Beauty: Healthy Hair Tips

Hi guys!

All my life, I've been pretty blessed with pretty great hair. For as long as I can remember growing up, I had long, blonde, naturally highlighted, straight as a board hair that often reached down to my butt.

Now, I'm sure most of it was genetics, my Mom is blessed with shiny, fine brown hair and my Dad always had thick, thick blonde hair growing up, which is now grey, but still thick as ever. Naturally, mine is more on my Dad's color and thickness. (I'm pure 100% my Dad's side of the family) Mine is a a little more on the "dirty blonde" side of things, but I usually give it a shot of color every few months to help brighten it up.

The only time I can ever remember having "bad" hair was after I completed my Cancer treatments for Thyroid Cancer, which, can you blame it for getting awful? But it was fixed by cutting a cute, short bob, and letting it grow back out to its former glory.

The bob days

Like I said, I'm sure most of it is genetics, but I strive pretty hard to take care of my hair.

Shameless "Look how much it's grown!!" kissy face awful selfie!

Technically, it probably shouldn't be as great as it is. I tease it, I heat style it nearly every day, I blow dry on hot... You catch my drift?

Yet still, I get the "I love your hair!" compliments while people stroke a soft curl. I took a bit of a hair inventory over a couple weeks, and decided to share my secrets of what I do to keep my hair long, shiny, and most of all, healthy. I don't spend a lot, I don't watch what products I use. I experiment a lot until I find something great, then stick with it until it gets discontinued. You don't have to be a slave to salon brand products to keep your hair happy.

Courtney's Three Healthy Hair Tips:

1. Don't Wash Everyday! - I wash my hair on average every 2nd day. On the 2nd day I'll either wear it up, or dust the roots with a little root lifter, or dry shampoo. Because I'm blonde, I don't sweat it if I don't have any dry shampoo, baby powder works just as nice. If you have darker hair, I've heard bronzer works to absorb the oil at the roots, but I've never tried it. Sometimes, I go for 3 days unwashed, but the 3rd day is usually always a bun, ponytail day.
2. Conditioner Is Your Friend - I always condition, my hair is usually on the dry side naturally, and hair spray and other products tend to have a drying effect on your ends. I always apply conditioner to the "ponytail" section of my hair, (basically the part that would be a tail in your ponytail), and I try to use a hair mask or deep conditioner at least once a week.
3. Don't Shy Away From Leave In's - I use three really great products on my hair after I get out of the shower. I usually towel dry a bit, then hit my hair with these products:

1. Herbal Essences Tea Tree Blow Dry Mist

This is a holy grail. I spray it all through my hair before blow drying, and mist my hair with it as well a few minutes before curling or straightening. It offers a heat protectant, and smells amazing.

2.Herbal Essences Hair Milk

This stuff really gives my hair a boost of moisture, especially if I'm stingy on the conditioner in the shower. Its more of a watery consistency, so it really gives my  hair a drink without weighing it down. I usually massage 2 pumps throughout my ponytail section again, however I have really thick hair, so one pump for the general population is probably fine.

3. Garnier Fructis Sleek N' Shine Anti Frizz Serum

I've been loving this for a good few years now. I apply it to the very ends of my hair, and along the sides by my ears, because my hair tends to get very coarse and damaged along there. It really helps calm down split ends and keep them looking smooth.

Freshly washed and blow dried

Last Minute Tips:

1. Turn Down the Heat - I try to keep my hot tools around 200 degrees, which I find works lovely for giving you maximum effect with minimal damage. It might take a few minutes longer, but you'll definitely have healthier hair to show for it.
2. Love Yourself - Adequate nutrition and hydration are always a big part of having healthy hair, as well as healthy everything else. If you're not healthy yourself, how can you expect to have long, shiny hair?
3. Brush Often, And Show Respect! - Don't let your hair get in tangles, take care of it like the pride and joy you want it to be! Like everything worth having, you have to work on it a bit, and the results are always worth showing off.

Now, these are just my personal tips and tricks I've learned over the years. I don't expect these products/practices to work for everyone and their hair type. The most important take away from this post is just take care. Find something that works for you, be mindful and treat your hair like the gem it is, and you'll have long shiny locks in no time!

Happy Thursday!!