I am not really one for new year resolutions, however I do always have some things in mind that I want to work on for myself. This year I want to focus more on getting my hair healthy. Unfortunately, my obsession with skincare and makeup means that sometimes my haircare routine falls flat, if you’ll pardon the pun. So I have decided that starting from now I am going to make an extra effort to look after my hair and make sure it’s the best version of itself that it can be.

For as long as I can remember I have had flat thin-ish hair. Even before I started dying it, my hair was never thick or voluminous - however it has always been some form of curly. Currently, it’s naturally made up of a few wide curls, that when brushed disappear into a weird flat fuzzy texture. Additionally I am also working on growing out my black hair dye so it’s currently a strange brown, black, red-ish hybrid colour.

Anyway, over the years I have found a few small things that help my hair in terms of texture, strength, volume and general overall health. The only problem is I’ve never been consistent with all of these mini hair care steps. But as I’ve said, 2019 is going to be the year I am a haircare goddess.

For healthy hair banish all heat from it! Using excessive amounts of heat on your hair can dry it out and damage it, making it snap off easily. Even with heat protectant and moisturising hair oils, your hair is still not fully protected from the potential damage. So scrap the hairdryer from your daily routine and let your hair dry naturally instead. If you don’t want to go out with wet hair, move your hair washing schedule to later in the day or the night before. Also, ban straighteners, curlers and other heated styling tongs from your life. These tools can also cause heat related damage. Instead, style your hair through non-heated methods like pin curling.

For optimal hair texture find a shampoo and conditioner combination that works for your unique hair. Everyone’s hair is different, so it may take a while to find the perfect products. Personally I love to rotate through a few different ones. By rotating products regularly, your hair doesn’t get used to anything. This way your favourite shampoos and conditioners will still make your hair look wonderful even after a few months of use. My favourite combination for my thin, flat hair is rotating the Tresemme volume series and the Maria Nila volume series.

For strong hair use a good hairbrush and invest in a nourishing hair treatment. I currently use a tangle teezer and a large paddle brush for daily brushing. The tangle teezer is essential for thin hair because it gets the knots out without pulling out too much hair. Also the paddle brush is ideal to brush my long hair into place if I am styling it. For treatments, it’s important to avoid ones that contain a lot of chemicals as this could do even more unwanted damage to you hair. I’d recommend something like the Philip Kingsley elasticiser. It’s suitable for an array of hair textures and is proven to add moisture, shine, bounce and strength. All you have to do it apply the elasticiser all over your hair, leave it on for at least 20 minuets and wash it out just before you shampoo and condition your hair.

For voluminous hair use dry shampoo. This one may sound a little silly, but the Batiste dry shampoo really gives my hair some lift, especially if it’s been a few days since I’ve washed it. All I do is flip my hair upside down and give it a generous spray of Batiste. Once I’m back upright, I just run my fingers through my scalp making sure to ruffle my hair right at the roots.