Yes, I was influenced by an Instagram ad, and my hair has never looked better
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Real quick, here are two things to know about me. One: I don’t trust Instagram ads. There’s a lot of trash out there masquerading as the next big thing. Two: As a grooming journalist, the volume of products that I test is so high that I generally never finish one product before I have to move on to the next.
However, my Instagram feed produced an ad for California Born’s Days of Dirt, and I actually stopped in my scroll. It was a no-frills video with a stylist, demonstrating how just a small dollop, worked through dry, frizzy hair, was able to add instant separation and produce that care-free style I’ve been looking for.
I had to give it a try.
OK, and a third thing, which I promise is also relevant to the testament I’m about to give: For most of my adult life, I’ve sported a mid-length hairstyle—short on the back and sides, with some volume to play with up top. And for as long as I can remember I’ve used American Crew’s Fiber to keep my side-parted flow more or less locked in place. I always appreciated how that product provided a malleable, all-day hold without any crunch.
Recently, though, I’ve been after a more relaxed style. Maybe not total chaos, but more of a natural, unstructured vibe. The kind of bedhead you can wear to a wedding. The problem is, without any product, my naturally thick, wavy hair has about as much texture as cotton candy. It gives alpaca, and not in a cute way.
Spoiler: I’ve killed an entire bottle of California Born Days of Dirt already, and reinforcements are already on the way.
The Nitty Gritty: What I Love About ‘Days of Dirt’ Hair Cream
Technically speaking, Days of Dirt would be categorized as a hair cream, but I’ve tried a bunch of creams… and none have hit quite like this. It’s not runny, it’s not spilling out. It’s not tacky, sticky, or oily whatsoever. Instead, it builds volume and definition, maybe more like a paste or even a clay, but it disappears into my strands much easier, exactly like a traditional cream would.
Not to mention, the scent is amazing—something perfectly akin to a beachy California brand like this. And the volumizing, hair-defining results are both instant and long-lasting. I scrolled through a ton of reviews before getting a bottle, and noticed how far and wide they were, in terms of people’s texture and volume. Tons of guys who have extremely defined curls, coils, waves, all rave about it—even women with long, straight hair, or long beach waves were praising how it prevents frizz and keeps things super manageable.
It’s also so simple to use: I just squeeze out about a quarter’s worth (generous, yes) and run it through my hair. Wet, damp, dry—literally doesn’t matter; it’ll work all the same.
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About Days of Dirt, and Founder Jason Schneidman
California Born is, unshockingly, California based. Southern Cali, to be exact, in Venice, LA. Its founder, celebrity hair stylist Jason Schneidman, has been cutting hair and formulating his own products since the ’80s.
Over that time, he’s become known throughout the industry for whipping up impossibly cool styles inspired by the surf and rock n’ roll cultures that shaped his upbringing. Days of Dirt, he says, is the closest he’s come so far to being able to bottle the effortless style that has become emblematic of that lifestyle.
“We were taught years ago that if you don’t shampoo your hair, it separates and it just has great texture—especially for wavy and curly hair. So that’s where the name Days of Dirt comes from,” he says.
“The thing is, when you shampoo your hair, and when you use conditioner, your hair looks like shit; it’s just flat and fluffy. So I wanted a product that gives you that look of having that natural oil in your hair. I was wearing dirty hair for two weeks with a dirty hair smell. Now you don’t have to have a dirty hair smell to get that dirty hair look. And that’s huge for people that go to the gym, that work out. It’s nice to shampoo and condition and then be able to just get back in your zone.”
Personally, I’m just grateful to have found my zone at all. And it feels great to have finally found a product that perfectly suits my hair and allows me to achieve the look I’m after.
That said, it’s going to take a lot more than this to restore my faith in Instagram ads.
