Long Hair Woes & A 101 Care Guide
For the first time in 26 years, I can finally say that I've got long hair. It's something that I've always wanted but my hair never seemed to be able to grow past a certain length but now it finally has I'm officially a member of the long haired girls club. So today I've got a little 101 care guide for you and some tongue in cheek woes that we all know to be true.
GROWING YOUR HAIR
We all know the beauty industry likes to pedal us products that will supposedly help our hair to grow. But there really are no products that will directly do that and the biggest factor I've found to helping your hair grow is your diet, lifestyle, genetics and how well you treat it. Here are a few things I've found to help my own hair grow and get past those stubborn stages;
- Keeping heat styling to a minimum.
- Regular hair cuts and treatments.
- A balanced diet.
- Not washing as often and letting my hair enjoy it's natural oils.
- A whole load of patience.
LONG HAIR WOES
- Having a hair tie for when you eat is a necessity as you will dip your hair into whatever you're eating.
- Being choked/strangled/suffocated by your own hair is something that happens at least once a day.
- Washing and blowdrying is something that takes a big time chunk out of your day so it can only happen a couple of times a week.
- Brushing your hair is almost like a wrestling match but a great arm workout.
- Your hair will scare you at least once a day by touching various parts of your body.
- Getting it trapped in a car door is a regular issue.
- Finding a hair tie that can actually hold up your hair is quite an achievement.
- In the winter it's perfect for keeping you warm but in the summer it's like wearing a hairy blanket on your head.
101 CARE GUIDE
TANGLE TEEZER*: I've been a loyal user of the Tangle Teezer for years. I've got such fine hair but I've got a lot of it so it becoming knotty is a big issue for me. I dread to think of how much hair I yanked out of my head in the years that I wasn't using a TT. Of course, nothing will make getting knots out of your hair completely pain-free but this certainly helps and now they have a lot of different brushes for different hair types. My favourite is the Aqua Splash as it's a lot easier to grip as the only downside to this brush is that they can fly out of your hand.
BUMBLE AND BUMBLE SUNDAY SHAMPOO: Whatever type of hair you have and at whatever length it is you've probably experienced product build up at some point. So any type of clarifying shampoo is great to have around. I personally love this cult classic from Bumble & Bumble as I don't find it leaves my hair feeling stripped or dry. With minimal use, it doesn't strip my hair of the colour that I put into it either. Which is important when using a product like this with coloured tresses. It leaves my hair feeling so light and clean that it will always have a home in my haircare routine.
CHARLES WORTHINGTON VOLUME & BOUNCE SPRAY: Having long hair that's naturally stick straight and has no volume at all isn't something I personally like the look of. It makes me feel like one of those dogs with long hair. So getting volume into it that stays around can be a tough brief and one of the best products that I've ever found is this spray from Charles Worthington. It gives the hair volume and texture but it also holds it in place as it's also a hairspray. Even though it holds the hair it's easily brushed out and doesn't leave the hair feeling sticky or tacky.
OGARIO HAIR MASK*: Often hair masks can be a complete waste of time and do very little for the hair. However, this mask from Ogario does exactly what it says on the tub. Even after one use, I always notice that my hair feels incredibly strong and even the ends that tend to look dull are shiny once again. It's quite expensive but you need so little due to its thick almost buttery consistency. So you will get a lot of use from just one tub which makes it a lot more cost effective. Rather than constantly having to buy those sachets that most hair care brands offer.
MARIA NILA HEAT DEFENCE*: Applying any type of heat on your hair isn't advisable. However we all like to add a little extra style to our tresses so trying to protect our hair as much as possible is important. Whilst I've used a number of different heat protectants from many price points I really like this one from Maria Nila*. It feels like more a cream when sprayed into the hair so it feels a little more nourishing than your typical heat defence that often just makes the hair feel damp. I've also found it to help hold the hair in style just a little longer than the others I've used which is great for second-day curls.
OXG KERATIN SPRAY: Keratin is a great ingredient to have in any hair care product because it helps to strengthen the hair. However, it's important not to go overboard with it as using it too often can make the hair so strong that it will snap. Which of course isn't something that anyone wants. Using something keratin infused at least once a week has made a big difference in the strength of my hair and I find that I lose a lot less hair when using a product like this in my routine. The brand OGX has a whole keratin infused line and it isn't too pricey either and is often on offer.
What are your favourite products to use on long hair? Or have you got any comical woes?
R x
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