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I'm gonna be honest with you.....my favorite thing about myself is my hair. HA! I've had the same cut and color since I was 14 and I'm OK with that......do what works! I've always aimed for the "Blake Lively / Serena" look when styling my hair, and I think I've pretty much mastered it by now.
Enough tooting my own horn, though! I've gotten a ton of hair compliments lately (my favorite kind of compliment to receive) so I thought I'd share my holy grail hair products that I swear by and could never live without. I did a similar post last year, and several of the products made the list again! That's when you know they are true winners.
Before we get started, though, lets talk about the type of hair I have so you can relate to what I'm saying. I have long, thick, wavy hair (no extensions). It used to be naturally strawberry blonde and would sun bleach, but since I started working full-time and spending my days in a dark office, it has darkened quite a bit. To combat the darkness, I have been getting balayage highlights for a few years now from Jamie Thomas at Scissortale Salon in Midtown, OKC - she's amazing! She even styled my hair right before this shoot. I only get my highlights touched up maybe three times a year and I think it generally looks very natural and super close to what my hair used to look like in the summer. Those were the days.
I wash my hair about every three days. I try to keep heat off it as much as possible and not heat-style it between washes, but sometimes you just have to touch things up and use a curler, ya know? That being said, a good heat protectant and dry shampoo are MUST HAVES for me! Especially because I workout / sweat a lot! I also REQUIRE a strong pony tail holder during workouts and prefer one that doesn't leave creases so I can lay off the heat (THIS is my fav). That being said, let's talk products!
1. Shampoo / Conditioner
I've been using this brand for YEARS. Sometimes I feel like switching and trying something new and I always regret it and go right back to Mr. Paul Mitchell's Tea Tree line. The Moisturizing Lavender Mint is such a fresh smell, I love love love it. It also leaves my hair suuuuper soft. It is said to hydrate, detangle, soften and replenish and 100% believe it does each and every one to perfection.
2. Hair Mask
I got this for my birthday and have been using it weekly ever since. It leaves my hair feeling SUPER moisturized - I know it is just drinking the mask right up. You can really feel the difference after you style it! It is perfect for those with dry hair due to sun damage, heat styling or color processing. I have to keep myself from using it every single day!
3. Dry Shampoo
Another product I've been using for years! It's a little on the pricey side if you use a lot of it regularly, but it is WORTH IT and the bottle lasts quite a while. It doesn't leave ANY residue, it literally just cleans your hair and leaves it good as new. If you're the type of person who prefers a little texture from their dry shampoo, this one probably isn't for you. I could only find the travel size online, but most Ulta stores carry it. This is my favorite cheap/drugstore dry shampoo (it smells so good) and it will leave a bit more texture behind. I talked about my post-workout hair routine in this post!
4. Detangler
I got this recently from Sephora and instantly fell in love! When I was a kid I HATED tangles so much - I would tell my parents that brushing the tangles out of my hair made me sneeze, HA! I don't know if it was true or not but whatever. Needless to say, we always kept No More Tangles in the bathroom cabinet (remember the fun fish shaped bottles?!). Prep Rally is definitely a more grown up version - paired with my Wet Brush, I know I'll never sneeze when brushing my hair again. It is filled with biotin, vitamins and UV protection, as well.
5. Oil
My friend Ashley from Sass and Satin introduced me to this product and I have been hooked ever since! They also offer a foam version, but I prefer the oil. It is completely weightless and leaves my hair soooo silky and shiny plus it really helps prevent split ends. Writing this post made me realize I am in need of a refill! This is a cheaper/drugstore brand I also use.
6. Leave-In Spray
This spray in product has been a LIFESAVER when traveling. I hate bringing a whole heap of hair products in my carry-on so this guy really saves the day (and the space!). I can just bring it and nothing else! It protects from heat, moisturizes, and helps detangle. Win-win-win. This is a cheaper/drugstore brand I also use (the smell is AMAZE) and it is 10-in-1.
6. Heat Protectant Spray
I AM HOOKED on this. As I mentioned above, I don't wash my hair every day. When I need to use heat to touch it up, I know I should protect it, but I hate spraying a liquid protectant because they oftentimes leave my hair a little oily or greasy looking. Insert: moroccan oil perfect defense. It is basically a dry aerosol oil. It sprays lightly and evenly and smells incredible. I don't love it when my hair is straight (it leaves a slight crunch if sprayed too heavily) but it is incredible when my hair is curly.
7. Shine Spray
Probs my number one tip top best hair product of ALL TIME. And that's saying a lot. I've been through so many bottles of this! Kevin Murphy also offer a purple spray for blondes, but I actually prefer the gold. First off, it smells AMAZING. Second, it is healing. Third, it makes your hair so soft, shiny and silky. I spray it on after I finish styling, but you can also use it before styling and even when wet. I use it every.single.day. I think it really helps third-day hair look fresh and smell good. If you buy any product on this list, BUY THIS! You won't regret it. **I linked it on Amazon because it is only available in salons. I always buy mine from blo. in OKC or Scissortale Salon in OKC.
8. Texturizer
My hairstylist used this on me before this photo shoot and I immediately went and bought some. It leaves such a great messy, tousled texture without leaving any sticky, gunky, crunchy or gross residue. And yes, the smell..... LOVE! The name also makes me giggle, ha! **I linked it on Amazon because it is only available in salons. I always buy mine from blo. in OKC or Scissortale Salon in OKC.
9. Health Supplement
I've talked about my love for collagen a lot recently but that's because it is SO GOOD for you! There are so many benefits like healthier hair, nails, joints and skin. I definitely attribute the health and thickness of my hair to Vital Proteins! Personally I love the collagen peptides, but they also offer beauty water, greens, protein and more. The collagen peptides, though, are flavorless, they dissolve completely and they are protein only (no carbs or fat) so I can feel good about adding them to my diet without adding a bunch of macros I don't need.
10. Growth Supplement
I've been using Cocoa Locks for about a month now and am really loving it! It is filled with Biotin and other vitamins and helps your hair grow longer, thicker and stronger. YES, the "cocoa" in the name means chocolate! They offer a hot chocolate mix and a chocolate shake, yum! I've been putting my hot chocolate mix in my coffee each morning to make it a "mocha." It is only 26 calories, gluten free and vegetarian friendly so you can have your chocolate and eat it too. I had my hair trimmed literally a day before I started using Cocoa Locks and I've already seen some growth. You can use code AMANDASOK20 for 20% off an order from CocoaLocks.com.
And that's it! There are other products I use on and off like purple shampoo or beach sprays, but these 10 are the ones I can't live without and have been/will be buying repeatedly. Obviously I don't use all of them in the same day, it depends on how I'm fixing my hair that day, but I definitely use most multiple times a week. Do you have any hair products you swear by? I'm a hair product junkie and always love sampling more, so I'd love to hear any suggestions!
Back when I was a poor college kid, I used to DREAM about the days I could "splurge" on expensive hair products. That day has arrived, and I am so glad it has! I really and truly believe that better products = better hair all around.
Photos by Loganna Photography
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