A Curly Hair Routine That Actually WORKS!
I was in two minds about posting something like this or not. I love blogging and writing about beauty, lifestyle, fashion - but all that stuff seems very insignificant when considering what is happening in the world right now. So while I want to provide fun little posts for everyone, I have a platform - if a very small one - and I want to use this space as a force for good. Before I go back to posting more of my regular stuff, I wanted to share some resources that I have found hugely beneficial regarding the Black Lives Matter movement. I am in full support of this movement and this last week has been extremely eye-opening - I have personally taken time to educate myself more on the systemic racism and white privilege that is still so prevalent not only in America but in the UK too. I think it's vital to truly understand the importance of this fight and to continue to pursue it. Diversifying our social media feeds, reading articles and books and/or watching videos that talk about race, and signing petitions and donating what you can to worthy causes is all hugely significant in the fight for change. Here are some of the resources I have found particularly useful, and I implore you to check them out, and continue to stand against racism:
Petitions and Charities -
The adsense from these videos are going towards important charities - https://twitter.com/iDiminies/status/1267550974190764033
TV Shows -
13th on Netflix
When They See Us on Netflix
IGTV lives and Instagram Posts -
I understand I will never understand, but I stand with you.
Hair care. It's not something I cover very often here on Everything Eleanor, mostly because I would've thought people taking advice from me about how to handle their hair must be very desperate indeed. It wasn't until I came home from uni a little bored with my hair, having not coloured it in about two years now, that I realised what a dire state it was in. My split ends weren't just ends anymore, and the frizz was so out of control that I reckon if I somehow got electrocuted, you probably wouldn't be able to tell. It was time to sort this mess out. I did my research, I watched a tonne of videos, and I think I've come up with the perfect, tried-and-tested combination that is beginning to tame the beast...
First step: shampoo. This is something I haven't really changed - or, not yet anyway. I'm still really into my Lush Coconut Rice Cake Shampoo Bar, which I've been using and re-purchasing solidly for about half a year. This is a fantastic option for all my thick-haired friends out there who need that extra moisturising oomph; its filled to the brim with coconutty goodness - a well-known recipe for success when it comes to bringing back that moisture - which also helps it smell divine. My only real problem with this product is that I seem to use it up quite quickly. On me, it doesn't lather up super well, and so I find myself scrubbing away at my scalp for a while, which uses up a lot of product. Although I'm always on the hunt for ways I can reduce my plastic waste, with Lush stores not being open at the moment, I had to find a supermarket alternative that would also do the job - and that came in the form of Aussie's Miracle Moist Shampoo. I seem to remember using a sample size of this shampoo on holiday and really enjoying it, so while I haven't incorporated it into my routine just yet (I'm still waiting for the last few crumbs of my Coconut Rice Cake to disintegrate) I have high hopes.
The first real addition to my routine is the wonderful, the amazing, the game-changing Aussie 3-Minute Miracle Reconstructor Deep Treatment. The conditioner I was using before this was Lush's Candy Rain, which is a real sweet treat for pretty dry hair, but mine was a little more than pretty dry. The 3-Miniute Miracle was the first product I picked up when I decided I wanted to do something about my tragic hair, so I can tell you the difference that this product makes alone is insane. I already raved about this in my 'Average Girl' Health & Beauty Maintenance Routine post a couple of weeks back, so I'll try not to bore you with the details, but for such a minimal extra step, it really packs a punch. My hair was recognisably smoother and less-frizzy after just one use. Just run a generous amount through the lengths and ends of your hair, comb through and leave for three minutes and BAM! - instant nourishment. This product truly is a little treat for your hair, and if you're going to purchase one thing from this post, I'd recommend this.
From the first purchase for my new routine, to the most recent - after I've left the deep treatment in my hair for three minutes, washed it out and rung my hair, I turn to the Evolve Organic Beauty Nourishing Hair Elixir. While my hair was noticeably less frizzy after using the Aussie treatment, this product prolongs its healthiness and brings the shine. A little goes a long way with this hair oil - trust me, I learned the hard way that 3 drops is enough or your hair will be very greasy. So yes, squeeze 3-4 drops into your hands, pat them together and run this oil through the lengths and ends of your hair before combing it through. Argan oil is famous for rejuvenating dry hair and keeping up that damage control. A new ingredient I hadn't heard of before was Baobab Oil, which helps protect the hair from environmental damage, while Tahitian Oil prevents protein loss in hair, while also bringing a glorious shine. Evolve Organic Beauty isn't a brand I was aware of even a month ago, but I'm so impressed with this oil so far, and their ethics and commitment to sustainability are outstanding - I can't wait to purchase more from them.
Moving onto not a new product, but a new technique. This is something I got from Lucrezia Chloe's video 'Trying The Curly Girl Method | Frizzy Hair to Perfect Curls in 7 Days!!' - drying your hair with an old t-shirt. We all know that heat is no friend to damaged hair, so I ditched hairdryers a long time ago. Wrapping my hair in a towel before letting it air dry has been my standard method for as long as I can remember, but after doing more research, I found that towels can often be too aggressive to frizzy hair, and absorb the moisture that you would want to retain. Using an old t-shirt means only the surface-level water from the shower is dried away. I can't testify to how well this technique works alone, as I have only used it in conjunction with lots of moisturising products, but it's definitely a tip worth trying out.
As for days when I'm not washing my hair, I've still been incorporating techniques and products to keep up its condition. Firstly, no brushing. My hair is instantly frizzier and breaks a whole lot more if I brush it. This was quite a scary thing to cut out of my routine; as someone with crazy bird's nest hair, it seemed the only way to style and control it was with a brush - but alas, I have found a way around it. I always sleep with my hair up to stop it from knotting in the night, and when I take it down the in the morning, I've only been gently running my fingers through it to separate the curls. If we're edging closer to wash day and it's looking a bit frizzy, I bring out my final product in this routine - Living Proof's No Frizz Instant De-Frizzer. I was sceptical of this product at first - how could something so simple-sounding solve my frizzy hair woes? But, especially if you're on top of your hair care and you use other moisturising shampoos, conditioners, oils etc alongside it, it genuinely works. Just spritz a bit of product at the areas you need it most, and smooth your hair down with your hands, and voila. I have the travel size as it isn't particularly cheap, but it isn't something I use every single day - especially as we're not going anywhere right now. But, when we can go out again, it's a great throw-in-your-handbag-sized product. I'm also not too keen on the scent, but I can definitely look past that for how it makes first, second, even third-day hair look.
And there you have it - some pretty low-maintenance steps to ensure frizzy, dry hair gets the glow up you want. I've always moaned about my hair, even when it wasn't in all its grossness and was just really very curly, but it's so lovely to see my curls back again; I'm learning to fall in love with them. If you have any curly hair maintenance tips, be sure to let me know - I'm always interested in trying new things! In the meantime, I'll be running my fingers through my hair because it's just so soft.
Comments
Post a Comment