Reviews Beauty
Written by Anna Popp
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- I used boxed blonde hair dye during the pandemic and it severely damaged my hair.
- To remedy the damage done by the dye, my hairstylist and I came up with a six-product routine.
- From a curl activator to a leave-in conditioner, here's what strengthened and moisturized my hair.
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After exhausting breadmaking and knitting while staying at my parents' house last year, I decided to become my own personal hairstylist and box dye my natural dirty blonde hair. This wasn't the first time I had dyed my hair at home so I figured it wouldn't be difficult to do it again. However, this round did not go the way I'd hoped.
My sandy locks turned yellow — not the silvery blonde I was going for. But instead of stepping away from the box dye, I dug myself into a deeper hole by dyeing it every six weeks in the hopes that it would get better.
By the time hair salons started opening back up a full year later, my hair was dry, brittle, and my frizzy curls were dull and lifeless. It took several visits to different hairstylists (and several color corrections) to bring my hair back to life.
To help strengthen my hair and keep the color vibrant, my current stylist and I came up with a six-step haircare routine. More than a year later, my hair is softer, my curls are even, and the color is brighter. Here, I'm sharing the products that have helped to remedy the damage.
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Eden Bodyworks Jojoba Manoi Hair Oil
Eden Bodyworks is one of my favorite brands to buy haircare products from. A little of the Jojoba Manoi Hair Oil goes a very long way in my thick curly hair. I love the smell and rub it into the ends of my hair that often feel the driest.
Aveda Blonde Revival Purple Toning Shampoo
I use this purple toning shampoo that was recommended by my hairstylist every day. Blonde Revival is exactly what my hair needs and the purple hue of this cleanser keeps my lighter blonde pieces looking bright.
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Aveda Blonde Revival Purple Toning Conditioner
My previously box-dyed blonde color was always brassy and yellow, so avoiding that was essential if I was going to keep my hair a lighter shade of blonde. The combo of the Aveda purple shampoo and conditioner is instrumental in the upkeep of my hair.
Carol's Daughter Black Vanilla Moisture & Shine Leave-In Conditioner
Out of all of the products I use, this one might be my favorite. I spray it in my hair after I shower every day. Not only does it smell incredible, but it leaves my frizzy hair much smoother and makes it easy to brush.
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Cantu Shea Butter for Natural Hair Moisturizing Curl Activator Cream
This is one of my favorite hair purchases, and it's just under $6 on Amazon. I struggled to get my natural curls back after using chemicals and this curl activator cream has helped to restore them. I put a dime size in my hair after every shower and my curls always dry so even.
Shea Moisture Raw Shea Butter Deep Treatment Masque
I buy these small packets of deep conditioning hair masks at Target for $3.49. One packet will last me about two to three uses each, and I use a mask once every few weeks whenever my hair feels extra dry. I keep the mask on for about five minutes before rinsing, and it leaves my hair moisturized and soft.
Home and Kitchen fellow
Anna is the Home and Kitchen fellow on the Insider Reviews team. She recently graduated from Seattle University where she studied journalism and French. Previously, Anna edited and wrote for her university's newspaper and has been published in the Seattle Times. Anna also has experience writing about sewing machines and party decorations. When she's not working, you can find Anna curating her next home decor project or planning themed gatherings with her friends. Learn more about how our team of experts tests and reviews products at Insider here. Learn more about how we research and review home products.
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