Hair Care Tips

How to Reduce Your Reliance on Shampoo

Shampoo is the enemy of your hair. Though we are in the business of retailing premium professional hair care, and we stand by our products, we want you to keep your shampoo use at a minimum. Professional shampoo is a gentle detergent designed to remove buildup, dirt, pollution and products. But it also increases the pH of hair and scalp and removes the natural oils designed to protect your hair and scalp. By reducing your shampoo usage, you are allowing your scalp and hair exist in their natural state, and once in that state, the need for shampoo decreases.

First, reduce your shampoo use to Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. You can rinse with conditioner every day, either after your shampoo or INSTEAD of your shampoo. After 2 weeks, stop using shampoo on Wednesdays. For many people, this is their comfort zone; Shampoo on Monday and Friday and conditioning every day. But if you can reduce the application of shampoo on Monday only, that would be great. The use of a dry shampoo is highly suggested. It will help reduce excess oils and increase volume and style retention. We promise, your hair and scalp will be healthier, grow faster and need less trims.

General “Normal” Hair Care

If you are a heavy shampoo user please read our “How to reduce your shampooing” page.

This tutorial relates to “normal” hair. Though there is no such thing as “normal” hair, we describe straight hair that is shorter than shoulder length, and no chemical treatments as such.

If you have this hair type it should be relatively easy to manage. Please check out styling suggestion for curly or fine on our other pages.

General hair care:

Wash: Wash only 2-3 times a week with shampoo following with conditioner.

Condition: Rinse and condition as many days as you like.

Deep Conditioner: Apply a mask at least 1 time a week for 15 minutes.

Styling can be wash and wear up to thermal styling. Luckily this hair type is not prone to frizz, so your product regimen is easy. Apply a primer or heat styler to your hair when it is wet. If you want to blowdry for big volume, apply a mousse to the roots of your hair. If you want general volume, apply a volumizing spray throughout the entire head of hair. When blowdrying, always focus on getting the roots dry first, with as much volume as possible. You can go to almost entirely dry before having to use a brush to smooth the ends. Always finish off a blowdry with a cool blast from your blowdryer. This will help set the style. Usually that is the blue button on the blowdryer. Finsih with a hair spray of your choice. We offer 3 different strengths of spray.

In between shampoos a dry shampoo always is the best answer to keep away oil and refresh a style. TO use properly, shake the can of dry shampoo for a solid 20 seconds. Spray in short bursts into the roots all over the scalp. Let sit for 5 minutes. Use a boar bristle paddle brush to vigorously brush from roots to ends all over the head. This sill remove the powder from your hair. Use your hands or brush to reset your style.

General Curly Hair Care

Curly hair is naturally drier than straight hair, and needs to be treated differently, especially during style prep. First off, only shampoo once a week at max. Please read our blog “How To Reduce Your Reliance on Shampoo” if you wash more often than that. You should use shampoo and conditioner that is prescribed for your hair type by your stylist. You want to find the gentlest shampoo and the most moisturizing conditioner. Make sure to deep condition once a week.

Prep for curly hair starts in the shower. While conditioning hair, use your fingers as a comb, or use a wide tooth comb to detangle and distribute conditioner. Rinse straight down and avoid tangling the hair. Beyond this point combing or brushing is not a good idea. Dry your hair with and old cut up t-shirt, NOT a terry cloth towel. You do not want the towel to cause the cuticle to raise. Dry the hair by tilting your head and pushing the hair up to the scalp with the t-shirt. Repeat till there is no dripping. Apply your products in this order: Primer,Humectant,Styler. Once again a stylist can help you decide which is best for you. Apply small amounts of product throughout the entire head of hair and focus the humectant on areas of dryness or frizz. After applying the product, repeat the same steps as the drying with the t-shirt, but now only with your hands. You want to squeeze the hair up to the scalp and find it’s natural texture and alignment. If you can airdry, that is great, but you may gently diffuse your hair with heat also. The key is to NOT manipulate the hair from the wet to dry stage. Once your hair dries thoroughly, you may scrunch your hair to break off any “shell” that a product may have created. Scrunching is simply taking your hand and moving the fingers around as if you are balling up a piece of paper. Slow and firm is the best way to scrunch. Try not to manipulate your hair thoughout the day.

In the morning simply spray “dented” hair with water or a curl primer and reset the hair by gently scrunching the damp hair.

Creating a Volume Style for Fine Hair

Fine hair usually needs both volume and texture, and it might be confusing what you are looking for. If you are looking for lift away from the scalp and the look of more hair, that’s volume. If you want each strand to feel thicker, that’s texture. You can decide if you want one or both depending on the products you use. First, fine hair will automatically get texture and volume form chemical services like highlights or permanent waves. You can talk to your stylist which is the best direction for you.

