So, funny story – I never meant to start a blog and have a readership or share a lot of photos of myself, lol… I actually started this blog as a way to kind of document living in Virginia while John was in medical school & also as a way for my family to see what we were up to as I was 14 hours from home. I’m a small town Arkansas girl so I never would have thought anyone would care what mascara I wore or curling iron I used! I say all of that to say that the whole reason my blog got started as more of a style/beauty blog was because people would find it and the first questions asked were “how do you curl your hair?” and “what mascara do you wear?” & BAM! I look up and for the past 3 years I have been writing 5 days a week about daily looks & favorite makeup/hair products & now baby/travel/home decor! So crazy how things evolve!
Anyway, I have done tons of hair posts & even tutorials over the past 3-4 years. I think there are over 100 posts about HAIR alone like how to get volume, how to keep curls in tact, what shampoo I love, what volume powder I love, curling irons, messy ponytail tutorial, faux braid tutorial, etc. BUT I have never done a ‘BEHIND THE SCENES’ of getting my hair done & I get a TON of questions about my hair color, cut, etc. SOOO, today I thought I’d do a full post all about my hair appointments & what I ask for.. [PS. THere’s a BEAUTY tab up top and if you hover, the HAIR tab will drop down and see all posts that incorporate hair talk.]
WHAT TYPE OF HAIR CUT DO I ASK FOR?
I have had the same hair cut since I was 11! No joke, I’ve always had long, thick hair & I have always preferred my hair curled so I have a specific type of cut and if I ever try someone new (like when we moved a lot during John’s 4th year rotations) I would literally go back home to my hair girl from childhood and have her fix it! So I ask for ‘long layers’ — I do this because it takes off some of the weight but also gives the hair more volume AND the best part is that it makes my hair hold curl better & makes the curls bouncier. The alternative would mean all of my curls would kind of lie on top of each other – right?! So I like my top layer to be quite a bit shorter than the longest layer. I also like for the layers to be more on the ‘choppy’ side or to have some texture… I think a lot of hair stylist have a tool that does this(?!) – it also thins out the ends so you hair isn’t as heavy & takes out some of the bulkiness. The idea behind this is to have super fine layers within the long layers. This is key for not only having bouncier curls, but also making the curls last longer. I notice that when my hair hasn’t been cut in ages and the layers are not as fresh – my curls don’t look as good & are weighted down so they don’t stay in tact.
I actually went to Fayetteville, AR last week and had Kelly Stuckey, the owner of Crown Beauty Bar, give my hair a complete makeover. Since having Luke [who is 6mos now], I have not had the time to get my hair cut, balayaged touched up, etc. so I let Kelly takeover completely and she did SUCH a good job. She freshened up my layers, trimmed off all the dead ends, & brought my hair back to life! She knew exactly what I meant when I told her I wanted long layers!
WHAT COLOR IS MY HAIR?
I get asked about my hair color ALL the time. For years I would say ‘brown’ not really knowing what it meant because I always had ‘virgin’ hair & didn’t realize there are levels (or whatever, lol!). I didn’t put any thing on my hair until I was 25 years old and I went ombre! Yet, even then they only put color on the ends & left . The past 2 years I’ve kept my hair balayaged though. It’s how I prefer my hair – mainly because it gives it some dimension & really showcases the curls. It is also very easy & low maintenance. It has a more natural look – like some pieces are just sun kissed as opposed to the highlighted or ombre look. Typically, my balayage is more warm & has more ‘orange’ to it but I had Kelly go a little cooler w/it this time. My hair gets brassy quickly so the orange color tends to go brassier more quickly & only looks more orangey (lol) but cooler tone has a bit more brightness. In all honestly, there is not a huge difference in photos but I can see it in real life more. Each time I ask a hair stylist what my natural hair color is they either say level 4 or level 5. My balayage is usually more of a level 6 or 7.
‘They’ say that you can tell if balayage is well done if you can wear it straight and it looks good – and I actually really love my hair straight & balayaged. Now, the effect it has when curled makes it more evident & makes the color really pop. I’ll attach a photo w/it curled..
