Favorite products for beautiful, healthy hair & scalp care

I feel like a hair journey is something a lot of us go through at some point in our lives.

There are so many products out there, so many tips on what to do to get us that healthy, beautiful hair we’re striving for. Most of all, though, because all of us are so different, the results vary so much from person to person.

I always loved it when people shared what worked for them because it was a great way to test out stuff and see if it would have the same impact for me. However, my main issue was that not that many people out there had my type of hair – and this is why I want to share my routine with you now, so that hopefully, if you’re in the same boat as me, what I’m going to write in this article just might turn out to be a total game changer for you too.

Summer 2021: What my hair used to look like – you can see that even the wind couldn’t really give it much life or lift at the roots. Honestly, just looking at the photo I can feel the heaviness of it…which led to me not really wanting to wear it loose.

So what’s my hair type?

I have long, fairly straight hair that’s fine in thickness, but I also have a whole lot of it on my head. And while my hair is a natural light to medium blonde, it has an abundance of reddish/orange pigment underneath that has been known to throw surprises my way every once in a while.

The main challenges I had to overcome:

  • even though my hair is fine, it was very, very heavy whenever I grew it out
  • zero volume at the roots…zero
  • next to zero volume in the body of the hair (even when I styled it)
  • lack of shine (in part due to the climate I currently live in where there simply isn’t enough sunshine in the fall & winter months for my blonde to soak in; but even when it was exposed to an abundance of sunlight, the shine remained absent)
  • it got tangled super fast
  • damaged hairline due to my ballet and tennis past, where I would have to keep my hair tied up tight basically every single day
  • my scalp would get oily fast while the ends were super dry
  • the funniest challenge was probably the fact that while around 85% of my hair is fine and straight, I did inherit my mom’s hair type too, meaning that among those fine hairs are peppered some very thick, curly strands…which, of course, always pushed out to the surface and created a frizzy halo around my head
  • the majority of hair products either made my hair sticky, stiff, or weighed down
  • a lot of hair products also had the tendency to darken my hair or give it a brassy look

The goal I set for myself:

I have voluminous, shiny, healthy, soft, long blonde hair that is vibrant and alive in its natural color & looks amazing even without styling.

Summer 2024: Absolutely loving the hair!
Best part: The uplevels are continuing to unfold.

Before we get into the details, let me just mention that I’m also the kind of person who prefers simpler routines over complex ones. That was one thing I truly kept in mind as I moved toward my hair goals.

I’m extremely happy to say that not only did I find the perfect products for my hair type, but I managed to narrow my entire routine down to just a few products & steps that actually work!

Okay, ready for the good stuff? Yes? Awesome, let’s dive into the products!

Maya Chia Power Fol Multi-Correctional Hair Treatment

I came across this serum in an Instagram reel from an influencer who had been on her own transformative hair journey, and my gut immediately said I should try it out. I ordered my first bottle two years ago and…it absolutely healed my hairline!

Yes, I’m not exaggerating. Little by little, it filled out my hairline in the center and on the temples where I had most issues due to constant buns/ponytail styles. But not only that, it definitely made my hair thicker, gave it more volume, and increased the number of hairs on my head.

More good news? It didn’t darken my hair or made it brassy, so it was a win-win-win scenario.

My husband has also been using this serum for two years now and it has done wonders for his hair as well. He’s in his early fifties right now, and although he’s always had a widow’s peak, it had turned into a receding hairline over the last fifteen years or so. There were also signs of hair thinning on the top and a little the back, so I knew that, dude, we have to take some action on this, especially since he wasn’t satisfied with the way his hair looked.

Enter the Maya Chia serum. Not only did it stop the hair loss, but it actually stimulated the scalp enough to invite new hairs to grow! We were both so amazed when we started seeing baby hairs pop up where previously there was nothing.

Dyson Airwrap Multi-styler and Dryer Complete Long

If there is one worthy hair investment I recommend, it’s the Dyson.

Around a year and a half ago, I learned that my hair is the kind that does better (and is healthier) when blow dried rather than air dried. Except…

I hated blow drying.

It felt like a process that took for-freaking-ever and the noise level was so irritating I tended to get a headache afterwards. Besides, with all the previous hair dryers, my hair didn’t come out looking great. Yes, my scalp did better. Yes, there was less breakage and tangling. But it just felt…meh. And it looked even more meh.

Thankfully, something kept nudging me in the direction of the Dyson Airwrap until I found one at an amazing sale price and decided to go for it.

Game. Changer.

Summer 2024: Unstyled hair, dried with the Dyson.

The Dyson Airwrap is the first hair dryer that leaves my hair feeling hydrated, soft, and full of life from the get-go. Its technology is also astonishing because I have fully dry hair within 7-10 minutes versus the 20+ minutes it took with other dryers.

A massive benefit is also its sound – no more irritation or headaches, which turned the entire drying process into a pleasurable thing that I actually look forward to doing.

Another thing I love is that it never gets too hot. Usually, I was sweating bullets by the time I was done drying my hair. With the Dyson, I have no such issue. It’s also very easy to handle and work with, which I’m sure contributes a lot to the whole experience.

I mainly use the regular drying attachment to get my hair from wet to damp, then run the soft brush attachment through my hair until it’s fully dry.

(Yes, I can do something I was never able to before – actually use a brush on damp hair without it getting tangled to hell or having breakage. This way, as soon as I’m done, I can just wear my hair straight because it looks and behaves amazing.)

