Dehydrated Hair? Try these at home tips!

When I first moved to Colorado, my skin, my hair, my everything was so dry. I had no idea what to do, even as a professional!  Growing up in the humid South, I was used to having enough moisture in the air to hydrate my hair (and my body). In fact, my nickname in grade school was Triangle Hair or Afro-Woman because my hair was always so puffy from the humidity... As you can tell LOL.

I could use lightweight shampoos or drugstore conditioners and be fine; my hair would stay damp all day if I let it air dry! I definitely never had to worry about it... until I moved to Colorado. 
Once I got out here, my whole body started peeling and I tried several different products for my hair and skin. This was costly and I was BROKE after moving! After that, I decided to revisit my skin care and hair care routines- back to the basics it was. I always knew masques, treatments and styling products were beneficial but good ol' Triangle Head never needed that kind of moisture. The first step was switching up my products at home. Everyone's hair is different, so ultimately you have to use what's best for you. The most important thing is that you're using something! When you aren't putting in product after you shower you are basically allowing all of the moisture to slip right out. Even if you are super low-maintenance, trust me I am, it's still best to still put a leave in treatment through your hair after showering. I've found that both lines I use are great for all hair types because they are hydrating yet lightweight. Another key factor in having hydrated hair is that your products are formulated without alcohols, parabens, sulfates and other harsh chemicals! All of these chemicals dry your hair out or weight your hair down promoting dull, broken hair. 

​I switched up my hair care lines to two different hydrating lines- J Beverly Hills and Innersense Organic Beauty. Right off the bat this made a huge difference. Because they didn't contain any alcohol, washing my hair wasn't drying it out anymore. I had the hydration I needed and the volume I liked without having to worry about a dry scalp, oily scalp or dry ends! I can usually go a week without washing my hair including going to the gym 4 to 5 days a week and hiking on my days off.  When I do wash my hair, I scrub the scalp vigorously and then only condition the mids/ends of my hair letting it sit for at least 5 minutes each time.  This is VERY important! You really need to massage that scalp each time you are shampooing. This prevents build up and helps to regulate the scalp pH. Letting the conditioner sit allows the cuticle to seal down tightly soaking all the nutrients and moisture into the cortex of the hair! I alternate between the two lines each time I shower.

I also had to start using a masque twice a month. I usually do this every other week. After shampooing, I turn off the shower, get out and towel dry my hair. Then, I work a deep conditioner or masque through the mids and ends (think what's in a ponytail), clip it up and let it sit for 15-30 minutes. Sometimes, I will even sleep in it throughout the winter with a hand-towel placed over my pillow!  Letting it sit allows for the moisture to saturate through the cuticle layer and allow the cuticle layer to seal it in. When I'm ready to rinse I always use cool water to lock in the moisture, then towel dry after I get out of the shower.
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After I'm done with rinsing my hair, I get out and I usually put in J Beverly Hills 5-in-1 Styling Emulsion. This is an A M A Z I N G product because (for lazy girls like me) it has a little bit of everything in it. It comes jam packed with heat protection, styling aid, leave-in treatment, sun protection and color fade prevention! Lastly, I use the Innersense Organic Beauty "I Create Lift" Volumizing Foam or the J Beverly Hills Volumizing Mousse right on the roots for volume. Style as you like, me being the lazy girl that I am I usually air dry! If you prefer to blow dry that is totally fine too. 

I hope this helps with your hair hydration routine! Once the moisture is added back to your hair you'll start to notice less oil, more volume and more movement too. After all, hydrated hair is happy hair! One additional thing that I do every season is a Brazilian Bond Building Treatment, or a B3 treatment. These treatments can only be found in the salon and restrengthen the bonds on the outer layer of your hair. This keeps the moisture inside the cuticle and helps prevent breakage allowing your hair to be healthy and long!

I know it seems like a lot at first but really it's just adding in one or two extra steps. Now that I have a routine down it barely adds any time for me. Totally worth it to me for shiny, healthy, hydrated hair!  If you have any questions, just let me know!