notesonpretty

It’s hotter than Hades here in Chicago.

My hair is freaking out, my skin is freaking out and I can’t wait for September when it’s cooler but still sunny.  Anyway I wanted share a couple of extra hair tidbits because with the heat and the sun and being in and out of a pool with chlorinated water, my hair is really taking a beating.  I bet you are in the same boat.  So here are few extra hair hacks:

Hair Treatments:

Hair Inspirational!

Malibu Blondes Brightener Treatment –

If you are blonde and live in an area that has hard water, your hair will be prone to looking brassy and orange due to mineral build up.   If you want to reduce brassiness try using the Malibu brightener treatment.  How do I use this?  After wetting  my hair thoroughly, I mix the powder with some water to make a paste and work it into my hair.  I leave this on my hair for 10 minutes or so and then wash and condition as usual.  Afterward my is hair softer, shinier and blonder.  Magic.  Available on Amazon for $6.50.

Oil treatment –

I picked this trick up from Blake Lively of all people (although Blake has pretty righteous hair and a fantastic sense of style).  Prior to washing your hair, put a couple drops of oil in your hands and run them through the ends of your hair.  You can do this the night before or 5 minutes before washing your hair, it depends on the level of damage and dryness your hair has.  Applying oil before washing will give your hair some extra moisture and protect it from the stripping effects of the shampoo.  Oils that work well for this are Rosehip Oil , Almond Oil and Olive Oil.

Hair Styling:

I mentioned in this post that I have been air drying my hair a lot, and that still holds true.  But, I wanted to another couple of products that are also awesome for air drying your hair.

I don’t think I have spoken out much about Living Proof on this blog, but it is a brand that I come back to over and over again.  I got the Living Proof  Prime Style Extender as part of kit and I’m sure what it is really supposed to do. I used it to blow out my hair a couple of times and didn’t really care for it.  So, it’s being hiding in the back of my cabinet the past 6 months.  I didn’t have the heart to throw it out, and I’m glad I didn’t because as it turns out it is a fantastic for air drying your hair.  When I use this I get beautifully defined bouncy curls with no frizz in sight. !!!Praise!!! For a product to stand up to the humid Chicago summer we are having is amazing.  I should note that,  I combined this with a few squirts of Rusk’s Thermal Shine Spray, which I have added to all my styling products these days.  It is a great additive and very light and add’s some nice non-greasy shine to your hair.

Hair Twisting-

A technique I have been trying out is twirling my hair.  This is a technique for air drying, where once you have added your product (s) and combed through, you twist your hair in 1 inch pieces of hair away from your face.  And that’s it!  You will look a little like Shirley Temple at first and the hardest part will be not touching while is dries. However, once your hair dries you can tousle your hair a little bit with some styling cream or texturizing spray to break up the curls a bit.  Voila!  Beachy waves.

Finding excellent hair care products will always be a quest of mine, and I am always on the hunt for something that works even better than the last.  If you have found something that works for you, please let me know!

Natalie