Some salons just do more of a hair painting technique to get the balayage look, but Kelly at Crown Beauty Bar did a little different technique [not sure of the name] but it made it more uniform – yet it has more of a natural look as opposed to just choosing certain pieces. I really don’t mind either technique – after having both done I have never been disappointed with either!
Also, I have been getting grays for a few years now. I have my dad’s hair which has its pros & cons [I tweeted this pic last week of him holding me as a newborn & you can see how thick & dark our hair is naturally.] The con to having gotten his hair gene is that my grays are more prevalent than some of my other brunette friends! I have always been opposite to putting a permanent color on my grays so I have always just gotten a glaze on the top to hide them. The glaze is great for shine and hiding gray but only works for a short time [4 weeks max for me] so Kelly and her team put a permanent color to hide grays. I was hesitant about this just because I don’t know a lot about color! I was worried it not look like my natural color or be too dark or too light or grow out weird but she was right – it worked perfect. I don’t like my hair to be too dark – it just doesn’t match my skin tone so I like to keep it more natural.
I’ll attach a photo of my hair from my iPhone right after we finished my hair at Crown.. I feel like this photo will show the truest color & all – it’s indoors w/not a ton of light & there’s not edit or filter.
HOW OFTEN DO I TRIM MY HAIR?
Prior to having Luke, I got my hair trimmed every 3 months or so which worked w/toning my balayage as well. I think my hair probably needs trimmed more frequently than that, but with traveling a lot it was always tough to get home and get something scheduled. As I said earlier, my curls lose their bounciness & hold once the layers grow too much or too thick so I kind of do it based on how my hair is curling!
DID I LOSE HAIR AFTER HAVING LUKE?
Ugh, yes. I was determined to not lose any! Everyone says that when you are pregnant with a boy, you glow and have better skin & hair and that was so not the truth for me. During pregnancy, my skin and hair were both dry. My hair did not grow much & just didn’t look super healthy. A girlfriend was selling a popular MLM hair product & told me that it would change my hair dramatically. So I started using it while pregnant and tried it for 2-3 months and never saw any change unfortunately. I thought maybe it would prevent my hair from falling out after having Luke but it didn’t. It was 5 days before Luke turned 3 months that I noticed my hair falling out in clumps. I can’t even exaggerate how bad it was – it went on for ab 5 weeks. Cue the song popular song by Dashboard Confessional, Screaming Infidelities… “your hair is everywhere!”.. haha. That was like the theme song in my house bc my hair was EVERYwhere. I would wake up in the morning & it would be in my bed. I actually went to Ulta and randomly decided to try THIS product and believe it or not I noticed a lot of growth in just a couple of weeks. I hate to steer anyone in the wrong direction – so I am not going to say “this product made my hair grow back in two weeks!!!” but I did see a change after using this product. It could have been a number of things that played a part though. I want to add a quick disclaimer – hair products and skin care products are totally hit or miss for everything. Not everything is going to work for everyone! Like, I have 3 foundations that work for me – and there are hundreds that don’t – yet they work on some of my girlfriends beautifully.. So I would recommend keeping that in mind when you are trying products. Definitely sample products first – especially if they are expensive. I typically believe ‘you get what you pay for’ but in this case the $40 set worked better for me in 2-3 weeks than the $100 product I tried for several weeks. I actually stay away from knocking any products on here because I know everything is hit or miss for everyone!
Now, I will say that Kelly from Crown Beauty Bar has amazing, beautiful blonde hair. She also has an 18month old and I asked her how she avoided losing her hair and she said that she used some products before having her baby and that helped her from losing the hair to begin with AND she uses products that help the hair grow. She actually recommended a few products to me that I am currently using & so far I do like them. I have only been using them for 2 weeks so I don’t want to rave just yet [give me a few more weeks!] but the one product I am obsessed w/is an energizing serum that is FOR hormone related hair loss – and it feels SO good on your scalp!!! I literally dread washing my hair typically but not anymore bc I look forward to this step- it feels SO good! I’m actually not sure where you can buy this product online – I’ve never seen the brand before but I will add Kelly’s salon info at the end and you can call them! PS. This is not a sponsored post for the brand or for Crown Beauty Bar – I actually contacted them to check availability on certain days since I live a couple of hours away. I have always followed them on IG and my BFF from undergrad, Audrey, goes there & she used them to go from brunette to blonde and her hair was super healthy looking despite the transition so that’s why I chose to go there! I genuinely enjoyed my experience & the girls there were just all around wonderful. They helped w/ Luke, answered all of my questions, made recommendations, were super patient w/me as I showed photos of what I liked and didn’t like, & I just felt like they really cared and didn’t get annoyed w/me! I don’t know a lot ab hair so I don’t know the terminology – I just know what I think looks good so I always have visuals on hand, lol.
