#7DayBlowDry

I couldn’t possibly go another week without posting this… I get so many people asking me what the #7DayBlowDry is all about? Why are you doing it? How do you find it? I’m here to spill the herbal tea for you all now…

Having good hair has always been in but having healthy hair was not on the top of the priority list as long as it looked good, its not actually the same thing! I started getting highlights at 14 – I was white blonde as a child that eventually went darker naturally *sigh – like a Jennifer Anniston brown / blonde. I always loved and still love being bright. I go to the salon every 8 weeks and now at 34 that means I’ve had my hair coloured professionally for the last 20 years!!

Around the time of my wedding I had a skin and hair plan – any past bride will agree both are mutually important and considered an extremely serious business! I booked all my hair appointments for the year. My brief to my hairdresser at the time was direct and clear… ‘do what you have to do in order for me to achieve clean, bright blonde for my wedding day’. Unbeknown to me at the time I was sacrificing having healthy hair for having bright blonde hair. BIG MISTAKE…

Is the snapping normal?

It was 9 weeks before my wedding and I was having pretty intensive hair appointments sometimes spending up to 5 / 6 hours in the salon it was like a part time job and a bloody important one! I was having hightlights on top of highlights… colour lifting on top of processed areas and my hair was starting to feel the strain! I remember getting my hair blowdried and actually looking in the mirror at my new ‘baby hairs’ sticking up and asking if it was normal… I knew they weren’t baby hairs… that was my hair snapping. Already committed to my hair plan with 9 weeks to go I confirmed my next appointment and lived with a treatment in my hair for weeks! I knew I couldn’t continue this plan after the wedding and just hoped that no more snap would happen!

To be clear this is not an issue with my then hairdresser. I loved my hair for my wedding day. I was so happy with it. I did need to style it a little different to hide the breakage but it did look great on the day. I asked for colour over healthy hair so I essentially got what I asked for!

Does a healthy Blonde exist?

YES IT DOES! The weeks after the wedding I was struggling to manage my new ‘chemical layers’… they were short and would stick up all over the place! And not only that but in-between all my colour appointments my hair was going a horrible brassy / green colour after about week 5 / 6. What the hell was going on!! I knew I needed a new hair plan and fast to get not only to get the colour I wanted and maintained but the healthy hair we all deserve!! I decided to return to a salon that I had been to previously – they are all about healthy beautiful hair and it was the perfect fit for a hair journey and I am still with them now! Together we identified a number of issues we needed to tackle to get achievable dream hair and so my hair journey began and #7DayBlowDry was born.

Ditch the hair extensions 🙁

In my wedding picture above I was wearing real human bonded hair. They were GORGEOUS!! I love extensions and I don’t regret them and I recommend them to people who ask if they should get them, especially for a big day like a wedding. My problem was, like my own hair, they were discolouring due to water and as a result they were a different shade to my hair! My hair was very weak and needed serious rehab and I needed to take it seriously and fast so I ditched the bonds for the time being and I now live in clip-ins that I love. I’ve got about 8 different sets you can see me wear on instagram! All different brands, all loved for different reasons!

Forget the highlight you need a babylight!

I was frightened at this concept at the start. Remember I am used to having back to back packets in my hair wanting to be bright blonde!! Surely this will show too much brown!! Babylights have saved my hair and I am still blonde and a bright blonde at that! They are very delicate, white-blonde highlights created using a very fine colour technique to mimic that blonde hue achieved if your hair is naturally lightened in the sun. Less over processing and still bright!! WIN WIN.

Does it do what it says on the bottle?

It does if you get the right bottle!! Before I get into the water side of washing your hair let me start by saying there is absolutely no point in spending good money getting your hair done in a professional salon and then using cheap crap products! You will only get a short time out of your hair if you use the wrong stuff. Continue the investment you make in the salon by making an investment in your home hair care. I have a drawer full of different shampoos, conditioners, treatments, leave in sprays, heat protectors etc. Each product professionally prescribed to my own hair for different things. It’s like medicine for my hair and I know when my hair needs each thing. I will write about the products separately again because it’s such an individual thing. I think its important to speak to a professional to get a hair care plan that works for you and your hair.

