ONE: Avoid Hot Water

     Hot water is the best way to strip your hair of healthy natural oils, cause frizz, and fade your haircolor at a rapid pace. Have you been experiencing dry hair and skin? Your shower is probably to blame. The winter has a way of luring us into a steaming hot shower, the problem is our skin and hair can’t handle it.

   Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying you should take the ice bucket challenge every time you bathe. Just be mindful that your hair and skin are delicate. Warm water is great to open the pores of the skin and gently lift the cuticle layer of the hair to remove excessive oil and buildup, followed by a cool rinse to seal & close everything back down.

TWO: Deep Condition Weekly

    Your hair will be in optimal health with weekly conditioning treatments. Pick up a great deep conditioner such as Davines MINU mask or EVO Fabuloso deep treatments. Pick a day each week that you take a little extra time to pamper yourself. I like to do my treatment on a Sunday evening.

    Shampoo normally and skip your daily conditioner. You will then want to gently detangle your hair with a wide tooth comb (Yes, before the conditioner.) Squeeze out the excess water and if you can keep a 100% cotton t-shirt nearby, it’s a great way to blot the hair dry. Apply about a nickel size of your deep conditioner from scalp to ends but focusing the saturation on the mid strand and ends. Work it into the hair like you would when applying a body balm. You really want to feel the hair absorb the product. Comb through, clip your hair up, and leave in for 10-15minutes. Rinse with cool water and your hair will reward you with shine and smoothness!

THREE: Get a Shine Treatment once a month

     Think of a shine treatment like the clear top coat of your nail polish! My absolute favorite is the EVO Temptress shine treatment. This is a simple service you can ask for in the salon. This shine treatment will leave your hair smooth with a glass like shine, not to mention it will add a day or two to your blow out!

FOUR: Use Great Products

    Sure you can go the cheap route and purchase whatever liters are on sale at Target or Ulta, however when you purchase from a professional salon your products are not only more concentrated but also better for your hair in the long term. Most products have a “cosmetic repair” where professional grade products such as Davines contain ingredients like Roucou oil that heal the hair and don’t cause build up. When you purchase retail from your stylist you’re guaranteed to see the results the products promise and if your not feeling it, your stylist will happily exchange it for something that suits your needs a little bit better.

FIVE: Prebook your beauty appointments

    Not sure what your doing tomorrow? Prebook your appointments anyway! On January 1st I take out my calendar and block off vacation time, dentist & doctor appointments, and then my favorite to plan beauty appointments. When you plan these types of appointments well in advance you learn to build your life around them. To be completely honest maintaining these particular appointments are important for your physical and mental health. Consistency allows us to keep things in check. When we let certain things go for far too long it can cause stress, low self esteem, and always larger financial burdens. Hands down the best part of prebooking is choosing the perfect appointment times, such as your birthday or the prime time during the holidays!

Live in St. Louis? Schedule your beauty appointments with me by clicking here 🙂