HOW DO I KEEP MY HAIR HEALTHY & SHINY?
I get questions about my hairs health SO frequently and I always think “wow, that is so nice!” bc I’m my own worst critique you know?! I look at my hair and think “oh my gosh, I need to skin the curling iron for the next month!”. I will say this, I don’t use a blow drier much on my hair – mainly because I shower & take baths at night after Luke is in bed and am too exhausted to commit the time to blow drying. I don’t like this habit bc I typically wake up looking like a crazy person w/weird creases!!! However, in the photos above in the orange cardigan – I did this and I just use an oil and run a straightener over it to make it look sleek & smooth. [I have a full post on SLEEK, STRAIGHT HAIR HERE.] I’m a huge, huge ALTERNA fan – I really adore their products & I have tried many of them and like them all! More recently, w/ travels & all, I’ve been swearing by THIS product – it’s a dry oil mist that just keeps my hair super shiny & eliminates the frizz!
HOW OFTEN DO I WASH MY HAIR?
So, if you are a newer reader, you may not know that 2 years ago I did a round of Isotretinoin (accutane) bc I had cystic acne for YEARS. Not only did the medication treat my acne, but it also got rid of my excessive oil production. Throughout college, I washed my hair almost every night! Once I entered the real world and was working long hours I realized I needed to ‘train my scalp’ so I committed like a month to training my scalp to produce less oil – going from nightly washes to every 2 nights was so worth the hassle of training my scalp, lol. I can do another post on it w/tips for resetting your oil glands if you all want – like how to survive not washing! Anyway, not that I’ve done Accutane, I don’t really have much oil at all [insert praise hand emoji!]. I work out and still don’t have to wash my hair! I wash my hair once, maybe twice per week. I mentioned previously that I hate washing it bc it’s a production. I use shampoo, condition, use a mask, then I have to brush it and I have products I use while it’s wet so it’s like a good hour long ordeal. If I have to blow dry it – well … goodness gracious I’m done for – I am not joking it’s a production. I typically never blow dry it If I sleep w/it wet I wear it in a top knot on top of my head w/ONE of these to reduce the weird creases a regular ponytail holder would leave! If I don’t sleep w/it up, it looks very crazy in the morning but if I sleep it with up it is not quite as mad and I don’t have like – cowlicks – from where I slept. In the mornings if it is still damp I blow dry it before I straighten it (or curl it). OH, an important thing that people don’t really think about is their pillowcase! I use THIS pillow case not only to help w/hair but also for skin.
FAVORITE HAIR PRODUCTS
I get asked a LOT about hair products I love so I thought I’d just round up everything. Before losing my hair, I had 3-4 shampoo/conditioner combos I constantly rotated between – like I’d use one set, and when it was done switch to the other. I’ll put them all in the widget under this section so you can easily shop them!
This is the masque I always used prior to products I am using now! I always use a masque in shower/bath bc my hair needs all the extra love & hydration it can get! I really focus it on my ends & I always leave it in the recommended time.
This is the HEAT SPRAY I always use before curling my hair – I’ve noticed it helps my curls stay in longer also.
My favorite volume powder.
My favorite brush for daily use. (It’s a splurge item but I love mine.)
Ask other questions in the comments and I can add them to this post! 🙂
CROWN BEAUTY BAR INFO: 479-935-4070
OUTFIT DETAILS
Cardigan | Similar Cami | Jeans | Houseshoes | Watch
Love your blog! Thanks for sharing 🙂 Where is the orange cardi from?