It’s your water!

I had now started my healthy hair journey with I salon I love and trust and I was thrilled with my colour leaving the salon and dare I say it but it has started to actually grow – even the chemical layers!! But why was the colour only lasting 5/6 weeks! Why can’t it grow out without going every shade of well not blonde! After 2 or 3 colour appointments my hairdresser had said couldn’t keep doing a cleanse ( for us non professionals basically a process to lift all the shite out of your hair ) as it was harsh and after all we are all about a healthy hair journey. It was really obvious to us all what the problem was… the water. You could actually see the green hue from my hair in pictures and when colour was applied you could see the lime in the packets!!

I’ve tried, at last count, close to 20 different water filters to protect my hair from the water in my house. I’ve no doubt they work for some people and I’ve seen people get amazing results but I’m yet to find one that works for me! I could see an improvement with the condition of my hair but I was ending up back in the salon appointment after appointment with the same problem and the last 2 / 3 weeks of my hair colour before my next appointment were horrendous!! I really didn’t feel good about myself at all green hair is a hard look to rock! I decided to take the problem into my own hands and and I started doing the #7DayBlowDry and in turn taking my terrible water totally out of the situation! I’ve seen a huge difference. I’ve got this down and I’m going to share how I do it;

1. Find a good value local salon and it obviously helps if they filter their water. I’ll be honest I find the older the building the better the water!! It helps if they are really good value! The salon I found is 20 a blowdry!!
2. Bring your own products. If you’re on a hair plan and you know what works for you don’t be embarrassed to ask them them to use your products. I take all my own products with me. It’s even got to a comfortable / curious stage where they ask – what are we using today??
3. Pick a style that lasts. I have straight hair so it would make no sense for me to get a curly blow dry if I want it to last. I get a straight blow dry. Very basic but it’s key in the maintenance.
4. Don’t touch your hair. This is actually easier said than done. I swear by these makeup clips #AF. I’m sure by this stage you’ve seen me wear them on instagram. They keep the hair back off your face and they don’t leave a dent in your hair.
5. Dry shampoo is key. I’m not quite sure how we managed before it’s existence. I try and avoid dry shampoo until at least day 3/4 and a tip I picked up from the instagang is spray it in the night before!
6. Throw a hairband on. I’ve so many hairbands I could open a shop. They are perfect for day 5,6 and 7. They push your hair band and focus remains on the ends with look less oily than the top. Lucky for us they are in fashion!
7. Experiment with styles. Around Day 5/6 I sometimes try a different style, it tends to hold better as a result of not washing and the dry shampoo in your hair. I didn’t quite master the Molly Mae bun but this week I curled my hair on day 6 and its lasted until my blowdry on Sat morning. Try it, but remember to use a heat protector!!
8. Lower the shower head. This seems so obvious but people do ask how I shower my body. It’s simple, lower the shower head and pop a cap to ensure the heat from the water doesn’t affect your blow dry. I am also a fan of baths!
9. REBOOK. Before you leave the salon make sure to book your next appointment. My day at the moment is Saturday. But obviously events and things pop up so this might change. But rebooking is a commitment to the challenge.
10. Sweet dreams. I sleep as normal but with the clips still in the front of my hair to try and keep the front in position. I am going to invest in a silk pillowcase I had one before and did notice a difference I will report back on this soon.

All in all, my hair is enjoying rehab and in my opinion it’s on the road to a much healthier place, especially since I’m less reliant on hot tools. Also good: I save money on shampoo and conditioner, and my colour is actually lasting!! Plus, it looks so much better—in fact, since I started the #7DayBlowDry, I haven’t gone more than a week without receiving a compliment about my hair, and I even get them on day seven!! Try it!!

Please let me know if you are taking part in your own #7DayBlowDry I would love to follow you and hear how you get on. Be sure to share your salons below in the comments and any tips that I may have missed. Here’s to healthy fab hair xox