Hair: Any Cosmo Girl Would Know!

This quote was spoken by one of my hair idols, Elle Woods!

I've had this idea for my hair how-to for a while now! It's just personally the way I do things, not the way things have to be done, obviously. But if you've ever wondered about the way I style my hair, this post is for you!

Grow it out!

I guess length will be the best place to start!

The most common questions I get about how loooong my hair is:

Q: How did you get it to be so long?

A: Uh, by not cutting it.

Q: Are you going to cut it?

A: Nah.

Q: Have you EVER cut it?

A: ARE YOU SERIOUS? It would be trailing me like the train of a wedding dress if I hadn't cut it for over 24 years.

I have pretty long hair, as evident by this photo! I only get my hair trimmed about once every year, which is longer than most people advise to go... Luckily for me, my hair is pretty strong and resistant to damage. That's why I can go such a long time between trims. It's almost all one length, although there are still some layers hanging around from haircuts past. As the last time I did have one of those things called a haircut, it was probably my junior year of high school. That was 7 years ago!

Color it!

I've been red, I've been black, I've been almost blonde.

These days I'm my natural brown with some balayage highlights. Low upkeep. I just prefer my hair lighter, so it'll probably be this way for a while! I had it very dark until this past January where I got the first round of balayage, then waited until September to put more in. I always have some red tones that pop out every once-in-a-while too. No doubt that I'll eventually get bored and go back to completely dark, but I don't have plans for that currently.

Style it!

On any given day, my hair is either straightened with a flat iron or curled with a curling iron. So yes, I use heat on my hair almost every day. I know for some people that this is not a possibility, but I really enjoy styling my hair. Although, I usually can go two days without washing my hair. So if I straighten it on day one, I'll ride that look out for day two.

Another reason for my styling choices is that my hair is naturally wavy, not straight nor curly. Once it dries after showering, it's very poofy, especially in humidity! I let my hair air dry if I have a lot of time on my hands, so basically never, and use a hair dryer on every other occasion. Then I'll use one of my tools for styling.

Then I use one of the styling tools listed below:

To straighten it, I use a CHI Ceramic Ionic Tourmaline Flat Iron. Our relationship has been blissful and we've been going strong since 2013! The one I've linked is the exact same one I have, except mine is purple. It makes my hair feel so much softer and shinier than any other flat iron I've owned. And it definitely reduces my dreadful puffiness!

I just started using the Beachwaver S1 Curling Iron and it is also a dream come true. And it gets reeeeeally hot (410 degrees). I finally am getting the loose, BEACHY curls that I want! If you've never seen it in action, you have to. Check out some videos on their website because it's crazy. I have always loved doing my hair, but you definitely don't have to be a pro to be able to use the Beachwaver. You just clamp the strand of hair and press the arrow button and it curls it right up for you! Super simple, and the clamp is designed so that it doesn't leave a crimp! It took a couple of tries for me to get my curls exactly how I like them, but I'm in love.

Products!

When it comes to products that I put in my hair, I tend to stick to what I know and love.

Whenever I hop out of the shower, I apply two products to my hair right away. First, is the Renewing + Argan Oil of Morocco by OGX. I'm not picky about my Moroccan oil brands, but I've been using this one lately because it's affordable and lasts a long time! I just like to add extra moisture to the ends of my hair when it's still wet. I don't really apply this to my roots at all.

Next, I like to use Hot Toddy Heat & UV Protectant by Drybar. I actually am obsessed with Drybar lately because 1) I'm a sucker for pretty packaging and witty cocktail-themed names and 2) EVERYTHING SMELLS SO GOOD. Like I said, I use heat on my hair almost every day! My Beachwaver is usually set at 410 degrees, and Hot Toddy protects your hair to up to 450 degrees.

When I use my flat iron, I love Dove Style & Care Extra Hold Hairspray because it keeps your hair really soft instead of crunchy like many hairsprays. I've been using this brand/type for years. I like to spritz each layer of my hair with it before I straighten it because it helps to tame flyaways.

After straightening, I always use a tiny dollop of Regis Designline Silk Drops Repair & Shine Serum to smooth everything out. I also love Paul Mitchell Smoothing Gloss Drops which works the exact same way. I cannot go without using some kind of gloss drops on my hair after straightening! It's what makes my hair so silky all the time! I put a pea-sized drop into my hand, then rub it around to disperse it all over my hands, and apply it to the bottom half of my hair. Then I'll usually brush through with my flat iron one or two times. This product makes all the difference.

When I use my Beachwaver to curl, I use Herbal Essences Body Envy Volumizing Hairspray. In this case, I just want a hairspray that is a little stronger so that my curls hold all day. I'm not super picky about the type of hairspray I use when I curl my hair, but it needs to be pretty heavy-duty for my curls to stay perfectly in tact! I like this one because even though it's strong, I like how it doesn't make my hair feel crunchy.

I've also been using Triple Sec by Drybar because my hair is soooo long that it needs a little extra boost of volume! It's a 3-in-1, so it adds volume, acts as a dry shampoo, and adds a matte texture to all hair types. I usually use this on the day that I don't wash my hair, to prevent it from falling flat and to absorb any unwanted oils.

I also just got a little sample of the Detox Dry Shampoo by Drybar from my Sephora Play box (a subscription service which will be the topic of an upcoming post). This is my favorite smelling product I have tried from Drybar! It not only serves its purpose, but it's like a really good smelling perfume too...for hair.