It sounds cliche, but you totally get what you pay for. I’ve fallen off track the past few years on my hair care, trying everything under the sun and ignoring the fact that my poor hair needs extra love and care, because it’s kinda high maintenance. It breaks easily, I have fine/thin hair and I can’t wear it in a pony often (because, breakage).

Thinking back to the times when my hair was at its best, was when I was an avid user of Aveda products. I know what you’re thinking, “this is a sponsored post, don’t believe her!“But it’s not. Although I was provided these for review, I reached out to them specifically for this particular line.

Who remembers the days of my orange/yellow vibrant hair? I had it coloured that way for a climbing competition over a decade ago, and it’s actually what caught my now-husband’s eye at a party. Ha!! Back then my hair was at its longest, and healthiest.

During the past few years I didn’t think too much of what product I was putting into my hair, and I was reaching for mainly the cheapest alternatives, and it was.not.helping. My hair literally did not grow past my shoulders for 8+ years. The hair stylists told me to not wash it often (I now was 2-3x/week) and not to brush it constantly, or wear your hair in a pony, etc . etc. etc. I swear nothing worked you guys. I gotta say I think it all boils down to lower quality products I used in the past.

In January 2016 I bought my husband and I silk pillow cases, and started to get serious about my hair-care again. I wanted it stop freakin’ breaking at the base (where my head rests on a pillow — I sleep on my back), and so far so good pals. My hair is slowly growin’ back there. Fast forward 12 years, and I’m now introducing Aveda shampoo/conditioner back into my life. That’s not to say I haven’t fallen completely off the Aveda-wagon (I’ve been using a few of their styling products the entire time).

I now dye my hair at home — the healthy way, with professional dyes not box-dye. I received specific instructions by my hair stylist that I trusted and loved for all the years I was in Ontario for, and haven’t looked back since. It sounds like a complicated mixture, but if you’re interested in the particular colour my hair is right now, I’ll tell you. I prefer my hair to be cool-toned, with zero trace of red although because I am in a warmer climate my hair fades to red regardless. It’s quite the conundrum!

So, first off I’ll mention I dye my hair myself once every 6-8 months. I have the 20 volume base, mix in a 2:1 ratio of volume + hair colour. But for the hair colour I mix two shades together. Most of the Wella 4N/411 (n=neutral) and a capful of 6A Dark Ash Blonde (I love neutral-ashy-hair) and apply to the roots for 30-35 minutes, pull through the colour to the ends at the last 3-4 minutes. Sometimes I don’t apply colour to the ends at all , but when I do I apply the colour to the ends, and immediately jump in the shower to wash it all off.

My hair soaks up colour easily, so I don’t want my ends to get too dark. However this time because I liked the lighter bits on the end of my hair, I kinda did a full-balayage on myself without using a painting technique. Literally just grabbed sections of my hair (after I did my roots) and wiggled the colour throughout certain strands, making it look naturally highlighted. I hope that’s not confusing.

This is the end result!

Then follow through with Aveda’s Colour Conserve shampoo + conditioner combo for a while!

On days that I wash my hair I follow up with a dry shampoo, right after blow-drying. Mainly to give it a bit of grip and volume. I have a couple of favourites, but for the most part I reach for the Aveda dry shampoo (it’s white but I apply it to my hands first then rub them together and va-va-voom it, or sprinkle a bit on my roots directly – don’t SMOOSH the bottle or a bunch will come out and … it will look like you have a ton of weird grey powder in your brown hair). If I’m lazy I’ll reach for an aresol spray like the Klorane one. That is, if I didn’t apply it after blow-drying. I tend to apply dry-shampoo in my hair right before bed, so I don’t wake up with any grease at the root! A little trick I taught myself.

Maybe in a future post I’ll talk about how I cut my hair at home? For the past few years my husband has been doing it, but lately I’ve been grabbin’ a hold of the scissors myself and doing it.

*Disclaimer: I asked the PR folks if I could review the Klorane dry shampoo, and Aveda Colour Conserve products. Not makin’ any dollahs off this. Just tellin’ you some facts.