Hairsprays

Hair breakage is my nemesis. Years of monthly hair bleaching and constant styling using heated tools left my hair in a sorry state. Don’t get me wrong, I tried my best to take care of it, but the bleach eventually won the day. I had to surrender, reassess my hair colour choice and make sure I stuck to the best products to help bring my hair back to it’s former glory.

Breakage happens when your hair is just too brittle; from hair colouring, from the elements, styling etc., that it snaps right off. If this sound like you, I beg you to consider the following precautionary steps to avoid the avoidable. Your hair is the only hair you’ve got and I don’t imagine many of us would consider shaving it off and starting again. Just saying!

Tip 1: Go Sulphate-Free

If you find that your hair is dry, try avoiding sulphates in your shampoo, as they will dry it out even more. Sulphates can be harsh on the body as they emulsify and pry dirt and grime from your skin and hair. Look for the word SLS (sodium lauryl sulphate) in the ingredient list. If you find it, put it down and step away. Your hair will thank you for it.

Kérastase Aura Botanica Bain Shampoo 250ml is the ultimate sulphate free shampoo. Unlike most sulphate-free shampoos the sulphates have been replaced with natural origin agents to make sure your hair is truly nourished. Great for brittle hair types, obviously.

Tip 2: Protein is your friend

This one is good news for those of you who’ve jumped on the smashed avocado on toast train. Protein-rich foods help sustain hair growth and body. As with skin, hair health starts from within, so if you pay more attention to what you are feeding your body, you’ll see the results in your hair.

Tip 3: Step away from the heat

One of the biggest changes I’ve made has been to move away from my hair dryer a few days a week. All you need is a change in routine. I was stuck in a morning hair routine, which meant I was low on time so had to use my hairdryer. Thanks to a new set of products by Redken, I’ve been able to switch up my routine, and let my hair air dry. I just wash my hair in the evenings, towel dry a little and add in a bit of Redken No Blow Dry: Just Right Cream 150ml. I comb it through, part my hair as usual and just leave my hair to it. It’s been a revelation. My hair’s always dry by the morning, so I just brush through and add some curls in using a wand. I will always use Kérastase Resistance Ciment Thermique 150ml, a strengthening and anti-breakage milk for damaged hair straight after the Redken cream, to layer in the heat protection ready to use the wand in the morning.

I can’t recommend this step enough. Even doing it once a week will make a difference.

Tip 4: Reconsider your hair brush choice

Hair brushes have a lot to answer for when it comes to breakage. You need to make sure that you’re using a brush that is kind to the hair and that actually removes tangles and knots rather than just snapping them off. Say hello to a Tangle Teezer to keep your hair in the best condition. They are great for detangling wet and dry hair without any tugs or pulls, keeping breakage to a minimum.

Now there are obvious ways to stop hair breakage; such as not colouring your hair, never using straighteners or curling wands, but we all know that’s not feasible for 99% of us. Making a few simple changes, like I’ve mentioned above, will help save your hair and keep it in the best condition possible, without sacrificing style.

What are your anti-breakage tips?

xoxo

You know what they say, “go big or go home”. So in this weeks blog I thought I’d tackle one of the biggest questions in the beauty world…”which hair product, how much, when and why?” Ok technically that’s 4 questions…but you see where I’m going with this.

I’m going to share with you my 8 golden rules of hair products, to hopefully help tackle the beauty confusion that 99% of us face. Prepare to be amazed…(*cue jazz hands*).

1. Know your hair and keep things simple

Using too many products, most of the time, is a disaster. The most important thing to know is what kind of hair texture you have, and what you want your hair to look like as a result. Take the time to consider a few key questions. Do you want frizz control? Do you want volume? Do you want shine? Is your scalp very dry? Is your hair damaged? You really have to get to know your own hair and figure out its qualities and what it needs. And then you just need one to two products. I tend to say if you feel like you need more than two hair products to actually do something with your hair, chances are you’re using the wrong products.

2. Know your product type

We hairstylists tend to assume that you all know what we mean when we talk about mousses and waxes, but you know what they say happens when you assume…

Mousse: Everyone can use it, in quantities ranging from a clementine to a tennis ball depending on your hair length. It’s basically a volume boost in a can. It’s always much lighter than a cream, and usually has some element of hold so you’ll end up using less hairspray as a result. Comb it in to wet hair and blow dry for weightless, root-lifting magic. I love Redken Guts 300ml £15.25.

Wax: Because it’s a strong hold product, and, you know, wax, it's best for those with shorter, choppy pixie cuts. It’s a long lasting product that won't disappear by the end of the day. Make sure you keep this one away from your roots. Top tip; to make you wax more pliable, warm it up in your hands first to help it distribute evenly through your hair. Try L’Oreal Professionnel Density Material £13.20

Pomade: This one is a slightly 'gloopier' version of wax. They give weight and texture like a wax but also give you a bit of shine. You won’t need more that a penny-size piece and again, remember to rub the product between your palms before applying it. My fave is Tigi Bedhead Manipulator £12.95

3. Shampoo the smart way

The golden rule for washing hair is two shampoos, one conditioner. The first shampoo is to remove any product from the hair, whereas the second actually works to clean your hair and scalp. The conditioner is to moisturize, from your mid-lengths to your ends. NEVER put conditioner on your roots.

4. Know your 3 stages

There are three stages to styling your hair. You want to use the same philosophy you use when you apply makeup, use the lightest and build to the heaviest, remembering to blend. The heaviest products are always used at the end in the smallest amounts.

Step 1: Hydrate. You want to use a product to seal in the moisture. Detangler’s work well.
Step 2: Your foundation product, such as a mousse, which all should be used a little closer to the scalp.
Step 3: Finishing products, applied from the ends to the mid-lengths of your hair.

5. Less is more

Use a little bit of a product and build up. People have a tendency to apply hair product like they would apply cream to their face, they just slap it on and rub it all over. But that's a big mistake. You have to start from the bottom up, and if, at the end, you feel like you haven’t used enough product, you can add more.

6. Read the instructions

Apologies if I’m teaching you to suck eggs, but it’s pretty simple people. Those directions on the back of the bottle aren’t just a casual suggestion. If it say’s ‘shake before use’ it might be a good idea to do that. They did make the product and all…

7. Don’t mess with the classics

Reconsider hairspray. It's in the kit of everyone who works with hair. It’d say it’s my 'secret weapon' but it’s so obvious that I can’t even pretend it’s a 'secret.'. The key is to not spray it too close to the head, to keep the distance dictated on the bottle. It will control frizz, product your hair and scalp from UV rays and keep that style in all day.

8. Ask an Expert

Still none the wiser? Just remember there’s a reason your stylist trained for so many years to do their job. They’re the experts and you wouldn’t believe the knowledge they’ve got to share. So book in for a consultation and they’ll give you the benefit of their expertise.

Got a burning beauty question? Comment below and I’ll do my best to help.

xoxo