The Perfect Backcomb

THE PERFECT BACKCOMB

Teasing your hair is one simple and easy way to get volume into your hair. Backcombing works great to style a fashionable bump on the top front part of your hair, or to add body to the back of your hair. No matter how you style your hair, it’s sure to look fabulous if you follow these steps for the perfect backcomb.

VOLUMIZING SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER

Using the right type of shampoo and conditioner can make a big difference when you actually begin to backcomb your hair. Shampoos and conditioners that add volume are the best kind to use. Using a shampoo and conditioner that are moisturizing or made for dry hair could cause your backcomb to fall out. Therefore, avoid these and go for a shampoo and conditioner that will add volume! Also, if you use  a lot of product in your hair, you may want to use a clarifying shampoo before backcombing your hair. 

HEAT PROTECTANT

Any time you are going to use heat on your hair, it is important to put a heat protectant in your hair when your locks are still damp. This will keep your hair healthier longer. If you have plans to backcomb your hair, make sure you use a product that adds volume. Run it through your hair from the scalp to the tip to make sure you have it evenly distributed.

BLOW DRY YOUR HAIR UPSIDE DOWN

Blow drying your hair upside down is another way to give your hair volume. Toward the end of the blow drying process, you can flip your hair up and brush your hair back. 

START AT THE FRONT

Section off the part of your hair that you want to be backcombed and then begin to tease starting with the front section. While you work your way back, you will be binding the pieces at the front together. If you start at the back, you lose out on this extra hold.

GO BIG

While teasing, don’t just stop at the root, keep backcombing your hair up the strand. Your hair should be standing straight up on its own before you move on to the next section. The more volume you get, the better your backcomb will look. It may look pretty crazy at this step, but your end result will be fabulous.

SMOOTH OUT

You can smooth your hair out using your backcomb brush, or any other thick-bristled brush you may have. Be sure you are just lightly brushing over the very top layer and not putting the bristles too far into the hair. This will smooth out your backcomb so that it looks good, but still have tons of body.

SPRAY AND STYLE

Use a strong hold hairspray to keep your hair full of body and to tame down fly-aways. Now is the time to add bobby pins if you just backcombed the front section of your hair into a bump. If you backcombed your hair into a pompadour, you may want to use bobby pins to pin back the sides of your hair as well. Now you’re ready to show off your fabulous backcomb to the rest of the world!

Shedding Hair

how to COpe WITH SEASONAL HAIR SHEDDING 

Seasonal hair shedding can be such a nightmare! There are ways to make sure even the most serious of shedding doesn’t bother you that much. You don’t have anything to risk but a few minutes of your time! Take a look at this list of easy cures for hair shedding problems that have been driving you crazy, try them out and start enjoying every season:

BRUSHING MORE OFTEN

Even the ladies with wavy to curly hair have to start working on their relationship with a brush or a comb! I know you think it ruins the curls and makes your hair look like you've stuck your finger in a socket, but it’s the only way to get rid of the dead hairs stuck in the mass of healthy, live ones. Try to comb yours twice, once in the morning and once before bed but you can do it more often if you’d like. In case you’re worried this will mess up your curls, here’s a trick, run wet fingers through your hair once you’re done brushing, or spritz some water, and give your curls about 15-30 minutes to air dry and regroup.

LEAVE YOUR HAIR LOOSE

Take your pick among tons of great styles to help you look your best each day but remember to untie your hair while chilling in the comfort of your own home. Styles that put a lot of stress onto your scalp and roots are not the most ideal choice for all day round wear anyways! And that’s not all, ponytails and buns won’t let the loose hairs fall out naturally, increasing the chances of them getting all tangled with the healthy ones as well as the risk of damaging your hair while trying to detangle and remove dead hairs.

AVOID HEAVY STYLING PRODUCTS

You don’t want dead hairs sticking and tangling with your healthy ones, so the solution is to avoid mousses, hair gels and all the other products that make your hair sticky. We’re not talking about long-term commitment here, of course, just something you may want to think about in those days when your hair seems to shed more than it grows.

EXPERIMENT WITH BANGS

Once the seasonal hair shedding had stopped you’ll probably end up dealing with a lot of baby hairs! Now’s the perfect time to give bangs a go. A stylish full fringe will help you hide that unruly peach fuzz at your hairline. The worst of shedding usually happens in autumn or early spring which means you’ll definitely have enough time to grow out your bangs before the next hot summer!

STYLE IT RIGHT

Speaking about baby hairs, fuzz, frizz and all the post shedding drama, remember what I told you about ditching heavy styling products? Well, you can forget about it at this point! Once all the old hair has fallen out and there’s tons of new frizzies to worry about, you could use all the help a hairspray, gel, pomade and shine serum can provide! Use gels and hair sprays to nail down a perfectly glamorous sleek bun or chignon or opt for a shine serum to help smooth down those tiny fly aways.

AVOID CERTAIN COLORS AND/OR FABRICS

It’s actually quite simple, in the case that your hair is dark, you should probably stick to darker colors and vice versa. It’s not a rule you should follow for months thus limiting your outfit choices, merely a cool trick to help you look your best even in those days when the shedding gets unbearable. Choose your fabrics carefully as well! Rougher or static-y fabrics will prolong your agony and make the loose hairs stick while silkier, softer or less static-prone ones help them roll off undetected.

how TO STRENGTHEN YOUR HAIR

We all want strong, shiny, healthy hair, but unfortunately the stresses and strains of daily modern life tend to make it difficult. A busy schedule often mean our locks don't get the attention they deserve. Between the outdoors and the indoors, our hair tends to become neglected, weak, fragile and brittle. If your strands are feeling a little on the worse side, and you’d like to see their natural shine restored, these helpful tips will help guide you in the right direction.

