Next level hair starts here
Simply use products properly and you’ll get 50 per cent* better results, says Rosie Green
OUR EXPERT SHARES HER INSIDER KNOWLEDGE
When it comes to shampoo, hair masks, serums and sprays, are you user-compliant? Are you a label reader? Because it might seem more obvious than a gold-digger at a hedge-funder convention, but the more diligent you are at applying your products the better the results will be.
Confession: being a little slapdash and thinking my advancing years means I know it all, I’m as guilty as the next person of skim-reading instructions. Factor in declining eyesight, meaning I can’t see the tiny print, and I’m often winging it in the shower. (NB, the Magnifier app on smartphones is genius for reading tiny text, but not under running water.)
Recently, I’ve been reminded that the marginal gains made by taking time, massaging in and thoroughly rinsing out add up to a much better finished look. It’s why salon hair is always next-level fabulous. These tips will help you achieve professional results at home.
Great hair starts in the shower
A-lister stylist Zoë Irwin advises… Use shampoo mindfully. Don’t put a blob in your hand and plonk it straight on your hair. Rub your palms together to increase the surface area, then carefully distribute the product through the hair.
Lather up at the nape. We call this the ‘kitchen’ of the hair, as it’s where things get hot and dirty quickly. Often we neglect it when shampooing, but get this area really clean and your hair will feel fresher for longer.
Rinse, rinse, rinse. If you don’t do this thoroughly, your blow-dry will flop.
Remember your hair is different at the roots and ends. From mid-length downwards, your hair will likely have been coloured and heat-damaged, so it will need heavier, more nourishing products. Your roots require a different formulation. Zone your hair.
Comb through your conditioner. Don’t just brush it back from the front – which covers ten per cent of the hair – but work conditioner through it downwards, so it coats every strand. I like Mason Pearson brushes (right) for this.
Extend your blow-dry
Are you an every-day person? Every three days? A once-aweek woman? I’m talking about hair washing. I know some find this abhorrent, but in an ideal world I’d go to the hairdresser every seven days. Sadly, this doesn’t work for me practically or financially, but Kiki Koh at John Frieda has lots of clients who do just this. Here’s how he ensures their blow-dry lasts.
Use minimal product. Too much weighs down your style and attracts dirt.
Shampoo twice, then section the hair. When I blow-dry, I divide the hair meticulously into six to eight sections using a butterfly clip – spending a little more time here is crucial to the result.
Use a volumising spray. The alcohol absorbs sebum and roughs up the hair to create airiness at the roots, so it doesn’t lie flat and look greasy. Try Hair By Sam McKnight Cool Girl Superlift Volumising Spray (below).
Tool up. Shai Greenberg, co-founder of Gielly Green salon, says investing in a good quality blow-dryer can make a difference to the longevity of your blow-out. ‘I recommend Dyson, GHD or Parlux. And once you have finished blow-drying each section, use the cool shot button to set the style. This will help to lock in the shape.’
Use a hair band when washing your face. Essential to keep products and water away from your blow-dry.
Don’t forget the shower cap. This helps stop hair frizzing in the humidity if you’re not washing your hair.
Rethink dry shampoo
No longer just a shakeon powder, now it adds volume and texture, soaks up grease and removes odours. Use correctly for good results.
Create sections. You want to expose the scalp.
Shake the can, then spray. Do this four to six inches away from the scalp, sweeping along the partings and working through the hair.
Wait a few seconds. Then massage it in. Try Living Proof Perfect Hair Day Dry Shampoo, (left) or Klorane Gentle Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk (€6.45, lookfantastic.com).
*Based on a study of one: herself.
@lifesrosie
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