A few weeks ago, I chopped off 16-plus inches of my hair. Like most people, I have a “safety blanket” attachment to my hair, but I also can’t handle keeping the same style as I go through different stages and phases of life. My usual cycle is to let my hair get really long, then chop it all off, and then try different styles as it grows back. Curtain bangs, blunt cuts, heavy layers, light layers, you get the point. Eventually, it gets really long again, I can no longer handle the length, and I chop it off because I’m ready for a drastic change.

I used to have pretty straight hair, then it got wavy post-pregnancy, and now it’s back to being straight-ish. I don’t mind whether it’s straight or wavy, but I do wish it were a lot wavier or a lot straighter. It’s the random middle ground, where parts of my hair air-dry straight and other parts are wavy, that makes me go insane. Oh, and also the fact that all my new grey hairs are popping up around my temples and choosing to defy gravity; they never seem to want to grow long enough to blend with the rest.

All that being said, it’s been three weeks and I am currently pretty happy with my haircut and my haircare routine. I even got a “your hair looks really great and healthy” from my stylist when I went in for the cut. She’s seen my temples look almost bald postpartum, so when she tells me my hair looks good, I am not going to refute that. I also have a love/hate relationship with the grow-out process. But I’ve done it enough now that I know there are a few things I find helpful before going for a major chop:

• This is CRITICAL: only get a major cut / color with your longtime most trusted stylist. Someone who would tell you if what you are attempting could be catastrophic and not worry about your immediate feelings, rather care about the longer term impact. My stylist wasn't available the week I wanted to get it done and the salon offered to schedule me with someone new and I immediately said no. I WILL WAIT FOR HER TO GET BACK! You need someone who understands your hair texture and knows some details of your daily routine to be able to recommend how short you can go and if its better to get a blunt cut or get some layers etc. This is not the time to find a brand new stylist!

• A major chop is absolutely something to sit on for a while. Even for someone like me who has done this grow-out-super-long-then-chop-it-all-off multiple times. I look at a lot of pictures on Pinterest and make sure the look I like isn’t all about styling but also about the cut. Based on my hair texture and how much time I have in the morning to get ready, is this haircut realistic? Am I going to need heat styling daily? Can I let it air dry? What other tools or products will I need. As someone who isn’t a fan of using tools or product, the cut really has to stand on its own for me.

• It helps to bookmark how the various grow out phases might look as well. Just as important as it is to know the haircut you want, it’s also important to note how the grow out can be so you can look forward to that as well. Know styles I want to have across the growth stage, as my hair gets back to waist length makes me excited for the process rather than dread the experience.

I showed ’s IG for my haircut inspiration and Monikh’s IG for my growth phase inspo. Once my stylist aligned that my inspo works for my hair texture, we went ahead with the chop.

And now here is what I am using to keep my hair healthy and growing

Shampoo: Act+Acre Stem Cell Shampoo

I’ve been using this for probably six to eight months and I’m pretty happy with it. It cleanses my hair well without stripping it, and I can say that with confidence since I never use conditioner. My stylist noted that my hair has grown a lot since she last saw me; I can’t be sure if that is due to the shampoo or just how my hair grows, but overall, I’ve been very happy with this. It smells like eucalyptus-y peppermint-y spa but doesn’t stay in your hair long so you just smell clean without any clawing fragrance.

Treatment: TS.02/Tt : Tensile Strength Hair Treatment Mask

I just started using this and I think I love it? I saw a few IG videos from the Violet Grey account lauding its praises and felt intrigued. My favorite ROZ haircare products (the milk and oil) had run out, and I wanted to try something different. To be honest, I thought this was a leave-in milk similar to the ROZ. I didn’t realize it was an in-shower mask. Had I known that, I might not have gotten it because I hate waiting in the shower for things to “do their thing.”

But I bought it, so I had to try it - and I am so happy I did. I probably don’t leave it on for the full 5–10 minutes recommended, but I try to get as much time as I can. Here is the difference I see: my hair feels super soft, shiny, and straighter. Those grey hairs I’ve been complaining about no longer defy gravity; they actually go with the flow of the rest of my hair. It’s pretty great so far! After towel drying my hair, I find that I don’t need any other product and this is the all-in-one I needed. It has a strong scent - feels very nostalgic in a strange way. It’s not a natural scent, but I don’t mind it either.

Ceremonia Papaya Scalp Scrub*

Long-time readers will know that I tried the famous Christophe Robin Cleansing Purifying Scrub with Sea Salt and fell in love with how my hair looked after my first use, but my face erupted in a rash within minutes of using the product. Since then, I have been looking for a weekly or bi-weekly scrub to use that would give my hair a similar look to what the Christophe Robin did, but without the painful facial reaction. This scrub from Ceremonia does exactly that. Since I don’t use any post-shower products, I am not worried about buildup, but I do like giving myself a nice scalp treatment. The scrub, paired with the Scalp Masajeador (which I bought years ago and have been using with just regular shampoo), makes the whole ritual as close as possible to having a spa experience in my own bathroom. This also has a fruity fragrance but nothing too strong or lingering.

Nutrafol Vegan Supplement

I’ve been taking this for over two years and while I can’t say for certain it’s doing anything, I feel like it is. I take this as my daily multivitamin. I find it really hard to tell overnight the change a supplement can provide but I do feel this is helping my hair. As always talk to your healthcare provided before taking any supplements.

La Bonne Brosse

I bought this a while back but I actually found it really hard to brush my long hair with this dense brush. But with my short hair, I am loving this brush! I have the small size and I find that best to control and use vs the larger size option. This brush is helping keep the shine in my hair longer and looking really healthy. Oh as a bonus, I find that this is great at helping me change my part from side to side and “pressures” the hair to fall into place. I also really like the way my scalp feels after using this brush, which has led me to use it morning and night, all in the name of better scalp and hair health.

I totally can appreciate that a major chop is not for everyone, but also, it’s hair and it grows out. If you’ve been thinking about chopping your hair, take a deep breath, do some Pinterest scrolling, chatting with friends who will keep it real with you and then make an appointment with your stylist. And even if it’s all that you had hoped for, it’s truly not the worst thing in the world! It might take a while, but it will grow back.

Oh P.S. I am on the market for some new hair accessories/clips for short hair, especially since I can't use my beloved bun pins for a while. Please share your favorite ones!

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