Fav hair products / tools / accessories -- Avery

All of this post is written by Avery! I'm definitely the type of person that likes to change up my hair & try new techniques & styles (like Alli)! I've only colored my hair once (balayage), but I have had it several different lengths & both with & without layers. Right now, it's pretty much one length, just below my shoulders -- I'm trying to grow it out but since my hair doesn't grow very fast, it's been a slow process.

Below I'll show pictures of the tools I use on a regular basis: curling wand (top left) / straightener (bottom left) / blow dry brush (right)

As far as shampoo & conditioner, I kind of rotate between two different kinds: Redken color extend (for blondes) & Nexxus color assure. I've been using the Nexxus stuff for awhile now & I feel like it's really helped my hair hold the color (from when I got balayage) & it also makes my hair feel really soft! I use the Redken purple shampoo about once a week. My hair stylist suggested it when I got my hair colored. If you're a blonde of any shade, I think this is a great product! Just a warning, it can make your hands turn a little purple if you don't get it rinsed off well. My older sister uses this shampoo too & it's never happened to her, however, my skin is MUCH lighter than hers, so maybe that's why?

I typically shower at night. Sometimes I blow my hair using my blowout cream & my blow dry brush, but not always. Other times, I'll use air dry cream & let it dry naturally. Either way, just before going to bed, I always put my hair up in a silk scrunchie. This keeps it out of my face, doesn't leave a ponytail bump (plus it doesn't break your hair) & I find that it helps add volume as well.

One of the awesome perks of the blowout cream is that it includes a heat protectant so I don't have to use tons of products to avoid damaging my hair!

For both of the looks below, I showered the night before, used blowout cream & my blow dry brush, & slept with my hair in a ponytail in my silk scrunchie. The next morning I straightened it with this straightener. One of my favorite tips for straight hair is to always part it down the middle to straighten it & then flip it over to your part at the end -- this adds so much volume! My hair is pretty thin so this really helps me!

For the curly styles below, I showered at night & just used the air dry cream. I pulled my hair into a loose raindrop using my silk scrunchie & went to sleep. The next morning I curled it using my wand. I know a lot of people like to use straighteners to curl their hair (including my sister), but I love using my wand! The reason I like it is because it can make lots of different-sized curls depending on how you use it. It's just one wand head, but since it's smaller one one end & bigger on the other, you can change up how you use it which changes up the size of your curls. Alli has this 5-in-1 curling set that she swears by in case you're interested!

As I said at the beginning of this post, I love trying different styles with my hair. In the left picture below, my super talented friend, Maggy, did this fishtail braid & then tied it together using my red + white polkadot hair scarf (from the 18 piece set for less than $16!) -- I loved it! In the bottom right picture, I used small clear elastic ponytails & did it three times, puffing up each section in between. I got so many compliments that day! & it was nice to have my hair off the back of my neck at a hot football game!