The simple guide to happy hair

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Springtime is typically when we spruce up our homes and gardens, but it’s a great time to tackle our locks, too.

The wind and snow of the cold winter months, can cause drying, split ends and dandruff as well as product build up and a lack of bounce and shine.

We have put together a simple, but effective, plan to get your hair glossy, healthy and springtime ready.

Go for a chop
Before you do anything else, book in with your hairdresser and have a decent cut. Busy lives, and longer styles, can mean we leave having a cut for months, but this won’t do you any favours. A trim every six to eight weeks will not only leave your hair looking better and feeling lighter, but it strengthens it so you are less likely to have to deal with split ends and breaking due to brittleness.

Ditch the build up
Product build-up can leave hair looking lank and dull – the opposite of what we want if we are spending hard-earned cash on lotions and potions. Many people don’t know this, but silicon heavy products can, over time, cause build up on the hair shaft which can make it look and feel heavy. To bring your hair back to life, go for a deep-cleansing shampoo and conditioner, something different to your regular products, and wash two or three times a week and let it dry naturally whenever you can.

Put a mask on it
Once a week we suggest that you put a conditioning mask on your hair and let the ingredients get to work. There are some great options on the market, or you can keep things simple and massage coconut oil straight from the pot into your hair and you will feel a difference in no time at all.

Go for the scalp
Winter isn’t just hard on our hair, your scalp is constantly exposed to extreme cold outside then the warmth of central heating inside which can make skin dry and cause flaking. To combat the impact of the winter, mix two tablespoons of dark brown sugar, two tablespoons of fine oats and a tablespoon of olive oil together and massage into your scalp before washing away with warm water and shampoo.

Turn the heat off
We know you love them, but heated styling tools cause all manner of damage to your hair, so why not just turn them off for a week or two and let your hair dry naturally. Put hairdryers, straighteners and tongs away but before you do, give them a clean with a damp cloth to take away product residue as well as bacteria and germs, and this goes for your brushes and combs too.

Go H2O
We say this a lot but drink lots of water. As well as being great for your skin, it helps your hair, too. Buy yourself a super-stylish bottle and take it with you wherever you go to ensure you and your hair are totally hydrated all the time.

We hope these tips get your hair look great all summer long.

Team Pure-Beauty

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Five Things Which Could Be Making Your Hair Greasy

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beauty blenders, body brushes, brush, brushing, build-up, clarifying, comb, conditioner, Dermalogica Daily Conditioning Rinse, dry shampoo, ends, grease, greasy, hair, hormones, knots, knotty, lank, midsection, mild shampoo, moisturiser, oil, oil production, over-brushing, over-washing, products, residue, roots, scalp, sebum, shampoo, wash, washing

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When you’re a teen, you have this vision that adulthood will be a time of clear skin and perfect hair, so it can be a major disappointment to get way into your adult years and still be dealing with issues like adult acne or lank locks. Some people say that hormones contribute to greasy hair but there are also a few other things that you could be doing which is exacerbating the problem. Read on to see where you might be going wrong:

Too Much Washing

Just like if you have an oily face, the problem can be that you’re trying to keep it too clean and your body is pushing back by over producing the oils that you’re stripping away. If you’re a daily hair washer because you’re trying to combat grease, try cutting back to 2-3 times a week. The first week might be a “wearing a hat or staying indoors” kinda week while your stressed-out scalp adjusts, but it will eventually reset itself and work with your new, less intense, hair washing regime.

The Wrong Conditioner

Again, just like with your facial moisturiser, some people need something lighter and some need something more intense. If you have greasy hair, you really don’t need a super-heavy conditioner, and taking the product all the way up to your roots is another big no-no. Use Dermalogica Daily Conditioning Rinse just on the ends and midsection of your hair to keep it soft and manageable without adding to your grease problem.

Wash Your Brushes!

