As a woman going into my early 20s, my hair has been through a lot of stages: the middle school bob, the heat-damaged ends, and the ever-so-enticing idea of box dye at 3:00 a.m. Throughout these stages, I tried a lot of different methods to tame my thick, damaged hair, and here are a few takeaways that changed my life for the better.
When I was a freshman in high school, I decided to try and embrace my natural curls using something called the “curly girl method.” This method was very tedious and involved cutting out products with any sulfates, silicones, or parabens. I can guarantee you that doing this in the strict way I did will not drastically change your hair, and having certain chemicals in your hair products is actually incredibly beneficial for your hair health. I went through this process to finally combat the feelings I once had about my natural hair… that it was unkempt and impossible to style.
I have something called Irish curls, which are very wavy curls that almost look like mermaid waves. I loved this look and rocked it all through high school. It was a huge factor of growing my hair out quickly, until eventually my curls went away.
My doctor said it might be a change in medications, hormones, or just my hair maturing. But, my Irish curls eventually turned into soft, straighter hair. Now, I needed a plan B.
I have been using the same hair routine my entire experience at college and I have gotten lots of compliments on my hair because of it! The first tip I would recommend is setting one day out of the week aside to do the whole 9 yards. Use a hair oil and massage brush, double shampoo, condition, put in a hair mask, and leave in conditioner after. I like to do this every Sunday so I can start off the week with a fresh wash! Products I recommend for shampoo and conditioner are Maui Moisture (my personal favorite) and Shea Moisture. Products like RedKen and Olaplex I have less experience with as I am a broke college girl, but there are a lot of affordable products out there that work just as well! I use Mielle’s strengthening Rosemary Mint Oil on my roots and ends, and massage my roots for a solid 2-3 minutes before my shower to really get moisture and strength in my roots. Using a microfiber towel after showering for your hair is also a must; it is much less abrasive and soaks up water just as well!
Now for my holy grail: my silk heatless curling rod. This tool goes over your head secured with a clip, and you wrap parts of your hair around the rod for a fresh blowout look in the morning! This was honestly the best purchase I have ever made in my life. It’s super comfy to sleep on and I’ve been using it every night for the past three years. I truly love it so much! Every night, I put just a dash of rosemary oil into my ends and brush my hair out until it is tangle free and soft. I sleep overnight with my curler in and trust me, it is a game changer. I also use an air-dry styler that works well for my hair and locks in soft moisture which creates frizz free volume!
In the past five years, I have grown my hair a total of 6.5 inches from these methods and my hair has never been healthier. Not using heat and staying away from harsh brushing or excessive slick backs is your ticket to the healthiest your hair will ever be!