#alterna

Hello beautieeeees! I just came back from my long birthday wknd in Barcelona and now I just feel so old. Can you believe in one year from now I’d be closer to my 30s than my 20s… SO OLD. That’s a lot of overthinking so for today let’s just concentrate on the most important thing to me lately: my hair growth!

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Okay so you do all remember that time you went to the hairdresser because you wanted a new face, and once back home you wasn’t so sure you wanted that new face anymore? So you started regretting your old yourself? Oh, or that time you asked the hairdresser to chop the ends, and he chops 10cm? Yes, this time is the story of my life. So back in early June I was devastated because I had this picture in my end of me walking on the beach in July with my Australian beauty style long mermaid hair and how cool was that? And 10mns later, I was out of the hairdresser, and even if I was saying “cool I like it” 2 days later I was crying my heart out (like a baby girl) because I wanted those long Rapunzel hair so much! So yes, 2 days later here I find myself google-ing the best tips to help my hair grow faster than ever! And of course there is no miracles, and of course all those commercial products who promise you to gain 5cm in 2 weeks are just lying, and should not be that good for your scalps. But, the right products can definitely help you, and of course good food (salmon, almond, olive oil,…). But because I was afraid of gaining weight before summer if I was taking any special caps for hair growth, I decided to try on several products to apply directly on my hair.

1. OUAI

Back in April, I was sooooo lucky to finally find the so in brand of the Kardashian hair stylist - Jen Atkin - OUAI. I only had to look after it in 3 different Sephora across New York City to finally find a couple ones that weren’t already out of stock on Madisson Ave. So this is how I tried the Shampoo and Conditioner Volume and Smooth lines, and also the Treatment. You absolutely have no idea how heavy my suitcase was back home but it was definitely worth it. The texture is very lightweight and the smell is very neutral - which is exactly what I was looking for in order to mix my favorite Essential Oil in it. But let’s talk about it, those EO.

2. EO BAY ST THOMAS

So when one day, all of a sudden, your hair is 10cm shorter and you weren’t prepared for that, all you are looking for is a miracle! Most of us will choose the easy way: extensions, hair caps, specific hair products - which are not always the bests as they are very well diluted. So let’s see closer the best essence in those, the best essential oils. After many advise from my friends, I decided to try on 3 oils: Maca Maca (that I was adding into my Belle Azul oil before going to bed, 3 drops not more) and Ylang Ylang, which was smelling soooooo bad I wasn’t able to use it any longer than 2 days. So this is why I only concentrated myself on the 3rd one: Bay St Thomas, that I was mixing into my shampoo and conditioner. Many people will tell you the smell is awful, because I think it really is, but I got used to it and also maybe because my shampoo was very neutral the smell was disappearing. I really liked this one and I could see it helped my hair grow faster, so I am now buying another one because yes my small bottle is already empty!

3. HELLO HAIR

Hello Hair is an Australian brand that I discovered thanks to Instagram 2 years ago, and since that, I can’t spend a week without it. First, you have to be patient while ordering it and never buy more than 3 (even if it is trackable when you take more) because then it will be stopped at the borders and you will have to fill out forms to get it at home - which is I think the latest thing we want to do (PAPERINGGGG). Then, you can fall in love with their masks. They now have 3 editions: the classic, the island escape edition, and the botanic edition (which is ma favvvv). Coconut, argan, almond, olive and castor oils all together in one mask to give your hair everything it needs! Also, for the special editions, you will discover grapefruit, apricot or even lavanda. I like to apply it on my dry hair on Sunday morning, as soon as I get out of bed, then put everything into a bun and spend 1 or 2 hours watching KUWTK (because yes, that’s what we all do right?). Then when I feel it becoming more and more liquid I wash it.

4. MOROCCANOIL 

I already wrote about the newest favorite brand of everyone in previous posts so you already know how much I love their products. But, back in April, before going to NY, I wrote you about my Turbulence Press Days (here) and told you there were more coming. Finally here we are! So during that day, I had the opportunity to discover before everyone the newest Moroccanoil product: dry shampoo. For the first time, you choose the dry shampoo regarding your hair color! Because yes, we all have different hair color, and because dry shampoo reacts with your hair color also, you have to choose the right one. As I am blond, I chose the light one, which is purple when spraying it on paper! Since then, this dry shampoo became my number one hair saver after a long windy day, day at the beach, sport day, humid day,… pretty much any day that puts your hair in bad condition, that kind of day you don’t have time to wash again and you need to be perfect for a night out.

5. NATESSANCE

Hair mask containing argan oil which is aaaaaall you need sometimes after conditioning! I buy mine at Ecoterreand use it as often as I can after my conditioner in order to hydrate my hair and smooth it a little more.

6. ALTERNA

Alterna is the American brand with as ambassador Katie Holmes, the brand whose Bamboo line is to fall for, the brand we all want to try. So this is how I fell for the Caviar line (because sometimes you can’t afford to eat it, why not use it on your hair, how cool and luxe is that?) and especially thelengthening elixir. I absolutely loved it, and as I was applying it on my scalps every morning it only took me 5 weeks to empty the bottle… The texture is perfect and the smell… Can we talk about the smell because this is the most awkward thing ever for me?! So you may or may not know it but I am a candy addict and if there is one candy I can’t eat it is licorice. And this elixir was smelling licorice but I looooooooooved it! HOW CRAZY IS THAT?! Story of my life.

In the end, my hair grew faster than ever in less than 2 months and I really noticed a difference. But, I will never be able to tell you if my hair grew fast by itself or if all those treatments really helped. I like to think than yes, than of couuuuurse I didn’t buy all those for nothing, but also you have to remember to eat healthy - because beauty starts from the inside. Also, go to the hairdresser often, and a good one who listens to you and cuts exactly what you want. Mine (because yes I changed since my 10cm chopping disaster) has everything for her and she understood that chopping 10cm each 5 months isn’t the right solution. The best option is to cut 1mm each month in order to say goodbye to split ends and hello to long healthy hair. It takes time of course, to get those Rapunzel hair, but it is worth it. And if all those treatments have one thing in common it is to take care of your hair. You have to nourish and protect it in order to help it grow faster and in a healthy way.