How to Maintain Strong, Healthy{And Frizz Free} Hair All Year Round

Winter. Spring. Summer. Fall

During every season of the year, it can be difficult to maintain strong, healthy, shiny locks at times, am I right?  Whether it's the excessive humidity in the Summer, or the cold and dry air of winter, finding the right products and techniques to combat the elements and care for your hair can be hard.  

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Since I was a little girl, my mom has always helped me cherish and care for my long, thick hair. My hair has always been my thing, my signature of sorts.  The question of how I maintain it's health, body and shine is one of the most frequently asked question I receive from friends and readers.  It's overall health is one of the main reasons I recently made the decision to cut it and donate to Locks of Love. 

I have been a long time fan of Living Proof products.  If you have read the travel essentials post from last fall, you know I rarely travel without it!  I even go as far as buying most of their products in travel sizes so I can stash them in any gym or travel bag.  What's great is almost all of their collections come in full travel kits. 

Today, I want to address some of the questions I get most frequently by talking through which actual products I use, the frequency in which I use them and the techniques I use to get the most life out of the product and health of my hair.  Ready?

Let's start with a few of the basics:

Perfect hair Day (PhD) Shampoo:

Product Info: This shampoo is unlike others.   It's award winning formula delivers five benefits for a perfect hair day - smoothness, volume, conditioning, strength and polish. 

My Thoughts & Routine: This shampoo is everything it claims to be.  Unlike a number of shampoo products I have tried over the years, this leaves my hair feeling smooth, clean and light.  Over the past year or so I have been much more conscience of using products that are sulfate and silicone- free and safe for my color treated hair.  This combination helps my hair feel clean for days longer than other products. 

Now, in terms of my routine. I am a strong believer that my hair has been able to maintain its health, body and shine because I only wash my hair every other day - and in some cases - every third day.  Having a good shampoo that keeps your hair feeling clean longer is pertinent, if you ask me! 

TIP: When I do wash my hair, I lather the shampoo all over my head - paying specific attention to the areas I know oil tends to reside more heavily (like the back of scalp). I then allow the shampoo to sit for 1-2 minutes before rinsing. You will love the results you get from this product!

To help maintain it's health, I also typically only shower in the evenings so my hair is dry and ready for styling the following morning.  Not subjecting to my locks to the extra heat of the blow dryer helps tremendously.

Also, since I only wash every other day - or, again, third in some cases - I only need to replenish the shampoo within about 3-4 months. 

Perfect hair Day (PhD) Conditioner:

Product Info: This award winning conditioner provides the same five benefits for the perfect hair day as the shampoo, leaving you with perfectly moisturized hair for days. 

My Thoughts & Routine: Similar to the comment with the shampoo, I often feel like some conditioners leave my hair feeling heavy and greasy.  However, this conditioner is the complete opposite.  It immediately leaves my hair feeling soft and really shinny.  My hair also has a tendency to be really frizzy - especially since I sleep on my semi-wet hair after showering.  Since I switched to Living Proof, these issues have been completely eliminated.  During our harsh Chicago winters I have to have a product that replenishes the moisture the weather strips from hair.  I could not live without this conditioner, y'all!  It is also sulfate and silicone- free and safe for my color treated hair.

When it comes to the application of conditioner, most people I know apply all over their heads and the application process starts immediately after they have rinsed their shampoo.  Not for me.

My hair, or scalp rather, has a tendency to be really oily so I only apply conditioner to the ends of my hair - or from my ears and below if that makes sense.  I have found following this process allows the natural oils from my scalp to help with maintaining moisture, maintain body and helps the actual product last longer. 

TIP: Once I have rinsed my shampoo, I ring my hair of any of the excess water and wait a few minutes to apply the conditioner.  During the downtime, I shave one leg or wash my face.  Once I have completed either of those steps, I ring out my hair one more time of the excess water and then apply my conditioner.  I find this really helps allow the conditioner to seep more into my hair rather than it getting watered down and blocked by all of the water.  Following this step has made a huge difference. 

