Girls – we have all been there. You get a bad cut, a terrible life-altering color, you use a keratin hair mask and leave it on for way way way too long (like I did) or something just changes hormonally, environmentally, and even psychologically that simply stresses out your hair. It’s your very own personal nightmare, and hey, I’ve been there. My mane has finally healed, and all I can say is, thank GOD that is over. Just in case you were wondering what to do in this particular situation, I have outlined to steps to take to get your hair back on track.

Trick 1: I suggest going to your most trusted hair guy or girl. Tell them the whole story, get a cut (yes you need to cut off those raggedy ends) and immediately your hair and mind feel better. You don’t need to go all Jennifer Lawrence, but try a lob (long bob) and take it from there.

Trick 2: Give your hair a color break. Just give it a break for a few months or so. You will be fine, trust me. As my sister once perfectly stated: “Do you want healthy brown hair or unhealthy blond hair?” I choose health over blond.

Trick 3: Make sure you are getting enough protein. This was actually one of my issues. Sure, green juices are good for you, but you can’t live off them. I don’t eat meat, and believe in a pescatarian diet, so I need to make a serious effort to eat plenty of good fats, oils, fish, nuts, avocado and vegan protein smoothies.

Trick 4: See your doctor and have him or her recommend someone who specializes in hair. If you live in NYC or London, book an appointment with the # 1 hair specialist or Trichologist, Dr. Philip Kingsley. He’s a Dr. for your hair, and will recommend a diet plan, vitamins, shampoos and conditioning treatments (like his world famous Elasticizer) to get your hair back in shape ASAP.

Trick 5: Amp up the vitamin intake! I rely on a morning cocktail of Viviscal, Biotin as well as Philip Kingsley’ prescribed vitamins.

Trick 6: Stop using random products, just stop. I’m talking shampoos, conditioners, styling products and anything with protein or keratin. You must checkout simple and clean lines like my newly discovered favorite Purely Perfect, created by the former founder of Bumble and Bumble. Purely Perfect is the latest product part of the wave of cleaning creams. I can 100% vouch for this cream, as I have been using it for the past month and I am obsessed. No more hair loss, and less color fading. Larger brands have jumped on the bandwagon too, with Shu Uemura’s Cleansing Oil Shampoo and Kérastase’s Chroma Sensitive Caressing Cleansing Balm. These low-foam products promise to help prolong color and main hair health. More on Purely Perfect and the power of cleansing creams this week.

I hope these tips help you as much as learning this all the hard way helped me!