All About Hair Care.

Seeing as how yesterday I wasn't clear minded to be able to share with you all my intended blog post idea for the day, I am moving forward with that idea today. The post idea I'm talking about is hair. 

Hair is something many of us are blessed to have on our heads and while each individual person may have a unique type of hair, but in the general midst of things certain products can help a wide array of hair types. 

Unfortunately I'm not blessed with gorgeous African American hair, so I'm not able to for sure say if these products would work on their natural beauty, but if they do (perhaps you've tried before) please let me know. I would love to add that memo into this post. 

In prior posts I've discussed hair in a few different areas (Beauty and Hair Picks, Dying My Hair, Hair Renewal, Blow Dryer Review) but I've never gone into detail about how I personally care for my hair or how I deal with greasy hair or what I use to protect against heat. Well that all changes today, because I'm going to share my go-to products for my every day hair styles. 

First let's talk about heat protection. 

One of thee most important parts of styling your hair is making sure that you don't damage it during the process. While there are many different heat resistant products you could choose from, I've found that the TRESemme heat protection spray is the one that keeps my hair from having too much build up or excess frizz from being fried. 

You can find this at a wide variety of stores - Ralphs, Target, Walmart, Bed Bath and Beyond, etc. - for approximately $4. 

It's a very light spray that gives excellent coverage and easily applies to your hair. Simply spritz all over lightly on damp - or even dry - hair to give you a sort of "barrier" between your hair and any heat it may come in contact with. 

One thing I'd like to add, is that you should apply this BEFORE blow drying your hair. I've seen numerous people spray this on after blow drying, but before straightening or curling. While it's great they protected their hair from the straightener or curler, the blow dryer can still damage your hair. I recommend flipping your hair upside down and trying to get it all over your precious locks.

Now let's talk about styling and leave-in conditioners. 

Hair can get dry and damaged after bleaching - like I've done - and through everyday wear and tear (for example, if you blow dry it everyday). That's why it's important to not only apply a heat protection spray, but to give it a little extra loving on ALL days. Regardless if you're using styling tools or not, you should look into using a leave-in conditioner.

Leave-in Conditioners are a personal choice, as it really depends on what you're looking for. Personally I choose to go with an Argan Oil Strength and Shine Leave-In conditioner, as it gives my hair the shiny look. The key to using this product (or any kind of leave in conditioner) is to try and not apply too much (or any) to the roots. It can lead to too much build up with your natural oils, giving you a greasy look. 

Speaking of greasy looks, my hair likes to build up on grease if I don't wash it every single day. I do know however, that washing my hair every day isn't necessarily a good thing. Your hair needs a break and to revel in it's own oily glory. Of course we may not like the "slick" look, but that's why they made dry shampoo! 

I've recently-ish discovered this awesome glory, but after trial and error, I've come to realize that not all dry shampoos are the same. Some leave me looking like I've aged tremendously, smell horribly, stiffen my hair, or don't combat the oils at all. I'm happy to say however, that I've found one particular dry shampoo that works wonders and doesn't really have any downfalls that I've discovered...and I've been using it for a little while now. It's called "Clean Freak" by the brand Not Your Mother's. The smell is subtle, the powder is soft, and the oil is fought. Mission accomplished.

All you need to do is shake the bottle, spray (not too closely), perhaps brush through (if you've sprayed too much or too close), and watch your hair be revamped. A big thing for me is that my scalp tens to itch like crazy if I allow the oils to overwhelm my scalp, but with this particular dry shampoo I don't scratch until I bleed anymore. Yes that's actually happened.

Some day's I don't want straight hair and want my naturally wavy hair to shine. That's when I whip out my curl defining mousse. Now, I won't be giving a huge review on this one, because it's not my favorite. If I put just a tad too much, I'm left with a crunchy mess that I don't exactly favor. 

I don't HATE it, but I don't love it. If you have any recommendations, please let me know!

As for hairspray, I'm not a fan of stiff hair - hence my comment above - which is why my number one choice for hairspray is Aussie's Mega Hairspray is level 1. It holds whatever look I have going, without making me look like I have a fried poodle on my head. The smells is subtle, yet nice. It doesn't wreak and the quantity is astounding for the price in my eyes (around $3). 

Lastly, let's talk about the end. 

If you want smooth, sleek, silky locks in the end, you can apply a VERY small amount of oil to the ends of your hair. My go-to is the Chi brand Silk Infusion. While a little goes a LONG way, I don't feel it's a touchy product that could easily overpower a look. Obviously don't go crazy and pour it all over your head, but applying a little can give you a glistening style sure to turn heads.

Added bonus: The Chi Silk Infusion can also be used as a pre-styling product and helps protect your hair from heat as well. 

There you have it guys. My top go-to products. Some may stick around during the test of time, while others may change, but as of now these are the products I've chosen to keep my hair strong and healthy.

If you find other options that you think I should try or could be better suited, please let me know! I'd love to try them out and either add to this post or create an updated one in the future. 

Happy Wednesday Jedi's and may the force be with you all.