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Self-care Menu for Success in 2021
Words Deborah Dominic
So, not long until we say ciao to 2020 in all its rollercoaster glory & random plot twists, the longest yet shortest year to date, the one where we came to expect the unexpected. Time to take a deep breath and start to embrace a whole new year with new hope, wonderful possibilities, where we take what we’ve learnt & fly higher than ever before.
And of course we are going to adapt this whole thought process to what we love best over here: Hair. We are closing the door on the hair highs & lows, the DIY experiments, the dodgy toners & the endless daydreams of the perfect bangs & we are going to inhale the crowning glory goodness that is headed our way. If 2020 was a homemade Midwest mullet, 2021 is going to be a chic parisian bob, a perfect blowout, the fringe of dreams, a flipping good hair day!
We’ve come a long way & we need to remember everything this past year has taught us, take the positives from it to make our next phase great.
Self care: we’ve learnt above all else over the last (almost) 12 months is that we need time for ourselves. The only person that can grant that is us. We deserve it, we need it & we are going to make it happen. So let’s pencil in that time & stick to it. (We see self care like food: nourishment. So we’ve created a meal plan to fit your requirements)
Starter:
Pencil in an evening/morning a week (or as many as you want) for a deep conditioning treatment.
Pop on a face mask and while it’s working it’s magic, exfoliate that skin, check your cuticles or if you need to ease yourself in gently to this & have to still sprinkle a little multitasking, check those emails, write your to do list or put a wash on.
It’s OK to take baby steps at this, you’ll soon get the hang of it!
This “starter” is popular with some of our most highly pressured clients, who’ve made it a ritual when they get home from the office on a Friday evening, to signify the start of the weekend.
Stylist tip: brush hair with a soft bristle brush first to remove tangles, then apply treatment to slightly damp hair & gently “rake” through with fingers. A gentle towel wrap will trap the heat in & work wonders on those locks. Plus looks glam as hell if you need to post it too haha! Think of each hair on your head as a slightly worn ladder, your good deeds are repairing those broken rungs to create a strong support once again.
A strong ladder / staircase to an even more wonderful you.
Main meal:
If you are someone who likes to change your environment / space (we know how working from home can be) or if you simply want to take it up a notch, book a weekly wash & blowdry in a salon.
Sound extravagant in this current climate? Make your morning coffee to take with you from home instead of hitting the espresso bars twice a day, and you’ll justify that spend perfectly (if you ever need help justifying anything just give us a shout, it’s our forte!)
Also many salons have a loyalty system, so block booking has its rewards.
That fresh blow dry feeling will have you fully pumped ahead of that meeting / zoom call / and leave you striding down the street home.
A little bit of bouji never hurt anyone & if your hair feels good, you can conquer anything!
Stylist tip: Tell your stylist you’ve been soo looking forward to the head massage when you go over to the basin area, as you know they give the BEST massages around & it lights up your week. We are creatives driven by delight, tell us we are good at something & we’ll make sure we show our gratitude through rewarding you (don’t shout a demand though because that has the adverse effect haha!)
Also, not too many finishing products on that blowout: it’ll last longer that way.
Dessert:
This course is naturally our favourite:
The good ol chop!
It can be minor or major, whichever way, it’ll have you feeling FRESH!
I can’t tell you how many times we’ve witnessed the break up restyle: cutting that relationship / job out of your hair. Well, sayonara 2020, we’ve learned a lot from you babes, but we’re moving on & we are cutting you out!
See this as a freshening exercise not an exorcism though. We are making a positive move not a potential drastic statement.
Work with your stylist on what you love: keep that. What irritates or frustrates you: solve that with change.
A good stylist should always have your best interests at heart, so make sure you’re on the same page about this before proceeding. Remember, this is YOUR journey, if you’re not feeling it you can hop off at any time.
Stylist tip: adding bangs or focal colour is a great way to make effective change to what you already have without taking hours & costing the earth. Whilst they will require maintenance (which will encourage continued intermittent self care), they will not require total overhauls every six months & break the bank.
Also always make your next appointment when leaving, to ensure you keep up the good intentions AND secure your desired stylist.
“A woman who cuts her hair is about to change her life” - Coco Chanel
Optional extra:
Petit fours & coffee:
Totally for those who have chucked their cares out the window / landed a promotion / are black belts at this self care / hair love / rewarding-good-deeds-because-we-are-worth-it entire mind set & want to go extra & add that sparkle: treat yourself to a killer accessory & wear that baby with PRIDE!
My grandma always said: “you’ll not enjoy diamonds if you keep them in a drawer. Wear them everyday!” (I’m not suggesting diamonds in the hair, but if that’s your bag, go for it!).
Nod at yourself in the mirror as you pop it on, dress up that topknot you’ve perfected over lockdown & make it a “thing”, everyday is a special occasion & remind yourself you’ve earned it!
(Again, we are always available to confirm this if you need reassurance haha!)
Stylist tip: there are no rules. Wear what YOU like. What suits you & what makes you happy. Pick something that sets your heart a flutter.
Go forth & nourish your way into that new year, if your appetite is small: just pick one, if you’re an all you can eat, go wild babes!
Go solo, take your bestie with you, start a movement with your friends or buy a gift for someone to promote this way of thinking. Whatever you like!
Remember, you make the rules & next year is going to be flipping epic.
Enjoy your meal!