Sunshine, pool water, salt water.. Your hair needs extra hydration during the summer months. My hair was damaged beyond repair last summer (botched dye job). I consider myself an expert on hydrating hair masks. These are my favorite super hydrators..

IGK Prenup Instant Spray Hair Mask is AMAZING! The 360 aerosol spray allows for easy application. The scent is delicious, and your hair will feel nourished and silky after just one minute. I use this mask every time I wash my strands. Give your hair a good scrub, apply conditioner and rinse immediately, then apply the Prenup hair splash mask, leave for minute and rinse. This hydrating hair mask is a MUST HAVE!

Bumble and Bumble is the Balm-To-Oil Pre-Shampoo Masque saved my hair, and is worth a second mention. Take a big dollop, rub your hands together to melt the product and apply to dry hair, section by section (dry hair absorbs better than wet hair). Leave for a minimum of twenty minutes. This super hydrating masque contains the Hairdresser's Invisible Oil six signature oils - argon, macadamia nut, coconut, safflower seed, grape seed oil and sweet almond. The signature scent is subtle and sweet. I apply this masque once a week, and it has made a HUGE difference in my hair. I've been struggling with severely damaged hair for a year, and only saw a significant improvement after using this product.

I purchased Skinny & Co. Coconut Oil in the OH SO TEMPTING mini section at Sephora. The lineup at Sephora is a trap - you're surrounded by mini's that cost much more than the full-size products (based on cost per ounce). Admittedly, this is my favorite section at Sephora. I can no longer find Skinny & Co. Coconut Oil on Sephora's site, so I'm not sure if Sephora carries this product anymore. Hmm..

I love this stuff. It's a multi-purpose coconut oil that hydrates your hair and body. Like the Bumble and Bumble Balm-To-Oil Pre-Shampoo Masque, this product melts in your hands. Scoop out a big dollop, allow it to melt and apply to the ends of your hair. You can leave the oil on for as long as you want. The scent is ok (natural-like). You can use this oil to sweeten your beverages, replace your go-to cooking oil, and apply as a moisturizer to your hair and skin.

It's been almost a year since my traumatic and altogether unsuccessful hair transformation. They all (the many hairstylists) said it will take six months to recover my hair. I've been obsessively treating, cutting and babying my strands - Still, eleven months and counting.. Hair grows (it's a fact), but repairing severely damaged hair takes time - Oh, and lots of products. I'm embarrassed to say how much I've spent on hair repair solutions and vitamins.

Initially, I was skeptical of Olaplex and didn't have great things to say about this preventative treatment. The stylist who took my hair from black to orange to green to greenish-gray-yellow-blonde (YUP, that's what I ended up with), said Olaplex would protect my hair from the bleach and there would be little damage. NOT TRUE! Clearly, this stylist overestimated the treatment and was 'possibly' misinformed. I was still under the impression that Olaplex would repair my hair. I used Olaplex one, two and three for a few months after, but I didn't feel like my hair was getting better, so I discontinued the treatments.

Sometime later my new stylist explained that Olaplex is a preventive treatment, and not a hair repair solution. She said regular applications would keep my hair from being further damaged. I got back on the Olaplex-wagon. Along with intense hydrating masks and vitamins, my hair 'slowly' started to grow. My stylist includes Olaplex step-one in my color solution. After rinsing the color, Olaplex step-two is applied. In between salon visits, I use Olaplex step-three (just once). Admittedly, I've been converted and am a fan of this hair-care product.

Nutrients support hair strength, resulting in less breakage and thus healthier strands. Vitamins you should look for in a vitamin blend - A, B, C, D, K, Biotin, Keratin (your hair is made up of keratin protein), Folic Acid, Iron, Niacin, Magnesium, Protein, Zinc.. Not to mention minerals and oils that support healthy hair. Viviscal Hair Growth Vitamins are comprised of vitamins and minerals your hair needs. This supplement gets great reviews, many dermatologists sell or recommend these vitamins, and from my experience, IT WORKS! I've been taking these vitamins for about six months. I'm terrible at taking vitamins regularly, but my sporadic vitamin-popping has still made a difference.

Viviscal vitamin supplements contain Biotin, Zinc, Vitamin C, Iron, Calcium, Niacin, Horsetail Extract, Millet Seed Extract and the exclusive marine complex AminoMar (shark cartilage and Oyster Extract Powder). there are a few essential vitamins missing, but if it works, who cares. Six months of intense hydrating masks, Olaplex treatments and Viviscal supplements has made my hair stronger, a little thicker (I have baby hairs), and healthier.

WARNING - Don't trust a stylist that says Olaplex is a miracle treatment that will take your hair from black to blonde in weeks. Below are pics of my disastrous transformation. After days in the salon, fried strands and painful lesions on my scalp, I went back to black. I couldn't settle for greenish-gray-yellow-blonde, and further bleaching was not an option.

Original posts - See August 2016.