I've been dyeing my hair forever, but my relationship with hairdressers was never consistent. When I moved to the Bay Area in 2011 and wanted to do some highlights, I hit up Yelp and ended up finding a really highly-rated listing for the salon I Dig Your Hair. Seven years later, I regularly and exclusively only go to Domenica, owner of this amazing woman-owned small business that not only focuses on haircuts, styling, color and other beauty services, she also has created a small core line of sulfate and paraben-free haircare products that are fantastic and deserve cult indie beauty staple status. That Hair-apy conditioner and mask alone is the beeeeeest and smells amazing.

One thing that always turned me off a little about some stylists is how indifferent they can be when talking to you, especially when hello you're sometimes in their chair for hours and you can feel rushed and just one in a long line of clients that day. Not so at I Dig Your Hair. Domenica is genuinely friendly and bubbly to anyone in her chair and will always make sure you're happy with the results of your latest 'do. And she's honest; if something you want to do won't work with your skin tone or eyes, she will let you know before proceeding.

I asked her to help me start the process of going blonder, and while I was in the chair she graciously let me ask her some questions so we could all learn the secrets to great hair.

Do you think we should wash hair daily or wait a few days in between washing?

A few days in between.

What's your advice for keeping your color fresh and gorgeous?

Washing less, use cooler or tepid water, and proper sulfate-free/color treated shampoo and conditioner.

What is the #1 you notice clients sometimes do wrong with their hair and what would you suggest as a course correct?

Not using their blow dryer with diffuser nozzle, or directing air in right direction. Not doing so makes the hair frizzy. Prepping hair is half the battle, if you can do that well the rest is easy.

You're amazing when it comes to color and getting color to last between visits. What approach do you take to get such fab results for clients?

Educating them on how to care for their investment at home to maximize the longevity of their color.

What would you recommend for people who have had thinning hair/problems with hair growth from either diet, medication, or treatments that weakened hair?

Beef up nutrition and supplements, specifically: B vitamins, fats, iron and vitamin. Those are the culprit things I notice that when missing affect hair density and growth.

What are your fave products and tools?

Always a 1 1/4 inch iron, like Babyliss. I love my bio ionic blow dryer, my Repair and Refresh shampoo and conditioner, and Euphora Dry Shampoo and smooth in thermal defense prep. I’m a huge fan of minimalist and multi-tasking products.

Are there any newer brands putting out amazing stuff we should keep an eye on, like your own I Dig Your Hair line?

I just learned about Kristen Ess at Target. It seems very simplistic and I like the packaging and want to try it. I’m a big fan of anything natural and healthier and better for you.

Silicones are a hot topic these days as a hair product ingredient to avoid. What's your hot take?

Heres my take: I feel it is true that your foundation of healthy hair and scalp should be free of it and as close to best ingredients as possible. To some degree though, styling products need to perform and have results. In this day and age, with so much product refinement, it’s not like using straight up petroleum. I feel so many different ways about it. Sometimes you can’t be ideal all the time, and it (silicones) serves a purpose.

What's the best way for lazy people who want cool hair to achieve this with little fuss when getting ready? Is it the cut? Color? Some magic styling hack?

Go with what your hair wants to do and maximize what it will do, not what it won’t do. If you have an inconsistent natural wave, make it work with things like salt sprays that help to bend and kink and make it do what it wants to do. Having a good haircut that supports that and brings it out helps a lot, and color will always help in making hair look better. Work with what you have and enhance the best parts of it. Hair should be effortless.

Shampoo and conditioner aside, what would be your "desert island" hair product pick if you could only have one thing?

Oil, like Mamey Sepote oil and cherry kernel seed oil. An oil that can do a lot for hair and skin and scalp and I can air dry my hair with it.

What is the one best piece of advice you can give when it comes to hair?

Love what you have, embrace your texture.

Much thanks to Domenica for letting me ask these questions, and if you're in the Bay Area and are looking for a top quality hair stylist, I cannot recommend her services enough.

*This post is not sponsored nor paid for, these opinions are my own.