The Secret to Great Hair with Davines Beauty

We all care about looking good. We put in time, money, care and attention into maintaining a certain level of vanity. And while this isn’t something to be ashamed of, when our beauty routine harms the environment, that’s when it gets ugly. We’ve created an industry that pours chemicals into the environment and depletes the ozone layer, melting the ice caps in hopes that we’ll turn some heads and stop traffic. Don’t feel bad about wanting to look good, but we all need to find a sustainable way to maintain your beauty.

It was from this desire that led me to discover Davines, an Italian beauty brand that has been helping us feel more beautiful and confident for over 35 years now. And at the center of all of this has been to do so sustainably, through production, practices and promises, even before caring for the environment was trendy. Their mission is paving the way for the future of companies to survive and support the world we live in, and by making us feel and look a little better living in it.

The magic in their products comes from plant-based additives that are sourced from Italian farms near their headquarters in Parma in order to help support the farming industry, earning them a certification as a Slow Food Company, the only beauty brand to hold this certification. They also work to uphold their standing as a B Corp company, a certification comparable to Fair Trade with coffee or Certified Organic with other foods, an honor that requires them to uphold numerous rigorous certifications, from sustainable packaging to the amount of paper used in their offices around the world.

I can’t help but realize that that amount of care and effort, and knowing that I’m supporting a brand that cares about the environment makes me shine a little brighter, makes me walk a little taller, and my heart feel lighter knowing that my beauty routine hasn’t caused more harm than good.

Read about the Davines products I can’t live without, and update your approach to haircare this season.

I love my hair. But how often do I show it love? My hair care routine usually consists of washing it as infrequently as I can get away with using whatever products are on sale at Zoe’s beauty in Greenpoint, pumping it full of dry shampoo in the interim and begging it for forgiveness when I throw it up in a ponytail at the gym and behind the bar and admittedly subjected to cigarette smoke too many late nights. So do I actively show my hair love? I’m ashamed to admit that I don’t.

How can I expect it to keep up with my lifestyle if I’m not giving it the care it needs? That’s when Davines swooped in and showed me how to give it the love it deserves. Using the whole Love line of products, from smoothing shampoo and thick pot of conditioner and hair smoothing cream, my hair is getting the attention and love it deserves to allow me to keep moving without worrying that my lifestyle is fighting against my beauty routine. It cuts down on frizz, making my hair soft and full without weighing it down. The secret is olive extract from a farm in Messina, Italy, so every time I wash and style I feel good knowing that my hair care is helping a family farmer keep his business alive. I’m sharing the love and feeling the love everytime I wash and style my hair. And that feels damn good.

Dry shampoo is my weapon of choice. It’s the only way I can keep up with my lifestyle. Washing my hair once or twice a week and refreshing with dry shampoo saves me so much time and ultimately is better for my hair, but I’m constantly battling dullness and strands that look lifeless. Finally, I discovered Oi Oil, an “absolutely beautifying potion,” which is the hair product I never knew existed yet is exactly what I’ve been looking for. This miracle serum revitalizes and refreshes my hair between washes, adding shine and life without weighing it down. It also helps give definition to my finicky waves, that between washes can get tired and flattened. And the fresh scent stays with me all day, and through long nights, whether I’m burning the midnight oil or painting the town red. While Oi Oil is ideal for long-haired girls with busy lifestyles, this miracle product doesn’t discriminate. Just a few spritzes tossed into dry hair will perk up your style and keep you moving without worrying your hair is giving away all your dirty, dull, and delicate little secrets.

Believe it or not, it is going to get warm in New York at some point. And that means weekend trips to the Rockaways, sweaty days shuffling around the city in a ponytail, and an overall lack of care, time, and effort put into our beauty routine. Arm yourself with this miracle spray to protect your tresses from the season-related stresses. Oi All In One Milk helps defend, condition, and adds body and texture to hair while protecting it from the elements and giving it a long-lasting fresh scent that always feels impossible to maintain in the summertime. I spray it on damp hair after the shower as a leave-in conditioner and style it accordingly to help my blow out last super long, and my hair to somehow look flawless when the rest of me is dying from the elements. Stock up with optimism that Spring must be just around the corner.

I hadn’t ever done a hair mask. I’ve never really thought of my hair the way I think of my skin, where I can see the impurities building up in my pores, but trust me, they still exist within those strands. Your hair needs renewing and rebuilding, and taking the time to mask your locks every month will do wonders to your hair’s health and growth potential.

The Purity Circle mask was made for New Yorkers. Its secret weapons are bamboo charcoal and matcha tea extract, helping to protect and energize hair from harsh pollutants and our often worn-out spirits.

The Quick-Fix Circle is the perfect answer for those of us who are always working, always moving, always on the go. It gives you the benefits of a 15-minute home treatment in just 3 minutes. Red clay and hyaluronic acid work quickly to treat, purify, and protect your hair in a pinch. Use it like conditioner after shampooing – cover towel-dried hair in the mask and let sit for 3 minutes (this is when I usually shave my legs, #multitasking) then rinse and, you know, get on with your life.

Update your beauty routine to show that you care, not only for how you look but for the beauty and sustainability of our environment. Davines is the only brand that makes it easy and affordable to use products that are helping more than they are hurting, so that the depletion of the environment is not one of the circumstances of our vanity. Let the only ugliness that comes out of your beauty routine be the jealous looks from flat-headed dull-locked passers-by on the sidewalk. You’re better than that.