DOLly talks Hair health

Blondes have more fun don't they?
Well, this blonde had stopped having fun. Over the years, my midlife blonde hair had been through a lot: highlights, heat styling, sun exposure and hormonal changes. 
What used to feel strong and silky, was feeling dry, brittle and prone to breakage. 
My once-loved crown of glory was no longer.
I realised my mane was a powerful part of my self-expression and linked to my self-esteem. 
 I realised a healthy hair routine was a form of self-care I needed to adopt to impact my emotional wellbeing as well as to give my hair the tender love and care it so desperately needed (and deserved).

Here's a few things I did which have resulted in growth of my hair in my fifties:
BLEACH BE GONE: This was the first thing that had to go: honestly, that alone was the biggest step, but it was a hard one. My wonderful hairdresser (not the one involved in historic, full head bleaching) used a tint to lift the colour, without the need for bleach. 
MINIMAL HAIR WASHING: I used to wash my hair every other day. I switched to washing once or twice a week. I ensured I used a nourishing shampoo and conditioner especially for coloured hair.
HAIR MASKS: A weekly leave in hair mask was a great excuse to also exfoliate my skin and paint my nails.
HYDRATION: Drinking 2 litres of filtered water each day.
LIMITED HEATED STYLING: The straighteners are gone and blow drying on a cool setting only.
PROTECTION FROM SUN: Staying in the shade, silk head scarves or hats are how I protect from the sun in summer. 
SUPPLEMENTS: Whilst I have no evidence this has had an impact on the health of my locks, I know that taking daily marine collagen, magnesium, zinc, iron and vitamins C, D and E has helped as part of my self-care habit stacking.

So here I sit, typing this with the healthiest locks I have had in a long time and it feels great. I am grateful that my hair grew back and I have been given a second chance: I will continue to look after my mane moving forward and maybe I will be the old lady with long hair I swore blindly I would never be! Watch this space!