Once I hit 30, I had an overwhelming need to simplify my beauty routines; started with hair, working on skincare, and I might never streamline my makeup routine (but I’m okay with that).
My hair hasn’t changed much over the years - long, straight, brown. When I lived in NYC I had a bob to my chin (I went to the same salon as Kerry Russel!), and I had it to my shoulders after donating my hair to Locks of Love twice. But other than that, it’s stayed the same because it’s what works best for me.
Although you can see previous hair posts here, here, and here, I’ve updated my “finalized” routine.
Hair Cut and Color
I get it cut and the roots touched up every 10-12 weeks (I see Neddy from Stylists at North here in Old Town Alexandria, VA), and about every third visit she pulls the color all the way through my hair just to brighten and refresh.
Shampoo and Conditioner
Usually Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays are hair wash days, with Saturday being the clarifying/deep conditioning day.
For general cleansing, I love this shampoo and conditioner. This clean haircare softens, heals, and protects my hair better than any other of the multitudes of products I’ve tried, and I find I only need a small amount so the 8.5-oz bottles last nearly a year.
When I want a deep clean to remove dead skin and product buildup, I have to credit my friend Kristin. She gave me this detox shampoo as a birthday gift, and I’ve never looked back. While many deep-clean shampoos tend to make my hair feel coarse and limp, this one actually seems to add body and life.
I like to follow the detox shampoo with a conditioning hair mask, and I prefer this one even to higher-end brands like Karastase and Oribe.
One tip: wash hair, rise, apply conditioner just to the lengths, then tie hair in a low bun with a soft scrunchie as soon as you start the shower. The conditioner has time to soak in, then give it a solid rinse at the very end. This allows the product to really work, resulting in more shiny, smooth hair.
Blow Dry
For my particular face shape, I need lots of body on top and sleek and smooth towards the ends - like an upside-down triangle. So I’ve used this smoothing hair primer that also protects against heat for years, and I put it just on the lengths.
After a rough dry, I use a mousse for body only on the roots, then dry completely.
Next, the hair at the crown gets wrapped around rollers to set while I do my makeup - I do this instead of round-brushing! Before rolling the hair though, this is key: blast the roots with a little volumizing spray to really add height, then roll, then shoot a little hot air from the dryer on each roller for a couple of seconds to help lock in the volume.
Hair Style
Using a straightener and wide-toothed comb, I like to gently brush the hair and straighten small sections, then take town each roller, back comb at the roots, and straighten the lengths.
Finally, just brush through everything and apply an oil to seal in the shine!
Hair Upkeep
On days when I’m not washing my strands, I like to refresh with a great dry shampoo before working out, and apply a strengthening lotion at night for added protection.
Final Thoughts
Truly, the best hair products are the ones that work for your hair and your lifestyle. I’m high-maintenance, and I’m cool with it because I’m the one doing all the work! But it is a lot of work.
I hope you’ve found some products you love and maybe some new techniques to try!
-JY