Hair 101

I'm one of those girls who reads beauty tips (at least hair tips) and walks away frustrated. I don't get the hair jargon and all the fancy schmancy products that I'm supposed to use. To be honest, lately I've just been using whatever products are under my bathroom sink. I have a system that works pretty well for me. It may not be for you but maybe you can take away a tip or two that might help your hair regimen. 

Sleek & Straight

You might remember this post I did ages ago on how I style my hair straight. I always start with some kind of root lifter or mousse to give my hair a little texture. While silky hair is fabulous, I can't stand the way it feels on me. The roots seem to get stringy quickly and they take on a greasy look way too fast. I do like to use a little argan oil on the ends of my hair because I like the tips to be smooth. After applying mousse, I pile all of my hair up on my head (minus a small back section) and start blow drying with this:

This is the best brush for straightening hair that I have found and is available at Ulta for only $18.99. It's so much easier to use than a round brush and I am able to get the back, normally hard to reach, areas. As I dry each section, I let down another section from the pile on my head until my whole head is dry. When I'm finished, I usually have a pretty flawless blowout. Sometimes I will go over a very thin layer around my head with a flat iron to give it extra shine. 

The best part about using this brush, as opposed to strictly a flat iron, is that my hair stays full looking. Normally when I use only a flat iron my hair comes out looking, well, flat.

Full, Curly Hair

Curly hair is what I do when I feel lazy. I normally wash my hair, blow dry it halfway and do my make-up while the rest dries on its own. I use one large hot roller to roll my 'bangs' (they aren't really bangs, but the front part of my hair) away from my face. Then I use about seven medium (one inch) rollers throughout my hair. I usually leave them in for twenty minutes until they are cool and then let them down. If the curls are a little too perfect, I will separate them with my fingers and then spray with Aussie hair spray (flexible hold). I typically spritz my hair, do what I need to do around the house, and then go back for a final spritz. I find that after the first spritz has dried, I usually miss a section and can catch it on the second try. The flexible hold hair spray helps to keep my hair from looking too stiff.

Top Knot

A top knot is what I do with my hair when I am feeling the laziest. It is super easy, quick, and has been my go-to hair style for several years now. I pull my hair up into a high ponytail and smooth out any bumps with my brush that may happen in the process.

Next, I give the ponytail a twist once to the left (while still holding the ponytail high above my head). Only then, after giving it a twist, do I wind it around the base of the ponytail. I secure the base with several bobby pins and place a few throughout the top of the bun to secure stray hairs.

I realize that these pictures may not be the most professional, but let's face it: I'm a mom and my kids were beating on the door during these pictures. So even if the video I took would have worked, there probably would have been children in the background demanding entrance to my bathroom.

So there you have it. The not-so-glamorous hair routine of a busy mom to two little boys. If any of this helps you or inspires you, bless you.

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