Hi guys!
So I recently had my hair lightened (Back to Blonde post here) and since then, several things have changed to my haircare routine.
A little back story.
I was naturally blonde until around the age of 13 or 14. When I went into middle school, I started playing with hair coloring going darker for several years. After a little experimentation phase, I stopped coloring my hair until I was in my late teens/ early 20’s when I went back to my natural blonde roots. However, I stopped again after a while due to the expense of up keeping my (now) bottle blonde look.
Fast forward to the here and now.
I have been wanting to go lighter but ease my way into it. Luckily, ombre or baylage styles have been in for a while now and most stylists know the techniques. Thus my now blode do.
On changes to my hair.
Before my hair was fine, thin, and extremely oily. Oily, as in, second day hair even with dry shampoo looked a little gross and knarly. Since going lighter, my hair has dried out like crazy. I go three, maybe four, days without washing my hair and it still looks and feels clean.
This has caused the products that I use to change up a little.
Starting in the shower…
Shampoo and Conditioner: Dove Oxygen Moisture for Fine Thin Hair
I have been using this combo for several months now and still swear by it. It adds volume but also moisturizes. Most moisturizing hair products weight down fine hair until it is slick to my head but this is specifically formulated not too. It is also important to know that most volumizing hair products are drying, which was fine when I had oily hair but now that light moisture is extremely important.
Hair Masque: Bamboo Hair Food
Once a week, I use a deep conditioning hair masque. This is me saying “I’m sorry” to my locks. If I have the time, I will shampoo my hair as normal then get out of the shower and towel dry my hair and put in the masque and leave it for half an hour. That honestly doesn’t happen as often as it should so I use it as conditioner once a week in place of my normal Dove.
After showering…
Leave-In Conditioner: It’s A 10
I have started using this regularly after towel drying my hair. It functions as both a leave-in conditioner and a heat protectant, so it does double duty. It also adds a little bit of shine, which is always nice
Serum: Goldwell Rich Repair Leave-In Fluid
Before going lighter, I wouldn’t touch a hair serum with a 40ft pole. Talk about an oil slick from roots to tips. Now I use it frequently. After washing and drying: serum. After hot styling: serum. Looking a little dry: serum. This Goldwell product combats the straw-like look of dry hair and helps tame down the frizzy bits.
Styling…
Heat Protectant: Treseme Heat Tamer
If I am styling my hair, then a heat protectant is a must! Even after the It’s A 10, I like to use a product that’s sole purpose is to shield the hair from direct heat.
Blowdrying: In moderation
I am trying to cut blow drying out of my hair diet. It just blasts your hair with heat and damages it further. Night time showering/hair washing is becoming routine to allow my hair to air dry overnight. If I allow my hair to air dry, I will allow myself to style it with hot tools. If it is necessary that I blow dry my hair, that means no curling iron until the next air dry.
Hot Tool Styling: In moderation
Bringing us to the curling iron. As I said above, I’m trying to minimize damage by moderately using heat directly on my hair. If I air dry my hair, I will allow myself to give it a curl. This will last me until my next hair washing day generally with the help of some hairspray (and my natural hair hold curl well).
Dry Shampoo: Batiste
To keep my hair feeling fresh even several days after I wash it, I always use a dry shampoo! It gives a little more lift and volume but also does away with any grease or oiliness. This is the key to dragging a style out from one day to the next to the next…
What is in your regular hair routine?
Are you an everyday hair washer and styler or do you use dry shampoo?
Let me know!
Until next time,
Ana Luiza
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