How I Got My Hair Groove Back

How to Repair Damaged or Over-processed Hair

Well my dream of unicorn hair is going to have to be laid to rest. I have finally realized that every time I bleach my hair enough to actually lighten it, my hair freaks out. So no blonde or crazy vivid colors in the foreseeable future, but I’m okay with that. I think I look better with a deep auburn or chocolate brown anyway!

After going purple recently (not even an extreme purple – but just enough bleach to lighten some sections), my hair has not been happy with me. There are some broken pieces and the ends are a bit fried. It’s not curling up as well as it was before, so it’s often somewhere between curly and straight. So I took charge, and it’s SO much better now. Here’s what I have done to restore it to its former glory.

First (at the suggestion of Emily from Haus of Hounds), I switched to satin pillowcases to prevent further hair breakage. I bought two packs of these Betty Dain Satin Pillowcases on Amazon. I love that they have a hidden zipper, so they don’t slip off, and the zipper doesn’t scratch me while I’m tossing and turning. I also started using an Aquis microfiber hair towel to dry my hair. This hair towel dries hair quickly and doesn’t create friction that can cause split ends and hair breakage. I also bought a satin hair scarf, but I couldn’t figure out how to use it, and it seemed like too much work, so I gave up on that pretty quickly. Emily swears by hers, and credits it with saving her hair.

Then, I went to see Marco Pelusi, a dear friend and amazing, celebrity stylist (his hands have worked on James Brolin’s hair AND mine – haha!). Marco Pelusi Hair Studio is in West Hollywood – on Robertson Blvd. Marco used a demi-permanent dye mixture to give me a gorgeous dark auburn. The demi-permanent dye doesn’t last as long as a permanent dye, but it is much more gentle on my hair. Not only is it gentle, but it coats the hair, which makes it look and feel smoother. Plus, the darker colors tend to hide split ends. Love, love, love this color!

My hair was already so much happier, but he also gave me samples of his NEW Color Moisturizing Shampoo and his cult favorite Anti-Frizz Leave In Conditioner. The Color Moisturizing Shampoo is perfect for dry, frizzy or damaged hair. It’s made with green tea, which is an antioxidant that helps to prevent color from fading (plus it has natural antibacterial properties which is always a plus). It also has fennel, which prevents color fade and acts as an antioxidant. And, it has sunflower extract, which also has antioxidant benefits and super moisturizing properties. It made my hair feel soft and silky, and I love that it keeps my color where it belongs – on my head and not going down the drain! It’s also sulfate-free, paraben-free, AND gluten-free. You can find it online or at Naimie’s in Studio City, Beauty Collection in Sherman Oaks, Beverly Glen Pharmacy Boutique in Bel Air, and at the Marco Pelusi Hair Studio in West Hollywood.

I’m also in LOVE with a few Aveda products that are quickly making their way to holy grail status in my book. They are all cruelty free, and they all have that signature Aveda scent that makes me so happy! First is the Smooth Infusion Style Prep Smoother. I use this on wet hair, before blow drying or diffusing, and it helps to keep the frizzies away. It battles humidity for up to 12 hours. If you live in the South or on the East Coast, you really need to check out this line! I also love the Damage Remedy Split End Treatment. I apply this to just the ends of my hair when it’s dry. It seals the split ends, and doesn’t weigh my hair down.

An Aveda product that is quickly becoming a major favorite, is the Shampure Thermal Dry Conditioner. When they sent me this, I was like “okay, I know what a dry shampoo is, but what the heck is a dry conditioner?” I realized it’s basically a mist that I can spray on my hair when it’s looking a little dry and sad. It’s a super light mist that not only smells AMAZING (hair perfume anyone?), but it also helps to add a lightweight oil blend to fight frizz and those dry ends that don’t want to curl up because they are so thirsty. I want to reiterate that it’s a SUPER FINE (non-aerosol) mist that really won’t weigh your hair down. You can use it before heat styling too. And finally, my other must-not-ever-run-out-of-this product is the Light Elements Smoothing Fluid. It’s a lightweight serum that I use after blowdrying, or anytime I need to tame frizz and broken hairs. I use about one pump, rub it between my hands, and smooth it into my hair – starting at the roots. It doesn’t weigh my hair down at all. Holy grail y’all.

And finally, I want to tell you about the Awapuhi Wild Ginger line from Paul Mitchell. I was excited to have been invited to tour the Paul Mitchell lab last week (hopefully some of you saw it in my Instagram Story)! I learned how much research and testing goes into making sure the products do what they say they do (it’s not a quick or easy process!). And how dedicated they are to avoiding animal testing or animal cruelty of any kind.

I got to experience a HydraTriplex and KeraTriplex Treatment (which you can get in a Paul Mitchell salon) to add protein and hydrate my over-processed hair. That’s the “after” photo above. The KeraTriplex treatment is a protein treatment. What makes it different from others is that it adds protein that is similar to your hair’s natural protein, but it also adds major hydration. Too much protein on it’s own will make your hair TOO strong – to the point where it’s hard and brittle and can break. The hydration part counteracts this, so you get super strong and smooth, soft hair that is protected from breakage.

Stylist, Tina Greene, recommended we also do the HydraTriplex treatment to give my thirsty hair some moisture. Tina did a great job on my treatment and blowout, so I had to take a few selfies! It felt so soft and smooth. Tina advised me to get these protein and hydrating treatments about once a month or so. The whole line of Awapuhi Wild Ginger products is fantastic. I am especially in love with the Shine Spray. It smells great and doesn’t weigh my fine hair down.

The Awapuhi line is made with wild ginger awapuhi from John Paul’s private farm in Hawaii. Ummm – can someone please take me there? I just got back from Maui and I already miss those gorgeous islands! The picture above looks fake, but I swear it’s real! That was the view from our hotel room!

The Awapuhi products do contain keratin from sheep’s wool, but they only use cruelty free wool farms, and they actually visit and audit frequently to make sure the sheep are not harmed in any way. I have had several talks with the higher-ups at Paul Mitchell and I am impressed with how much they care about animals, and the expensive lengths they go to in order to be sure no animals are harmed.

I have tried SO MANY products and treatments, but these are the best ones I’ve found so far. Have you tried any of these? Did they work? I’d love to hear from you – leave me a comment below!