My Hair Care Product Diary
Hey friends, today I wanted to let you in on my everyday hair care routine. I'll be honest with you - I don't have shampoo model hair, but I do my best with what I've got. My hair is a mix of my mom's dark Asian hair, and my dad's fine Scandinavian hair.
I try to keep my hair care routine minimal and low-maintenance, and I aim to avoid lots of a chemicals and over-processing. Here's what I typically use to take care of my hair:
Daily Maintenance
1. Shampoo and Conditioner
I like Everyone Volume Sulfate Free Shampoo and Conditioner. They come in big, 20 oz. bottles that last for ages. I have limp hair, so I need all the volume I can get. I like these because they are sulfate-free, which helps prevent my sensitive hair from drying out.
I love the blends of plant extracts like aloe vera and chamomile combined with essential oils such as lemon, mint and rosemary. Great for all hair types, these are a gentle, invigorating way to start the day.
2. Comb
After I get out of the shower, I gently comb out any tangles with this brush while my hair is still wet. It's made with Buffalo horn (not vegan), but I prefer it over plastic because of it's anti-static properties.
3. Additional styling
Later in the day, after my hair has fully air-dried, I brush my hair with a boar bristle brush to make it smoother and fluffier. Sometimes I'll add a few drops of oil to smooth the ends and tame any frizz. Lately I've been using this broccoli seed oil I got from my job at San Diego Cosmetic acupuncture. I just put a few drops into the palms of my hands, and rub them together until the oil is warm. Then I smooth a little into the tips of my hair, and rub any excess into the backs of my hands.
Blow Drying
I don't fully dry my hair on most days because I've heard the heat is damaging for your locks. Usually I'll do a minute or two to dry my bangs and make sure they lay properly. Then I'll let my hair air dry.
I chose this for my everyday hair dryer because it has negative ion and infrared technology to help protect my hair from heat damage. It's nice and powerful, has a few different heat settings, and a diffuser for styling.
For travel, I am obsessed with my Baby Bliss mini hair dryer! It folds up super compact, and is impressively powerful for its size.
When I'm properly blow-drying my hair, I add a couple squeezes of styling foam to give my limp hair some extra volume. I haven't found a mousse that I'm crazy about, but I tried to choose something eco-friendly from Jimbo's, our San Diego local, natural grocer.
I also use these styling clips to separate my hair into different chunks and layers for a more thorough blow-drying.
Routine Maintenance
1. Strengthening from the Inside Out
Healthy hair is about more than shampoo and styling mousse. Truly, hair care begins from the inside out.
Drinking plenty of water helps your body to flush out toxins and metabolic wastes. This will help your hair grow faster and stronger. I try to drink at least 60 ounces per day.
I try (but often forget) to take fish oil tablets daily to help keep my hair shiny and healthy. Fish oils contain essential omega-3 fatty acids that our bodies can't manufacture. I like these because they are made with Wild Alaskan Salmon, and are supposed to be easily bio-available.
2. Deep Conditioning
About once a month or so I do a deep conditioning on my hair. I've heard a lot of good things about castor oil including that it is supposed to make your hair grow faster and stronger.
Castor oil is very thick and viscous, so I mix about 1 tablespoon of Castor oil with 2-3 tablespoons of another oil such as Jojoba oil to make it easier to spread. I blend it into my scalp and hair, and let it sit for 20-30 minutes. I look for organic oils from Jimbo's.
You could let the oils sit in your hair overnight for an extra deep condition. In that case I'll cover my hair with a towel head wrap to sleep in. Be sure to wash your hair extra good after the castor oil mask as it can be super sticky and a little messy!