Sun damage - protect your hair

Although your hair cannot get a sunburn or cancer, the sun can harm it in other ways. Prolonged exposure to the sun’s ultra-violet A and B (UVA and UVB) rays can damage your hair from its cuticle to its inner structure. If you plan on spending time in the sun, it is important to protect your hair -- as well as your skin -- from its damaging effects.

Significance

Excessive exposure to the sun can cause weak, dry and brittle hair. It can also make your hair more susceptible to split ends. Chemically lightening or bleaching your hair can make your hair particularly vulnerable to the damaging effects of the sun, but the sun can also damage healthy, non-chemically altered hair. Natural brunette hair can develop a reddish hue if left unprotected in the sunlight. Chemically treated hair can yellow, dull and fade.

Considerations

Leaving your head unprotected in the sun can damage your scalp as well as your hair. Rubbing sunscreen into your hair’s parting can protect it from sunburn but a hat provides the most complete protection against the sun’s damaging rays. Most experts recommend to wear a wide-brimmed hat when you expect to stay in the sun for more than a few hours. As an added bonus, the hat can protect your face from sun damage and reduce your risk of skin cancer.

Prevention/Solution

To protect hair from discoloration, we recommend using a leave-in conditioner and to avoid the sun between the hours of 10 a.m. and 3 p.m  when the rays are strongest. Use hairsprays and leave-in conditioners with a UV protector to defend your locks against the damaging rays of the sun. If you find yourself outdoors without a hat or SPF hair protection, then we suggest combing a small amount of regular sunscreen through your hair. 

Warning

Spritzing your hair with alcohol, peroxide, lemon juice or “sun-activated hair-lightening sprays,” then exposing your hair to the sun can speed up the damaging effects of the sun and cause dry, brittle hair. 

Expert Insight

Protecting your hair against sun damage should start long before the summer season. Before spending time in the sun, visit your stylist to eliminate split ends.  If you usually experience dry, sun-damaged hair in the summer, ask your stylist for a preventive professional deep-conditioning treatment.

Autumn Winter Trends 2014

Autumn Winter Trends for hair 2014

IT’S ALL ABOUT COLOUR!

Colour is always exciting this time of year and it is without limitations this season. With a season of experimentation from the Catwalk, such as bold ‘rainbow colouring’ which was seen in a beautiful Geo-print at Clover Gayon, anything is possible.  You can create a bright and vibrant look, which will definitely gain attention, or alternately go for a more subtle style to transition into the Autumn season. Let’s have a look at our favourite colour trends!

Red Heads

Intense radiant red, copper and mahogany shades are very popular and allow for bold, impactful colour which is perfect to brighten up the dull winter days ahead.

Blondes

Ditch the Sun-kissed highlights in favour of a block blonde or scattered strawberry blonde /auburn toned low-lights to create a more subtle seasonal change.  Speak to your Stylist about correct tones to suit your complexion and incorporating this within your next visit to the salon.

Brunettes

This season sees a continuation of block shades and bronze and mocha tones are predicted to be super hot. Bold prints allow for a lot of creativity too! We are within a colour evolution which allows us to go beyond simple block colours. Ombre and dip dye colouring is still big this season and you can incorporate an autumn inspired look blending your favourite tones throughout your hair.

STYLE

How will be wearing our hair this fall? We have looked over the upcoming trends and have put together a few of our favourites!

Ballerina Bun

Now is the time to forget everything you ever thought you knew about this classic style! It is ready to surprise you this season.  It appears that top knots, loose chignons, high buns are no longer clearly defined but beautifully merged into one , undone updo this season. It is easier than ever to transition from day to night with this versatile style whilst maintaining a pretty, stylish style almost effortlessly.

Braids

A whole new world of styling opportunities surround ‘braiding’ this season.  They still have an air of effortlessness and are perfect for the up and coming cooler months. Even during a wet and rainy day, a braid will stay in place. With messy ones being hot in fashion now is the time to get braiding! It is no longer about ‘sleek and perfect’ but can be undone and loose. So from textured side braids to intricate fish tails and high plaits find the best one for you and get braiding!

Mermaid Waves

Mermaid waves are beautiful loose waves and now they look soft and tousled which is great for Autumn 2014. Waves become all about texture, shine and create an effortless, dreamy appearance which looks gorgeous when teamed with over-sized knitwear.

Pony Tail

A timeless classic the enduring pony tail has had many make overs! This season anything goes!  The pony tail goes versatile as you like, so get your imagination working and let it all show in your ponytail of choice. Whether modern and intricate or sleek and sharp this is a look that can be worn day or night. We love adding height to the front of the pony by back combing and then securing in place with a band. Simply wrap a small section of hair, around the band to hide it and secure with a bobby pin. Beautiful, and easy!

