The guide to longer, shinier, and healthier hair is not as unattainable or complicated as you think.

I used to be addicted to bleaching my naturally almost-black hair with blonde highlights and continuously straightening it — because I genuinely felt my wild curly hair and “boring” color were less desirable, less acceptable. I used to hate my hair. And I know I’m not alone in that. So many people, including my friends and family, have wished at some point for a different shade, a different texture, more shine, less frizz. But after years of putting my hair through bleach, color, heat, chemical damage, and aggressive brushing, I have not only learned to accept my natural color, but also to prefer it, and I have reduced the amount of heat I apply to it.

After about four years of constant bleaching, my hair became thinner, duller, drier, and refused to grow past my shoulders. I was fed up. At the beginning of 2025, I went down every rabbit hole imaginable: TikTok, YouTube, haircare blogs. After trying what felt like half the products on the market, I finally landed on a routine that I genuinely believe saved my hair.

My first mistake was thinking an expensive, well-reviewed product was automatically the answer. I started using Kérastase’s Magic Night Serum after hearing incredible things about it. I used it every night for three months, exactly as instructed, and my hair got worse — more split ends, more dryness, more breakage. I didn’t connect the dots until much later when I realized that putting protein on your hair nightly actually causes damage. Then I tried the Bur Bur Growing Season Oil, applying it nightly to seal in moisture. Four months in, nothing had changed. I was spending money, putting in effort, and getting nowhere.

That’s when I had to be honest with myself. The products weren’t the full problem– the bleach and heavy coloring was.

I stopped bleaching my hair in August of 2025, and the transformation has been hard to put into words. Removing bleach from the equation didn’t just reduce the damage, it created a healthier foundation for everything else I was doing to actually work. Products absorb better, my hair responds faster, and for the first time in years, I can actually see and feel a difference.

Here’s what my routine looks like now:

Scalp first. Before I even shampoo, I use the Ceremonia Scalp Scrub to remove buildup and excess oil directly from the scalp. It’s gentle but very effective. I also use the Act + Acre Cold Processed Scalp Serum every night, and this is one of the products I credit most for the growth and thickness I’ve noticed. I tried the well-known Vegamour serum before this, but I didn’t see results. The Act + Acre one is different, it is heavenly.

Washing. I normally wash my hair about once a week, always with cool water. Hot water opens the cuticle and leads to breakage– it’s just not worth it. I use the Oribe Gold Lust Shampoo and Conditioner. The shampoo is slightly drying because I double cleanse to remove buildup, but the conditioner more than compensates. Every single wash, I also use the Oribe Mirror Rinse — it’s marketed as a glass hair treatment and it delivers exactly that. Amika and IGK also make great glossing rinse out treatments if you want to try something at a different price point or with different ingredients; I’ve used both and they work great as well. I also invested in a good quality shower head to replace the one in my dorm because I learned that clean filtered water is less harsh on the hair shaft. I have used the Eskiin one since late August and I believe it contributed to a dramatic improvement in my hair softness and health. 

Oils. If you want shiny hair, you need an exceptional hair oil: not too thick, not too thin. Finding the right one takes some trial and error. The Moroccanoil Treatment is a classic and smells amazing, but it runs a bit heavy for my liking. The Apivita Olive and Argan Oil is one I picked up in Greece and have been using ever since because it is a solid choice; it got my hair from horribly damaged to where I am now. Right now I’m really loving the Kérastase Elixir Ultime oil and the Shu Uemura oil (their hair masks are also incredible) for the moisture and incredible shine they add. I also do a pre-wash oil treatment before every wash using the Roz Willow Glen Pre-Wash Treatment Oil, which is thicker and designed to seal the cuticle and deeply hydrate before shampooing. It sounds like a lot, but the logic is simple: load the hair with moisture before you cleanse, so the shampoo removes excess without stripping. I also use Redkin’s Shine Flash spray which acts as a sealing shine top coat to maintain that glow days after styling. The Antisocial Leave-In Dry Hair Mask by IGK is also a staple of mine that I use about once a week to give my hair more life and add moisture without wetting it.

After the shower. I use the Gisou Honey Infused Leave-In Conditioner, which also has heat protection built in. It even makes my curls look better when I wear my hair natural, adds shine, and smells incredible. The Marc Anthony Grow Long Leave-In is a great, more affordable alternative, which I’ve also used and liked. On top of the leave-in, I use the IGK Good Behavior Heat Protectant before straightening/heat styling. Yes, I still straighten my hair about once a week. I’ve made peace with that. I just try to protect it as much as possible.

Treatments. Every two-three weeks or so, I use the K-18 Molecular Repair Leave-In Mask. It’s protein-based, so you don’t want to overdo it (too much protein can cause brittleness) but used in moderation it genuinely repairs damage in a way most masks can’t. For weekly moisture masks, I rotate between the Nuxe Hair Restoration Mask, which is rich and thick, and the Tsubaki Hair Mask, which is a lighter and more affordable option that still works really well.

The details that add up. I switched to a Slip silk pillowcase at the end of December and noticed less breakage almost immediately. I sleep with my hair in a loose bun held with the Drowsy XXL Padded Silk Scrunchie, which also gives me a subtle heatless wave by morning. During the day, if I’m putting my hair up, I reach for a Slip silk thin scrunchie or an Emi Jay clip. Both are sturdy enough that I’m not constantly readjusting and creating friction. For brushing, I use a wide-bristle detangling brush after the shower and a boar bristle brush day-to-day, always starting from the ends and working my way up.

Don’t be afraid to cut your hair. I was. For the longest time I avoided scissors entirely because I was convinced trimming meant losing length. But getting micro trims every few months actually speeds up growth. It removes the thin, damaged ends that are just weighing your hair down anyway, and the difference in thickness is immediately noticeable. It feels counterintuitive, but holding onto dead ends is not the same as holding onto length.

One last thing worth mentioning: I didn’t fully give up on color. I still get tinted or clear hair glosses/glazes every so often to add ultimate shine, depth and richness without the damage of bleach. It’s a good middle ground if going fully natural doesn’t appeal to you. 

The truth is, there’s no single product that’s going to fix your hair. It took me years, a lot of wasted money, and finally quitting bleach to figure that out. But once I stopped chasing a quick fix and started actually listening to what my hair needed, everything changed.