Postpartum hair loss and straightening addiction: We tried to save our hair

As someone with long wavy hair, using hair styling devices is not foreign to me, and there is no doubt that they are a significant part of my daily getting-ready routine. But if there is one thing I have learned since becoming a mother, it is that every spare minute is a precious resource and getting ready to leave the house is an absolute luxury. Let us add to that the fact that I am in the midst of a postpartum hair loss period (which reminds me of its existence during almost every wash) – and we have a definitely complex relationship with my hair. On the one hand, I want it to look good and tidy (and thank you to the tight bun that is saving souls these days), and on the other hand, I do not really have the time or patience to invest in it as in the past.

Therefore, when I received the new Shark GLAM device to try out, I hoped it would do the job with a minimum of investment, sweating, and disruption. As someone who was used to drying hair with a blow dryer, styling it with a brush, and giving it a touch of curling at the end – my expectations were high. Mainly because this is a device with interchangeable styling attachments that promises easy work.

I used it mainly on damp hair after washing, as my goal was not to achieve a "board" straight look, but simply to make the hair look tidy and less puffy. The result was exactly in that zone: The hair remained with natural movement just the way I like it, but without the frizz and mess that I usually fight against and work harder on with a variety of devices. The fact that the styling is done using hot air and not through direct contact with scorching plates also gave me a slightly more reassuring feeling, especially when my hair feels more delicate than usual.

There are many things I am grateful for receiving in my genetics, but for my very curly root – absolutely not. As someone who has been doing straighteners for 15 years and does not see herself stopping anytime soon, I know all the side effects up close: Greasiness, shedding, thinning hair, and walking around for two weeks after the treatment with dandruff in the hair. And let us not talk, of course, about the enslavement of sitting half a day in a salon with a substance that burns your scalp. Therefore, I experimented last month with a new straightening treatment: Argila Amazonia. This is a Brazilian clay straightening (and it is also vegan!) without glyoxylic acid. According to the official importer's details, it contains a combination of white clay from the Amazon and murumuru butter.

The result is customized according to each person's preference, so that it can be adjusted together with the hairstylist. The result I reached is completely straight roots, but in the rest of the hair, I kept its volume as much as possible. The final result: A completely straight root, since my root is curly, but without a flat or volumeless look. In terms of the process itself, it was faster than previous straighteners I have done, and the substance also does not burn or tingle the scalp very much. There was discomfort only in the first few minutes after applying the substance, which calmed down relatively quickly. In addition, the hair straightening process was without smoke that burns the eyes. A bonus.

And regarding the side effects – the shedding was much less significant and there was barely any dandruff that usually appears after the treatment. The most significant advantage for me is the option to maintain the natural volume of the hair and to adjust the result exactly to what you want.