GirlsGuideTo | Beauty DIY: 18 Ways to (Temporarily) Change Your Hair

Next time you’re looking to mix it up with your do, skip the salon and try these money-saving products that give you the change you crave, without doing any permanent damage to your locks or your bank account.

Bumble and Bumble Concen-Straight Smoothing Treatment

Cursed with a thick, wavy head of hair and no stranger to professional keratin treatments? Try magical little bottle. The formaldehyde-free formula gave her salon-smooth locks in half the time, making it a quicker, cheaper, safer alternative.
Available at bumbleandbumble.com, $45.

Sachajuan Over Night Hair Repair

Think of it as bottled beauty sleep for your locks. A healthy squirt of the silicone-free gel with concentrated algae extract rubbed from tips to top then left to marinate overnight makes hair silky and strong. It’s like Rapunzel meets Sleeping Beauty!
Available at woodleyandbunny.com, $60.

Kevin.Murphy Color.Bug

Although the chalk color application was a little tricky (rubbing created static; crushing the powder resulted in uneven distribution), once you’re finished, you won’t care. One streak quickly becomes a head flush with voluminous bubblegum hair and mischievous thoughts. A single wash reissues your natural state, but you may want to keep the racier hue.
Available at charmsupply.com, $32.

Aveda Be Curly Style-Prep

Embrace your tendrils and give up blowouts. A nickel-size squirt of this magic product in the palm of the hand yields four (4!) days of ringlets atop the head.
Available at Aveda salons and online at aveda.com, $24.

Alterna Stylist One Night Highlights

The simple application (comb the foam through locks, let dry, then brush out) left me with awesome highlights. It looked fancy, but took mere minutes and washed away easily the next day.
Available at folica.com, $29.

Fekkai Salon Glaze

Shampoo, condition, and then apply. Go about the rest of your shower business, and after you blow-dry you can expect soft, smooth locks. Simple and brilliant.
Available at fekkai.com, $28.

Living Proof Restore Discovery Set

With a quick shampoo, condition, and mask application, the combo got my roommate's frizzed-out hair back into fighting shape. Her locks were so smooth, I borrowed some, and we both finally kicked our daily flat-iron habit.
Available at livingproof.com, $29.

L'Oreal Paris Root Rescue

Keep sprouting roots under cover between trips to the beauty parlor. The no-hassle, comblike applicator distributes conditioning color gel just where you need it, and after about ten minutes, you can rinse easy knowing half your paycheck is still in the bank.
Available at lorealparisusa.com, $8.

Rita Hazan Foaming Color Gloss

I, a bottle blonde, and my naturally blond roommate lathered the foam into our locks between our shampoo/conditioner routines. The result? We both noticed a nice sheen to our respective shades of gold with an unexpected side effect of volume.
Available at ritahazansalon.com, $26.

Hairdo by HairUWear Clip-In Bangs

Bangs are a major commitment. So opt for the clip-in version for a day before deciding to permanently snip. We won’t lie: You really have to fidget with the forehead toupee to get it to look natural, and if the hair color doesn’t match exactly, forget it. It is, however, the best way to answer the age-old question, “Should I get bangs?”
Available at ulta.com, $29.

John Frieda Frizz-Ease 3-Day Straight Styling Spray

Consider it a time-saver for your morning routine. I usually blow-dry or straighten my hair three times a week, but an application of John Frieda’s spray reduces frizz, meaning a few more minutes of sleep.
Available at drugstore.com, $10.

Color Oops Hair Color Remover

I applaud at-home hair-color experimenters — everyone is not as brave as you. When things don’t go according to plan, I suggest you have Color Oops wipes in reach to gently clean up your mess.
Available at drugstore.com, $5.

Nexxus Pro-Mend Split End Binding Overnight Treatment Creme

Cut down on haircut appointments to just twice a year. After one application, you can skip a trim: Dead ends feel smooth, look silky, and smell good. Plus, there’s no trace of the product left on your pillow! Score!
Available at amazon.com, $11.

SarahPotempa The Wrap-Up

Can’t quite master the sock bun? A sleek chignon in 30 seconds or less is still within reach. Just slide, roll, and bend the jumbo pipe cleaner (no spray or stylist required) for a full bun that sits at the nape of your neck.
Available at sarahpotempa.com, $12.

Streekers Temporary Hair Color

Want to channel Katy Perry for a night? Use the lip stain-like formula, which shows up just enough then rinses out before you could say “Teenage Dream.”
Available at ulta.com, $11.

Oscar Blandi Pronto Colore Root Touch-Up & Highlighting Pen

I’ll cop to getting lax with my highlight appointments. The touch-up pen camouflages dark roots, blending them in with highlights nearly instantaneously, giving me an extra week or so to procrastinate that next trip to the salon.
Available at ulta.com, $23.

KeratinPerfect Perfect Treatment Smoothing Duo

I have a friend who jokes that she can’t step foot in the state of Florida due to instant frizz. A trip could be in her future after using the the 30-day Brazilian smoothing system. The shampoo and pretreatment process makes blowouts easier and hair shiny and voluminous.
Available at sephora.com, $65.

Rsession Tools Pinup Girl Kit

Impossible updos become an at-home possibility. The travel-size kit includes tools (pins, bungees, elastics, a mesh donut bun shaper, and styling brush) for creating four fresh looks. With the manual’s help, master flawless ponytails, sleek topknots, and voluminous chignons. Or tackle the mother of all updos: the beehive (it was a little tricky, but I channeled Joan Harris on my second try).
Available at rsessiontools.com, $25.