Being in the midst of a pandemic means that most people are staying at home as much as possible. To break up the days and add some rewarding habits to your routine, consider a new self-care hair regimen.
For now, most hair stylists recommend leaving your hair as it is instead of taking matters into your own hands. After all, a disastrous haircut or a botched color can do more harm than good. It’s just not worth the risk, and you’ll be forced to live with your haircut or color until the salons open up again. With that being said, there are still plenty of ways you can treat your hair to some extra TLC until you’re back in the chair.
Caring for Your Hair on Your Own
Since most plans are on hold for now, you can use this free time to let your hair rest from all the heat and styling treatments you usually put it through. Use a hair mask or a conditioning treatment to deep clean your hair once or twice a week.
If your hair has been fried from all the heat styling, use a protein-rich product to fortify and strengthen your locks. In a pinch, you can even use mayonnaise or eggs. Just leave it on your hair and put a shower cap on for about 30 minutes before rinsing.
Using a silk pillowcase while sleeping also helps to keep hair healthy. Unlike cotton, which takes away moisture, silk helps to tame the hair from all the frizz.
If you’re using hair extensions for selfies or Zoom calls, take care of them using a lightweight but nourishing shampoo and conditioner. Hang them out to dry instead of blow-drying them, then apply a coat of serum as a finishing touch.
Cutting and coloring hair require skills, experience, and a general understanding of facial features and bone structure, which is why you should leave these activities in the hands of professionals. Yet, if you are in desperate need of a trim or color and can’t wait for your next appointment, here are some things to take note of before picking up that pair of shears or box of hair dye.
Haircut
If you want to cut your hair, proceed with caution. Now is not the time to experiment or do something drastic.
Before giving yourself a haircut, wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner, then blow dry.
Use professional-grade scissors, because a dull pair of shears can do damage to the hair. Then, put both ends of your hair in front of your shoulders. Trim the split ends in a diagonal line, which is more forgiving compared to a blunt line. Cut no more than ¼ inch — the goal here is to simply eliminate split ends. Leave any more in-depth styling to the experts.
Hair Color
Most hair stylists are against box-dyeing, and for good reason. The dye that comes out of a box can result in uneven coloring and a straw-like texture. It may take you several trips to the salon to correct the damage. If you have to go out for grocery runs or visit the office, be creative and use head scarves or a hat to cover up your roots.
If you have grey hair, you can turn to root sprays and touch-up kits until the salon reopens. Some women even use eyeshadows and other makeup products to hide the regrowth. Simply pick a color from your eyeshadow palette that’s closest to your hair color. Using a makeup brush, dab the eyeshadow into the area you want to cover up, then finish off with hairspray.
If you want to push through with coloring, note that the products that come in a box are more concentrated than the ones being offered by salons, so be conservative when choosing a color. Don’t forget to do a patch test and strand test first before the application.
Don’t like the results for your impulsive dye job? Don’t despair just yet. Check out the color wheel and apply a color that is the opposite of your hair dye job. This color correction process can help to cancel out the color you used on your hair.
Just because you’re in quarantine doesn’t mean you can’t have gorgeous hair. By following these tips, you can still have great, luminous locks while video conferencing with colleagues or indulging in virtual happy hours with friends!