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Questions and Answers in HESWALL MAGAZINE
What are the hair colour rules when it comes to eye colour and skin tone?
There are differing opinions among hairdressers on this subject.
I believe that when choosing your hair colour it is important to take your skin tone into account not particularly your eye colour.. A person with very light skin could have the same skin tone as someone with very dark skin yet their eye colours might be different. When we talk about tone we mean warm or cool. People with warm tones usually look better with gold jewelry while cool toned skin prefers silver. It can be quite difficult to decide which you are. In salon we use two colours of cloth which we drape around the clients shoulders, one gold the other pink, then check which one improves their appearance. Cool toned skin is improved by cool hair colours such as black, burgundy, dark chocolate, plum, soft brown, ash blondes and beige. Warm toned skin suits warm colours like dark brown. mahogany, chestnut, copper, auburn, honey and gold blonde.
Also, you should take your skin tone into account when choosing the colour of your clothes. If you wear the shades which compliment your skin colour you will always look better. Get it badly wrong and you will see your hair and clothes and not see the person wearing them.
Is there an easy way to get my thin, limp hair to look fuller and sleeker?
First of all check your style. Shortish all the same length 'Bobs' are great for thin hair if you want it easy to manage and look sleek and shiny. However, a good cut and the addition of layers to your hair will give more volume right away. If you don't colour your hair think about adding some colour. Modern colour techniques make your hair look and feel thicker. Shampoo and style every day if you can - morning is best so you look great all day. To create even more volume in fine hair you must also check your hair care products. You need products that will work with your hair and not against it. Some shampoos are just too conditioning for fine hair and leave it flattened out. Search out a shampoo for fine hair. Wella System Professional Volumize shampoo is ideal. Another to try is also in the System Professional range, try Shine Define shampoo for great shine.
You need a special conditioner for fine hair, such as, System Professional Volumize leave in conditioner.
Top Tip - With fine hair apply conditioner to the ends of the hair only. The roots don't need it and it will flatten your style.
After towel drying and conditioning you should apply a Styling product to add body when drying. I like System Professional Super Mousse, this product give a great shine as well.
You can also use System Professional Weightless finish sprayed directly onto the roots of your hair for extra volume.
Use a round brush when drying to put volume in the roots. When drying take your hair in small sections with your brush and lift each section at the roots . Another method is to tip your head upside down and dry off the roots using your fingers to push some body into your hair.
Even more body can be achieved by roller setting after you have styled your hair. Put the rollers into dry or slightly damp hair. Spray with a little hair spray, warm/dry with the dryer, allow to cool and remove. Small rollers equal more curl. So if you want body without curl, use large rollers to put body into the roots..
New fashions are great for volume. Add some curls and bounce with the new ghd stylers or curling tongs. Crimping is also making a come-back, crimp some of the under-layers and allow the other hair to fall over these sections. It adds body and looks great.
Remember volume isn't everything. If you have fine hair you will always get great shine which others with thicker course hair struggle to achieve. So if you don't get as much volume as you would like, appreciate the extra shine.
Is it true that you should wash your hair as little as possible?
Absolutely not true. Your hair lives in the same environment as your hands and face. It picks up the same dirt and smells and should be washed at least once a day.
Good quality shampoo followed by conditioner, when chosen correctly, - ask you stylist for advice on which products are right for your hair - will not over clean your hair. In most cases it will do it good. When you wash your hair you also wash your scalp. Over the course of a day your hair has shed up to 100 hairs. The skin on your scalp has shed a layer of dead skin, this and the discarded hairs are often trapped in your hair or stuck to the natural oils and perspiration produced by your scalp making your hair look dull. The natural oils and perspiration can produce unpleasant odours if left unwashed. The trapped skin particles look like dandruff.
Washing your hair revives and lifts the roots giving more volume. Just as you might wash your hands and face more than once in a day and a man may shave for as second time if he is going somewhere special in the evening, many clients would wash and style their hair for a second time for something special.
Christopher is the Hair Expert
in "ask the experts......" for ENVY
Magazine.
..Q.. How can I keep my hair looking
good between washes? I’ve heard about dry shampoos,
but does it really work?
A dry shampoo is not something
that I would recommend. Although they dry up greasy
roots they usually leave hair looking matt and dry. Ideally, hair should be washed on a daily basis. If
your hair has natural body and doesn't get greasy at
the roots you may last two, maybe three days between
washes. But think how dirty your face gets at the end
of the day – you can imagine how dirty your hair
will be after a few days. Even if your greasy roots
can be concealed, dirty hair still smells, and dry shampoos,
whatever they promise, never leave you feeling as clean
and confident as a good hair wash does. Then there is
the condition. Washing your hair regularly is the single
most effective way to get it looking and feeling its
best. Clean hair and a clean scalp mean healthier-looking
hair. I presume that you don't want to wash your hair
every day. Often this is because we find this difficult
and time consuming. Have you considered that you may
have the wrong hairstyle? If your hair only looks good
on the day it is washed and you don't want to wash it
every day - you could think about a re-style so that
you have a style that is easy to wash and care for.
