At birth, I was bleach blonde. As it goes, over the year my natural hair color became more of a dark blonde, mousy brown color, but I’ve been trying to get back to my blonde roots ever since I was allowed to dye my hair. Of course, all of that dyeing, combined with day after day of straightening out my frizzy, crazy curls (frizziness was due to the dyeing, they were actually wearable before that) has left me with extremely damaged hair for most of my life.
You may be saying the easy solution is to stop dyeing my hair and stop straightening it. Well, you’re right. And hopefully one day that’s exactly what I’ll do. But for now, I’m stubborn, and thankfully for people like me there are actually some fantastic hair products out there to help with severely damaged hair.
I’ve tried them all. From shampoos to serums to hot oil treatments. Those that claimed to leave my hair soft and shiny, left it dry and frizzy, or heavy and oily. Not every product is fit for every type of hair, so that’s important to keep in mind. But also, some products just don’t do what they claim to do.
Another great thing is that as science improves, and the world of animal testing gets more exposure, people are beginning to develop a conscience, resulting in the emergence of more cruelty free, vegan hair care options. Below are 3 Tried and True Vegan Hair Care Products for Damaged Hair That Actually Work.
1. Olaplex
Everyone who bleaches their hair knows of the miracles of Olaplex. But what you may not know is that this repairing formula is completely vegan and cruelty-free. Celebrities love this product—from Rosie Huntington Whitely to Kim Kardashian and JLo. Olaplex is said to bring hair back from the dead. And I can testify to this.
After receiving an in-salon treatment in October this year, and completing a one-month at-home repair regimen (straightening less, using Olaplex No.3 once per week) I almost cried for joy at the way my damaged hair had been healed. My flyaways lay flat, my hair was soft and shiny and actually looked healthy.
Olaplex works to penetrate the hair strand and repair the bond. My new stylist told me that for extremely damaged hair, I needed a bond strengthener, not a moisture treatment, like the one I was using. There’s a reason why Olaplex is a product so many have heard of. For me and so many others, it works.
2. Sugar Bear Hair Vitamins
Back in 2016, I booked a hair appointment to “go blonder.” I asked for an icy blonde. My stylist (someone I had never been to before), said she knew exactly what I wanted. So I sat back and let her do her thing. Over one hour and one entirely hardened head of bleach later, I began to worry—and my scalp began to burn. After asking her to please wash it out, I ran to the bathroom to cry in the mirror at my white-yellow hair and bright red scalp.
It’s a miracle my hair didn’t fall out, but it’s no surprise how damaged my hair was for a long time after that. A co-worker suggested Sugar Bear gummies, knowing I was vegan. I bought 3 bottles (3 months supply) and watched as my hair improved.
Sugar Bear Hair vitamins works for all types of hair, too, taste like blue raspberry gummy bears and contain Vitamins A, C, E B6, B9, B12, Biotin and Pantothenic Acid. But please, do your own research and consult with your doctor about taking these, as you should with any supplement. Some report breakouts due to the concentration of Biotin. I am simply sharing my own experience, as these did work for me.
3. Kopari 100% Coconut Melt
Ok, so you might be asking, what’s so special about Kopari? Why not just use regular, less expensive coconut oil. Well, you totally can, and it does work too. But Kopari has sourced an extremely rich, premium coconut oil and the reviews of this product don’t disappoint. It matters where you source your coconut oil as well as the way in which the oil is harvested.
The entire texture and experience of using this oil is different that if you just used a cheaper one from the grocery store. Regular coconut oil is quite heavy on hair, and when I washed it out, it didn’t wash out completely, leaving my head feeling gross. This is not at all the case with the Kopari Coconut Melt.
96% of users say that after using this product their hair is the best they have ever experienced it as. To use, coat your dry hair in it and for best results, sleep with it on overnight and wash out in the morning.
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Photos: Featured Photo: Bellis; Unsplash, Cruz; Unsplash, 1:Olaplex; www.olaplex.com, 2: Sugar Bear Vitmains, www.sugarbearhair.com, 3: Kopari Coconut Melt; www.kopari.com
