Hair Products I’ve Began Using (And Love!)
As far as I can remember, I’ve always grappled with hair fall issues, one way or another despite being blessed with luscious black hair (though the sun brings out hints of brown). As a sixteen year old, I remember having to hover my bedroom floor almost everyday due to massive hair-fall. At times I would question if my scalp magically grows long strands of hair overnight to replenish the loss since I’ve always still had a head full of hair. Studies have shown that certain ethnicities experience more frequent & intense hair loss than others, and having lived in a household with three older sisters with similar issues, I know for a fact genetics definitely has a part to play in this. Thoughts?
Aside from hair fall, living in a tropical climate equals humidity which equals excessive amounts of oil build-up in the scalp leading to itchiness, dandruffs and brittle hair that somehow finds its way back to hair-fall. Over the years, I’ve tried to be that girl who washes her hair everyday. However, with a demanding career comprising of many late nights and early mornings, and a haircare routine that easily takes up two hours (when you include the blow dry & straightening), I am guilty of using a dry shampoo at times, though I make sure to wash my hair at the very, very least twice or thrice a week!
Thanks to my (many) recent travels to the land down under – Singapore, and the land up top, Bangkok, which both present very high levels of humidity, I needed a full reset and revamp of my haircare routine. I didn’t know then how exciting it would be to start taking care of the various parts of my body aside from the usual facials and meni-pedis. Thanks to my wedding last year which led me to exploring the many realms of body care, I’ve now taken an active role at giving the same care I give the skin on my face, to the skin on my body, feet, bum bum…and on my head!
To start, I consciously made an effort to:
– Read about the various hair products out there, and their ingredients without being sceptical. This started with a mindset shift – not every company out there is ‘trying to sell you the same products packed in different packaging’
– Swap out my older drug-store shampoo & conditioners with brands recommended by hairstylists and ones that are truly focused on haircare, or at the very least backed by accessible scientific research.
– Actually making use of my hair appointments to interact with my hair stylist and ask the necessary questions
And voila! I’ve been reaping the benefits ever since. Below you’ll find the six hair products I’ve invested in, and in that order have formed my current haircare routine which I absolutely love and look forward to every other day:
Disclosure: If you buy something through my links, I do NOT earn an affiliate commission. This blog is truly a labour of love and I only feature products I truly love. Thank you for your support.
1.Loreal Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo
Prior to getting highlights, (the equivalent of a mid-life crisis for me post-wedding, where I decided to go all natural and needed a change right after), I took baby steps and invested in Olaplex Bond Maintenance Shampoo & Conditioner – which I loved, and still recommend.
Post highlights I was recommended the Loreal Anti-Brass Purple Shampoo that is specially curated for colour-treated or natural white, grey or blonde hair. Infused with violet micro-pigments, its formula neutralizes unwanted yellow tones and returns hair colour back to its natural cool tone. I opted not to bleach my hair to protect from any damage and dryness. Instead, my hairstylist applied a hair toner to achieve a similar effect. A touch-up appointment every few months coupled with this purple shampoo does the trick. The next time you’re thinking of getting highlights, look into toners instead of bleaching, okay?
Retails for RM 100.80 at Shins Malaysia
As someone who at some point ‘lived and breathed’ the Kardashians, I was shocked to not know about OUAI, founded by Jen Atkins – who we all know was their hairstylist who appeared many times on the show.
I’ve since been using the OUAI Leave-in conditioner and not only does this type of conditioner add so much more moisture to the hair (since it’s not being washed off in the shower), but it’s also perfect for those of us with long hair who prefer a more on-the-go option. I spray a few drops on my hair – about a quarter away from the roots down to the tip, making sure to avoid the scalp, and gently brush through my hair with a comb without worrying about any entanglement.
Not only is it an excellent detangler, its also a heat protectant that primes my hair for styling before blow-dry and straightening.