The Dyson is also one of the main reasons my husband was able to grow out his hair. Not unlike my own experience, his hair was limp and heavy when it was longer, especially in the back, which led to him keeping it short or even shaved at the sides. He was super hesitant to grow it out, but since we already had the Dyson at home at that point (which he had been using on his shorter hair so he was familiar with some of the benefits), I encouraged him to go for it.

Fast forward eight months and he’s absolutely loving his hair.

Hubs at The Bosshoss souncheck in Apolda.
Summer 2024: Hubs at The Bosshoss souncheck in Apolda. Look at all that lovely, voluminous hair. Courtesy of the long-term Maya Chia treatment & using the Dyson Airwrap.

One of the things he regularly brings up is his gratitude for the Dyson. He claims that he’s never had hair like this (he did have long hair in the past, but it just didn’t feel or look good) and gives full credit to the Dyson for that lightness and bounce he’s so thrilled about now.

As far as attachments are concerned, he uses primarily the regular drying attachment and then runs the airwrap attachment through his entire hair, creating all that lovely volume with a touch of a blowout.

Kérastase Nectar Thermique

This heat protectant leave-in treatment has become an absolute must for me every time I’m done washing my hair.

The brilliant aspect of the Nectar Thermique is that it doesn’t make my hair sticky or heavy. Instead, it truly does its job of protecting my hair from heat, drastically reducing frizz, and giving it that extra softness that I like so much.

There’s no need to use plenty of product as it spreads well throughout the entire length of the hair.

Another benefit of the Nectar Thermique is that if you’re styling your hair while blow drying, it definitely assists in holding the style.

Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil

If you’re intimately familiar with fine hair, then you might be aware of just how difficult it is to find an oil that doesn’t weigh the hair down, make it heavy, greasy, or limp. I was beyond thrilled that with the Olaplex No. 7, all the issues I had with the previous oils I tested were nonexistent!

The oil is very lightweight, yet it hydrates my hair and leaves it shiny, soft, and full of life.

You only need a small amount too, so it lasts for quite a while. With my hair, I section it off into two parts (left & right), then use four drops per section.

Also as a natural blonde, I’m happy that it doesn’t darken the color at all as some oils do.

Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil

I use the Olaplex daily, applying it first to the tips before running my fingers through the entire length of my hair (avoiding only the scalp). I let it sink in for a few moments, then gently run a brush through my hair. And that’s it!

Scalp massage

I needed to include this in here even though it technically isn’t a product. However, the foundation scalp massages provide is so massively beneficial for everything to do with hair that I simply couldn’t leave it out. Besides, it costs you nothing and is really easy to do.

The main goal of scalp massage, as one of my favorite beauty & health teachers Anastasia from Anastasia Beauty Fascia says, is that everything has to move.

Meaning, you can choose how you want to massage your scalp (going from bottom to top and front to back in lines like headbands; running strong fingers along your scalp as if you were brushing your hair; sort of pinching the tissue together and then moving your hands etc), but you always, always want to create movement.

This will bring blood flow into your scalp, loosen any tension, and allow everything to work as it should.

The bonus?

You will not only feel much better, but your hair will grow healthier and stronger as a result of a well-nourished scalp.

I highly recommend doing this for 2-3 minutes daily, preferably in the morning or during the day.

A note to remember: it might take some time for your scalp to get used to the massage, which can result in your hair getting greasier a bit faster than normal. This can last anywhere from a month to a year, but trust me, having to wash my hair a day or so sooner is absolutely worth all the benefits scalp massages give.

Summer 2024: Enjoying some casual beach waves.

A quick rundown of my entire routine:

  • Kerastasse after washing my hair and before blow drying
  • Always blow drying my hair with the Dyson
  • Applying Maya Chia to entire scalp after I have washed and dried my hair (occasionally applying it daily to certain parts of scalp that I feel need more support)
  • Scalp massage daily
  • Olaplex No. 7 Bonding Oil daily

I do also use a clarifying shampoo once to twice per month to freshen up the scalp and remove any potential buildup from my hair, which I think is something that also supports the entire routine. Currently, my favorite is the Kristin Ess Clarifying Shampoo.

For my standard shampoo and conditioner, I haven’t found any that absolutely blew me away yet, but right now I’m quite pleased with the results I’m getting from the Redken Extreme Length conditioner and shampoo.

As for styling, there is one texturizing spray I absolutely adore but unfortunately can’t get shipped to my country at the moment, and that’s the Sam McKnight Cool Girl Barely There Texture Mist. Both me and my husband are in love with this product because it really provides amazing hold and volume for something that’s barely noticeable on the hair. Since I don’t like using hairspray, this was such a wonderful solution to keep my style lasting long & it was my go-to product for using the airwrap attachment on the Dyson.

Honestly, the only reason I’m not reaching for the actual airwrap now is because I don’t have the texturizing spray to support it.

(For sure manifesting that I can get my hands on it again soon!)

Fresh shag cut, the Dyson Airwrap, and the Sam McKnight Cool Girl Texturizing Mist combo
December 2023: Fresh shag cut, the Dyson Airwrap, and the Sam McKnight Cool Girl Texturizing Mist combo.

Final note: whenever trying out new products, give them some time. In most cases, if you stick with them for a few months, that’s when you really start noticing the improvements.

All right, that’s it for my routine! If you have any questions, feel free to write them below. And I would also love to hear back from you if any of the products I’m using made a positive change in your hair too!

With love,

thecelestialblonde


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