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?

5 Styles for a rainy day

5 Styles for a rainy day

Posted by Zerooti Hair Design at 21:25, April 30 2014.
Even though it is almost Summer, lets face it we are going to get rainy days in the UK. Don't let your style be dampened by the rain and be prepared with these stylish hair do's for a rainy day.

1. TOP BUN

This is one of the greatest go-to rainy day hairstyles. Grab that hair and pull it on the top of your head into a cute little bun. The great thing about this is that you can make it as messy or clean as you want. This will keep your hair from frizzing up and keep it from getting that huge look. If you have a fringe, this is a great way to pin it back, you can create a quiff for height or style across and secure with a cute side grip.
2. FISH TAIL BRAID


This is one of our salon fav's and a great go-to hairstyle on those rainy days. It’s still stylish yet practical for work or play. It takes two seconds to do, and can be done when your hair is still wet. Spray some hairspray on before braiding to help keep the fly away strands at bay.
3. BRAIDED CROWN


Along the same braid category, this is great if your hair fuzzes up with the rain. Keep all your hair in one place on the top of your head with this unique look. Split your hair into two, braid those pieces and wrap each around the crown of your head. Pin in for support and you are ready to go! That simple and beautiful.

4. HALF CLIP


Haven't got time or the energy to do much with your locks then this look works wonders and look great on those rainy days. All you need is a small clip, then you just grab half the top of your hair, and clip. On those simple days out when you have to brave the wind and rain, this is a great way to keep the hair away from your face and still look stylish.
5. MESSY PONY


Ok this look can work any time of the year, whatever the weather so does suit rainy days. Puff up the back a tad and make it a bit messy by teasing it. You can make this look laid back but you can also make it look dressy. Help by pinning back the sides as well so that the loose pieces don’t fly out if you have layers.

5. WEAR YOUR NATURAL CURLS




If you have curly hair, don’t even think about straightening it on a rainy day. Put away that heavy cream and just live it out. Even if you have straight hair, put some serum in it to make it a tad heavier, and it shouldn’t frizz out. Don’t bother straightening it or trying to make it curl, this is the time you need to accept your hair for your hair.

Holiday Hair Dilemmas answered

Look Sexy this Holiday Season

In the salon, we often get asked lots of questions as our lovely clientele set off for warmer times upon their annual get away.  We thought it would be handy to put all of our most frequent asked questions and our advice into one blog post :-)


Holiday Hair Dilemma's

1) How can I banish frizz?
Going away for a beach holiday? Humidity, dry heat as well as salty sea water are key frizz aggravators. Here are our tips!

a) If you are on the beach ensure you thoroughly condition your hair during the day with a hydrating (moisturizing) hair mask and a UV protection spray. Or use our salon favourite range Lanza with double UV protection in all of their products.

b) Take a shower or pour fresh water on your hair before stepping in to the sea or pool! Your hair can only absorb so much water so by wetting it first it will not be able to soak up as much salt / sea water. Also after you take your dip rinse your hair and add more conditioner and pull your hair up in to a top-knot. 

2) Is it really important to protect my hair from the sun?
Just as not applying sun cream to your skin can cause sunburn to your skin, the Sun's UV rays can cause loads of damage to your locks. The suns rays can also break down the hair's protein which weakens it's structure to leave it vulnerable to damage. 
The damage the sun can do to your hair is horrific.  The most undesirable side effects are, faded colour, brittle condition, straw like texture and more. Our advice is simple, protect your hair from the sun, the same way you would your skin. Spritz on a UV spray and throughout the day pop on a sun hat.

3) What are the rules about colouring my hair? Should I visit before or after my holiday?


Go on your holiday with your colour done. You want to feel your best on your holiday and will prolonging your regrowth help with this? If you regularly colour your hair then 3/4 of it will have colour on it anyway. As long as you protect your hair correctly it makes no difference and is up to personal preference. Keep coloured hair protected with a chic hair scarf or hat, specialist colour care hair products and hair protectors with UV guard to prevent fading. 

4) How can I look stylish, not over-styled, on holiday?

No one wants to look 'done' on the beach or by the pool here are our tips!

