One of my 2019 goals is to change up my hairstyles. I know what you're thinking... aren't goals suppose to be more related to personal development? Yes, sure. But why not have smaller, easy to attain actions plans, too? I've just been getting bored with my hairstyle and I feel kind of empowered when I had a new hairdo. Like I'm a spy or something! Just me? Anyways, today I'm sharing three easy ways to spice up your hair without going drastic and pulling a Britney. You could always shave your head, but I'm not there... not yet anyway (lol). I'm just looking for easy tools to fall back on when I'm feeling rather blah in the hair department. By the way, not mentioned here is the wearing of hats as they cover your hair. It's always fun to put on a toque or a wide brim hat, so try that out if you'd like too!
But here are some easy ways to change up your hairstyle without cutting it.
1. Bands, scarves, ribbons
Lately, I've been loving the look of something just at the front of my forehead (seen here). It takes a bit of getting used to in my opinion if you're not too comfortable with wearing something on your hair, but once you play around and find how it works for you, you will not look back. Try wearing the bands of the hairband behind your ears, does that work for you? If not, what about on top of your ears? I've recently become obsessed with velvet and satin hair accessories. Anthro has some insane styles right now. When I saw this mock turban I was sold. The colour is perfectly periwinkle and I love that it's actually attached to a band, so you don't need to play around for 10 minutes tieing it together. There is no way you can mess it up and you instantly feel put together. Legit-- I need this one.
2. Barrettes
Sometimes just adding a simple pin to your front strands is all it takes to elevate an outfit. Try gluing gemstones or pearls to bobby pins (or just pick some up that are already made at stores like Ardens, Anthropologie, etc), and add one or two parallel to one another. It's such a cute way to dress up any outfit and makes you instantly feel and look polished.
3. Do the opposite
On any given day it's pretty much guaranteed that my hair will be done in loose waves. That's why it's so striking when I wear my hair completely straight. Everyone asks if I got a haircut, or acknowledges how great my hair looks because it's something completely out of the norm! Plus, I really feel like a different woman with pin straight hair. Makes me feel mysterious! On New Year's Eve, I wore my hair straight and it was so fun to change it up, and it made me question why I don't do it more often. Sometimes just doing something a little different (like wearing it up if you always wear it down, or try a different ponytail height) can create all the drama in the best way.
How do you spice up your hair when you get bored of styling the same way day in and day out? Will you try out any of these?
S H O P T H E P O S T
Skincare is one of those topics I love to talk about with others and indulge myself in. I find it so fascinating hearing what products other people use and I don't mind splurging when it comes to high quality, natural products. But today we're getting serious. I like getting personal from time to time, especially when I feel like I can assist others who may be going through the same problem or have the same issue. You saw my post on my battle with rosacea (and no, none of those face care products were sent to me, they are just what I use), but today I'm going to fill you in on something that I've been struggling with for years-- psoriasis on my scalp. It got so bad in elementary school and I tried everything: tons of therapeutic shampoos, the tar shampoos, creams, topical lotions, you name it. Nothing would get rid of the pain, burning and itchiness I was experiencing. It got so bad that my scalp would literally bleed! I know it's gross. I had sores on my scalp, I couldn't wear black due to the flakes and it would only get worse when I was stressed. Not to mention it was embarrassing!
Fast forward a few years later and I have the problem basically under control, using none of the products, or prescriptions given to me. I managed to do this naturally without even realizing it! Now I know this may just be what works for me, and by no means am I advising you to stop doing whatever you are doing, but since it's totally natural why not give it a try and see if any of these techniques work for you? So here's the run down of how I managed to rid my scalp of psoriasis, totally naturally.
1. Diet
When I started to have gluten sensitivities and had to cut it out of my diet, I noticed a HUGE difference. Gluten is, after all, filled with inflammatory properties, so lessening up on wheat, barley, rye, etc. may help to reduce your severity. It really did for me! Although there really aren't any complete studies to prove that going gluten-free with clear up psoriasis 100%, so many others have found this to be the case. Other foods that can cause flare-ups are fatty red meats, dairy products, and refined sugars. Focus on anti-inflammatory and antioxidant rich foods like fish, nuts, fruit (especially watermelon, tomatoes, berries), veggies (spinach, broccoli, kale, beets) and turmeric. You all know I loooooove turmeric. Just be sure to sprinkle a bit of black pepper whenever you use it as it helps to absorb better.
2. Use Natural Hair Care Products
You'd think if I was using products prescribed by the doctor to rid my scalp of psoriasis, they would work. Right? Wrong? Nothing did! Everything was a temporary fix, and nothing actually worked to restore my scalp and give me the relief. Only when I stopped using all the products recommended to me and went au-naturel did I start to see results.
I told you I love testing out new products, but ultimately I know that for my scalp to be in pristine condition I need to always resort back to using the most natural products possible. I've been using natural shampoos and conditioners for quite some time to control it, but lately I've been hooked on Matrix's newest line Biolage R.A.W. (which stands for real, authentic, wholesome). I've been using the Uplift line for fine, flat hair, and am just smitten with the results. The shampoo is 71% natural, while the conditioner is 95% of natural origins, and neither contain silicones, parabens or artificial colours. The shampoo is made with black sesame and grapefruit, while the conditioner is made with kiwi and kaolin clay. The ingredients are sourced from the highest quality and from the most exotic places (think lava clay from Morocco, and white beeswax from Africa). My hair is unbelievably soft, silk, controlled and full of life. And, I can't believe the number of compliments I have been getting on its texture, look and feel. It's so soothing on my scalp and one thing I found is that is actually lathers like your typical shampoo, considering how natural it is this can be hard to come by. Using natural shampoo and conditioner is essential to getting my psoriasis under control. If you're in the market for a new one, you'll definitely want to test out one of the new Biolage R.A.W. products.
3. Washing/Conditioning with Cold Water
When you think of a nice hot shower, rinsing your hair with cold water is probably the last thing you'd want to do. But, seriously it helps! I find that I can calm and reduce irritation using cold water. If you can't fathom a cold shower wash your hair when you get out of the shower over the sink.
4. Stress Relief
This one may seem difficult, but since psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory condition you need to focus on treating it all the time. It can come in waves and attack when you are most vulnerable. Keeping your stress levels at bay helps to manage any flare-ups. Massages, yoga, meditation... see what works for you and try it out. A bubble bath with a few drops of peppermint essential oils, or lavender essential oils will no doubt get you relaxing. You can try making my homemade lavender scrub for the bath for ultimate relaxation. Peppermint is also great for the scalp as it soothes! And lastly, I love diffusing Saje essential oils before bed to really help me relax. The relaxation blends are amazing for calming, de-stressing and relaxing.
Getting your psoriasis under control naturally is possible! It just takes a bit of time and effort to try out which technique works for you. If you try one of these methods out, let me know how it goes! Or if you have another home remedy I'd love to hear about it.
Although I received the Matrix Biolage R.A.W. shampoo and condition as a sample to try, this post is not sponsored in any way. I wanted to incorporate these products into this post as they truly work for me and I hope they do for you too!
