Because we are all stuck at home, I’m taking this time for a little glow-up. Well, as much of a glow-up as I can manage sans professional services.
I guess it’s more of a time to reset. A time to give nails a break from constant dip powder manicures, skin a break from daily makeup, and hair a break from bleaching.
During this reset, I’m paying extra attention to the health of my hair.
A few years ago, my hair was long & luscious. In part due to stress & LA water, & in part due to getting layers cut in my hair & coloring it often, my tresses have gone to shit, to be quite frank.
As of late, I’m stepping my hair health game up. So, I want to share with y’all my weekly hair routine + the products I use to keep my mane healthy & growing. Many of these products are included in the Sephora sale, so I’ve linked to them all for easy-access below.
how I take care of my hair
starting from the inside: supplements
I’ve never been one to believe in haircare supplements. Sugarbear Hair & the swarm of instagram-famous supplement brands turned me off to that genre of product reallll quick.
A few months ago, my mom essentially forced me to try using Nutrafol, a supplement she takes for healthy hair. After putting it off for a few weeks, I caved, & finally made the purchase.
I’ve been taking this supplement for about 45 days now, & I HAVE seen a major improvement in the health of my hair. I can’t be completely sure that I only have Nutrafol to thank for that ( I am doing plenty of other things to ensure my hair stays healthy ), but it’s extremely possible that it’s doing much of the heavy-lifting.
I’ll check back in at the 90 day mark to discuss my final thoughts on this supplement!
wash 2x per week
I try to limit washing my hair too much throughout the week. Generally, I wash my hair twice a week, if manageable.
Once a week, I wash my hair with a scalp clarifying shampoo + conditioner. I did a whole video about that here ( includes a number of tips I’ve picked up from professionals about keeping hair healthy, too! ).
& then, once a week, I wash my hair with Olaplex shampoo + conditioner, which is a holy-grail duo, in my opinion. Olaplex is formulated to keep color-processed hair its healthiest, and I swear by its magical powers.
Also, Olaplex is a part of the Sephora sale going on right now!
To keep my hair intact throughout the week with minimal washes, I use dry shampoo on my roots to remove unwanted oils. I like Amika’s Perk Up Dry Shampoo and Bumble and Bumble’s Pret-a-Powder Post-Workout Dry Shampoo Mist ( for use on damp/sweaty [ ew ] hair after a workout! ).
hair masks & treatments
I generally do a hair mask/treatment 1-2x per week.
Once a week, always, I do the Olaplex No3 treatment before shampooing. This product is like the gold-standard for color-processed hair treatments from the comfort of your own shower. ( also, its included in the Sephora sale! )
Then, one was per week ( sometimes on the same evening I do my Olaplex treatment! ), I replace my conditioner with a hair mask. Right now, I’m loving this extra-affordable mask from Amazon. It is a best seller in this category on Amazon, & I’ve noticed that it leaves my hair extra soft post-wash.
hair protectants, oils & dry treatments
Lately, I’ve incorporated a hair oil into my haircare routine on a nightly basis. The dry SoCal climate tends to dry out my hair & skin, so this has become a necessary step for keeping my ends hydrated ( aka, no more straw-like, broom hair ).
I’ll run a few drops of oil from mid-length to the ends of my hair. Right now I’m loving the Olaplex Bonding oil, Oribe’s Gold Lust oil, or Kerastase Elixir Ultime. I switch between all three.
Whenever I’m blowdrying or styling my hair ( which is twice a week or so ), I make sure to use a heat protectant of sorts. I like Bumble and Bumble’s Daytime Protective Repair Fluid on damp hair before blowdrying, and NatureLab’s Perfect Shine Oil Mist on dry hair before styling.
In terms of dry hair treatments, I like IGK’s Antisocial Overnight Bond-Building Dry Hair Mask & their Good Behavior Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray. They both give your hair some life between shampoos.
avoid breakage & overheating
On top of all of the above, I also try to treat my hair like my prized possession.
I use a boar bristle brush to gentle-yet-efficiently brush out dry hair, and a Wet brush when it’s wet ( duh ).
I prefer gentle, nylon hair ties to harsher elastic ties. I like these hair ties ( especially the blonde/light-brown toned ones! ).
For the purposes of avoiding the harsh, LA water, I changed my shower head to one that filters out harsh chemicals & hard water ( included in the Sephora sale! ).
I’ve put off talking about hair & giving hair advice until I felt like I truly figured out how to get the health of my hair back on track. It’s not perfect, but it’s 10x healthier than it was 6 months ago, thanks to many of the above products & practices!
Hoping the Sephora sale will allow many of you to get your hands on some of these products for a discount!
Love y’all, & happy shopping. x