There are certain forms of self-care that quietly slide to the bottom of the list when you become a mom.
Not because you don’t care.
Not because you’ve “let yourself go.”
But because somewhere between keeping tiny humans alive, managing a home, navigating postpartum, and trying to remember who you are underneath it all… your own maintenance starts to feel optional.
And apparently, for me, haircuts became very optional.
I realized a few weeks ago that I had not had my hair cut since November 2024.
It’s now May of 2026.
Honestly? Ridiculous.
My ends were dry and brittle. I had the very glamorous combination of postpartum regrowth and postpartum shedding happening simultaneously. My hair felt heavy, uneven, and somehow both too long and too thin at the same time. Every time I caught it in the mirror, I thought:
“Okay. I really need to do something about this.”
But the thing is… it wasn’t just about scheduling a haircut.
Growing up with hairdressers in the family meant hair appointments were always treated like a given. Convenient. Expected. Handled. And while I’m genuinely grateful for that, I didn’t realize until adulthood how much autonomy I had slowly given away in the process.
Because when the haircut wasn’t quite what I asked for?
I dealt with it.
When I wanted something different but didn’t want to create tension?
I stayed quiet.
When I left feeling slightly disappointed but told myself it “wasn’t a big deal”?
I brushed it off.
And eventually I realized I wasn’t just avoiding a haircut because I was busy. I was avoiding the emotional strings attached to it too.
At the same time, I also didn’t necessarily want to spend hundreds of dollars on a luxury salon experience that still might not leave me feeling like me.
So naturally… I did what any overwhelmed mom trying to revamp her life in tiny manageable pieces would do:
I went to Ulta Beauty or makeup.
Which, ironically, is where this whole thing changed.
The Unexpected Ulta Salon Plot Twist
I was in the middle of rebuilding my makeup bag for this current season of life (more on that in my upcoming “5 Minute Mom Makeup Routine” post) when I randomly ran into an old friend from a decade ago — someone I used to manage our local Athleta store with back in the day.
Somehow, within minutes of catching up, she mentioned she had just gotten her hair done at the Ulta Salon.
And I had this moment of:
“Wait… Ulta has a salon?”
Apparently this information had been available to the general public for quite some time while I remained blissfully unaware.
But honestly? The more she talked about it, the more it felt exactly like the kind of low-pressure experience I was craving.
Simple online booking. Transparent pricing. Convenient location. Good products. No weird emotional politics attached to the appointment.
Done.
The Hair Appointment That Actually Felt Good
Fast forward to yesterday.
I booked my appointment online through the Ulta Beauty Salon & Services page incredibly easily, walked in with my overly grown-out postpartum hair situation, and immediately felt comfortable.
My stylist was warm, fun, collaborative, and — perhaps most importantly — actually listened to what I wanted.
No convincing me otherwise.
No overcomplicating things.
No leaving with a version of someone else’s idea.
Just:
“Got it. Let’s do that.”
And she absolutely nailed it.
What I Actually Asked For:
One thing I’m trying to get better at in this season is being incredibly honest and specific about what actually works for my real life instead of what looks good online for five minutes.
So before my appointment, I thought carefully about what my hair was currently struggling with:
-
postpartum shedding + regrowth
-
flat roots
-
dry ends
-
heaviness through the bottom
-
wanting movement without losing too much length
-
needing everything to still fit comfortably into a ponytail for mom life
I didn’t want a high-maintenance haircut that required styling every day to look good. I wanted hair that worked with my life.
So I asked for:
✨ soft face framing
✨ internal layers for movement and volume
✨ shape without sacrificing thickness
✨ and enough length to still pull everything back easily
Basically:
“Please help me look like myself again… but still someone who has to pack snacks and survive t-ball practice.”
And honestly? She understood the assignment perfectly.
The products she used also made a huge difference in helping my hair feel manageable instead of overwhelming.
Here’s how I’ve been using them at home:
✨ Bumble and bumble Hairdresser’s Invisible Oil Primer
I spray this through damp mids + ends after showering before heat styling or air drying. It’s lightweight enough for my fine/oily-prone hair while still helping my postpartum dryness tremendously. She can also be applied between washes on a daily basis without creating buildup or heaviness which I LOVE.
✨ Moroccanoil Root Boost
This goes directly at my roots before blow drying, especially around the crown and face framing pieces where postpartum regrowth tends to flatten everything immediately.
✨ Moroccanoil Hydrating Styling Cream
I use the tiniest amount through the ends after styling to smooth frizz and add softness without making my hair feel coated or greasy.
The biggest surprise? None of these products made my routine feel harder.
They made it easier.
And lately, that’s become one of my favorite forms of self-care:
things that quietly support my everyday life instead of creating more work for me.
For the first time in a long time, I left a hair appointment feeling more like myself instead of less.
Not “transformed.”
Not suddenly a new woman.
Just… refreshed. Lighter. More aligned with myself again.
Which, lately, feels like the kind of self-care I’m actually interested in.
What This Haircut Actually Represented
At face value, this was just a haircut.
But somewhere between postpartum identity shifts, rebuilding my routines, rediscovering my creativity, and learning how to care for myself without resentment or performance attached to it… this appointment felt symbolic of something bigger.
It felt like:
- choosing ease
- choosing autonomy
- choosing what actually works for my life
- choosing myself in small but meaningful ways
Not performative self-care.
Not aspirational perfection.
Just practical, useful things that genuinely make everyday life feel a little better.
And honestly? That’s the kind of beauty I’m interested in now.
A Small Disclaimer 🤍
This post contains affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase through these links — at no additional cost to you. I only share products, services, and experiences I genuinely enjoy, use myself, or would recommend to a friend.
If You’ve Been Putting Off Something Small…
Maybe this is your sign to finally book the appointment.
Replace the makeup product.
Buy the thing that makes your mornings easier.
Take care of the tiny detail you keep brushing aside because it feels “unimportant.”
Sometimes those small acts end up reconnecting you to yourself in ways you didn’t expect.
And lately?
I’m learning that counts for a lot.
What's in my "mom makeup" bag?
👉Blog Post Here
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