My Everyday Hair Care & Styling Routine: Products & How Tos

People ask me all the time if my hair is naturally curly. The truth is, it’s naturally wavy. That means I can coax it into curls with the help of products, blow-drying with a diffuser, and a lot of scrunching. I can also straighten it, with the help of a round brush and a concentrator on my blow dryer. If I leave it alone? I end up looking a little like Peter Frampton back in the late 70s! ????

I’ve had lots of requests for a post on how I style my hair, and I decided this was the perfect time to do it. That’s because, probably just like you, I’ve been using this #stayathome time to learn a few new things. I’ve been doing more videos on Instagram with my #anoutfitaday and #adressaday posts, and IGTV video on my everyday makeup routine, and I even did my first Instagram Live this week! I’ve found that I really like the video format—wayyyy more than I thought I would! ????

So…it seemed like as good a time as any to go a little crazy and start my own YouTube Channel! ????????????????????????‍♀️ So far, there are just two videos on it: my IGTV everyday makeup video and my new IGTV everyday hair care video! You can head over to YouTube to watch the video (just know that it’s in the weird IGTV up-and-down format), or you can watch it on Instagram by heading to my profile page and clicking on the IGTV video icon. If you do head to YouTube, would you mind following me? Right now, Bob is my only follower!???? ????

I wrote this post to go along with that video, so let’s get on with it, shall we? As always, click on any of the pink text links or the images in this post for more details. Alternatively, if you want to see all of these products in one convenient place, I’ve linked them on the Empty Nest Blessed Amazon page! You’ll find them under the “Hair Care” category.

Everyday Hair Care & Styling: Inside/Out

If you’re over fifty, you know that declining estrogen levels make thinning hair a normal part of aging for women. When it comes to hair loss, men typically start the process with a receding hairline, whereas female hair loss tends to occur as a gradual thinning all over the scalp. I take Biotin to help with hair growth and health, and I also use collagen. I actually wrote an entire post about the results I’ve seen with collagen, and how I decided on the particular brand I use, etc. (You can read that post HERE.)

Everyday Haircare & Styling: Shampoo & Conditioner

About two months ago, Cel Md sent me their Microstem shampoo & conditioner to try. It’s made with a blend of scientifically-optimized plant extracts, including Ginseng and Biotin to strengthen hair and stimulate new hair growth at the follicle. I was a huge skeptic! (Me: “How can something you rinse out of your hair help it?”????????‍♀️) Well, now, I’m a believer! When I ran out of my samples, I was thrilled to figure out that I could order replacements right on Amazon! This stuff isn’t cheap, but my hair is stronger than ever, with less breakage and more new hair growth!

Since I work out 4-5 mornings a week, I pretty much have to wash my hair daily. To camouflage those pesky gray hairs, I get my hair highlighted about every six weeks. (Or at least I did, before THE COVID.????) This shampoo and conditioner are safe for chemically-treated or colored hair, and they’re paraben, sulfate, and cruelty-free.

When I get out of the shower, I wrap my hair in a Turbie Twist microfiber hair towel to absorb water, thus reducing potentially damaging time with the blow dryer. It’s one size fits all, and it has a twist and loop system to help it stay in place. I usually leave it on for at least 30 minutes while I do my makeup and get dressed.

Everyday Hair Care & Styling: Products

The first thing I do after removing the Turbie Twist is to apply over-the-counter Rogaine Foam for Women to stimulate hair regrowth. It’s helped me a lot. My dermatologist recommended it several years ago for my thinning hair. It’s approved by the FDA to regrow hair in both men and women, and it used to require a prescription. It’s clinically proven to regrow up to 25% more hair in 3 months. (There’s even a money-back guarantee!) I’ve heard people say that they’re hesitant to use something that they would have to continue using for the rest of their lives. (If you stop using it, the results don’t continue.) I get that, but I decided that the quality of life issue was just a bigger deal for me! I mean, I have to use toothpaste and moisturizer for the rest of my life too!????

After the Rogaine, I work the product with the ridiculous name of Big Sexy Hair Root Pump Spray Mousse ???? to help with volume. As the name would suggest, I concentrate it at the root of my hair, and I use it in the places where I typically have the most trouble with my hair falling flat. After that, I use an amplifying mousse all over—again focusing on the roots and the base of my hair. (I’m building a foundation for volume!????)

Everyday Hair Care & Styling: Blow Drying

I use a blow dryer that I’ve had for several years (This one is an updated model.) with a diffuser attachment. (If you have a blow dryer you love, but just need a diffuser attachment, you can try this universal diffuser. I hold the blow dryer in one hand, and I use my fingers to scrunch (like a crazy woman!????) with the other. Since my face is thin, I’m always trying to create more volume near my chin to add the illusion of width. So down there, I use a 1″ round brush to flip the hair up and out. (It naturally grows toward my face.) The brush has a thermal barrel that heats up with the warmth of the blow dryer, acting like a warm (but not hot) curling iron.

Everyday Hair Care & Styling: The Big Finish!

Once my hair is dry and styled, I break out my secret weapon! Honestly, I think Redken Quick Dry hairspray might just be the greatest hairspray ever invented. I’m not even kidding you. I spray it on, and then I keep scrunching to define my curls. As the name suggests, it dries fast, so it doesn’t weigh my hair down. It doesn’t leave it too soft, so I feel like I didn’t apply anything at all, yet it holds my hair without the crunch and stiffness of most other hairsprays. Seriously, try this hairspray, no matter what type of hair you have!

Finally, I use a volumizing spray in the spots that tend to fall flat, or in the areas where I want more fullness. I also use this spray for a touch up at the roots anytime I need it throughout the day.

Everyday Hair Care & Styling: THE VIDEO

I’d love to know your favorite everyday hair care products and styling tips! Got some good ones? Please share them with me in the comments!

Thanks so much for reading and for supporting me on my new YouTube Channel! So many of you encouraged me to start one, and that gave me the courage to finally go for it! I always feel like I’m behind the crowd! Just as everyone is getting into TikTok, Suzy discovered YouTube!???? I’m planning to create more content for my YouTube Channel soon, and I’d love to know what type of videos you’d like me to do! Please leave me a comment and let me know!

Blessings,

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