All Things Hair!
My hair is one of the most asked about topics in my DMs. Don't get me wrong, I am flattered and I am so thankful for the hair I have, but just know that the grass is always greener! Hair is so expensive and it's a lot of work when you have as much as I do. But I figured I would sit down to write about everything I use, and what my stylist does so that I have a more in depth post to refer you to when I have hair questions!
It's funny, when I was a baby I had no hair! My mom said it wasn't until I was three years old that this mop started coming in hot. Up until then, she had to use Vaseline to glue a bow on my head because everyone thought I was a boy! I have clearly made up for lost time, and then some.
It took me awhile to appreciate my hair, as there is a ton of it, and it took me years to figure out how to style it correctly. I spent all my middle school years wanting to rip it out because I had no clue how to do it or what to do with it. If I ever wonder why I have the breakage I do now, I can easily attribute it to the endless hours I spent straightening the crap out of it back in the day.
In high school and college I was washing it every single day, which also meant blow drying and styling it every single day. It took hours. I look back and wonder how I did it, as I'm now the person washing maybe twice a week, if that! If I only knew then what I know now!
But I'm finally at a place where I love my hair and although I struggle with thinning spots and breakage just like everyone else, I'm grateful for what I have. My hair truly is my security blanket and one of the things that gives me the most confidence, so regardless of how long it took me to figure out how to get a handle on it, I'm thankful!
Products
Now for the good stuff, the products I use! I will be the first to admit that I wasted so many years and so much money on terrible products. You wear your hair every single day, it's worth investing in.
You guys know I'm the queen of all things knock off and dupe, but when it comes to your hair, there is truly no shortcut. It took me 27 years to figure this out, but my hair is now the healthiest it's ever been because of it!
Shampoo / Conditioner
I shampoo and condition 1-2x a week. Never more than that! Unless we're at the lake or I'm getting my hair wet for some other reason. 1-2x a week is plenty, even if you're sweating and working out. Shampooing strips the oils on your scalp and can leave your hair dry if you're doing it too often.
After about two years of using strictly Olaplex products, my stylist, Brittany (@paintyourmane), convinced me to try KM. I have absolutely loved it and so has my hair. I can tell a noticeable difference in how much moisture it's restored in my hair. It has helped with breakage a lot, keeps it shiny and healthy, and is extremely smoothing. I purchase it directly from my stylist! I'm linking my salon's page here, you can buy KM through them - tell them Brittany Massey sent you!
Shampoo and conditioner is the one thing I recommend spending money on. You wear your hair every day, you should take care of it. If you're experiencing breakage, thinning, dry, or brittle hair, I'd venture to guess you're not using a high end shampoo and conditioner. That's my number one advice when it comes to haircare! I always say, collagen can help, but shampoo and conditioner make all the difference.
Post Shower Hair Care
What you put on your hair after you get out of the shower is important. First thing's first, I wrap my hair in a tshirt instead of a towel. A towel can be harsh, a tshirt is much more gentle!
When my hair isn't sopping wet anymore, I use detangler and then brush through with my Tangle Teezer. This detangler is magical, I highly recommend it. It's pricey but it only takes a couple of sprays so it'll last you forever.
I love the Tangle Teezer and I think it helps a lot. The next step is the biggest key! Let your hair air dry.
I know that's not what people want to hear, but you need to let your hair dry 80% of the way before putting heat on it. It prevents breakage, your hair will retain more moisture, and it protects it from using so much heat on your hair. I also think my hair has a lot more volume and body when I let it dry naturally first.
Doing this in the last year has helped my hair immensely.
Blow Drying
When my hair is 80% dry, I apply the heat protectant. Heat protectant is so important, whether your hair is dripping wet or 80% dry. You have to protect it from the harsh heat of a blow dryer.
I got the Dyson Supersonic for Christmas and I love it so much. Mine is refurbished and I don't have a single complaint. It works perfectly and it still came with a warranty. As much as I hate that they're so expensive, they are worth every penny. It has cut my blow dry down from 15 minutes, to 5. Which is a huge deal for me! It's powerful, and it works. I will replace it in a heartbeat if anything happens to it.
I don't blow dry any special way! I don't even use a round brush, only because my hair has enough volume on its own! I just part it in two sections, top and bottom, and blow dry them using my paddle brush.