Retails for RM 155 at Sephora Malaysia
3. AVEDA Nutriplenish Leave-In Conditioner
AVEDA has very quickly in the span of four months become my go-to haircare brand mainly because they are 100% powered by plants and incorporate the beautiful healing powers of Ayurveda in their products, and most of all, they smell wonderful and evoke such a calming energy.
Both AVEDA products in this list were recommended to me during my visit to the Moga AVEDA hair salon in Bangkok. I was dreading an itchy and oily scalp after a Thai cooking class and the hairstylist gave me a one-of-a-kind Ayurvedic head massage during the wash.
I know what you’re thinking – why two leave-in conditioners? This adds a second layer of moisture and its also lightweight spray-on which behaves almost as a serum, leaving my hair truly feeling fresh. I do admit that their products run a little pricey, but if you had to pick one from the two – invest in this. It smells divine and is so lightweight.
Retails for RM 225 at Sephora Malaysia
4. AVEDA Invati Advanced Scalp Revitalizer
I once read that scalp care is the ultimate form of self-care. Growing up as kids, we were sold on the importance of shampoos and conditioners, however somewhere between hitting our late teenage years and our early twenties, they forgot to tell us girls just how important scalp serums are. Think about it: if you want healthy hair, doesn’t it make sense to nourish the foundation at the scalp?
Just like the rest of our body, hair follicles on the scalp can get clogged with a variety of substances. The most common is sebum – the natural oil secreted from the sweat glands in our hair follicles. Combined with dirt from the polluted air, we’re headed to the land of clogged pores. Scalp serums, in this case the AVEDA Invite Advanced Scalp Revitalizer is a great way to clear them out and reset the sebum levels. Simultaneously, controlling the levels of oil avoid flakiness and dandruffs. The formula also helps strengthen hair’s natural keratin that aids in preventing hairfall.
Retails for RM 350 Sephora Malaysia
5. Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer
This was a tough one for both the husband and I given the price. We could not justify splurging that kind of money on a hairdryer, especially since we’ve had our Panasonic hairdryer for years and it worked just well at drying our hair. Nevertheless, after our stay at Claridge’s in London where each room was equipped with a Dyson Supersonic Hair Dryer and we saw just how it adds shine, hides any frizziness and overall just feels like its blowing out hot air safely, I girl-mathed our way by calculating the cost per use, especially since it’ll be a shared resource for the two of us…and we did it.
I’ve always had naturally frizzy hair that I wouldn’t in a million years wear out unless it’s gone through the straightener. However, with a combination of the above mentioned hair products, coupled with a blowout courtesy of Dyson, I find myself stepping out in my natural hair more than I even thought I would – which makes me very happy.
In case you wondered, our Panasonic hairdryer is nicely tucked in our guest room and is a hit among family whenever they visit, as recent as the new years holiday. So, its a win-win.
Should I write about my experience with the Dyson hairdryer, details of our purchase & the model etc. in a separate blogpost? let me know.
Retails for RM 2,099 at Dyson Malaysia
6. Gisou Honey Infused Hair Oil
I’ve been using this hair oil for the last two years and have fallen so in love with it. I’ve been following Negin Mirsalehi on Youtube and Instagram wayyyy before Gisou even made its way into Sephora (…maybe even before Gisou even existed). So, I activated my puppy eyes asked E (pre-husband days) to get me a bunch of products during his work trip to Dubai since it isn’t available in Sephora Southeast Asia (correct me if I’m wrong?).
I’ve used it ever since and love the concentration and intensity of the honey right from the Mirsalehi bee farm. Despite having long hair, one drop does the trick. Do share your experience if you’ve been using Gisou products as well?
Editor’s note: We never know what products our hair and body are allergic to. To start, invest in smaller bottles or request for samples before committing to the product. Do your research and shop responsibly as every dollar counts. What works for me, may not necessarily work for you 🙂
I hope this one was helpful for the ladies (and men) out there who struggle with beautiful, luscious thick hair that may still come with its set of problems. I see you.
As always, if you have any questions, feel free to drop me a message on Instagram. Wishing you and your hair a lovely week!
Love,
Alyia