Quarantine Hair
How are you doing today?
I had a hard day yesterday. The weight of bad news after bad news, including some Covid-related deaths just outside our circle and the first one in our town, had me in tears for much of the day. I just couldn't find the light and I let fear overtake me.
Today I'm focusing on the good. One day at a time!
I totally recognize the frivolousness of the topic of hair in a time like this, and if it's completely irrelevant to you please click on through. But I need something lighter to think about today.
You may argue that good hair is wasted in quarantine, which I totally understand. For me, I have done my hair and makeup many, if not most, days since becoming a stay at home mom because I am home every day. Doing my hair helps me feel more put together and awake. And really, doesn't good hair make you have a better day?
Each of my four postpartum times have been marked by terribly bad hair. The first three months are fine, and then for the next 2-3 months it all falls out in clumps. Hair everywhere! And then tiny baby hairs grow back in their place and I have bald spots and cowlicks everywhere, and the overall result is a hot mess.
This time around I've been fighting back against the postpartum hair, and it's certainly not perfect (especially since the bald spot after I had George still hasn't filled back in!) but it's a marked improvement, and I've actually gotten a bunch of compliments on my hair recently.
I thought I'd share what I've been doing in case you can benefit from a good hair day, too!
ANTI-THINNING SHAMPOO—This is way more than I typically spend on shampoo, but I've seen it recommended by several beauty "influencers" and I do think less hair is falling out in the shower than in the past.
SILK PILLOWCASE—If you do nothing else for your hair, do this! I've probably extolled the merits of a silk pillowcase before. Silk significantly cuts down on bedhead and my hair is shinier and has less breakage. It's apparently better for your skin, too. The other night I slept on a cotton pillowcase and my hair looked noticeably more "mussed" and duller in the morning.
SILK HAIR WRAP—If you really want to ramp it up a notch, you need a silk hair wrap (basically a turban). Your husband won't be too excited about it, but in the morning you will be a coiffed goddess before even running a brush through your hair! It's totally ridiculous and I will never show you a picture of me in it (only a select few friends and family members have had this privilege) but here's my baby in it:
You will most certainly look and feel like a grandma but for me this is nothing new. (Add my silk eyemask and single earplug to complete the look and you can start to get the picture of how lucky Nick is to have such a stunning bride.)
OLAPLEX NO. 6—I like this as a leave-in conditioner if I'm blowdrying my hair right away, or if I go to bed with wet hair I'll put this on dry hair in the morning after blow drying. Hair is smoother and shinier.
Some other things on my radar that I'd like to try:
OLAPLEX NO. 3 (but I don't see myself wanting to devote the time to leave this in)
ORIBE SUPERSHINE—seems to do the same thing as the Olaplex No. 6 so when I run out of the latter I'll give this a try and compare the two
ORIBE THICKENING SPRAY—I may give this a try if much more hair falls out!
