September 8th, 2021

I have tried SO many different products over the years in search of the right routine for my hair to be healthy and look bouncy, shiny, voluminous, and clean. My hair is naturally straight, the strands are fine but there’s a lot, and it holds a curl pretty well. I keep it long with blonde highlights and use a curling iron almost every day. Everyone’s hair is different BUT this is truly my recipe for keeping my hair looking gorgeous and it might work well for you too!

Wash your hair 2x a week with a sulfate-free shampoo.

I know it sounds impossible/gross/no way in hell. But this one trick has changed my hair more than anything else. I have naturally oily roots, so trust me, it was a painful process at first. I had to sit through a few days/weeks of greasy looking hair in order to train my scalp to maintain its oil balance naturally. But after I got past the initial shock and stuck with it, my hair completely changed! It wasn’t overly-oily anymore and it felt healthier.

The reason this works is because washing your hair daily actually does more harm than good. Our scalp produces natural oils that feed our hair the nutrients it needs to grow strong and healthy. When we constantly wash our hair, the products and sometimes harsh chemicals (i.e. sulfates) are drying and actually strip our scalp of natural conditioning nutrients. Speaking of chemicals, use a sulfate free shampoo to avoid unnecessary damage. I use this Raw Sugar, Mango Butter + Agave + Carrot Oil shampoo.

By cutting down on shampooing you are helping your hair find natural balance. What ends up happening is that your hair finds the perfect amount of oil, without excess, to naturally condition your scalp and hair.

Replace your conditioner with a deep conditioning mask.

Because you’re only washing your hair a couple times a week now, treat yourself by trading in your regular conditioner with a treatment mask. Using a deep conditioning mask instead of a daily conditioner for an in-shower hair treatment is going to be more effective at helping your hair stay healthy. This is going to provide some seriously hydrating T.L.C. for your luscious locks where a basic daily conditioner just can’t compare. After shampooing, apply the treatment mask from mid-shaft to ends, using extra run off sparingly on your crown and roots. Leave it in the entire duration of your shower to let the steam help your strands soak it all in. Rinse well at the very end and you’re in good shape!

I use this Olaplex 4-in-1 Moisture Mask for my conditioning treatment. It smells like hair-heaven, detangles, and doesn’t weight my air down!

Use a leave-in conditioner/detangler on the days you wash your hair.

Everyone knows (or should know) by now that brushing your hair while wet is the best way to cause damage and breakage. When our hair is wet it’s prone to snapping and tangling much more easily especially when your pulling on it with a comb or brush. However, I myself cannot wait until my hair is completely dry to brush it. Walking around the house with a wet mop of a rat’s nest isn’t a good feeling. I just can’t. So instead of ripping through it bare with a brush, I use a good detangling leave-in conditioner to help untangle and protect my delicate strands from damage.

I use It’s A 10 Miracle Leave-In which does a great job of detangling while also providing a host of benefits like heat protection and split end prevention.

Go with a mousse and forget the hairspray.

For a long time I struggled to figure out what hairspray would work well with my hair to give it body and texture without weighing it down. I finally figured out the answer is none. Mousse is where its at. On the days I wash my hair, after I apply my leave-in conditioner and gently brush out my hair, I apply about a palm-full of Paul Mitchell Extra-Body Sculpting Foam to my damp roots, focusing on the crown and front. I figured out that mousse provides texture and grip while staying light-weight, unlike hairspray, which always seems to make my hair feel heavy, tangled, and flat and caused my loose curls to disappear after an hour. Mousse, hunny, try the mousse.

Dry Shampoo on the days you don’t wash.

Once you get past the initial shock of cutting down your hair washing habits, I have good news. It’s called dry shampoo and it is a GAME CHANGER. Dry shampoo helps to boost volume for flat hair, gives thin or straight hair some grit, soaks up excess oil, and keeps your hair smelling fresh between washes.

I have tried almost every dry shampoo on the market, from high-end expensive to drugstore bargains. My all-time fave is Not Your Mothers Clean Freak Tapioca dry shampoo. It’s not too heavy, it doesn’t leave white residue, it absorbs quickly, and smells THE BEST, not to mention the incredibly low price point. I get compliments on how my hair smells all the time and it’s solely because of this stuff!

I hope this routine works well for you! I know I have been super happy with these products and how my hair has benefitted from using them. Let me know how it goes if you try any of my recommendations!

With love,

Ashley Jo