Last month I shared tips on how to maintain pastel hair. This month I'm talking about what products I use to keep my hair healthy. I've been dying my hair since I was in the sixth grade. My mom started lightening my hair because my once sandy blonde hair became ashy and brown. Since then I've gone through pretty much every color in the rainbow and I've had minimal breakage throughout these stages. While it's mostly about being smart about what processes your hair can handle, a large part of it is how you treat it between those processes. Here are my (not so) secrets:
Buy Good Quality Shampoo and Conditioner
I'm not saying you need to spend a bunch of money on the highest quality products, but a step up from the supermarket brand is ideal. What you're looking for is a sulfate free shampoo. When you wash your hair you want to clean it, not strip it of the good stuff too! You can be a little less picky with your conditioner, but you want something that will compliment your hair. For example, I have thin hair so I try and find something that isn't too heavy and provides volume. Right now I'm using a
shampoo and
conditioner from Kevin Murphy. I was lucky enough to get this as a Mother's Day gift from my mother in law so I didn't have to buy it. If you're looking for a good but cheaper brand, I would go for
Pantene's sulfate free shampoo.
Leave In Conditioner is a Must!
I put a leave in daily. I wash my hair twice a week so a leave in is great for those other days. Make sure you buy a leave in conditioner that can be used on wet
and dry hair though, I've made that mistake before! Right now I'm using another
Kevin Murphy product, thanks again to my mother in law.
Keep the Heat to a Minimum
I have stick straight hair so I
never blow dry my hair. It's unnecessary and causes so much breakage! But like most straight haired girls, I don't actually like wearing my hair straight. I use a curling iron, but only twice a week (usually on my shampoo days). I curl it pretty tight, so the curls eventually loosen over a few days. If this isn't an option for you, I'd suggest a heat shielding serum like
this.
Treat Yourself to Hair Masks
I try to do a hair mask once every two weeks. I'd prefer to do it once a week but I never get around to it. On a night when you're staying in, keep your mask in for as long as you have time. Your hair will instantly feel baby soft! I like to use a
Moroccan Oil hair treatment but you can easily make one from scratch. Pinterest has a million different homemade masks!
I don't worry about color processes to my hair (including the double bleaching when I went from brown to pink) because I make sure to take really good care of it after. As someone who gets their roots bleached once a month, it's absolutely important to maintain a healthy head of hair! Do you have a favorite product? Maybe a different way to keep your locks healthy? Let me know in the comments below!
xoxo
Ashley