Accessorise

By day, hair accessories like scarves and thick headbands look stylish and help shield hair from the sun, by night embellished slides or diamante grips add a touch of glamour to otherwise laid-back dos. Teaming them with an understated, low messy knot by simply pulling hair back loosely to the nape of your neck, twist around as if making a bun then tie gently into a knot and fasten with Kirby grips looks fabulous. Simply pull the front section or fringe gently to the side, letting it fall over the forehead slightly and fix with a diamante grip." Finish by spraying some hairspray to the front pieces of your hair to keep in place.

Create a teased ponytail

This style is great for 'day after' hair or for a post-beach evening do.

Using a little Smoothing Balm (we recommend L'anza's available in salon), pull hair back tightly into a ponytail that sits just above the nape of your neck. Pull out sections of the ponytail, and very gently tease the hair upwards using a backcomb. Finish with a bit of hairspray on the ponytail, and L'anza's plant silk serum along the hairline."

Enjoy the sun, enjoy your holiday and love your hair!

8 reasons why your hair is breaking

Hearing a snap, crackle, or pop while brushing your hair is NEVER a good sign. Loosing the customary 100 strands per day is considered normal, breakage is a problem that's easily avoidable. 

Whether your breakage is due to a too-tight ponytail, bleach overkill, or even your diet, find out your personal culprit (and solution) for breakage when you read on.

1. You pull and twirl your hair: Tugging on your hair can cause stress and eventually breakage. So if you have a tendency to twirl your fingers in your hair, it can have the same effect as yanking out your strands.

2. You style wet: Using a brush or comb on wet hair causes strands to snap. Stick to using your fingers to detangle while your hair is sopping wet to minimize breakage when hair is at its weakest and use styling equipment as hair starts to dry.

3. You love a tight ponytail: Pulling hair back into a tight bun or ponytail is a great option for second-day hair. But be cautious about the effect it could have on your coiffure. Too tight and it can cause stress at the hairline. You can also cause breakage if you continually put hair in the same style. Switch it up to save your strands. You should also be cautious of hair accessories that tug and pinch. Go for a soft side pony tail instead.

4. You flat iron...daily: You probably already know that heat can damage your hair. But it can dry out your strands and exacerbate breakage, too. First, try turning down the temperature, and always use a heat protector or skip the heat styling altogether for at least a few days!

5. You have a standing bleaching appointment: Over-processed hair can turn brittle. Find natural ways to lighten your hair, or go for the on-trend ombré look. If you must color your hair, make sure to add moisture with a regular deep-conditioning regimen.

6. You skip regular haircuts: If you avoid cutting your split ends, eventually they might just break off. Make sure to keep regular haircuts on your calendar for healthier, break-resistant hair.

7. You love back combing: Noticing a bit of breakage where you backcomb for volume?  It may be caused by the friction between your hair when you back comb. Minimize the back combing and try hair pieces for boday instead.

8. Your diet is lacking: Your hair needs protein to stay strong. Protein can repair weak spots in the hair shaft, warding off breakage. But be forewarned: Too much protein can make the hair brittle, and too much moisture makes strands too flexible. It's important to find the right balance of moisture and protein. Certain professional products can help with this.

Creating volume at your roots :-)

After watching Hair on BBC Three and seeing the backcombing to create a beehives, it got us thinking who doesn't like a little lift and body at the roots? We all do right?

One of the best ways to add volume to your hair is to gently tease your hair by backcombing. A little backcombing can go a long way toward a voluminous style that lasts. To have the best teased style you'll need the right tools, products, and techniques. Here's what you will need!

Products


The right products are crucial to achieve a long-lasting style. If your hair is resistant to teasing, try blow drying a salt spray in your hair  for some grip, texture, and hold. Dry shampoo is also a great volumizer because it gives texture, ensuring both a better tease and hold.

Tools


When it comes to tools, the requirements are simple: A  back-combing brush or a rat-tail comb is all that's needed. A backcombing brush we prefer personally. 

Technique


1. Take 1- to 2-inch sections from the top of your head. Hold the hair away from the scalp and spray a dry shampoo at the roots.


2. Use a back-combing brush and push the comb down into the roots, starting at the mid-shaft of the hair. Release comb and repeat.


3. Comb over the teased sections to smooth the top layer.


4. If you've flattened any pieces out, take the end of your comb and place it in the area its flattened, then pull up to allow your locks to get full again.


5. Once your hair is in place and smooth, set the style with a medium hold spray.

Big, sexy hair can be yours!