Let's talk hair routines for a minute. I have and love my long hair. I've tried short hair styles before, but with a bit of a natural wave, I always end up having to style or straighten it every day....and ain't nobody got time for that!
I've gotten my hair routine down to where I only wash it every 2 or 3 days (yes, even with my oily hair) and only officially "style" it one of those days. Want to learn how? Read on!
Now, you may be looking at the products below and thinking, "Erika, that's a lot of products. That doesn't look simple." But hear me out. Minimal time on your part means that you need to use great products. Nothing saves time more than healthy hair and products that work and keep working.
1)Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Shampoo & Conditioner
The bottle itself says, "Hair feels cleaner longer." After the first wash, I didn't notice much of a difference. I was expecting miracles. But after about a week, I did notice that my hair did not get oily as fast. PhD shampoos and conditioners are silicone and oil free, meaning those things aren't building up on your hair. The two also have a special Healthy Hair Molecule (OFPMA) helps repel dirt and oil to further help you wash less often.
2)Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo
I've tried several dry shampoos. I've found some that I hated and some that weren't so bad, but this dry shampoo is by far my favorite. First, it sprays on with some force, getting into your roots. Second, this dry shampoo is one of the easiest I've ever found to work into my hair so I don't have the "gray effect" on my dark brown hair. And third, this dry shampoo actually makes my hair feel cleaner. I don't cringe at running my fingers through it. With other dry shampoos, I found that my hair didn't look oily, but that my fingers felt gunky after feeling touching my hair. Gross! But not with PhD Dry Shampoo!
3)Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo
Because I use dry shampoo often and I have oily hair to boot, I like to use this Sunday Shampoo about once a week (maybe more during these sweaty summer months). This is a perfect deep cleaner removing any leftover oil or residue, giving me a squeaky clean start to the week. I simply follow up with my regular conditioner after.
NOTE: Because this is an intense cleaner, do NOT use it on color treated hair or as your regular shampoo.
4)Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Night Cap Overnight Perfecter
Because I have such long hair, it is so important to keep the ends moisturized! There is no point in having long hair that looks dry and brittle. I do usually wash my hair at night after the kids go to bed because I'm not a morning person AT ALL, but I use this Overnight Perfecter after every wash no matter the time of day. However, I only use it on the portion of my hair that would fit into my ponytail. I never use it near my roots or scalp because I have such oily hair. I don't want to add any additional build up. Since I started using this product, my hair has never felt softer. I simply use two pumps on the lower portion of my hair after every wash and I'm good to go. I don't wash it out, but you can. My hair naturally holds curl pretty well, but I think that having this on my hair gives it an extra boost.
The last thing you need is a good flat iron. You want something that is going to get hot fast and stay hot. This flat iron is ready to go in seconds and it stays hot while I style my hair. Plus, it doesn't snag my hair. The round design allows me to style in some curls or I can truly straighten it flat.
Ok, now that we've gone through all of the products I use on a regular basis, I'll walk you through a typical week in my hair routine.
Day 1 (morning): Apply PhD Dry Shampoo. I usually put my hair up in a top knot or Katniss braid after.
Day 1 (evening): Wash and condition with PhD shampoo and conditioner. Apply Nightcap Overnight Perfecter.
Day 2 (morning): Style hair using the ghd Hair Straightener.
Day 3 (morning): Apply PhD Dry Shampoo.
Day 3 (evening): Wash and condition with PhD shampoo and conditioner. Apply Nightcap Overnight Perfecter.
Day 4 (morning): Style with ghd Hair straightener.
Day 5 (morning): Apply PhD Dry Shampoo.
Day 6 (morning): Apply PhD Dry Shampoo.
Day 6 (evening): Wash with Bumble and Bumble Sunday Shampoo. Condition with PhD Conditioner. Apply PhD Nightcap Overnight Perfecter.
Day 7 (morning): Style hair using the ghd Hair Straightener.
You will love having more time to do things besides messing with your hair once your start using these fantastic products. It may not look simple at first glance, but I know that when you start using these products and a routine similar to mine that I shared, you'll see the simplicity.
Disclaimer: This post does contain affiliate links, however, I received none of these products for free. Using affiliate links to purchase items on the affiliated site provides support for Full & Simple to continue to bring you fantastic content. Thank you!
Also, thank you to Ball-Spencer Photography for the picture of my top knot!