A HAIRSTYLIST’S WORST NIGHTMARE
just kidding. But the title hooked you right?
Jokes aside, my hair has been through some sh*t. When I was a junior in high school I decided to ditch my dream of long blonde hair for some black box dye. Ladies, you know what this means. I was desperate for a change. And honestly, I don’t regret my black hair at all. It felt so freeing to break out of the expectation I had built for myself growing up. I though long blonde hair = happiness. Ridiculous I know. Obviously, my thought process was flawed. I was not happy! I needed a change. And Sally’s Beauty Supply was there for my empty wallet (couldn’t afford a salon dye).
I remember walking the in the halls with my black hair. I was turning heads. Probably not in a good sense at the time, however people came around. Everyone hated my hair at first. My friends finally told me after a couple months of sporting my dark hair that people despised the changed. However, I still have people telling me to go back to the black hair. And honestly - it’s hard to resist. Moral of the story, don’t be afraid to change & don’t be afraid of what other people think. Cliche, yes. However, most cliche’s exist for a reason. They’re true.
Box dying my hair black was not my first hairtastrophe. When I was in preschool, I had longgggg hair. I’m talking butt length. My hair hasn’t been that long since. I think it’s the universe punishing me for cutting it with craft scissors. Oh, yes. Preschool Macy decided it would be a great idea to chop off all my locks. However, my short arms couldn’t reach the back. So I had a mullet. Cute right? My mom, horrified at my art project, took my to the hairstylist. She evened out my trim into a bob and we moved on.
As middle school came around (yikes) I got it in my head that long hair was everything. I spent hours on Youtube looking for tips on how to grow your hair. I tried EVERYTHING. I tried ten minute scalp massages. I tried laying upside down to stimulate blood flow to your hair (what???). However, my vice was straightening my hair DAILY. Growing up I had stick straight hair, when I was in sixth grade I started getting some waves. And I hated them. I tried to cover them up with a flat iron. Heat all the way up. I wouldn’t go to school until someone checked the back of my head to make sure there was not a wave insight. Funnily enough, I had no idea the impact this had on my hair. My hair wouldn’t grow because it was breaking off. Duh! I was twelve, I didn’t know. The ends of my hair were fried.
During my Youtube dive (keep in mind it was around 2013), I found so many mixed reviews on how to care for your hair. I still find haircare tips to be somewhat of a mess. To trim or not to trim? I’ve watched videos of girls with gorgeously long hair recommending their viewers to avoid trims at all cost. On the other hand, i’ve heard people say to trim your hair every three weeks. So which is it? Honestly, I still haven’t found my happy medium for hair trims. And in general, hair care if not OSFA. Different methods work for different people. I have fine, thin hair. I’ve found what works for me, but it might not work for you. That’s what middle school is for, find what works for you!
I wanted to go darker before I box dyed my hair black. And the reason I couldn’t afford a salon dye was because I already went. I sat down in the hairstylist’s chair and told her I wanted to go darker. Mid dye she goes “I really like this apricot blonde you chose”. What??? Excuse me?
Looking back, I don’t hate my brief ginger phase. She was iconic. But, it’s not what I wanted. I needed my inner emo to shine through. I needed my ‘i’m not like other girls’ phase. Kidding.
So to Sally’s I went. Black hair mode activated.
I already explained the story; people hated it, then they loved it. It was a moment. I recommend every girl to make a change that scares you. For me that was black hair. I wanted it, but it scared me. I did it anyways.
When spring rolled around I was ready for my blonde hair again. So to the salon I went. And thank god for Kavita, my hair dresser. She is a saint. I apologize for all the trauma I have caused lol. It took two sessions to get my hair back to it’s natural color. And I never lost any length. My hair was the longest it has ever been (besides preschool lol).
My secret? I avoided washing my hair as much as I could. Since I have really oily hair and skin. I could only manage every other day. Now I can get up to three days thanks to dry shampoo and trucker hats. I avoided heat as much as possible, however I still struggled to embrace my natural hair. It wasn’t until this year that I was comfortable with it. Despite being long, my hair was not healthy. It had went through black box dye and two rounds of bleaching. She was gasping for air. I neglected keeping my hair healthy and instead focused on growing my hair long. Little did I know the two come hand in hand. Trust me, healthy hair is sooooo much better than long hair. My hair started to get stringy and the ends eventually fell off. So what did I do? I box dyed it again. Yep, sorry Kavita. I’m awful.
literally doesn’t look like me!!!
