HOLY GRAIL PICKS; Sephora Haircare

Shoutout to my pal Meagan who introduced me to the Alterna Bond Repair line. I knew of the Alterna brand prior to trying the Restructuring Bond Repair Shampoo ($45) and Conditioner ($45) but was skeptical to try it because it’s price tag is high, even by Sephora standards.

Let me tell you, I am disappointed with myself for not trying this sooner. I’ve noticed less breakage, more shine and better oil control. It also has smoothing factors and my hair feels less frizzy when I use it plus the scent is to die for – it smells like it is, expensive.

I have a super sensitive scalp and I found this mild and didn’t leave me clawing at my head (a thing I’ll do often with shitty shampoos and conditioners.)

Sephora also has a kit right now for $67 so extra savings!

Alright, things are about to get a bit icky. Like I said, I have a super sensitive scalp and used to scratch at it often (the shampoo and conditioner above helped curb that a lot) to the point where I would cause scabs on my scalp. It also left a lot of flakes so I wanted something to help soothe my scalp while cleansing it too. Enter the Briogeo Scalp Revival Micro-exfoliant Shampoo ($54), this shampoo has been a goddamn life saver. It feels cleansing without stripping or irrupting and I use it once a week to reset my scalp and to get all that excess product gunk off.

This is probably also the product I would recommend the most out of everything on this list. A must try for sure!

Listen, I colour my hair, my blow-dry it every time I was it and I heat style my hair constantly. Because my hair is naturally black not only does it get coloured, it gets bleached beforehand so it’s safe to say that I put my hair THROUGH some shit.

I used the Olaplaex No. 3 ($38) once a week to give my hair a bit of a dose of much needed TLC. Made with the same active ingredient found in Olaplex salon products you’ll notice a difference after one use. Plus it’s certified clean at Sephora!

My hair gets tangled easily and I always use a leave-in conditioner as a detangler post shower. The Quai Leave-in Conditioner ($34) was gifted to me this past year and it quickly became my favourite. I like that it’s a cream that mists so it’s a bit on the rich side in terms of a moisturize kick. I also love that the scent lingers in my hair and makes my hair smell fresh. It smells like bergamot and roses, so I smell like a rich lady.

Promising to do 5 things (smoothing, volumizing, conditioning, strengthening and polishing) the Living Proof PHD Styling Treatment ($38) is how I get my blow-out look. I touch my hair a lot and it’s important to me that my hair feels smooth and never snags. The PHD combined with my leave-in conditioner is my secret weapon to keep my hair healthy looking even when it’s not styled.

Again with this scent. It’s to die for. The Ouai Wave Spray ($34) helps give my hair a bit of dimension because I have Asian hair which means it’s flat AF. This wave spray enhances texture and gives me a bit of a volume boost at the roots. I also love that it has rice protein for texture instead of sea salt which can be really drying.

I see all this gals committing to not heat styling their hair and I applaud y’all, but I am also not about that life. I want to blow-dry, curl, straighten, and wave my hair always and heat protection spray is a must have. Another product introduced to me by a friend, the Bumble & Bumble Invisible Oil Primer ($32) has been my go-to heat protection spray.

A little goes a long way and I only use a few spritz all over my head to protect my tresses from extreme heat and it adds a bit of shine to my look.

If writing this post has taught me anything it’s that I can a lot about what product smells like. The hairspray I use is no exception. The Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray ($28) has that signature Moroccanoil scent but that’s not the only reason I love this hairspray. It sprays like a dream, in an ultra fine mist that never spits unevenly or feels wet. Plus it holds without any crunch!

I work out a lot and your girl is sweaty. I use dry shampoo more than any product on this list and it’s important to me that this shit works. Lately I’ve been loving the IGK First Class Charcoal Detox Dry Shampoo ($35). It smells delicious and it works! Plus the charcoal helps fight odour and is gentle on my scalp.