Featured Image: Inslee Haynes
Full disclosure, I’m no master stylist. And if I’m being completely vulnerable with you, sometimes I wish I was. But, a good friend encouraged me to write this for her and other beauts who appreciate a trick or two for better looking hair. I hope my tried and trues break a lather, rinse, repeat routine and leave you feeling more glam than ever. — xoxo Natalia
1. Create a Wash Cycle:
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Only you know your hair best. Be intentional with this relationship and you’ll achieve your #hairgoals sooner than you think! For about 3 weeks, study your hair patterns in combination with your daily schedule and decide what wash cycle works best for you. Purchase the travel size of professional hair care products that treat your needs and discover what works best for you. Once you find your clique, stick with it. You’re a committed and faithful woman to your hair; remember that.
Washing 1-2x per week is best for most hair types. Try washing on Saturday so that you’re fresh to death for the weekend. Then, challenge yourself to not wash again until mid-week on Wednesday. Training hard at the gym got you sweaty? A quick blow dry to your roots after a run or lift might be a game changer (and don’t worry, I’ll keep it between me and you). Not to mention, you’ll reduce an hour from your morning routine and you’ll be better prepared for your daily work grind with dry and tidy locks.
Buy a shower cap. And lock the door so your sig-nif doesn’t mistake you for the cafeteria meatloaf lady. Bright side: your shower-head-dodging days are behind you!
When it is your day(s) to wash, section your hair into two halves and massage your shampoo at the root. Really exfoliate the scalp of dry skin and product residue. Rinse. Then, condition your ends only. Over-conditioning your root may the reason why milk, eggs, and dry shampoo are your top 3 suggested Click List subscriptions.
Looking for an affordable, voluminous, dry shampoo to use between washes without scent or residue? Meet my soul sister.
2. Be Gentle (and Patient):
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When possible, air dry. If there’s one thing to take away from this post, it’s this.
Brushing or applying heat to the open follicles of wet hair causes damage and dehydration. Letting your hair dry overnight or throughout the day in a loose braid reduces stress and will overtime give you a stronger, silkier look. Oh, and ditch the bedtime ballerina bun. The harsh tug on our scalp will increase thinning if worn too tight and frequently.
An at-home leave in conditioner can truly be your next hair care miracle. My favorite product is lightweight, frizz-controlling, and full of natural ingredients, such as sunflower seed and green tea leaf extract and silk amino acids. Bring on all those hair goddess feels!
You hair’s vulnerability will lesson as you dry… and now it’s time to wet brush. Over-compulsive brushing will cause unwarranted shedding and damage especially if you’re like most gals who brush from root to end. (You can begin a new habit in eight days, ladies) So, train yourself to brush from end to root and you’ll soon realize that that hornet’s nest was likely more self-induced than you thought.
Ready to style? I suggest only styling 1-2x a week to reduce heat damage. Seriously, make Saturday your day to style, and rock those beachy waves through Monday and Tuesday. Protect your hair against thermal heat using an iron guard that helps strengthen and shield the hair from daily use of thermal tools. This product activates positively charged silk molecules that interlock into hair’s natural structure to build strength and resilience and to improve moisture and shine. For me, it’s a no brainer.
Each of the affordable at-home products linked above can be found at your local Kroger or Target.
3.Decrease Stress:
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If you experience an increase in physical or mental stress, you may see immediate or many months of delayed shedding because, nutrition and wellness, directly impact the integumentary system (hair, skin, nails). 2015 was when I started my wellness journey and lost a total of 20 lbs and 3 pant sizes over a 6 month time frame. My physique was slimmer and more toned than I had ever been before and when I looked in the mirror, I was proud of what I had worked so hard to accomplish, but after nervously pulling gobs of hair from my head daily, I saw a dermatologist who advised me that I was spending too many hours in the gym, not fueling my body with the required nutrients for that level of activity, and I needed to better manage my mental health and sleeping regimen. Taking a biotin supplement may surely improve your body’s keratin infrastructure, but I learned to never under estimate the the wonders of a greener, protein-packed diet and well-deserved rest.
4. Plan Ahead:
If you truly want Model Squad hair, you’ve got to make it a personal priority. Do some IG research for a stylist in your area who has achieved the look you want. Book her. Stay loyal to her. And build it into your 12 week budget to visit regularly for foil, trims, toning (for blondes), and conditioning for lasting strength and shine. At a 5 star salon (in the Cincinnati market), you can book a shampoo, cut, and dry for $40, conditioning treatment for $15, and partial foil for $75 (full foil for $90). That’s a total of $520 a year. So, planning ahead with your big picture in mind may reduce the sticker shock of an impromptu spa day with a new stylist.
Blondes: Want to be an ice queen? Maintain your ashy tones at home with a purple shampoo. Apply 1x per week, massage the shampoo throughout full head of hair until it creates a thin, soapy foam, set for 10 minutes (brush your teeth or shave your legs to pass the time), and rinse. Did somebody say, Khaleesi?
5. Avoid these “DO NOTs”:
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Box Dyeing. You can screw in a light bulb, but you’re not an electrician. You can jump a car, but you’re not a mechanic. You can swim a lap, but you’re not Michael Phelps. Do you see where I’m going here?
Economy shampoo and conditioner. These typically deposit sulfates and sucrose onto the hair. Think of your salon product investment as a low-sodium, sugar-free lifestyle change for your hair health.
Dramatic changes. This isn’t purse shopping, and your hair doesn’t have to change colors with the seasons.
Stylist hopping. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. You like her? Keep her. Your stylist will know the product line she uses on your hair and understand what your hair does and does not care for. She will be your personal hair consultant and with time, she’ll likely cut you a deal on your visits for being a frequent flyer.
“She is more precious than jewels.” Proverbs 3:15
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