The Back Story

A few years ago, I decided to change hairdressers, there was nothing wrong with my current hairdresser but the only issue was that she didn’t offer mobile appointments, which at the time was very important to me as my anxiety levels were at their peak and everytime I went to the salon I would have a panic attack and have to leave in the middle of my appointment.

Luckily, my sister in law had just decided to go mobile so I thought I’d give her a try. I was VERY nervous about switching hairdressers. We all would be.

A woman's hair is her crowning glory.

Anyway, I sat in my boyfriends’ kitchen and his sister started looking at my hair and asking me if I knew that I had some really dodgy layers in the back of my hair. She held up a mirror and showed me. I was mortified. She them continued to tell me how dry and damaged my hair was. I asked her what I should do and suggested the unsuggestable. To cut my hair as short as necessary to get rid of the dry breakage and in effect, start again. My heart dropped. What I thought was my beautiful hair was going to go and I’d be left with a short dry mess. But I did it. I trusted her advice and took the plunge. I was gutted. I didn’t like how it looked and it just made my face look rounder.

But I made the most of it. I explained I wanted to grow my hair, much longer than it had ever been, so she suggested that I shouldn’t straighten my hair half as much and to do regular hair masks to help the condition.

I had two choices: to wallow and feel sorry for myself OR do some research to avoid this happening again.

My Experiments

I washed my hair twice a week (once if I could get away with it) and only blow dried my hair. If I had a special occasion I straightened it but that was maybe twice a month compared to twice a week!

I tried all sorts of things. From Biotin capsules to FAST Shampoo and Conditioner to leave in conditioners. None of which really helped in the long run.

I then discovered the wonders of Macadamia Natural Oil Deep Repair Masque. I instantly fell in love with it. It made my hair super soft and left it smelling divine. However, I started to notice how much I was using and it became a very expensive way to nourish and grow my hair, yes cheaper than salon prices but still took a big chunk out of my budget.

So I talked to my sister in law and asked if she could recommend any salon conditioners that she could buy on wholesale. She couldn’t, but suggested I tried Aussie Miracle Moist Shampoo and Conditioner, this worked for a while however the same issue arose. I was using A LOT of product on my hair (as it’s so thick) and I was using a 250ml bottle every 2.5 washes. So in conditioner alone it was costing me £1.60 per wash.

The Holy Grail

Like most people, I googled terms like “How to repair damaged hair”, “Ways to make my hair grow faster” and “Dry damaged hair treatments at home” and I found a common theme in all of my searches. COCONUT OIL! What? I was confused, isn’t that something Chris uses to cook with? So I did what I do best and researched, I spent days researching the benefits of using coconut oil in your hair. I was amazed! I couldn’t believe the jar I had in the cupboard could potentially change my life so much. So I watched numerous YouTube videos on other people's own hair journeys and decided to make the plunge. I decided to run my own experiment!

So when I was in Aldi I decided to pick up another jar of Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. It was just £1.89! I went home and did a conditioning treatment. It was a little strange a first as I’d always related coconut oil to cooking. But it actually worked. I didn’t notice within days but within a couple of months I could see my hair actually growing. My hair has always been shoulder length. I've always wanted to grow it but for some reason I just wouldn’t go past my shoulders. But since using coconut oil and following the 10 step process below it has grown an extra 5 inches and hangs halfway down my back. I feel sexy!

My Conditioning Treatment Process

Make sure you have a good 3-5 hours for this treatment. Maybe put this on before doing some chores. Remember the longer you have, the more effective it will be.

What you will need:

A jar of coconut oil
A spoon
A bowl
A brush/comb
A hair tie
Cling film or a shower cap
A towel
Your favourite shampoo and conditioner
A hair dryer (and maybe your favourite hot tools)

Method:

Scoop out 3-4 tablespoons of coconut oil into a bowl
Melt the bowl of coconut oil, in a pan on boiling hot water or in the microwave. I’m sure people will have their opinions on me microwaving it but it’s quick and it works (for me)
Gently massage into your scalp and generously apply to the rest of your hair. Make sure all of your hair is covered, focusing on the ends.
Tie your hair back and wrap cling film around your head. You can use a shower cap if you wish, it’ll still work. This is to keep your body heat surrounding your head from escaping and will help nourish your hair.
Wrap a towel around your cling filmed head. If you are like me you will look very sexy (this is sarcasm of course) but same as the above, it’ll contribute towards keeping the heat around your hair.
Leave on for 1-3 hours. The longer the better.
Wash your hair with your favourite shampoo. Do this twice to ensure all the oil has been removed. If you don't do this twice you might be left with a greasy film around your hair when styling.
Apply your favourite nourishing Conditioner and leave in for 20-30 minutes
Wash out the conditioner and towel dry for an hour. This ensures you won’t be applying as much heat when drying your hair. Again, the longer the better.
Dry and style your hair and you are done, healthy and beautiful hair for a fraction of the price!

How To Have Beautiful Healthy Hair

Limit how much heat from hot tools and blow dryers you put on your hair
Use good quality products (see my recommended list below)
Get regular haircuts to remove any split ends
Do a coconut oil hair treatment every week
Follow the above 10 step process

I hope this post helps you out. If nothing else, the NUMBER 1 product that changed my life is COCONUT OIL. Go out and buy a jar of this today, you won’t be disappointed with the result.

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Please note that the pictures above are clickable. They are also affiliate links. They have been tried and tested here in the UK. Some of the products I have used are slightly different but I have found a great equivalent.

I do recommend Aldi coconut oil (and have included a link to it earlier in the post) but I have also included a link to an Amazon one I have used before. Although I recommend using the Aldi one as it is better value for money and does the same job, I understand some people prefer to order from Amazon and wanted to provide you will a good alternative.

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Until next time …