Great hair is something almost every woman dreams of. Whether your idea of great hair is smooth, soft, shiny, full - it doesn't matter - it's something we all strive for. Here at Beauty Plus, that is our goal - to help you customize your hair routine to achieve your goals of beautiful hair. The most basic steps to great hair are 1. Wash and Condition, 2. Repair and Hydrate, 3. Prep and Protect, and 4. Style and Finish.
Lets start with washing and conditioning... It seems so extra basic that I shouldn't have to mention it right? WRONG! There is more to picking the right shampoo and conditioner than meets the eye. You must truly understand what your goals (and hair needs) are before choosing a shampoo and conditioner. Don't get me wrong, there are no "one size fits all" shampoo/conditioner duos out there - but some come close. One of my favorites is Redken's Color Extend Magnetics duo. It is color safe - and, lets be honest, most woman today color their hair - so finding a color safe shampoo is extremely important. (You don't? that's ok, this shampoo and conditioner are still great for you!) The shampoo is sulfate free, gentle and lightweight (which is great, it won't weigh you down if you are looking for volume!). The conditioner has targeted repair properties that will help restore your hair. It will leave your hair feeling soft and smooth but never weighed down.
Next is the step that most woman skip - mostly because they are unaware of this step or scared of it. You have to, I repeat - HAVE TO - use a mask treatment on your hair at the very least bi-monthly (I use one weekly). Masks help repair everyday damage to your hair - like heat styling and environmental - and add much needed moisture back to your locks. Yes, it is true that some masks could leave your hair a little oily afterwards, but that's ok! That oil is helping moisturize your hair - moisturized hair is healthy hair! One of my favorite masks (and if you've read the blog before - I've mentioned it before) is the Redken Diamond Oil Deep Facets Intense Treatment Mask. It is an oil infused mask that provides nourishment for dull/damaged hair. It also adds a layer of oil for protection for further damage! It will leave your hair with a luster of shine, and smoothness that you've always been looking for!
After you've washed and conditioned (or washed and treated) - comes prep and protect. This is probably the most important step of the four basic steps. Why you ask? Because everything you do to your hair after this point is DAMAGING! Brushing your hair is damaging. Blow drying your hair is damaging. Curling/flat ironing your hair is damaging. Riding in your car with the windows down is damaging. And yes, just leaving your house and getting fresh air is damaging! We all know about the first few and how heat can ruin your luscious locks, but people rarely think about the environmental stressors for your hair. The sun, wind, and dry air can wreak havoc on your hair if you aren't protecting it. That's where this step comes in! The Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Express Primer Cream is sort of a jack-of-all-trades when it comes to heat protection. It will not only protect your hair from heat up to 450 degrees, but it will reduce drying time, prevent breakage, and it will leave your hair stronger and healthier. But, I'm going to be honest with you - I always find that I need two leave in products when it comes to my own prep and protect step. Before I even worry about blowing out my hair - I first need to detangle it from the shower, right? After I've towel dried my hair, I spray in Redken's One United All-In-One Multi-Benefit Treatment. I use this to protect my hair from my brush - helping to eliminate friction and pulling. You could argue that any detangling spray would work - but I'm going to tell you why you need this one! This spray has 25 benefits in one little bottle - that's 15 more benefits than an It's a 10 product! It will give your hair increased manageability, protection, and beauty. It can be used as a leave-in spray to condition, nourish, reduce dryness and detangle to make hair stronger and healthier. It will also prime your hair before hot styling to prevent heat damage, split ends, and color fade. Also, it will help give hair a silky touch to help smooth, control frizz and add a luxurious shine to the hair. Using both will give your hair the ultimate amount of moisture and protection for anything that comes your way for the day!
Lastly, you style and finish your look. Picking the right product to finish of your style could be the make or break for long lasting looks. Luckily, Redken has a whole family of finishing sprays - from quick dry to extreme hold - there's a spray for everyone. Control Addict 28 is a hairspray I always have on hand!