MEET ELA
I'm a simple person - I love peace and quiet and being surrounded by nature and like to incorporate that even when living in London. I'm always looking forward to escaping to Albania where I can enjoy lush landscapes and rich culture, as well as organic foods and oils. Greenery and natural things make my day and boost my mood in an instant, so I tend to prefer places like that. My love for nature also aligns with my interests in ancient history, specifically Pelasgian-Illyrian, as well as Mediterranean architecture and an old-fashioned lifestyle (think of pottery, organic crops, traditional Albanian dishes, all-natural hair and skin tonics, and traditional Albanian furniture).
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE TEXTURE OF YOUR HAIR?
Low-porosity and currently within the realm of type 2, however the underpart of my hair goes into type 3A (curlier and more defined when styled properly).
HOW DID YOU TAKE CARE OF YOUR HAIR BEFORE THE INTRODUCTION OF THE INNATE LIFE PRODUCTS?
I used sulfate-free shampoo for around a year or two and would oil my hair heavily with coconut, Rapeseed (not Grapeseed!) and Olive oil as a pre-poo treatment. I had not yet incorporated proper hair masks that would've been used after shampooing and so I stuck to DIYs. I didn't deep condition either.
WHAT MADE YOU SEEK OUT THE INNATE LIFE PRODUCTS? HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE COMPANY?
I heard of The Innate Life products whilst watching videos on YouTube – I was just getting into doing the whole curly girl method and learned of the benefits of using natural hair products (which don’t have the nasty things that dry and damage your hair and scalp). It definitely kicked off my hair care regimen as I got more into researching every single thing in my products. After hearing about the infusion of plants I desperately wanted to try, I went and did a little research on The Innate Life and bought my first set (Problematic Scalp Treatment, Herbal Hair Mask and the Rose Hair Elixir).
WHAT SETS THE INNATE LIFE APART FROM OTHER COMPANIES IN THE BEAUTY INDUSTRY?
The Innate Life is definitely one of the beauty companies with genuine quality and care for their customers. My hair has not been in such good health in years and years (possibly ever!) and these products have become a staple in my regimen. I have picky preferences as I don't like to put up with unpleasant smells or things I know will ruin what I had invested in – The Innate Life gets rid of these worries! Every product I've tried has done wonders, and all smell great! Truly a safe bet when choosing products for both new and experienced naturals, all are great and there are no nasty surprises.
WHAT IS YOUR HAIRCARE ROUTINE NOW?
PRE-WASH
I use The Innate Life products in conjunction with other brands, however I am very interested in using the full line. For scalp oils, I use The Innate Life Rosemary Scalp Treatment and the Problematic Scalp Treatment, as well as another branded oil serum and scalp oil. I try to rotate this between wash days, leaving the Problematic Scalp Treatment for days where my scalp needs a little extra TLC. The thickness really helps me out, and I usually leave it in overnight.
I use The Innate Life Herbal Hair Mask along with two other hair masks. I follow a personalized capillary schedule and rotate between an oil-based hair mask to a hydrating one, along with a protein treatment which I do once a month.
I use The Innate Life Herbal Hair Mask along with two other hair masks. I follow a personalized capillary schedule and rotate between an oil-based hair mask to a hydrating one, along with a protein treatment which I do once a month.
DURING WASH
After I prep my hair with the scalp treatments, I shampoo and condition, however I fit my masks in between. I also deep condition once or twice a week. I also like to do some kind of hair rinse with ACV, Rosemary, Lavender, Amla and/or Chamomile.
POST-WASH
I generally just use a leave-in (currently in testing as I'm struggling to find the right one, however I'm also eyeing up The Innate Life Leave-in Conditioner as my next one) and finish off with The Innate Life Rose Hair Elixir. This oil will be my forever-and-always, I hadn't been able to find the right oil that wouldn't weigh my hair down or make my hair immediately greasy until I met this lifesaver. As someone that dislikes the smell of roses with a passion, I was VERY pleasantly surprised when I found out that this oil, although it obviously does smell of roses, smells absolutely incredible and is so relaxing after spending all that time detangling.
If I have time, I scrunch it in after using a styling gel. The Rose Hair Elixir immediately softens and defines my hair even more, and allows the aroma to stick around a little longer. However, I usually skip the styling gel and go straight to the oil as I try to keep my hair as straight as possible!
I wash my hair around 3 times a week and it takes 6+ hours to dry, even after using a microfibre towel. Very occasionally, I may use a blowdryer on cold settings with a diffuser, but I try to cut down on time and keep it in a slicked back braid or bun.
HOW DID YOU SEE YOUR HAIR CHANGE AFTER USING THE INNATE LIFE PRODUCTS?
First of all, I had my hair cut to shoulder length in the beginning of 2017, and it took roughly 3/4 years for it to grow to the length shown in my Before photo. After using The Innate Life Problematic Scalp Treatment, Herbal Hair Mask and Rose Hair Elixir, my hair grew from that length, to below my hips within a year. My mind was BLOWN. As well as the treatment stimulating new hair growth, the mask and elixir protected my lengths and ends and allowed my hair to grow so much. The health of my hair dramatically improved and each individual strand is glossy and thick. So to sum it up, my hair has grown double the length it took in 3 years down to just 1 year, while making my hair shinier and healthier.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE FOR YOU TO SEE RESULTS?
My hair started to become less frizzy within a few uses, thanks to the Rose Hair Elixir that I can't get over! And length-wise... you saw it! 3 years to grow from shoulder length to my elbows without The Innate Life, but only a year for it to go from elbows to below hip-length with The Innate Life.
WHICH IS YOUR FAVOURITE PRODUCT AND WHY?
It's a struggle to choose – but if you've noticed how many times I've mentioned the Rose Hair Elixir, you could say it's the one. I currently really love the new Rosemary Scalp Treatment as it gives you the choice of a slightly lighter formula but still as beneficial for treating your scalp. It’s perfect on days where you need a slightly lower rate of transferring oil onto your pillowcase or hair wrap, and it’s definitely the choice for busy people who travel a lot. The Rose Hair Elixir, as I mentioned, smells divine and leaves my hair glossy, soft and gives it a nice bounce.
WHO WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THESE PRODUCTS TO?
If you have low to medium porosity hair (as I do), this is it – look no further. For those with medium density and/or curly hair, go for the Herbal Hair Mask. Possibly buy in bulk if you can. The Rose Hair Elixir is for hair that can't stand very heavy oils. Both scalp treatments I recommend to everyone.
HOW DOES THE INNATE LIFE FIT INTO A LIFESTYLE COMMITTED TO HEALTH + WELLNESS?
Organic, natural, and it works. If health and wellness is something important to you, as it should be with everyone, caring for yourself topically as well as internally will show you many benefits. Most people neglect the health of their skin and hair, then wonder why they can't find a good hair product and why they're not seeing positive change. The ingredients The Innate Life uses solves this problem as well as being convenient - it works both for high & low maintenance lifestyles. These products lack toxins and other things that dry and damage your hair and scalp, and give you a boost in the health of your hair and scalp – something most other beauty companies don't do.