current hair faves
Helloooooo. Happy almost-Friday! SO ready for the weekend. Anything fun coming up? We’re having some friends over for dinner tomorrow night and the Pilot and I also have a date night planned. We have no idea what we’re doing yet, but want to try something fun and different. If you’re from San Diego or have visited, and have any ideas, I’d love to hear them!
So today, let’s talk about hair!
It’s interesting to me how much hair changes over time. My thick and wavy mane has been a constant in my life, but the texture and products that will tame said mane have changed throughout the years. I only wash my hair a couple of times a week -more if I’m teaching and get in a particularly sweaty class or workout- and find that when I wash it less, it’s cuts down on the damage and dryness. My hair is a bit damaged from bleaching it last year, and the ends have been getting a little splitty as of late. Time for a haircut and deep conditioning treatment.
(Fresh hair + a blowout feels SO GOOD.)
I always love hearing about new products, so I thought I’d share some of my all-time favorite hair gear. Since my mom is a hair stylist, she’s hooked me up with some of the latest and greatest, and I have some new faves to include in the products below. Please shout yours out in the comments! I always love your recommendations.
Shampoo:
Pureology shampoo is what I’ll usually use. I only wash my hair about twice a week (more if I’m teaching or taking a sweaty workout class) and find that it helps to keep my hair from getting as dried out and damaged. I’ll usually let it air dry one night, curl it with curlers or the curling iron the next day, let those curls last a couple of days and repeat.
After P was born, my hair (close to the scalp) started to get really oily as my hormones have been adjusting. The Honest Company shampoo helped a ton with this. I still use it often, but find that it’s a little more drying that the Pureology.
I change up my shampoos every so often, based on what I get when I’m traveling (I’ll get the mini bottles from Whole Foods or Sephora to try new brands), because it seems like my hair responds well to something new/fresh. I love the Kiss My Face shampoo, Yes To, Paul Mitchell, Bumble & Bumble,and Carol’s Daughter.
Conditioner:
This is where I don’t get to creative or experimental. I’m really weird about conditioner, and they usually either feel too greasy, or too “thin” for my hair. I want a thick conditioner that really feels like it’s repairing my hair, without feeling like it’s hanging around all day. One of the very few that will do this: Nexxus. It’s not expensive, you can get a giant bottle at Target or Costco, and it does the trick. I feel like whenever I try a different conditioner, I feel disappointed. It’s also not worth it for me to get super pricey bottles of conditioner since I use way more than I should. I glop that ish all over the bottom half of my hair.
Mask:
This mask is BRILLIANT. Julie was the first person who told me about this, after I had hacked my hair off following Liv’s birth and was trying to grow it back. It totally works. It takes a while, but I noticed a difference in my hair’s length within a month or so, and my hair grows slowly. It smells amaaaaazing, and I’ll use it a couple of times a week. I also like to use this homemade mask every now and again since we always have the ingredients on hand, and it makes my hair super soft.
Dry shampoo:
If it’s one of the days I’m not washing my hair, dry shampoo to the rescue. The Ojon is the best I’ve tried, and I also like the Living Proof. I’ll get a mini bottle and stash it in my gym bag or in my purse.
Style:
Heat protectant. I didn’t start using heat protectant until last year. *monkey covering face emoji* I didn’t think that I need it because I usually let my hair air dry… and then fry it up with my styling wand haha. My hairstylist here in SD recommended this one (<— on sale right now, too!), and I can’t rave about it enough. For starters, it smells like a beautiful perfume. (Sometimes I’ll just rub a little on the ends of my dry hair to make it smell good!) It’s also extremely lightweight. I’ve noticed a difference in the appearance of my hair since I’ve been using it.
This hairdryer. Like I mentioned before, I let my hair air dry most of the time. If for some reason we don’t have time before leaving somewhere (and I don’t want to look like a wet rat), I’ll blow-dry it with a paddle brush. I’ve had this blowdryer for years, and if anything were to happen to it, this is the same one I would get.
This styling wand (<— also on awesome sale right now). I destroyed this one in Italy (rookie move), and had to replace it eventually because it works so well. it heats up extremely fast and the curls last a long time. I’m also a bit of a butterfingers and this one is easy for me to use without burning myself. 😉
A good straightener. I have this one, which heats up quickly and works really well. The plates are a little too wide to use for good waves though, so I mostly use it to tame things if I’m wearing my hair straight.
This is THE BEST hair spray I’ve used. It holds extremely well, and isn’t overly fragrant or sticky.
