If you WERE like me, then the thought of spending another $80 or $90 on hair products after a $350 visit to the hairdresser quite frankly got my heart racing. But what I didn’t realize was that the non-professional products were undoing all the great work and treatments I was paying for at the salon.
Yes, I admit it, I used to try and save money by using grocery store and drugstore products…. But I had good reason (well I thought I had good reason!)!
Now everyone’s budget is different so there is no shame in using cheaper products. If you are on a budget, don’t be shy and talk to your stylist and they will help you build a home care routine that suits your bank balance. But, no matter what budget you are on, there is one product that is a MUST and I’ll tell you what it is at the end of the article.
Getting back to the point of this article, here are the 5 things I noticed when switching from non-professional products to professional hair care products:
Disclaimer: Once I took the plunge I had opened Pandora’s Box and there was absolutely no turning back.
1.The Smell
Professional hair products SMELL AMAZING and the smell actual stays in my hair after drying and styling. Sometimes I even catch myself smelling my hair in public (creepy!) And my boyfriend always comments on how nice I smell even when I haven’t put on deodorant (ewww!).
2. Less is more
With professional hair products you don’t need to use a lot… less is more and actually, if you use too much it has a counter effect and will build up on your hair and scalp. So make sure you read the directions and that 250ml Shampoo should last at least 3 – 4 months if you are using it correctly.
3. The looks and feels
After about 2 weeks I started to notice my hair looked better but also actually felt better. I’m not a real blonde so my hair always felt coarse and brittle. Now it feels soft and strong. Every time I go into a hair appointment with Nicole the first thing she says is “your hair feels sooooooo much better!” It also looks better – bright and shiny, not dull and boring like it used to be.
4. Trial and error
Not all products work for everyone – you may love the idea or the packaging of a product but before shelling out your hard-earned cash ask your stylist what they think is best for your hair and even ask for a sample to try at home…. It may take a few tries to get your homecare routine right but work with your stylist to help you add or eliminate products… they are here to help you! If you have chosen the wrong product and can’t return it then gift it to a friend for no reason – that always makes me feel really good to see the smile on a friend’s face and remember karma always comes back around 😊
5. The packaging
We are all in on the movement to eliminate excess packaging but let’s face it – packaging still matters. It is what calls to you and conveys a product value. The professional hair products are not over packaged but they are still glamourous enough to really damn good on my shower shelf. Every time I pick up one of my Kerastase products to use I admire the labels, the foils and the design and it reminds me again that ‘this shit is expensive Jill, resist that urge to squeeze half the bottle in my hand because it smells so good and remember LESS IS MORE! .
So after about 3 months, I’ve got my homecare routine down to a core five products. My hair is medium thick, medium length and colour damaged from trying to be too blonde. My natural colour is dark mousey brown (ewww) and I everytime I go for a new colour session I say BLONDER (and Nicole tries nicely to say I am never going to be platinum but she will do the best she can !!!! )
Here are my 6 go-to’s
Because i’m trying to grow out my hair and this shampoo Rebuilds the natural strength of the hair fiber and fortifies hair for reduced breakage.
Because it has the nourishing power of a mask with the light touch of a conditioner and again protects hair from breakage (which I desperately need).
Ladies, this is the creme de la creme! I splurged on this because I really am focusing on regenerating my hair…. Like those sci-fi shows where they regenerate arms and shit…. This literally regenerates my hair strand by strand. Only once per month and I leave it in all night…. Be careful not to use too much and don’t put on your roots! Mid and end lengths only. This should last you a good year or more if you have medium-length hair.
Everybody needs a good dry shampoo and let’s be honest here – the drug store brands just don’t cut it. The cheaper brands leave build up in your scalp which can cause your scalp to think it needs to produce more oil….. So then you need to use more dry shampoo… which ends up making you look like you’re prepping your hair for a mad scientist Halloween costume!.. It’s a vicious cycle. Tecni.Art Morning dust is light and invisible and you don’t need to use it too much so it should last a while. If you find you need to use it a lot and it’s still not working then girl…. No amount of dry shampoo will help you it’s time for a wash!!!!
This is a must-have for texture, body, and bounce for any hair type. Use before blow drying to get somebody into straight locks or use before curling to set your waves for all-night fun! Watch one of our tutorials here on how to use the Constructor Spray to get a soft wave that stays!
I always finish any of my looks with this hair spray. It has a strong hold but with no crunchiness or stickiness and you don’t need to use a lot. I think I’ve had my travel-size version for about 4 months now and it’s still going. I finish every style with a quick overall spritz and sometimes I tame the baby hairs that aren’t behaving the way they should with a small spritz. And you can feel good using it because it’s 100% Vegan Ingredients! Go Plant Power!!!!
And now I reveal the one product I can NEVER go without :
If you can only invest in ONE product, then this is it. This miracle product is heat-protecting, Straightening, Smoothing, Detangling, Moisturising, Shine Enhancing and protects colour and condition locks before blow drying to prevent breakage and split ends. I use a generous all-over spray every time I wash my hair – no questions asked.
I actually have about 3 of these on hand at any time and have put one at my parents (which I stay at sometimes to watch their dog) one in my house, and one in my beach bag for combing through pool or beach hair without damaging. I even filled a few little travel bottles to take with me on short trips as I literally cannot live without this product.
So that’s my home haircare routine from a girl who used to always go to the best (and most expensive salons) but then followed up with sub-par home care products. The products you use at home are used far more than those 4 trips to the salon so if you are investing in your hair you need to think about the whole picture 🙂 Start with one or two and then grow your collection from there. And always ask for samples – these will go a long way and you’ll quickly learn what works for your hair and what doesn’t 🙂
