Best Kept Hair Secrets
We all aspire to gorgeous healthy hair, but sadly not all hair is created equal. Whether your hair is fine and limp, coarse and frizzy or dry and damaged don’t despair, these hairdressers have seen it all. So… let’s ask the experts to share some of their best-kept secrets for a salon-quality finish.
OUR EXPERTS
BC: Best hair advice for long-lasting volume for fine, limp hair?
ED: Build a solid foundation of volume at your roots using a combination of hair products and technique. Towel dry and apply your favourite volume products (Redken’s High Rise Volume Duo throughout & Redken Guts in the root) and comb through. Dry the hair in the opposite direction to the way you want it to sit until 80-90% dry, then smooth it into shape.
LEIGH: 1: Get a great haircut! 2: Use a high-quality Volumising hair bath (Oway). IF your hair requires a conditioner, keep it lightweight and apply through the mid-lengths and ends KEEP IT OFF THE ROOTS! 3: Towel dry, then apply either a Volumising Root Spray or a Sea Salt Spray (both by Oway), making sure to get a fine and even distribution. 4: Hold your head upside-down and blast with a hairdryer, making sure to go on cooler settings as the hair dries, ending up on the coolest setting as the hair is fully dry. 5: If you require a more polished finish, wrap sections of hair around a round brush whilst giving a quick blast of cool air. Finish with a light, evenly distributed application of Sea Salt Spray or a Dry Texture Spray (O&M).
KEIREN: The magic happens during the rinsing process. Rinse hair with cold water and avoid any heavy conditioners and styling products.
BC: Is there any foolproof trick for controlling the frizz?
ED: Heat and tension are key to smoothing out the frizz. Stretch out your hair with a brush and dry it pointing the hairdryer down the hair shaft roots to ends. Finish with a frizz control product, Redken ‘The Rebel Tame’ is my favourite.
LEIGH: Smoothing Hair Baths and Conditioners can help, smoothing creams and oils can also help. BUT for the best, most effective and longer-lasting taming of frizz I highly recommend an AGI One smoothing treatment (which contains zero Formaldehyde).
KEIREN: A keratin based serum like Behave, used before and after styling is my go-to.
“Heat and tension are key to smoothing out the frizz. Stretch out your hair with a brush and dry it pointing the hairdryer down the hair shaft roots to ends. Finish with a frizz control product.”
BC: Can we control a curl without the crunch?
ED: Apply your curl styling products (Redken Curl Refiner) in the shower and pat dry with a microfibre towel or old t-shirt.
LEIGH: Yes, opt for more hydrating curl products, and again it helps to start with the appropriate Haircare, that’s your foundation.
KEIREN: Absolutely, The Wella Nutri curl range will give you beautiful bouncy curls without the crunch.
BC: Is the damage we have caused our hair reversible, or at least the visible signs of damage?
ED: Most damage can be repaired over time with regular use of bonder and protein treatments and salon-quality protein shampoo/conditioner.
LEIGH: KhairPep is the best re-bonding treatment I’ve seen. It restores hair to near-virgin, unprocessed strength. It’s the only patented peptide that penetrates hair, delivering the necessary amino acids right to the cortex where broken keratin chains are reconnected. Even better? it doesn’t wash out!! This shit is honestly NEXT LEVEL!
KEIREN: Treat your hair like you would your face , hydrate hydrate hydrate. Avoid excessive styling with hot tools and always use a serum and a sunblock.
“KhairPep is the best re-bonding treatment I’ve seen. It restores hair to near-virgin”
BC: The saying we are only as good as our tools… Does the right brush really make that much difference?
ED: The right brush creates the best results, my preference is a boar bristle brush that has firm nylon bristles sparsely dispersed throughout for smoothness and volume and a ceramic barrel brush, for smoothing hair.