I made sure to include my outfit details in the post as well – they are at the end!
Loved this post Emily! You had some great tips! Can you do the post ab resetting oIl glands? I have oily hair and hate it but im still Trying to learn out to reset..
Yes – totally going to do it now!
Your hair is so beautiful, I admire it so much although I’m blonde. I really need to look for your curl tutorial!
♡Kristina
TheKontemporary
First, your hair is beautiful. Thanks for the tips. Can you Provide info on botn the burgandy and lEopard prtint sweaters in this post? Thanks.
Of course! They are both from older posts – one is under the PARIS category of my travel tab and one is under the TRAVEL FASHION category of the travel tab!
Your hair always looks amazing! I wish my hair was that thick!
xx,
Lacey
The Glitter Gospel
You’re hair is GorgEous! Thank you for doIng this post, i’m excited to try adding layers to my hair now and see how my curls lay! I do have a question though! I have a little baby boy as well and lost a lot of hair After he was born! I know you said you’d like to wait before Reviewing or suggesting the products you are currently using, but wouLd you mind sharing them with me? I am Really curIous as to what Kelly is also using! Thanks a ton!!
I made sure to add the salons number so you can reach out to Kelly and get her recommendations! 🙂
I WOULD LOVE A “HOW TO TRAIN YOUR HAIR” POST! i ALSO HAVE THICK HAIR AND IN THE MORNING ON THE SECOND DAY AFTER A SHOWER MY HAIR LOOKS FINE BUT BY NOON it looks like i haven’t washed it in a week :/
I will do so do it!! I get it!
Hi Emily, do you use any kind of Purple shampoo to Keep the bRassiness at bay?
I actually have not found one that is a favorite that I have repurchased or would recommend! Do you have a recommendation?
Yes! I would love another post on training resetting your oil glands. that and my hair going flat after not washing my hair for a day or two are my biggest problems and would love tips and tricks for them!!
I get it! I am jotting it down in my calendar now!
Your post is so helpful- i always dread getting my hair done. However, us blondes need help too! Could you please ask kelly what exactly she does to her hair color/cut wise! Not a whole post or anything, just a little side note 🙂
Hey girl! I actually linked Kelly’s site and the number to the salon on there so that anyone can reach out to her if needed! She is very knowledgable and SO kind!
I wish I had half the hair you do! Gorgeous color! I also love the leopard cardigan you have on! Can you post a link to it? I didn’t see one in the post.
Thank you!
Rene
It is linked at the end of the post! 🙂
Pls do a post about training your Scalp to produce less oil!! I’m trying to train mine atm and Am dying!!! ??
Yes! I will totally do it!
This is so amazing!! Can you post what Your go-to product is to put in your hair post-shower while it’s Still wet? Thank you!
I really love the It’s a 10 from Target!
Great post and info, thanks! Where do you TYPICALLY get your hair Cut in tulsa? Thanks.
I have lived here for ab 3 years and I’ve tried 4 places – they were all really great! I don’t really have a ‘typical’ spot however – just tried a few places a few times to test them out.
Hi Emily!
I’M sUper interested On how yoU train
Your scalp!!!
Got it! I am totally going to do it!
CurioUs what the energizing scalp treatment is that you use. Ive been on the lookout for a product like it but have yet to find one that i like. Do you Feel like it has helped with growth? My daughter is a towhead and we need Something to stimukate her scalp also.
Thank you!
It’s from the salon – that is where I got it! It’s got tiny font and says something about being made in Italy! I made sure to include info on how to get ahold of Crown to possibly order it! I have never seen this product before – hope this helps! I can take a photo of the product though and add it to my Snapchat if you don’t have any luck!
Can you please send me the INFORMATION for the pillowcase? The link to it is not woRking and I now how IMPORTANT the pillowcase is for the hair. Thank you!
So sorry! Will fix it asap! It is linked in the widget tho!
The pillowcase link DOESN’T work could you tell us the prodct name, please.
Ah I will fix it ASAP! SO sorry!
