TOOLS 101

Why is it so important to arm yourself with the proper tools?

I can't emphasize enough how much extra time, effort and unnecessary wear and tear on your hair using improper tools create! 

If you have to scrimp everywhere else, proper tools should be your #1 priority.

Let's start with Brushes:

Look for Boar Bristle Pure or Boar Bristle combined with heat resistant polyamide pins.

Natural bristles are the best thing for your hair because they are the least damaging, and the most efficient at smoothing the cuticle. 

Unlike your metal brush, they conduct heat evenly, which reduces the chance of burning your locks!   (If you MUST use your metal brush, use one that is coated with ceramides to protect your cuticle layer)

My favorite brush has varying lengths in the bristles which more effectively grab the hair and direct it into the boar bristles evenly, such as the Ibiza.

However, please take special care not to tug too strongly as this can also cause damage, no matter how wonderful your brush is!

(My favorites are Ibiza for Round Brush styling, and YS Park or Mason Pearson for Flat Brush drying and gentle detangling)

Blow Dryers:

Having an efficient blowdryer saves you time.

The wattage is a general indication of each blow dryer’s power potential in temperature and air flow. Some Blowdryers however heat up to a higher level with less airflow, and others have more blowing power with less heat. I wouldn’t bother with anything under 1200 watts. Although the motor directly effects the air flow power, a better quality motor will let you get away with lower wattage.

Choose a blow dryer for your hair type by identifing your texture and density. The thicker each INDIVIDUAL STRAND (not amount of strands) the higher heat level you will need to alter what your hair does naturally. If you have thick Frizzy hair you like straight and smooth you will need a hotter blowdryer. The hottest blowdryers are generally ones that are labeled ionic. Ionic dryers generally have a low air flow and can be easier for the average person to use because it doesn’t blow the hair around as much. If you are trying to reduce volume and frizz, you will find this a nice feature. However, you must be careful to KEEP THE HEAT MOVING because you are at a higher risk of singing your hair with these.

If you have finer hair, you generally will be fluffing at the roots and trying to bend flat hair around a round brush for volume. An ionic dryer might be frustrating because it wouldn’t have the airflow for root fluffing, and the high heat would smooth and flatten your mid-lengths to ends much more than a conventional dryer.  I wouldn’t recommend this for most people. It is similar to a flat iron effect. I would suggest this in replacement to a flat iron perhaps. 

A Ceramic blowdryer is your best bet. The heat is even, and has ionic properties without being overkill on finer hair. A ceramic blowdryer means that the heating element it uses is made of ceramic, as opposed to metal heat coils which can burn, found in cheap blowdryers.

If you are unsure of what hair type you have, don't hesitate to ask!

TGR, Parlux and Elchim are three great brands with ionic and ceramic options.

HAIR AT HOME

Have at least two shampoos and conditioners in your rotation. You wouldn’t eat the same thing everyday and expect to get all you need nutrition-wise, your hair is the same. The type of cleansing and moisturizing products will vary with your wants, but a good concept to keep in mind is that of balance. For Example:

If you crave VOLUME, rotate your Volume Boosting line it with a Moisture line.

(You want volume yes, but you don’t want dry crispy ends)

For COLOR & HEAT DAMAGE, rotate a Strength Building line with a Moisture line.

(Strength is good, but without the balance of moisture, over-keratinization can cause the hair to lose its elasticity and break off)

TREAT an OILY SCALP by Rotating an Oil Reducing Treatment line with an Everyday line (Don’t ever condition the roots, and also consider if you over shampoo your hair. The body’s oil production accommodates to your shampoo schedule. Some of you might need to try shampooing less to send the message to your scalp to take a break on oil production)

TREATING DRY SCALP is a two-part process; Exfoliation and Moisturizing (FYI, Moisturization is not a freaking word).

Most Dandruff Shampoos utilize a bunch of waxes to coat the scalp to keep dead skin cells stuck, worsening the problem. You need to slough off the dead skin, then moisturize to make a difference.

Rotate between a SCALP therapy line for dandruff and an intense Hydration line. Davines has a legitimate dandruff treatment line we recommend. Some have had success using baking soda as an exfoliant. However, make sure to neutralize the scalp and hair with apple cider vinegar, and follow with a deep conditioning mask.

(Some have flaky scalp seasonally, others from a slight food allergy, or from the fragrance etc. in your current line up of hair products. Eliminating the culprit might be necessary, or maybe the flakes are worth the pleasure)

It may be time to see a doctor to investigate possible allergies.

-Treatments. If using a treatment oil or mask, steam will facilitate its penetration. Another option for a treatment oil, is to apply and tie up your hair on a day off allowing the treatment to soak in for the day.

Your stylist will be able to tell you how often you should be using each line in your rotation.