Claudia Marie

 

Aloha everyone!

It made me happy to see that some of you guys have read my first blog post! Thank you so much for the likes and the lovely comments! I hope you are doing all well!

Let’s talk a bit about hair, shall we? 

I have been highlighting my hair over 10 years now and as a result it has taken a significant toll on it. In the past, I wasn’t able to let it grow past my shoulders because every time it grew a bit, my ends fell onto the top of my shoulders where it would start breaking and the ends would split.

I’ve already given up on having healthy and long hair until I found a hair care routine that changed my hair game completely!

Here is a picture of my hair in its current state. I wanted to keep it real…and chose this picture which was taken after a windy and sweaty hike at Lake Tahoe 😉

General info on my hair: 

• I have fine hair but a lot of it
• My natural color is a rich medium-dark brown with a redish undertone
• It is naturally wavy and very dry
• I wash it 1-2 times a week (shampoo only on the roots and conditioner on the mid length and ends)
• I trim the ends myself (every 3 months)
• I rarely use heat on my hair and let it air dry most of the times

Hair care routine:

I typically start a day before I wash my hair with deep penetrating treatments.

1. 100% Pure Rosemary Oil:

The night before I wash my hair:

I like to take a 100%pure rosemary essential oil and rub about 8 drops between my fingertips and start massaging it into my scalp for about 1-2 minutes. I have one spot on the back of my head where my hair feels thinner and more sparse. That is where I like to concentrate the majority of the oil.

The smell of rosemary oil is one of my favorites and every time I smell it I am taken back to those summer nights in the South of France (I am daydreaming right now lol)… On a side note: Since hundreds of years rosemary has been linked to boosting memory as well. Ophelia in Hamlet says to her brother: “There’s rosemary, that’s for remembrance.” (Hamlet, Act IV, Scene 5).

Benefits:

Rosemary oil contains ursolic acid which helps with scalp circulation –  nutrients and oxygen is transported to the root of the hair and allows it to grow faster and healthier. I like to use a pure oil since everything you put on your scalp is immediately absorbed by your pores. Rosemary oil is antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and antiseptic and thus may help those of you who suffer from itchiness or dandruff. It also revitalizes the hair, removes product build up and leaves your hair shinier and softer and if you apply it at night the smell will make you sleep nicely.

2. Organic, Cold Pressed and Unrefined Coconut Oil

 

I am lucky to live on one of the beautiful Hawaiian islands where coconuts are all around me. I love drinking fresh coconut water out of the shell and use the oil for a lot of different things. Polynesians are known for their long and beautiful hair – I have always wondered what they  use (women and men) to have such beautiful, long, strong and healthy hair. Besides their incredible genetics, Coconut Oil is one of their oldest secret (not only for the hair).

1 hour before I wash my hair:

I like to heat up some coconut oil and generously apply and massage it to my hair concentrating on the mid shaft and the ends.I take my time to coat every strand and give myself a nice little, relaxing massage

Then, I wrap my hair in a bun and put tin foil around it to keep the heat locked in. The hot oil then is able to penetrate through the hair shaft and work its magic. To avoid the oil from dripping you can also wrap a towel around the tin foil.

If I have time, I leave the treatment in for as long as an hour but you can adjust to your schedule (minimum 15min).

Benefits:

I am sure that by now you are all aware of the benefits of coconut oil. Like I mentioned before, I absolutely love coconut oil for so many different purposes (getting my eye make up off, as an under eye rescuer, body moisurizer and peel, for cooking,…) but my favorite use is this hot deep hair mask.

It is rich in carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals which primarily help to moisturize  the hair shaft. It may also help against dandruff, hair loss and itchiness.

 

3. Acure Morroccan Argan Oil +Argan Stem Cells Shampoo and Conditioner

 

While washing my hair (Shampooing and Conditioning):

I have tried a whole bunch of shampoos, conditioners and hair masks over the time and a bit over a year ago my hair dresser told me that my hair is over saturated due to the silicons, parabens and phthalates which are found in a lot of shampoos and conditioners.My hair wouldn’t absorb any moisture no matter what I do and thus became drier and drier.

After doing some research, I came across the Acure Organic argan oil + argan stem cells shampoo and the corresponding conditioner. .

If I wash my hair once a week I will use the shampoo on the roots and gently massage the crown of my hair.While I rinse out the shampoo, some of it will flow down the whole length of my hair which is enough to clean my hair gently. I than apply the conditioner to the mid section and the ends of my hair and let it sit for about 3-5 minutes (or for the time I shave my legs).

If I wash my hair twice a week I would use the conditioner all over my hair and its cleaning properties are usually enough to get my hair clean and leaving it soft and shiny.

The products smell heavenly like sweet almonds and best of all they are FREE of sulfates, silicones, parabens, pertroleum, synthetic fragrances, phthalates and PEG.

On top of that it is cruelty free and 100% biodegradeable.

Benefits: 

 Organic argan oil and stem cells are commonly used in a lot of the north African countries and is known to have several benefits and areas you can use it for (lips, face, body, cooking…). CoQ10, and sea buckthorn oil, which both are high in Omega 7 fatty acids, complete the triple action complex which locks in moisture and makes your hair soft, healthy and shiny.

4. Alterna Bamboo Smooth Kendi Oil

 

In between hair washes:

I will use this rich but light and non greasy oil in between two hair washes. Usually I will  start on day 2 after washing my hair. I take about 2 pumps in between the palms of my hands and distribute it from the mid section all the way down to the ends of my hair (which is the driest part). 

Benefits:

I like the fact that it is free of parabens, phthalates, mineral oils and petroleum.

The organic bamboo extracts as well as the organic kendi oil make my hair shiny , soft and frizz free. That is exactly what I look for in a product that I am using in between hair washes.

The organic bamboo extracts promotes stronger and more flexible hair that is healthier and shinier whereas the organic kendi oil helps in preventing future damage due its high and multiple essential fatty acids and anti-oxidants.

I hope you learned something new.

Please leave me a comment telling me about your hair care products and what you love.I would love to know about it!

xx