Happy New Year! Salon 1580 wishes
you health, happiness, and prosperity in the new year! May this bring
you and yours a year of immeasurable blessings and joy.
The
start of a new year is always a time of change … new hopes, new goals, a
call to action. According to a Nielsen survey, 37% of Americans say
their #1 new year’s resolution is to “Get or Stay fit and healthy.” That resolution should include your HAIR – it’s part of your body, too! If you resolve this year to do nothing else, commit to making and keeping your hair healthy for a beautiful new year.
Healthy
hair is good hair. Period. Healthy hair is your best accessory, your
crowning glory. Talk to your stylist about the type of hair you were
born with and the type of hair you want and what looks best on you, and
take steps together to make it the healthiest and most flattering it can
be.
Here are some recommended healthy hair resolutions plus tress-related tips. I hope you embrace them!
#1: Commit to Completely Redoing the Way You Shampoo and Condition Your Hair. Shampooing your hair can quickly become a mindless routine like brushing your teeth. Maybe it's time to put some thought into your hair-washing regimen. When doing it properly, you can take advantage of the many good things you can do for your hair, and avoid making some common mistakes. Using the right products for your hair type is important, but beautiful hair starts with a healthy foundation achieved by using the right cleansing techniques. As tempting as it can be to quickly shampoo, condition, and rinse, the truth is that taking the extra time to properly cleanse your hair can be worth it in the long run. To keep your hair looking its best, and your scalp healthy to promote hair growth, consider rethinking how you wash and condition your hair with step-by-step helpful tips to make the best of your shampooing routine, found HERE.
#2: Try a Keratin Treatment.
#2: Try a Keratin Treatment.
This
truly may be a life-changing experience (that’s what so many of my
clients say!). Keratin is a protein that already exists naturally
in your hair (and nails, for that matter). Keratin
hair-smoothing treatments are a hugely popular option for delivering
more manageable and healthy hair. They temporarily (lasting 3-5 months,
depending on the type of treatment you choose and your commitment to
proper follow-up care) eliminate frizz; reduce time spent blow-drying;
make hair silky, glossy and smooth; and generally make hair healthier,
strengthening the hair shaft by bonding keratin to your hair proteins.
My salon uses GK Hair (formerly called Global Keratin) hair-smoothing
keratin treatments (and we’re so happy that we were chosen as a “Top 20”
Atlanta-area GK Hair Salon!) Also, our hair care products are the GK Hair
line, which are infused with their proprietary Juvexin keratin polymer.
Unlike many over-processed hydrolyzed keratins found in the market
today, GK Hair's Hair Smoothing System with Juvexin is an active compound
(derived from baby sheep wool!), delivered to the hair in its raw,
natural state. For healthier, more manageable hair, try a hair-smoothing
keratin treatment in 2021! You can read more about keratin treatments HERE.
#3: Eat Your Way to Healthier Hair
Protein is essential for healthy hair growth so focus on white meat, fish, dairy products, and nuts. Try the superfood spirulina, and add the dietary supplement biotin
to your daily multi-vitamin/multi-mineral regimen. Spirulina, a
blue-green algae rich in chlorophyll, iron, and vitamin A, is a lean
protein and potent detoxifier. Spirulina and biotin are powerful
nutrients that help your hair, skin, and nails to grow.
If a flaky scalp
is your concern, munch on sweet potato and carrots, great sources of
the antioxidant beta carotene which your body converts into vitamin A – a
wonder vitamin which helps protect and produce the oils which sustain
your scalp.
#4: Be Kind to Your Hair + Commit to a Hair Care Routine
You
probably put your hair through a lot. Regular, hair care dedication
will give you healthy hair that looks and feels more beautiful and will
be easier to style.
Here are (nine!) good resolutions to help with hair health, with special focus on Avoiding Heat Damage to Your Hair (read our blog post HERE for more info):
Reduce the heat:
Choose at least one day a week to give your hair a break from heat
styling. Resolve to allow your hair to air dry as often as possible
and/or try “plopping” (see #6, below). There’s nothing worse than
damaged, brittle, or burnt hair, which you can likely avoid by turning
down the heat on your styling tools. Any heat over 300(F) degrees can
damage the cuticles of your hair, leaving it feeling weak and lacking
luster. (An exception would be when locking in keratin treatment
product, but this is done only by a certified stylist, in the salon.)
Protect while heat styling:
Protect your hair with serum and/or leave-in moisturizing spray/cream
before heat styling. You may need add a little more product to the dryer
ends of your hair.
Use the correct hair styling tools:
Hair is at its weakest when wet, so avoid brushing it when the strands
are likely to break. Always use a wide-tooth comb when it’s wet, never a
fine-tooth comb or a brush (which will break the hair). Use the right
type of brush on dry hair; talk to your stylist about what sizes,
shapes, and bristles work best for your hair type and to create and
maintain your best style.
Use the right shampoo and conditioner for your hair type and your hair chemical treatment needs (color-safe, keratin treatment-safe, perm-safe, etc.)