Okay, we know we’re really stretching this “your scalp is just like your face” analogy, but in the same way that you wouldn’t use dirty body brushes, make-up brushes and beauty blenders, you shouldn’t be using a dirty brush on your hair. Not only do they collect grease and bacteria, they could also be harbouring build-up of old products, so dragging that whole mess through your hair day after day is doing you no favours! Use a comb or your fingers to pull any old hair out of the bristles and then wash it thoroughly with a mild shampoo to get it back to best.

Brush it Less

While we’re on the subject of brushing, you probably need to do it less if your hair is greasy. Greasy hair happens as a result of your scalp producing too much sebum and brushing too much can actually stimulate this oil production. Try to brush your hair once a day ONLY, and if you really need to brush it more than that try to just brush the ends to keep it knot-free.

Use a Clarifying Shampoo

When you’re prone to greasy hair, it’s tempting to use a lot of different products, like dry shampoo, which improve the appearance of greasy hair even for the short term. However, these products tend to build up on your hair and the overall result makes lank hair look even more lank. Try to use a clarifying shampoo which will properly rid your hair and scalp of any residue from products to make sure that your hair and scalp have a proper chance to breathe and reset themselves.

Ageing Beauty Issues – Thinning Hair

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ageing, blow dry, breakage, conditioner, cool, curling, dermalogica, Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo, Dermalogica Daily Conditioning Rinse, greasy, hair, hair care, heat, heat styling, oily, scalp, shaft, shampoo, straigheners, straightening, styling, thin, thinning, tongs, volume, volumising, washing

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One issue that many of our clients report to us is the feeling that their hair is thinning as they get older. It’s a common issue among women over the age of 40 and had a couple of underlying reasons – hormone changes can cause hair loss, whilst the actual shaft of the hair also thins naturally with age, so even if you don’t get a huge amount of actual loss, the bulk of your hair will feel depleted as you get older. There’s not a lot that can be done to reverse the biological processes which cause these problems, but there are a few things that you can do to improve the appearance of thinning hair, and we’ve got a few of them for you:

Use Lightweight Products

Keeping thinning hair clean is an absolute must because thinning hair will look exponentially worse if it’s greasy, however using heavy, oil-based products will do nothing but weigh your hair down even further, making already thinning hair look heavy and lank. Dermalogica Daily Cleansing Shampoo is a product designed for daily use and contains zero sulphates, whilst Dermalogica Daily Conditioning Rinse adds moisture to the hair without weighing it down, restoring softness and shine for vibrantly-healthy hair.

Use a Soft Brush

When the hair shaft starts to thin out, this will make it more prone to breakage, which could be a disaster for thinning hair. Opt for a brush with soft bristles which will glide through the hair rather than tugging at it and causing breakage.

Think About Your Style

Wearing thinning hair scraped back into a ponytail is only going to accentuate the thinning even more, especially if you can see your scalp through the hair. Wearing the hair loose and bouncy by blow drying it on a cool setting with a volumising product will help to create the illusion of volume and make your hair look thicker with little effort.

Get Your Vitamins

Hair loss and thinning can be a knock-on effect of vitamin deficiencies, usually vitamin D or vitamin B12. Many reports now suggest that “multivitamins” are of little use as our body simply excretes them before they have a chance to be absorbed, but taking individual vitamins, or getting them through your food, can still be beneficial. Liver is a good source of BOTH vitamin B12 and D, as are eggs and cheese.

Avoid Heat Styling

One of the biggest causes of damage to hair is heat styling, either with straighteners or curling irons, so avoiding using these when your hair is thinning is a good idea. Opt for straightening with a soft brush and cool blow dryer and curl with rags or soft curlers, depending on the diameter of the curl you want.

Healthy hair growth

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Ever had your hair chopped to get the latest celebrity style only to step out of the salon and wish you’d had a trim instead?

We have been there too and no how disappointing it can be.

The good news is, it’s only hair which is thought that hair grows about a centimetre a month.

Whilst there are no shortcuts to getting your luscious, long locks back, there are ways you can encourage hair growth and we have a few ideas to get you started.

