Let's talk about heat! What would we do without our straighteners and other heated styling tools? Gone are the days of frizzy, bushy barnets... Hello to sleekness and bouncy, shiny curls! (Luckily, I'm young enough to not really remember a time without them 🤭) But are we still struggling to use them correctly? I'm sure you've heard your stylist bang on about using a heat protector every time you reach for your most loved straighteners. Of course, most of you are the perfect client and listen to your stylists advice, I'm sure! 😉 But how many times have I heard "I use it... But only when I remember", or you may even think to yourself "Yeah yeah, it's just another product to buy". Don't panic, I'm not here to tell you off or shame you! We all forget things at times - being so busy rushing around before that all important zoom meeting or quite frankly we don't want to spend a fortune on loads of products that will just sit in the cupboard. And that's totally understandable! But then I get hit with "my hair just doesn't grow" 😅... Well, have you ever considered that excessive heat may be part of the problem? 🤔 The solution? Maybe if I give you some background information on what heat does to the hair, your eyes will be opened and life will become easier next time you see your stylist! 😃 That's a good day for everyone. Heat opens up the hair cuticle and can temporarily change some of the bonds in the hair to create a new shape. This can be great, and we rely on heat in a lot of areas in hairdressing. However, excessive heat can...
Dry out your hair making it brittle
Cause split ends and breakage meaning it "doesn't grow"
Strip hair colour and make it fade quicker
Make hair look dull and lifeless and more frizzy
Who wants that??! 😱 So how can we prevent this and keep our hair all nice and gorgeous? Here are some easy tips to follow:
USE A HEAT PROTECTOR! Trust me! It's like using suncream - and we all know how important that is! Just like suncream creates a barrier on your skin to protect it from harmful sun damage, heat protection spray creates a barrier to protect your hair from excessive heat damage. We can still feel the warm sun on us when we use suncream and can still get that beautiful tanned glow but just without the painful burn. Again, it's the same with that all important protection spray, our styling tools will still work to let us achieve that shiny, smooth finish but just without the burn. Use it before the hairdryer and before straighteners / curlers... Each time you use them!
TURN DOWN THE HEAT! Do you have the tools that allow you to change the temperature setting? If so, don't put the heat past 185°C. Any hotter than this and the hair starts to burn and melt - it's scientifically proven! All you GHD lovers out there, you'll be glad to know that they have taken the temptation to turn up the heat away from you and have set all their tools to 185°C... It's the perfect temperature for perfect hair! How kind and thoughtful of them - that's why I like them the best ❤️
DO NOT USE TOO OFTEN! Are you guilty of using the sneaky straighteners every day? Maybe give yourself a goal to cut down to every other day... And then halve that again... Maybe even see if you can go a week without using them... What about a month!!? 🙉 It's all about balance and moderation! Remember that!! Why don't you see how long you can go without using heat and see if you notice any difference in the condition of your hair?
SLOW AND STEADY! Do you tend to go over the same bit of hair 20 times because it just won't go straight!? 😩 We've all been there when our hair just won't listen to us. But it's similar to point no3... Balance and moderation!! Try taking smaller sections, slowing down your hands and going over the hair a maximum of twice. Less heat and a better finish 🙌🏻
USE COOLER WATER! Yes, heat doesn't just stop at your styling tools! Have you thought about how hot the water is when you wash your hair? You don't have to use freezing cold water, especially during winter, we're not crazy like some people out there 🥶! But using water on the cooler side when washing your hair will definitely help to prolong your colour and give you a great shine.
Easy, right!? Just these small steps can help you to reduce the amount of heat you expose your precious locks to resulting in healthier, shinier, stronger hair! 💪🏻 Admittedly, the only way to get rid of heat damaged hair is to have a good hair cut. And even though that may not be an option during lockdown at the moment, it's always a good time to start getting into a good hair routine at home.
Here are some heat protectors that I love to use on myself and always recommend to my clients...
So let's all make it a goal - use less heat, and use a protector when you must use heat! Make me proud at your next appointment 😉
xx