Autumn hair advice

[caption id="attachment_913" align="aligncenter" width="300" caption="Image courtesy of The Enquirer"][/caption]

A chill is starting to intrude on our precious summer warmth, and the leaves will soon begin to float off the trees as a prelude to the impending winter. Sigh!

Before you cosy down into hibernation, we recommend tending to the dreary reality of the colder months, with a bit of hair TLC. Give your locks and your mood a bit of va va voom with our Autumn hair advice…

A boost of colour
Though the days are growing darker, consider going lighter with your hair! With a sinking sun and less time outdoors your skin tone will lighten up, so you should respond by lifting your hair colour to a lighter or warmer shade (bright and rich browns can make pale skin look super radiant). For more tips on how to find a fresh new hair colour, read our “Hair colour for your skin tone” article.

Rehydration
After dousing your hair with heat and UV rays over the past few months, there’s a good chance your locks are in need of some replenishment. The summer elements tend to cause moisture loss - leaving your hair dry, brittle and split-endy. Reclaim a moisture-rich and glossy hair condition, by having your damaged ends snipped off and re-nourish your tresses with a deep conditioning treatment or hair mask.

Scalp stimulation
Giving your head a good knead is well worth the effort! As well as facilitating the removal of build-up, it also stimulates blood circulation in the scalp - which keeps those roots active and encourages hair growth. Consider giving yourself (or conning somebody else into giving you) a scalp massage. Spread your fingertips slightly, and apply strong pressure to your scalp. Using circular and back and forth motions, massage your head - beginning at the nape of your neck. Continue up behind and above the ears, then on the top and the front of your head. Focus on moving the skin on your scalp rather than just your fingers.

Eating well
It’s easy to eat well in the warmer months with all the delicious fruits and summer salads, but the winter months tend to temp us with our favourite comfort foods! Your diet absolutely effects the state of your tresses, so you need to ensure your daily sustenance is packed with nutrient-rich foods that contain protein, zinc, iron, B vitamins and essential fatty acids. If you’d some suggestions of some yummy foods that are great for your hair, refer to our “Healthy foods for healthy hair” article.

The art of hairdrying

 

The humble hair dryer (along with a few of its friends), transforms your hair from ‘just fine’ to FABULOUS thanks to the power of heat and air. From smooth and straight to textured and voluminous, your hair dryer is a foundational element for constructing great looking hair - and by employing a few salon techniques and taking a little extra time, A-class hair can be your everyday look!

Key styling tools

• Hairdryer- ideally with a diffuser and concentrator nozzle attachment


• Curling iron


• Straightening iron


• Round brush


• Paddle brush


• Wide tooth comb


• Volumising mousse


• Hairspray


• Sectioning clips


• Hairpins/curl clips

Dishevelled beach-babe

1. Run a small handful of volumising mousse through your hair (from roots to ends), making sure it’s evenly distributed (you can use a wide tooth comb to do this).


2. Using the diffuser attachment with your hairdryer on a medium heat and airflow lift sections of hair and place them in the diffuser, gently scrunching your hair until it’s about 80% dry (for extra lift, chuck your hair upside down to dry).


3. Finish off by drying the roots, holding the hairdryer close to your head and twisting the diffuser in circular motions.


4. Add a spritz of hair spray and a few final scrunches to complete a cool ‘undone’ look.

Tip: A diffuser distributes a consistent airflow so that your hair dries evenly and creates additional volume.


Straight and sleek strands

1. Blow-dry your hair until it’s a little more than towel dry.


2. Divide and clip your hair into sections (consider where you want your hair parting and section accordingly).


3. Using the concentrator nozzle attachment and starting with the underneath sections, dry your hair using a round brush.


4. Starting at the roots, follow your brush with the dryer to the ends continually brushing each section before moving on to the next.


5. Once your hair is dry, re-section your hair and use straightening irons for an extra slick finish.


6. Hairspray to set your style in place.

Tip: A concentrator nozzle attachment directly targets air, drying your hair faster and smoother (not to mention making brushing easier!).


Voluminous waves

1. Blow-dry your hair until it’s a little more than towel dry.


2. Run a small handful of volumising mousse through your hair (from roots to ends).


3. Divide and clip your hair into sections


4. Starting with the underneath sections, dry your locks using a round brush to roll your hair from the ends to the roots (similar to how you would use rollers).


5. Work the brush upwards and away from your head or curl under and towards your head, holding and drying for a few seconds before releasing (try not to play with each section at this stage).


6. Use your hairdryer’s cool setting, to give your hair a final blast to set the style.


7. Run your fingers through your locks to loosen and lift the look.

Alternative: Consider using rollers for added volume. Roll and secure sections of your hair in rollers (the bigger the rollers the bigger the volume), blow wave your hair dry and use a paddle brush to blend the sections.