Dry scalp massages can help stimulate the blood flow to your scalp, which helps nutrients get to your hair follicles quicker so your hair is stronger and longer in no time.

When you wash your hair, take time to massage your scalp with your fingertips, starting at the back of the neck and moving around the hairline. Relaxing and well as growth encouraging.

A decent shampoo will remove dirt and grime but it is your conditioner that replenishes the nutrients your hair needs to grow, so don’t skip this step.

A blast of cold-water can help seal the hair cuticles, and prevent moisture loss and heat damage. No pain, no gain.

Once a week it is a good idea to treat your hair to a deep conditioning session. There are many great hot oil treatments and deep conditioning masks out there that bring the life and bounce back into your hair and leave it looking sleek and shiny, whatever the length. For the best results apply the product to your hair and then rub your fingers on your scalp in a circular motion for three to five minutes. Rinse the oil or mask out of your hair and leave to dry naturally.

Do go to the hairdresser on a regular basis. We know you are trying to grow your hair but a trim keeps those pesky split ends at bay so growth can happen.

Deep down, you know heat damage isn’t good for your hair. Use your hair-dryer and straighteners less and when you do, apply a heat protectant product to locks from getting damaged and breaking off.

It might feel silly, but flip your head upside down if you want to promote faster hair growth. Sitting upside down for two to four minutes a day is believed to improve circulation and in turn hair growth. It’s got be worth a go and it’s way cheaper than extensions!

If it is longer hair you want, cut the stress out of your life. It is believed that stress can disrupt the normal hair cycle and can trigger hair falling-out. We know this is easy to say, but try to manage your stress using meditation, taking exercise and getting enough sleep. If you feel things are getting on top of you, talk to a trusted friend or your GP and get some extra support.

It goes without saying the a healthy diet will also keep hair growing and looking healthy, so next week we will look at what to eat and why.

Team Pure-Beauty

Bad Hair Day Hacks

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bad hair day, blow dry, decleor, dermalogica, greasy, hair, headscarf, oily, scalp, shampoo

We’ve all done it; woken up on the day that we need to look half presentable with a head of untameable locks, or oversleeping and not leaving ourselves enough time to wash it. Instead of panicking or turning to the dry shampoo (which recent reports have shown is causing baldness in over-users!), we thought we’ve give you a few tips on how to turn your bad hair day into a good one.

Blow-Dry

Even if your hair isn’t wet, giving it a once over with a blow drier and a large curling brush can give you height at the roots and breathe life into your overall look. Concentrate on the ends and the roots to begin with and smooth the mid-sections around the brush to finish with a more polished look in a matter of minutes.

Braid It

Anyone who does hair for a living will agree that hair is FAR easier to work into an up-do at least a day or two after washing, so if you’re in need of a wash but don’t have time then braiding your hair will make it look infinitely better than leaving it lank. Braids don’t have to be juvenile; there are some lovely, feminine, grown-up braids out there which take minimal time to master.

Cover It

We aren’t suggesting that you wear a headscarf with a business suit, but if you’re running errands and don’t have time to sort your locks out first, headscarves can be an excellent solution. Put your hair in a messy bun, wrap a pretty scarf around your head and tie at the front and you’ve have a super-cute vintage feel to your bad hair day fixer-upper. You can even use one to cover your curlers if you’ve got something to do later in the day!

Tie It Up

This is probably better for a day when your hair is unruly rather than greasy as a greasy, slicked back ponytail isn’t a good look on anyone! The slicked-back look is good if you struggle with frizz, because you can tame your hair with minimal effort and still look as though you’ve actually tried to look half decent.

Accessorise

When all else fails, a pretty headband, flower clip or bow can do wonders for drawing the eyes away from an area of hair which is refusing to play ball. We’re not suggesting wearing a full-on fascinator with your Uggs for the school run, but a sweet alice band or foam bun ring can really help take the focus off of other issues.