Beauty | Five Fine Hair Life Changers

Growing up, I had a lot of hair, it was thick and shiny and amazing. Then I became my own colourist, with no training and no regard for hair health. I changed my hair almost as often as I changed my clothes, which meant one day it was black, the next I would have bleached the front to within an inch of its life and coloured it pink.

Years of this cycle, with no, or very little, restorative treatments, an undiagnosed thyroid disorder and a bad diet, led to my hair to thin dramatically. My hair never seemed to grow and if it did the ends were in awful condition.

Although, I would try to increase the time between washing my hair roots would be greasy withing a day and my ends knotty, dry and unmanageable. But I am happy to report that in the last 5-6 months, my hair has grown, can go 3/4 days without being washed and is shinny. So I am going to share my secrets.

NIOXIN

I was recommended Nioxin System 3* by my hairdresser when I explained my concerns about my thinning hair. Nioxin have been creating products for thinning hair since 1987 and were voted  Favorite Fine/Thinning Hair Line for the 14th year in a row at the 2015 Stylist Choice Awards. They don't have a "one size" fits all mentality and have 5 systems to help combat thinning hair.

System 3 is designed specifically for Chemically treated hair which is for 'Normal to thin-looking'. It consists of a Cleansing Shampoo, the Scalp Revitalising Conditioner and a leave in Scalp treatment. I started using this in October and have since noticed my hair grow faster than usual. My roots no longer get ridiculously greasy, meaning I get a good few days before I need to wash it and then ends are more manageable. My hair also looks fuller.

Never Shampoo your ends

I think part of the reason my hair would extremely dry at the bottom is because I would shampoo the ends, which were already dried out. Once I stopped, the ends became better and once I changed to Nioxin, the roots got less greasy. It meant I broke the cycle, my roots weren't greasy, so I didn't have to wash my hair daily and therefore, wasn't stripping my ends of moisture.

Bobbles, not hairbands

A hairband has been on my wrist since I was about 5, but more and more I was becoming aware of the damage these were doing to my hair. It would snag, my hair would get attached and I noticed a lot of breakage where I wore my ponytail. Not to mention, the annoying phase where your band has stretched and it's not quite tight enough, but you can't wrap it around again.

My sister Bella, has been a  Bobble* wearer for a while so I had heard good things and thought it was time to try them out. I find that they are great - my hair doesn't get caught in it, I can wrap it loosely around my hair to keep hair out of my face, without adding tension to my roots, or creating a kink in my hair. I occasionally wear clip-ins too, which is great with the Bobble as it caters for the new found thickness without it stretching out.

Heat Defense Spray

This isn't rocket science really is it? But did you know that girls in the UK have the worst hair? We over style, curl and straighten, all with heat, more than any other nation. We also are the most laxed at heat protection. 

The best thing to do is try one that works for you. I have used heat sprays in the past that has left my hair feeling funny, caused my scalp to itch and even made my hair extra greasy. I've started using the Osmo Thermal Spray*. Not only is it affordable, but it also is lightweight and effective, meaning I don't have to compromise volume for style.

Heat Styler

I received this Trevor Sorbie Heat Styler as a PR sample from Tristar Products. I am a big blow dryer person, but this heat styler is great for extending time between washing and adding volume. Day two hair for me is usually flat and filled with kinks, so I just go over my roots with the heated comb (which goes up to 200c) and then open it up to get rid of the kinks with the straightening function. I do have some GHDs which I use for a straight and sleek look, but these allow you to keep shape while smoothing hair.

What are your hair secrets? I need all of them so I can get the mane of my dreams!

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* All products featured in this post were received as gifts or PR samples. This in no way reflects how I have reviewed them. In the case of the Nioxin and the Kodo Bobbles, I have since purchase more of each item myself.