How do you feel when you’re having a good hair day? Let me guess, absolutely sickening! Like Farrah Fawcett as the camera perfectly captures her voluminous feathered curls. Or like Gisele Bundchen’s long beachy waves that fall effortlessly as she struts down the runway.
Personally, I have always been a blonde my whole life. From back in the day when “cap highlights” were a thing… honestly what were we thinking?? To the chunky “highlight, lowlight” stage to the overly highlighted and often extremely thirsty stage and now to the effortlessly lived in blonde that we all can’t get enough of. It’s safe to say that I don’t think I could ever trade in my blonde locks for any other colour.
For those of you that know me, know my first career was as a hairstylist. I specialized in chemical services and spent my days creating… you guessed it, the perfect blonde. Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love and adore all hair colours but my business primarily consisted of shiny blondes of all shades. Goes to show you attract what you are most passionate about right?
When it comes to chemically treated hair, it must be properly taken care of. This is one of the things that can be easily over looked when it comes to our routine hair appointments. In my professional opinion, if you are going to spend the money to achieve the perfect blonde then I recommend being prepared to spend the money on the proper at home upkeep. Otherwise what is the point of spending all that money to accomplish your hair goals if you aren’t going to maintain it?
So now you must be thinking how to properly care for your locks? I am here to share with you my top three tips both at home and when you visit the salon that have helped me to maintain healthy, colour treated hair that people have come to regularly ask about. Although most of the credit must go to my amazing friend and hairstylist, Haley Nault! Definitely check her out if you live in the Calgary area, she is fabulous! (@haleynaulthair)
Alright so lets get to the reason why you clicked on this blog post… the juicy hair care tips to help you care for your freshly coloured locks!
Professional Products
Professional products… yes I bet you saw that one coming. You hear it time and time again and honestly it is because they truly work wonders for your hair. Drug store products are sold in bulk and distributed all over the world. In order for these companies to sell these products in such large quantities, they must have a long term shelf life. With this comes many “fillers” as I like to call it. These fillers are generally ingredients such as synthetic fragrances, sulphates, parabens, formaldehyde and various other chemicals. This also allows these products to be sold at a significantly lower price point than salon grade hair care products. The bottom line is professional products contain quality ingredients.
When I used to spend my days behind the chair, the most commonly asked question I would get was “Is is really worth it to spend the money on professional products?”. For me personally I believe the answer is yes, especially if you have chemically treated hair. Professional hair care products are made from quality ingredients, allowing you to use far less product to achieve a better result than that of drug store products. These products last longer and contain quality ingredients… what more could you want?
To give you some product recommendations that I believe really work; currently I have been loving the Olaplex line… I mean who hasn’t!? For example, you only need a very small amount of shampoo and it lathers beautifully, leaving your hair soft and perfectly restored. Don’t even get me started on the number 6 Bond Smoother. It works wonders to noticeably smooth and repair damage. I use it on the hair that frames my face because this area gets the most heat and chemical damage and I notice a difference after only one use with this product!
Regular Haircuts
Alright, I am fully aware that this has scared off multiple readers by now… but bare with me. We have all seen the head of hair that is desperate to hold onto every little hair no matter how dry or damaged. At this stage the perimeter of the hairline appears thin and almost see-through. I am here to tell you that I fully sympathize with you! Having thick, long beautiful hair is the dream, right? We can’t always speed up how quickly our hair grows, but we can control how healthy our hair looks.
Regular haircuts don’t need to be so intimidating or dramatic. A small amount every 3 months will do wonders! One of the best tips I can give you before your haircut even starts is to clarify with your stylist how you each view the length of an inch. We have all been there where you say you want an inch taken off and you walk out looking like a new person with a bob you never asked for. Trust me, this will save you many tears and panic attacks if you are feeling uneasy about losing too much hair during your appointment.
Hair is almost like an optical illusion. When your hair is freshly cut, it appears much thicker and healthier. When hair has not been cut in years (and yes I know many of you are at this point right now and that is totally fine!) it can appear very thin with dry locks straggling at different lengths. When this dry damaged area is cut off, the hair appears thicker and gives the illusion that it is actually longer that it was prior to the haircut.
Once you get in the routine of regular haircuts, you will begin to notice that your hair will start to grow faster and thicker than before. This definitely takes time and I understand it is a stepping stone for many of us and that is totally okay! Go at your own pace with what you are comfortable with. I am here to tell you whole heartily that you are beautiful just being YOU, regardless of anything else.
Silk Pillowcase
Lastly, I have to mention the Silk Pillowcase! I received one in a gift a few years ago and didn’t realize how amazing they actually are until I tried it. I am not kidding when I say these are one of the best, inexpensive (in some cases) and overlooked inventions out there! Not only do these pillowcases help with your hair, they also benefit your skin. I mean who doesn’t want to wake up in the morning with smooth, shiny hair and vibrant glowing skin!?
This is one of the simplest beauty tricks you can do to help maintain beautiful, healthy hair at home! The silk creates a soft surface that will decrease any form of friction against your hair cuticle so you can wake up tangle free and reduce any unwanted breakage. Naturally, you will be more prone to breakage if you have chemically treated hair so why not try this simple yet effective trick. I definitely recommend it!
So there you have it, my top three hair care tips to help maintain your gorgeous locks after they have been chemically treated. Thanks for stopping by and I sincerely hope these tips can help you achieve your hair goals!
Your Girl,
A