Oil:
I like to use a couple of different oils on my hair: Moroccan before blowdrying, and Argan after it’s already dry. I just add a little bit to the ends for moisture. I prefer the Argan Oil light to the original, because it’s an equally-hydrating lighter version. If I don’t use an oil, I’ll switch things up with this shine balm.
The hair routine usually looks like this: shampoo, condition, mask (a couple of times a week, Moroccan oil and/or heat protectant, air dry. Next day: curl with curling iron or tame the ends with the straightener, hair spray, oil or shine balm on the ends. Repeat every few days. 🙂
(How-to for this braid is here!)
So tell me friends, what’s your #1 must-have hair product or tool? Also, important life question: paddle brush, or round brush?
Have a wonderful day and I’ll see ya later on the Family page!
xoxo
G
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Love when you do beauty posts! Like chatting and sharing beauty secrets with a friend 🙂 I am loving the bumble and bumble air dry cream right now. I also love their de-frizz serum! I let my hair air dry about 99% of the time. I use my straightener or curling wand if I want to look extra put together. I actually just got a new curling wand from the brand NuMe. Its awesome and the price is right! Hope you are doing well xoxo
I LOVE everything about this post! I actually showed my hairdresser this picture of your hair ( I saw it in another post last year and had to have my layers look like it!:)) you were kind enough to recommend the Keratese heat protectant to me when I asked about it some months back in a comment and I love it! I wish my perfume smelled liked this, lol! Also use the Lee Stafford growth treatment (saw it on your blog awhile back) and love it! I used to pick it up from Ulta, but they aren’t carrying it anymore:(. I will try the curlee,I’m terrible at curling my hair, it just never comes out right:( I also like Redken Out shine mist- I just mist after I’m all done styling and it makes my hair shiny without looking greasy. I am Italian and my hair looks like yours pretty much. Sometimes I diffuse it and wear it curly to save on all the best and straightening. I use a big ceramic round brush and blowdry it then use my straightener to smooth and attempt to use a curling iron. I only wash twice a week too- I had asked my friend who has gorgeous smooth and shiny hair what her secret was and she said ” i only wash once a week!”
Like reading beauty posts on the blog! I’ll have to check some of these out. Dry shampoo is a must for me because I try not to wash my hair every day. I really like the Batiste brand because it’s inexpensive (about $6 a bottle) and I go through it fairly quickly. I also stand by Wen conditioner. It’s pricey but lasts me a long time (case in point, I’m still working on a bottle of pumpkin spice I bought last fall). And lastly, obsessed with the Wet brushes, too. They are the best I’ve ever found for detangling.
Have you been to Eddie V’s in La Jolla? The dinner is good but the view is killer and their dessert is on another level.
I LOVE verb shampoo and conditioner. I have tried most of their products and they are all awesome. Really helped with my post partum itchy scalp and hair loss. I try to stick to organic beauty products. I like the acure shampoos and conditioners. I love badgers hair oil and I use a mixture of rosemary, cedarwood, lavender, and geranium essential oils in a glass spray bottle mixed with water to help my hair grow. I’ve been having major hair loss since having my son 18 months ago. It’s been going strong for a straight year so I’m trying everything to keep it attached to my head and growing longer. (I did the post baby hair chop too. 🙁 after each kiddo.) Love your beauty posts! Would love to see more. As a mom of 2 as well it is nice getting advice from a fellow mom. 🙂
I’ve been using that Moroccan oil for years now and love it! It saves my hair from all the time I’m in the pool. Chlorine is killer!
I’ve been craving a hair cut for a few weeks now and this post makes me want to run out and pull the trigger!
Nothing makes me go from blah to glam in 45 minutes like a good blowout. Your hair looks fantastic. I highlighted my hair for the first time two years ago and still am feeling like it’s not as healthy as before. I’m definitely going to try the leave in conditioner and heat protector you recommended. Thanks for the tips 🙂
Moroccan oil has a shampoo and an anti frizz spray I adore. The weather is Austin is oh so humid and the spray and the shampoo really help.
Sounds like we have very similar hair (and very similar routine in that we don’t wash it that often—haha). I have a hard time using conditioner or oils that don’t (seemingly) weigh down my hair or react weird to heat (i.e. making my hair smell weird) (which means I have to wash it again which is annoying!) so I’m still looking for those magic products.
My number one tool is definitely my straightening iron (a salon-quality Chi…not one of the plastic ones). Also a big fan of my paddle brush from Aveda.
