Hair Care

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

About five years ago I cut my hair off to my jawline (you have to try it once..), immediately I wanted it back. I get asked all the time if I wear extensions & how I got my hair to grow back so fast, but honestly it's taken this long! I get my hair trimmed every 6-8 weeks :) I used to ask for a "germ-sized trim" when I was still trying to grow it out haha!!

Not only has it taken years, but I've done some damage along the way. I've tried to lighten my hair multiple times & damaged it, which probably slowed growth. But here are some things I think have helped my hair grow and stay healthy recently:

First, Brazillian Blowout! I have only had two in my life so far. The first one I got a few years ago, & I just got one again last month. I would highly recommend getting one! For me, they help to straighten my curls a bit, make my hair shiny, soft, healthy, protected, & lock in color. The biggest thing I noticed it that my hair isn't frizzy! 

I got my last Brazilian Blowout at Jagged Edge Salon. The whole process took about two hours (on my ridiculous amount of hair). 

My sister gets her Brazilian Blowouts from Maleri Miller Parker & both do a great job, we had the same results :) 

My hair is so much easier to do now, & when I straighten it the style lasts longer. If you're trying to grow out your hair or repair some damage I would suggest finding a salon near you that does Brazilian Blowouts. They last up to 12 weeks. The picture above was taken right after getting a blowout.

Shampoo & Conditioner:

Because my hair is so long, it gets dry pretty easy at the ends. I only wash my hair twice a week, sometimes three if it gets oily. 

I change shampoo & conditioner all the time, but since my hair has been red I started using Bain de Terre Color-Protecting shampoo & conditioner.
I also use Joico Color Infuse Red products to keep my red color vibrant between appointments. I use the color infuse once a week (*The color of my hair is Joico 5XR).
Since my Baine de Terre products are almost gone I purchased the Redken Color Extend Magnetics shampoo and conditioner at Ulta, I'll let you know if I like it!

Deep Conditioning: 

I've used Coconut Oil for a long time now on my hair. I just melt it in the sink and apply to dry hair. If you can apply heat or leave it over night that's the best. Remember to look for unrefined, organic coconut oil.

I realize that drugstore products are not the best for your hair, but I actually really like the Garnier Fructis Damage Eraser Strength Reconstructing Butter with phyto-keratin complex. 

I just recently bought the Not Your Mother's Intensive Hair Unit Renewal Treatment and I really like it! Plus it smells good. It has carrot root extract to help repair damaged hair. 

I alternate using one of these once a week. 

Smooth & Shine:

In the past I've used the Brazilian Blowout product until I ran out. I've been using the Rusk Shine Enhancing Lusterizer for a while now. It helps with shine, strengthening with proteins, and protective UVB inhibitors. 

I have recently been using Not Your Mother's Smooth Moves Frizz Control Hair Cream (Ulta in-stores). This helps to de-frizz, straighten, and shine hair. I put these on towel-dried hair. 

Oils & Protectant: 

OGX Coconut Milk Anti-Breakage Serum is awesome! It smells so good too. I use this every single day on the ends of my hair to smooth. This helps repair, resurface, and mend split ends with coconut oil and silk proteins. 

Moroccon Oil Treatment is more expensive, so I use this just a few times a week, and always after I wash my hair. This also helps restore hair, smooth, and shine.

To protect my hair from heat I use Kevin Murphy Damage Manager. This protects hair up to 428 degrees Fahrenheit.

Red Hair Maintenance: 

Besides the Joico Color Infuse products, I have been desperate for a root cover recently. I found this Beyond the Zone Colour Mousse in racy red at Sally's Beauty Supply and it seems to work pretty good, but it did not last 2-3 shampoos on my hair. I applied to dry roots, brushed it in, then blow-dried to seal the color in.

Dry Shampoo: 

Because I only wash my hair two times a week, sometimes the roots can get oily while the ends are dry. Rather than having to wash my hair and go through that whole process I use a dry shampoo. There are tons of great dry shampoos out there, and I really like this one by Tresemmé and the Not Your Mother's brand.

Vitamins:

I know this seems random, but what you put in your body has an effect on your hair. Of course you should eat healthy, but I also recommend vitamins. I take like, 50 vitamins every day haha (exaggeration, slightly)! Of the ones I take I think these have an effect on my hair. 

Melaleuca Vitality Multivitamin and Mineral for women. I noticed this has Biotin in it, which can help with brittle nails and hair growth. I take this every day. 

Cod Liver Oil has Vitamin A which can help with new cell growth and health especially for the eyes and skin. But there are many other benefits to this vitamin, read here. It really doesn't say anything about hair, but I have been taking this for about a year now, so maybe it has played a role in the health of my hair. 

