Think about it, you’re using a heat hotter than an oven on your hair. I realise this post is geeky AF, but bear with me. I’ve tired to make it concise and helpful.

We are pushing hair to its limits with colour and styling goals. Maybe if we can understand what our hair is, we can be more sympathetic to its needs?

When exposing your hair to excessive heat without protection repeatedly, the hydrogen bonds that hold protein chains together break, literally burn away, leaving your hair with no inner strength or structure. Essentially, it’s fu*&!£d. In science speak, this is called denaturing. When you denture a protein it is irreversible- you can’t unboil an egg!

Your hair has an outer layer called a cuticle; an armour of protective scales that swell and change shape when stressed (colour, heat, water etc). Some of these scales will be so damaged they will simply not go back to where they should be and over time it won’t protect those inner most needed chains in your coretex.

Your coretex is where the magic is. Millions upon millions of helix like chains that are the essence of your hair. The colour it is, how it moves, how strong it is all comes from the coretex.

Clever, eh?! Companies are working head to bring out products to combat the damage we inflict but nothing is good as prevention itself. Motto of the story, always use protection.

Products I love:

• Redken Pillow Proof
• Redken Acidic Bonding Concentrate
• Olaplex No7 Oil (also acts as UV protection!)
• Colourwow Dream Coat

❤

Hands up if you’re guilty of using crazy amounts of shampoo…

When you invest in good quality hair care products, the amount you need is less than you’d think. I challenge you to give this a go.

Remember shampoo is for your scalp. Whether your hair is short or long, you only need to consider your hair density and texture for the amount you use. Not of course forgetting, ALWAYS SHAMPOO TWICE.

• For finer hair, use about a 2cm ball like a cherry tomato.

• For medium hair (or dirtier hair), use about a 3cm round palm full, similar to the size of a strawberry.

• For super thick and coarse hair, use a 4cm size like a walnut

Be sure to spread the shampoo in your palms before you distribute it around your scalp and rinse well.

I hope this helps to break bad habits❤

How much conditioner should you use for your hair texture? Back on my mission to spread the life changing message.

“Conditioner is not for your roots”

Every decent hair stylist ever

Conditioner is designed to nourish, moisturise and even repair the stressed parts of your hair. The hair that’s been on your head a while and been battered by your ageing, never cleaned straighteners and trusty hair brush, that you have had since the Spice Girls were a thing. Conditioner is not, I repeat, NOT for the healthy self nourishing roots that get looked after by the natural oils in your scalp and will have seen very little chemical and heat damage!

When you slap that conditioner on your roots first and then try to slather it down, you’re actually over moisturising your roots, causing heavy, flat and prematurely greasy locks (all whilst you are still finding your ends feel dry and fluffy because all that goodness is clogging up your scalp!)

You may even find that your scalp is flaky and itchy as your pores in your scalp get clogged up, especially so if you’re using non professional products (another soap box for another day…)

The best way to use a conditioner? After shampooing squeeze excess water out of the mids and ends before spreading your conditioner through. Ideally, work it through with a wide tooth comb, or at the very least rake your fingers through. Let it soak in for 3-5 minutes. Be sure to rinse really well.

Fine

Go for lightweight or body building & use sparingly – rinse well. The key is to not have product build up weighing your hair down

•Redken Volume Injection

•Sebastian Volupt

Oily? try Redken Scalp Relief

Short hair (or longer with no damage or complaints) in good condition may find conditioner is just too much, heavy/greasy.

Swap for a lightweight heat defense before drying or a lightweight leave in conditioner on ends only (most spray applications will be lighter in formula Than cream based tube ones)

I love •Olaplex no7

•It’s a 10 lite

•Moroccanoil light

Medium

You have the freedom to choose – where is your problem area? Frizz? Coloured? Oily?

•Redken Colour Magnetics – add moisture & help prevent colour fade

•Frizz Dismiss will tame

•Eleven Australia Hydrate

Heavily lightened or dry needs moisture

•Redken Extreme conditioner or

• Acidic Bonding Concentrate

•Olaplex

•Eleven Australia Repair

Thick

You’ll need something creamier & heavier to help moisturise & calm down frizz or dryness

make sure you allow a good few minutes for it to soak in & rake your fingers through so it’s as effective as it can be

•Moroccan Oil

•Olaplex

•Redken All Soft Mega

If you only wash your hair once every 5-8 days it may be wise to swap out your conditioner for a mask – Extra rich & will give you the weight to keep the frizz at bay for a few days longer

•Mask recommended