Hot Tools
When it comes to styling, I almost always curl my hair. It just looks so much better curled to me. It also never lasts nearly as long when I use a flat iron so I try not to do that very often. Curls last me for 4+ days, so that's always my go to! My flat iron is linked and that's the one I've used since college. If you like to straighten, it's amazing quality and I've had no issues in 8 years.
My curling iron is amazing and I recommend it to everyone. I use a 1.25 inch barrel and it has an extra long barrel which makes curling long hair SO easy! I get a lot of questions on how I get such big, loose curls, and the barrel is the key! The smaller your barrel, the tighter your curls will be. The bigger the barrel, the more loose and bouncy they'll be.
I curl by only clamping the 2/3 closest to my head in the barrel, leaving the last 1/3 to 1/4 of my ends out. I then pull down to create a more loose curl. I let the curls cool completely, then run my fingers through them. I sometimes take a flat iron to them and run it over the curls super quick just to tame them a little bit!
As far as how I curl, I'm not a video guru, so I'm linking a video that shows exactly the same technique as I use!
Styling
One of my non negotiables after styling, even on day one, with clean hair, is dry shampoo. Spraying dry shampoo on your roots is KEY to being able to go longer in between washes! It gives your scalp a good base from day one.
As far as hairspray goes, I have been a tried and true Big Sexy user since college. My roomates and I used to joke about charging each other per spray because it seemed so expensive as a broke college student. But here I am, ten years later, still using it!
Bottom line, it hast the best hold for me. It's definitely a heavier spray, but I use it on day 1 and 2, and then don't really use much after that. I am positive there's a better option out there, but don't fix it if it aint broke!
After that, I'm done as far as day one goes!
Workout/Post Workout
During a workout, I pull my hair up. I know it sounds like a no brainer, but some people don't do this. The hair ties I use are dupes for the Gimme Beauty Hair Ties, but they're a fraction of the price. You get all 50 for $7! They're super soft and don't crease your hair!
Styling after a workout is key to extending the number of days in between washes! Before I put any product in my hair post workout, I blow dry the sweat. It sounds gross, it is what it is. It works!
After I blow dry, I spray dry shampoo at my roots/where I sweat the most! Then, I just style like normal!
Nighttime Routine
Before I to sleep each night, I brush out my curls and spray dry shampoo on my roots. That way it has all night to soak up all the excess oil on your scalp. You'll magically wake up with fresh hair, trust me! This stuff is gold. Just make sure to shake the can really well before you spray to avoid the white powdery look.
I sleep with my hair down, but if your hair doesn't hold a curl well, I suggest putting it in a ponytail using a silk scrunchie! They're comfortable enough to sleep in, and the silk helps not kink your hair.
My Color
I obviously know nothing about color or technique, so I had my stylist Brittany write up a blurb for me to share in case you want more info!
'We decided to do a few color melts using a Demi permanent hair color. A Demi permanent hair color is essentially a temporary fix to keep the hair looking fresh, while we wait for the right time to lighten again. We did this to give your hair a break from being over processed from previous lightening appointments and to give me more of a blank canvas, to create a lived in look. After over 6 months of no bleach, deep conditioning treatments, repairing shampoo and conditioner, minimal washing and heat, we felt as though the hair was ready for bleach again! We chose to go the balayage route instead of foils, this was to create a lower maintenance, sun kissed look.'
Note
Just a quick word to the wise. No matter what products you choose to use, my best advice when purchasing is to not purchase from Amazon. Amazon is full of non authorized dealers when it comes to high end product like Kevin Murphy, Unite, Olaplex, etc. This means you run the risk of buying fake product, and I have done that before, so it does happen.
If you're going to spend the money on your hair, buy it from the right retailer. Ask your stylist, purchase from Milk + Honey, or use another verified retailer.
The last thing I can tell you, is that if you’re seeing a stylist and coloring your hair, make absolutely certain that the health and integrity of your hair is your stylist’s top priority. If you show your stylist a picture of a what you want, and your stylist says, “we can’t do that”, trust them. Trust that they’re doing what’s best for your hair.
I have never shown my stylist a picture - I've always just told her to do what's best for my hair and she's always done that! I've trusted her, taken her advice, and my hair is better than ever. Just remember that a good stylist is just like a doctor. They've done the research, they know what's best for your hair, take their advice like you would the advice of a doctor. Do what they say and your hair will thank you!