Similar to the shampoo, I only have to replenish every 3-4 months. 

No Frizz Leave In Conditioner:

Product Info: A nourishing leave-in conditioner that detangles and provides an extra boost of conditioning for frizz free hair.  It weightlessly blocks humidity 70% better than silicones and oils while nourishing your hair. 

My Thoughts & Routine: This is by far one of my favorite Living Proof products.  It is in every gym bag and I do not pack a travel bag without throwing this inside first.  I have been using this leave-in conditioner for over 5 years and it is everything it says it is.  I particularly love it when traveling on vacations where I know I'll be in a pool or potentially subject to more harsh waters in a hotel.  It even gets packed in my beach bag for application after swimming in chlorine, etc. 

On occasion, I will even skip my conditioning application in the shower and replace with the leave-in conditioner.  I wake up with shiny, soft locks every time! 

For all hair types. Sulfate-free, silicone-free and oil-free. Safe for color and chemically treated hair.

Perfect hair Day (PhD) Night Cap Overnight Perfector:

Product Info:  Night Cap is the ultimate beauty sleep for your hair.  This easy-to-use solution will give your hair one week (up to 5 washes) of vibrant, shiny more manageable hair overnight.  It contains technology which acts as a sealing agent to help smooth the cuticle and reduce pigment loss.  Also, the amino acids contained in the treatment condition and protect against your daily styling habits and other environmental assaults.

My Thoughts & Routine: This is a new product I recently added to my routine.  I have been using for about a month and it makes my hair feel so alive.  I would almost compare it to my daily moisturizer, but for my hair as it helps to protect against the external elements.  After use, I wake up with my hair feeling incredibly soft.  I apply to wet, damp hair before bed.  For the short period of time I have been using I do feel like the color in my hair has had less of tendency to fade since my last color treatment.  I am looking forward to using more and providing more results in the coming weeks. 

Bonus, it is also silicone and oil free!

Straight:

Product Info: A heat activated spray to create long-lasting, shiny, straight styles. Powered by our Healthy Hair Molecule (OFPMA) which weightlessly blocks humidity, provides heat protection up to 450° and keeps hair cleaner, longer allowing you stretch out a straight style. 

My Thoughts & Routine: This is another product I have been using for the last several years.  I try my best to only style my hair with heating tools such a blow dryer or curling iron once or twice - at the most.  But when I do, I need a product that will not weight my hair down or make it feel greasy and this product definitely delivers in that area.  Many people ask how I can go so long between shampoos and Straight helps keep my hair feeling clean longer. 

I switch between wearing my hair curly and straight pretty often - almost every other time I style my hair - and the results I get from using this product rival other brands I have used over the years.  Even more so when my hair was long, Straight leaves my hair looking like I just spent hours in the salon getting an expensive blowout.  It's amazing!  And I love that it can be used on either your damp or dry hair. 

No Frizz Humidity Shield:

Product Info: This weightless solution for use on dry hair blocks 100% humidity to prevent and correct the first signs of frizz.  Powered with Living Proof's patented frizz-fighting molecule (OFPMA) along with smoothing emollients, an anti-static agent, and a UV protectant to provide 6x more humidity protection and deliver weightless protection with zero build-up.

My Thoughts & Routine: Living in the Midwest with lots of Summer humidity, this product is an absolute must-have! Before starting to use No Frizz Humidity Shield, my hair was off in every direction - even using the straightener would not seem to tame the fly-aways and frizz.  I only use this product every so often, but when I do I am always amazed!  Several of my girlfriends that have really curly hair swear by the No Frizz line, as well. 

In order to choose the right products for your hair type, visit Living Proofs fabulous hair product selector tool!

A big thank you to Living Proof for sponsoring this post.  I appreciate everyone who continues to support the brands that keep me bringing you great content.  I have been a long-time fan of living proof and all thoughts and opinions are 100% genuine and my own. 

XOXO,

Anna