FAVORITE HAIR PRODUCTS
Alright, before we even start this whole sha-bang, let's get one thing straight. Negative (N)ellie? Yeah, she is definitely not a beauty blogger. For me, putting on mascara AND eyeliner is really jazzing it up (I usually save that combo for Sunday Worship). I am all about that quick, comfortable beauty, so that usually means very minimal effort. Except for my hair, that is. I have always been fascinated with learning different looks and tricks for my hair and working at a salon has only amped up that creative side of my brain. One of the perks of working at a salon? Product testing 😊 I have been a real dare devil when it comes to my products this year (ya know, at least on the Ellie scale), and this has allowed me to really hone in on what tools and sprays are my ride or die. I now have an awesome arsenal at my disposal, that allows me to experiment, create, and imitate some of my favorite looks.
Being that I am a lover of all things hair, AND a lover of you guys, I wanted to share my holy grail products with you (and let's be honest, it also fills up a blog topic for the week 😉). Now, let’s all remember that I am not a cosmetologist (yet), so take that into consideration as you think about working some of these products into your daily routine. However, these products are ones that I truly use on the ‘err day, and have saved me from many, many a bad hair day. I hope you like them as much as I do!
(P.S. None of this is sponsored because, once again, these companies have no idea who I am 😉)
Whilst working at the salon I was introduced to the world of dry shampoo, and I am never looking back! Washing your hair every single day is really not good for your hair, and dry shampoo is a great way to stretch out your style between washes (especially when you go a slightly embarrassing amount of time in between washes 😉). Dry shampoo is seriously a life saver, but not all dry shampoos are created equal! I have tried many different types of dry shampoo over the past year, from super high end to drug store, and the Amika Perk Up Dry Shampoo is the one I always come back to. With my pale, super sensitive skin, I need to use quality products, or else it can really irritate my scalp. I have never had a reaction to the Perk Up, it cleans my hair really well, and the scent guys? Oh. My. Lanta. I will forever recommend this dry shampoo.
Ok, so who doesn’t love a big,fluffy braid? As mentioned above, I try to go a pretty significant amount of time in between washing my hair, which means I wear a LOT of braids during the week to cover up my less than fresh hair. My hair has kind of a fine texture to it, though, which means there have been many times where my hair slips out of a style because of how soft it is. In comes the Moroccan Oil Dry Texture Spray to save the day. This spray gives the perfect amount of grit to your hair. With this texture spray, you can pull off a voluminous, romantic braid, without weighing your hair down and making it feel all icky. Plus, it also has an AMAZING scent. This texture spray is one I am constantly grabbing for on day two and day three hair (or maybe day four😉), to help transform my wilting curls into a fun updo.
One of my most long held, heartfelt hair dreams was to recreate the amazing beachy waves from Mamma Mia. (I mean, seriously, who doesn't have this dream?) I tried braiding my hair, I tried curling my hair, I tried looking up tutorials online, and nothing could give me those voluminous waves I was drooling over. Until I found the Hot Tools Ceramic Tourmaline Deep Waver. Guys, this is what hair dreams are made of! I will admit that it is not the quickest hair styling process, which possibly goes against my very nature, but guys, it is so worth it. These waves can last me for so many days, and through so many different hairstyles. One of the factors that I love most about this product, is that I know I can trust it to take care of my hair. My bosses both use and stock Hot Tools products, and knowing that they trust and promote this company brings me so much peace of mind. So, if you want the world’s best waves, jump online and order this. Seriously. Like, right now.
Something I love to do with hair is challenge myself, by attempting to create intricate, internet-breaking hairstyles. Notice the key word *attempt*. It takes a long time to get from “Wow! Did a four year old do that?”, to “How did you do that?”. With lots of trial and error comes looooottttss of hair elastics. One of the most unsettling feelings is realizing that not only does your hairstyle not look the picture, but you also still have to rip four million hair elastics out of your hair. Don’t worry, I've got the product that will save your mind and your hair. The Teenitor Elastic Hair Bands Remover. This little tool is literally one of my heroes. It easily cuts through the plastic elastic, without cutting your hair, and saves you from both a mental and physical headache. Although I am sure I will use it more for my failures, this tool is also great for hairstyle successes! The style pictured above is a pull-through braid I created for my galactic Halloween costume this year. Although it was the cherry on top to complete my costume, this style contains a butt-ton of hair elastics. At the end of the night, it was so great to come home and quickly cut those hair ties out of my hair. Life saver, time saver, game changer.
Alright guys. Last, but certainly not least is heat protectant. Protecting our luscious locks is very important, especially when you are using heat tools. After testing many, many heat protectants, the CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray takes the cake for me. I love the protection this product provides, but where it really shines for me is how much it cuts down on my blow-drying time. I am not sure if that is a feat they were trying to achieve with this product, but whenever I use it, I swear it cuts my blow-drying time in half. And I've got a lotta hair, so that means a lot to me! Like Amika, Hot Tools, and Moroccan Oil, CHI is a company that my bosses stand behind, so it is one I know I can trust my hair with. (Plus, CHI has been there for Negative (N)ellie since her early days with her first hair straightener, so they really deserve a shout out) So, if you are looking for a quality heat protectant, that will save you from an arm workout, this is the product for you.
Ok, sorry that went a little long, guys. (I did warn you that I am a lover of all things hair, though, so I am actually not really sorry. You got yourself into this mess.) These five products are ones that I firmly stand behind and are for sure the things I would grab in a desert island situation (you never know when a certain German Soccer Player might also get stranded on that island! You got look your best 24/7). Seriously, though, these are products that I am constantly using in my routine, and they have aided so much in creating some of my all-time favorite looks. Products will come and go, but I believe these ones are going to make it through the long haul. Please, if you try any of these out, let me know what you think!
P.S. I loooovvvee trying out hair stuff, so be expecting a lot of these in the Negative (N)ellie future.