How I’ve Kept My Hair Healthy

I can’t imagine not having blonde hair, and everyone who knows me can’t imagine it either. But there was a time when my hair was not platinum blonde or long, shiny, and healthy. There was a time where my hair needed to be babied and I rocked a more subtle blonde on top of my head. I knew I wanted to get my hair the color it is today, but there were a lot of precautionary measures I had to take in order to do so.

If you want to change your hair color and are committed to keeping that same color, you don’t have to be afraid. There are so many precautionary measures you can take in order to preserve your hair. Of course this requires a lot of patience, time, and dedication, but the end result is so worth it, and your hair will thank you in the long-run. These are the precautionary measures I took to get my hair healthy, and keep it healthy.

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Find a good hairdresser

This one may seem glaringly obvious, but hear me out. Like any profession, there are going to be talented people and not so talented people. The difficulty, however, is finding the ones who are truly talented. Unless you’re a celebrity or have the means/time to shine and style your hair to flawless perfection every single morning, you’re probably going to want to make sure you have a really good hairdresser, one who’s not going to roll the dice and possibly destroy your hair.

If you walk into a hair salon and request a drastic change right away and your hairdresser doesn’t even bat an eye, says they can do that for you, no problem; chances are they’re not going to be your best bet. A good hairdresser is one who cares about your hair and doesn’t want to destroy it on you. It’s imperative that you find a hairdresser who will take the time to get your hair healthy before proceeding to give you a total makeover. It took me almost four years to get as blonde as I am now because my hairdresser took the time to make sure my hair was healthy and could handle it. I am so grateful that she did this for me, because God only knows what my hair would look like now had she not done that.

Start thinking of your hair like a stock. Find a hairdresser who’s going to invest in that stock because they want to see it flourish and grow. They’re out there, the key is just to find them.

Limiting heat

This one is HUGE especially for those who have color treated hair. In order to limit the heat used on my hair, this is what I did:

Keratin straightening

Naturally, my hair is wavy—and not the pretty wavy that looks like I just came straight out of the ocean—the kind of wavy that gets tangled, frizzy, and messy. No matter how many times I tried to achieve mermaid waves, I never could. So, I decided at a young age that I preferred my hair straight. (Of course I did, I apparently love making things difficult for myself LOL.) Obviously this posed a major dilemma for me in getting my hair healthy and keeping it healthy.

About a year after I started seeing my hairdresser, we decided to do a keratin straightening treatment on my hair. At first, I did the treatment every six months to keep up on it, and now I only have to do it about once a year. This is one of the best things I’ve ever done for my hair. The treatment has not only made it so I barely have to straighten my hair, it’s made it so it stays straight (even in the humidity!), it’s softer, and thicker than ever!

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An impromptu photo shoot I did in December 2018. I didn’t have my hair extensions in, but my hair stayed straight, minus the little flyaways from the slight humidity in the location. If I didn’t have the keratin treatment in my hair, it wouldn’t of stayed like this.

Invest in a good straightener

In one of my older blog posts, I go into detail about the specific straightener I use. However, since it’s one of the biggest ways I’ve kept my hair healthy, I figured I’d mention it quickly again. My hairdresser picked out my hair straightener for me and it’s been worth the money. The temperature adjusts to the area you’re going over, so you never have to touch it or worry about using excess heat and damaging your hair. I love a good deal, but certain things are pricier for specific reasons, and a good straightener is one of them; the same can be said about any other tools that use heat on your hair. If you’re unsure about which one to get, ask your hairdresser to pick one out for you.

The right products—just for you

There’s a reason I use the same shampoo, conditioner, and Moroccan oil 24/7–it’s because my hairdresser picked them out for me, and I’ve continued buying them ever since. The specific products I use on my hair are fitted to exactly what my hair needs—i.e, purple shampoo and conditioner tmade for color treated and permanently straightened hair, Moroccan oil that’s light but does exactly what my hair needs, etc. If there’s one thing I’m going to spend my money on, it’s going to be my hair, or products for my hair. The right products will help your hair get healthy and stay healthy.

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Limited use of clip-in extensions

In one of my more recent blog posts, The Ugly Truth About Clip-In Hair Extensions, I talked in-depth about how clip-ins massacred my hair. Although I’ve mentioned it before, it’s something that’s become so vital in keeping my hair healthy I felt the need to mention it again.

Since all hair extensions are bad for your hair, I’ve found a loophole to achieving a flawless, jaw-dropping mane. The secret? Limiting the use of clip-in hair extensions. There’s a time and place for clip-ins, and I choose those times wisely. I usually only wear clip-in extensions whenever I’m traveling or doing a photo shoot. I can’t express enough how helpful this has been on my hair. I waited three whole years after getting rid of all my clip-ins before I put them in again for an event. By waiting so long, I eliminated the damage typically caused by clip-ins because my hairdresser knew my hair would be able to handle it for a short period of time. For me, nothing was worth getting bald spots over again.

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Pictured above, the first time I wore clip-in hair extensions after a three year hiatus. It was for a red carpet movie premiere in Las Vegas, September, 2016.

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This is how I’ve kept my hair healthy. All of these things have become so normal, a simple part of my life and everyday routine, that I don’t even think about it anymore. Hair care is so important, and something none of us, men and women alike, should neglect. Does any of this sound like stuff you’re currently doing, or plan to do in the future? Sound off in the comments below!