In this maintenance reset, I’m getting my hair all the way together so I can walk into 2026 feeling fresh. I start exactly how I always do: I rinse first to get the gunk, debris, and leftover product off so my shampoo can actually do what it needs to do. Then I go in with a calm clarifying shampoo that’s color-safe (because yes, I dyed my hair black), focusing on my roots and scalp and even using a scalp scrubber for that extra exfoliation + mini massage. I shampoo twice, then follow up with my favorite deep conditioner—the Elasticity Restorative Conditioner from Mielle—because it gives me that moisture-protein balance and makes detangling so easy. After wash day, I move into stretching and trimming. I test the Color Wow Extra Strength Dream Coat heat protectant (I remember it going viral, so I wanted to try it my way) and then stretch my hair with my Adagio blow-drying round brush on high heat. At first the spray didn’t feel “wow” to me—no smell, not super slippery—but the results surprised me because my hair got pretty darn straight, shiny, and it didn’t take long. Then I do a simple maintenance trim—about 1/4 inch, like I do every 3 months—and I also talk about a frustrating issue: a sparse “hole” in the back that I think is coming from pineappling with a scrunchie. I’m cutting what needs to go and starting a recovery road for 2026.