Healthy Hair Helper

 

Image source: Kiehls.com

For the majority of my life my hair was straight and shiny, but I couldn’t leave well enough alone. It started with punky purple streaks, made by bleaching chunks of hair so the purple glaze would show, and progressed to the oh-so-popular ombre. Now, a year and a half of processing later, I’ve got some major dryness and breakage.

Enter Kiehl’s Heat-Protective Silk-Straightening Cream; I was introduced to this product years ago when my hair was healthy, but only experienced its full potential recently. A quarter-sized amount is perfect for my medium-length, medium-body hair. I recommend adding it after you towel dry, but before your hair gets to that almost-dry point because at that stage it can make it difficult to wield your brush.

You’ll see the difference the minute that first section of hair drops from your big, round brush; you hair will be smooth and shiny. I dare to say that, if used correctly, this product will give you a salon-quality blowout. At $17 it’s pricier than drug store finds, but it’s not going to break the bank and you only need a dollop, so the 5oz. tube lasts for quite awhile.

Bonus: It can also double as a finishing cream, just be careful not to use too much (I’m talking less than a dime-sized drop on shoulder-length or longer) on dry hair because your look can go from smooth to oil slick in a second.

If you live near a Kiehl’s retail store it’s worth it to buy direct; their sales people are really knowledgeable and they’re all about the free samples. If you order through their website try to wait until you need some other Kiehl’s products because orders over $50 qualify for 3 complimentary samples as well as free shipping (to help assuage the guilt of ordering $50+ of product, here’s a link to the charity work Kiehl’s does). Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, Saks Fifth Avenue, Lord & Taylor, Neiman Marcus and select local retailers also carry Kiehl’s products, so check their website for a retailer near you.