Sharing my “Hair Journey” with Herbal Essences

Sponsored by Herbal Essences and ShopStyle

Change is good.

Change is necessary.

Change is possible.

Change is magic.

People say that you know a woman is about to change her life when she changes her hair…and I couldn’t agree more. Today I’m very excited to partner with Herbal Essences to show you my hair journey and how I have embraced change.

My first hair “transformation” happened when I was about 4 years old. I had the most beautiful bronze curls, but I would cry my eyes out and ask my mom “why wasn’t I born with bangs?”. Yes, I thought people were born with bangs.  After months of continuous complaining, my mom took me to the hair salon. Little did I know that the perfectly blown out bangs would turn into two little curls on my forehead after the first shower.

I barely did anything to my hair for the next two decades (well, let’s not talk about the brief period I had chunky highlights around my “quinceañera”- don’t judge, it was the early 2000s. Oh yes, I cut bangs again in 2009, I guess 4 year old me didn’t learn the lesson).  

In 2012, I did my hair ombré. It was the first time I felt like a big change inside and out. I had started blogging full time and it felt like I was letting go of Daniela and embracing Nany somehow. It was a new beginning. I felt more daring, I wasn’t afraid to try new, and edgier, trends. The lighter ends made me want to experiment with color,  I started with a pastel pink that was so much fun and I did some purple/aqua strands for a mermaid feel.

But something happened in the midst of my “rebel” days, my now-husband asked me to marry him. I wasn’t going to get married with faded mermaid hair- those pics are forever! So I rushed to my stylist and said “take me back to my natural color.” Even though I’m glad because the pictures are beautiful, I wanted to go back to my edgier self- this time, I had a plan. I was going to light it up as much as possible to then do an intense blue and then finish it with a big chop- the big chop I’ve always wanted and had always been so afraid to do.

I did exactly that. I dyed my hair blue in a hotel bathroom in California. The bathroom titles were black and I don’t think the hotel found out the big mess I made. However, the aqua waded into a grayish green that made me look sick.

With all the bleaching over the past 4 years, my hair was truly damaged and I knew what I had to do. I was so afraid to cut it short. I’ve always had very long hair- most of my life up until my waist. Why was I so afraid to cut it? Why was I so attached to it?

But I DID IT! I chopped it and I felt free. I felt like a new person. I felt lighter. I loved the freedom when styling it- either straight or curl a few pieces around my face and I was ready to go.

When I was approached to do this campaign, Herbal Essences reminded me to embrace change in my life - big or small - as a way to live more fully and let life in. So I headed back to the salon. I wanted to go back to my natural hair color by cutting the last pieces of bleached ends I had. Can't wait to show you the Nany who is ready for anything that life might bring- who has grown more than ever this year and who is ready to EMBRACE CHANGE!