How to do a Deep Conditioning Treatment at Home

What You'll Need:
A plastic disposable shower cap (buy them at Walmart or Sally's Beauty)
A spray bottle full of water
Two sectioning clips (or you can use normal clips/pins to section your hair)
Deep Conditioning Treatment
A Timer
A Blow Dryer

Step by Step Instructions:

Section your hair into three equal parts around the head. The first part would be around the crown of the head, the second would be the middle part and the last would be around the nape of your neck or the lower hairline. Like a cording to the black lines in the diagram on the right.

1. Allow the hair in the lowest section to hang down. Spray that section lightly with water until your hair is damp, but not dripping. 
2. Put the deep conditioning treatment on your hand. Using your hands work the conditioning treatment into the hair focusing it on the ends. Make sure it does reach the scalp too.  
3. Repeat steps 2-3 for the middle and top sections of your hair. Allow the middle section to be the "dampest" section. For the best results follow the red lines in the diagram above, and part into the hair when applying the conditioning treatment. 
4. Use your fingers to massage your entire scalp. Use them to stimulate blood flow in the scalp as well as to move, disperse and massage the conditioners into your scalp and around the head. Do this for about 3 minutes.
5. Spray you hair with water until there is a small amount of drip. 
6. Put on the cap. 
7.  Use your blow dryer to add heat to the scalp through the cap. I suggest turning it on high and then moving it slowly around the head in a swirl starting at the hairline and working towards the apex of the head. Do this for about 10 minutes.
8. Put the blow dryer down and wait for 15 minutes (you can watch TV or get on the internet during this time of course. just keep yourself busy for at least 15 minutes, but it can be as long as you want!) 
9. Hop in the shower and rinse the conditioner out of your hair. DO NOT Shampoo the hair after this treatment. 

Recommended Deep Conditioners:

These conditioners are just some of my favorites. You can use any PROFESSIONAL conditioner. (If you use a drugstore conditioner you are wasting all of this time infusing your hair with chemicals and filler products.)

Paul Mitchell
Tea Tree Oil Special Conditioner

Joico
K-PAK Revitaluxe Restorative treatment

TIGI S Factor
"Serious" Conditioner

        

Color Treated Hair

The question I received was "What products should I use after coloring my hair?" and that is a tricky question. Everyone's hair is different. But there are a few tried and true products I recommend.

1- Color Stay Shampoo

I recommend Redken Color Magnetics Sulfate Free Color Extend Shampoo. It's amazing. I have never seen a shampoo protect the hair as well as this one does. 

2- Purple Shampoo (for blondes)

If you've lightened your hair I have only found one purple shampoo that I am in love with and that is UNITE Blonda Shampoo and Conditioner. It smells like grape soda and works wonders! It is powerful and I am obsessed with it. 

3- Amazing Conditioner

If you choose to use a sulfate free shampoo (like the magnetics by Redken mentioned above) you really don't need conditioner. But otherwise you will need a powerful conditioner, so I recommend TIGI S Factor "Serious" Conditioner. Just trust me on this one. 

After Color Hair Care Tips:

• Do not use hot tools on your hair for three days after getting your hair colored. 
• Do not wash your hair for 2 days after getting your hair colored. 
• Use a shampoo designed for color treated hair
• Do a deep condition treatment 1 week after your hair color serivce. 
• When you wash your hair in the shower, use cold water.
• If you can not stand to use cold water, after shampooing and conditioning, make the water cold and rinse your hair with it for a cold "shot". 
• Do not color your hair more than once every other month 
• Do not color your hair at home, please go to a professional: Here's Why!

****Thanks to Janice for asking this question!****

Are Coconut, Olive and other Oils Good For Your Hair?

Currently it is very trendy to put olive, coconut, and other oils in your hair as a treatment. But is this actually good for your hair? The answer is sort of. Your scalp naturally secrets oils that condition and maintain your hair. Coconut, olive and argon oils all contain some of those things. The problem I have with this trend is while it does help a little bit, it really doesn't help as much as getting a high end or salon brand conditioner and putting that on your ends and scalp and letting it sit on your hair for 30 minutes. That conditioner has way more of the natural oils and healing agents that your hair needs, plus it is easier to wash out and probably smells better.

My recommended conditioners are easy to find on my Product Reviews blog, but here are a few links to my favorites!

My personal favorite: S Factor "Serious" Conditioner

and of course TIGI Urban Antidotes

How to Naturally Lighten Hair

The only answer I have to this question is: Don't. Just don't. I know most people think that putting lemon juice or vinegar on their hair and then going out into the hot sun is healthier than using chemical bleach to lighten their hair, but it isn't. Let me just explain the two process ot you.

Chemical lightener (aka bleach) is deigned to lift to cuticle layer of the hair, penetrate the hair shaft and dissolve the melanin (or the pigment) in your hair, leaving it colorless. A hair dresser will then wash this bleach out and use powerful conditioners to soften and relax the cuticle layer so it can go back down and smooth out again. Think about what happens when you take fish or vegetables and you put vinegar, oil, or lemon juice on them and then apply heat. They fry. If you go out in the sun with those things on your hair you will literally be cooking your hair! Ontop of that it is impossible to control the acidity in one part of your hair from another so the effect it has on your color will most likely be very inconsistent and sporadic.

Will it lighten a little? maybe. For some people this actually works, but it is so unhealthy for your hair and you will regret it after. Take it from a professional, do not try to lighten your hair in this method.

So let remember, when you want to lighten your hair

DO THIS:                                        NOT THIS: