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WOTC Summer Hair Care Must-Haves
Words Deb Dominic
Summer is here and it’s our favourite season of the year! We talked about hair care being self care and indeed it is. We have to admit that when the salons reopened, we ditched the home rituals for a full head of highlights and started chopping off lengths because.. well we could, especially after months of not being able to. Now with the change of temperature, comes the change of our hair care regimes, says Beauty Editor Deb Dominic. So we’ve put together a list that your hair will love you for.
Cover Love
One of the greatest ways to protect your locks amidst the summer months, is to whip on a bandana. Don't cringe! This is a major style statement and can be worn in so many different ways!
From chic and understated, to bold and overstated, the sky's the limit when it comes to a bandana. There is a way of tying yours to suit every hair type. Not only is it stylish, but can also hide a bad hair day when you’ve missed a shampoo sesh! This in itself is a blessing, as over washing results in over drying of the scalp/shaft, so it’s a win-win all round.
Unlike the also favoured hat option, the bandana can remain on throughout the entire day and won’t need to be removed (thus maintaining safety and illusion), when you stride from street to the office or out for drinks in the evening!
Protection
When the sun has got her hat on, don't forget to step out without a sun protector upon your skin.
Indeed, many of us know the importance of SPF in our skincare all year round, not just for the summer months, but do we remember to put sun protection on our scalp and lengths?
We swear by using a Protein Spray (our favourite is from Label.m) on each and every head in salon during salon visits and it has been a favourite of our clients for decades. Hair is made of protein, so this product not only helps to rebuild any gaps in hairs structure, but it also evens out porosity in the hair and protects from environmental damage. The product is lightweight, so doesn’t weigh down hair but is high on performance and works with every hair type.
This is a handbag must throughout the year, but especially in the summer months when you can whip it out for a quick spritz if you’re feeling hot under the metaphorical collar!
Non-committal Colour
Summer is to us, all about feeling the vibes and celebrating life through dressing freely and accessorising within an inch of our lives haha! We love playing around with hair colours and switching up tones depending on the event/outfit. One of the most regularly heard comments from our clients is: “oh I wish I could have a play with a tone like that, but I don’t want to be permanently that colour, just want to try it out”. Well fear not! You can dip your toe in the water without fully submerging yourself!
This year Wella launched their range of colour masks that do just that AND nourish your hair whilst doing so!
There are 11 in the range: 7 that add/enhance tones (ideal to add richness to those new to colour or in between visits) and 4 that can transform tones without committing to actual colour. The most popular this summer has been the PINK mask, that has been loved by blondes wanting to shake things up for a party weekend and warmer tones that want to create a different look. A bold statement for your StayCay pics, whilst nourishing your hair and allowing you to be back to natural by the time you return to work on Monday. We love a “who is she” vibe every time!
Silk
Silk's natural properties, like it’s smooth surface, helps reduce friction on your hair, and in turn is kinder to wear both in the day and whilst sleeping. Friction can cause breakage, frizz and split ends. The smooth anti-friction surface of silk scrunchies can reduce all of those listed above, and not only is this kind to the hair but is also a great summer styling statement! Again, there are versions to suit every budget, hair type and length!
From monochrome to cool to off-the-richter-scale glam and colourful, as silk is such a glorious canvas to hold colour. For those that prefer a vegan friendly option, satin holds similar haircare properties and is an equally luxurious option (silk is derived from silk worms; satin, from man-made fibres).
For transitional wears, this is once again a dream too, taking you from the beach to an exclusive beach bar in one tame of the brush, reinstallation of said scrunchie and the addition of some earrings and bingo! What’s not to love about that?
Well-oiled
You know we swear by Olaplex in the salon. It maintains the integrity of our lovely clients locks throughout service, and we fully endorse the home care system that our clients can work with between salon visits to keep hair in tip-top condition.
This year has brought us an addition to the Olaplex family: the game changing #8, which is an unbelievable hair treatment cream that delivers incredible results and is so simple to use. Simply shampoo, then apply the mask, leave on for ten minutes, then rinse and style and feel the flipping difference! On top of that, we are LOVING the Olaplex Oil for summer, as it is amazing for bond repairing, but also a delicious styling product to scrunch into hair to banish frizz and restore a little polish if you fancy a sleek finish. It’s all about the double use of products: super conditioning plus perfect summer styling! The size is also perfect for popping in every wash bag for the gym and your pre-work tousle!
Plaits Please!
Our absolute go to for summer! There’s a plait for every occasion, depending on how you wear it and with what. Perfect for all hair types and all ages, and we mean all, we love nothing more than finishing a great cut/colour service with an undone finish and a cheeky braid. This can be applied across the board: from our junior clients, to our festival goers, right through to our older professionals that want to shake things up for an event. It all comes down to suitability and the way the hair is primed/finished.
Ask your stylist for some bespoke pointers and discover the joy of the easiest and most stylish way of wearing hair, that’s runway ready when really it’s missed wash day! Also, if you apply any of the mentioned nourishing treatments, you’re treating your hair whilst wearing it in a low key style, winner.