Give yourself a deep conditioning home hair treatment every week or two. Here’s
a tip for deep conditioning your hair at home: once you have applied
the deep conditioner to your clean, damp hair, heat a damp towel in the
microwave for 15-20 seconds and wrap it around your head turban style.
Leave it on for 15 minutes. The heat will help the deep conditioner
absorb into the hair shaft. Leave a little of the product on your hair,
especially the ends; rinse less thoroughly than you would for
post-shampooing; and rinse with cool water.
Get a professional, deep-conditioning hair treatment every 6-8 weeks at the salon (or every 3 months for keratin treatments. If
you get keratin treatments, commit to a maintenance plan to include keratin refresh
treatments six weeks after your initial full-service keratin treatment
to replenish and compound the keratin. This is very important and will
extend the life of your keratin treatment and will save you money and
time in the long run; as the keratin compounds, you can go longer
between treatments.
Get regular hair trims to
keep split ends at bay and your style fresh; depending on how fast your
hair grows, this will usually be every 6-12 weeks. Get out your
calendar and pre-schedule appointments with your stylist. If your stylist lets you pre-pay for discounted hair services to lock in the price, buy ahead while on sale, and save!
Care for your hair while you sleep.
This year, resolve to use a silk or satin pillowcase, or sleep in a
satin hair bonnet or hair wrap to keep your hair protected all night
long. Not only will your hair look better when you wake up, as it can
help maintain your hairstyle, it will prevent drying, tangling, and
roughing the hair cuticle through friction that cotton pillowcases often
contribute to. (Did
you know also that a satin or silk pillowcase is recommended to prevent
wrinkles? It won’t absorb your moisturizer and will reduce friction.
Resting on a smoother surface will help reduce the appearance of sleep
lines and the formation of wrinkles on your face.)
Protect your hair (and scalp!) from harmful sun rays. We're
all aware of the risks we face by exposing our skin to the sun's rays.
Your scalp can get skin cancer, too, especially at the part line and/or
if you have thin hair where sunlight can penetrate to the scalp. The
sun’s UVA and UVB rays can damage your hair with prolonged exposure,
from the cuticle to the inner structure of the hair. Signs of sun
damage to your hair can include faded hair color; dry, brittle hair;
broken or split ends; frizzy hair; and/or weakened and thinning hair. If
your plans include fun (or work) in the sun during 2021, consider
protecting your hair from damaging rays by wearing a wide-brimmed hat,
and/or use UV protection shampoos, conditioners, and styling aids (we
carry the GKhair line and it's fabulous, even if you don't get keratin
treatments). This is particularly important if you get keratin
treatments, and your stylist can give you tips on how to protect your
investment while in the sun (and salt water and chlorine, which damage
hair, too). Weekly deep conditioning treatments will help keep sun
damage to a minimum. Because the sun breaks down the hair's protein
(keratin) it’s important to use a deep conditioning
treatment with protein or keratin.
For more sage advice and useful tips, read our blog post HERE for Factors That Affect the Health of Your Hair, Including Hair Growth and Loss.
For more sage advice and useful tips, read our blog post HERE for Factors That Affect the Health of Your Hair, Including Hair Growth and Loss.
#5 Try Something New
This year, resolve to embrace change: a new color … a new cut and style …
straighten it or perm it … try a hair-smoothing keratin treatment … the
possibilities are endless. Salon 1580 can help you find and maintain
YOUR best style. For what to expect in a hair makeover and nine key factors to consider, read my blog post HERE.
Commit to try multi-dimensional hair color this year. I
can assure you that you will fall in love with your hair and your look.
Using highlights and lowlights to achieve multi-dimensional hair color
will have YOU turning heads. Virgin hair has many layers of
multi-dimensional color (have you looked carefully at a child’s hair
color?). So, for your chemically enhanced hair color to look more
natural and vibrant, try adding highlights or lowlights, or both -- two
or more colors to the base color -- for beautiful, multi-dimensional
hues. If you really want to be brave, try an ombré or balayage or other
color trends. You'll love our blog post HERE, "Color Me Beautiful: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Professional Hair Color, Toners, Color Goss and Glaze Treatments, and Color Locks/Seals".
Scissor-shy?
Bangs can be a great way to change your look without cutting your hair
off. Some ladies resist bangs because they want to be able to pull their
hair back, but bangs are a great way to soften this look and will
better frame your face.
#6: Out with the Old; in with the New
You
throw out your groceries each week when they go stale, purge your
closet from time to time, and you should do the same each year with your
beauty tools and products! Go through that stash of blow dryers, flat
irons, curling irons, and other tools and accessories (brushes, combs,
headbands, decorative combs, hair clips, barrettes, etc.), and toss the
ones you've owned for quite some time. Take inventory: Do they smell
when you're using them? Are they coated with stuck-on hair product? Have
they been sitting in your closet/drawer/cabinets for several years? Are
they dusty? Do they have broken parts? Did you forget you even had it,
or when you bought it? If you answered yes to any of these, it's time to
throw it away! INVEST in one good hair dryer and in one good flat iron
and/or curling iron. DO THE RESEARCH to find out which flat iron or
curling iron is best for your hair! Ceramic? Ionic? Titanium?