If we had to wear the same clothes for a few days yet
still wanted to look good we would pick suitable clothes.
Not clothes that need to be washed and ironed after
each day. But most of us wash our clothes after one
days use. It's the same with your hair. Choose a suitable
hairstyle. Many styles look great when they are clean
and dressed but do nothing for us when they need washing
or are dragged into a pony tail. Think about it. If
your hair only looks good once or twice a week - could
you do better?
In the salon we use an excellent product called "Dust
It" to add volume at the roots, it works well with
most hairstyles. Like dry shampoo it is powder based
and could be used to dry up greasy roots in an emergency.
However, to recap. If you want to look great - there's
no gain without pain - go for a style that is easy to
wash and dry yourself. Make time - every morning if
necessary - to wash and style your hair. Go for it.
Spending that extra time on yourself will give you a
boost for the rest of the day.
..Q..
I colour my hair with semi-permanent hair dye every
six weeks to two months, but find the colour fades very
quickly. Is there any way I can prevent the colour and
shine from fading so fast and how can I look after my
coloured hair?
"Any hair colour which has
any lasting power, semi-permanent or tint is in two
parts, the colour and the developer. You must use the
developer to allow the colour to penetrate the hair's
shaft. This developer is, in fact, a mild bleach, so
each time you apply your colour to the parts of the
hair which were coloured previously, i.e. all of your
hair, it worsens the condition and alters the structur
of your hair. This process is progressive, so the more
often you apply colour to the ends of your hair, the
harder it is for the colour molecules to stay in your
hair. Also, the lighter your will become and the worse
the condition will be. You don't notice this at first
because the colour part covers it up and adds shine
until the colour molecules are washed out. To begin
to repair your hair and obtain a better result. Next
time you colour your hair, mix the colour with the developer
as usual. Apply this to the root area only. Then take
the colour you have left in the mixing bowl, add an
equal volume of hair conditioner, mix this up and apply
it to the rest of your hair. Develop as per manufacturers
instructions. Over a period of time your colour should
begin to last longer and you will improve the condition
and shine of your hair. Red colours are notorious for
fading, they have much larger colour molecules. These
don't enter as far into the hair shaft and therefor
wash out more easily. I recommend that my clients refresh
their colour, in between salon visits, by using a temporary
hair colour which can be applied at home. Temporary
colours do not use a developer so cannot lighten or
damage you hair. They are excellent for replacing lost
colour on a short term basis and are great for colour,
condition and shine.
Always use a professional quality
shampoo, conditioner and hair treatment for coloured
hair. These are formulated to condition and help to
close the hair cuticle helping to stop your colour fading.
Professional quality products do cost a little more
but the extra money is well spent. In salon clients
should finish off their colour with a Colour Saver Treatment.
This closes the cuticles immediately and helps to lock
in the colour. Even if you colour your hair at home -
most hairdressers are pleased to offer advice. Pop into
the salon and ask the stylist for advice about your colour.
They can also help when choosing which temporary colour
or hair products are best for you."
..Q.. My shoulder-length hair
is quite fine and always seems to be flat. How can I
create more volume all over?
First of all check your style.
A good cut and the addition of layers to your hair will
give more volume right away. Also, if you don't colour
your hair think about adding some colour. Modern colour
techniques make your hair look and feel thicker. Shampoo
and style every day if you can - morning is best so
you look great all day. To create even more volume in
fine hair you must also check your hair care products.
You need products that will work with your hair and
not against it. Some shampoos are just too conditioning
for fine hair and leave it flattened out. Search out
a shampoo for fine hair. Wella System Professional
Volume shampoo is ideal. Others to try are also in the
System Professional range and are Luminous shampoo for
great shine and, if your hair is coloured, 1.8 Colour
Saver shampoo for Fine hair.
You need a special conditioner for fine hair, such as,
System Professional Volume Builder.
Top Tip - With fine hair apply conditioner to the ends
of the hair only. The roots don't need it and it will
flatten your style.
After towel drying you should apply a Style product
to add body when drying. I like System Professional
Super Mousse or Volumagic. Round brushes are easier
to use when adding volume. When drying take your hair
in small sections with your brush and lift each section
at the roots . Another method is to tip your head upside
down and dry off the roots using your fingers to push
some body into your hair.