Back to School = Head-lice Peak Season

BACK TO SCHOOL = HEADLICE PEAK SEASON

Head lice and nit diagnoses tend to peak at back to school time - mainly because all those kids are getting their heads together again and sharing the pesky critters.

Any parent who has dealt with head lice and nits knows how annoying this problem can be - and most parents with children attending schools or group settings are likely to encounter it at some point. 

Head lice is caused by a nearly invisible (as they are so small) insect called Pediculus humanus capitis. The six-legged tiny critter is rarely seen and parents usually become aware of the infestation by finding the white eggs or nits in their child’s hair near the scalp or seeing their child scratching.

Head lice are tiny parasitic insects that generally live on the scalp, where they hide in the hair, feed on blood, and lay their eggs which often cause severe itching.

What you need to know about head lice

·         Do not live on pets.

·         Are reddish-brown wingless insects.

·         Are about the size of a sesame seed.

·         Feed on human blood 3-4 times daily.

·         Can't live off the human host for more than 24 hours.

·         Female's can lay up to 100 eggs and require just one mating to be fertilised.

·         Are able to reproduce in 10 days and live eggs hatch in 7-10 days.

·         Live on a host for approximately 30 days.

·         Are mainly transmitted by head-to-head contact but can also be spread through the sharing of personal articles.

·         Can't hop, jump or fly. They swing and climb on the hair and scalp.

 

Treating head lice

When dealing with head lice and nits, never has it be truer that prevention is better than cure. If you do regular lice hair checks on the whole family, you can tackle any small outbreaks more easily than waiting to deal with a full-blown infestation.

Our best tips on dealing with a head lice infestation:

If, despite your best efforts, the little blighters have gotten away from you:

·         Concentrate on the head - there is no evidence to suggest that you need to clean the house.

·         There's no treatment that will kill all the eggs, so it's really important to repeat the treatment a couple of times 3-4 days apart.

·         If you are using lotions, apply the product to dry hair.

·         There is no need to treat the whole family, unless they also have head lice.

·         Only the pillowcase requires specific laundering; either wash it in hot water (at least 60 degrees centigrade) or dry it using a clothes dryer on the hot or warm setting.

·         There is no product available that guarantees to prevent head lice. Using the conditioner and comb method once a week will help you detect any head lice early and minimise the problem. Tying back long hair can help prevent the spread of head lice.

·         Combs with long, rounded stainless steel teeth positioned very close together have been shown to be the most effective; however, any head lice comb can be use.

MORE IMOPORTANT FACTS ON HEAD LICE

 

·         Lice are more a nuisance than a real health problem.

·         An infestation of head lice is called pediculosis.

·         A sure sign of a lice infestation is a child who is madly itching her head, particularly behind the ears and along the hairline on the neck. But don't fooled into thinking that if your child isn't itching that they must be lice-free - some children are fantastic hosts and seem to tolerate lice without noticeably itching (at least until the infestation has hit plague proportions!).

·         While long hair is more tedious to deal with during an infestation, cutting the hair will not solve the problem as the eggs are laid at the base of the hair shaft.

REMEMBER!

Because live eggs hatch in 7-10 days, the key to success in getting rid of them is to repeat whatever treatment you settle on every three-four days for a couple of weeks. You can only break the cycle if you stop the newly hatched lice from laying eggs.

Five Summer Hair Care Sins

Stop frazzling your locks this summer and avoid committing these sinful hair care mistakes!

1) Staying in the Sun for too long

You wouldn't allow your skin to burn (well most of us anyway) in the Sun so why would you do this to your hair? The Sun breaks down the protein structure of the hair and draws moisture from the hair cells. This combination creates roughened hair cuticles and gives the impression of dry, coarse and frizzy hair. Keep it covered during the hottest times, with a sun hat or sit in the shade.


2) Forgetting Weekly Treatments

When it comes to pre holiday hair care it is all about preparation. Get your hair into its best possible state, before you step foot on any beach or plane.  Use weekly intensive moisturizing treatments, we recommend L'anza's Trauma Treatment or Moisture MoiMoi Masque. If your thoughts to this are you don't have time, simply switch your usual conditioner for a intensive masque. It will prep your hair for sun exposure, whilst keeping strength and moisture levels in place. 






3) Forgetting your pre holiday appointment

Visit the salon before your holiday to ensure your hair is fully prepared for a week or two in intense sunshine. Having a in salon treatment and a hair cut will make a world of difference, even just a trim!

