hairapy

It's been a looong week chez moi to say the least. We're in the midst of a grueling heat wave, my two oldest daughters could rival ANY contestant on the Jerry Springer show, my husband has been upgrading his delicate palette and drinking expensive wine ahem... I mean he's been out "entertaining" clients all week, I've succumbed to an entire jar of Nutella avec une grand baguette (with a healthy dose of self loathing on the side), and my youngest has been battling an unrelenting fever for the past three days. This last grievance on my list is by no means an honorable mention; it's been the main attraction... you mothers out there understand, a sick kid translates to a stage five clinger who cripples you with constant worry, anxiety, sleepless nights and short fuses. Add all these things up and I've got a bonafide first-world catastrophe on my hands. So you'd think, in the midst of all this chaos, who has time to care about their hair, right? Wrong! One thing that makes a person still feel human during these trying times is having a good hair day! Below is my bullet proof list to ensure your hair is at the top of it's game... any time. 

***note: I feel incredibly ridiculous writing the last few sentences of this paragraph... go ahead and punch me in your mind's eye***

• Shampoo & Conditioner: I'm guessing this is common knowledge but I'll throw it out there anyways. A good hair day, usually starts with the basics. Condition and texture of your hair can heavily rely on the products you're washing it with. In this summer's humidity, I am a huge fan of Bumble and bumble's new line: Hairdresser's invisible oil. It is just what the doctor ordered when your hair is feeling a little (ok, A LOT) fried and frizzy, and it comes at a reasonable cost. I also LOVE Oribe's signature shampoo and conditioner. It's magical potions work wonders into these locks and I only feel a little guilty when purchasing... the upside here is a little bit goes a long way. If you've played the lottery recently AND WON, then I highly recommend Shu Uemura's Urban Moisture Hydro-Nourishing Line. This stuff is like the Bentley of all hair products; the problem is it comes with the same price tag. If you're currently aligned with the "let them eat cake" attitude, I'd say it's worth every penny. **pro-tip: to make a blow out last longer, only condition your ends to avoid greasy roots. Also, if you're up for the challenge, give your hair a cold water rinse at the end to seal the cuticle... beware of shrinkage**
• Now that we've solved the great debate on shampoos and conditioners, we can move onto pre-blowout hair products. I am not a huge fan of putting ANY product in my hair but no hair can stand up to east coast humidity sans product. So, when I'm all hot and bothered, I turn to Bumble and bumble's prep spray- an awesome detangler and primer that DOES NOT weigh hair down. And if what you're seeking is big, beachy, runway hair than look no further than Bumble and bumble's Surf Foam Spray Blow Dry... part mousse, part sea salt spray, I am extremely obsessed with this product's end result; it's a more refined version of b and b's original surf spray we all know and love. Spray evenly strand-by-strand and blow out with a round brush, or even easier, use your fingers for a windswept look. 
• No good hair can be achieved without good hair tools. I'm pretty particular about my brushes. These wet brushes are all the rage and found in every salon. They glide easily through drenched hair without causing damage. For the blow dry itself, I swear by Technique Tourmaline Theramal round brushes. These brushes have a seamless thermal barrel which allows for even heat distribution and their gentle bristles won't allow strand snagging. They're available in multiple sizes; I covet the xx-large heads for a bigger blowout. Blowdryers are really personal preference... but one thing is for sure power is important. Drybar's Buttercup Dryer uses ionic technology to seal cuticles and calm frizz AND it reduces drying time by 20%. That's a big deal ladies... think of all that extra leisure time we would have to match up socks, rearrange the fridge, organize the mudroom, try a new recipe only to realize half way through we are without two key ingredients, and answer incessant, awkward, anatomical questions being launched at us by our precocious 6 year olds... wait, should we just stick with a shittier blowdryer? In that case, click on over to amazon and check out BaByliss Pro's Ceramix Xtreme Dryer; it's cheaper, easy to use and has some mega wattage. **pro-tip: always attach blow dryer's nozzle and use it facing down... this ensures a sleek and smooth blowout**
• Once the most laborious part of a good hair day is completed... we must preserve the blowout. Oribe's Impereable Anti- Humidity Spray will deliver on it's promise to keep frizz at bay. Dry shampoos are my very hairy best friends. They can prolong that extreme, effort-evoking blowout process for days. Be careful however, sooo many dry shampoos can leave hair feeling grimy and overly perfumed. I SWEAR BY Bumble and bumble's pret-a-powder. I've recommended this to every breathing soul whose ever crossed my path and I use it religiously weekly. I squeeze out a quarter size of powder (depending on the current layer of oil accumulated atop my scalp), rub together in my hands and literally scrub into my roots. Firstly, it soaks up any moisture on my head, and secondly, it actually lightens my month old root growth. Double win. I've heard amazing things about Ouai's Texturizing Spray as well. It promises to refresh and "achieve innately cool model-off-duty hair," which is pretty much the reason I plan to buy it. How superficial of me. **pro-tip: I tend to stay away from hair creams. I find they add build-up quickly to my scalp and weigh my hair down**

Ladies, I'm about to keep things on the real/real. The above steps seem like a lot. Even after writing this, I feel like gulping down a bottle of ice cold Rose and saying f*** this shit. I get it, achieving "a good hair day" can feel like a daunting commitment. When you're tired, stressed and you got nothing left to give... unapologetically, head to your local salon and let them wash, blow dry and style those terrific tresses. As they say in Pretty Woman, "You take care of you." 

Fringe Binge and Blow Out