Hi, I’m Rose. And I’m a hair care addict. There, I said it. If you’ve been an avid Gritty Pretty reader (or Beauty Talk listener) for a while, you’ve probably heard me rabbit on about how much I love my hair care routine and how much my hair health is important to me and blah, blah, blah. Well, I hope you aren’t sick of me yet because if there’s one thing I love more than Spring cleaning, it’s a Spring hair reset.

I don’t know about you, but a large amount of my commitment to my beauty routine goes out the window once the temperature drops. And, because I start to hibernate, there is little to no reason for me to commit to actually doing my hair. Translation: it lives in a slicked back bun 85 per cent of the time.

But as the cherry blossoms start to bloom and the days start to get longer, something awakens inside of me and I am immediately inspired to get my hair back to its best. But, knowing where to start can be half the battle. So, allow me to take you through my (very thorough) Spring hair reset routine.

You know the best beauty editor-approved way to get rid of split ends and hair that is looking a little limp and lacklustre? A haircut. No ifs or buts, this is the only solution. So, my first stop on my hair reset escapade was EdwardsAndCo in Sydney’s Surry Hills. I have long, thick hair that has a very wild natural curl to it (although I like to wear it straight most of the time), so finding a hair expert who respects my hair while shaping it to look its best can be a challenge.

EdwardsAndCo has never, ever let me down so I rarely stray from entering under that teal signage. I asked for round layers with an emphasis on face framing and adding volume and shape to the back. No surprises, they nailed it. So, I frolicked out feeling on top of the world.

Around this time of year is when I like to amp up the at-home hair treatments to bring my hair back to its shiny, healthiest self. In case you’ve been living under a rock: healthy hair starts with a healthy scalp so adding in a scalp-loving serum, scrub or oil to your routine will pay serious dividends when it comes to maintaining your luscious locks. I have been loving the Yours Only MASK for this exact purpose. A super gentle and nourishing formula that works to calm irritated or flaky scalps, I use this product about twice a month to give my hair a real reset. Particularly if I have been styling my hair a lot, I find this product helps to remove build up without stripping my scalp or causing irritation. 

Obviously, with hair treatments also comes the need for nourishment. And boy, do I love a good hair mask. I often use them on day three and four of the hair wash cycle to slick my hair into that ‘clean girl’ bun but also love to add them to the lengths and ends of my hair on a hair wash day. My favourites include the Oribe Gold Lust Transformative Masque, the Virtue Labs Restorative Treatment Mask and the Ouai Thick Hair Treatment Masque.

Hate to break it to you but the Spring cleaning does indeed extend to your hair routine. Specifically, your hair brushes, combs and tools. You’d be surprised how much filth builds up in those bad boys. Simply remove any excess hair build up in the tools and then fill your bathroom basin with warm water and a squeeze of shampoo. Dip the bristles / combs / styling tools into the warm water and work the shampoo in with your fingers. Then simply rinse and let dry. It’s so easy, there really is no excuse not to do it. Plus, removing the gunk and build up from these tools will also help to keep your newfound healthy hair cleaner for longer.

As Spring rolls into silly season, we’re always tempted to amp up the heat styling. Add that to increased sun exposure and you’ve got a right hair mess on your hands. Hence, around this time of year is when I start to take stock of the hair protectors in my arsenal to ensure I am well prepped to deal with whatever aggressors may head my way. 

I always try to look for all-in-one products that protect the hair from heat, UV rays, pollution and environmental aggressors in one fell swoop. My favourites include the Iles Formula Finishing Serum, the R+Co Bleu Surreal Styling Serum and the Bumble and Bumble Heat Shield Thermal Protection Mist. It’s also good to look for hair ties and clips that won’t tug on the hair and cause breakage. My favourites are the Slip Black Skinny Scrunchies and the Kitsch Recycled Plastic Jumbo Classic Claw Clips.

I’ve always found that my hair is the healthiest and shiniest when I’m not washing it every single day. And while, yes, in Summer I swim in the ocean almost every day, in Spring I always try to prolong the time between washes as much as possible. The good before the bad, if you will. This means I am always fully stocked with dry shampoos and hair-loving serums that I use to slick my hair back when it’s looking a little too greasy. My favourite dry shampoos include the Klorane Oat Milk Dry Shampoo and the Vegamour Gro Dry Shampoo. Both are packed with nourishing ingredients and don’t leave any nasty residue behind. Plus, a hot tip that I swear by is applying your dry shampoo liberally before you go to bed and sleeping in it. Overnight the product works to soak up excess oil and any white marks are gone by morning, where you wake up with luscious, clean-looking hair.