Girl, YES! Your hair is goals.
xx Taylor | http://www.mycupofchic.com | @taylorwinkelmeyer
Most of the blogs that I read are in Swedish but I read every single word in this post. I was so happy when I found that I can buy the Oribe here in Sweden 😀 Thank you so much for sharing 🙂
I have a baby boy who arrived in April. My hair is normally fine but I can style and manage it quite well, although it will never look or be as thick as your hair. It is so important to wash only a few times per week – I do three times. when my son was around three months old the same hormonal hair loss occurred and I thought I was going to go bald. My hairdresser (i am in atlanta) told me about Zenagen. It has worked quite well in restoring hair loss to the point where I have new fresh hair growing back! the hair is short and whispy but it is coming back where my hair loss occurred. My son is still nursing so I know that drains on the vitamins moms have which is why pre-natals are vital. thank you for posting!
Wow!! I have never heard of it but I need to look into it – so crazy how you lose it around 3mos right?!
I would love if eventually you did a full post (or video) on how You get your hair from wet to styled! I know you’ve posted videos with your hair already dry but theres just so many different ways to dry it and even once its curled whether you spray in layers or once its all done that can completely change the end result! I have such a bad cowlick and a very prominent part but can never get my hair to look quite like yours does! Thank you for sharing all of this! I am currently on isotreTinoin treatment and have loved stretcching my hair washing further!!
I love the alterna oil mist! It smells so so so good! Have you ever tried the Oribe Gold Lust products? my hair lady uses it on me and I caved. Literally smells almost better than the alterna products (and I know that’s a stretch)!!!!!
Yes! I have the entire gold lust set right now but I am not obsessed w/ it – though I do love the smell also! 🙂
Yes!! Thank you so much for doing a post like this–I’ve been wanting to know what you ask for at salons for a really long time! It’s even better since I live in Fayetteville 🙂 I’ve gone to Crown a couple times a few years ago but I might just have to go back now. I also would love a post about how to train your hair to be less oily.
xoxo
Ah you are so lucky to live so close by! I wish I did!
Does the nioxin kit replace current shampoo/conditiiner regimen? Im assUming so, but wanted to confirm! Also, for the scalp therapy the one you dont rinse out, do you put in wet hair Or dry? Thanks! Allison
Yes! It sure does! And I add the scalp treatment in and I don’t rinse it out – you do it after you’ve shampooed and conditioned – while ti is wet!
Let me just start off by saying your hair looks amazing!! I love how good it turned out! I have a couple of questions 1. Do you still use clip in extensions? and do they use the ” shredding” technique with your layers? you mentioned in your post that the stylist have a tool for it and that is what my hair lady calls it? lol i used to get my bangs cut in that same style. You mentioned that you usually cut your hair when the curls are not so bouncy anymore, and i think that is usually caused by split ends and from straightening and curling your hair. What does your natural hair look like if you let it air dry out of the shower? like ie; when i don’t blow dry mine it’s curly…. is your hair straight other wise ? Thanks so much for your time. i can’t wait to hear back from you and thanks for sharing with us. your hair is the bomb.com!!! <3 <3
Thank yoU! No, no clip ins for me – I used to do the Bellamis a while back so that my hair was dramatically long and great for braids and ponytails but I don’t have the time or patience anymore! And yes – they use the technique on each layer! My hair dries fairly straight if I don’t mess w/it or sleep on it – it’s always been totally w/o curl!
I would love to see a post about training your scalp to produce less oil/how to only wash your hair 1-2 times per week! Also, I use the invisibobble at night too but always wake up with bad creases. How do you “style” your updo at night to avoid creases in the morning? Thanks!!! 🙂
I will totally do it! And I just twist my hair neatly after brushing – into a bun and wrap the invisibobble! Just twice – not tight at all!
What is the product from crown bar?
It’s from the salon – that is where I got it! It’s got tiny font and says something about being made in Italy! I made sure to include info on how to get ahold of Crown to possibly order it! I have never seen this product before – hope this helps! I can take a photo of the product though and add it to my Snapchat if you don’t have any luck!
