I always had thick, healthy hair. In fact, it was so thick hair elastics would often break when I would pull my hair back into a pony tail. But had is the key word here. Up until my forties my hair care routine consisted of nothing more than shampoo and conditioner. Of course I also used hair spray when styling, but in general I was, emphasis on was, pretty low maintenance in the hair product department. Once I turned 40 that started to change. And now that I’ve entered my perimenopause era, I have an entire crew of products I use to help me maintain healthy hair.
The grays sprouted up overnight. I kid you not, I went to bed on the last night of my thirties and woke up with a frame of gray hair around my face on the morning of my 40th birthday. While I’m not opposed to one day letting the grays win the battle, at 46 I’m still choosing to fight the good fight. Thankfully, Madison Reed has made this struggle relatively easy on both my schedule, budget, and hair.
- Their root touch-up kit is SO easy, quick, and effective. Bonus points, their ammonia-free formula is pretty gentle on hair.
- And their color-depositing hair mask helps to prolong time between my at-home treatments.
Coloring gray hair was something I figured would enter my world at some point, but I wasn’t at all prepared for the volume loss that really seemed to start around age 45. I mean, the amount of hair I shed while shampooing and blow-drying is sort of terrifying! And while I feel like I wasn’t given any advance warning, I’m told this has a lot to do with those good old hormonal changes. Hot flashes, fine. Thinning hair….now that’s just rude! So, I’ve jumped on the Nutrafol train, which I’m sure if your on social media, you’ve certainly heard about before now. But did you know they make a supplement specifically for us perimenopausal/menopausal ladies?
My local dermatologist’s office, Germain Dermatology, recommends and carries it, but you can also get it online. I’ve just recently added this daily supplement to my mix, and I’m SO excited to see what it does for my hair! I plan to share some before and afters in a few months. I’m aware that from the above photo you might be thinking that my hair looks pretty thick and voluminous, but there are two things hiding the truth:
- I’ve purposefully kept my middle part because the thinning is mostly happening around my temples, and
- This Dream Cocktail Carb-Infused Leave-In Treatment is a full-on gamechanger for adding mega volume!
- Seriously! This Wow Hair Serum is like a magic potion. I use it on wet hair, just two or three pumps, and then after combing it through, I blow dry. And it feels like a miracle every time! I promise I’m not being dramatic.
The other styling products I use:
- Kristin Ess Working Texture Spray is what I’ve switched to after tiring of giving so many dollars to Oribe (which I do love, but gosh it’s so pricey!). I really like it, and especially like the travel size that is uh, easy to travel with but also fits really nicely into my bathroom hair drawer.
- As far as hair spray for hold goes, I honestly still haven’t found one that I will ride or die for. This Nexxus Flexible Hold is pretty nice and budget-friendly. But I’d love to know if you have a hair spray you absolutely love?
- Flyaways driving you nuts? I’ve finally found the answer in this Hair Wax Stick! It truly works like a charm. This set comes with the stick and two mascara wand-style hair tamers, but I pretty much use the stick exclusively. Although, the wands are great for slicking back a pony tail or a bun hair style.
- For shampoo and conditioner, I LOVE California Naturals. Smells great (made with food-safe fragrance) and it’s free of sulfates (which make my scalp so dry!), parabens, and phthalates. Their anti-frizz formula is my go-to. I don’t love the look of their green bottles (because product packaging matters to me for products that are left out), so I use these sleek, black dispensers in my shower.
Tools:
- This GHD Curling Wand is a total splurge but such a good one! The tapered oval barrel is perfect for adding soft waves that last for days.
- I was a fan of the Drybar blow dryer brush for years until I met this Nexpure Hair Dryer Brush Set. It’s basically 5 different tools in one, and it comes with two different sized round brushes which are so great for styling a straight hair style. The best part is it’s a fraction of the price of the Drybar brush. (And is currently on sale!)
So that ‘s my current hair team! I’d love for you to share in the comments. What products, tools, supplements do you love?
