Hair: Take the rough with the smooth

(Drafted from http://www.chesterchronicle.co.uk on 15-Apr-2009)

Discover how to make the most of your tresses according to your hair type.

It’s the age old hair conundrum – women with thick, unruly hair long for fine, straight locks and ladies with sleek, thin tresses dream about running their hands through a voluminous mane.

How many times have you heard someone with naturally poker straight hair wish for bouncing curls, and vice versa?

“You’ll never have great hair if you don’t work with your hair’s God-given texture,” says Robert Vetica, stylist to the stars and author of new book Fabulous Hair.

“Texture determines so many things, from something as seemingly simple as choosing a shampoo or conditioner, to something as difficult as understanding how much stress your hair can handle if you decide to colour or perm it.”

Get to grips with the texture of your hair and maximise it’s glossy and glamorous potential.

Texture Talk

Once you’ve come to terms with your hair texture, it’s far easier to get it looking like something that’s just stepped out of a shampoo ad campaign.

But self-branding your hair type ‘fine’, ‘medium’ or ‘thick’ isn’t quite as cut and dried as you might think.

“Hair texture can change over time,” Robert reveals.

“Things like your age and the number of kids you have can affect your hair’s texture… not even counting perming or colouring your hair.”

Add hormonal changes, sunlight, pollution, vitamin deficiencies and the dreaded onset of grey to the mix and determining your texture can become tricky.

“Texture isn’t about whether your hair’s curly, wavy or straight. What we’re really talking about here is strand thickness,” Robert explains.

Fine

– Fellow fine-hair stars: Kate Moss, Gwyneth Paltrow.

– Characteristics Light to the touch, thin strands.

Can you have fine hair but lots of it? Absolutely, Robert says.

“It’s not about how many strands of hair you have. You can have fine hair with light, medium or thick density and it can also be curly, wavy or straight.

“If your individual hairs are thin, no matter how many you have, no matter what they’re doing in terms of curl, you have fine hair.”

For a voluminous hair boost, check out product labels and look for a shampoo and styling products specifically designed for fine hair.

Products: James Brown London Thickening Shampoo for Fine Hair, £5.99 (Boots); Jo Hansford Intensive Masque for Fine Hair, £25 (www.johansford.com); BigSexyHair Big Volume Shampoo and Conditioner, £8.05 each (www.cyvilianhairstore.co.uk).

Medium

– Fellow medium-hair stars: Scarlett Johansson, Jennifer Aniston.

– Characteristics: Sometimes coarse, easy to maintain.

You’re in luck if you have medium-textured tresses – and more time on your hands! This hair requires the least attention of the three types.

“You are really blessed if you have medium hair in any wave pattern,” Robert explains.

“Even if your hair is straight, it can be curled easily and will maintain its wave until it gets wet.

“Medium-textured hair that’s naturally wavy can be straightened with ease, or made curlier just as easily.”

PRODUCTS: Pantene Pro-V Smooth & Sleek collection, from £1.79; Catwalk Fashionista Smooth & Shine lotion, £9.75 (www.tigihaircare.com); Aussie Luscious Long Hair Shampoo and Conditioner, £3.42 (Boots).

THICK

– Fellow thick-hair stars: Salma Hayek, Shakira.

– Characteristics: Coarse and heavy, tendency to be wavy.

You have the hair that women want, but you’ll know all about the hard work involved in maintaining super-thick hair, such as attempting to straighten it if you have natural curls.

“You don’t have to do much to your hair for it to look great,” Robert says.

“You can even just wash and go, assuming you have a good style in the first place.

“As long as you use the right products, you can really go for a few days without washing and/or re-styling. Even then, you can get another day out of it by pulling it back into a pony.”

PRODUCTS: Paul Labrecque Straight Finish Humidity Control Hair Mist, £15 (www.cultbeauty.co.uk); Urban Retreat Afrodisiac Texture Control, £7.95 (Boots); Goody Detangle shower comb, £4.99 (selected Boots stores).

For the perfect style and look call Re’Voil Hair & Beauty on 0161 950 9933 or visit the website at www.revoil.co.uk – hairdressers in Manchester

Be kind to your tresses to prevent bad hair days

(Drafted from http://www.herald-dispatch.com on 1-Jan-2009)

Most of what we do to our manes is haricidal: We blast hair with hot air, bleach it and then dye it. Heat causes the water under the outermost layer of the hair to form bubbles that stress and make your hair vulnerable. These bubbles get under the “tiles” that cover the hair, dislodge them and give you split ends (and basically, your collie’s hair will outlast and outshine yours). Here’s how to treat it right:

Be gentle. Blot hair dry with a towel, and use low heat if you have to blow it dry. Trade in your old brush for one with smooth or rounded teeth or bristles, which will massage your hair and scalp without damaging them. Use the extra dryer time to start your day right: Practice deep breathing or think about what you’re grateful for. These will only contribute to how great you look today.

Cap the shampoo. Unless you’ve been working up a big sweat, wash your hair every two or three days. Other days, just rinse and massage your scalp with plain water or water and conditioner. This not only helps keep it healthy; it will also look shinier (in a good way).

Stay pure. Your hair loves toxin-free H2O. Instead of squirting yourself with Evian, remove drying, hair-wrecking chlorine by adding a charcoal filter to your shower or bath. That’s important for the rest of your body, too, especially if you take longer showers. In that case, chlorine in your water itself isn’t the biggest hazard, but what it turns into — stronger toxins called trichloromethanes — is.

For advice and guidance on trating your hair or to book in for a free consultation call Re’Voil Hair & Beauty on 0161 950 9933 or visit the website at www.revoil.co.uk