For years I thought the key to having beautiful hair was simply using the right products. I would spray, gel, blow dry, curl, and iron my hair all in an attempt to get the sleek look that I wanted. I would get the desired look for a day until it was time to style it again. Then I was back to the way it was before. The process would begin again.
For years I dealt with frizzy, fine hair. It was a horrible combination to have. If not for the frizz, my hair had no body or volume whatsoever. So when I flat ironed it, it was sleek and shiny, but very thin looking. I could not seem to win for losing.
I experimented in different ways. Someone told me to stop trying to have sleek, shiny hair because my hair had too much natural curl in it. They told me just to wash it, gel it, and let the curls flow. This worked for a few hours. But I hated the way my hair felt. It felt sticky and greasy. I wanted hair that was soft, hair that I could run my fingers through.
One day I met a lady who had the most beautiful mane of gray hair. It was soft, bouncy, and shiny. I asked her what her secret was, and she just smiled and shrugged. When I asked her what kind of products she uses on her hair, she said “I don’t use anything but shampoo and conditioner”. She went on to say that she rarely uses a blow dryer…and never uses any other kind of heat on it.
When I went to have my hair done a few weeks later, my hairdresser was shocked at the condition of my hair. I had not been to the salon in quite a long time. She told me that I needed to stop ironing it. She also said that I should not dry it unless I first put on a heat protectant beforehand. Aside from that, she told me that I needed to deep condition my hair at least once a week. After that she proceeded to wash, dry, and style my hair. Even when she blew dry it, she did not use high heat and she did not dry the hair until it was completely dry. When she was finished, I was surprised to find that my hair was shiny, bouncy, frizz free, and incredibly soft.
Still, I was a bit skeptical that I would be able to keep my hair soft and frizz-free without the use of my flat iron and styling products. I was wrong. I went home and followed my hairdresser’s simple instructions. As a result, my hair is in the best condition it has ever been in. It is soft and healthy looking. I have learned that heat is an enemy to my hair. If I use the blow dryer or flat iron on occasion, I always use a heat protectant first.
If you want beautiful hair, the key is to have healthy hair. Think of your hair as fragile, and handle it accordingly. When it comes to heat and hair styling products, less is more. Give it a try and see the difference!