To help us all, we have teamed up with the amazing Graham Webb trained hairdresser Charlotte Christie, award winner of L'Oréal Colour Trophy 2018. With over 14 years of experience in the hair industry, Charlotte's tips will bring your hair back to its absolute best. No more bad hair days on the horizon. Now that's good news! You can find Charlotte on Instagram: @charlottechristiehair
How to have a good hair day every day
So you want good hair? It’s Easy! You just need your own hair regime. ‘A good hair regime?’ I hear you say - yes! Nearly all of us have a skincare routine that we follow like clockwork every morning and night. However, our lovely locks are often neglected and we wonder why it doesn't behave! The good news is having good hair and taking care of it is a lot easier than looking after your skin. There are a few key things to follow but once you have made these worthwhile adjustments, happy, good hair days will be in abundance.
1. What’s your hair type?
Texture - straight, wavy, curly, or coily. Most people will already know this one but if you’re unsure you can find out by leaving your hair to naturally air dry after washing. Whatever shape and texture your hair dries as is your natural hair texture.
Structure - Fine, medium, or coarse. You can figure this out by taking a single strand of hair and lay it on a smooth surface. If you can barely feel the hair between your fingers or see the hair then you have fine hair. If the hair strand looks thick and slightly wirey then the hair is coarse. Anything in between then your hair would be classed as medium.
Back to basics
Learn your hair type and needs.
High-quality products,
The right tools for your hair type.
Cleansing.
Regular haircuts.
Create’s your good hair method.
Porosity - we don't tend to consider this one but it does play a massive role in our hair condition, especially as it is affected by colouring and styling. The more porous our hair is, the more holes it has in it, making it more difficult to hold moisture or be more sensitive to chemicals, such as bleach.
2. Products
Once you have worked out your hair type and what you want to improve you can then narrow down the product selection and purchase the ones that are right for you.
I always recommend high quality salon stocked and sulphate free products to my clients. Sulphate free shampoos are less stripping and protect our natural oils which our scalp and hair actually need to be strong and healthy. This doesn't mean that your hair will be left dirty or greasy after washing, it means that it will be left cleansed but with an agreeable amount of natural sebum leaving your scalp and hair good, balanced and happy.
My favourite range at the moment is Olaplex as it's a great all rounder for all hair types and an easy starting point if you're overwhelmed by choice.
3. Tool box
Just how different hair types will benefit from different products they will benefit from different hair tools too! I’m talking about your hairbrushes, combs, hair bands, towels, hairdryers and the way you use them. Take a look at the hair key. Hair types 1-2C, can usually blow-dry/air dry, brush/comb wet or dry without much thought as these hair types are considerably more forgiving to look after. Whereas if 3A-4A rough-dried and then brushed their hair they would most likely be left in a frizzy poof. Hair types 4A-4C benefit from a completely different hair regime such as eco-washing and hair wrapping to keep locks in order. Below is a mini lowdown on the best tools for your hair type and how to use them. These are based on general washing and drying, not styling.
1-2C - Denman dressing out brush. A hair kit necessity! Use on wet hair to gently remove all knots with the added benefit of a handle so it doesn't slip out of your hand when used. Comes in 2 sizes normal and travel, so you can be tangle-free on the go. Use on dry hair always from tip to root for the same purpose. It has combo plastic and natural bristles which adds volume and doesn't make your hair flat like paddle brushes. Air dry is best or blows dry with heat protection.
3A-3C - Wide toothed comb. Curly hair essential. The space between the teeth allows the natural curl pattern not to be disrupted ensuring better definition and bounce. Always comb from tip to root when wet alongside a detangling spray and curl cream is best. Air dry for optimum results or use a diffuser in circular motions. For hair post the wash day a spritz of water will reset the curls and gentle product reworking will control curl shape and frizz.
4A-4C - As I don't work with this hair type I decided to ask my friend Vivi who does. Here is what she had to say.
