Hair Care and Products.

Taken approx. two months ago just my hair was bleached and dyed.
Please excuse the poor skin and make up.

Anyone who knows me knows I'm obsessed with hair. I love hair. Anyone's hair. It doesn't have to be my own. As much as I love hair, mine is no way near in the best condition at the moment. I recently bleached it (then had to have it hacked) and dyed it red. At the moment I'm just trying to get it back to good condition.

However, before I bleached my hair I think I could say I had nice and healthy hair. Even now, I think I look after it pretty well considering I'm attempting to repair it. Tomorrow I will be uploading my tips for maintaining coloured hair.

I've compiled a list of hair product must have and my recommendations for you all. I've also researched each product and attempted to explain why you should use them. 

Shampoo & Conditioner

Shampoo is obviously a hair essential. It's a product used to remove oil, dirt, dandruff/skin and/or other pollutants that may be in your hair. When you wash your hair, the shampoo and water opens up the hair shaft to cleanse it. 

Unless you have reallllly oily hair, try not to wash it everyday. Washing hair daily strips it of its natural oils. It may also remove dye from colour treated hair

My shampoo recommendations (what I use)

• Redken All Soft Shampoo
• De Lorenzo Nova Fusion Colour Care Shampoo in Fire Red

After shampooing, it's vital that you condition your hair. Conditioner closes the hair follicles that have been opened by shampoo. It also aims to alter the texture and/or appearance if hair by adding moisture and protein whilst de-tangling and de-frizzing it.

My conditioner recommendations (what I use)

• Redken All Soft Condition
• De Lorenzo Nova Fusion Colour Care Conditioner

By the way, the Redken All Soft range is amazing and leaves hair feeling like silk.

Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo is a water free spray (from an aerosol can) that works within the same principles as shampoo. It absorbs all the oils and nasties in hair to refresh it between washes. Some people also swear that dry shampoo adds great body and texture to hair when it's sprayed on the roots.

My dry shampoo recommendations (what I use)

• Toni & Guy Refreshing Dry Shampoo
• De Lorenzo (ET) Essential Treatments Absorb

Dry shampoo can sometimes leave a white residue in your hair (although you can by colour specific ones now) so be sure to brush it out.

Leave-In Conditioner

A leave-in conditioners is applied to the mid-lengths and ends of towel dried shampooed and conditioned hair. It de-tangles and moisturises hair whilst adding protein and/or lots of other goodness! I swear by mine. The type of leave-in conditioner you use should be determined by your hair type.

My leave-in conditioner recommendations (what I use or have used)

• Redken Real Control Crema Care
• L'Oreal Professional Expert Absolut Repair
• Aveda Elixir Leave On Conditioner

Be sure to not use too much leave-in conditioner. You don't want your mid-lengths and/or ends to be come oily.

Hair Treatment

Hair treatments protect, moisturise and protein to hair. All hair treatments are different and they all serve a different purpose. Treatments are great for damaged hair. If possible, they should be applied weekly and left in for as long as possible. For directions on how to use hair treatments, check the packaging.

My hair treatment recommendations (what I use or have used)

• De Lorenzo Essential Treatments Equilibrium
• Redken Real Control Intense Renewal
• Aveda Cherry Almond Bark Conditioning Treatment

Only apply a hair treatment to the mid-lengths and/or ends of your hair. You do not want the roots of your hair to become an oily mess.

Heat Protector

A heat protector should always be applied to hair before it is styled with heat of any kind (straightener, curler, blow dryer etc). They act as a barrier between hair and heat to prevent unnecessary damage. Although heat protectors are normally sprays, they come in many forms. 

My heat protection recommendations (what I use)

• De Lorenzo Elements Extinguish

I use this every day, even when I don't plan on heat styling my hair. Also, heat protector can be applied to wet or dry hair.

Curl Enhance

To be honest, I don't know the logistics surrounding curl enhancers and I couldn't find necessary information online. All curl enhancers aim to tame 'wild manes', define and maintain curls whilst limiting frizz and providing hold. My hair is very temperamental. Some days it's super curly, other days it's a frizzy hot mess! I use a curl enhancer whenever I know I'll be wearing my hair out to manage it more manageable and, well, 'pretty'. 

My heat protection recommendations (what I use)

• Aveda Be Curly
• Rockstar Rock the Curls
• De Lorenzo Barrel Wave

For best results, scrunch your curl enhancer through towel dried hair. The top two I've listed are definitely my favourites. De Lorenzo Barrel Wave isn't suited to my hair, however it works wonders on other people.

Sea Salt Spray

Sea salt sprays mean to mimic the effect that ocean water has on your hair. You know that awesome look your hair gets once you've been in the ocean? Yeah, that. They generally have great hold (however, spray in moderation).

My sea salt spray recommendations (what I use)

• De Lorenzo Elements Ocean Mist

For best results, scrunch sea salt spray through towel dried hair. Seal salt sprays can also be used to enhance curls. However, in saying that, they work great on people with 'straightish' hair too by adding body and oomph. 

Mousse

Hair mousse is a light weight styling foam dispensed from an aerosol can and can be used to add volume and/or shine to hair of any type. It is often used by people with curly hair (naturally or permed) to add and define curl whilst reducing frizz. 

My hair mousse recommendations (what I use)

• L'Oreal Professional Colour Show Volume Mousse
• VO5 Syling Mousse

For best results, scrunch mousse through towel dried hair. Only use a small amount at a time to prevent 'crunchy' hair.

Always look your best,

Sophie

x

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