Life is different at the moment. From a full schedule buzzing with events, meetings, obligations to slowing down the pace of everyday life entirely. Global events require us to adjust and we know it is the right thing to: #stayhome, #staysafe & #supporttheNHS, our #healthheroes.
With a different schedule, our routine changes and with it the time we spend on taking care of your mind, body and – ultimately – our hair. We consulted our hub of condensed hair knowledge (aka our stylists) and present you our Sweet & Easy Hair Care Tips for Home.
(1) Mix it up
Staying home equals less styling, right? Hair up and ready to jump in front of the laptop. As much as we love using hair ties as well, picking the right one is essential to avoid hair breakage. Stay clear from rubber bands and any elastic ties with a metal clasp as they damage your hair shaft. Use traceless hair rings, invisible bobble or elastic ribbon hair ties instead.
The choice is endless and even more so since the fashion industry has decided: Scrunchies are back and here to stay (Yay!). Soft to our hair and available in any kind of colour, scrunchies definitely brighten every morning!
Pro Tip: Get creative! Taking your hair up in a ponytail is convenient but can also cause strain on your hair. Allow your hair a break by rotating the position of your ponytail, trying out new hair ups or leaving your locks going wild every other day.
(2) Use the dream team: Shampoo, conditioner and hair mask – every three to four shampoos - to condition and nourish your hair deeply. A word of caution at this point: Always be very thorough when washing the products off to avoid unnecessary buildup or greasiness.
(3) Get your hands dirty
Speaking of hair masks, in case your go-to hair mask (like Goldwell´s Dual Senses Rich Repair or Kerasilk´s Reconstruct Mask) is not at hand at the moment, why not give DIY masks a go? They are an easy, cost-effective and equally efficient alternative. Plus, their ingredients should be available at your local supermarket at the moment.
The two recipes below are deeply nourishing and applicable to any type of hair, but the ingredients can be spiced up and adjusted to your hair´s very own needs.
Honey, apple cider vinegar and coconut oil mask
Key benefits: hydrates, cleanses, adds deep glossiness
How to: Mix equal parts of honey*, coconut oil and apple cider vinegar, apply mask to dry hair, let it sit for 20 minutes and wash off with shampoo.
(Stephanie Brown, IGK) * raw, organic honey would be best as it is rich in nutrients and of high quality
Avocado, egg and olive oil mask
Key benefits: repairs damaged hair, hydrates scalp
How to: Mix 1/2 an avocado, 1 egg, 1 tbsp of olive oil with 1 tbsp of honey; apply to dry hair, let it sit for 20 minutes and wash off with shampoo.
(Joel Warren, The Salon Project)
Note: As these DIY masks are oil-based, it is most efficient to apply them to dry hair as water and oil don´t mix well. Olive and coconut oil are the heaviest oils but also the most nourishing ones, ideal for a “stay-home/WFH” day. We always recommend shampooing and conditioning your hair afterwards to avoid greasiness.
(4) Avoid washing your hair with too hot water: Hot water can strip your hair of essential oils, leaving it dry and powerless. Go for lukewarm water instead.
(5) The next step is crucial: How do you soak up excess water from your hair? Normal towels can be very harsh to your hair as they roughen up the hair shaft, favour breakages, split ends and frizz. Dab your hair with a soft cotton t-shirt or microfiber towel to absorb the water.
(6) Brushing Technique: It sounds simpler than it is but brushing your hair right really does make a difference.
The key rule is: brush gently. Applying too much force will only make your knots worse and your hair snap. For tangled hair, it is best to start at the bottom and work your way up, one section and tangle at a time. Wet hair is especially fragile, a wide-tooth comb comes in handy here.
(7) Avoid heat: Staying at home gives us the luxury of giving our hair a well-deserved break from heat. Going cold turkey on heat by letting it air dry retains the most moisture in your hair and will do wonders to any tired-looking hair.
If you can´t live without heat, always apply extra moisture in the form of leave-in conditioner and heat protection products (like KMS Therma Shape Series)
(8) On a similar note, try to avoid box dye. We know, the bigger the regrowth, the harder it gets. But let´s get it out in the open, box dye comes with certain risks:
- It can alter your hair´s natural shaft.
- There is no option to alter the pigmentation as the colour needs to work on any type of hair.
- An uneven application leads to an uneven result, over-processing leads to a different colour.
- Your hair type and its current condition (texture, density, porosity of your hair) alters the result.
All the above makes it more time- and money-consuming to create a beautiful colour blend later on. So, instead of opting for the colour palette in your local drug store, try and give your hair a rest.
Extra plus: We cannot wait to take care of your colour-deprived hair once it is safe to do so again - Your Hair. Our Care ;) !
Ending this entry with the very popular but slightly overused description of our current new normal: Everything is “same, same but different”. This is why we believe in granting ourselves permission to self-care as the ultimate form of self-love.
Did we miss anything you are particularly interested in? Let us know via email (denise@lazarouhairsalons.co.uk), Facebook or Instagram, we´d love to hear from you!