The Cut
Because some cuts just don't suit everyone. Unless you're Jared Leto.
I had some pretty terrible hair styles in high school. I really wish someone had sat me down and set me straight. The first thing you need to do is find your face shape . You should fall under one of the following; Oval, Oblong, round, long, square, triangular, heart or diamond. If you don't already know then the easiest way is to look in the mirror and draw around your reflection with a white board marker or a lipstick, etc. Once you know your face shape it's easier to search for suitable cuts :)
I hate to say it, but regular trims are a must. It won't make your hair grow super fast like some people believe, but it will help to prevent breakage and because of that it will be healthier and will reduce breakage. But more about hair growth later!
What's an inch? If someone's having a trim and tell me that they only want an inch off, I ask them what their inch is. I'm not kidding. Some people laugh at it, but the ones who've been butchered at the hairdressers know why I'm asking. I swear an inch to some hairdressers is actually five.
I cut my own hair. I'm not suggesting you do it, especially when it comes to length. But if you do take the plunge there are so many tutorials. I've done the Lee Stafford one myself to cut layers because it's simple.
If your hair's wavy or curly hair and you wear it natural, a red flag should go up if the hairdresser pulls straight the section of your hair that they're cutting. No no no. Just no. They should relax the tension of their hold a little so as to not pull your hair from it's natural pattern. This is even more important when getting a wet cut, as hair stretches twice as much when wet and if they treat it the same way they would straight hair, you're going to lose a lot more than you wanted to because it will automatically 'bounce' dry.
The Colour
Colour fades, but some tend to do so more quickly than others. Sunlight and Anti-dandruff shampoo is the devil to people with vivid shades. There are so many shampoos now designed specifically for coloured hair, whether natural or dyed. For example, red-heads can actually buy products which have colour pigments in them!
If you want crazy colour ideas I will forever suggest BLEACH. They're a London based salon but their website is like a crazy awesome mood board.
If you're blessed with a naturally beautiful barnette like all of my friends and family, than I hate you.
Kidding! But sometimes it can still look a little dull right? Try a colour glaze in clear. Many brands do them (you can even get them on Amazon) and they come in both permanent and the less harmful semi-permanents. I recommend the semi's because they just coat the hair shaft and they're perfect for a big event or such where you want beautiful hair.
Copper is responsible for your hairs natural pigmentation and you can boost your colour by eating foods containing it. Such as Shellfish, seeds, fresh veg and also protein rich things such as eggs, avocados and nuts.
Lather up
There are a trillion different shampoos out there and it can be really confusing picking one. I'm lucky enough to have found my soulmate in the form of Umberto Giannini's curl friends range. To be honest, if you read the ingredients list, 90% of products, whether cheap drugstore brands or high end, use the same stuff. It can be a big rip off. Most high street ranges do miniature versions which is a good idea if you're trying something new.
Also, if you think your favourite shampoo has stopped working for you, it could just be product build-up (PBU is the cause of a lot of things haha).
If you have quite fragile or fine hair you could try a natural range. Just like a lot of home hair dye kits have taken out the ammonia, it's really easy to find shampoos that use natural ingredients. The thing to note is that you won't get much of a lather if you use these - it's completely normal and shouldn't make a difference. It's ingredients like the Sodium Laureth Sulfate in common shampoos which cause the lather. They're cleansing agents, and they're also found in household cleaning products like your washing up liquid!
Conditioner
I do an intensive treatment at least once a week. Especially since my mid-lengths and ends have been lightened and I occasionally use a wand. I apply the treatment to towel dried hair and leave the conditioner on for five minutes before rinsing with cool water. If you have a night where you're just going to veg out at home then wash your hair, apply the conditioner, comb through and wrap (using a plastic cap/shower cap or hair turban). Now go and watch TV, write, read, plot world domination, until you're ready to rinse off with cool (not hot and not too cold) water.
Look for products with moisturizing ingredients such as protein, keratin and/or argan.
Dry Shampoo was a genius idea. It saves time in the morning and will give you an extra day or two of wear. It will also give you some body AND you'll give your hair a mini break from constant styling. I like to also apply a little conditioning balm in to the ends at night, french plait and hope for a wave in the morning :)
Talc works too! I always used to steal my nephews when I ran out of dry shampoo. It's not as heavy as dry shampoo but it gets the job done.
If you're like my sister and always moan about 'next day hair' even though it looks lovely, just stick it up! I love this site because she features everything from simple plaits to special occasion styles.
Grow Grow Grow!
Sometimes it just feels like it's not growing damn it! Though I will admit that I have started to notice a difference with mine now that I'm exercising more.
