Today’s blog post is a little bit of beauty real talk. As you can probably tell from photos on here and on instagram, I have been coloring my hair and styling it with heat for years. And don’t get me wrong, I love both of those things and definitely plan on continuing them! However, I’ve definitely noticed over the years that my hair has become more dry and damaged as result. Oh, and the dry mountain climate of Colorado has taken its toll too. I noticed my “good hair days” were becoming fewer and farther in between, and that can really be a knock to your self esteem sometimes. I know that may seem a little superficial at first, but I think as women we can all admit that good hair days can be such a boost to our confidence. Good hair days just feel SO good and it’s one less thing to worry about throughout your day. And on the flip side, bad hair days can just take a little pep out of our step or leave us spending extra time getting ready in the mornings trying to revive something that just isn’t there.
As y’all know, this job gives me the opportunity to research and test lots of products, from eye creams to protein powders to shampoos. When it comes to hair, though, I’ve really struggled to find products that can truly help dry, damaged hair (can you relate?!). So I started really intentionally looking for products that could help with breakage and dullness, and could deliver results fast – because I’m also a little impatient haha. So today I’m sharing a shampoo and conditionercombo that really delivered results. Huge bonus: it’s also budget-friendly!
A few weeks ago I shared on instagram that I would be taking the Pantene 14 Day Challenge and today I wanted to give y’all a full, honest recap. If you’ve been reading the blog for a while, you probably remember this postearlier this year and know that I’m a huge fan of Pantene’s haircare products. So when I heard about the new 14 Day Challenge, I was eager to give it a try and see the results. As I mentioned above, I’ve noticed my hair is more dull and breakage-prone so I needed something to repair my damaged hair. Pantene’s Repair & Protect Shampoo and Conditionerwas the perfect fit for me because it addresses all of these issues to give you more healthy hair.
Finding the Right Products for Your Hair Needs
This was one aspect of the Pantene product collection that really appealed to me: they truly have a product for everyone, no matter what your hair type and concerns. My concerns were dryness, breakage, and damaged hair, but they honestly have products for everyone. So for example, if your primary concern is volume, then there’s a shampoo and conditionerfor that, too. The Repair & Protect Shampoo and Conditioner was perfect for me because it provides around-the-clock protection and can help repair damaged hair (um, sign me up!). It’s also loaded with tons of concentrated moisturizers and conditioners to reduce friction, leaving your hair noticeably smoother and healthier. I found it fascinating that the shampoo has Pantene’s first-ever antioxidant damage-blocking technology, which over time leads to stronger, healthy hair.
The Pantene 14 Day Challenge + Results
I was pretty intrigued when I set out to start the 14 Day Challenge because, to be honest, I could’t believe that I would see resultsthatquickly. I mean I’ve been coloring and styling my hair for years, so how could a shampoo + conditioner reverse that in two weeks? So if you’re starting out skeptical like me, I get it! But hear my out, y’all. The results are real and I am SO excited to share them with you today!
I know this sounds crazy, but I legitimately noticed a difference after just one use. My hair still had a long way to go, but I noticed it was so much easier to comb and run my fingers through! Even in the shower, I could tell it was easier to run my fingers through (and the conditioner was easy to rinse out!). My hair didn’t seem as tangled or rough as before, which also meant I could be more gentle with it when brushing/styling.
By the time I hit the halfway point at day 7, I could seesome results (prior to that, I could just feel a difference in my hair, but by now the improvements were visible). After the first week, I definitely could see more of a shine to my hair before I even styled it. It wasn’t as dull as it had been before and I was SO happy! I think part of this is because of all the moisture the shampoo and conditioner was giving my hair. It just gave my hair more of a healthy shine. I think this was especially encouraging because I know sometimes the reason we feel the need to apply heat (or extra products) to our hair is to achieve a shine. So this was huge to me because it wasn’t only restoring shine to my hair, but it helped me feel more confident in my natural hair.
When my 14 Day Challenge concluded, I was really happy to see that the shampoo and conditioner had done what I’d hoped they would. After using the Pantene Repair & Protect Shampoo and Conditioner for two weeks, I could see that my hair seemed stronger and healthier. There was a lot less visible damage and breakage, which is what I was most hoping would happen. Like I said above, I’ve been coloring my hair and using hair dryers + curling irons regularly for years. I’m not super harsh on my hair (no bleaching, I don’t apply heat every day, etc), but doing those things for years can definitely take its toll. And as someone whose career requires them to be in front of the camera all the time, sometimes I would get pretty discouraged by bad hair days and increased breakage. I can honestly say that I am so impressed by how these Pantene products repaired my hair and restored so much shine and moisture to it as well.
So while it may sound insignificant, I can say that my ‘great hair days’ are much more frequent now and it’s been such a confidence boost! Especially with a baby girl on the way, I’ve found so much joy in knowing my hair is healthier and therefore, easier to style. Plus, if the sleepless newborn nights render me too tired to ‘get ready’, then I love knowing that my hair is still getting the TLC it needs to give it a healthy shine everyday.
This post was made in collaboration with Pantene. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
xo Lauren