For at home care, you will want to use a light daily shampoo or volumizing shampoo. Though we do not want anyone washing their hair daily, many fine haired people who do daily styling feel the need to wash everyday. We suggest a co-wash for that second day instead of shampoo. Make ssure to condition, either with a light in shower rinse or a spray leave in detangler.

If you are looking for volume, you should use a mousse or volumizing spray or foam. If you are looking for texture, that comes from a thickening serum or salt spray. You can apply both, but the volumizer goes on the root, and the texture products go on midshaft to ends.

Flip your head over for the beginning of the blowdry and make sure the roots are moved away from the scalp. After the hair is nearly dry you can then focus on using a round brush to smooth the hair. Always finish with a cold shot from your dryer to set the style. Use of a powder and hairspray to finish the style is best, avoid using pomades or oils.

Blow Drying Curly to Straight

If you have curly or wavy hair and want to blow it dry straight, depending on the density of your hair it may be a 2-day process. First make sure to use a moisturizing and smoothing shampoo and conditioner because you want the hair to be fully hydrated. Apply a defrizzer throughout the hair. I would suggest 3 small amounts, starting at the nape, then moving to the crown then to te front hairline. Apply extra product to any rough or frizzy areas. If you can wash your hair at night and sleep on your hair, you can reduce blow dry time. To prep your hair for this, detangle and comb all of your hair high up into a top ponytail. Take the pony tail and wrap it around the top pony, so it looks like a smooth top knot. By morning most or all of the moisture will be out of your hair. If you do not so this step, just apply your product and begin using a wide tooth comb and blow dryer to begin pulling the hair straight.

Let your hair down and use a paddle brush and blow dryer to pull the hair straight. If you can use a round brush, that will help you control the ends better. Use small sections the size of the brush so you can maintain even tension on each section.

Hand Tied Weft Extensions

These extensions have been sewn into beads that are connected to your own hair. Always be gentle when combing or brushing as to reduce the chance for loosening wefts, and damage to your own hair. Be careful when in salt or chlorine water, rinse and detangle the hair immediately after getting out of the water. Wash and condition as you normally would, except use your fingers and slide the min horizontally in between the wefts to massage the scalp. Check daily for knots or dreads and attempt to comb them out completely. If you cannot release the knot, get into the salon asap before it gets worse. Never go to bed with wet hair, and place your hair into a low pony tail or braid to avoid knotting over night. Sleeping on a satin or silk pillow case will reduce friction and knotting. Remember the hair is reusable, so it is best for your stylist to remove them so that can be used again. Regular salon maintenance is around 10 weeks.

Tape in Wefts

These extensions have been taped to your own hair using wefts and surgical grade adhesive. Always be gentle when combing or brushing as to reduce the chance for loosening wefts, and damage to your own hair. Be careful when in salt or chlorine water, rinse and detangle the hair immediately after getting out of the water. Wash as you normally would, except use your fingers and slide the min horizontally in between the wefts to massage the scalp. NEVER apply conditioner or any oil based styling product on the weft attachments, only condition mid shaft to ends. Never apply direct heat on the wefts since it could melt the adhesive. Check daily for knots or dreads and attempt to comb them out completely. If you cannot release the knot, get into the salon asap before it gets worse. Never go to bed with wet hair, and place your hair into a low pony tail or braid to avoid knotting over night. Sleeping on a satin or silk pillow case will reduce friction and knotting. Remember the hair is reusable, so it is best for your stylist to remove them so that can be used again. Regular salon maintenance is around 10 weeks.

Vivid Colors

Vivid colors are extremely bright direct dyes and will start to wash out of the hair immediately. To preserve the brightness and longevity, adhering to a strict regimen is necessary. First off, avoid sun, salt or chlorinated water and thermal damage. When washing, shampoo should be used at a minimum, no more than once a week at maximum. Never use hot water, and salon grade shampoo must be used. Use a conditioner with sun protection, but also always wear a hat outside. Using a color shampoo or conditioner is a great way to maintain color longer. Consult with your colorist concerning that.

Permanent Wave Care or Anticurl

After your service the first 48 hours is very important. Please follow these guidelines to prevent the service from falling out. Do not wet or shampoo hair for 48 hours. If you must restyle your hair, mist with some water to refresh the shape. Do NOT wear hats, pony tails or any hair accessory that alters the shape of the hair. Do not comb or brush. Sleep on a satin or silk pillow case to avoid knotting.