Beauty

This might come off as a bit self indulgent, but it’s a routine that developed really naturally over the last five years, and something I honestly very much enjoy. My hair is naturally really fine, and I don’t have much of it. So when I started using heat on it in high school, it started getting damaged, which led to regular visits to a local salon, which led to dumd decisions like highlights. I got used to my hair becoming coarse and breaking but I was styling it so much it didn’t matter.

Then I older, kept dyeing, kept styling, and in my 20’s it was bleached (ombre was cool) it was different colors and then I started adding extensions, which just broke the hell out of my brittle hair. One day I was at a friends, and I had had some wine, and I pulled out my extensions on my head and eye lashes and ripped off my fake nails and proclaimed “I want to be a real girl!” From that time on, I had to just deal with what felt like a very naked head of hair and knew right away I had to make some serious changes to get through it. So this started from that short list and developed into these little changes that have become my norm:

• Stop using so much  heat. Get to love your hair for its natural texture if you can. If you can find a way to let it air dry most of the time, you’re stoked. If you can, just run the dryer or an iron through the ends. Of course, there are so many wonderful heating tools that inflict a lot less damage, and yes, you can use a protective spray, but not as much heat just helps.

• This is personal to me, but I stopped coloring my hair. I get a gloss every once in a while, but I was over coloring and highlighting.

• Try to avoid rubber bands, use soft hair ties and clips.

• Sleep hygiene: I brush my hair upside down - the tingle is incredible. Then I make sure I secure my hair in a way thats not too tight, but going to keep it from getting tangled while I sleep. This usually means a ponytail, lose braid, or up in a bun and always with a scrunchy.

• Chia Seeds - I swear, when I consume a lot of chia seeds my hair grows like crazy.

• Supplements: My god there are so many! I’ve tried A LOT and these are my fav: Moon Juice Super Hair, Hum Hair Sweet Hair, Nutrafol, Viviscal (this guy made my hair grow like crazy but caused some acne).

• Hair products: Once a week I use Crown Affair Deep Conditioner - it is the best hair product I’ve ever used, as is their Hydrating Hair Oil. I use a variety of clean shampoos and conditioners, I really think this is so personal so I’ll leave it up to you. Additionally, once a week I use a scalp detox, which is either Goop’s _____ or Sunday Riley Clean Rinse Clarifying Scalp Serum. If you want something super way affordable, sometimes I spray Apple Cider Vinegar on my scalp, let it sit for a second, and then add baking soda and scrub.