Normally, I’d kick off each new month with a round up of the beauty products I’ve had on rotation; both new and old. But May was one of those months where I just used what I had. I didn’t even bother reaching into my “beauty stash” to mix things up as I was content with my daily routine. So instead, I thought I’d share a peek into my haircare routine. The products I use both in and out of the shower, that have had a transformative effect for me.
To give a bit of background, I used to be the girl who would buy whatever shampoo and conditioner was on special at the supermarket. And it showed. My hair was thick, wiry, excessively frizzy and unpleasant to touch. It wasn’t until we moved to Sydney that I decided to finally do something about it. I invested in a hair mask from Bumble & Bumble (which seems to be discontinued now), and upped my shampoo and conditioner game. I saw improvements immediately, and since have realised the value of investing in my haircare.
One thing you’ll notice from the list below, is that I’ve stopped exclusively using just one brand. I’ve found that my hair seems to acclimate quite quickly, so I’ll mix things up month to month.
SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER
Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo & Conditioner | I’ve talked at length about my love for Aveda, and for about a year, this was all I exclusively used. I found that this significantly reduced how frizzy my hair was (in combination with a few other products from the range), and left it feeling smooth and soft. All of their products are derived from plant-based ingredients, and this has goodies like aloe, maize and guar bean in it.
Aveda Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment | Aside from the Smooth Infusion line, I also love Aveda’s Damage Remedy products. This is a great conditioning treatment that I like to use once every week or fortnight, depending on how my hair is feeling. I’ll add this in as an additional step after my regular conditioner, and it adds a very welcome hydration boost.
Klorane Ultra-Gentle Shampoo & Conditioner with Oat Milk | One of the things I really like about this shampoo and conditioner combo, is the added texture and grit it adds to my locks. I love using this when I want ensure my hair has added volume past the first day post-wash. The key ingredient, oat milk, is super moisturising, and protects and softens the hair.
Maui Moisture Shine + Awapuhi Shampoo & Conditioner | This is the newest haircare duo I’ve added into rotation; it’s vegan, silicone, paraben and sulfate free. I’ve found the consistency and condition of my hair has been changing weekly since giving birth – some weeks looking duller than others, and these really address that to give it added shine and body. The base ingredient in this duo is pure aloe vera – a miracle moisturiser for tired, thirsty hair and it shows. It smells amazing too; you get a huge hit of ginger fragrance from the awapuhi flower.
EVO The Therapist Hydrating Shampoo & Conditioner | Coincidentally, this is the shampoo and conditioner I started using six years ago, when I started paying more attention to the condition of my hair. Clearly, it’s been a winner, as I’m still loving it all these years later. Again, this is vegan, cruelty-free, and made without sulfates, parabens or gluten. This is one of those tried and tested thirst quenchers for dry hair, and I find it’s great for managing frizziness too!
HAIR SERUMS & LEAVE-IN PRODUCTS
EVO Easy Tiger Smoothing Balm | I use this pretty religiously post-wash, applying a generous amount through my hair from the root to tip. In combination with the shampoo and conditioner duos I’ve been using above, I find this goes a long way to combat frizziness and smooth my hair. I’ll follow this up with a straight blow dry. Definitely one of my “can’t live without” products.
Aveda Smooth Infusion Style-Prep Smoother | This does a similar job to the Smoothing Balm from EVO. It’s not quite as effective (my hair will still frizz up when it’s humid), but I find it’s a nice option if I want a smoothing serum during the colder months.
Aveda Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair | When I was first trying to repair my hair after dyeing it, this was on constant rotation. Along with the conditioning treatment, I found this went a long way towards restoring the state of my hair. Now, I use this perhaps once a month (along with a smoothing balm), to add in an extra moisture hit and also some protection against heat damage.
Alterna Perfect Texture Spray | Aside from the leave-in products I mentioned above, I don’t tend to put too much into my hair. But, if I want a bit of extra texture, then I’ll spray a generous amount of this from the mid-section of my hair, through to my ends. It’s not as intense as say, the Oribe Dry Texturising Spray, but it adds a grittiness and some additional hold when I’ve gone to the trouble of curling my hair.
Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk | I’m a big fan of dry shampoo as it helps to extend how many days I can go between washes; an absolute must right now as getting that extra time in the shower is a total luxury with an infant. This is the only aerosol dry shampoo I use – I like that it isn’t too starchy; I don’t have a complete white-cast at my roots, and it doesn’t add to much gritty texture, which can make your hair difficult to work with.
Aveda Shampure Dry Shampoo | If I could only use one dry shampoo for the rest of my life, I think this would be it. It’s a powder product, so takes a little getting used to initially, but I love the concept and the way this works. Where I’ll use the Klorane dry shampoo early on in the piece, I’ll use this from Aveda on the final day (or two) before a wash. A little goes a long way, and you really need to work this into your roots to blend out the powder, but my gosh is it effective. It’s also my favourite to take for travel, as I can easily stash it in my carry-on bag.
HAIR TOOLS
Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer | Okay so this is one expensive hair tool, but I’ve literally used it following every wash since I got it around two years ago. It’s fast, quieter than previous hair dryers I’ve used, and I think it’s helped maintain the condition of my hair. It usually only takes me around five minutes to go from towel-dried to completely dry. If I’m short on time, I’ll take the nozzle off for a faster blow dry.
ghd Platinum + Styler | The other hair tool I use is a hair straightener from ghd. Coincidentally, I’ve been using their stylers since I I was 15 – a total of 17 years now! I’ve currently got their Platinum + Styler and find it really effective. It doesn’t take much to get my hair from being lion’s mane full to sleek and straight, or to effortlessly throw in a few simple curls. This particular model contains technology that constantly adapts the temperature to the optimal heat for styling your hair. This also helps to protect my hair against heat damage.
