Strengthening Your Hair

Fall is just about here and while we will all miss the summer, I won't miss the toll it takes on my hair.  Between swimming, the beach, the sun, and all the manipulation I'm sure my hair looks forward to a break in the fall.  To start off the season right I always go ahead and get my ends clipped, because there is no sense in hanging onto split ends.  Sure, the products that 'mend' them are great when you're in a pinch and need to look pulled together but by no means are they are substitute for the real thing.  Then once my ends are clipped, I focus on rejuvenating my hair and that means I try to strengthening products and treatments.  


Keep Reading for some of my favorites!  



Henna Treatments - Over the summer I skipped using Henna all together, just because my hair didn't feel like it needed the extra strengthening and because I felt like I did not want to change up the color of my hair.  But once fall really hits I will be starting to use the henna treatments again.  

Redken Extreme Collection - I save the Redken Extreme Collection for when my hair needs a serious boost in protein.  That is usually right before a relaxer and right after. Through the exclusive Interlock Protein Network—a revolutionary new delivery system that brings protein to the core of the hair fiber—and powerful Fortifying Complex, Extreme restores internal strength, rebuilds surface protection and helps prevent breakage.  What I like about these products is even though it has protein it never makes my hair feel hard, it's always soft.  


Aphogee Shampoo and Conditioner - My favorite Aphogee product is the shampoo for damaged hair.  It gently cleansers, yet provides extra protein for my hair.  Obviously, this is not a shampoo I use all the time, instead I use it when I need an extra protein boost.   When I use this shampoo I always follow up with the Keratin 2 Minute Reconstructor.  Together these products provide all the protein my hair needs. 

 

Update Your Hair Care Regimen to get to Longer Lengths

So you've been doing everything right, limiting heat and chemical treatments, doing your deep conditioning, and getting regular trims when needed but your hair just isn't getting past it's current length?  Your current hair care regimen could be to blame.  


Here are a few ways to update your healthy hair care regimen:

Does your hair care regimen have great moisture benefits?  Maybe you are lacking protein treatments.  Try adding a bi-weekly protein treatment in the mix and see if your hair responds positively.  Healthy Hair Care Regimens need a moisture:protein mixture to keep hair at it's optimal level.  


On the flip side, if your hair care regimen has amazing strength building protein benefits, you could be lacking moisture.  Moisture is more forgiving than protein so I would experiment with adding a weekly moisturizing deep conditioner to the mix and I would start using a water based moisturizer every few days.       


Are you skipping oils all together?  Oils can be a very essential part of a healthy hair care regimen.  Not only can you use oils to seal in moisture, but oils are very useful when taking care of your scalp.  Jojoba oil and coconut oil are the best oils to use on your scalp because jojoba oil is the closest thing to the natural sebum your scalp creates on it's own and coconut oil is one of the only oils that penetrate deep into the hair shaft.  Think they will weigh your hair down?  The trick is to use just a tiny tiny amount.  Remember you can always use a little more, but removing oil is tricker.  

Tips for Air Drying

Now that the weather is finally nice, I can start air drying my hair more often. I personally, love to air dry during the summer months because it's easy and gives my hair a break from heat. I've been getting a lot of emails requesting tips on how to air dry their hair so here we go.

Air Drying Dilemma: Do I have to use a product? If so, which one?

The biggest mistake when trying to wash, condition, and then just try to air dry. You need to apply some type of leave-in conditioner whether it's a spray or a cream or an oil, do not try to air dry your hair 'naked'. In fact, sometimes I use all three first a spray to help detangle if any tangles are left after rinsing out the conditioner. Then I use a little bit of a cream moisturizer mainly to the ends and finally I seal that with the oil and proceed to air dry.

Air Drying Dilemma: Air dry up or out and loose?

This is really up to you and how you want your hair to look and what you are going to be doing while you air dry. You can do some two strand twists, bantu knots, one big bun, or just leave it alone. This is really based on preference, but one thing I always do is apply some type of gel to my edges (all the way around my head, not just the front) and then tie a scarf on like a headband to hold it down. Unfortunately, I don't have those edges that just lay like fine little baby hairs so I have to control that.

Air Drying Dilemma: I air dried, now what?

After air drying my hair is so big and full that I love creating cool looking low buns or down 'dos. I twist it, make little braids, and just try different things when creating a unique looking 'do. Please note, if your hair feels dry moisturize it! Don't worry that you've already used products, dry hair is never a good look.

New Video! The Pretty Wrap

Finally a video all about the Pretty Wrap!

Find the pretty wrap here!

Dry Heat = Dry Hair

Now with the weather cooling down the heat will be cranking up, but with that comes dry heat. For some reason apartments seem to have the worst possible heating and it drys everything out from your skin, lips, nails, feet, hands, and of course your hair! Last year I got a humidifier to help with my lips and chronic sore throat due to dry air, but I realized it actually does work to help keep your hair moist as well as everything else. Since I mostly use my pillowcap instead of tying my hair up the moist air can actually get to my hair now and I think it's helping with the moisture level in my hair as well as my lips, throat, and skin.

More about my humidifier here.