‘Always detangle your hair when it's wet/damp, starting from the bottom and working your way up. Use a wide toothed comb or a brush, my favourite is The detangler by Felicia Leatherwood.
Detangle with conditioner or water-based products is even better for curlier texture hair. My go-to product is JBCO water spray.’
Find Vivi on instagran @vv_jo
Universal hair tools
Use an old T-shirt instead of a towel as it is kinder to your hair causing less breakage. Rub your scalp area and squeeze and pat the rest. Avoid rubbing hair aggressively all over.
Silk/satin hair wraps or pillowcases for bedtime. Our hairline hair is the most fragile so moving around at night against a cotton pillowcase will cause more drag and therefore more breakage. They are good for your skin too!
Detangling sprays. Regular haircuts.
How to wash/style your hair
For videos on the best way to wash or style your hair according to your hair type. Click on your number bracket below.
4. Hair Cleansing
Would you believe me if I told you less is more? Well, start believing because it’s true. To all hair types, are you washing your hair every day? Unless you have extremely short hair and plan to keep it that way please stop!
As I mentioned under the product section, our natural oils are good for our hair and scalp. I know some of you will be thinking ‘but my hair gets too greasy, I have to wash it every day.’ you don’t. This is a vicious cycle that has been created by over-washing your hair, the good news it's totally breakable!
Armed with your new products and tool knowledge breaking this cycle should be easy. Start by washing every other day and use dry shampoo in between. After 2 weeks you should be ready to start stretching out the days. See how long you can go. The act of washing your hair less also causes less breakage as it’s not being rubbed around, brushed and having heat applied constantly. The shampoo itself opens the cuticle of the hair shaft due to its pH level which is why hair can feel rough before conditioning. To summarise daily shampooing can be as harsh as exfoliating your face everyday - yikes!!
As a rule of thumb the higher up the hair type key you are the less you need to wash your hair. Type 1 suiting every other day. Type 4C suiting once a fortnight accompanied by eco washing.
5. Haircuts
Tale as old as time this one but for a good reason. If you want healthy hair it needs to be cut regularly. Ever notice how your hair gets flat and unmanageable over time? Even when you make the effort to style it just doesn't look or feel right, but as soon as you get it cut it has more bounce in it and just looks better? This is due to your dry and damaged ends being discarded and the shape being renewed. The shape we lose as our hair grows out. Even if you want to grow your hair you still need to get it cut, just with a larger gap between appointments. If your hair is quite damaged already and you want to get it in better condition it's best to cut the bad part away as those split ends will carry on splitting up the hair shaft meaning it will only get worse over time - annoying I know! If cutting a large amount of your hair doesn't sound very appealing or you want to know how to maintain your style better I have some tips that will help.
Once the damaged part is gone you can start spacing your hair cuts out to every 8-12 weeks. Aiming to have less cut than what has grown each time. If you start exceeding this time frame it's best to up the amount you have cut.
Each person's hair will grow at different rates so pay attention to your own growth. Taking photos can help measure its growth speed and then you can adjust your hair appointments accordingly.
6. Your good hair method
Now you have all the hair basics you need to start you off on your good hair journey. I hope they make a world of difference for you. They may not sound like much but I assure you they have a big impact over time. Especially the less is more approach to hair cleansing.
If you wanted to contact me with any further hair questions you can reach me on my social @charlottechristiehair.
"Life is short. You might as well live it with really great hair." - Anonymous
SHARE WITH YOUR FRIENDS the benefits of ACUPRESSURE CHAIR MASSAGE
Fully Clothed Acupressure Chair Massage at Work
Your Body and Mind Wellbeing Solution to Alleviate Aches and Pains.
It's the perfect ongoing stress management health programme.
For more information click here.
Feel better in just a few minutes. Give it a try!
Hi! Thanks for stopping by. Are you a client of Katoka Massage Therapy?
If so, please consider leaving us a review.