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!