If someone asked, what would you say is your defining physical characteristic? What is the first thing people think of when they hear your name…
THE STORY
…Maybe it’s your beautiful smile, your easy laugh or your gorgeous eyes. Perhaps you have legs for days or you’re the star of the gun show after countless hours of hard work in the gym. For me, without a doubt, it’s my hair. The combination of the color along with the massive amount of hair that I’m blessed with makes it memorable.
For me, and I think probably for many of us, our hair is an intrinsic part of our identity. If my hair isn’t long and some variation of red I quite simply don’t feel like myself. During brief stints of temporary insanity I’ve tried short hair a few times over the years and not only is it truly unflattering on me, I felt like something was missing until it grew back. Fortunately for me, my hair grows like a weed during a wet July so the disasters were never permanent.
I come from a family of redheads on my mom’s side and although I have the right skin and eye color to be a natural ginger, I was born with mousy light brown hair. I first started coloring my own hair when I was 14, and for years it was some form of blonde; absolutely better than mousy brown, but still not quite right. Then 1987 happened. I was working as an assistant manager at National Record Mart (anybody remember actual record stores??) when Belinda Carlisle released “Heaven On Earth”. Once I got a gander of that red hair…first official girl crush my friends. I could not get to the drugstore fast enough to grab some red hair color…and I’ve never looked back.
I added the blonde ombré about four years ago when I discovered my gorgeous blog friend Suzanne. I loved her style, but the hair…I was obsessed. Ever the fearless hair color adventurer, I added the ombré myself and decided it was a definite keeper. It is rather labor intensive when the blonde needs touched up, but I only have to do that about four times a year. The red on the other hand is high maintenance. As I said, my hair grows crazy fast so root touch ups are a necessity every three weeks or so. Honestly though, I don’t mind. It’s a small price to pay for something that is such a crucial part of who I am.
THE PRODUCT
You might be thinking that all of the aforementioned hair coloring is rough on my hair. Well, you’d be right…which is why truly high quality hair products are critical. Then throw in the fact that my hair is now almost entirely gray and about as coarse as a horse’s tail and you’ve got a recipe for a bad hair day…like every day. The entire texture of my hair changed when the gray took over. It went from soft and slightly wavy to coarse and curly in some spots while straight in others. Nice right? If I don’t keep it uber-conditioned it is one hot mess.
When Hairfinity asked if I would like to give their hair care product line a try I was immediately interested. I’m always in search of the perfect hair products and love to try new ones. One of the things that I liked about their products are that they are all free of sulfates, silicones, parabens, and other harsh chemicals. And they are chock full of botanicals, vitamins and minerals.
I decided that in the interest of thorough testing I would also have my daughter use the products. While my hair is thick, coarse and dry, hers is thick, fine, oily and very naturally curly. We both used the Gentle Cleanse Shampoo, Balanced Moisture Conditioner and Revitalizing Leave-in Conditioner. I also used the Nourishing Botanical Oil because my hair sucks up moisture like a sponge.
The results? I honestly cannot remember the last time I used products that made my hair feel this soft. I can run my hands through it without them getting caught up in it. I ain’t gonna lie…I’ve been sort of obsessively running my hands through my hair for days now. As for my daughter? She’s one happy thirteen year old, and that my friends is a tough one to pull off. Her hair dried into soft perfectly formed ringlet curls. She was so pleased with it that she asked if I could please buy more when we run out. Today I was sitting two rows behind her at a school assembly so I had the chance to just sit there and really look at her hair. It was afternoon and her hair was still frizz-free, beautiful and lying in beautiful curls.
I have tried many many hair products over the years from drugstore to high end, and I can honestly tell you that Hairfinity products by far out perform anything else I’ve tried. They have definitely become a permanent fixture in my hair care arsenal.
THE TIP
For healthy looking shiny hair conditioning is key. A lightweight leave-in conditioner is always a good idea, and if your ends are particularly dry and/or frizzy consider adding a hair oil for the ends only. Hair products are one area where saving a penny isn’t always the best idea. High quality hair products can truly be the difference between dull lackluster hair and soft shiny drop dead gorgeous hair.
THE LINK UPS
Check out the weekly link ups I participate in for even more fashion and style ideas…
Scarf: Nordstrom (Similar); Jacket: Similar; Sweater: Walmart (Similar); Shirt dress: Similar; Hair Care Product c/o Hairfinity
