How to Get Your Hair Back in Shape + Free Sample of Nexxus Youth Renewal!

Last week I told you about my hair disaster and offered a few tips to help your hair grow longer and stronger. I’m not sure if I mentioned that this hair disaster occurred only a few short months before my wedding. That’s right. My was beige and horrible right before one of the most important days of my life- that of course I was paying lots of money to have professionally photographed. 

I needed to get my hair in shape, but I honestly just didn’t have the time to allow my hair to heal and grow back in. My hair stylists told me the truth: I’d just have to fake it. Thanks to more hair styling products than I can remember, a few hours of styling, and lots and lots of clip-in hair extensions, I was able to successfully fake somewhat healthy-looking long hair on wedding day.

Well, since that day, it’s been my goal to achieve long, healthy hair naturally-without the extensions and tons of styling products. Don’t get me wrong, I love my extensions, but I want them to mainly add an extra inch or two and a bit of body- not an extra six inches and add enough body so that it looks like I’m not balding. Fighting off the signs of damaged and aging hair is easy when you have the right tools, products, and techniques up your sleeve! Here are a few more of my favorite tips to prevent hair damage and correct the damage that already exists!

We’ve all been there- you have 5 more minutes to get ready, so you force the brush through your tangled hair to save a few seconds. Hair is fragile, especially if you’re dealing with dry or damaged hair, so use a gentle hand when brushing your knots. I like to use a leave-in conditioner or detangling spray to wet hair and gently brush my hair from the bottom to the top. Start by brushing the bottom three inches of your hair until the brush runs smoothly through that section. Next, move up to the next few inches and repeat the process until your hair is completely brushed through. Also, try to use a brush that is made for detangling to prevent even more breakage/damage.

I’m a bit of a bargainista, so I know it’s tempting to buy the cheap heat styling tools; however, these products break easily and provide lower quality results. Plus they are more likely to damage your hair! If you plan on straightening, curling, or blow drying your hair on a regular basis, I’d highly recommend investing in quality hair tools. Ask your local beauty store for a recommendation of their favorite brand and look for multiple heat settings ceramic coatings, which can help prevent damage to your hair! 

While it’s important to use nourishing products on your hair every time that you was your hair, it isn’t always practical to wait 30 minutes for a deep conditioning treatment to sink in. Schedule one day a week to apply a clarifying shampoo to remove all of the week’s build-up and follow up with a deep conditioning treatment for 30 minutes to several hours. No need to sit around in the shower/tub. Simply apply the mask and put a shower cap on to prevent the conditioner from dripping. It can be a long process, but your hair will thank you by being softer, shinier, and more manageable for the rest of the week!

When your hair is frizzy, tangly, dry, and damaged, you’re going to need quite a bit of styling products to make your hair look somewhat healthy. Unfortunately, adding hairsprays, mousses, and pomades every day can add unnecessary build-up and damage to your hair. Instead of covering up your hair’s flaws, focus on using nourishing products that will improve your hair’s health in the long run. The healthier your hair, the less products you’ll need! 

Remember my love affair with Nexxus Youth Renewal? Well, it’s still going strong. In addition to having my wish list of ingredients in its VITA-8 complex (Keratin, Argan Oil, Omega-3, CoQ10, Essence of Pearl, Wheat Protein, Vitamin E, or Benzophenone-4), my hair just loves the shampoo and conditioner. Over the past few weeks, I have noticed a huge difference in the texture and health of my hair. My hair is shinier, fuller, softer, and more manageable. I’ve also noticed that I have had less of a need to use my once beloved styling products. I can safely say that I do not miss adding fifteen products to my hair before and after blowdrying to fake my hair into looking healthy. My hair actually looks healthy on its own- and it smells amazing! Seriously, next time you are in Target, please go smell the shampoo. It’s so, so good!