I haven't won the hair lottery when it comes to genes, but I tried my best last year to get it into better condition. Last year I was pregnant and my hair has been so full. Postpartum I got quickly taken back to reality as all those front side hair started falling out like crazy. Since then I was on a mission to get my hair as healthy as possible and to help them regrow. Here is my routine and some of the products that helped me on my journey, but also just some of my all time favorite hair products. My hair now is the longest it has been in probably 10 years, though my ends are still a bit damaged and dry and I definitely need a haircut. There is visible regrowth and my scalp feels better, which to me means I did something right.

Let me start this post by saying I have very fine hair. My roots get oily very quick, but the ends of my hair are usually dry and damaged - split. I don't have straight hair nor curly, but it gets wavy if I let it air dry. I have been coloring my hair probably since I was 15, starting with some highlights at first. Now I only color my roots with permanent dye for some years and I leave lengths to be as they are. I used to apply color over my entire hair length probably twice a year just to refresh it. I color my hair at home and I also have my partner giving me haircut, because it's literally just a straight cut of the ends.

I feel like I have to mention that I was adding iron supplements while being pregnant and after, because I know low iron can be one of the causes for hair loss as well. 

My hair wash routine

Since I have oily roots I now go for shampoos for oily hair. Afrodita Cleanse & Hydrate Cleansing Shampoo For Greasy Hair is currently my favorite, because it's affordable and it cleans my scalp well. I also like its herbal scent. Upon my research of hair routines I also came across someone who said you should use anti-dandruff shampoo every now and then to help with scalp health and again to cleanse it really well. So I also added the cheapest Balea Anti-Dandruff Shampoo in my routine at least once a week. I clean my hair every other or third day. It gets oilier quicker in summer.

That was another thing I changed in my routine. I try to wash my hair more frequently now. Before I was trying to extend wash day with dry shampoos and now I use them less and just try to wash my hair more often. 

I love prewash  treatments that help with damage and make the hair look healthier, especially damaged ends. I use L'Oreal Elseve Bond Repair Rescue Pre-Shampoo and I also have Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate. They both feel the same on my hair. You apply it on damp hair and leave it on for a while then wash your hair as normal with shampoo and continue with conditioner. My hair always feels silkier and the ends look so much better after I use it.

I also used Olival Fenugreek And Rosemary Lotion Against Hair Loss, a watery products that you apply on your scalp and leave for a while then proceed with your usual hair wash routine. I feel like all of these products added a little help to regrowing my hair.

I am not too fussy with conditioners and unfortunately I rarely have time to apply and leave on hair masks now. So I tend to rotate conditioners and quick treatments every now and then. My current favorites are L'Oreal Elseve Bond Repair Conditioner, L'Oreal Elseve Glycolic Gloss Conditioner as well as their Glycolic Gloss 5 Minute Lamination, L'Oreal Elvive Dream Legth Saviour Mask (which I use as conditioner) and Balea Professional Aqua Hyaluron Magical Water. 

When I have time for a hair mask I love Joico K-Pak Reconstuctor Deep-Penetrating Treatment (for damage) in combination with Joico K-Pak Hydrator Intense Treatment (for hydration). That's my high end option for special occasions.

My biggest game changer is with leave-in products for the scalp that I apply before I blow dry my hair. I used Olival Guarana And Coffee Hair Growth Booster treatment to stimulate hair follicles. This one is watery with a nice spray bottle that has that coffee scent to it and feels a bit tingly on the scalp. 

I love The Ordinary Multi-Peptide Serum For Hair Density which really helped with my scalp health. I used to got very itchy scalp right after the wash, but this serum really helped. Peptides are everywhere in skincare, lash serums and now in hair care as well. It's watery serum that doesn't get my hair greasy. You can apply it with a dropper. I feel it definitely helped with my hair regrowth. I noticed regrowth as soon as I started using it. Obviously some of it was hormonal as well probably, but still. This is good maintenance product and I already bought another bottle.

Heat protect is nonnegotiable with me. I have been using it for years and if you blow dry or style your hair with heat, you should too. It can makes a massive change in your hair health. I love sprays because of its convenience, but creams are nice as well. My favorite are L'Oreal Professional Vitamino Color 10-In-1 Professional Milk (good overall treatment) , L'Oreal Elseve 2% Glycolic Gloss Core Spray Serum (smells sweet like baked goods and it's very similar to Vitamino Color), L'Oreal Elseve Dream Long No Haircut Leave-In Cream (great creamy option), L'Oreal Elseve Dream Long Heat Slayer Iron Spray (was my favorite for years) and Balea Molecular Care Leave-In Hairmask (for when I want my hair super straight). 

I also love to apply hair oil on the ends of my hair. I use Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil which I apply on wet hair on the ends only and it sort of activates better with heat, if you blow dry your hair afterwards. It's one of the rarest oils that is thin enough that it doesn't weigh my hair down. 

Hair tools and accessories

If you want very healthy hair you should probably avoid heat styling as much as possible. I always blow dry my hair (except when there is 40°C outside, because I sweat too much) because that's the only way it doesn't look all over the place. Plus it's better for your scalp health. Wet environment can further spread any bacteria and issues like dandruff.  I use my Laifen Swift Hair Dryer which has been a huge game changer. I had a very old hair dryer before and this was definitely a step up. It dries the hair quicker, but also really helps with frizz. The hair looks smoother and overall healthier. I like that it has different heat options, but you can also use one that rotates through cold and warm which is nice. I sometimes still use heat tools, mostly curling iron, which is super old and I should probably invest in new one, but I haven't found one I like so far.

There are several hair tools and props that you can use for heatless hair styles. I started to fall back in love with hair clips. Sometimes I would dry my hair and then twist it into a loose bun around the neck or on top of my head with the clip and go to sleep like that. The next day I had those very loose waves that obviously didn't last long on my hair type, but still. It added some texture and volume which was all I wanted.

I also strictly use only silk or satin scrunchies. Hair ties can really damage your hair because you pull them off your hair or they leave those marks in the hair for being too tight. Scrunchies are looser and less damaging on hair. 

I always use a separate head towel. I have one that I bought years ago that you can create that turban on your hair. It's super soft, absorbs well and feels softer on hair. 

I also use silk pillow cases to sleep on. Silk has been proven to be antimicrobial which is great for skin as well, but also a lot softer and smoother for your hair. On cotton pillow cases sometimes hair gets even more dangled and damaged. 

And the last thing that I also used very often before (now I don't have as much time) was LED red light therapy on my scalp. I have CurrentBody LED Light Therapy Mask that is for the face, but you can just as easily put it on top of your head. I love red light therapy for my skin and there has been several studies made on hair as well. It can really help with stimulating hair growth and keeping the skin on your scalp in top condition. 

The results

After being really committed to my hair routine this past year and a half, I have definitely noticed quicker regrowth of my hair, especially after giving birth. The hair fall was noticeable, but there was instant hair regrowth and I feel like my hair is back to its density that it was before being pregnant, if not a bit better. With all the scalp treatments I also noticed my scalp feels better. It doesn't feel itchy anymore and I don't have any problem with dandruff, but I rarely had that anyway. My roots still get oily, however with frequent washing I also noticed it looks less greasy than it did before. My ends look so much better. They still feel a bit dry and there are some split ends, but way less than there were when I regularly colored my hair and used heat tools. Hair is overall just healthier looking and that is also the reason it has grown to be so long. Now I definitely need a haircut, because this length doesn't really suit me, though I love the feel of longer hair.