I am so bookmarking this post! I have very fine hair so it’s hard to find the right products.
My favorite hair product is call Phytodéfrisant, it’s a botanical straightening balm by Phyto (available at Sephora). I tried A LOT of hair products in the past, this one outstand all of them. And it’s not only efficient, it’s also a time saver. FYI I have long and wavy hair like yours, this doesn’t get rid of the waves, it structured them.
i haven’t even heard of this! must check it out
Fun to see what other people use in their hair! I absolutely can’t live without dry shampoo. I usually only wash my hair maybe 2 times per week and rely on dry shampoo, especially after workouts!
Love this post! Always fun to learn about favorite products. I love Moroccan oil and use it daily! I also love the mask Julie told us about. I use Align when I want to control my waves and straighten my hair.. it also smells amazing!
http://www.amazon.com/Redken-Align-Protective-Smoothing-Lotion/dp/B00IYXTQKA?ie=UTF8&keywords=align%20hair&qid=1460659330&ref_=sr_1_2_a_it&sr=8-2
I also wash twice a week.
I bought your curling iron when you first did and use it all the time now.
My hair person said that virtually any product works as ‘heat treatment’, even just the oils. Though yours sounds terrific and I might try it. I tend to hesitate to put oil on my air just because of washing it so seldom. I know– just do the ends.
Your hair photos are so pretty.
thank you, friend. it sounds like our hair routines are pretty similar! oil used to freak me out too, but it makes the ends look so much better
hope you have a happy weekend!
Your hair is amazing! What are the natural hair qualities that you find yourself picking products for? I would love to shampoo less, but I work out a lot and it tends to get oily if I don’t wash it every day.
You should do this for date night! http://ecoronado.com/event/coronado-salute-military-ball/
Also, thanks for the hair tips 🙂 I’m majorly impressed by your hair braiding skills– that is a talent I do NOT have.
$735 is totally reasonable for date night, right?
hahah! i wonder if tom was invited! i’ll have to ask him. i want to play dress up 🙂
Ahh you should go! And post about it on Monday 🙂 I want to but j don’t have a date, womp womp haha
I have naturally curly hair and fought it for years! I now finally embrace it and appreciate how simple it is to style. I love Deva Curl light defining gel. I scrunch some in my damp hair, let it air dry, and style my bangs and I’m good to go!
#1 hair fave: Bumble & Bumble’s “Sunday” shampoo. Totally changed my life. After moving, my hair was suddenly extra weighted and oily from the water. The first time I used the shampoo I could literally feel grease, grime, old product, whatever was left, washing away down the drain and my hair has been smooth, shiny, and light ever since. Can’t rave about it enough!
I recently got into Acure shampoo and conditioner and it’s amazing!! It has no parabens, sulfates, etc. It does wonders for the hair, too!
The Marine Room is definitely one of my favorite date spots! You have to check it out if you haven’t. Also, my husband took me to Island Prime recently for the first time and it was ahhhhmazing. So was the view! I love this city. ??
oh i will check them out! thank you!
Hi Gina! Love your blog – true inspiration! I checked out orange theory recently and oh.my.gosh. I’m in love! Such a great jumpstart after baby!
A cute lil date spot is barrel room, have you heard of it? It’s up in rancho Bernardo- it’s a lil far from you but I promise it’s worth the drive. The wine, food and atmosphere is perfect! Let me know if you try it.
yay so glad you loved it!!
AHHHH i checked out the website. happening!
I also use that Morrocan oil – love it. My stylist here got me hooked on this Davines NouNou hair mask that has done amazing things for repairing all the damage I’ve done with color/heat. I use it about once per week.
We went on a date to Urban Solace in North Park this week – highly recommend. I’m still thinking about the salted carmel pot de creme dessert!
AHHHHHHHHH you had me at salted caramel.
what a FUN post! i’m insanely lazy when it comes to my hair…havent blow dried it for probably 2 years? i work out after work, shower and night, and just throw it up/braid it and let it dry…twice a week if i’m lucky, ha. however, my mom is nuts about her hair routine, so these are some awesome ideas for mother’s day!
I finally bought the styling wand you recommend (i have been debating since the making waves post years ago)…. it is amazing! I have never been able to curl my hair well until this! Thanks so much for all the great recommendations!
I love the shampoo and conditioner from Beaty counter. It’s super inexpensive and I love the way it leaves my hair feeling light. Andddd it’s got a fab ingredient list, something I’ve struggled to find!