Here’s a fun fact for all you cuties out there: the water in your pipes is different based on where you live. So basically, Southern California (compared to New York) water sucks my nuts and, according to my hair colorist, it is turning my hair brittle, dry, and, wait for it, GREEN. Yes, you heard that. Green. As a proud flonde (fake-blonde), my highlighted hair is very porous and, therefore, absorbs all the minerals and gunk in LA’s shitty water making my blonde hair literally yellow/green. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. I’m super grateful to have water safe enough to drink as I know places like Flint, Michigan and other countries don’t have access to clean water at all. LA’s water is safe to drink. It’s just not great for your hair. So, I thought I’d do y’all a solid and let you know which products have been helping heal my hair and get rid of the green/brassiness from my once pristine blonde hair. Sorry, flonde hair. 

The first and most important is: A FILTERED SHOWER HEAD. This is a literal gamechanger. I didn’t even know they existed until my angel of a hair colorist told me about it. The one I’m using is: T3 Source Showerhead Mineral Water Filter from Blue Mercury. It was easy to install and, if you’re asking, yes, I installed it myself!! I’m legit a plumber now! All I need is my ass crack to hang out. Jk, that’s a mean plumber stereotype, right? Where did that even come from? Anyway, I’ve only had it for a week now and, so far, my hair feels sooooooo much softer. It is a tad pricey ($150) and does need to be replaced every 6 months, but considering how expensive hair highlights are, I think it’s worth it in the long run. 

The next product is: a hair clarifying treatment. My colorist recommended I go to a salon to get a monthly treatment done to get rid of all the mineral/gunk buildup in my hair, but considerating all of LA is under quarantine for the foreseeable future, she recommended I get this clarifying hair scrub in the meantime: the Solu Sea Salt Scrub.  It’s vegan, adorably pink, smells amazing, and is safe for color-treated hair. The cool part is… it lathers up in your hair like normal shampoo, so you don’t even need to use a lot to get the job done. I use it once a week and so far, my hair feels healthier. Plus, it’s made of all-natural ingredients, which is dope AF. I definitely recommend using a scrub or some type of gentle clarifying treatment, if not this one, in addition to the shower filter. 

The next thing I recommend: a conditioning hair mask. With the clarifying treatments, combined with the years of damage to your now brittle hair, a conditioning treatment once or twice a week will continue to help soften your hair and lock in moisture. My favorite one of all time is: The Coco and Eve Like a Virgin Coconut & Fig Hair Mask. This mask is vegan, adorably cute (pictures of package below), and smells DIVINE. Like it literally smells so good, it should be illegal. Basically, you just coat your hair with the mask, brush it out with the really cute pink brush that comes in the package, and then rinse after ten minutes. It made my hair heavenly soft and smell so, so good. I totally recommend. Slather me up in this shit. 

The last thing I recommend (I know, you all are sick of reading at this point lol) is: a gentle hair styler. For everyone, that can be different. Some people have curly hair. Others straight. Others wavy. Only you can say which styling product is right for you. However, I recommend the We Are Paradox Fierce Sea Salt Spray.  It’s vegan, works on colored hair, is gentle, and creates textured beach waves. PLUS, 1% of every purchase goes to an environmental organization. It’s like hitting two birds with one stone. Obviously, us vegan don’t hit any birds, but the metaphor stands. You can save your hair and the world, one spray at a time!

Bottom line, New York water will always reign supreme and anyone who wants to fight me on that… I will gladly accept the challenge.