Hair Obsession

I've always been into hair, but my current job has turned me into a full-blown hair addict. I'm obsessed with the latest products, styles, trends, you name it. The right products can be life changing. You can have the hair you dream of! You just need to know how to achieve it ;-)

So I'm going to list some of my favorite hair styles/products, and talk you through my hair routine(s). I'm chopping 6+ inches off tomorrow, so I'll keep you updated on that, too! (I'm not linking to websites where you can buy the products, but I have bolded them & made them pink - you can find almost all of them on amazon, online, or at your local salon.) Remember, professional hair products are ONLY guaranteed when sold out of a salon; meaning buying this stuff at CVS means you are buying really old (and probably expired) stuff. Ew.

(P.S - I absolutely LOVE giving hair advice/ sharing my favorite products, so if you comment below with your email address, I will TOTALLY send you fun samples to try!)



Blow Dry

I am absolutely obsessed with bumble & bumble's tutorial videos and have watched them all a bunch of times. This is what got me looked on my three key products when blow drying - prep, thickening hairspray, & straight balm. I almost always use prep - it conditions, detangles, and makes the other products you use more effective. It's just overall really good for your hair, and I find it light enough to use every day. (I've never been a leave-in conditioner girl.) I spray thickening hairspray on my roots to help with lift, and then a nickle-sized amount of straight balm (life-changing!) through my hair (avoiding roots) for help with a smooth blow dry. Getting a blow dryer (with nozzle) and round brush that YOU love and are comfortable with is key - I have a moroccan oil round brush I love, and a blow dryer with enough heat and power that is still light-weight. The videos I linked to above are really great - I'm not a stylist so I can't get way into technique or anything - but these products have really made blow drying my hair smooth much easier. 
 

Sometimes to mix it up, I'll use It's a Ten Miracle Leave-In Smoothing Serum - I find it gives me maximum shine and silkiness, but does weigh down my hair a bit.

Another product I use sometimes is bumble & bumble's Invisible Hairdresser's Oil - a lot of people love Moroccan Oil, but that ish is too heavy for me. This is light, smooth & wispy, and smells great. Just don't use too much! (I'll dab a bit on my ends & smooth over flyaways).


Curls

After blow drying, I usually curl my hair. I have four five seven curling irons. They are all different! And one I keep at work, for "emergencies" ... hehe. My current favorite type of curling iron is a wand - basically a curling iron with the clamp removed. My hair is so long that I use a 2-inch iron to get big bouncy waves - any smaller and the curls are just too overwhelming, since my hair is naturally curly. I used to love this but my hair is just too long right now. The method to my madness is WRAPPING the hair around the curling iron, always away from your face. (The Beauty Snoop has a great image on that here.) Yes - you CAN burn your fingers. They sell heat-proof gloves, but really, just be careful. I like the ends getting left out a bit, it looks a bit more natural. I use Redken's Spray Starch as a heat protectant (never use heat on naked hair!) and I finish with Moroccan Oil's Medium Finsh Hairspray.


Beachy Waves

My hair is naturally wavy/curly, but it's texture has a lot to do with what product cocktail I'm using, and the weather! Sometimes it will be super curly, othertimes more wavy... I always start with prep, and then I usually use bumble & bumble's curl conscious creme. I find for me, a creme or serum is best - I HATE crunchy, crispy curls, so I never use gel or mousse. I'll finish with bumble & bumble's surf spray, ad touch up with that throughout the day.


Wearing Your Hair Up

I hardly EVER wear my hair up. It gives me a headache. That being said, I do like to add little braids in my hair, or to try little cute styles that I see on pinterest. I will spray some dry shampoo in my hair (Oribe's Dry Texture Spray or Suave Dry Shampoo are my faves!) and then play around.


Color & Care

I color my hair every 4-6 months. Right now, it's very ombre, which I love. I love playing with color and have been since I was 15 (yikes). It's SUPER important when coloring your hair to take care of it, so you aren't damaging the life out of it. Sulfate free shampoos, color-care products - all of that matters. Also, don't wash your hair every day.  

my hair pin-spiration board! http://pinterest.com/hayleydenker/hair-ideas/