About three months before my wedding, I started paying more attention to my beauty routine. Though I had just about perfected my skincare regimen, my hair care was far from perfect. At some point over the last six months, my hair texture and quality had completely changed. Instead of the long, thick, curly hair I used to have (OG followers might remember my hair used to look like this), my hair became fine, super brittle, and basically stick straight. It was almost as if my hair was falling out – it became so thin that I spiraled into a panic as my wedding drew closer. As some of you may have noticed on Instagram, I recently started wearing extensions. I originally ordered these because the wedding hairstyle I had planned on required thicker and longer hair. Long story short – I loved the extensions, but decided I wanted to feel more natural on my wedding day. I knew that required I give my hair some MAJOR TLC in the months leading up.
I made several changes to my haircare routine, not the least of which was switching out the products I used. Keep reading below to see what helped transform my hair and reverse my hair damage just in time for my wedding!
from the inside out
It’s an age old saying that beauty begins from within, but it really does! Without getting the nutrients it needs, your hair can’t grow and be healthy. I started taking a daily multivitamin and increased the amount of water I was drinking each day. Changing over to this water bottle has literally been a lifesaver! I used to drink about one to two glasses a day (terrible, I know), but now I can magically drink about two liters each day. The combination of getting the right nutrients and drinking enough water has definitely made an impact with not just may hair, but skin and overall energy as well!
try new products
Though I’ve used several shampoo & conditioner sets in the past that I truly liked, none of them were working to repair my hair this time around. After hearing lots of great things, I gave a few products from Briogeo a try. I started with the Be Gentle, Be Kind Avocado Co-Wash and immediately noticed that my hair was more soft and moisturized. I love this shampoo because it is so hydrating that it actually doesn’t require a conditioner (talk about a real time-saver)! To supplement, I’ve been using the Don’t Despair, Repair Deep Conditioning Mask once a week and I think this has been the main reason I’ve seen less breakage in my hair. Finally, after washing, it give my hair a few squirts of the Rosarco Milk Reparative Leave-In Conditioner so that it can hold onto the hydration throughout the day and until the next wash. I’ve also tried to wash my hair about 1-2 times a week so that it can retain as many of its natural oils as possible. Another thing I love about Briogeo’s products is that they are all free of silicones, gluten, artificial fragrances, and artificial dyes, and are also vegan-friendly and cruelty-free.
turn down the heat
This may sound like common sense, but it was a change I hadn’t made yet! I use and swear by this curling wand, but recently realized that just because the heat goes up super high, doesn’t mean that it needs to be that hot in order to curl my hair. I let my hair air dry most days and only curl it when I absolutely need to on the third highest setting. That change, coupled with a good heat protectant spray, helped make ALL the difference. I noticed much less heat damage and breakage after turning down the heat. I would start on the lower settings and see exactly how much heat your hair requires in order to hold the style – you may be surprised!