Good Afternoon & Happy Monday!!

We’ve been absent, but with September as crazy a month as it is for our family, we had a good excuse – we’ve been preparing for and then vacationing in Hawaii! (More on that Wednesday!)

As much as I love the island that was my middle school stomping ground, I had almost forgotten how much my hair despises the humid island air – even more than it disagrees with the Georgian breeze. Thank goodness I:

1. Don’t have bangs anymore.
2. Remembered to bring a HUGE supply of hair rubber bands.

Do any of you remember Monica’s hair debacle from the Friends episode (#26) above? That’s me. While the other girls at the luaus had long, silky, freshly ‘coiffed’ hair, mine was in a big puff on top of my head, or strung up in french braids.

While my crazy, puffy head of hair didn’t deter us from having a marvelous time, I thought I would share with any of you who are fellow curly/wavy/thick haired girls my favorite ways & products to tame my mane:

1. Chi Keratin Shampoo & Conditioner

It all starts with the right shampoo & conditioner. Some may disagree with my on this, but I have tried A LOT of products, and these are my favorites. Not only do they smell fresh & clean, they work. I typically wash my hair 2-3 times with the shampoo and leave on the conditioner for about 10 minutes. If you have thick & crazy hair like mine, you can try not thoroughly rinsing out all the conditioner. This is more important if you’re in the thick of a humid summer stretch.

2. The Wet Brush

The Wet Brush. What you brush your hair with matters – most of all when it’s wet. And trust me, when it comes to tangles and being gentle, this brush has it all. I use it when I get out of the shower, after I towel dry my hair, and then again after I apply a ton of product (more about that in a second!).

When your hair is dry and styled, my favorite brush is one like this:

The Spornette Ion Fusion Brush is my favorite, but any large paddle brush will do! I like this type of brush because the bristles are long and sturdy enough that I can feel them on my scalp – believe it or not, this is rare. Plus, the brush is large enough that it covers a lot of ground at once. (Anything to lessen the amount of time I spend styling this mane!!)

3. DermOrganic Argan Oil

As soon as my hair is super towel-dried, I apply this oil, mixed well with another product and apply to all of my hair, concentrating on the ends. Say it with me: Life-Sav-Er!! But it’s important to read below and see how and WHY I mix it with the other product!

4. Outshine 01 – Redken Anti-Frizz Polishing Milk

This stuff works like a dream, and mixed with the Argan Oil (above), I apply it to towel-dried hair from root to tip, concentrating on the ends. For some reason, the combination of a cream and an oil really helps my hair to lay down, and decreases the frizziness quite a bit more than either product on it’s own.

5. Conair 3-in-1 Ionic Styler

This hairdryer has been my best friend since I was a kid. I use one of the 2 comb attachments it comes with and blow-dry my hair, all the way through. Those of you with fine, thin or straight hair, may be able to get away with air-drying or only drying halfway…or using a regular hairdryer with your head upside down…but not I. Dry your hair fully after towel drying and applying the products above.

6. Creme of Nature Argan Oil Replenishing Sheen Spray

Ok, before you say anything, let me say that I was a skeptic too…but WOW. This stuff has changed my hair life. Now, having said that, be sparing. More of this is less. After you dry your hair, spray on this. Not too much. Just enough to lightly coat it. When you begin straightening, you can use this again to spray (lightly) on each piece before you use a flat or curling iron on it. Just be sparing. Otherwise, you will look like a greaseball. I promise you.

7. Moroccan Oil Styling Clips

Yet another lifesaver. It is a must that I section out my hair prior to styling it. There’s no other way. However, most clips out there do NOT hold my hair (read: in the past week, I have POPPED, while wearing, 7 rubber bands.), so I found these babies – made for big, thick, crazy hair. They hold it and they do it well – and no pinching.

8. Babyliss Pro Nano Titanium Straightening Iron

Now that your hair is dry and protected from the heat and sectioned out, it’s FINALLY time to flat iron. This is the best flat iron ever. I have had it for more than 4 years, and it is still going strong! And it straightens my mess of curls and frizz in one pass. Amazing.

9. Vavoom Freezing Spray

Okay, I don’t care what anyone else tells you. This stuff is the BEST. If you don’t want you hair to move – rain or shine, it will NOT. And you’ve just spent a good chunk of your day perfecting your hair, so you would be a little snarly if it were to get messed up after all the work, right? 🙂

10. Batiste Dry Shampoo

Considering you’ve now spent two or more hours on your hair, you may not want to wash and style it every. single. day. And I’ll let you in on a little secret…days 2 and 3 are often my BEST hair days. But just because you may want some morning free time, doesn’t mean you can neglect your flowing strands. Keep your hair fresh and clean with dry shampoo! I have tried MANY brands and Batiste is my favorite by far. The one I’ve linked to above is specifically for blondes, but they make a brunette version, as well, in addition to many different fragrances. I haven’t found one yet that I don’t like!

So there you have it. I may not always be on time, but now you at least know WHY! 😉 Even with all the products above, I still don’t have great island hair…but that’s one reason I *usually* keep my locks long enough for a knot on top of my head or braids. They are life-saving styles in case of humidity!

I hope you’ve enjoyed today’s “My Choice Monday” – Please note that we were not sponsored or commissioned by any of the above brands. All opinions and suggestions are my own and I am not a hair professional. However, should you wish to send us a sample of your product for review, please contact us here.

Join us tomorrow! We have a very special guest post I just can’t wait to share!!