My hair has suffered through a lot throughout the years... Health and nutrition issues, stress, changing colors, bleaching, medications, breakage... The list goes on!
While I'm entirely more of a skin care expert than a hair expert, I do have some experience on the topic. This ranges from working as an shampoo girl, assistant and salon receptionist for many years to managing a larger corporate spa. Add to that list the transforming, repairing, and disguising of issues with my own hair (years later ) with everything from cranial prosthesis to extensions, weaves and falls. (It doesn't hurt to have fabulously talented and smarty-pants professional stylist friends to give advice, either!)
Anyway, here are just a few key things that I have found helpful over the years for thinning and breaking hair. Because if you've ever gone through this, you know that you're ALWAYS seeking new info, desperate to find something to helpful during a really tough time.
Best for Delicate Hair, Loss, and Breakage
- A Boar Bristle Hair Brush
The theory here is that the boar bristles will help to distribute your own oils from your scalp to the ends, while simultaneously stimulating the scalp. Mine is new, so far it's going pretty well! Caution: these guys are expensive. I found mine on Amazon, but these can be found at Neiman Marcus and Nordstrom as well.
Consisting of an exfoliating shampoo, a light/medium consistency conditioner, and a daily scalp spray, this line is most helpful for prevention of breakage*. Aveda insists that the spray is necessary to do every day ("12 sprays a day keep the loss away") But I must admit, I am not great at completing that stop as regularly as I should. Nonetheless, I still feel that this line has been helping considerably. * Side note: You may be thinking, "Great, but my issue is hair loss, not breakage". I thought the same thing. But when you are suffering from hair loss, do not under estimate the importance of keeping the hair you have! http://www.aveda.com/products/8655/Hair-Care/Hair-Concern/thinning-solutions/index.tmpl
Best for Damaged and Dry hair
- Phyto 7 and Phyto Revitalizing Serum
Found at Nordstrom, Sephora, and Ulta, these products are one of the reasons that I still HAVE hair over the years of bleach and abuse. My favorite by far is the Phyto 7 Day Cream. Not as heavy as an oil this can be used easily on dry hair without making it look heavy or greasy. I've also liked the treatment serum, packaged in ampules and used twice a week on the scalp. http://shop.nordstrom.com/s/phyto-7-daily-hydrating-cream/2832082
- Aveda's Damage Remedy line
These fantastic products are sort of expensive, but I worth every penny. Using proteins to repair damage, this line consists of a Reconstructive Shampoo and conditioner, a daily repair leave in conditioner, and an intensive treatment mask. I've been using this product family for a few years since they launched, and would highly recommend them. http://www.aveda.com/products/5232/Collections/Damage-RemedyTM/index.tmpl
I'll post additional hair products soon... In the meantime, stay fabulous my friends!
We hear it all the time: reapply, reapply, reapply.