Caring for your Hair

It is one of the MOST requested Colour trends in recent years, but what exactly is Balayage?

Balayage comes from the French word Balayer, meaning to sweep. It is a technique used to sweep or paint highlights into the hair without the use of foil like traditional highlights. This freehand technique creates subtle multi tones that give you a natural, sun-kissed look.

Although it seems very much all about Balayage, Foil is here to stay!

If you have any previous hair colour or your hair is naturally darker, foil might still be used within a Balayage to help create maximum lift. Foils would likely be your go to for many Ultra Light Blonde looks too.

A "Toner" is a Very important part of the lightening process, that is often over looked!

When the hair is lightened, whether it be Highlights, Balayage or a Full Bleach application the warmth inside the hair is exposed. (Similarly to our skin when we sit in the sun)

Everybody's hair make-up naturally lifts warm, some a lot more than others. For Caramels, Honey Blondes and Sun-kissed looks this works in our favour. 

For anything on the Cooler Palette, Silver Greys, Platinum and Icy Blondes this warmth will need to be neutralised to achieve our desired end result and that is where our Toner comes in. 

Toning the hair, is when we apply another Colour over the hair that has been previously Lightened to create our desired end result.

This extra step is essential for many Fashion Colours too, both Pastels and Brights sometimes this may even lead to "Double Toning" where we may need to balance the starting point before applying our final formula, a bit more work but so worth it in the end!

The biggest down fall for many, is that these Colours and Tones do fade over time as the natural warmth in the hair ALWAYS pushes through and we just can't cheat science! This is always something to consider when choosing your next hair colour.

Maintaining your Colour is essential to keep it looking Salon fresh, some High Maintenance looks may require additional visits to the Salon in between your usual appointments.

Toning shampoos & conditioners can also help to maintain it home, as well as an all important good hair care routine!

Olaplex is a type of hair treatment known as a Bond builder, but what exactly does it do?

A quick science lesson -

Most Conditioning Treaments and Masks treat the outer layers of the hair, helping it to look and feel softer and smoother.

A Bond builder repairs the hair from the inside out. Deep inside the hair shaft, the internal structure is held together by bonds (imagine it like chains linked together) Over time these bonds become weakened due to everyday wear and tear and Chemical processes, such as hair colouring. This will eventually lead to broken bonds, which leaves us with broken or even damaged hair. 

Olaplex actively repairs the broken bonds and can prevent future damage to the hair. 

The result = Healthy, stronger hair!

How do i get it?

Olaplex is basically liquid gold that we add into your colour, to help repair and protect your hair from future damage during the colouring process. It can also be used as an Intense treatment at the back bar, as well as a full hair care range for use at home.

For optimum results we recommend the continued use of Olaplex to extend the results of your treatment, as well as a good deep moisture treatment or mask to give the outer hair some love too!

The Secret to Shiny hair is obviously perfect condition, but it also comes down to great styling, starting from the wash!

Ever wondered why we wash your hair twice in the Salon?

The first wash is like a pre-wash, a bit like a washing machine setting. This removes surface dirt, excess oil, and product build up from the hair and scalp, allowing the second wash to be a really satisfying deep cleanse, leaving it super clean! (Remember just a coin sized amount)

Always use Conditioner, for best results gently squeeze the water out of your hair with a towel before applying it. This allows it to be better absorbed into the hair, instead of slipping off down the plughole! If you're feeling fancy you could use a wide tooth comb to comb it through!

Be sure to rinse your hair thoroughly, leaving any product residue in the hair can result in a dry, itchy scalp or greasy looking hair, ugh!

Avoid using water that is too hot as this can actually dry out your hair. Finishing with a cool rinse is not a myth, this closes the cuticle, adding to that shine!

Make sure your hair is well hydrated, if it's dry it won't shine. 

Use a leave-in treatment or smoothing creme before styling, and finish your look with a shine spray or hair oil to tame any fly away's.

Always a FAQ!

The answer to this will vary depending on what you do to it! If your a Colour chameleon, or use a lot of heat styling you will need to have your hair cut regularly to keep it in good condition!

But mostly it will depend on the style you wear it in.

Shorter hair styles will need to be cut back into shape every 4-6 weeks, where as Longer hair could go 8-12 weeks depending on how well it's looked after!

The longer you leave it, the more likely you will need to have more cut off. As once the hair starts to split the only way to fix it is to cut the broken ends off!