The 20’s have arrived, and admittedly, it hasn’t been the best start to a new decade, but it’s all up from here!
“The new normal” is the phrase of the year, and that may hold a different meaning to everyone. We’re crossing roads when we see an oncoming person, Prada are making face masks and our hair is longer, greyer and drier (that’s if you haven’t had it done yet)… But that’s okay because I’m here to give you some tips on how you should be looking after your natural hair after lockdown.
Maybe you’re growing out your natural colour after lockdown, or maybe you’re liking your hair longer and are just seeing where things go? Whatever the reason is though, I’m going to give you some tips on looking after your natural hair, and straighten out some common misconceptions on how to keep hair healthy.
Next time you’re visiting one of our hairdressers in Northampton, ask your hair stylist for tips & advice bespoke for your hair type! We’re always happy to share our knowledge and there may even be a quick and easy solution to a recurring issue you’ve been having!
Common issues
Split ends…
Split ends are the no. 1 problem you’ll run into when growing your hair without a regular trim. You may have heard the phrase, “you need to get your hair cut to grow it”, which doesn’t make much sense on the surface I know… But when an end splits, it’ll continue to split further up the hair follicle until either it gets to the root, or breaks. In turn this will cause your hair to look much weaker around the baseline and eventually result in thinner hair.
The solution?
If your hair is long, taken care of, and you’re growing it, 10 weeks is really the max you’d want to leave it between visits to keep it healthy. However, if you’re not a fan of heat protection, and a big fan of daily straightening, then this will be sooner…
To dry or not to dry?
Definitely dry! You may have heard that allowing your hair to air dry is better for the condition, but I’m afraid this is a myth (sorry if you have super thick hair that takes an age to dry)!
The Spaghetti Analogy…
Hair absorbs moisture, much like spaghetti, and when spaghetti absorbs too much moisture it falls apart…
…but don’t get me wrong, you’re hair isn’t going to fall apart like some grossly overcooked pasta, but it does weaken it.
The Solution?
Whenever you have the time you should always use an appropriate heat protector and blow dry your hair in a downward direction from root to end.
TIP: With heat protection products always check the degree of protection, as some don’t offer enough protection for hot tools such as straighteners.
Big fat lack of shine?
You’re not the only one! If you’ve had colour on your hair for some time, then you’ll be noticing that shine fading. When tint is applied to your hair it glosses over the cuticles which in turn creates that awesome shine. Unfortunately it’s not as easy on natural hair, but it is possible!
How?
By using a blow drying cream & decent serum alongside a heat protector and good drying technique, you’ll be creating a blinding shine in no time! Just be sure to use high quality products or it’s very easy to overload your hair, which will just make it look lank.
#HereComeTheCurls
Tasked with battling your curls? The spiral of your curls means the natural oils from the scalp won’t travel as far, meaning your mid-length & ends will be dryer. So what can you do?
Solution?
I’d recommend using serum or argan oil through the mid-ends daily, and not washing your hair too much, a couple of times a week should be plenty. Elastic cream serums such as Sebastian’s Twisted is also brilliant for controlling frizz when drying with a diffuser.
DIFFUSER TOP TIP: Scrunch large sections of your hair into the diffuser head, then don’t touch it. Dry until it’s 85-90% dry and then leave it.
What’s next?
If you haven’t had your “post-lockdown” trim yet because you’re growing it, then you’re going to need one to stop those ends splitting and promote healthy growth! Especially with the weather we’ve been blessed with!
Give us a call on 01604 708228 to book, and your stylist will also be able to give you some professional, tailored advice for your hair type & how to achieve your hair goals!
FUN FACT: The sun is more damaging to your hair than bleach.
Thanks for reading
Ralph
Please read our new reopening update here before visiting the salon…
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