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5 Easy Tips to Maintain Healthy Hair!

Over the last 2 years whilst I have been working for myself I have always enjoyed building working relationships with my clients, not only styling their hair but also giving them advice and help with hair related issues. One thing that has always stood out to me is the lack of knowledge people have when it comes to general maintenance of their hair between appointments, through no fault of their own as why would they if they don't do this for a living? But as a hairdresser I find it so important and don't understand why people haven't been giving them this advice in the past. And so this is what I have decided to write this blog about, I am taking it back to basic's and telling you about what I find are the 5 very easy low maintenance ways of preventing hair damage.

1. Invest in a good hair brush!

This is vital as using the wrong brush can mean you are tugging on weakest areas of your hair, especially when the hair is wet getting out those knots can actually be causing more harm. I have tried lots of different brands, shapes and sizes but Denman brushes have also come up best for me. For blow drying and styling you do need to invest in round brushes in all different sizes but for general brushing both wet and dry the Denman Tangle Tamer Ultra is just perfect. It cuts down brushing time, which to many of you may not sound like a big deal but if you are one of the lucky ones with long flowing locks, this will be a life saver. This brush is good for different textures and is even good on children's hair. Many people swear by Tangle Teaser, I cannot fault these brushes as they do a very good job, however the Denman Tangle Tamer Ultra is a paddle brush and due to being larger I find it much easier to handle. Denman Tangle Tamers are the same brush just in the smaller size, or if knotty hair isn't something you struggle with the Classic Denman is also a fantastic brush. I have attached the link underneath to the Denman website however if you are a fan of Advantage points then they are also available at selected Boots stores. Tangle Tamer Ultra is available in many colours and only £12.50! As fantastic as they are, I don't recommend using these brushes with the hair dryer as the bristles are soft and will bend with the heat.

2. Heat Protection!

Heat protection comes in many different products and textures. It can be a case of trial and error finding the right one for your hair type as you don't want it to leave your hair feeling heavy and lank. It can also be applied to both wet and dry hair, personally I only ever use heat protection products on wet hair as I feel using them on dry hair makes the hair slightly damp and I never use heated appliances on damp hair. That is just my personal feelings and if directed other wise by products and they work for you then stick to what you know! As with all the other items I mention in this blog I have tried to find something that is a general all round product and I feel the Loreal Elnett Satin Heat Protect Styling Spray (Currently on offer at Boots for £5) is just that. Spray evenly all over your towel dried hair either before or after brushing and then blowdry. I love this product because it is also available in Volume which does leave slightly more of a residue in your hair but does exactly what it says on the bottle.

3. Always treat your hair!

For me this is by far the most important thing you can do between your appointments! If your face or body felt dry you would always moisturise it so remember your hair needs treating too. The amount of regular conditioning treatments needed will vary on every hair type, if your hair is bleached or heavily processed you will need to do this much more often than somebody with natural or lightly coloured hair. Every single one of my clients knows how I feel about conditioning treatments and so I have tried and succeeded to find the perfect all round conditioning treatment for most types of hair and within everybody's budget. At just £6 The Bleach London Reincarnation mask quite literally brings your hair back to life, I swear by this product. I would recommend you start off using this product once a week for 30 minutes, shampoo your hair as normal and then apply a generous amount to the mid lengths and ends of your hair lightly massaging it to the ends to ensure it soaks right to the core of your hair, for the last 5/10 minutes using a wide tooth comb you can comb into the roots if you don't suffer with extremely greasy hair, however if you do I would just comb it just before you rinse (Every time you wash your hair you should use a wide tooth comb with your conditioner before rinsing, this will de-tangle areas for you before you come to styling). If your hair feels like it is too heavy using this for 30 minutes every week then you can reduce the time it is left on to 15 minutes or do it less often, however if you feel like it isn't conditioning enough then increase the usage or time, after swimming I like to leave it on my hair either over night or for at least 2 hours. Always remember to tailor any processes to yourself as what works for somebody else doesn't always work for you!

4. Tying it Back!

Bobbles quite literally are everywhere, you buy them constantly and are forever losing them and so tend to go for cheap options, that is not necessarily a bad thing its just about choosing the right ones. Try to avoid wearing bobbles that have metal on them as your hair can catch it the edges of the metal and when you pull out the bobble more often than not you will end up pulling your hair out with it. Tying it back at night is highly recommended, I'll admit there was a time I was guilty of just going to bed and then fighting to brush it out the next day, until I got extensions and realised how vital it was that every night I either put it in a low bobble or a loose braid, that way in the morning you don't have to suffer with having areas of matted hair. It saves time, prevents knots and matting therefore helping to stop any damage caused by tugging on the knots. There is also an option of bobbles available for those who don't mind using something a little bulkier than a standard elastic, and that is Invisibobbles. I only recently start using these bobbles as in all honesty I felt they looked like children's bobbles but one day whilst at the wholesalers I decided to buy a pack of the small clear ones and give them a go. They are extremely comfortable to wear (I suffer with headaches and migraines and found these much better than standard bobbles) and they are also very sturdy in the hair. At night they where a little less comfortable when I could feel it on the back of my neck but the next morning I hardly had any kink in my hair where it had been in. They are available to buy in lots of retailers, you'll notice them straight away as they look like tiny plastic springs and are available in all sorts of colours. Remember that these bobbles do stretch, I have normal/thick hair and I can use the small ones so only buy the larger size if you do have extremely thick hair.

5. Oils and Serums!

A daunting idea to many people I am sure but when used correctly will work wonders for your hair. I am a huge fan of Loreal products and they have many different options as do other large companies, the front of the bottles will always give you an idea of which hair type they are best suited and the back always has clear instructions on usage. And so because of them being very self explanatory I thought I would recommend something slightly different. This product would not be suitable for people with extremely thin hair but used proportionally would be a very good item to have for all other hair types especially curly hair. It is Coconut Milk by OGX (£7.35 at Boots), it is an anti breakage serum made from egg white proteins and coconut oil (it also smells amazing!!). On wet hair apply an amount the size of a 1p/20p (half a pump), 10p (full pump) for thicker hair, and pull through mid lengths and ends before blowdrying. These can be used with spray heat protection although I do spray the Loreal Heat protector on after applying any oil/serum. When your hair is dry you can apply more (half the size previously applied) to the ends of your hair and it creates the look of heat styling by smoothing the ends of your hair. Alternatively I do like to scrunch oil and serums into hair after it has been curled to loosen curls and create healthy beach waves (tutorial possibly coming soon so keep your eyes out!). One last little tip, if you are due to wash your hair and are just wearing it up in a bun, rub the coconut milk into the ends of your hair before tying it up and let it soak into your hair adding condition and moisture to the ends, Never use heated appliances directly after applying this product to dried hair as it may frazzle!

I hope you have found these little tips useful and can work them into your daily routines, I recommend all of these things to my clients because I care about the condition of their hair and I want them all to have happy healthy hair. It is important to book regular appointments for cuts but between seeing your hairdresser the health of your hair is completely dependant on you so learn fun easy ways to care for it and in the long run it could save you lots of money trying to repair damage.. plus it will look and feel fabulous!

Elle x


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