Hair Care Routine
Happy Friday everyone! Hopefully, you are all staying safe and continuing to fight the good fight out there. I will not be sharing any links or links to petitions today on this post, but if you head over to my Instagram @mermaidmadey (or click on the Instagram icon on the homepage) I will continuously be posting on my stories various action items to help in the fight for racial justice.
Today’s blog post is all about hair care! I recently did a balayage (I live in a smallish town that is open up to phase 2 and we did so with masks and proper sanitation precautions) and since I already have dirty blonde hair, and wanted a lighter blonde balayage, that means I had to bleach. Luckily my hair was completely natural and not dyed at all so she was dying virgin hair which just means it was healthy and took the die very well. Since it has only been a couple of days since I got it done, there has not been any drying out of my hair yet and I intend to keep it that way as long as possible. Just like my skin, I have combination hair where it tends to be more oily on my scalp and drier on the ends. This is partly because I do heat style my hair often which will just make my ends drier, but any hair not directly touching my scalp tends to be a bit drier. I am very lucky, however, that I do have great genetics when it comes to hair (thanks mom!) and I do not use any shine enhancer or anything like that. I do use some hair treatments, but when it comes to my natural texture and the fact that I have decently shiny hair is all done to my mom’s great hair! I mean, my dad might have great hair too but it so short, I’m gonna give my mom the credit for this one.
So let’s start with washing! I wash my hair every other day or every two days if I can swing it so that I can keep my natural oils that everyone has and needs. The more you wash it, the more it can dry out as well, especially after you have dyed it. Now depending on the color you’ve used, you may need to use a color-safe shampoo or go in to get regular toning done by your hairstylist. Since mine is just bleached and I am a natural blonde, I don’t have to worry about yellowing or anything of that nature. If I ever felt like my hair was losing its brightness I could have my stylist tone it and be good to go! I do not use a violet shampoo or anything like that and most blondes don’t need to. I can do a whole post on that if you would like, just let me know in the comments below!
I have been using this L’oreal shampoo and conditioner duo for a couple of years now and it works wonders! It cleans my hair without over stripping it and making it feel over-dried, but gets rid of the greasy feeling. The conditioner also makes my hair so soft and helps with tangles. It also smells amazing and keeps my hair smelling great until my next wash. I do want to start adding in detox shampoo that I would use once a week or even less, but just to make sure I am getting clean hair and a clean scalp!
I linked both of these to their direct websites, but they are both available at Ulta, and Ouai is also available at Sephora. I have used both of these: I have used It’s a 10 longer and Ouai is a newer use of mine but I like both of them for different reasons. It’s a 10 is a deeper and stronger conditioner that I have used on my ends (never my scalp) when I was going from red hair back to blonde and was bleaching it a lot. This guy made it feel like my hair wasn’t bleached at all and has a heat protectant in it that works even if you use heat the next day. However, using it every wash on my regular non-dyed hair, it did start to give it a residue and made it greasy right away. Once that started happening I went to use it once a week and that wasn’t leaving a residue but then I was only getting heat protectant once a week since I haven’t found a heat protectant spray that doesn’t make my hair feel disgusting. Enter Ouai! I have used their wave spray for a little over a year now and have started branching out and using other things from the brand and so far love them! This leave-in conditioner is lightweight, helps with tangles, and over time has made my hair silky smooth. It has taken time for it to get that way, whereas the It’s a 10 was more immediate but left a residue. It has helped with the heat protectant aspect as well helped with frizz. I have also noticed a lot less split ends. Overall, I can say that I love the Ouai leave-in conditioner, maybe my most favorite one yet! The Ouai is much better for consistent use, while the It’s a 10 is better for severely damaged hair.
I have this flat iron in a pale blue sparkle that I use to curl and straighten my hair. There is a bit of a debate over whether ceramic or titanium plates in the flat iron are better, but from what I can tell, titanium gets hotter quicker and can, therefore, be more damaging to already damaged hair. It is safe to use with heat protectant if you have healthy hair or super thick hair. Ceramic plates are better for super thin and fine hair as well as severely damaged hair since it heats up much slower and it is easier to control the temperature. When speaking with my hairstylist she had mentioned how if you have healthy hair it can be a preference. As this flat iron has gotten older I have noticed it is starting to catch my hair so I am on the hunt for a new one! When I find a new one I love I will let you know!
I have used a bunch of different dry shampoos and this is the all-time favorite one I have ever used! EVER! It helps with second and third-day hair, doesn’t leave a white residue, and also doesn’t make your hair feel like you have just sprayed a bunch of dry shampoo in it. It washes out super easily and doesn’t leave anything sticky in it. It is wonderful.
I don’t have anything specific I use when it comes to hairbrushes, so all I will say here is that you need to brush your hair out gently. Don’t just pull through it because that can cause breakage and damage to your follicle. If you get really bad tangles, use a leave-in conditioner or an actual detangle spray. Be gentle with your hair!!!
Thanks for coming along everyone! Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below!
Madey