I love having longer hair because I feel it gives me more options to style it, and also I’m lazy and I hate going to get my hair cut. It’s currently extremely long and goes down to the middle of my back. In order for me to have hair this long, the most important factor is keeping it healthy. That means trying to have as minimal heat as possible, and doing my best to keep my hair from having any additional damage and keeping it healthy. I have pretty fine hair, but a lot of it and it gets oily very fast. This means I wash my hair everyday, and tend to stay away from heavy products that weigh my hair down. I rounded up some one my absolute favorite hair care items that help with the health of your hair that I use every day and can’t live without. And they’re all under $50.
- A deep conditioner/mask
Sometimes your hair just needs a little extra love, so once a week I try to use a deep conditioner or hair mask to either give my hair extra hydration, or to help with any damage I have to my hair like split ends. My two favorites are the Briogeo Don’t despair repair deep conditioning mask, and the Oleplex 3 hair perfectot. The Briogeo deep conditioning mask I use when my hair is feeling a little crispy at the end, and after just using it once I can notice a difference. The Oleplex 3 is a bond repair, so it helps reduce the amount of breakage and strengthen your hair from within. Both have helped my hair immensely, and I cant go without either.
- Anti residue shampoo
If you use hair products like heat protectant, volumizing or texturizing spray, you can end up with residue in your hair. You may not be able to see it, but it can build up in your hair and weigh it down. I love getting any volume I can get out of my hair, so I use an anti residue shampoo to get rid of any build up at least once a month. Ouai always has amazing products and has one available for $30, but I also LOVE the Neutrogena one that you can find at any drug store for about $8.
- A wet brush
There are many similar products to this brush, but I have found nothing is quite as good as the original wet brush. The bristles are specially made to alleviate putting stress on your hair, which can help prevent damage to your hair like split ends and breakage. It may look like a regular cheap brush, but it can cut through any tangles while still being gentle on your hair. I love it so much I own multiple, including mini size versions to I don’t have to travel without one.
- Microfiber hair towels
Almost nothing is as damaging to your hair as heat damage. After I get out of the shower, I wrap my hair in a microfiber hair towel. It’s much more gentle on your hair than a regular towel, and also helps cut down on frizz. Instead of having to wait forever for my hair to air dry, or aggressively rubbing my hair with a towel, I simply wrap and twist my hair into the hair wrap, and leave it on until I’m done doing my make up or getting ready. By then my hair is still damp, but much drier than it would be without anything.
- Hair oil
My hair tends to get oily very quickly, so I had always stayed away from hair oils. But it’s how you use them that makes a difference. I’ve been using the traditional Morrocain Oil for years, but only a few drop on my damp hair. It helps my hair dry a little bit quicker, and ads a nice healthy shine. I put a few drops in my palms, and rub my palms together and then evenly coat my hair to ensure I don’t put too much in one spot to make it heavy or weighed down. The Gisou oil I saw all over Instagram, and ordered the mini size bottle ($25) to try, and I love it. I use a VERY small amount, like 1-2 drops, on my hair after I’ve styled it. It helps add shine and tame any fly aways, and smells amazing. Because I use so little of each oil, the small bottles last me a very long time.
Despite all these items, the best thing that has helped my hair is to not use heat (blow dryers, curling irons, etc) as much as possible, since these products can only help so much!
Shades and Stripes 
Leave a comment