When it comes to hair, we are never happy. The blondes want to be brunettes, the brunettes want to be red heads; or combinations thereof. The people with straight hair want it to be curly, the curly haired folk wish for straight gleaming locks.
I have always had very thick brown hair which has a mind and a personality all of it's own. My sister, who is a hairdresser and therefore could tame it much easier, has quite fine hair. Go figure. The picture below is probably a fair representation of me in the mornings. Not much of a clue, just apply heat and pray to the hair gods.
Over the years I have done many, many things to my hair. I have had streaks of all colours and have been a blonde, a brunette and a redhead; going back and forth when I got bored of the colour as I went.
In recent years the trends for hair colour has changed. From balayage to ombre, grey hair to multicoloured. All these different looks are amazing and can really show the style you want to portray and make your personality shine, just through your hair.
Experimentation with hair colour is a right of passage in your twenties, but when you hit your thirties, your hair can pay the consequences. Hair can become brittle and easily break from constant bleaching. It can even start to fall out as Kiera Knightley shared recently.
Our hair is not only at risk from over colouring. When you hit your thirties, you are in your stride and often, this will be your busiest decade. This is the time when you are really building your career and having children can come into play which can play havoc with your hormones and your hair. Undue stress can lead to problems with your hair thinning, and even leaving bald patches in your hair which is a condition called Alopecia Areata.
But never fear! A decade of bleaching your hair combined with a stressful lifestyle does not necessarily mean disaster. I learned coming into my thirties that there are many things that you can do to take care of and maintain your hair so I thought that I would share a fair tips with you.
Protect from the Heat
Make sure to use a good heat protection spray each and time you style your hair. There are also many shampoo and conditioners out there that can also help with heat protection. I love the Aussie Take the Heat range.
Watch Those Split Ends!
Ideally you should aim to get your hair cut every 6-8 weeks to promote healthy hair with split ends at a minimum.
Deep Moisturisation
I love using Coconut Oil in my hair once a week. After massaging it into my wet hair for a few minutes, I wrap my hair into shower cap and either leave it for 20-30 if I don't have much time, or leave it overnight for ultimate moisturisation. It really does make a difference and your hair after washing it out feels wonderful.
Wash Your Hair Less
Now I not suggesting that you walk around with greasy hair, but contrary to popular belief, you do not need to wash your hair every day (unless of course you have naturally really oily hair). I wash mine every 3 days, usually having a ponytail on the third day or using dry shampoo if I am not entirely happy with how it looks. The natural oils in your hair can help to keep it healthy and the longer you can leave between washes, the better. I use the reverse hair wash method which has really made a difference.
Hair Replacement
Even you have bald patches or have developed Alopecia Totalis (total hair loss on the scalp), thankfully there are now treatments and procedures that you can undergo, such as a hair transplant which can restore your hair via donated hair that is then transferred to your scalp in a minimally invasive procedure that does not even involve sedation.
My hair will always be a beast that needs to be tamed. Add rain or a muggy atmosphere and my hair can still turn into something that looks like a bush that you have dragged through a hedge. But the most important thing is that my hair is now healthy and has a gloss to it that the incessant bleaching took away for so long.
Invest in your hair, it is the crown that you never take off.
*Collaborative post
