34 South ParadE, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7JN
Curls of dreams
If you want the curly girl look, these are the three products we swear by.
Silk wave curler, £39.99 (was £79) at Silk-wave.com.
Mermade hair curler, pro waver mini 25mm, £55, Mermade.
BaByliss PRO Perfect Curl MKII, £112.50 from BaByliss.
Just like you cleanse your skin, your hair needs the same care. You don’t have to do this daily - how often you wash your hair depends on its dryness and if you have product build up. Washing your hair will leave it and your scalp feeling clean, removing any products, grease, dirt and dead skin cells which might have built up.
Conditioning your hair helps to detangle, seal the cuticles and provide moisture. It replenishes the moisture that your shampoo may have removed, and it will help remove any knots or tangles that were caused by massaging your shampoo onto your hair and scalp.
Never use heated styling tools like curlers or straightener on wet or damp hair. After applying a heat protectant, let your hair air dry for a couple of minutes before applying heat.
After styling your hair or letting it air dry, add back in a little moisture. Also on days where you’re not washing your hair, your hair may benefit from a moisture boost. This is where hair oil comes in, our favorite multitasker! Hair oils are also great for controlling frizz and preventing dryness.
Try a weekly mask, oil or a scalp treatment. This can help tackle damage, dryness and an oily, flaky or dry scalp, and improve the overall appearance and health of your hair.
So, how do you keep your hair looking full, shiny and healthy during the warmest months of the year? A few small tweaks to you everyday routine can make all the difference.
UV rays can damage your hair as well as your skin. Investing in a hair protector that has UV filters has the same effect as sun cream, shielding the strands from harmful rays (which can break down the structure of your hair as well as fade any colour).
Rising temperatures can leave any hair type frizzy and fluffy, and a good hair serum is the fastest way to restore order. The best hair serums will work to smooth frizz while also adding shine, making your hair look as healthy as can be. What’s more, today’s best options come with a whole host of added benefits, from colour-protecting ingredients to nourishing actives and deep-hydrating extracts.
Just like hydrating yourself with a glass of water (or a cool G&T), using a hair mask puts moisture back into the hair giving it a new lease of life. It also helps weakened hair follicles to regain strength and elasticity, helping to avoid further sun damage.
Just like the skin on your face, your scalp can become dry and sensitive when it is exposed to the sun. You may even find your parting becomes pink and burnt if you leave it unprotected. Like your skin, you should treat your scalp to some extra TLC in the summer, using products that specifically address your issues. For instance, applying a weekly soothing scalp mask in the summer is a great way to calm and moisturise your scalp. Daily hydrating scalp toners can also be very beneficial – a healthy scalp is key to hair growth.
Remember when hair mousse used to try rock-hard in your hair and it would take loads of washes to get it out?!
Not any more, my friend! The latest formulas will leave curly hair sexy, not sticky. And they smell divine, too!
Here’s our pick of the best to try out yourself. Which is your favourite?
Avoid sulphates - these harsh detergents are found in most shampoos and can weaken hair over time, making it more likely to break and appear thin. A volumising shampoo can help plump up the roots and add nutrients back to depleted strands.
Most fine hair clients feel the need to wash every day because they feel greasy, but it makes more sense to limit this to 2-3 times a week. Why? Over-washing the hair can create too much oil, which can give the appearance of flat and lifeless hair.
Volumising shampoos tend to be quite drying, which can make the scalp overproduce oils. Using a moisturising conditioner can help maintain the balance. Note: only apply conditioner on the middle of hair to the ends, never directly on the scalp.
Fine hair should be left to air-dry 75 percent before you hit the heat. This is because wet hair is the most vulnerable to stretching and breaking while being pulled. Once almost dry, you can use a hairdryer to finish it off. Dry upside down for extra shape and volume in the roots.
RELATED: Three ways to take care of dyed hair
Getting a fresh haircut feels great, doesn’t it. And while you may think it is just about aesthetics, there are many benefits of getting a regular haircut - and it could boost your mental, physical, and even financial health….
Maintaining good grooming is essential for our mental wellbeing. And when you get a haircut it boosts your mood and confidence. Taking care of yourself can also reduce stress and anxiety levels. When we look good, we feel good.
A regular trim can help reduce scalp itchiness and irritation, as hair hygiene helps keep the scalp clean and healthy. Plus, a regular haircut promotes better scalp circulation, helping to stimulate healthier hair growth and shinier locks.
Getting regular haircuts not only keeps hair looking healthy, it could even save you money as you don’t need to keep spending on products to counteract damage or dryness.
Photo by Tamara Bellis on Unsplash
We all know that the cold, dry air and harsh winds can strip our hair of moisture and leaving it looking dull and lifeless.
Photo by Martin Reisch on Unsplash
Static can be a big problem in winter too particularly after wearing a woolly hat, or if you spend a lot of time in rooms with the central heating on.
This is basically because the hair starts to pick up a static charge whenever it dries out - under normal circumstances this static charge would be absorbed by water molecules in the air, but dry winter air means there is nowhere for this moisture to go. And that means FRIZZ!
So if you want to know how do I look after my hair in winter, here are our top three tips to try today:
Give your hair a lovely hydrating shampoo, use a hair oil treatment or deep conditioning mask to lock in that moisture and stop hair becoming brittle.
Photo by freestocks on Unsplash
As well as the hair follicles the scalp is covered in a ton of microscopic sebaceous glands (responsible for producing the healthy hair sebum oils that keep the hair nourished).
When the scalp gets dry or irritated, these glands stop working properly and your body’s supply of sebum dries up - so the hair is stripped of its natural protective coating, and exposed to the cold winter air - this is what makes it brittle or dry in the colder months.
To counteract this, look out for specialist shampoos and treatments designed to nourish the scalp. Most of these products have a combo of peptides, proteins and plant extracts to maintain the balance of natural oil needed for a healthy scalp.
Regular trims mean that the split ends, and any damaged dry or old hairs are left on the salon floor. We recommend getting a trim every 4-6 weeks, more if you have a shorter style you want to keep in check. Click here or the button below to book your next haircut.
Pic credit: Salma Hayek, Instagram.
Hollywood actress Julia Roberts. Pic credit Julia Roberts, Instagram.
Colder months can dry hair out and a good hair serum is the fastest way to restore order. The best hair serums will work to smooth frizz while also adding shine, making your hair look as healthy as can be. What’s more, today’s best options come with a whole host of added benefits, from colour-protecting ingredients to nourishing actives and deep-hydrating extracts.
Just like hydrating yourself with a glass of water, a hair mask puts moisture back into the hair giving it a new lease of life. It also helps weakened hair follicles to regain strength and elasticity, helping to avoid further damage.
Just like the skin on your face, your scalp can become dry and sensitive when it is exposed to the cold and central heating. Like your skin, you should treat your scalp to some extra TLC in the winter, using products that specifically address your issues.
For instance, applying a weekly soothing scalp mask is a great way to calm and moisturise your scalp. Daily hydrating scalp toners can also be very beneficial – a healthy scalp is key to hair growth.
Here are our top tips for looking after your colour and curls.
Over-washing curly hair can strip it of the natural oils you need to keep it healthy, shiny and hydrated. Opt for colour enhancing purple shampoos. Click here to read about our pick of the best.
Coloured hair, as well as curl, need extra moisture, so invest in some quality deep conditioner and try and do a hair mask once a week.
Heated styling tools like hairdryers, straighteners and curlers really play havoc with hair, so try to minimise how often you do this, and keep the heat setting low.