4) Not using protection

Leaving your hair unprotected from the suns harmful rays is only going to result in damage. Invest in products that shield against UV rays. Once again we recommend L'anza as their entire range provides UVA, UVB and UVC protection and are colour safe too.






5) Avoiding the salon upon your return

After your holiday, even if you have been super careful, pop into the salon for a in salon hair masque to give your hair a pampering treat.


Don't be a sinner this Summer, look after your locks and enjoy the Sun with beautiful hair.

To Pixie or not to Pixie

To pixie or not to pixie

Tired of spending hours maintaining your lengthy locks? Feeling the heat and would like a cooler style? Why not be daring and go short for spring/summer 2014. Sleek bobs and chic pixie crops have been at the forefront of the fashion catwalks and red carpets this Spring/ Summer season. 

The good news is that you don’t need to be a red carpet darling to face the chop, you just need to get the right advice.

Before having the chop here are the top tips on what we think you should consider.

Face Shape

Face shape comes on top of the list; generally a small oval face is best suited to this look. Although with the right stylist/colourist you can have a Pixie designed to suit you.

For example, if you have a square or oblong face shape. An asymmetric twist to the cut will soften the geometry of your face shape. If your face shape is more round, a squarer fringe will suit you more.

Colour

Colour as always, is the ultimate accessory and is essential for the Pixie cut. Colours show off and finish the overall style. L'Oreal's choice this season for Pixie Geldof was a Mocha Blonde root phasing out to a clearer beige blonde. 

Texture

Hair texture plays an important role, for instance if your hair is prone to lying flat, a professional volume range will ensure that maximum lift is achieved all day, then our choice to finish the Pixie is a pomade styling product which is perfect for creating volume, texture and versatility.

So go to your stylist, have a picture or two of your dream Pixie (a great place to look for inspiration is Pinterest and Instagram) and with your Stylist's advice and help you will be ready to Rock this Spring Summer It Look.

Hair Dilemma Answered - HAIR LOSS - Telogen Effluvium

Hair Dilemma’s answered

My Hair is falling out!

For a woman, unexplained and excessive hair loss can be a very dramatic, scary experience. The great news is there is often a way to fix it. A lot of women find the subject hard to speak about so we thought we would put together the most common causes of hair loss in women and how to treat it. This week we are looking at a very common condition.

Telogen Effluvium

a.       Occurs after pregnancy, major surgery, drastic weight loss or extreme stress.

This condition makes you lose large amounts of hair every day, and is noticeable when shampooing, styling and brushing. This condition can also be a side effect of certain medication such as antidepressants, beta-blockers and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

With this condition the hair moves faster than normal between its growing phase into the ‘resting phase’ and quickly moves on to the shedding (telogen) phase.

Symptoms: Women with telogen effluvium typically notice hair loss 6 weeks to 3 months after a stressful event. At its peak you can lose handfuls of hair.

Tests: There are no tests for telogen effluvium but your GP may ask about recent life events. They will look for small ‘club-shaped’ bulbs on the fallen hairs roots. By seeing a bulb it means the hair has gone through its complete cycle of growth and a new hair will be forming. This suggests that the cycle has been sped up due to stress.

What can I do: In cases where the main reason looks to be pregnancy or major surgery it is mainly a case of waiting for the hair cycle to slow down and your hair to return to its normal growth cycle. However if it is due to medications you can ask your GP to lower your dosage or switching drugs. Again if it is stress related, try your best to reduce your anxiety and relax.

Current Popular Summer Looks 2014

Current Popular Summer Looks 2014

PEEK-A-BOO HIGHLIGHTS 

Peek-A-Boo highlights are pretty simple – in theory and a great way to lighten your hair for the Summer as it is a great colouring technique used when you want a little wild in your style but are constrained by perhaps a conservative living situation or job or do not like to see regrowth.  

The idea is that the highlights are placed in the hair so that the hair is styled over the highlights. In other words, the highlights are placed away from partings and the hairlines at the front of the head and near the face. These highlights then only become visible when the hair moves and separates, revealing them and avoids seeing a re-growth line.

PIXIE –CROP CUT

Tired of spending hours maintaining your lengthy locks? Why not be daring and go short for spring/summer 2014. Sleek bobs and chic pixie crops have been at the forefront of the fashion catwalks and red carpets this season.

HIGHLIGHTS         

Go brighter for summer and add some colour to your locks with half a head or a full head of highlights.  Highlights can be done in natural or unnatural colours. Colour highlights come in four categories: temporary, semi-permanent, demi-permanent, and permanent. Hair lightened with bleach is permanent and can create a beautiful sun-kissed look.

Get your locks ready for Summer, what will your Summer Style be?