OMG that brush is a small fortune! It’s like the brush from blades of glory lol!
Love this post girl! Your hair is so gorgeous!!
XO Andrea
http://blusheddarling.com/
It’s very informative Blog, it’s more helpful to us thanks for sharing keep it up!!! Firefox Tech Support
Hi Emily!
Great post as always.
I was wondering if you still taking vitamins like you used to before having Luke? If yes, what kind of vitamins do you take?
Thank you,
Ligia
I just take the pre-natals I always took! I get them at Target – just a generic brand.
What is the “energizing serum that is FOR hormone related hair loss”. I just had a baby 4 months ago and i am also having hair loss but unlike you i normally have fine hair 🙁
It’s from a company out of italy – Crown Beauty Bar carries it!
thanks for sharing! you have beautiful hair!
xoxo
sharan
http://www.mygoldenbeauty.com
love your hair so much, they are amazing!!
Miki x
https://littletasteofbeauty.blogspot.it/
Please do a post about training hair to be less oily! That would save my life!!!!
Your hair always looks beautiful. What kind of hair dryer do you use? I have thick hair too and every single hair dryer I use ends up dying on me after a year. 🙁
dOES ANYONE KNOW THE NAME OF THE “ENEGIZING SCALP SERUM” REFERRED TO IN THE POST?
Hi emily! Im a little late reading this, but i had to track it down because i remember you posting a photo on ig from when you purchased your mason pearson prush and ive been wanting one ever since! Im torn between the popular and junior. I do not live anywhere near a store that carries mason pearson so im hoping you can help me out here. I cut my hair not to long ago, but i plan on letting it grow back out. I dont have thick hair, so im wondering if i should just go for the junior. Id love to get the popular but if it saves me a little and its only a minimal size difference then id rather get the junior. Were you able to see the brushes in store or did you order online? Thanks <3
-Adrianne
Im sorry for not CAPITALIZING the e in your name. On my end its typing everything in caps lock. I just noticed when looking back at my comment!
yes please do a post about resetting your hair’s oil glands!
Emily,
your hair is gorgeous! These are helpful tips. I also had to take accutane and i was on it for 9 months but UNFORTUNATELY my hair is still oily. i would love to see a post about training my SCALP. I know you have to not wash it but how do you go out in public with greasy hair?
Thank you for all your help!
-Kaylin
what do you use for tangles in your hair
Can you please do a Post on training your hair. I hate that i have to wash my hair every day, but it is so greasy if i dont!
Emily, What hair dryer do you use? I looked around on your website but having trouble finding any recent mention. My sister wants one for Christmas and i knew you must have one of the best! Thanks for any info you can share on this.
Now that it’s Been a few weeks sinfe you published tHis article will you update us on the products You WeRe (or still are) using for hormone related hair loss? I have thYroid issues so my hair struggles big time and would love to Know what it is and if you liked it.
I love that you did a hair post! im sure you dont have this problem but maybe you know someone who does, i have bad dandruff and dont know what products to use. (Tried head & shouldErs/selsum blue) didnt work. Do you have any RecommEndations?
I love Your blog post so much!! #yourhairisgoAls ?????
Holy cooOow – i did not know you couls reset your oil glands. I would love a post on that! My hair is long and semi thick like yours and i have to wash it every day to contain the oil. I was always told washing it less woUld help – ive tried to go a few days without washing it many times, and i didnt find that to work at all. I have yet to find a dry shampoo that works well on my Hair eIther. Super interested to hear more about making some chAnges.
do you nurse still? if so is it safe to take the bio hair vitamins you posted? thanks!
Would love A post about how you went from washing every night to now just 2 nigHts! My hair is very oily, so wash it every day Or it is a grease pit ?
Hello, thanks for thai Blog post!! Question: are you wearing hair EXTENSIONS on This posts pictures ? Im try to let my HAIR gRow long in these type of layers but was WONDERING if i need hair EXTENSIONS to get this look . THank you !
Most of the women nowadays prefer to have shoulder length hair because it’s easy to maintain and looks stylish. You don’t have to buy lots of products in order to maintain your hair and less worry about hair fall.