Wash, Rinse, Repeat

This is the second in my series of wavy/curly hair tips and tricks (requested by Karla!) The first key to pretty, healthy hair is the wash and maintenance of it. There are A LOT of shampoos in this world. OMG different brands for different textures for different colors for different lengths for different scalps for different skin types... on and on and on and on and... you get the idea. It's hard to pick a good shampoo without trying it and seeing how it interacts with your hair and scalp. P.S. How funny is the word "scalp"? Just say it outloud for a moment... Scalp. Ha, funny word. Okay, back to the issue at hand. How do you pick a shampoo? Is it like books and you shouldn't judge it by it's cover? But what else can you go by? Ingredients lists? Commercials? Well, let me help you out. I'm going to go over the three most recent shampoos I've been using and really (at least as of right now) they're some of my favorites.

First is Herbal Essences Totally Twisted... yes, it's a great package, yes it smells fabulous, and yes it works on my wavy hair. What I really like about the shampoo is that it doesn't weigh my hair down.. it's not a thick or creamy shampoo just straight up cleaning shampoo. When I used this, I felt that it really did help my curls spring out more. The conditioner would leave a lasting scent in my hair, and I really enjoyed that (of course, it's short lived once I start putting produt in it, but still very pleased:)

Next I was using Pantene Pro-V Moisture Renewal... I started using this 'cause my hair was feeling (and looking) so rough and damaged. I was dying my hair pretty regularly, blowdrying  and straightening it a lot, and it was really starting to take it's toll. This stuff worked magic. It helped my hair not feel nearly as dry as it did before use. I can't say that it made my hair a whole lot softer... but it defintely felt (and looked:) healthier!

So I had the shampoo to get my curls to pop, and I had the shampoo to renew the moisture in my hair--there was only one problem left to solve--THE FRIZZINESS. I have always lived in very humid areas (I often wonder how my hair would react if I lived in a dry place like Arizona... the world may never know) So I've had to deal with my poor hair frizzing all the time. I believe words to describe my hair in high school would have been "poufy"... I'd scrunch and air or blow dry and when I'd leave for school it would be fine; but then it would grow... and not look sleek or smooth or any of those good hair words... I was a mess. (unfortunately, I did not go to high school in the '80s when *big* hair was actually what all the girls wanted hahaha). Fast forward to now, and I was still dealing with similar issues. I'd learned to use products to tame the crazy waves, but I was still getting flyaways and fuzziness on the top of my head. What was I doing wrong?!

My friend Susan suggested Infusium23. I'd never heard of that before, but figured what the heck? I bought the shampoo, conditioner, and leave-in conditioner. I've been using the whole three step regiment for a little more than six months and this stuff is pretty fab. I can't say that it's worked miracles beacause there are definite days where I still have frizz, but it's doing a pretty darn good job. It's a creamy shampoo that washes very clean. There's never any weird gross residue left behind on my scalp. It also foams up really well without even using a lot. The conditioner is thick and I think it adds at least as much moisture if not more than the Pantene did. The leave-in conditioner is interesting all on it's own. It's very watery which I both like and dislike. I like it because it doesn't way my hair down at all. I dislike it because it's so thin, when I pour it from the bottle into my hands, I feel like it's going to all drip out before I even get it to my head (I really think I'm just being paranoid). This stuff is great and it's like $7ish dollars at any Walmart, Target, Walgreens, etc. Highly recommend.

I've rambled on quite a bit, what's the bottom line? Find a shampoo that works for you! Get samples, buy travel sizes, talk to your friends. Don't be afraid to not like a shampoo--not every shampoo (and conditioner, for that matter) is going to work exactly as advertised; but you will never know unless you try it!

What are some of your favorite shampoos? What works best for you and your hair type?

Stay tuned as I talk more about different products and tips I have for wavy/curly hair...

xoxo,