The first day of September may have been a sunny one, but three days in and the Irish weather has shown us her ugly side. Outside I can see multiple cool shades of green and grey, but what if I want heat? Then I’m going to have to provide it myself. Truth be told, that is probably my favourite thing about this time of year. Introducing deep coppers and warm browns to my colour palette, and most notably to my hair. Summer gives us time to play with sun-kissed beachy highlights, but Autumn has a few tricks up her sleeve too. Think falling leaves, hot coffee, and log fires, what colours do they conjure? For me it is gold and red, copper and caramel, chocolate and espresso, all of these being beautifully flattering hair colours.
No matter what colour you choose though, the fact remains, bad weather is on the way and your hair will suffer for it. Wind and rain will assault your beautiful tresses outdoors, and the toasty hug of the indoors will suck moisture from your hair like a sponge. So, get ahead of the game. Instead of trying to fix the problem, why not stop it from manifesting at all? Increase your hydration game.
First things first, remove any residual summer build up from the hair, i.e. sea salt, chlorine, sun-cream, fake tan, which will dull your hair. This will improve condition, shine, and colour vibrancy. Colour Wow Dream Filter is amazing for this, and by removing impurities such as copper, magnesium, and mineral salts you can make way for your hair to hold on to the precious moisture and protein, two essentials for healthy hair.
Dry scalp is super common at this time of year also. Be sure to brush your scalp gently but frequently to encourage good circulation and to help exfoliate it too. For an added hit of help you may want to try something scalp specific like Aveda Invati Advanced Exfoliating Shampoo, it is a plant-based treat for tired scalps. The shampoo will exfoliate and gently remove build up, while the natural lavender will help sooth irritation. It will also give you healthier growth, stronger hair, and make your hair 30% fuller. Also, drink plenty of water, hydration is key to a heathy scalp! Healthy scalp grows healthy hair, and we love healthy hair, so care for those lengths and ends too.
A nice balance of strength and moisture will keep breakage at bay and make shine the name of the game. If you feel your hair is relatively healthy and you have no major concerns, then, something like Alfaparf Semi Di Lino Diamond Illuminating Shampoo and Conditioner should provide everything you need. Try leaving your conditioner in for 2-3 minutes if you can spare the time, it will give it more chance to work into your hair even more.
If you feel your hair is already leaning towards dehydration, feed it. Get that moisture in there. Thirsty hair can take longer to style or control and is next to impossible to get any shine from. So, enjoy more time in bed in the morning by treating your hair to some deep hydration. One of my favourites for upping the moisture levels is the Kerastase Nutritive range. It smells so beautiful and feels like silk in the hair. It comes in three different strengths too, so just pick the one that applies best to your hair type. Kerastase have beautifully concentrated products so a little goes a long way. It might be worth mentioning, this goes for nearly all professional ranges.
I always find two shampoos works best, but in small quantities, approximately a euro size amount, and lather it between the hands first, make sure your hair is drenched, and massage the shampoo gently into your scalp. How much conditioner or mask you need depends on how much hair you have, so use accordingly and your products will last you ages.
If you’ve had a little too much fun in the sun or wiled the lockdown hours away by playing ‘hairdressers’ at home, your hair could be a little on the fragile side by now. Some people, myself included, have hair that is just naturally delicate and won’t take any messing around with it, unless of course we give it back what it craves. If your hair is suffering damage or breakage, then reach for protein to help. Shu Uemura Silk Blook Restorative range is stunning on the hair, unlike some other strengthening products it will make your hair silky soft and weightless. If it’s a case that your hair is suffering extreme breakage, I also recommend trying out the new Olaplex Zero Kit. This is the most concentrated reparative homecare offering from Olaplex and the kit gives you a sample size (30mls) tube of No.3 to boot. It is designed to work best when used as a pair to give you the nearest thing to the massively popular in-salon Olaplex service but works amazingly as a standalone treatment too.
Let’s talk protection, a much overlooked and massively underrated component of haircare. It’s your first defence against heat damage and your last defence against the rain. Which one suits you best is again, down to your own personal needs and wants. Generally, your leave in protector will do a multitude of tasks so I’ll pop a few of my favourites here along with some key points on what they do. For nourishment and protection I like Joico K-Pak Lustre Lock Daily Shine & Protect Spray, a mouthful, I know but well worth a try. For volume and protection Pureology Clean Volume Instant Levitation Mist, it protects against external aggressors and gives 24hr volume to hair. If you’re looking for strength and protection try Kérastase Resistance Ciment Thermique Heat-Activated Reconstructor Milk , a fabulous heat activated strengthening milk that will continue to protect the hair between washes, and it smells amazing!
If it’s moisture and protection you’re after, check out NAK Scalp to Hair Thermal Protector, it gives moisture and protection to hair and scalp and provides heat and UV protection. And for the triple whammy in haircare protection, that is colour, UV, and heat protection try Kerastase Blond Absolu Cicaplasme, designed primarily for blondes but works beautifully on all hair types.
So, no need to worry about rainy days ahead, just focus on the job in hand, be as proactive as you can, and shine on.
