At-Home care for Damaged hair.

Update on my “ratty” hair & the @LorealHair quiz I took a few weeks back.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of L’Oréal® Paris Elvive. The opinions and text are all mine.

It’s called the L’Oréal Paris Elvive quiz and it is free to take online. It is linked here so you can check it out too. It pretty much asks you questions about your hair and based on the answers you submit it will let you know what products your hair is lacking.

If you have been following along on my blog or Instagram stories you saw my struggle of “ratty,” damaged hair. I also shared a L’Oréal® test I came across that day which suggested I try a few products and this post is an update on that, those of you that missed it – keep reading I’ll catch you up pretty quickly!

I got plenty of good feedback after I shared my hair journey and how extensions have become a large part of my life. Up to this day I’ve been frying my hair with tools at least a few times a week, changing my hair color between blonde and black for at least 5 years, blow drying my hair every time after washing and not using any products for years. Now that I am overcoming the obstacle of having healthier, smoother hair I wanted to share some products I’ve been testing as well as my experience with ya’ll on here!

About that test I took....

Here’s a quick look at mine...

• Texture: Wavy
• Thickness: Medium
• Condition: Normal (options were dry, oily or normal)
• Primary: Damaged
• Color treatments: Sometimes
• Salon Visits: Never (To be completely honest, I only go to the hair stylist
  whenever I want to dye my hair which is not more than once a year. I let the sun do all the work as when I travel to tropical places my hair tends to get lighter)
  The test results I got were...

• Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm. Results are meant to be seen within the first use (I saw a majorrrr change on my extensions as they were more damaged than my own hair).
• Smooth Intense Smoothing Shampoo + conditioner
  You can find other products in this line including, Elvive Extraordinary Oil and Elvive Color Vibrancy Repair and Protect Balm. 

When I went to Target to buy the products above I also got the Elvive Total Repair 5 Protein Recharge which was suggested to be used along with the product I was recommended. It is mainly meant for those who have hot hair tools in their hair routine on weekly bases (my tools consist of hair straightener + curling iron, both being on the hottest heat available) ehem... ME!

P.s. I was told that Target (store list here) will also have an in-store event on February 24th and will be showcasing a hands-on large scale reveal of damaged to healthy hair. If you have some free time that day make sure to drop a note into your calendar and check it out! You can check here if the Target near you will be a part of this fun project! P.s. I recommend going early, possibly during the lunch break 12- 4PM to avoid the long lines. 

Fast forward to now... 1 week later / 2 times of washing hair with products above

Because I wanted to see the results of the products purchased which were the Total Repair 5 Damage Erasing Balm and Elvive Total Repair 5 Protein Recharge I decided to skip the shampoo and condition and try only the repair products without changing anything else in my hair routine.

Due to me wearing clip-on extensions up to 2 times a week I had to use these products on them as well so that it looks as similar to my hair as possible. I applied each product and left it on for 10-15 minutes as it is not my hair and gets more heat than my hair. 

On the left it is clear that my hair has no volume and is extremely dry. On the right is my hair after a wash + blow drying once. 

If I had to sum up the results I’ve experienced with products on my hair I’d tell you that it’s still damaged but it’s off to a great start of a journey as it does feel smoother and silkier overall, even Adam touched my hair after I got out of the shower (first time using the products) and said it feels “restored” haha. While you may not be able to tell much difference from the photos, the way my hair feels now compared to what it did a week ago is DRASTIC!

P.s. According to the packaging every use takes off 1 year damage off your hair, well since I have a bit over 5 years I will continue using it until my hair is fully restored from all the damage it’s been getting over the years! If you’re looking for something that works to add into your routine I highly recommend, especially when both products are suuuuper budget friendly and are under $6 each!

Some tips on how to get + maintain healthier hair:

• Let your hair air dry.
• When trying out new products make sure to keep the regular routine
  consistent and only test 1-2 products at a time.
• Take L’Oreal test and see if you’re using the right products for YOUR hair. All
  the products I’ve mentioned in this post are available at your local Target in the hair aisle or online! You can see a list on products that are meant for damaged hair here.
• Keep up your hair routine when traveling as a change of weather might dry out your hair and sun might damage it.