One of the key lessons for me from this pandemic was that there were things that were way more important than having your nails beautifully painted or you hair styled by a professional. Somehow we all embraced the new reality and tried a few home beauty treatments that would make us feel a bit better – YouTube and Instagram were flooded with home tutorials of how to cut your hair yourself, how to use professional gel nails kits, how to pluck your own eyebrows, and how to apply proper skin care.
I have never gone overboard with the beauty treatments done by a professional – a face cleanse every few months, gel nails every now and then, and a new hairstyle every 6 months. Even though these treatments do make me feel quite special, I have always preferred home care. I always try to find time every single day to do something for me and in this way I don’t have to spend hours and hours at beauty salons.
Still, my hair remained one of my beauty priorities even during lockdown. A great hair day has always done wonders to my confidence – I feel untouchable and ready for anything. Do you know that, according to research, a bad hair day can affect your mood and confidence? New York psychologist Dr Vivian Diller, author of Face It: What Women Really Feel As Their Looks Change (Hay House), says “tress distress” is such an issue because “hair is also strongly associated to women’s feminine identity. Long, silky, curly locks are considered a woman’s domain, even if men are taking more risks with their hair,” she adds.
For me a sleek hairstyle that I can easily control is something that would take me at least 2 hours, including the wash and blow dry time. That was something I did not want to do during lockdown so I got creative. I did my own research on how I can reduce the wash cycles of my hair and hence have a beautiful hairstyle for longer periods of time. And I found the way that works best for me!
For me a great hair day always starts in the bathroom. The products that you use to wash your hair are the ones that will make the biggest difference. I have tried numerous shampoos over the years based on the specific needs of my hair (which, to be honest, can change quite drastically each season). For the past three months, however, I have used the same products and have seen the best results for my hair.
Once a week I make sure that I apply Nuxe’s Huile Prodigieuse Multi-Purpose Oil on the ends of my hair before going in the shower. This has helped immensely with my split ends and has made my hair feel much softer and smoother. With the repairing qualities of botanical oils, such as Argan and Almond oil, the now iconic multi-purpose oil has become my go-to product when my hair needs a hydration boost. I am sure that I will continue to use the oil as part of my hair routine in the coming months as the temperatures get lower and lower.
For the past months I have counted on the L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Volumetry Shampoo to provide me with a perfect wash while still helping with the volume at the roots, which has proven to be a bit of a problem for me. As my hair is quite thick, it is fairly easy to lose some of the volume at the roots so I need to make sure that I include a product that will help me retain as much volume as possible in this area. This shampoo has managed to give me a voluminous hair with added texture on it without weighing it down so I am happy to include it in my wash cycles week after week.
And one last hair product that I keep in my bathroom drawer – the Aloe Via Nutri-Repair Hair Mask from LR. Generally, I am not a hair mask person but this mask has helped me so many times that I wanted to mention it. Usually I reach out for it when my hair feels kind of dull and needs an extra hydration boost – the LR hair mask never disappoints in such cases so I am happy to keep her in my hair care routine.
The hair products used in the bathroom are important but the ones used afterwards are vital for your hair styling and for how long your hair will look great in between wash cycles. If you tend to blow dry your hair like me, I cannot stress enough how important it is to use a heat protection spray and what a difference it will make to your hair. My recent choice has been the Langhaarmädchen Hitzeschutz Spray which can be found in the dm drugstores – the amazing smell was the thing that made me buy my first package all those months ago. For the roots, I am using the L’Oréal Professionnel Serie Expert Volumetry Root Volume Spray which does wonders to the volume in my roots in combination with the shampoo from the same series. I finish off with a cream no-rinse conditioner of choice in order to get that finished sleek look I am looking for.
Every now and then I find myself postponing my next wash for one reason or another. In such cases I rely on Bloomy Dreams Dry Shampoo by Balea which can be found in the dm drugstores as well. What I love most about this product is that it does not leave any white residue on my hair and I can refresh my hairstyle in minutes without using a blow dryer. It also gives my hair a fresh delicate scent of flowers which is an instant confidence boost.
These are all of my current hair favorites. What is your hair care routine? Has it changed during lockdown? Let me know in the comments.
