Hello Hydration!!!

So I've been dying my hair for a decade now.  It started in college with chunky platinum highlights that I wanted to cover up.  My hair was a gorgeous light brown that naturally streaked blonde in the summer.  It was multi-dimensional with reds, dark browns, light browns and blonde.  The summer glow faded one winter and the hair stylist convinced me platinum chunky highlights would be perfect.  Well they weren't. 

Sometimes I have gone to the salon and have had excellent results, but those times are far and few between.  I love blonde, but the upkeep is killer.  Love red, but it quickly fades to orange.  In addition, the $200 plus bill arrives and I just can't justify spending the dough if I'm going to be so-so about my color.  Do-it-yourself kits cost $6.  And of course now, the grey is kicking in.  I have been fortunate.  My first curly coarsed beauty arrived at 21.  12 years later, they have compounded but for the most part, they are invisible to the unkeen observer. 

The point of my rambling...  After my last cut I decided no more dying!  I'm going au natural.  I'm pregnant, the chemicals my baby may be potentially exposed to is just not worth it. I know what your thinking, Geez, I heard that dying the hair every one in a while is fine?  Well it is.  But I'm worried about hair dye plus all the other chemicals and preservatives and pesticides that I am also trying to avoid in beauty products and food.  Everything all together can't be good.  But I forgot what my real hair color was like.  I want it back!  I want the natural summer blonde streaks.  They will do so much better covering up those greys then dying them brown and then having them turn orange in a few weeks time as the dye fades.

Well I broke down and dyed my hair anyway, but that besides the point.   I had to even out my two-toned, light ashy brown roots to the ruddy, reddish, ends.  I couldn't stand it anymore.  Well I found a great color that did just that.  Saved the box top and everything.  But upon closer inspection, the brand name is omitted from that top and for the life of me, I have no idea what semi-permanent brand I used!  I remember it was supposed to last 36 washes?  Well it has lasted almost 3 months!  No reddness, ruddiness, orange.  The thought came to me in the shower the other morning.  Herbal Essences, Hello Hydration!  It's a blue shampoo. I bought it for the hubby and kids so they wouldn't use up my Aveda that I consequently bought at the salon of my last haircut.

The blue colored shampoo has been very effective at keeping my color cool and not turning it the normal shade of orange as dyes normally do as they rinse out of my hair.  So Herbal Essences Hello Hydration Moistrurizing Shampoo has been my savior and I have been clueless!  Unfortunately it does have the dreaded sulfate in it which I try to avoid but sometimes I just miss that lather that only sulfates can provide.  But this shampoo moisturizes my thick hair to perfection.  I usually only follow up with a leave-in spray conditioner for my ends.  I do switch off and use Aveda Damage Remedy on the weekends.  However, 23.7 fl.oz. for maybe $5 on sale, it's a steal!