hair scare!

i'm going to go out on a limb here and guess that you, like me, have had more than a few horrendous hair moments. it doesn't matter what kind of hair you were born with, it will rebel against you and go crazy at some of the most crucial times! i'm not going to promise you a sure-fire solution to these hair mutinies, but i will share with you some must-have products for any hairy situation that might pop up.

is your hair feeling greasy, limp, and just generally misbehaving? you probably have some product build-up. if you use serums, cremes, gels or any other styling products, they can build up on your hair shaft and kill volume and shine. my favorite (and super wallet-friendly) solution? Suave Daily Clarifying Shampoo, which removes build-up GENTLY without zapping your hair of moisture. it's even safe for color treated hair! i have used this on my hair when it's been long and highlighted blonde, mid-length and natural colored, and short and dyed dark reddish-brown, and it performs beautifully every time. it leaves your hair soft, bouncy, shiny and deeply cleansed without drying it out. i generally use this about once every 2 weeks and it does the trick! afterwards, i always follow up with a rich deep-conditioning treatment to restore moisture to my newly clean hair slate.

is your hair feeling dry, fuzzy, flyaway and rough? you're likely in need of a serious dose of moisture! many things can dry out your mane, some of them being heat-styling with blow dryers and flat irons, washing too frequently or using styling products that contain alcohol. to give your hair a hardcore drink of water, try using a deep conditioning treatment formulated for dry, damaged hair. i'm currently using Kerastase Masquintense twice a week and it's working really well, but if you're looking for something a little less expensive, Neutrogena Triple Moisture Deep Recovery Hair Mask works just as well at restoring some softness and shine to your hair. if you're really broke and need a quick fix, a hot oil treatment always works wonders. you can buy a two pack at the drugstore for around $3 and you're all set! i've had good luck with the Queen Helene brand myself.

are you experiencing embarrassing dandruff flakes?! eeeeeek! don't worry, it happens to almost all of us at some point. i recently had a case of dry flakies on my scalp after a dye job went awry and since i'd never dealt with that particular affliction before, i was at a loss! i used every deep-conditioning treatment i could find and even slept overnight with Ojon Restorative Treatment on, but no relief. as a last ditch effort at freeing myself from those snowflakes, i grabbed my boyfriend's Head & Shoulders Dry Scalp Care Shampoo and lathered up! i was terrified using a dandruff shampoo would suck every bit of color out of my hair but desperate times call for desperate measures, right? well, after two washings with the Head & Shoulders Shampoo (followed up by the Neutrogena Triple Moisture Mask), i was flake free! those flakes disappeared and haven't been back, since. and not only that, but using the H&S shampoo gave my hair surprising volume and bounce! i wouldn't hesitate to use this shampoo again if my hair was feeling less than stellar.

i know i haven't covered all the hair woes that exist, but i'll get to those in another post, and hopefully these ones can be of some help. just remember, if all else fails, you can always channel Britney and shave it all off or don a hot pink wig!