I wash my hair every other day to help preserve color, too.”

“This spray gives my hair a nice shine. It is nice for when you blow-dry your hair—it gives it an extra sparkle and has a really pretty effect.”

“I use this to create curls in my hair for days that I don’t want to use heat.”

“When I use this styling treatment, it makes my blowout last a lot longer. It prolongs your hairstyle but also makes your hair look really good.”

“It’s so important to protect your hair from heat. This spray works as a heat protectant and primes my hair—my style lasts noticeably longer when I use it.”

“I like this gel to help hold curls in place because not only does it provide a lot of hold, it also smooths frizz.”

“This hair oil cuts out the frizz from my hair. It also helps make it more moisturized. I live in Colorado, and it’s dry here, so this helps give my hair more moisture when I need it.”

“I reach for this on days when I don’t feel like wearing perfume. It smells like honey, which is unique.”

“I like a smaller blow-dryer, so I love how compact this one is. It has a lot of power for being so small, which is important because I have thick hair.”

“I’ve had a Bed Head curling iron for years, and it’s never failed me. I like how easy it is to use to create perfect curls.”

“After using a lot of so-so flat irons, I finally got a Chi, and I couldn’t be happier about it. It works so fast, and it feels less damaging than some of the other models I’ve used.”

“This styling brush works really quickly. I like when things work fast because I don’t have time in the morning to mess around. It gets hot enough to work fast without causing damage.”

“If I want my style to stay all day or I have something going on, this is the hair spray I’ll reach for. It keeps my hair in place but doesn’t make it feel crunchy.”

Next, Mother’s Day Is Coming in Hot, so I Asked 8 Moms What’s on Their Wish Lists