Protect Your Investment!

Contributing Stylist, Lindsey

A smart woman knows the value of great protection…of her hair that is!  One of the biggest challenges for clients is maintaining their “just walked out of the salon” hair at home.  The top 3 things that give you that beautiful hair you love are great color, a great cut, and shine.  It is important for clients to familiarize themselves with how to maintain and protect these three factors.

PROTECT YOUR COLOR:  Whether you had it professionally colored or you are sporting your natural color, you have to protect it from fading.  With the right at-home products you will be able to keep your color looking fresh.  Start with the right shampoo and conditioner. You wouldn’t pay to have your wood floors stripped, sanded, stained, and sealed only to go over them with tile cleaner the next week…same idea.  Protect your investment! I recommend using a color care shampoo and conditioner, however if your hair type has some additional needs, make sure you are using an alternative that is color SAFE.  An essential feature to look for when selecting shampoo is the pH. This should be between 4.5 and 5.5. Staying in this pH range is essential to taking care of your hair’s cuticle.  It will keep your cuticle layer smooth and compact to prevent color molecules from rinsing out.  If you are currently using a brand that does not divulge the pH of their products it is most likely because it is not balanced at the correct level for human hair and skin!  My personal favorite is Davines’ NouNou Illumintaing Shampoo and Conditioner.  It will enhance and protect your color for the 4-6 weeks between your color appointments beautifully, plus it has the added bonus of the perfect balance of moisture and protein that your hair needs; and the fragrance is incredible!

PROTECT YOUR CUT:  The most common reason a person’s cut doesn’t hold up between appointments is thermal and mechanical damage; both of these will cause breakage and, in turn, will damage the cut.  Thermal damage is caused by over-use, or excessive heat from blow dryers and thermal tools: flat irons, curling irons, wands, hot rollers, etc.  The easiest way to prevent thermal damage is to use a thermal protectant product and turn the heat DOWN!  High heat on most hair types is unnecessary to achieve the look you desire. I would start by setting the blow dryer to a medium heat setting, and thermal tools to 300-350F.  My favorite thermal protectant is Sojourn’s Thermal Protection Straightener.  I use this on every guest!  It’s great for detangling, and comb-ability, plus an amazing fragrance.  Apply first to damp hair, then agail to dry hair immediately prior to using a heat appliance. 

Mechanical damage is caused by rough brushing and combing, tight hair bands or clips, and backcombing.  Be patient with your hair when combing and brushing: start and the ends and work your way to the scalp.  If you wear your hair up often, make sure you are moving the position of your style so you are not always wrapping it in the same spot.  As for backcombing, I recommend using a boar bristle styling brush… it has tight natural bristles which will give you a more secure style and is gentler on the hair.

MAINTAIN THE SHINE:  Shiny hair just looks healthy, and healthy hair is beautiful hair!  The way to maintain your shine is to protect and smooth your hair’s cuticle layer, which is the surface of the hair strand.  After a service, guests always say, “I can never make it look this good”, and I always tell them they can!  It’s all in the blow dry.  The reasons your hair looks so shiny after a salon service is because of  the products we choose and how we blow dry your hair.  When a stylist dries your hair, they are smoothing your cuticle by drying it in the direction the cuticle lays.  Try drying from scalp to ends in small sections with a paddle brush.  After you have mastered that, then move on to a round brush, preferably boar bristle, which increases the shine factor.  I recommend not starting with a round brush, they are a little more challenging and you will get frustrated too quickly.  Lastly, use thermal styling tools sparingly; think of them as the finishing touch to your style.  Less heat on your strands will protect the cuticle from damage and keep it compact and your hair shiny.  NEVER round brush your hair dry AND use thermal tools:  either power dry and ollow with a thermal tool, or blow-dry the finished style (with a light touch of a thermal tool to the surface to finish).

These three factors will go a long way in protecting the  investment in your hair.  Plus, you will have that rich, healthy, shiny hair you love and that others are envious of!