In my 20 years of life, I have had the same hairstylist, the only one to have ever done anything to my hair, Michelle is her name, and she so happens to be my birthgiver. The hair salon has been a home away from home for both my mom and I, because like Michelle, I love all things hair. Spending a lot of time as a kid in the salon, listening to hair talk and then working as a receptionist there since I was 14, I have learned tons about hair from my mama. I am so beyond appreciative to have a mom who’s a hairstylist because she knows all stuff haircare, and on top of that, does amazing hair let me tell ya. She has been a hairstylist for almost 33 years and is a Color Educator for L’Oréal and an Educator for TIGI, which means that she can train and teach other hairstylists. Michelle is a super smart lady and she is always giving her clients, including me, tips to handle any hair situation. When I asked her about the most important tips for healthy looking hair, these quotes are what my hair sensei/mom had to say.
“MOISTURE!!” Fall has just begun, and this means the air will get more dry and sadly, so will your hair. Adding moisturizing products to your hair regimen, will help keep your mane looking shiny and healthy. “Leave in conditioners with lightweight formulas” (lightweight meaning something like a spray that wouldn’t weigh the hair down or make it greasy), are great for detangling, frizz, and static control. 10 in 1 sprays are great because you just spritz it on after you get out of the shower and comb it through. My mom and I use the L’Oréal Professional Série Expert Vitamino Colour 10-in-1 Perfecting Multi-Purpose Spray religiously because it makes the hair feel soft and silky when it is dry. Not only does it smell amazing but it makes it so much easier to detangle your locks, which will help with breakage and split ends. She also recommends using a deep conditioning hair masque at least once a week to repair and protect the insides of the hair strand, so the outsides look even better!
“Ends to roots” If there was a quote to sum up my childhood this would be it. I would savagely rake through my hair whenever I brushed it just wanting to get it over and done with. It seemed like every single time I picked up a brush my mom would appear out of nowhere and say “ends to roots”. This is because brushing your hair from the top to the bottom causes damage, especially if you tear through it out of annoyance like I would. If you start brushing from the root to get a rat out, it can cause breakage to the strand of hair because you’re forcing the hair follicles to separate, which will lead to split ends. Start at the ends and make sure to use a “small section of hair and gently work your way up”. This is super important for healthy hair in this windy season when you can hardly walk around for 2 seconds without your hair getting all tangled up.
“Always use professional products” There are so many hair products and brands out there, it is easy to get real overwhelmed real quick when deciding what is best to use on your hair. Many grocery stores and supermarkets carry various “salon-grade” products for cheap prices. It seems like the way to go, because I mean, who doesn’t want their hair to look like they just walked out of the salon for just a little cash money? Unfortunately, many of these products are so cheap because they are filled with cheap ingredients and chemicals. A bunch of well-known retail hair products contain “laundry detergent equivalent cleansers, wax, and mostly water”. Real professional hair products have natural vitamins and other quality ingredients that treat specific hair needs. It is hard to tell what is salon-grade or not, but if you are shopping in a store that the haircare aisle is next to the kitchen appliances, it’s most likely not. Another tip: if you see the word Sulfate anywhere on the bottle, put it down and run. It is used in cleaning supplies and is one of those detergent cleansers my mom mentioned, so imagine what it does to your hair. To maintain healthy hair, buying professional products that are a bit more expensive, might not be the solution some wanted to hear, but trust me it DOES make a difference.
Tea on Shower Time You would think that washing your hair every day is a good thing but it actually causes hair damage if you do. Shampooing your hair too often will dry out your hair, make it thinner, and cause breakage over time. “Hair will be stronger and healthier if you do not over shampoo”, and no this is not Michelle giving you permission to not shower for a week. Shower as regularly as you want, just put your hair up in a bun and you’re good to go but if your hair is greasy or smelly, you obviously gotta wash that. Depending on your whether your hair type is oily or dry, the recommended number of days between washes are 1-2 for oily, and 2-3 for dry. Keep in mind if you are going from washing your hair every day, to trying to wait between washes, it might take a little time for your hair to adjust. Don’t worry if it looks too dirty to wait a day, “use a light dry shampoo between cleansings to keep the hair manageable for maintaining and styling”. Another reason that washing too much is unhealthy for your hair, is because when wet, your hair is very fragile and more susceptible to breakage. The cardinal rule for wet hair is: DO NOT USE A BRUSH. Brushes yank and pull on the hair more than a wide-toothed comb would, but if you’re like me and hate using a comb, you need a Wet Brush. I am not joking when I say I vividly remember the first time I used a Wet Brush when I was younger. I ran the brush through my tangles and had absolutely no problem whatsoever, and in that moment my life was changed. My mom uses the brush on all of her clients after washing their hair because for whatever magical reason, this brush doesn’t damage your wet hair.
*S/O to my amazing mama for the tips she gave me for this article and putting up with me in her chair for the last two decades. Growing up with a strong woman, building the career you have built for yourself, has inspired me so much words couldn’t describe. Writing this, I realized how much you’ve taught me about hair and it’s all because you are so talented at what you do. As a hairstylist, you don’t just make someone’s hair look good, you make them feel good too.
Mom, if you are reading this, I love you and Happy (Early) Birthday!