LEIGH: Yes. Brushes come in different shapes and styles and have different bristles that provide varying degrees of tension to create the specific results required. Ask your stylist for the most suitable brush for you and your requirements
KEIREN: YES! A boar bristle brush that is soft enough to glide through the hair is my weapon of choice. Avoid using a ceramic or metal brush, the core heats up during your blow-dry causing unnecessary damage to your hair.
BC: Most people are looking for volume, we see it advertised everywhere… But what about those of us who are looking for the opposite? How do you reduce the bulk and create the illusion of finer hair?
GENE: Blow dry your hair with a smoothing product (Redken Align or Frizz Dismiss Rebel Tame) before flat ironing in fine sections close to the scalp to ensure the hair sits as flat as possible
LEIGH: A great cut will help. Then use Smoothing or Moisturising hair baths and conditioners depending on your hair’s requirements. Apply a Smoothing Cream or oil then Blow-dry your hair with the nozzle pointing DOWN the hair shaft, then finish with a round brush or paddle brush to really give that smooth and minimalist feel. Then you can (evenly) apply an oil or serum to give you that gorgeous sheen.
KEIREN: My tips for flat supermodel hair, shampoo and treat your hair, add a serum, and shake dry to slightly damp. Next step, apply dry shampoo ( yes to damp hair ) and allow it to naturally dry from here. Finish the ends with ‘Wella Perfect Me’ to give you that Kate Moss look we all want.
“Avoid using a ceramic or metal brush, the core heats up during your blow-dry causing unnecessary damage to your hair.”
BC: Using different water temperatures when shampooing, conditioning and masking… Is this something we’ve been overlooking? And what’s the strategy you would recommend for people to get the most out of their products at home?
ED: My personal opinion is that using the right shampoo, conditioner and mask/treatment for your hair is far more important than the temperature of the water... Doing a final rinse in cold water can make the hair slightly smoother but not necessary. Each head of hair is different, your hairdresser can advise you of your best home hair care strategy. However, a treatment should be done at least every 7thwash.
LEIGH: There’s a long list of pros and cons to both hot and cold water. However, generally speaking, you need the temperate high enough to deep clean dirt and grime in your hair, but not so high that it causes irritation. The ideal temperature would be 100F, which is just above normal body temperature.
KEIREN: Avoid extreme heat during this process, remember your hair is an extension of your skin so be kind to it. Leave your mask/treatments on for as long as possible and don’t over rinse. A good tip is to read the label on your products.
BC: Our skin can dramatically change from winter to summer… What effect does this have on our hair?! And more importantly… How can we protect it?
ED: As with skincare I always recommend that my clients use a hair primer ( Redken’s Pillow Proof Express Treatment Primer). Primers have multiple functions, UV protection, thermal protection, aids the distribution of styling products, and speeds up the blow-drying time.
LEIGH: In the summer hair is more exposed to UV, oxidization, sea-water/air, which is all pretty harsh, especially if your hair is already sensitised from colouring etc. Look for high-quality haircare that is high in moisture, UV protectants, and get a peptide treatment. If you’re out and about in the sun, the best thing you can do is cover your locks up with a hat or headscarf. In the winter, hair can get a little parched due to heating in our homes, so its more just a hydration issue if anything. If your hair is feeling dry, it’s a good indicator that it needs some moisturising/hydrating.
KEIREN: You use sunblock and serums on your face don’t you? Think about it... Investing in hair colour without the followup support of products to maintain your beautiful hair is essentially throwing money down the drain.
BC: Now… what we really want to know, what’s your best tip for a salon finish at home?
ED: Practice! I recommend starting at the front so as to build a technique before moving on in a methodical pattern to the rest of your hair.
LEIGH: It starts with a bangin’ haircut! If you haven’t got that, you’re gonna struggle. Look after your hair, give it some love and it’ll show its love right back by being the best version of itself.
KEIREN: Finish your blow-dry with cold air. Shake the hair with cold air. What this does is helps close the cuticle and seal the hair. Leaving you with a glossy lived-in finish.