AND WONKY SIDES.. OF D.I.Y. STYLING

Definitely not rushing back to a salon any time soon

Naomi Martin, 28, from St Albans, Herts, says lockdown has made her embrace her natural style.

The production co-ordinator says: “I’d spend over £200 in the salon on a cut and highlights. I could easily spend over £100 on products too.

“Before, I was completely guilty of over brushing, picking split ends and using heat to style my hair. I was massively overdue a haircut but couldn’t find time because work was so busy and then suddenly the lockdown was imposed. As I wasn’t going out, I decided to let my hair do its own thing, no styling with straighteners and not a huge amount of products. I’ve been spending lots of time outside, so the colour has gone lighter.

“I also experimented with putting highlights in myself. My hair feels so much stronger.

“I do really love it and am definitely not rushing back to a salon any time soon.”

Maureen Coleman, 52, soon found herself in a hairy situation – as her cropped pixie cut began to grow upwards.

The journalist, from Belfast, says: “I have extremely thick and wavy hair, which is why I keep it short. My hair tends to grow up and out, instead of down.

“Admittedly, during lockdown, I attempted to cut it myself. I used nail scissors on the fringe and, remembering my hairdresser’s words, tried to ‘chop

Amber Middleton, 24, found that using hair dye is best left to the professionals.

She explains: “When we went into lockdown my hair was mousey brown with blonde ends. But I get so bored with it so I couldn’t just leave it as it was.”

Amber, of Brighton, adds: “I tried to dye it grey but it didn’t work. So I tried blonde. It was difficult to bleach my hair without leaving it patchy or yellow. I ran out of bleach into it’. The fringe turned out OK. Then I tried to cut the sides and the back with a pair of kitchen scissors. That was disastrous.

“When restrictions were eased in Northern Ireland I agreed to let my 12-year-old niece cut the back of my hair. It wasn’t the best and my sister had to step in.

“Now my hair is anything but an asymmetrical pixie cut. It’s put me off ever trying to grow it out again.”

I cut my sides with kitchen scissors. That was disastrous

halfway – leaving me with awful, wonky roots. I tried bleaching before and it’s been a disaster, but I thought there’s no better time to try again than being stuck at home with nothing better to do. It was a complete hairmare when I ran out of bleach but I left it in for a bit then got some more and tried again. Luckily my hair is fine now. But without a hairdresser it’ll almost certainly reach that point again.”

It was a complete hair-mare when I ran out of bleach