HAIR CARE AT HOME
If your visit to the hairdressers is pending and your locks are crying out for some TLC, Gina Conway has got you covered. Try these hair hacks at home to see you through to your next appointment.
HAIR HANG UP #1: GREY ROOTS
Your first thought might be to reach for a home hair colour kit to disguise those roots, but Gina suggests that you will actually end up having to spend more money getting a DIY dye job fixed. The inside tip here is to try a temporary fix to hide them.
For dark hair, have a rummage around in your makeup bag for a mascara – ideally an old tube that is almost empty as to not clump or squeeze excess between your fingers. Simply use the wand to comb onto the grey strands of hair. Once dry you can massage the product in to soften the finish.
Those with dark to medium blonde hair, take a look at your eyeshadow palettes and choose a shade close to your hair tone. The trick here is all in the tools; select a dense eyeshadow brush to dip and dab onto the grey area. Gina says that this works best on slightly dirty hair. If you find the colour is not sticking and need more coverage, apply a spritz of hairspray first then apply the shadow as a second step.
HAIR HANG UP #2: SPLIT ENDS
Cold winter weather mixed with super-hot styling tools can wreak havoc with your locks and cause split ends. When the luxury of having your stylist carefully cut your hair into that perfect shape is not an option, tackling them yourself with a pair of kitchen scissors can be used, albeit with caution – and some technique advice from Gina, of course!
Hairdressers cut a line onto a round surface – a skill which takes many years of practice but follow Gina’s steps and you can say goodbye to those broken ends without altering your overall hairstyle.
Step 1
Style your hair as normal. The golden rule here is: only cut what you can see. This means you should not attempt to cut hair at the back of your head
Step 2
Start at the shortest length (fringe) and work to the longest (shoulders). Take a two-inch wide section and pull down parallel to the floor. Trim your ends following the line of your cut
GINA’S INSIDER TIP
Rather than holding your scissors horizontally, hold them vertically so you are cutting the line in snips making tiny ‘V’ shapes in the section. This will give a softer finish and prevent any harsh lines which can show unevenly. When you can make your next trip to the salon, your hairdresser can fix any at home maintenance styling providing you have not taken too much hair off the ends.
Step 3
Use coconut oil weekly for a deep conditioner treatment at home. Apply oil from root to tip, then plait or wrap into a bun for at least 15 minutes. Steam in shower or bath then shampoo out
Try some of Gina’s tricks over the next few weeks to keep your hair well nurtured at home. The team of expert stylists and therapists will be ready to welcome you back into the salon, when it is safe to do so, and on hand to offer your hair and skin some long overdue love.