It is December 1st which means that Winter is officially here…While I love the cold, this time of year in Minnesota can be extremely drying to the skin and hair. In order to achieve and maintain healthy, lustrous locks during anytime of the year, I have found a few key things to be absolutely essential… Before I get into specific tips and products there is one thing I believe to be the foundation of hair and skin health. That is to make sure that you are drinking enough water. Experts recommend that you drink half of your body weight of water (in ounces) daily. Ex.If you weigh 130 lbs. they say that you should drink 65 oz. of water per day. If I am low on my own water intake, I will see a noticeable difference in both my skin and hair.
If I had to choose only one take away from this post it would be to make sure that you are staying properly hydrated. In addition, I also recommend incorporating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables to your diet. (Which also contain water!)
While some hair products can be amazing on their own, they are not a fix all. A healthy and balanced diet is the foundation to gorgeous hair and skin.
If you have been following me for the past few years, you know that I am a skin fanatic… However, it wasn’t until recently that I started to take a more targeted approach to my hair care regime as well. I have always been interested in a nice conditioning treatment and styling products, but I wanted to focus on the “how” of achieving a hydrated, soft, vivacious hair and maintain it.
Overall I would say I have a decent hair. (Fine but lots of it) Thank you, mom and dad. However, the past couple of years I noticed it was looking more damaged than ever, coarse and dry…Because of this, I have tried several products, but nothing seemed to do the trick. There were key things that I should have been doing that I wasn’t, However, once I learned these new tips that I am about to tell you it was a GAME CHANGER. In this post, I am going to explain how I transformed my dry, dehydrated stands into smooth, buoyant, healthy head of hair. And maintained it! So, with all of that said… Let’s get into it!
1.)Use A Hair Oil Pre-Shampoo
My first tip is to use a hair oil, before shampooing. This helped immensely with dryness, split ends, and growth. I will put a small amount on my ends followed by a head massager to really work the product into my strands. After massaging for a couple of minutes I will put my hair in a low ponytail and leave the oil on for an hour or so before shampooing and conditioning. Doing this technique 1-2x weekly has made a big difference in my hair.
A few of my hair favorite oils are…
1.) Olaplex No.7 Bonding oil $28.00 (I get mine from Sephora)
2.) Mielle Rosemary Mint Scalp & Hair Strengthening Oil $9.99 (From Target)
3.) Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil $46.00 ( Expensive I know) I haven’t actually purchased the full size yet. I bought the travel size to see if I liked it and it has lasted a while! It smells heavenly and makes my hair so shiny and soft. I also bought the trial size of their deep conditioning treatment which is incredible.
2.) Use A Scalp Massager To Stimulate Hair Growth.
As mentioned above, I like to use a scalp massager after applying a small amount of hair oil to my ends. It stimulates the scalp encouraging hair growth in addition to working more of whatever product I am using into my hair. Win win! It also feels like a mini head massage which is so relaxing. You can find one of these bad boys at Sephora or Amazon. They are relatively inexpensive. I got mine awhile back from Sephora. It was somewhere between $5.00-10.00.
3.) Use A Good Shampoo & Conditioner That Works For Your Hair Type:
I have been a loyal Olaplex fan for a while now. There is a reason that they have thousands of almost 5-star reviews… Because it works! A little product goes a long way. I like to try other shampoos but always find myself going back to Olaplex No.4 Shampoo.
Olaplex No.4 Bond Maintenance Shampoo $28.00
Olaplex No.5 Bond Maintenance Conditioner $28.00
(Both from Sephora)
4.) Use A Conditioning Hair Mask 1-2x Weekly:
I have recently been introduced to and have fallen in love with the Amika hair product line. I can go on and on about every single product I have tried from them (literally!) but I will save it for another post. My ABSOLUTE favorite hair mask at the moment is the Amika Soulfood Nourishing Hair Mask. It makes my hair feel so soft and hydrated. I love it. It is a big container for $28.00 so you really get some bang for your buck. Try it. I promise you won’t regret it!
5.) Use A Leave-In Conditioning Spray After Getting Out Of The Shower.
When I was researching hair health tips I came across using a leave-in conditioning spray ALOT. (almost every single article.) Once I started using one I understood why! It nourishes and protects the hair making it so smooth and silky. I am so happy I started using one. I don’t think I will ever go without it now. There are a few I have tried and liked. I am currently using Amika’s Wizard Detangling Hair Primer from Sephora and It’s A 10 Miracle Hair Conditioning Spray from Target. A few other brands that I have tried and liked.. Aveda, Kristen Ess, and Oui.
6.)Goodbye Bath Towel. Hello Microfiber Hair Turban.
Ok, am I the only girl who is behind on this trend?? I just saw someone post about using the Turbie Twist on TikTok recently and I have to say, once I tried it, I was obsessed. It protects the hair from breakage (especially around the hairline) doesn’t pull on the hair like a regular bath towel, and helps to dry your hair SO much faster than a regular towel. It is a simple tool but a darn good one. I got 2 hair towels from Amazon for about $13.00.
7.) Use A Heat Protectant Spray Anytime You Apply Heat To Your Hair.
Do not skip this step if you are applying any kind of heat to your hair!! It is important and essential to use a heat protector if you style your hair everyday. I remember hair stylists telling me this and I would brush it off. Big mistake. I could have saved myself a lot of unnecessary breakage and damage. I now use it EVERY single time I blow-dry, curl, or straighten my hair. My hair is much healthier now that I started using one regularly. I am currently using Aveda’s Speed Of Light Blow Dry Accelerator which works fantastic for protecting the hair while speeding up blow-dry time! Wohoo!
8.) Hydrating Oil Or Serum For Ends And Flyaways:
This is something that I have been incorporating into my regime for some time now. After styling, I will apply a small amount to my ends and flyaways around the hairline. It helps to give hair a smooth and sleek look while protecting your hair. I have tried and loved several brands over the years but a few of my current staples are Olaplex NO.7 Bonding Oil, Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil, and Amikas The Closer Instant Split-End Hair Repair Cream. (All from Sephora.)
• Lastly, I want to mention that if you are eating healthy regularly, drinking water, and still struggling with hair breakage, loss, or any other hair problem, I would recommend reaching out to your regular doctor or physician. Sometimes there may be an underlying health condition affecting hair health.
Xo
Kate
