Lifestyle

Why You Should Ditch Your Damaging Hair Routine With A Summer 'Cleanse'

About three years ago, I decided to go platinum. At the time, I was convinced I would actually touch up my hair every 3-5 weeks, like my stylist suggested. I also vowed to go on a "hair cleanse," by ditching hot tools, using only color-friendly products and nursing my hair back to health one purple deep conditioning mask at a time.

That is not what happened.

Because my hair was so frizzy and damaged, it needed heat styling to look presentable. I'd use purple shampoo, but when it ran out, I'd use my ex-boyfriend's sulfate-laden crap. I wanted to touch my hair up every few weeks, but a double process cost $150, and I sure as sh*t wasn't paying that when I could spend it on dog food and buffalo wings.

Shimmer Lights Shampoo Blonde & Silver, $10, Amazon 

As a result, my hair got even more damaged. My brunette roots grew out, and the platinum color dulled from my blowout addiction.

Eventually, I did go back to the salon to tone and fix my color. But, that just resulted in more damage, making my hair ultra-brittle and impossible to work with.

So, after I could no longer run a brush through my bob, I went back to my natural color in hopes of rehabbing my hair.

Now, I have the urge to be platinum again in time for summer. However, this time, I know what I'm doing. I know it's kind of hypocritical, but when the urge hits, you gotta act on it. My urge is being blonde. Like any addict, I can't ignore it.

The most important thing, this time around, is leaving my hair the f*ck alone. I'm talking cold-turkey, letting it do it's own thing for three months. I'll wash it of course, but I'm ditching heat styling, damaging products and yeah, even trips to my colorist.

Here's why.

The sun does enough damage to your hair in the summer.

We all know about the havoc the sun wreaks on our skin. To combat it, we lather on sunscreen.

The sun also messes with our hair. You know how your hair gets super dry and brittle come August? It's all thanks to the sun.

The moment you throw bleach, dye, heat tools and styling products into the mix, you're furthering damaging your hair. Rehab your hair this summer, instead of f*cking it up even more.

Better yet, opt for a UV protectant made specifically for your hair. Go for a spray that will help deal with post-sun damage and dryness, like this Babo Botanicals Spray.

Babo Botanicals Spray, $11, Amazon 

2. Roots are damn fierce.

One of my favorite tricks when getting my hair dyed a drastically different color is asking the stylist to shadow my roots, a term for when your colorist leaves your roots a bit darker than the rest of your hair. With this method, when my hair does grow out, it blends more seamlessly with my natural hair color.

Hair grows unevenly, so unless you want some chunky roots, a bit of shadowing can help your regrowth have a more cohesive appearance.

Besides, roots are hot. Have you seen Madonna's brown-blonde hair lately? She has roots for days, and it looks great.

Plus, roots add a certain dimension to your hair that you wouldn't otherwise get with a solid chunk of color. They add texture and are way more badass than a solid block of hair.

Ditch the bleach this summer, ladies. You can spend your money on better things, like adopting puppies, an impromptu road trip to a beach, and Drake tickets.

3. A hair cleanse is just what you need.

We're always cleansing something: our souls when we meditate, our colons when we juice, our skin when we wash it. Why not cleanse our hair, too?

Hair, like our skin, goes through a lot. It develops buildup. It gets gross and is sometimes in need of some serious R&R. Ditching products every so often -- whether it means abandoning shampoo, sulfates or parabens -- is as necessary as taking your makeup off at the end of the day.

It's like therapy, except unlike therapy, your hair won't realize it's been dating men who look exactly like its father.

4. Your natural texture is beautiful.

It's summer! Back off the heat styling for a couple of months and let the sun, salt, sand and waves (or the office AC) work their magic.

If ditching heat styling gives you serious anxiety, play with cooler options. If you're looking for beachy waves, sleep with a braid or Bantu knots. For a bit more volume, turn your head upside down and shake your locks out, twisting the front pieces of your hair away from your face. You can also try a deep side part on the side you don't normally part your hair for instant volume. Beyond that, just let your natural mane run wild and free.

Besides, there's something chic about just letting your natural hair just chill out. It's more "I woke up like this" and less "not a hair out of place."

Seriously, there are benefits to going cold turkey. Sure, your hair might look a bit messier than usual, but you get to sleep in more. That makes it all worth it.