Hi friends, I have had many questions about what I am doing for my hair since I posted a before-and-after photo in my Instagram store a few weeks back, and today, I am happy to share my best tips for happy and healthy hair with you.
DEALING WITH HAIR LOSS AS WE AGE
My hair has suffered the last few years, and I have noticed lots of breakage and thinning since turning 40, so I decided to start doing something about it. I knew this would be a slow process and take time to see results.
I was so tired of living with my dull, lifeless hair. Years of color processing had taken its toll. Some of my daily habits, such as drinking well water daily, contributed to its state. Womp, Womp!
It was time to revamp my hair care routine and give my hair the love it deserved. In this blog post, I will share with you my approach to achieving healthy hair, including what supplements I started taking and the impact of changing certain lifestyle choices, such as ditching the sleeping mask, avoiding tight ponytails, and switching to a silk pillowcase has done to get my hair back in the right direction.
Below is my hair about a year apart. I was shook when I saw the difference. I still have a long way to go, but my hair feels stronger, healthier, and fuller.
SUPPLEMENTS & SERUMS I ADDED TO HELP GET MY HEALTHY HAIR BACK
One of the first things I did when I started this journey was to order a three-month supply of Nutrafol and a 3-pack of this Vegamour Grow serum. Both are pricey, and I knew it would be a commitment time and money-wise, but I decided to go for it. I will note that I switched to Visviscal after my three months on Nutrafol because I was sent a 6-month supply for free and decided to switch. I can now report that both worked for me. Consistency is the absolute key here.
MY THOUGHTS ON NUTRAFOL
I DO think the Nutrafol was working, but I found them extremely difficult to get down, and you had to take four giant pills a day. ( I know some people have reported stomach issues with Nutrafol, and my advice is if you decide to go for it, to split them up and take two in the morning and two at night with food to make things easier on yourself). It is an investment, but I think it is worth a try. I would commit to 6 months at least and make sure you take them CONSISTENTLY, or you will probably not see good results. They make several different types, and I was using the one for Women over 40.
WHY I SWITCHED TO VIVISCAL
Viviscal is more affordable and much easier to stomach, as you only take two pills daily instead of four. I have had good results with it and will probably stick with it. Different things work for different people, but I had success with both, so I guess just pick one and try and see what happens. Just remember, it is a marathon, and you need to commit for at least six months before you even start to see results.
VEGAMOUR SERUM
I think the Vegamour Serum has also made a big difference in my hair, but I can’t speak to how it would work independently, as I have only ever used this in combination with the Hair supplements. I use one dropper daily and apply it to my part and the front of my hairline. I then take a couple of minutes to massage it into my scalp. It is not greasy, but I prefer to use it at night to give it a chance to soak in or right after I was and towel dry my hair before styling it. I will continue to use this as I see a difference in the density along my hairline.
HAIR OILING WEEKLY
My hairstylist told me Rosemary oil was good for hair growth, so I recently started incorporating this Mielle Hair Oil into my routine. I do it every other time I wash my hair, and so far, I love it. I can’t attest yet to whether it is helping my hair thickness, but it certainly makes my hair look and feel so soft and healthy. I apply it to my roots all over my scalp and massage it in. Then, I comb it through to the ends, put it in a ponytail, and rub some more oil into my ends. I let this sit as long as possible before washing my hair. It is super affordable, won the Allure Reders Choice award this year, and has thousands of 5-star reviews. Worth a shot. I would start with this stuff if you are on a tight budget.
THINGS I STOPPED DOING TO HELP MY HAIR GET HEALTHY AGAIN
I also stopped doing a few things to help my hair get healthy again. It is incredible how some daily habits can sabotage hair health and contribute to breakage, lifeless, and dull hair. Here are a few things I stopped doing that I was doing almost daily.
I STOPPED PULLING MY HAIR BACK – I was pulling my hair into a ponytail almost daily, and it was wreaking havoc on my hair. I noticed hair loss at my hairline and breakage right at the lower back of my hair, EXACTLY where I would always have my ponytail. It was a tough habit to break, but now, when I need to pull my hair back, I either use one of these clips or these silk hair scrunchies.
I STOPPED WEARING A SLEEP MASK AT NIGHT – I relied on my nightly sleep mask to help me get a good night’s sleep, and I have since weaned myself off it. I now only use them in hotel rooms and on the occasional morning when I want to sleep in. I now have blacout curtains in y bedroom and they work great.
I STOPPED WEARING BASEBALL CAPS FREQUENTLY – This is a lot harder to do in the summertime, but I now try to wear them very loosely on my head instead of having them sit tight on my scalp. I am also using more regular sun hats now that I feel they are much easier on my hair. This one is packable and my absolute favorite summer hat.
I STOPPED HEAT STYLING MY HAIR AS MUCH – I now wait until my hair is almost completely dry to use any heat styling tool, and I never skip a heat protectant. I mostly rely on this hairdryer when I need to blow dry and style my hair. It uses patented LightCare™ technology and is much healthier on your hair. I love it.
HAIR PRODUCTS I STARTED USING FOR HEALTHY HAIR
I also started paying more attention to the hair products I used. A bonding shampoo and conditioner has been a massive help in getting my existing hair to look shiny and smooth again. Heat protectant is now a nonnegotiable, and I use hair masks and a bond repair treatment religiously. Here are my favorites:
BONDING SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER | There are many bonding shampoos on the market now, but my hairstylist recommends and swears by Olaplex, so who am I to question an expert? It is pricey, but a little bit of product goes a long way, so it lasts a good long while. I use their shampoo and conditioner, but I love a more affordable option. If you want something more affordable, try this shampoo and conditioner.
HAIR MASKS | I tend to use a lot of masks now, and they have made my hair look so much better. I alternate depending on my mood and hair goals on that day, but I love and recommend all of the following:
BOND REPAIR TREATMENT | This has made the most significant difference in my hair. I use this every other hair wash, and my hair looks so much better now. I started with this Olaplex Bonding Repair treatment, but putting it into clean, damp hair for 10 minutes and washing it out was a hassle, so I switched to this one with no regrets. I simply apply it after I wash and condition my hair and wait 10 minutes before applying my other products and styling it. Easy Peasy. Again, the bottle seems small, but one pump is enough for my mid-length hair.
HEAT PROTECTANT | This is SO important for the health of your hair. If you heat style your hair, you MUST use heat protection to prevent breakage. I use and love two heat protection products.
CHANGE YOUR SHEETS
One of the best things you can do for your hair and skin is to switch to 100% mulberry silk pillowcases. They reduce friction in your hair, causing less split ends and breakage, and for your skin, it is one of my biggest anti-aging tips. Silk pillowcases cause fewer wrinkles because the smooth quality of the fabric produces less friction, which means it won’t tug at your skin as much as a fabric like cotton. Further, it will not absorb the skincare you applied to your face. Don’t be fooled by cheap imitations and satin pillowcases. They are not the same. These pillowcases are my favorites. It’s pricey but worth it.
ADD A WATER FILTER
Before moving into our current home, I didn’t know what well water was. Suddenly, my hair became dull and lifeless, and I didn’t know why. I finally figured it out and added a filter to my shower head. It was like a miracle. This showerhead is great.
In conclusion, all of these changes combined have worked well for me, and I am so much happier with how my hair looks and feels now. I also trim my hair every 6-8 weeks to keep the ends healthy. I hope you find this helpful and have enjoyed reading my best tips for healthy hair.
XO,
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