Even more body can be achieved by roller setting after
you have styled your hair. Put the rollers into dry
hair. Spray with a little hair spray, warm with the
dryer, allow to cool and remove. Small rollers equal
more curl. So if you want body without curl, use large
rollers.
New fashions are great for volume. Add some curls and
bounce with the new ghd stylers or curling tongs. Crimping
is also making a come-back, crimp some of the under-layers
and allow the other hair to fall over these sections.
It adds body and looks great.
Remember volume isn't everything. If you have fine hair
you will always get great shine which others with thicker
hair struggle to achieve. So if you don't get as much
volume as you would like, appreciate the extra shine.
..Q..I
straighten my wavy hair almost every day and its starting
to look a bit dry. I don't want to give up my irons,
what can I do to keep it looking in good condition?
Straightening irons have been
a great addition to hair styling. We are using them to smooth and curl as well as straighten.
It would be a pity to give them up. So first of all make sure that you always use top quality
products on your hair. Don't head for the supermarket. You will find
these in top hair salons where you should also find a friendly stylist
who uses them every day and actually knows which is best for your hair. Straightening irons do dry your hair so make sure that
it is well protected before you start. Shampoo with a product such as Wella System Professional
Repair Shampoo or Colour Saver Shampoo both excellent for repairing
damaged hair. Colour Saver Shampoo is available for Fine - Medium
or Course hair. Follow this with a conditioner such as Wella System Professional
30 Seconds Repair
Cream or Hydro Mask. Before you dry your hair apply
a straightening lotion or cream. This will coat your hair, make it easier
to straighten and protect it from the heat of the dryer. I recommend Lanza
Strait Line Smoother or my own Christopher Boyton Smooth 'n Shine
Hair Balm. To straighten with your irons - take each section of hair
and before you touch it with your irons apply Wella High Hair - Flat Iron
Spray - this product protects your hair from heat and smooths and shines
your hair. Other excellent products for finishing when your hair is straightened
are Sytem Professional Ends Express and Fluid Crystal - these
products can be applied to wet or dry hair but I prefer to use them on dry hair
for extra shine and anti-frizz effect. Each of the products I have recommended
plays its part in the final look and most importantly to the condition
of your hair. I agree its a lot of products but the look and condition
of your hair is worth it?
Q "I had my hair cut short
a month ago and I hate it. I’ve seen lots of people
getting hair extensions but sometimes they look really
fake. How can I get extensions which look natural?"
"If you wanted cosmetic surgery
would you go to the surgeon closest to home who could
do it the quickest and whose charges were the cheapest? Probably not.
Top chefs like Gordon Ramsey
and Jamie Oliver use, what appear to be, the same ingredients
as anyone else. Yet they can produce better cuisine
than others. However, like top hairdressers and extensionists
they do this by using their expertise and superior quality
products. .
So you need to bear this in mind when choosing your
extension salon.
You could opt for a more trendy disconnected cut i.e.
short on top and longer around the edges. However, for
a truly natural look your hair should not be extended
more than two to three times its present length . You
will need to search out an experienced extensionist
who uses superior quality products and is able to advise
you. A good extensionist will sometimes use two or three
shades of the same colour to blend more naturally with
your own hair. The extension hair they use should have
the cuticle layer intact. This protects it from damage
and seals in moisture. European hair is between .06mm
to .09mm in diameter so the extension hair should be
the same thickness. Chinese hair is cheaper to use yet
unsuitable for natural looking extensions. After the
extensions are bonded to your hair they need to be expertly
cut and styled to blend in with your natural hair so
you need someone who specialises in cutting and has
a good reputation. Finally you must look after your
extensions by using the correct shampoo, conditioner
and styling products to keep them looking healthy. There
are a number of methods of attaching extensions. Some
are incredibly messy in the wrong hands. After a lot
of research I believe that pre-bonded extensions look
the most natural and are much less likely to shed hair
over the following months. The very latest method of
application uses air pressure and has taken hair extensions
into a new dimension. For more information log on to
www.cbhair.co.uk or www.greatlengths.net"
Q "My hair is quite fine
and long but it just seems to stick to my head. I’d
love to give it some volume and some shape but whenever
I use products they just seem to weigh my hair down
even more. What can I do?"
"To give volume to fine hair you should add some
layers. This will make your hair less heavy and able
to bounce up more easily.
Always wash your hair at the beginning of each day.