Omega-3 Krill Oil has many amazing benefits as well, especially for heart health. I'm also not sure this played a direct role in my hair health, but it's worth a try :) 

Keratin: 

Lastly, I want to mention something I think had a huge effect on my hair. I don't currently have this product because too much keratin can actually damage your hair (said the lady at Ulta). But this is the It's a 10 Miracle Leave-In Plus Keratin!! When I tried to lighten my hair last summer, I had just got my hair to the length I wanted it to be and then lost about two/three inches to damage from the highlights. This seriously was a miracle on my hair, well this & dying it darker. I went through two bottles of this ;) Highly recommend!

Thank you so much for reading!! I hope you enjoyed and maybe learned something! I'm definitely not a hair expert, but I've pretty much had long, curly, thick hair my whole life! It's a love/hate relationship.. :) Follow Pretty & Put Together on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and like us on Facebook to stay updated on the latest posts! 

No Curling Iron Curls With Sea Salt Spray

Save your hair!

I am constantly fighting with my hair in the hot summer weather. My hair becomes more damaged with all the sun combined with heated tools like my straightener and curling irons. I recently got a sea salt spray and wanted to give it a try! I experimented with this no curling iron curl today and it turned out great! Keep in mind that I already have wavy/curly hair, so this may turn out different with straight hair (you can try more twisted braids in smaller sections)!

First I washed my hair and applied protectant product and oil to keep my hair smooth and shiny. Then I split my hair into two equal parts. With those two parts, split them again in two pieces. Twist the two pieces in separate directions (I twist the hair closest to my face away from my face).

It's really hard to explain this part! These are twisted braids. Use the two pieces of hair on one side and twist them around each other. Try to keep them twisted tightly. This can take a few tries to get right. If the curls aren't twisted in opposite directions the braid will come undone. Tie with small elastics. If the braids aren't staying twisted you can put a few elastics all the way down the braid (yes these look silly, and I was lucky enough to be seen in them). 

I let these air dry for a bit. Then I take the blow dryer to them until they feel fairly dry. 

Optional: When they are mostly dry you can clamp a straightener on them in sections all the way down the braid; hold the straightener just long enough for the hair to get warm. Repeat twice or more. 

Now the fun part! Take out the elastics and run your fingers gently through the hair. I flipped my hair a few times for some volume. Then I applied this amazing texturizing sea salt spray called Beach Babe! This makes your hair feel like you have spent a day at the beach, but without all the sand in your pants. This is by NYM, Not Your Mother's and is infused with dead sea salt and sea kelp. It smells amazing! Spray a few times through out hair and scrunch. 

This is only $5.99 at Ulta or drugstore. Click image to purchase

This is how it turned out! Soft, bouncy curls ready for summer sun (or the beach if you're lucky enough)!

Give it a try and tag #prettyandpt in your pictures! Let us know how it works for you! This post is not sponsored. 

All Time Favorite Flat Iron: NuMe

Hello!
This tool is an essential for every woman...
The straightener! My daily routine has always involved a flat iron. I have tried a few brands before and I have finally found the ultimate flat iron. The NuMe Vintage flat iron is made with floating, 100% ceramic plates perfect for straightening, loose curls or tight curls. It is pronounced "New-Me" for a reason! 

I have had this flat iron for over a year. I had previously tried several Chi flat irons which all ended up breaking in one way or another. This flat iron from NuMe is very sturdy, it has a long cord, and temperature controls along with a red/green light letting you know when it has reached the perfect temperature. As you can see it is still in great condition! I use this every single day on my hair. I have VERY curly, thick hair so I need a flat iron that can handle the mess. It glides over my hair without catching and has a pattern grip. I also color my hair a lot and this doesn't suck all the moisture from my hair. Not to mention how cute the color is!

I always comb through the hair as I'm straightening, dragging the straightner behind the comb, for the best results and stick straight hair. As you can see this comb is very worn out from using it so much (so cheap, from Walgreens or WalMart)! This flat iron is listed for a pretty high price but I got this one for a large discount (I'm talking over $100.00 off). If you sign up for NuMe's newletters they have flash sales with literally hundreds marked off of the price along with other items. I want to say I got this with a discount code from a YouTube vlogger (Carli Bybel) for around $60.00 which is less than I have ever paid for a flat iron!

The essential partner to the flat iron is an oil. Applying an oil before/after you flat iron your hair will give your hair shine and also keep it healthy. Argan oil is my favorite hair oil. This product is from NuMe as well and is always part of discounts! The bottle is huge and will last a very long time. This stuff is so good you can apply the excess to your skin. I got this product at a huge discount with another code from Carli Bybel (the code may not still be active). I highly recommend this stuff and also recommend hunting down a discount code or waiting for a flash sale first! NuMe often does really awesome bundles for a fraction of the price!

My mom and sister both have a NuMe flat iron as well and they love it! My crazy hair couldn't be tamed any other way than with a good straightner and this one is by far the best I've used and the cheapest.

Thanks for reading! This post is not sponsored.  
(Update 3/6/15: This particular straightener is not made anymore but I have purchased the Megastar and it is amazing, if not better.)