My Hair Health
Omg. Let’s chat hair. Growing up my best friend was an aspiring hairstylist so as his personal guinea pig naturally my hair has been every color under the sun. From bleached blonde, pitch black, to a very strange red phase, and dying my hair pink for my Senior prom (wtf?) - I’ve truly done it all. Over the years you can imagine that the constant processing had completely destroyed my hair.
So, in 2019 I decided to make a promise to myself to not process or put heat on my hair for over a year. Of course this included managing my way through a very awkward phase of not only letting my roots grow out but also learning how to style my hair without any heat. Yikes. Needless to say, my little experiment surprisingly worked and I’ve over doubled the length of my hair and attribute the newfound thickness and shine to this experience as well. There’s just something about having natural, healthy hair that makes me feel so good.
I knew adding to my hair health would include more than the above so I broke down the other tip + tricks I implemented in my routine to turn my locks around.
My favorite products:
Hair Supplements - I think this little pill is absolutely magic. Within 6-8 weeks I saw more length, more shine, and more fullness. I am on the subscription service so I don’t even have to think about re-ordering, they just come right to my door which ensures I never miss a day. Take 3 daily, be patient and consistent.
Mane Magic Herbal Tincture - Baby lovers her herbs!!! I discovered Organic Olivia’s products in 2019 and have never looked back. I don’t always take this daily but I rotate it in and out of my schedule bi-weekly. I stop while I’m on my cycle as it increases blood flow. These herbs support hair, hormone, and adrenal health and encourage healthy blood flow to support hair follicles right at the root. I take 2 vials AM & PM.
Homemade Mask Treatment - I started whipping this up during the good ole’ quarantimes and it makes my hair feel absolutely unreal. Mix 2 tbsp of coconut oil with 10 drops of Argan Oil and 15 drops of Jojoba Oil. Apply to hair and let it sit from anywhere to 30 minutes to overnight. Best if you can incorporate this practice once a week, right before your hair washing day. Coconut oil repairs damaged hair and reduces scalp inflammation. If I’ve learned anything, it’s all about keeping the scalp healthy! Argan Oil contains a ton of fatty acids and Vitamin E which keeps your hair crazy hydrated. Jojoba Oil contains a ton of vitamins and minerals including C, B, copper, and zinc which makes your hair less susceptible to hair loss and extra strong. Loves it.
Collagen Powder - You know the drill. Most girlies will drop this into their coffee or smoothie daily but fun fact - it’s actually better absorbed in conjunction with Vitamin C or bone broth, which is a collagen-boosting food. I prefer to put a couple of scoops of collagen powder in my bone broth or drop it into a vitamin c based hot tea. Or taken alongside a fresh orange! The body is not able to produce collagen in the absence of Vitamin C so it’s important to supplement them together. A couple scoops daily will certainly add to your hair, skin, and nail health.
ACV Rinse - I f*cking love this stuff. I knew one of the first steps in repairing my hair was to cut back on the number of washes a week. I used to think I was one of those girls who needed a wash every day. FALSE. I just needed to re-train my hair to fewer washes. This product was a major help during that transition. In between washes use this in replacement of your shampoo. The apple cider vinegar gently cleanses and removes impurities without stripping your hair of its natural oils or altering its pH.
Keratin Treatment - I’ve been using a keratin treatment post-shower for over 2 years now and I cannot shower without a good spray of the following three treatments ever again. After a towel dry I spray in my keratin treatment first, then a leave-in conditioner, then a heat and UV protectant. All three in combination make my hair feel its best. Keratin actually smooths the cells that create individual hair strands which keeps things more manageable and less frizzy.
Leave In Conditioner - Ok so I read an entire article on ‘double conditioning’ your hair a couple of years ago. After you towel dry your hair from the shower it’s important to bring that hydration back in with a product intended to increase your hair’s moisture. After my keratin treatment, I spray in a leave-in conditioner. This nourishes my hair without weighing it down, controls the frizz, and helps with shine. It’s an absolute favorite.
Heat Protectant - UM hello? Everyone is so quick to shove the importance of sunscreen on the face down our throats but what about the hair! Imagine the damage that the sun can do to the body after a day outside. Can you imagine what it’s doing to your hair? Not to mention one of the most popular ways of styling hair is with heat! Which is just dreadful for it. This heat protectant is a non-negotiable for me. Sprayed on after every shower as my last step to protect against any heat used during styling or UV rays when outside.
Shower Cap - Use it for daily showers when you aren’t washing your hair and after you put in that homemade hair mask to protect your pillow if sleeping overnight.
Silk Bandana - Use to preserve hair overnight or while masking!
Silk Pillowcase - Can you believe even our pillowcases are an enemy at this point? It never ends. Make sure you’re sleeping on an ethically sourced and high-quality silk pillowcase every night to avoid hair breakage and loss.
Wet Brush - Don’t ask, just trust me on this one. $13 and forget it.
Large Tooth Comb - I keep mine hanging in the shower and after applying conditioner, I comb through my hair before rinsing out. Makes brushing after the shower much less dramatic and knotty.
Scalp Massager - Use while masking, before bed, or in the shower. This not only feels incredible but it brings blood cells to the top of the scalp, which stimulates hair follicles to grow. Hair follicles need stimulation to get their shit together and this is the best trick to nudge them on. Also works as an exfoliant to remove dead skin cells and impurities and keep things in a regenerative headspace. Pun intended.
My favorite practices:
wash hair two to three times a week
when showering or doing a mask, always do a 60-second scalp massage with your mask on
when conditioning in the shower, comb through hair with your wide-tooth comb
night before a wash do a homemade mask
always brush hair BEFORE showering and before bed
always brush from the bottom up, never starting at the root
no color, limit heat
double condition by spraying after shower with a keratin treatment, leave-in conditioner and heat protectant
sleep on silk pillowcase and wrap in silk bandana
never go to sleep with wet hair
air dry as much as possible
lots of water!
There you have it. A very Virgo-esque hair breakdown. I hope some of these tips give your hair the life it has given mine.
Cheers!
Xx, Emma
Always consult your doctor before adding any products into your routine, especially if pregnant.