Tourmaline? Discuss with your stylist your best option. (i.e. If you get
keratin treatments, use only titanium!)
#7: Learn at Least One New Hair-Styling Skill and Step Up Your Hair Game
Most
of us need and like pretty low-maintenance when it comes to hair. But
if you've been neglecting your inner hair styling skills, it's time to
step up your hair game. Your hair is your most important accessory …
learn how to showcase it and use a little variety. Try something new
this year to spice up things in the hair department. Learn how to braid,
use hot rollers, master different types of updos and ponytails, or
learn how to work with a curling iron. Learn to “plop”. Ladies with wavy
or curly hair are probably familiar with plopping already, but if not,
take note! Plopping is a technique where you basically plop your wet
hair in a towel or T-shirt (best!), wrap it, and twist and secure both
sides of the shirt or towel, leaving it in tact while your hair dries.
If you're not familiar with this technique, there are lots of tutorials
on YouTube that demonstrate step-by-step details.
Use
cute hair accessories to accentuate your lovely locks: How about a
sparkly headband, a pretty bow on a low ponytail, bejeweled bobby pins
or combs, hair ties with silk flowers, or small barrettes?
Invest
in a proper teasing brush (not a plastic comb – a natural bristle
brush), and learn how to tease/”back-comb” to enjoy that volume you’ve
been dreaming about!
#8: Invest in a Good Hairbrush and Keep It Clean
A
good, clean hairbrush is essential for keeping your hair strong,
voluminous, and shiny. Brushing your hair improves the texture of your
hair and helps activate blood circulation in your scalp (which will also
reduce stress!). Shiny and smooth hair is the sign of a good brush, as
brushing keeps all the natural oils flowing through your hair. Wash your
hairbrushes regularly; to do it like a pro, check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SakfzXlTMvU
#9: Commit to a Cold Rinse
A
blast of cold water at the end of your wash creates shiny locks, encourages growth, and is
invigorating. After washing and applying a conditioner, pile it on your head or cover with a
thin cap, then turn up the heat for your body and facial cleansing and
shaving, while your hair is conditioning (this will generate moist heat
for your hair which helps the shaft absorb the product). Rinse your body
and the last thing before you step out of the shower, rinse your hair
with tepid, then very cool water. Leave a little product in your hair,
especially on the ends; you only want “squeaky clean hair” after
shampooing, not after conditioning.
#10: Referrals & Social Reviews
Last,
but not least, for your New Year Hair Resolutions, add to your list to help
others (and most likely yourself!) via personal referrals and by giving
your hair salon good online reviews. By doing so, you may help others
find their perfect stylist to give them hair they have longed for, and
they will be grateful to you. Of course, it benefits your stylist, an
independent, small businesswoman/man, who will also be grateful to you.
And it will most likely benefit YOU. Many salons have a referral reward
program, with discounts off future services and/or products to thank you
for your referrals and/or reviews. And, if they don’t, privately
propose this to your stylist and perhaps you can work out an
arrangement. I’m sure she/he will be grateful and will make your efforts
worthwhile to show how your referrals and/or reviews are appreciated.
Start
now! Make a list of friends, family, co-workers, neighbors, etc., who
could use a hair-smoothing keratin treatment, a hair color better suited
to their complexion and/or age, or perhaps someone who has been
sporting the same old, tired hair style for way too long. Don’t forget
to include those who have complimented you on YOUR hair in the past.
Contact each one, suggesting that they give your stylist a try. If your
stylist offers a discount to first-time customers (like I do), share
that tidbit with them to save them money and sweeten the pot. Offer to
make joint appointments for the next time you are due for hair service
and enjoy your salon time together (and be there in case there needs to
be some figurative hand-holding with a new treatment or style).
Secondly, go online to social media sites where your hair salon/stylist
is listed and take a few moments to write a good review. If you don’t
hear back from your stylist, thanking you, be sure to let her/him know
of your efforts (usually they will write a response at the review site,
thanking you, if not a personal form of contact, or both). If you’re not
sure where to start, tell your stylist you are considering writing a
good review for them and ask for their recommendations, which may
include their website, Yelp, Google, Angie’s List, Facebook, Twitter, etc. Personal referrals are the best form of advertising, and with
recommendations and good social reviews, everyone wins!
If
you have enjoyed reading this blog post and can benefit from it, please
share it with others, and leave a comment, too! Thanks, and have a
WONDERFUL New Year!
________________________________
PAT ALESSI - SALON 1580
Salon Lofts #16
Roswell Marketplace | 10800 Alpharetta Hwy., Suite 240
Roswell, GA 30076 | 678-361-4247
pat@patalessihair.com | www.patalessihair.com
Roswell Marketplace | 10800 Alpharetta Hwy., Suite 240
Roswell, GA 30076 | 678-361-4247
pat@patalessihair.com | www.patalessihair.com
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Susan Leonard, Communications Marketing Specialist, Writer, and Graphic Designer