I still miss my dark hair. To this day I really want to go back. Maybe soon??? But I will not go back to Sally’s. Don’t worry. You can all breathe now.
So one night, I was with my long time best friend Kaylie. I had been to a couple salons to get a quote on how much it would cost to get back to blonde. And $500 was not something I could afford. So, Kaylie and I had the genius idea to get color remover and magically my hair would be restored. Wrong. Ginger Macy was back. Except she had orange hair and yellow roots. Cute!
My hair had fallen out. It was getting shorter by the day. So I went back to Kavita (my saving grace) and she worked her magic. Fun fact about the third pic: I stalked Kavita’s Instagram not too long ago and looked at her story highlights. I was watching her hair transformations and saw this girl with truly awful hair. Took me a few seconds before I realized it was me! I really was the before picture.
After a lifetime of wanting long hair, I had to give up. I had to start fresh. So I went back to my preschool days and chopped off all my hair.
Kavita was able to lift my hair to a platinum level. The sorcery. Also my lash extensions: tragic
After this salon session, I decided to screw my idea of long hair and focus my gaze on healthy hair. And finally, almost two years later, I can finally say I have healthy hair.
I don’t have long hair. But it’s getting there! It’s a process.
What helped me get to this point was embracing my natural hair. I learned how to style my waves and use them to add volume to my flat hair. If I have to use heat, I use my Revlon Hair Brush Dryer. I found this to be better on my hair than a flat iron or curler. Never use this on wet hair!!! Always air dry first, and don’t tug on your hair.
Healthy hair starts in the shower (like I said before, avoid washing your hair as much as possible). When I wash my hair I use a shampoo massager like this one. I mix up my shampoo and conditioner so my hair doesn’t get used to the same ingredients. My fav brands are Biolage and Paul Mitchell. I’ve been using these brands for years and I think this is the reason i’m not bald.
I’ve also been loving this Healing Hair Masque by Playa. I mix it in with my conditioner and leave it in for a few minutes. I try to rinse with cold water to close up my pores, however I have no scientific proof that this works. But it does wake you up!
After the shower, I use my holy grail products.
The benefits behind castor oil are endless. I only use this on my ends to avoid breakage. Castor oil can also help with dandruff and an itchy scalp. Castor oil is full of antioxidants and proteins that help nourish your hair shaft. It also helps to absorb other products. Read more about castor oil here.
I’ve heard mixed reviews on Olaplex. I’ve heard people say it saves their hair (which is the case for me), but other people claim it dries their hair out. This could be in part to other steps in their routine. However, haircare is different for everyone. Like I said, see what works for you. If you have thin hair like me, great! I love this stuff.
I mix it in with my castor oil to apply on my ends. I avoid putting oils in my scalp since my hair gets oily fast. I learned this the hard way with coconut oil. Coconut oil has amazing benefits for your hair as well, however it takes me a couple washes to get the oil out so I no longer include this in my routine.
#3 IT’S A 10 MIRACLE LEAVE-IN PRODUCT
I spray this product all over my hair. It’s great for getting out knots and leaving your hair silky smooth.
#4 SHEA MOISTURE LEAVE IN CONDITIONER
I found with hair care and skin care, the less product the better. I use this product every two-three washes to avoid overwhelming my hair. I love Shea Moisture for many reasons. They have products for various hair types and they always leave my hair soft af.
After I put in my products, I use my holy grail hair brush. I got this suggestion from the hair mogul themself, Brad Mondo. They recommended a brush with smoothing bristles. This brush is great for being gentle on wet or damp hair. It leaves my hair silky smooth and prevents breakage.
After I do all this, I leave my hair tf alone. Unless I style it with my Revlon dryer, but the less heat the better. If you have to use heat, use a heat protectant. I’ve been using this one for years.
I used to use biotin supplements, however I found it gave me breakouts. So use cautiously. Collagen is also amazing for your hair, skin, everything. I used to use Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides however, I ran out! I need a refill (hint, hint @ Vital Proteins).
I’ve also tried manifesting long, healthy hair with affirmations and subliminals.
To wrap it all up, focus on the healthiness of your hair and everything else will come after. Don’t be afraid to try something new and different. But, please don’t box dye it. It’ll cost you so much more in the end when you need to fix it. Short term results for long term consequences. Hair care is trial and error and what works best for you. I am by no means a hairstylist. However, I found a routine that works for me. I’ve studied haircare for years and after all the treatments I’ve put my hair through, it’s still healthy. Consult your hairdresser before you try any new methods and ask them for their best tips. That’s literally their job!
