How To Wash Your Hair - You thought you knew

One of my favorite things about my profession, is educating my clients about the little things they can do while washing and styling their hair to have the best hair day, every day. I love sharing small tips and tricks with my clients to make living with their hair easier than ever. I like to  start small so this week I'll focus on washing and conditioning only, and we'll get into styling next week.

When you first get your hair wet, before you grab your shampoo, gently massage the scalp with the pads of your fingers. Doing this is going to help release any build up on the scalp and get the oils from your scalp moving so your shampoo won't have to work as hard and your hair will come clean easier and faster.

Ok, now you can use your cleanser, aka shampoo. When shampooing your hair you should only be using about a dime to a nickle size amout in your palm.... promise, that's all you need. Before you put the cleanser in your hair, make sure you completely emulsify it in your hands (this basically means rub your hands together until your shampoo is a thin, white or light colored film that covers your hands from you palms to the tips of your fingers). Finally it's time to take your cleanser to your SCALP. Using the lengths of your fingers and the pads of your fingertips, massage and scrub your scalp again the same way you did when you were just using the water. You want to avoid taking your shampoo to the ends, because it is a cleanser and it will dry out the ends of your hair. If your having problems with your ends drying out and breaking off, this could be why. I always tell my clients, "Your shampoo is just the vehicle the oils in your scalp takes to get to the mid-shaft and the ends of your hair." I know this sound odd but the oils your scalp produces is very good and super hydrating for your hair and you should avoid getting rid of them completely. Make sure you rinse thuroughly, so your conditioner can get right into the cuticle of your hair for maximum hydration.

The amount of conditioner you use is going to depend on the thickness of your hair as well as the length. If you change your shampooing habits, you'll probably be able to use less than your used to. Experiment with about half of what you're used to then, add more or use less according to the state of your hair when it's styled. Before conditioning, make sure you squeeze the access water out of your hair so it can absorbe as much conditioner as possible. When applying, you'll emulsify the same way you did with you cleanser. Start at the ends of your hair and work your way up, running your fingers through to evenly displace your product. ONLY APPLY CONDITIONER TO YOUR SCALP IF YOU HAVE DRY SCALP OR EXPERIENCE ITCHING. Otherwise you should keep it off your scalp and you should be able to skip a day or two of washing your hair. Make sure you rinse thuroughly and always use a leave-in conditioner before you style.

If you are unclear about any of this information or have further questions, I'm always able answer questions via email at sheardesignbycamille@gmail.com

Box color: Do or Don't?

Major Don't:  Because over the counter box color from a grocery store is such an easy (and cheap) fix, it's probaby one of the most important at home salon issues to address. This easy solution to your burning desire for a change can do much more than give your style a little re-vamp. It can tear up your cuticle leaving your hair with a synthetic look to it. Nobody wants their hair to look fake.  Also, it will dry out your hair, won't cover evenly and make it so your hair has a hard time retaining color in the future. The porosity of your hair differs from the root, through the midshaft, and to the ends of your hair. Porosity is your hair's ability to absorbe moisture. So, if your hair is really porous at the ends and not porous at all at the root then your color will be much darker at the ends where it's been soaking in the color more and the root will barely have any coverage and both will fade quickly.
When you see your hairdresser for a professional salon color service, you're not only seeing someone who should know all the solutions to these problems, but someone who has the resources to get your hair in the best condition it's ever been in. One of these resources can be professional haircolor. Professional hair color has the technology and the funding behind it to actually help with some of the most common complaints clients have for their hair.
If your hair is not as smooth or shiny and you'd like it to be, you can put a nice polishing demi perminant haircolor like Shades eq from REDKEN and that will not only shine you right up, because it has the technology to evenly smooth the cuticle, but it will do it without adding any excess oil you might get from using a shine serum. If more volume is what you're looking for but your hair just keeps falling flat, a subttle highlighting service will fix that right up. Your hair might be falling flat because your cuticle is too tight. By adding highlights you'll open up that cuticle just enough to add some volume and stability to your style. So what if you are wanting all this wonderful benefits that these professional salon colors offer but you love the color of your hair? No worries, they also have clear gazes so you reap all the benefits and don't have to sacrifice the natural color you love so much.
         So, next time your considering grabbing a box off the shelf, consider making an appointment instead.