Beauty Blog

Stay Sun Safe

Now that we are officially into the summer months and the sun has finally decided to make an appearance, we all know the importance of protecting our skin and how to keep it sun safe. We all invest in SPF, scrubs and moisturisers to help maintain the best looking skin possible, but we often forget about protecting our hair and scalp. Follow my quick guide to keep your hair looking, feeling and behaving at it’s best throughout the summer.

Step 1. Protect

Even if you’re not on spending your whole summer laying on the beach, your hair is still vulnerable to UV damage. UV rays act on the hair much like bleach and as a result can lighten the colour. If you’ve spent your hard earned cash perfecting your shade, that can be frustrating. UV rays can also damage the proteins in your hair, causing breakage and a brittle hair shaft. To help protect against this, spritz a sun protective spray through your mid-lengths and ends before stepping outside. For the convenience, and the gorgeous smell, I opt for L’Oreal Solar Defense Spray 125ml.

Step 2. Avoid Water Damage

Whether you’ll be dipping in a swimming pool filled with chlorine, or keeping it more natural with salt water at the beach, these water types can wreak havoc on your hair. Salt and chlorine can be very drying and with the added bonus of sun exposure added to the mix, it can lead to more than a few bad hair days. Now, I’m going to share with you the best piece of hair related advice I’ve ever been given. Your hair is like a sponge…it will absorb water, but only a certain amount. The trick is, to make it absorb the right type of water. Rinse your hair in a poolside shower BEFORE you get in the water. It can only absorb so much and the fact that your hair is already wet will act as a barrier to the salt or chlorine from being absorbed. Genius.

Step 3. Scalp Safety

Your scalp can burn, just like your skin, so it’s important to protect it as much as possible. Using the right shampoo before you step into the sun can help protect your scalp and provide UV protection. Try L’Oreal Solar Sublime Shampoo 250ml and EVO Ritual Salvation Care Conditioner 300ml

Step 4: Fight Frizz

We all know that sun + heat + humidity = frizz. Fact. Don’t stress though, there is a solution. Use a weekly conditioning treatment to strengthen your hair, close the cuticle and restore moisture. This will make it more manageable and less likely to frizz. Redken Extreme Megamask 200ml is a great option. Just leave on for 3-5 minutes after shampooing every 3 days and you’ll be set. When you are out in humid weather, make sure to apply a product that will create a barrier between your hair and the moisture in the air. I always recommend L’Oreal Tecni Art Liss Control + Serum 50ml.

Have you got any sun-safe tips to share? Pop them in the comments below. I’d love to hear them.

xoxo

This entry was posted in Hair Care, Top Tips and tagged advice, conditioner, dry hair, hydrate, shampoo, summer, tips on 4th October 2017 by The Salon Look Girl.
Do's and Don’ts to help your make-up last.

Struggling to keep your make-up in place. Just follow my do’s and don’ts to help your make-up look last all day and into the night.

Do use serum. Make sure to choose one that treats your main skin concern, such as dehydration or fine lines. Serums work into the deeper layers of the skin than just your moisturiser, so help to provide the perfect base for your foundation. A well prepped skin is the key to long lasting make-up. Try Thalgo Source Marine Hydra-Marine Serum 30ml for a good all-rounder.

Don’t over moisturise. Given my last tip, it’s tempting to use more moisturiser in the hope of helping your skin to look more hydrated. In reality though it will stop your makeup from staying put. Less is more.

Do apply your foundation, blush and powder in fine layers, for added staying powder.

Don’t apply loads of foundation. It’s a big mistake to imagine that applying more will mean your make-up will last longer. All that will happen is it will settle in the creases and make it look cakey.

Do use a little more mascara than you think is necessary. My favourite is L'Oreal Paris Volume Million Lashes for dramatic lashes.

Don’t try to make your lipstick last all day. It’s inevitable that you’ll have to touch it up at some point during the day. To help it last as long as possible though, line and fill your lips with a strong nude colour or, if you’re feeling a dark lip, make sure to use a pencil that matches your lipstick shade. When you apply your lipstick, apply one layer, blot and then reapply. It should last a good few hours.

Do use a fixing mist to hold your make-up in place. Fixing powders are great to set your base, but a fixing mist on top of your finished makeup look will help add radiance and a dewy look to your skin. It will avoid the dreaded over-powdered effect that some heavy powders can create on the skin. You can also use a setting spray to revive your look throughout the day.

Don’t forget to check the weather. Hot weather can be a nightmare for those with oily skin when it comes to make up. Invest in some blotting papers to help keep excess shine to a minimum and avoid disturbing your makeup base while reducing shine.

I’d love to hear your tried and tested techniques for helping make-up stay put for longer. Feel free to share in the comments below.

xoxo

This entry was posted in Makeup, Top Tips and tagged advice, tips on 6th July 2017 by The Salon Look Girl.
Holiday Hair Sorted

Holiday season is here! I love the sun and everything that comes along with it, but it can wreak havoc on your hair. Don’t let bad hair cramp your holiday style - follow my guide to healthy holiday hair.

Hair Type: Damaged Hair

Concern: Moisture

Top Tips: Preparation is key here. Make sure you blowdry your hair in the evening, when the temperature has cooled, ready for the next day. This is the perfect time to add plenty of moisture and hydration. Applying leave in products can help provide extra nourishment.

In your suitcase: Think nourishment – moisturising products are the way to go to keep your hair healthy and protected. Moisturising and protein based shampoos and conditioners will help pump nourishment and condition into your hair. I would opt for the Pureology Hydrate range

Hair Type: Curly/Frizzy Hair

Concern: Dryness

Top Tips: Make sure you don’t over-dry your hair and keep it salt-free and hydrated. A leave-in conditioner is a must.

In your suitcase: Product really is key with this hair type. A hydrating conditioner will help keep hair nourished and keep dryness and frizz in check. To achieve the perfect curl make sure to use a diffuser paired with a curling cream, such as Moroccanoil Intense Curl Cream, to keep the hair hydrated.

Hair type: Coloured Hair

Concern: Colour fade

Top Tips: Always remember to be extra careful with coloured hair in the sun as it can be easily damaged and the colour will fade quicker. Make sure you don’t over wash or over dry and invest in colour protecting products to extend the longevity of your colour.

In your suitcase: A sulphate free shampoo is best to maintain colour. If you have blonde tones, L’Oreal Silver Shampoo is a must to help prevent your blonde from becoming brassy and too golden.

Hair type: Blonde hair

Concern: Breakage

Top Tips: Heat protection is so important for maintaining condition during a day in the sun. You’ll also want to make sure you’re using a deeply nourishing mask overnight as often as possible. Make sure to avoid using too much additional heat on your hair and air-dry where possible.

In your suitcase: I always make sure to take Kérastase Nutritive Masquintense with me. It’s a great idea to dampen your hair and apply this masque before you hit the beach. Just tie your hair back and allow your hair to reap the benefits and reduce potential damage.

This entry was posted in Hair Care, Top Tips and tagged advice, colour fading, coloured hair, conditioner, dry hair, hair treatments, hydrate, tips on 6th July 2017 by The Salon Look Girl.