From the first time I dyed my hair, I’ve learnt a lot. However, in the first 2/3 years I think it’s pretty safe to say I didn’t learn anything! The very first time I had my hair dyed I was 15. It went very badly really, I was a little emo kid who was longing for a bit of colour in my life, and on my head. So, one day my auntie came to visit, my mum told her that I wanted to dye my hair, so she offered to do it for me! So, I can’t remember if there was any bleach involved but I had an awful salmon-y toned look to my fringe for a good amount of weeks.
The salmon lasted longer than it probably should have, so around the age of 16, I decided to give it a go again. This time, I was going for the dark side! Black is a colour that I have honestly missed, there have been a number of times I have nearly approached my hairdresser and just said “Just dye it black!” but a part of me just can’t leave the bright side. If only we had proper alter ego’s, eh? Wigs just don’t do it justice!
When I was 17 I wanted my hair done like Paramore’s Hayley Williams… so I did! This was really the start of it. I continued to constantly dye my hair for the next 4 years, until I decided to have a break. Then my hair-growth mission began… you can watch the whole process on my channel!
Give It A Breather
If you’ve never had your hair dyed before, you can probably skip this one, and if you don’t really bleach it… likewise! The best decision I ever made for my hair was to just dye it back to its natural shade and leave it be for a couple of years. By the end of my experiment, my hair was in absolutely pristine condition. Over the time I left it, I:
- Completely stopped using heat
- Washed my hair twice a week.
- I would also often sleep with Dutch braids in my hair to stop my hair getting tugged and damaged in my sleep.
Being Brunette is something I also miss; but worry not! I’ve always vowed to have brown hair on my wedding day!
Shampoo Routine
Nowadays, I wash my hair every Monday and Friday, if my hair gets to go a little bit on the sly-side between then, I take my Batiste and I go to town! When growing out your hair, it is really important to minimize your washes as much as you possibly can. In reality, the best nutrient for your hair is the natural oil it produces itself, so if you’re constantly stripping that – it ain’t gonna be happy!
When I was researching my new routine, I noticed a video from fellow YouTuber Mandy. This video was titled ‘You’re Washing Your Hair Wrong’, and since watching that video, probably when it first came out in 2015, I don’t think I’ve ever changed my routine from that!
Granted, I didn’t really use the products in the video, but here is my current Shampoo Routine:
- Brush hair through with Tangle Teaser.
- Shampoo hair using Wella Elements Shampoo – my hairdresser recommends. Focusing the shampoo on the roots only & Rinse.
- Repeat Step 2.
- Apply generously – Wella Elements Conditioner – mainly focusing on the damaged areas but gradually making my way up to the main head area.
- Glide Tangle Teaser through Conditioner-Coated hair.
- Wash body whilst it’s soaking on in.
- Rinse off hair!
- Apply Heat Protectant Spray – My current favourite is the Mark Hill Styling Heat Protection – You can get this for £5 in boots.
I’d just like to put in a side note that it is really important to find a Sulfate-FREE Shampoo when you have bleached/damaged hair. Sulfate or Sulfur is basically salt and it works at stripping the bad stuff from your hair. It is really strong, and drying, so it naturally works to strip the dye out of your hair too, which makes it fade faster!
Following my Routine, I like to let my hair air-dry. I usually wash my hair just before bed, and leave an old t-shirt on my head to prevent friction that is caused by towels. At around half 11 I will take the t-shirt off my head and go to bed like normal. This leaves my hair feeling exceptionally soft in the morning! Personally, I know that my hair is less frizzy if I air-dry it too!
Styling
Personally for me, when I was going through my dedicated hair care routine, I was working in a plant nursery that involved a lot of moving around, and layering up for the cold weather. This meant I constantly had my hair up, and it was a 9-5 job, 5 days a week; the first proper job I had. To be honest, this did me a load of good, because I never noticed the rate in which my hair was growing!
Before my whole growth spurt, I always loved keeping my hair down, and growing it out made me into a changed woman! This may also be the fact that my hair now gets in the way 24/7.
As mentioned previously, I also slept in Dutch braids. Not only that, but I never even knew I could do them before I actually did it… they’re pretty easy!
Another hairstyle I used to flaunt was the hair-wrapped-in-and-around-a-head-band thing. Not sure what the technical term was but I used to feel very classy when I did this, and I would have naturally formed curls the next morning!
Here is a very cringe worthy hairstyling video I made back in the day (ignore the heat):
Hair Masks
If you’ve come from the cringe-y side of my channel, you’ll know all about this bit. If not, well… we’ll just leave it there shall we?!
Long story short, it’s safe to say I’ve had my fair share of experimenting when it comes to putting ingredients on my head. However, I have to say that my favourite ones are Argan Oil, and the more accessible one, Olive Oil. A lot of people absolutely idolize Coconut Oil, and I started using it; trying to force myself to like it, really, until my hairdresser pointed out that it actually clogs up your hair follicles stopping all the natural nourishment from all the natural oils.
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| My Hair Before My Hair Care Journey! |
This is probably the wrong post, but Coconut Oil actually quickly became my #1 favourite makeup remover that I still use to this day, so I don’t totally regret it!
Aside from natural products, 2 of my favourite branded hair masks are The Body Shop’s Banana Hair Mask, and the Argan Magic Restorative Hair Mask. The one I have linked is £40, but I got it at a much cheaper price in T K Maxx, and I’m sure you can too!
Dieting
Admittedly, I only put this on here because I know that you’re supposed to lead a healthy lifestyle… I don’t do that. What I do know, however, is that if you include lots of water, fruit, vegetables, and all that good stuff, your hair is gonna be well happy! But obviously, you’re reading this, knowing that I’m not the person to look up to in this category, so here are some recommendations:
- 30 Best and Worst Foods for Healthy Hair – by Eat This
- 7 Day Diet Chart & Foods to Eat for Rapid Hair Growth – by Health Beckon
- 7 Amazing Hair Growth Foods You Should Be Eating Daily – by NDTV Food
*My hairdresser is Charlie Heap t/a The Hair Witch UK and she is based at Monroes Hair Salon in Idle, Bradford.
You’ve heard my full overview of how I got my hair to the length it is today, I’d love to know your secret tips… don’t forget to leave them down below for future readers!
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A River of Roses 