If you need to - wash it again before you go out in
the evening. Shampooing your hair is good for it. Clean
hair is healthy hair. Use a volumising shampo such as
Wella System Professional 1.3. The benefits you get
from this shampoo are gentle cleansing without overloading
and more strength and long-lasting volume. Use Volume
Mousse 2.3 from the same range it provides light hold
and adds up to 50% more volume. Don't use heavy conditioners
unless the ends of your hair are really damaged. If
you do - keep them away from the roots of your hair.
Again from the same range of products, Wella System
Professional, there is an excellent product called Volume
Builder. Spray this onto the roots for extra lift. Tip
your head upside down and dry the roots away from the
head to give maximum volume before styling in the usual
way.
For even more volume set your newly dried hair on jumbo
velcro rollers. Warm with your dryer then allow to cool
thoroughly before removing and styling. If you normally
brush your hair with a hair brush, throw it away now.
Brushing hair flattens and can damage your hair. Always
use a comb with widely spaced teeth."
Q "My hair is long and it always looks lank and dull
in winter. What can I doto make it look shinier and
more healthy?"
"Hair that looks dull and
lank can be caused by many things.
However, if this only happens in the winter months it
may be that you change
your diet with the seasons. Generally people get more
fesh air and eat more
healthily in the summer - food such as salads and vegetables
- then revert
back to the comfort foods and stodge when the weather
is cold. Central
heating, warm hoods, hats and scarves are also great
for comfort and
excellent for flattening and drying out your hair.
Try and maintain a healthy diet throughout the year.
I eat salad every
week. Vegetables and oily fish give you most of the
vitamins you need to
grow healthy hair. You get healthy shinier hair and
you get to live longer.
Shampoo your hair regularly with a good quality shampoo.
Wella's System
Professional range has a shampoo just for you. Good
hairdressers can tell
you which one. Choose your conditioner from the same
range.
Take care when you dry your hair. Hair will shine if
it is in good
condition and if it is dried carefully. Smooth hair
is shiny hair.
Putting your hair in rollers gives body and shine because
you flatten and
smooth your hair as it goes around the roller. Using
straighteners like
g.h.d. with their Thermal Protector Spray or Wella High
Hair Flat Iron Spray
will make any hair smoother and shinier. It gives the
same effect as when
you iron your clothes. Don't forget - you can use straighteners
to bend
hair as well as straighten it.
Eat a healthy diet - spend more time in the fresh air
- use good quality
products - get healthy shinier hair and be happy."
Q : 'Ive heard so much conflicting
advice on how often you should wash your hair and whether
it matters
if you use conditioner or not! Should you wash your
hair twice through with shampoo every time you wash
your
hair or is one enough? And should you use the same type
of conditioner as your shampoo?
How do you know if your hair is clean enough? I'm getting
confused!'
" How often should you wash your hair? Do you want
to look like Kate Moss on a good day or Kate Moss on
a greasy day? Seriously, there isn't a simple answer to this question.
If your hair looks as if it needs shampooing then shampoo
it. Each time you shampoo your hair you refresh the lift
at the roots which generally improves the look of your
style. Fine hair tends to need washing more often than thick hair. Most of the time unless your hair is very dirty or greasy
one wash is enough. What is most important is which
shampoo you use. There are dozens of shampoo products
on the market.
The shampoo for Dry hair in one range may be the similar
to the shampoo for Normal hair in another range. If
there is too much detergent in the shampoo it will strip the oils out
of your hair. To make life easier make sure that you
are using a quality product. I assume that you are asking the question because you
want your hair to look good. So you don't want to use
some shampoo that your mother gets because it was on Special Offer
at the supermarket, or, that the colour of the bottle
would match the colour of the bathroom. Go for a good make like Wella System Professional.
They have a complete range. Over a dozen shampoos to
choose from. So, with the help of your friendly stylist
you can find the exact shampoo for your type of hair
- you don't need to be a client of the salon, just pop in and ask for their
recommendation. The stylist will know which is best
for you because they use the products daily and have lots of experience.Some people only need a little conditioner and then
only on the ends of their hair. Modern conditioners,
again from the Wella System Professional range can be applied directly to
the part of your hair which needs conditioning and then
dried into your hair.
Couldn't be easier. If your hair is particularly dry
you will need a stronger product or atreatment conditioner.
Again, your friendly stylist will know and be able to advise which
is the one for you.Modern shampoos will clean your hair thoroughly without
stripping out all of the oils. Spread the shampoo over
the palms of your hands, distribute this throughout your hair. Massage
well taking care not to miss any areas of your scalp,
particularly your hair line where old make-up may linger. Give your hair
a thorough rinse with plenty of warm water. Condition,
dry to style and
hit the town. No problem. "
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