Salon-Perfect Strands: Post-Appointment Hair Care
If only you could bottle it! That easy, breezy, swish-y feeling that comes as you saunter out of the hair salon. We've pooled our best tips to help care for your hair at home and make sure your style lasts through to your next appointment.
Whether you’re a 6-week-on-the-dot regular or a casual chopper booking last-minute appointments; We can all agree that it’s hard to beat that truly healthy, soft and fresh feeling that comes once you’ve left the salon chair.
Image: Pélo by Lago Salon, Cronulla, NSW
Sleep your way to better hair
Silk pillowcase; silk helps eliminate friction and helps your hair glide no matter how much you toss and turn. Say au revoir to tangled bed hair and bonjour to smooth, hydrated, frizz-free tresses.
Up your nutrition game
Apotecari's Crowning Glory is a hydrating and nourishing scalp-saving dietary supplement that contributes to a healthy intake of essential fatty acids. Tissues such as the skin (and scalp) can benefit greatly from ensuring sufficient daily intake, think smooth, supple, flexible and hydrated skin cells. The omega fatty acids in Crowning Glory help to balance out your sebum production as well, so if you're an everyday hair washer you'll be able to stretch out those washes. Less washing means less colour fade and more time away from the hair dryer, win-win!
Additionally, amino acids within protein sources form the foundation or “building blocks” of skin, hair and nails. Adding 2 teaspoons of Apotecari's Hair Atelier into a morning smoothie or glass of non-diary milk provides a vegan boost of protein, amino acids, vitamins and minerals to support the health of your skin and scalp from within.
Wash smarter, not harder
It’s never too late to learn some new tricks! With a few tweaks you can avoid some common shampoo boo-boos. By improving your technique, you may be able to stretch out the days between washes. Apotecari's stimulating 5-in-1 scalp and shampoo brush provides a deep, flake-busting cleanse worthy of the salon. Massage shampoo into your hair and scalp as normal and then massage all over with the shampoo brush for 1-2 minutes. Rinse like you mean it, condition from mid-lengths to ends, then rinse again.
Tip: The 5-in-1 scalp and shampoo brush is perfect for combing conditioner through the ends of your hair for even distribution.
Bye-bye build-up with BiCarb or Apple cider vinegar
Head over to your pantry to get your hands on these multi-tasking gems. You can either mix a tablespoon of bicarb into your regular amount of shampoo and wash as normal, or mix it with water to make a paste and apply to wet hair, massaging for a minute before rinsing and shampooing/conditioning as usual. Bicarb soda is a natural way to remove product buildup from your hair. Alternatively, use diluted Apple cider vinegar as a pre-rinse.
Mask-Up
We may be living in the age of the face mask but we hereby declare a regular hair mask a mandatory obligation as part of your hair care ritual. Our favourites include Christophe Robin's Regenerating Mask with Rare Prickly Pear Oil, Balmain Paris Revitalizing Mask or Original and Mineral's Seven Day Miracle Moisture Masque.
Easy tiger! Brush with care
A key way to help your hair make it through to your next appointment is to tread carefully when it comes to styling. Avoid hair ties that snag and pull the hair, opting instead for fabric ties or silk scrunchies. When brushing, start gently from the ends and slowly move up rather than dragging and ripping the brush down the hair shaft which is a sure-fire way to welcome unwanted split ends and broken strands. Detangling in the shower with a scalp and shampoo brush or a wide-tooth wet brush during your conditioner application can make a big difference once your hair is dry.