Holy Grail Haircare
When I cheered in the NFL, I did my hair so often and learned how to create hair looks that would last. After years of doing this to myself, my hair was left absolutely FRIED!! I had to not only learn how to reverse the damage I’d done, but also how to style my hair in a way that wouldn’t land me right back in split end city. I’m going to take you through everything I do, from my hair routine in the shower to my products I use while styling my hair! None of this is sponsored - these are the products that have really worked to repair my tresses and I wanted to share!
Favorite Shampoos and Conditioner: I’m fairly loyal with my shampoo and conditioners once I find what works - and I have found what I think I’ll buy forever! This trio is what I give total credit for totally saving my hair. I start with this shampoo, which is specifically formulated for damaged hair, and then follow it up with this purple shampoo for my highlights and let it sit for two minutes. Oh my goodness, I cannot even tell you guys what a TOTAL game changer this purple shampoo has been for maintaining the longevity of my highlights and keep my hair from going“brassy”since it’s specifically used for toning! Even my hairstylist has noticed how much it’s helped my highlights stay brighter. After rinsing the purple shampoo out, I follow up with the matching conditioner to my initial shampoo. A little bit goes a long way with this guy, and it is super uber repairing.
Out of the Shower: When I hop out of the shower, I towel dry my hair gently, then wrap it up with a hair drying towel! I found this one on amazon and it works super well. I then comb through with a wet brush and start from my ends, then brush up to my roots, working through any knots gently as I go. I keep the mini brush from this set in my purse or car for a quick brush on the go! I finish with my favorite leave-in conditioner, comb through one last time, and then - the most important part - AIR DRY my hair. I’ve made a habit of washing my hair at nights so that my hair can dry while I sleep! The key here is to eliminate as much unnecessary heat as possible, and air drying allows me to skip the damaging heat that a blow-dryer would bring.
Oils and Masks: It took me so long to get on the hair oil train. I thought my hair couldn’t possibly come out of regular oil treating without looking like well - a big ball of oil! Needless to say, I was wrong, and I found that using this argon oil on dry hair, strictly on my ends and a little higher on my most damaged front pieces, and brushing through my hair with a boar bristle brush allowed me to oil treat effectively! The boar bristle brush really distributes the oil evenly throughout the ends of your hair which allows your hair to effectively absorb the argon oil. As far as masks go, everyone knows about the holy grail Olaplex 3 mask. It truly does make your hair SOO soft, so I do stand by the hype, but I do not stand by the directions! What works best for me with this mask is to get my unwashed hair wet in the shower, work this mask through my hair - scalp to end, braid my hair, and leave it on overnight! If I do this, I generally wrap my pillow in a towel to protect my pillowcase, then wash the mask off in the morning when I wake up. I typically do this on a Sunday when I’m sure to be home for the day so that I can also air dry(so important!!).
Hair Tools: I have fairly naturally straight hair, so if I do use heat on my hair, I’ll curl it! My favorite curling iron is hands down the T3Micro. This one is a splurge but I’ve had it for years and it still works and feels brand new! I use the 1.25” attachment that it comes with for the perfect slightly loose curls, and the 1” barrel for more textured, tighter curls. What attachment you’ll use should vary based on what length of hair you have, so keep that in mind! This curling iron has been my biggest investment. It’s pricey, but the quality makes it SO worth it. It’s the first curling iron that has not made my hair damaged - and I’ve been through a few. This one is it - trust me!! As far as straighteners go, if I do decide to fully straighten my hair, or just pass a straightener through my front pieces when they get a slight natural wave, I’ll use THIS one . My hairstylist recommended it as the most effective, highest quality, least damaging, and most overall cost efficient straightener that she herself uses on her clients!
Misc Hair Products: I’ll rapid fire my favorite miscellaneous products here and why! When using hot tools, I always use a heat protectant spray. This one is super affordable, lasts forever, and works like a charm! When you only wash your hair 1-2 times a week, you’ve got to have a good dry shampoo in your life! I’ve used this dry shampoo religiously, and I recently picked this one up and have been loving it! The next item is a splurge, but also WORTHY. Trust, friends, trust. I recently started sleeping on a silk pillowcase, and I have never woken up with bad hair. NOT ONCE. It’s worth it and that’s all I’ve got to say! For tying my hair back during my skincare routine, or throwing a quick braid in, I use a pretty affordable silk scrunchie that I found on amazon. The silk allows the hairstyle to hold without kinks, and also slips out of the hair seamlessly and without any breakage!
I’d love to know what your favorite haircare hacks are! Let me know in the comments and I’ll let you know if I’ve tried them!