PROTEIN 

It is important to understand that weak hair needs special attention. If yours is feeling a little brittle and lifeless, you’ll need to get yourself a specially designed set of shampoo and conditioner. Opt for something that is protein enriched: this will help your hair to rebuild it's strength you long for. We offer a great variety of shampoo's and conditioners at the salon. Ask about our Joico k-pak line to get you started!

MOISTURe

Dull, fragile hair is often left looking lifeless because it is dehydrated. Very dry hair is prone to breakage in ways that healthy, nourished locks are not, and so it’s important that you give yours the moisture that it needs. Apply an intense conditioning hair mask about once every week, or twice in times of real hair crisis, and consider a leave in re-hydrating treatment as well.

less heat

Beware of taking very hot showers. Exposing your locks to high temperatures can actually contribute to weakening. Make sure your water temperature is sitting somewhere around the pleasantly warm mark, and never let it go all the way up to scalding hot. We also encourage less heat when you use your blow dryer  if you have a medium setting use that before the high heat, or just simply air dry your hair.

diet

Your diet is such an important factor when it comes to re-conditioning weak and lifeless hair. Make sure you are getting all the correct vitamins and minerals by adding a multivitamin to your daily diet regime, or by increasing your intake of foods rich in protein and iron, and those full of calcium as well.

PROTECT

Curling irons, blow dryers and ceramic hair straighteners have become tools in our everyday beauty arsenals, and, as we know by now, they also contribute significantly to weakening our locks. In order to avoid dehydration and the breakage that results from it, it is crucial that you apply a defensive product before you get on with using the heat from one of those tools. This will help to seal in moisture, and will guard against the weakening effect of exposure to high temperatures as well.

GET RID OF SPLIT ENDS

Split ends occur when hair is especially dry and fragile at the tips and they pose a real threat to the rest of your locks as well. Split ends can ‘grow’ up the length of the hair, so that eventually almost the entire strand is cut in two. It goes without saying that this contributes significantly to weakening, and so, in order to keep your locks strong, it’s important that you trim about every six weeks or so.

DETANGLER

While this is perhaps not so much a means by which to strengthen hair as a strategy to avoid excessive breakage, it is very important to consider. Especially if your hair is a little on the fragile side, you don’t want to be dragging a brush or comb through them; instead, get yourself a good quality detangling spray and use it to help you to brush without breakage.

SPF

We often forget that our hair, when it is exposed to UV rays, suffers significantly from sun damage. In order to protect your locks from this kind of inevitable wear and tear, it’s a good idea to invest in an SPF enriched product for your hair.

We offer a great 4 step conditions treatment at the salon as well! Call 330-733-0700 to set up your appointment today, before the heat from your house sucks all the moisture away from your strands.

Keeping Your Hair Healthy

7 WAYS TO MAKE YOUR HAIR LOOK HEALTHIER

You can significantly improve the quality of your hair by following some simple rules during the everyday care for your hair. Here are 7 ways to make your hair look healthier.

1. EAT WELL

Your diet plays a major role in how your hair turns out. If you are eating nutritious food filled with all the required vitamins and supplements, it will show in your hair. Any food that gives you vitamins A and C is great as these vitamins help the body to produce a natural conditioner called sebum.

2. AIR DRY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN

In today’s world we are constantly inflicting a vast amount of heat onto our hair. We blow dry it and follow this with straightening and curling iron treatments. All this heat can really damage the hair so when you can, allow your hair to air dry. Protecting your hair from excessive amounts of heat can make it look healthy and shiny almost immediately.

3. GET A HEAD MASSAGE

It is a scientific fact that a good head massage can do wonders for your hair. It stimulates blood flow and reduces thinning and hair loss. You can do it yourself at home either with your hands or with the help of a massage brush. Also embrace those amazing scalp massages at the shampoo bowl from our lovely hair dressers!

4. REGULARLY WASH YOUR HAIR BUT DON’T OVER WASH IT

Washing your hair keeps it clean and fresh. It takes away the dust and grease that gets retained within as you go about your daily lives. However take care not to over wash your hair. Shampoo takes out a lot of your hair’s natural oils so when you over do it, you unnecessarily lose out on its natural shine.  We suggest every 2-3 days in between shampoos.

5. TRIM YOUR HAIR REGULARLY

A regular trim works wonders for your appearance. It gets rid of those ugly split ends. It also makes your hair look lush and healthy. You also have the opportunity to change your hairstyle a bit every time you go for a trim. It can really enhance your look and free you from your boredom. 

6. TOWEL DRY YOUR HAIR GENTLY

When you get out of the shower try to gently pat your hair down. You run the risk of damaging it when you roughly go over it with a towel. When hair is wet, it expands making it easier to snap. Drying your hair vigorously with a towel can only result in long-lasting damage.

7. BRUSH YOUR HAIR BEFORE SLEEPING

Brushing your hair before bed actually does make your hair look healthier and well kept. It gets rid of any dirt and particles that found their way within and also promotes circulation.

Regular care for your hair is a daily exercise consisting of a healthy diet, smart hair care techniques and avoidance of heat. Start today for a healthier head of hair tomorrow. Talk with your hairdresser if you have any further questions or concerns.  We are always willing to give good advice when it comes to the well being of your hair.