Great Hair Day

Having a good hair day when you’re trying to use healthier beauty products is incredibly tricky. And in my humble opinion, I don’t think the natural haircare industry is nearly as evolved as the skincare industry. I’ve tried a lot of hair products and have been disappointed 90% of the time. I found that many of these supposed “HG” products didn’t do anything for my dry, damaged hair. So what am I supposed to do? Look unkempt and messy? No thanks. It’s taken a lot of time and effort, but along the way, I’ve picked up a few products and tools that I reach for time and time again to create a (really) great hair day.

To start, I reach for my trusty Acure Organics Moroccan Argan Oil shampoo and conditioner in the shower. For the price, Acure’s S C are the best natural cleansing / conditioning options I’ve tried thus far. They’re actually rich enough to tame my ends and prevent tangles! Even better, they smell quite nice too, but not in a weird, artificial fragrance sort of way. If I have the time and want a little extra TLC, I use a generous amount of my beloved coconut oil as a pre-shampooing treatment. To generate some heat and allow the coconut oil to deeply penetrate the hair follicles, I wrap my hair up in a shower cap while I take care of business.

If I’m too lazy to do a full wash, I indulge in some dry shampoo. And um…side note about dry shampoos – please don’t expect them to replace the real deal. You’re adding product to your hair – of course it won’t feel squeaky clean. Think of it as more of an oil reducer as opposed to a shampoo…Anyway, I’ve tried them all (having dark hair is an extra hurdle) and Alterna’s Bamboo Translucent Dry Shampoo is an absolute god send. It does what it’s supposed to (absorb the oilies), smells fresh and doesn’t leave me at all paranoid about dandruff for the rest of the day.

In terms of heat styling, I’m obsessed with my T3 Single Pass Whirl 1.25” curling rod. It creates the perfect soft, loose waves that I’ve coveted forever (the super hyped up Sultra curling rod didn’t cut it for me). Highly recommend. But as a heat protectant, I love rubbing in some of Dr. Alkaitis’ Organic Nourishing Treatment Oil (it’s also lovely for the face too) throughout my hair. Post blow dry and / or curl, I finish off with another wonderful Alterna product, Bamboo Shine Silk-Sleek Brilliance Cream (thanks Christin!). It’s super lightweight so it won’t weigh my hard won curls down but adds a subtle shine that doesn’t veer into oil slick territory.

Bonus tip – filter your shower water! Depending on where you live, there might be a lot more chlorine in your water than is ideal, especially for color treated hair. I know there are some fancy ones out there, but I decided to try out this super affordable $25 Culligan shower filter that took less than 5 minutes to install. It’s so worth it. My hair and skin are noticeably softer.