Elegant swirls of curls

1. Roughly blow-dry your hair.


2. Divide and clip your hair into sections.


3. Using a curling iron, roll your hair up the wand from the ends to the roots and hold for a few seconds.


4. Carefully unravel each curl and use curl clips or hairpins to clip the curls in place.


5. Once your head is full of little curls, unravel and brush through your hair using a paddle brush.


6. Set your style with hairspray.

Achieve a salon-standard hair wash at home

[caption id="attachment_389" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Image courtesy of youbeauty.com"][/caption]

Don’t you just love how your hair always feels incredibly silky and lavishly nourished when you leave the hairdressers? Believe it or not, you can achieve the same result at home by simply refining your morning hair washing routine!

Of course using premium hair care products is an essential key to healthy, vibrant hair (see our article on supermarket vs. salon hair care), and you’re probably not going to be able to recreate the divine head massage your stylist so tenderly bestows…BUT there is most certainly a “best practice” for cleansing your hair and we’re going to share it with you so you can achieve the soft, sparkling tresses you acquire at the salon…

1. Take a few moments to brush your hair – this helps loosens the grip of any styling products you have used and by detangling your locks you prevent hair breakage.

2. Thoroughly drench your hair with warm water and squeeze a walnut-sized dollop of shampoo into your palm, spreading it evenly over your hands. Work the shampoo through your hair and gently massage your scalp, lathering at the roots and working your way down to the ends. The extra time you spend giving your head a good knead is well worth the effort – aside from the fact that it facilitates the removal of build-up, it also stimulates scalp circulation, which can aid hair growth. Rinse your hair until the water runs completely clear and if you are a frequent user of styling products, consider giving your hair a second round.

3. As with your shampoo, evenly spread a walnut-sized dollop of conditioner over your hands and massage the conditioner through your hair (you could also use a wide-tooth comb). Leave your conditioner in for 1 to 2 minutes before giving your hair a good rinse.

4. Dry your hair with a towel, but avoid vigorous rubbing as this can cause damage - gently squeeze instead. Leave your hair wrapped up while you do your make-up or eat your breakfast. To conclude your hair wash routine, comb your hair - starting at the bottom to prevent hair breakage, and then commence styling as desired.

Voila! Squeaky clean, healthy, shiny, luscious locks!

Looking after your locks: supermarket vs. salon hair care

 

Your hair is one of your greatest accessories; so it’s worth ensuring your tresses stay in mint condition. Hair care plays a key role in maintaining healthy, shiny locks and it’s important you use products that contain essential and quality ingredients to protect the condition of your hair as well as make it look and feel fabulous! Which heralds the question: Can supermarket products do the trick or is it best to invest in salon-endorsed hair care?

The price and quality of supermarket vs. salon products is often debated. Supermarket-bought products are in general, considerably cheaper than salon-bought, but the quality is more-often-than-not compromised. Some maintain that there is no a difference between the two, however we beg to differ.

Here are a few things to consider:

More bang for your buck

• Believe it or not, salon products can give you more value for your money!


• Due to the a higher concentration of active ingredients (including essential vitamins and proteins), you only need to use a small amount- which means it can last longer than supermarket products that are less concentrated and have higher quantities of fillers (such as water and unnecessary chemicals and preservatives).

The facts about foam

• Fact: Lather has no real benefit in making your hair clean.


• Supermarket products often use harsh foaming agents such as ammonium laurel sulphate and sodium lauryl sulphate that remove essential oils from hair resulting in dry and coarse hair. These elements can also strip hair colour, cause scalp irritation and accelerate the thinning of hair due to their acidic properties.


• Surfactants in salon products are generally much kinder. Sodium laureth sulphate is the gentlest option with very little lather (which is why a lot of shampoos won’t use it). It helps remove the build up of oils, dirt and environmental pollutants, without stripping natural sebum or hair colour- leaving your hair softer and shinier.

Silky and smooth

• Hair care products generally contain conditioning agents to produce soft and moisture-rich hair.


• Supermarket products use ingredients such as silicone to produce this effect. Silicone coats hair strands making your locks feel silky smooth, but it restricts   moisture absorption and inhibits cleaning, resulting in residue build-up that leaves hair limp and lifeless.


• Salon hair care contains higher-quality moisturising conditioners with essential proteins that help lock moisture within the hair shaft and scalp. This protects hair from drying out, assists in repairing damage and helps maintain soft, pliable locks.

I think celebrity hairstylist Dario Cotroneo says it best...”The difference between salon-professional shampoos versus supermarket shampoo is the investment made in the product development to protect hair against UV protection; thermal repair from over-styling; and colour-fade preservation," he says. "The internal makings of professional shampoos and conditioners are more concentrated with essential ingredients to repair hair from the inside out. "Supermarket shampoos are detergent based, so they will lather up and give you the impression that it is cleansing faster, but this is smoke and mirrors, as it cleanses from the outside in. When I was at college and a colour did not work out, we used a supermarket shampoo to strip the colour out faster! So professional is my choice for that reason as it's all about protecting your investment, so your hair colour lasts."*

We recommend that you invest in quality hair care that does just that- cares for your hair. We endorse Wella products and have them available in our salons and very soon, our online shop. Make an informed choice by talking with your stylist about the best hair products for you based on your hair type, condition and exposure to elements including the sun, chlorine, hair colour and thermal stylers.

*Quote from Your Beauty Spot