Dry, Brittle, Damaged Hair Oh My!!

For a girl who colors her hair often, and who also uses a lot of heating tools (flat iron, curling iron and let's not forget the blow dryer) you would think I would know not to do these things to my poor hair. Well it's like a cycle when you have damaged hair. You use damaging tools to make your damaged hair appear healthier. Sounds weird right? But it's basically how it works. Getting my hair to where it's at today, which it still isn't perfect, took a lot of products and a lot of alternative ways of styling my hair. I'll be honest, I did a lot of side braids during the time I was trying to repair my hair, and it absolutely killed me! In the end it paid off, and I'm glad I gave my hair the necessary break it needed. Follow those steps, and you'll be on your way to better hair!

Step 1: Get your hair cut! I'm not saying go cut all the dryness off, but you should have your hair trimmed. I've been growing my hair out for years and I'm terrified to cut any of it off, but I really needed it, so I had about an inch taken off. Afterwards, my hair seemed to appear a lot healthier, but to the touch it was still very dry. This is where Step 2 comes to play.

Step 2: Buy new Shampoo and Conditioner. Do you ever notice how wonderful shampoo and conditioner work the first time you try it? I do, and after awhile I wonder why it isn't work like it did the first time. You have to cycle your shampoos and conditioners regularly to prevent build up. I never thought this was a real thing until my stylist told me about it. She said I should change my conditioner often or at least after every bottle I finish. You can always go back to the same one  after you've tried and used another. Here are the drug store as well as the salon shampoos and conditioners I recommend:

Drug Store Shampoo:
1.Head and Shoulders ( I don't have dandruff, but I love how clean this shampoo makes my scalp feel.)
2.Garnier Fructis Sleek and Shine or Triple Nutriton. I saw noticeable differences while using both of these shampoos.

Drug Store Conditioner:
1.Pantene Smooth Vitality. I love Pantene, but be careful. Their conditioner tends to leave a build up after prolonged use ( At least for me it did).
2. Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition. I'm actually using this conditioner now, and love how soft it makes my hair!

Salon Shampoo and Condition:
RedKen All Soft. Smells great, and leaves your hair silky smooth!

Step 3: Treat Your hair while it's wet! I like to gently towel dry my hair, so that it is slightly damp. I mix a quarter size amount of Dove Intensive Repair Conditioner ($5 Walmart), a squirt or two of Dove's Nourishing Oil Care Anti-Frizz Serum ($5.99 Target) and a drop of Macadamia Oil (I got a sample size from my stylist for free). I concentrate the mixture on my ends, since they are the driest part of my hair. Whatever is left over goes on the middle section of my hair, and I don't put any on my root area. The Dove Intensive Conditioner is mean't to be used after shampooing, and it is supposed to rinsed out. However, I use it on my hair like a overnight repair cream. It's kind of strange, because when my hair dries, it doesn't feel icky like there's conditioner in it. This stuff literally absorbs in my hair, and doesn't leave any type of residue.

Step 4: Put Down the Hot Tools! I know it sucks, but it must be done. Giving your hair days without heat are vital in helping it stay less dry, and brittle. I like to braid my hair at night, and let it go wavy the next day. I also sport a side braid every now and then just to give my hair a break from the heat. If you do use heated tools, please use a protectant. I highly recommend RedKen Iron Silk.

I'm currently using Head and Shoulders 2 in 1 in green apple, Garnier Fructis Triple Nutrition Conditioner, and all of the products on Step 3. I would recommend all of these products based on the results I have seen. Thanks for reading, and stay beautiful!

Healthy Food Ideas!

I recently decided to start eating healthier, and I wanted to share a few great food ideas that have been working well with my diet. I always hated dieting, because I always felt like I was still hungry after I would eat something healthy. These ideas have really helped with cravings, and I never feel like I'm still hungry afterwards. Hope you enjoy!

Breakfast:

FiberOne Basic 4 Cereal- I hate cereal, but this one is amazing! My boyfriend lead me on to this one, and I'm glad he did. This cereal is great for your heart, and is low fat. It's a combination of fruits, flakes, almonds, and yogurt clusters. (Even better with a cut up banana on top!)

OIKOS Greek Yogurt (Honey Flavor) with Kashi Indigo Morning Cereal- I really love yogurt, and while I was shopping I found Kashi Indigo Morning cereal. For some reason I felt the yogurt and the cereal would go well together, so I purchased them both. I really love this combination, because it's almost like have crunchy granola on top of your yogurt. The cereal by itself (no milk) is a yummy snack. It has organic Flakes, and mixed berries (black berries and blue berries). The yogurt is very good as well, and can be eaten alone or with your favorite healthy topping.

Lunch:

Hummus Sandwich!- Ok, I love this sandwich, because it tastes amazing. 

Ingredients- Arnold Healthy Nut Bread, Sabra Red Pepper Hummus, Organic Baby Spinach, Organic Shredded Baby Carrots, Favorite Cheese, Favorite Meat ( I use Turkey)

Spread the two pieces of bread with the Sabra Hummus, place the cheese and meat on one slice, and the spinach and carrots on the other. Place both side of the bread together and Viola! This sandwich is amazing, and it really fills you up.

Salad- I use baby spinach, and whatever fruits and veggies I have available. I start off with babes spinach, carrots, and cucumbers as my base. I recently added granny smith apple slices and raspberries to my base salad, and it was phenomenal. Top it all off with your favorite dressing (I like Low-fat ranch, yum!)

Dinner:

Progresso Light soup with Special K Savory Herb Crackers!- I recently tried the Progresso Chicken Pot Pie soup, and it was amazing, especially when it's paired with the Special K Crackers!

Salad- I might eat a salad if I didn't eat a salad earlier for lunch, or I might eat the hummus sandwich if I didn't eat it earlier for lunch. I usually try to alternate these two choices for lunch and dinner.

Snacks:

Kashi Dark Chocolate Coconut Bars- SUPER YUMMY!

Kashi Pumpkin Spice Flax Bars- Crunchy Snack on the go!

Kashi Zesty Salsa Pita Crisps- Great with hummus, or a nice side with your hummus sandwich!

Usually I try to eat healthy throughout the week, and then eat whatever (in portions) on the weekends. Doing this allows me to stay on track, and not feel like I'm actually dieting. I also try to go the the gym at least an hour a day 5 days a week. I just started experimenting with juicing, and will update you guys with that as soon as I try it a few more times! Good luck and Stay Strong!