The last thing I wanted to do was go for a run in the cold, but now spring is here! Exercise boosts circulation, which means more blood reaches the scalp and encourages growth. And obviously it's good for the entire body.
It's said all the time, but vitamins and nutrients are important. You've got the A, the B's, the C, and the folic acid. Those are the cool kids. Actually, a lot of the B's and the folic acid can be found in most breakfast cereals and porridge so you can usually take care of the basic dose before you leave the house. As a vegetarian I take multivitamins so I'm covered in case of emergencies. I also take Omega caps with synthetic 3,6 and 9 goodness.
We know that regular cuts won't make your hair grow, but they will help to prevent split ends travelling up the hair shaft. If I catch you picking at those split ends I'm going to smack your hand because you'll just need more cut off when you finally sit in the chair.
You know what's lovely? A scalp massage. It boosts circulation and also drives away bad toxins -so it's good for clearing the mind. Start at the forehead and go in circular motions to the nape of the neck.
I feel I should also point out that I was very naive to believe it was women who considered this a treat when they went to the salon, but it drives a lot of guys crazy too haha.
Frizzy &/or Dry
Do you know what my mom called me when I was younger? Gene Wilder.
Various forms of clown hair can be caused by so many things. Maybe you've got curly hair or it's parched because you use a lot of heat and colour the poor bugger. You need to put that moisture back in! Use conditioners, try to stay away from heat (I know it's hard) but also household products like olive oil can help. I like to put olive or jasmine oil in my hair the night before I'm going to wash it and massage it through. If you put too much on the first time then you'll probably need to shampoo twice - but it'll totally be worth it.
I'm not a huge fan of Moroccanoil craze, especially not the ridiculous prices some brands charge. It works for some people but not for me. Besides, argan is in practically every other product now, but you can buy coconut oil/balm, jasmine oil, carrot oil, etc from health food shops for cheap.
USE HEAT PROTECTION. Please god use it before blow-drying/straightening/curling.
Limp/Fine
Be weary of intensive conditioners and heavy styling products if you have fine hair and avoid the roots.
A barrel brush is a vital investment - size dependant on the length of your hair. If you can't hold the brush and hair-dryer like a pro (why is it harder than it looks??) the air-brush stylers are making a comeback! More and more brands are doing them and it also saves time.
Greasy hair
It could be caused by excess production of sebum. It could be that you have product build up or haven't washed the shampoo/conditioner out properly because you were rushing or whatever. Next time you wash your hair, apply the shampoo on first to dry hair. It will be really weird, but just like when you're washing a greasy pan, it's easier to cut through the grease before you add the water. Then add a little water to spread the shampoo, massage it through and rinse. Then you can do a second shampoo in the way you usually would :)
The Combo; Greasy roots + dry lengths
Sometimes your hair is so inconsiderate. Try applying conditioner to the mid lengths and ends only. The length of your hair is typically more frazzled anyway because obviously it's older. It's been through a lot; summer heat, winter chill, heat styling, colour, etc so give it a bit of TLC yeah?
Wait, is it dandruff or dry scalp?
There's a difference but they're both annoying.
Dry scalp is caused by moisture loss, so cold weather, diet, medication, using the wrong shampoo and product build up can be a cause. If you use a lot of product it could just be dry scalp. Section your hair and use a fine comb to brush the scalp, this will lift the flakes caused by product build-up. And just like with greasy hair, you can apply the shampoo directly before water to better lift out product.
Dandruff meanwhile is actually caused by too much sebum (oil) production.
Curls Curls Curls
SCREW YOU HUMIDITY BECAUSE EVERYTIME I GO SOMEWHERE HOT I LOOK LIKE MONICA FROM FRIENDS.
-and breathe- A lot of curl care can be taken from the dry/frizzy mantra. Curly barnets need moisture, but at the same time we retain a lot of moisture. Which is why it usually takes so long for our hair to dry. Luckily for us, there are now a million products made purely for our needs. I recommend doing a hair mask at least once a week.
Finding the right product is also important. Personally I hate mousse, because I think the 'wet look' is horrible when it comes to curls. I prefer a moisturizing cream and a touch of serum if there's a bit of frizz when it's dry.
Oh and if you're using a diffuser but it's turning your hair into a bit of a pompom, try twisting and clipping sections and drying on a low heat setting to take out some of the moisture, and then unclip and go back in with the diffuser :)
I hope someone found this useful. If you've got any questions or concerns, feel free to comment or PM and I'll do my best to answer.
Thanks for stopping by!
