‘Youtube will be a great source of advice in the coming weeks’
Keris Weir, Belfast Telegraph columnist and owner of Keris Weir Salon in Lurgan, has some top tips on how to style your hair at home.
While most of us will be worried about our roots showing and keeping our hair in good condition, Keris (39), who has a daughter, Sienna (5), is encouraging people to be patient and take time with their hair.
“There are loads of videos on Youtube which show you how to style your hair and these are going to become a great source of advice for many in the coming weeks,” she says.
“Many of these videos will cover the basics on how to blowdry which many people struggle with. Colour is a different issue and if you do go for a box dye to cover up roots, then my advice is to make sure you do a patch test first.
“Root cover-up sprays are a great way to hide root growth and my advice would be to go online and order a couple now to see you through the next few months.”
As coronavirus can cling to the hair as well as clothes, Keris advises washing your hair as soon as you get home if you have to go out. “Healthcare workers in particular who are working in close contact with people will need to wash their hair more often,” she says.
“This goes against my usual advice not to wash your hair too often, but it is necessary at the present time. Make sure you are using a good shampoo and conditioner as this will help limit the damage from repeated washing.”
For those with naturally frizzy hair which is hard to blowdry, Keris doesn’t advise letting the hair dry naturally. Even if you rely on a hairdresser to tame it, you can try to reduce the volume at home.
“Keep your hair in a towel for about 15 minutes to get a lot of the excess water out,” she says.
“Then apply a serum and, using a medium to cool heat and with your hairdryer pointing down, gently blowdry your hair.
“Leaving it to dry on its own will only encourage it to expand and frizz up.”
Finally, for those who rely on regular treatments to keep their hair in good condition, Keris advises a simple mask you can do at home using coconut oil.
“Use a coconut oil mask on your hair overnight to keep it hydrated — and this will help keep it in good condition until your salon opens for business again.”