Laura: Hey guys, me and Em thought today we'd cover something that's probably a constant source of stress for most of you with long locks- how to keep your hair healthy and beautiful so you don't have to repeatedly make the dreaded trip to the hairdressers.
No one likes getting their hair cut, especially when you're trying to grow it long and the hair dresser tells you, with a sigh of sympathy, that your ends are so damaged that they have no choice but to chop them all off.
All that hard work, time and effort it took to grow it and now it's got to go? It seems so unfair, and I know first- hand how it feels to be told exactly that, after I went for a much-needed haircut last Christmas and ended up getting my hair cut shorter than it had ever been before.
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| Before and after- my hair was a little longer (and darker!), but noticeably damaged |
It was devastating, and I vowed I'd prevent it from ever happening again by taking far better care of it from then on. So I worked with Em to put together a little hair routine to follow, to keep our hair shiny, and minimize those pesky split ends.
1. Use conditioner on a daily basis.
Even if you don't shampoo your hair daily, make sure you condition the ends every night to
smoothen any damage and prevent the hair from fraying. Me and Em's all-time favourite conditioner is L'Oreal Paris Preference High Shine Conditioner, which comes with the hair dye kits we buy every few months, but it's too expensive for me to buy separately as a student, so my alternative for when that has ran out is Xpel Hair Care Shimmer of Silver conditioner for all blonde hair types. I doubt many of you will have heard of the brand but I advise you not to avoid any hair product just because you've never heard of the brand before and are unsure about trying it. Xpel Shimmer of Silver is actually, from my experience, better than some of the popular, more expensive brands of conditioner I've tried in regards to keeping my hair smooth and silky-soft to touch for hours after applying it. Find the conditioner that works best for your hair, and stick to it.
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| Left: me and Em's go-to conditioner, and right: my alternative |
2. Cut your split ends
I know what you're thinking- 'she cuts her split ends? What a waste of time!' But this is something I obsess about to Em on a regular basis. Sitting down and taking the time once a week to cut your split ends really does wonders in delaying the inevitable hair cut. And when you're at the hairdressers, the hairdresser is likely to cut off less hair because you have so few split ends for them to chop away.
If you don't know what a split end looks like, chances are you don't have them, and this post probably doesn't apply to you. But if you're familiar with them in your hair, and you're serious about growing it, then this tip is one to follow!
Emma: Time to take over! Luckily for me, a lover of long hair, I've never had a hair cut as drastic as Laur's, but there was still a stage in my life a couple of years ago where my hair quality was just terrible, especially at the ends.
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| Before and after- my ends were so damaged that half of them had broken off |
After finally getting the worst of my hair cut off, I've been so much more careful with it, and there's a couple of things I now absolutely stand by when it comes to hair care:
3. Use coconut oil on your ends every time they feel a little dry
For any readers with dry and frizzy hair, coconut oil is an absolute godsend when it comes to giving your hair a quick pick-me-up.
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| My all-time favourite hair oil |
To use, simply press the pump to squeeze out a tiny bit of oil and rub it between your fingers, before running through the ends of your hair.
What I quickly learnt is not to go overboard! A bit of oil will go a long way, and too much can make your hair appear greasy. However, the right amount makes your hair look and smell gorgeous all day. In fact, I find that I'm continuously smelling the ends of my hair like some weirdo with a hair fetish whenever I go out wearing the oil. Be warned guys, this stuff is addictive.
4. Don't use heated hair products often, if at all.
Now, here comes the obvious point which had me rolling my eyes back when I was a serial GHD straightener addict. I cannot put into words how much my hair has improved now I've stopped using hot products on it every day!
For me, I find there's always an alternative to using heat (unless, of course, you're going on a night out and want to look extra fabulous). If my hair is a mess, I'll pull it into a high bun instead of grabbing the trusty straighteners like I used to do. If I want curls, I'll use rollers or plaits overnight for a perfect volume boost.
Unfortunately, I haven't yet found a miracle method to get the super straight hair that you can achieve with a pair of hair straighteners, however my hair is growing a lot faster and looks healthier than ever.
There you have it: the hair routine the two of us follow to keep our ends looking smooth and shiny. If anyone has any hair tips of their own, please feel free to share them in the comments!
Until next time,
Emma and Laura x
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