hair

GET IT TOGETHER!

post designed by kristin ess

Alright. This is serious. As promised, you’re all getting a free trip to hair boot camp this weekend. This is a post for those of you who asked for a hardcore hair health plan. If you don’t have time to do it this weekend, MAKE TIME! (That’s my best boot camp yell.) Look through these images and see which of these lovely ladies most represents your hair type. Once you find your number(s), follow the letter keys at the bottom. Do as many as you can over a weekend. Without a doubt, this little health boost for your hair will have you well on your way to shiny strands!

1. Naturally curly  hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, H, I Regularly– K, M, O, P, Q

2. Virgin hair: Weekend- A, B, D, H, I Regularly– J, L, M (twice a month), O, Q, S

3. Color treated hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, F (for hilights), G (blondes), H (brunettes/redheads), Regularly- J (blondes), K (brunettes/redheads), M (brunettes/redheads), N (blondes), O, P, Q, R, S

4. Heavy + straight hair: Weekend- A, B, D, H, I Regularly- J, L, M (on the ends), O, P, Q, S

5. Bleached or high-lift blonde hair: Weekend- A (only shampoo once with clarifying shampoo. if you need to shampoo again, use your regular shampoo!), B, D, E, F, G, I Regularly- J, alternate M + N, O, P, Q, R, S

6. Naturally wavy or frizzy hair: Weekend- A, B, D, E, H, I Regularly- K, L, M, O, P, Q, S

7. Beach hair or hair affected by weather: Weekend- A, B, D, E, F (if yellowed from sun + salt water), H, I  Regularly- J (if hair is colored) K (if hair is not colored), L, M, O (you can also apply spray-on sunscreen to your hair before going to the beach), P, R

8. Hair with extensions or a weave: Weekend- A, B, C, D, E, H, I Regularly- K, L, M, O, P (on your hair and the extension or weave hair), Q, R, S

YOUR WEEKEND TO DO:

A. Shampoo your hair with a clarifying shampoo. Focus on massaging it into your scalp using your fingertips and let it naturally clean the ends as you rinse it through. This will remove any film caused by product build-up or natural oil build-up. That film will be a dulling residue in the long run, so you need to remove it when you feel it. If your shampoo doesn’t lather, try shampooing it one more time. When hair is clean, it lathers. That’s when you know you’ve removed all the gunk. Good lather = clean slate!  Note: This is NOT something you would do every time you shampoo because it would be TOO cleansing and strip all the nutrients. Only do this once or twice a month.

B. Blend 1/4 cup olive oil, 1/4 cup jojoba oil + 1/4 cup coconut oil in a bowl. At night, apply a light amount to your ends and put it in a low braid or bun. Don’t soak it or you’ll end up with a greasy pillow! The size of a nickel or quarter will be plenty. It moisturizes while you sleep! In the morning, wake up and apply a more liberal coat from the middle to the ends of your hair. (Rub a little into your scalp if it’s dry! If you have an oily scalp, skip it.) Put it in a low bun for the day. You OBVIOUSLY want to do this on a low-key weekend because walking around with oil in your hair isn’t exactly… a trend. In the evening, shampoo lightly to remove oils and condition as usual.

C. If you have extensions or a weave, it’s really important to clean your real hair, so focus on getting in between the wefts with shampoo + your fingertips. Repeat if necessary until it lathers. Do small, gentle, circular motions with your fingertips. Not too rough or you will tangle the hair above your extensions or weave. Let the shampoo rinse through the ends as you rinse it out. It’s never a good idea to vigorously scrub at the ends of extensions or a weave. That can be a bad scene. Condition heavily from middle to ends. Avoid getting conditioner near the tops of the extensions because that can cause slipping. Make sure to rinse all shampoo + conditioner out from in between wefts or your scalp will itch.

D. Whip up this Kitchen Beautician mask as directed, put it on from roots to ends + put a shower cap or saran wrap over it. Apply light heat with a blow dryer. Let it sit for one hour. Rinse + lightly shampoo.

E. Check out your hair under a microscope. Rough towel drying can surprisingly cause damage. Try switching out your hair towel out for an old absorbent t-shirt! This is one of my favorite tricks for eliminating frizz!!

F. Shampoo for 2-3 minutes using a purple shampoo! Toning shampoo has a dark purple base and will cut out unwanted yellow-y or brassy tones. It looks scary and dark when it comes out of the bottle but don’t worry. Ask your colorist which one they’d recommend.

G. Ask your colorist or hairstylist to recommend a repairing protein mask. Protein masks are used to re-build weakened or chemically-compromised hair.

H. Ask your colorist or hairstylist to recommend a moisturizing mask. Moisture is much different that protein. Moisture masks are extremely important for naturally curly hair, virgin hair, and those with single-process color.

I. Apply leave-in conditioner! It helps detangle, seals down the cuticle, restores the ph balance, and promotes shine. Try to find one that’s weightless!

YOUR REGULAR TO DO:

J. Switch to a sulfate free shampoo + conditioner. To put it simply, they don’t strip the proteins from your hair. There’s no point to doing protein treatments if you’re just going to wash them out, right?

K. Use a moisture rich shampoo + conditioner. Curly/wavy hair naturally lacks moisture. It’s less about proteins for this kind of hair and more about retaining moisture. Maybe even try a natural or organic brand from your local health food store!

L. When in the shower, be sure to focus on shampooing the root until it lathers and conditioning the middle to ends. This will this will create the cleanest canvas and maximize volume for hair that’s straight or heavy.

M. Continue using a moisturizing mask once a week! It will soften your hair and promote shine. It will also help eliminate dryness that can lead to breakage.

N. Continue using a protein mask twice a month. It will strengthen your hair from the outside in and creates a protective protein shell in the long run. Great for weakened hair caused by over-processing!

O. Use a protective serum or argan oil on your ends before + after blow drying. Also great for eliminating frizz and creating shine when air-drying.

P. Every 8 weeks, go in and get a color gloss with your hair colorist or do a store-bought color glaze at home. I say it all the time and I think everyone should do this! It’s like a band-aid for the hair. You can actually extend the life of your haircut by doing this in between cuts. It literally seals down split ends temporarily.

Q. If you’re guilty of OVERSTYLING from blowing out or curling your hair every day, substitute one or two of those days with a non-heat styled updo, like a messy ponytail, the Ballerina Bun or the Fun Bun.

R. Invest in the best shampoo, conditioner and/or leave-in conditioner. If you’re spending a lot of money on a beautiful hair color, you want to make sure it lasts as long as possible and doesn’t fade. Most of the time, higher-end brands DO use higher quality ingredients. Find out what your hairstylist thinks will make the biggest difference. Try it out. Keep the receipt, because most high-end brands also guarantee their products.

S. Don’t spray hairspray before you curl or flat iron! You’re basically baking alcohol into your hair. Try your best to only spray after you use a hot tool of any kind. If you need the extra help with hold, use a thermal protectant spray. Any hairstylist will be able to help you find a good one!

Now, I know you guys want product recommendations, but like I’ve said before, you should try and get a recommendation in person from a professional! If you can’t make it in to the salon, I personally look to Allure for product reviews because they have the best break downs. Do your research + get samples! Just because a bottle is pretty and the product smells good, doesn’t mean it’s doing the best job. And last but certainly not least, continue taking vitamins for MAXIMUM hair health!

Xx Kristin