I quietly accomplished something I thought I could never do in the last two years: I’ve grown my hair longer than it’s ever been, and even better, I’ve been able to resist the urge to cut it all off as soon as it touches my collarbone.
That’s how things have been in the past. I have fine hair, but a lot of it, and for years, there was a point where it started to fall out. The length would grow, the ends would start to thin out into that telltale rat’s tail-like wisp, and all of a sudden I would be sitting in front of my stylist Kate and saying, “Maybe just above the shoulders?”
This time, though, things are different. Kate told me that my hair looked better than it ever had before at a recent colour appointment. For the first time, the density at the ends was the same as at the roots, a noticeable healthy transformation.
Before you assume that this amazing change meant a complete overhaul of my hair care routine or a lot of new products, let me assure you that the changes I made were small but powerful.
You can get salon-quality results at home with this new Irish brow product.
The first thing was almost too simple: I started washing my hair the right way. Not the quick wash, lather, and rinse we might think is enough, but a real cleanse every time. With all the dry shampoos, texture sprays, and other styling products we use every week (is it just me?), one shampoo doesn’t cut it anymore. Washing your face twice, or “double cleansing,” works wonders. The first wash gets rid of oil and product buildup, and the second wash cleans the scalp and hair.
Then comes the treatment. I’ve been using Kérastase Chroma Absolu High Shine Treatment (€58 from lookfantastic.com) for the past two years. I’m lucky that my hair has a nice shine naturally, but since I started using this, it has become very shiny. A coworker I hadn’t seen in a while asked me what I was using on my hair because it looked so shiny when I ran into her on a work trip.
This treatment is great because it works as a conditioner too, so you don’t have to buy anything extra or do anything extra. I shake it through the ends and lengths of my hair with the little pointed applicator, leave it on for two minutes, and then rinse it out. Afterward, my hair feels soft and silky, and it doesn’t feel heavy.
The next simple change I made that made all the difference was buying a wet brush that doesn’t pull or yank on my hair. I had been using a Tangle Teezer for years, but when I switched to the wet brush, I saw how often the Tangle Teezer got stuck in my hair, causing unnecessary hair breakage.
Simone Gannon’s easy three-step hair routine to change the length of your hair
Kérastase Chroma Absolu High Shine Treatment (€58 from lookfantastic.com), Oribe Flat Brush (€112 from Space NK), and Kérastase Elixir Ultime Hair Oil (€68 from Boots) are the three steps in Simone Gannon’s simple hair routine.
I chose the Oribe Flat Brush (€112 from Space NK). It was a big investment, but it was worth it. I have more hair now, and it goes through easily without pulling. After I brush, there is a lot less hair in the bristles.
Hair oil is the last thing you do before styling. I used to put oil on my hair every now and then, when the ends looked really bad. I was using it reactively instead of preventively for long-term care.
Now, right after untangling my hair after a shower, I pump some product through the middle and ends. Kérastase Elixir Ultime Hair Oil is my favourite right now. It costs €68 at Boots. It makes my hair smooth, keeps it moist, and protects it from the avalanche of styling products that always comes after. I do the same thing again on dry hair, but this time I focus on the ends to tame flyaways and make the hair shine more.
This week I love… Dewy Cream from Sol De Janeiro Rosa Charmosa
Sol De Janeiro Rosa Charmosa Dewy Cream costs €21 for 75ml at Brown Thomas.
Sol De Janeiro Rosa Charmosa Dewy Cream costs €21 for 75ml at Brown Thomas.
Rosa Charmosa Dewy Cream from Sol de Janeiro is a new body cream that is fresh, fruity, and very tasty. You can get it for €21 for 75ml from Brown Thomas. There are hints of pink pepper, passionfruit, and amber in the smell and look of whipped marshmallow. It deeply moisturises the skin and gives it a bright, glowing look.
