I am getting a “micro-trim” this Friday (micro-trim is basically the term I use to make it clear to my hairdresser that I will bawl my eyes out if my hair looks even an inch shorter when I leave). I find this term to be effective, because sometimes when I leave the salon, it hardly looks like my hair is shorter at all…just a bit more shaped and “polished” looking.
I have always been paranoid about my hair being cut too short because it does not grow quickly at all. I’ve tried everything and it just grows at its own little turtle pace. When describing what I want to my hairstylist (who is also my beloved colorist) I use these insane hand gestures where I pinch my thumb and pointer finger until they are almost touching to visually represent the teeny tiny amount of hair I’d like chopped off. Chopped sounds harsh…how about pleasantly snipped away? Yes, that sounds much more…relaxing.
Anyways, to get to the point of my post, I’ve decided to attempt he unheard of (at least for me). In an effort to restore some health to my hair, I am going attempt to air-dry my hair more often (I haven’t air dried in in years. many years.). After getting my plentiful amount of split ends snipped, I am going to try a new approach in the hopes of healthier tresses.
I typically wash twice a week (I do a blow-out on day one, wear my hair through day 3, and wash again on the 4th morning- sometimes I use a little baby powder on day 3 to freshen up my roots). I blow dry and then flatiron or curl my hair every time I wash it. Twice a week doesn’t seem like much, but now that I am getting back to the gym again, I know I’ll need to wash more often, and I don’t want the damage that comes with it.
Ladies who air-dry…please post some tips in the comments below! How do you achieve volume when you air-dry? What products do you use? Do you blow dry some of your hair and let the rest air-dry? I am open to all tips, tricks and product suggestions since this is so new to me. But, I think my ends (especially the split ones) will thank me!
*Sigh,* if only my hair could look this flawless everyday. I read online that Cheryl Cole spends a ton of money on her hair…well, it shows.
Thank you for reading, and please post your air-drying tips below!
xoxo,
Veronika.
If you have any wave to your hair I know a good trick to enhance the wave as it dries. My problem is that when I just airdry some parts get curlier than others.
Start with a mousse or light weight gel, like Aveda Confixor. Then start to take small sections, about the size you would have curled, and twist it until you can't twist it anymore, all the way to the ends. Do this all over your head. Scrunch. This will encourage your hair to become wavy.
<3 Andi
Thanks Andi- I do have a natural wave and I have issues with my hair waves drying to where they don't match (some parts stay wavy, some are curly and some are fairly straight).
I do plan to heat style my hair once it is dried naturally (in the morning) with a flat iron. I guess my main concern is achieving volume if I air dry.
Try to dry just the roots with the blow drier and let the ends air dry. Or use a diffuser to disperse the harsh hot air.
I have thick wavy hair, some pieces curl, others are wavy and some stick straight. I don't always like to blow dry. My stylist thinner the roots a little to give some lift, then told me to use a root booster, so I do that then dry a little so it isn't sopping wet, then let the rest air dry. I will use some straightening gel then when I get up in the morning all I have to do is spray heat protection and flat iron. (I hope this made sense)
When I have to let my hair airdry overnight, I just put the top and crown area up in HUGE velcro rollers, then blast them with some heat from the dryer. When it cools, my roots have some lift. Sometimes to make my waves a bit more uniform, I'll wrap some face framing sections around a large barrel curling iron.
Good luck! Air-drying rocks, I did it the entire summer. Invest in a great shampoo and conditioner is my best advice. It does make a big difference in overall health and appearance of the hair.
I forgot to mention…
If you don't get the amount of shine that you're used to, you can spritz a shine spray onto a paddle brush and apply it by brushing through. That gives a more natural look than just spraying it directly onto the hair.
A good tip – the less crap you put in your hair – the better. Lol it sounds so bad but its so true. The reason Cheryl spends so much money on her hair is to repair the amount of damage done to it every day!! When I worked at Ulta, when we learned about cleaning the makeup brushes, there were two types of cleaners: an alcohol (for the synthetic brushes) and a special brush cleaner (for the animal brushes). They told us to not EVER use alcohol on the animal hair brushes, and showed us what happened to a Studio Gear Kabuki brush (which btw is the MOST AMAZING makeup brush I own – totally worth the $50) when someone did use alcohol on it – it became nappy and tangled. The hair fibers themselves were DESTROYED because the alcohol eats the hair away.
Now the majority of hair products have alcohol in them, or at least some sort of fragrance that contains alcohol. So you can imagine how much damage is done when products after products are put in repeatedly.
I wash my hair at night, towel dry, comb it out, and take the front bang pieces and pin them back in a small poof (only secure the very ends with a bobby pin) then by the next morning it's dry. I then straighten just the front pieces (the bangs and only if they got curled strangely overnight) and throughout the day, usually tie everything else in a ponytail, bun, or with one of those butterfly clips. I usually only wear my hair down for special occasions, and noticed it needs to be washed the following day anyway cuz of all the crap in it.
The repeated buildup of chemicals is probably the reason for the slow hair growth. Hair grows an average of half an inch per month. Not to toot my own horn, but mine grows almost double that, and i attribute that to the minimal products I use.
Go to your local Sally's and buy one of those Protein treatment packets. These are stronger than Deep Conditioners (which usually only prevent breakage, protein treatments will actually repair the hairs) In fact, leave it in overnight with a shower cap on top, then wash it out the next morning.
Hope this helps!!
I wash my hair at night and ALWAYS air dry. I use the John Freida voluminizing spritz when it's wet and then either use the strightener or large barrel curling iron in the morning to style!
Veronika, how do you get your hair to have that much volume?! Maybe it's in the rollers! Which velcro rollers do you use?
Because my hair is so long, i feel like it gets weighed down once I blowdry so it loses all the volume at the crown after about an hour or two. Help!
anon- I just use a combo of large and jumbo velcro rollers- you can get them at Target or any beauty supply store. Blow dry your hair with a round brush, set in rollers (i only do the top and crown) and then do your makeup while they set. Hope this helps! Once you take out the rollers, shake your head a bit, but don't brush it too much or touch it, that sometimes messes up the volume you've achieved.