Forget about getting new haircut, or combing your hair over to a different side, or getting a new hair colour. We are talking about that everyday strugle that nobody notices, only you. But it would made a whole difference if, your stylist did.
Regardless of whether you've had the same look for years or only for a few weeks, you may be feeling like it's time to make a change. But anytime you seek some guidance or inspiration over the internet, all you are moslty like to find are repeated articles talking about same old: change your colour, or change the way you wear your hair from one side to another side, or try a new curling routine that takes 10 different steps, and takes all day to do it and it may not even look that good in the morning after sleeping all night with some socks wrapped on your head and made you literally dream about that curly hair look as seen on the cover of Vogue magazine.
Sometimes you go to visit your favourite hair stylist because you know that going professional you may be surprise with a new magic trick "since we the hair stylists are all often called magicians'', but you end up leaving with a beautiful blow dry but not really the transformation you been waiting all your life to happen.
With so many tools and so many techniques, several attempts to home made hair salon finish look you tend to end up with over curled hair, that is dry, brittle and not that all day lasting result as expected.
I somtimes travel to work and host clients in different salons abroad and I see stylists doing a basic consultation and reccomending the same old products that are kind all-purpose and works to almost everyone.
Often I have the feeling that what is missing is more dedication to studying more about hair and how to pass that to the client on how to really look after post the salon visit and how to achieve the almost same look at home. Sometimes I hear fellow hairdressers saying that ''if we give all tricks clients wouldnāt need them anymore'' or someting like that.
I am a OLAPLEX certified stylist and before I opened my salon I would only use OLPLAEX since I do lots of colours everyday and for me, hair condition comes before anything else. And almost every new client at the new salon would straight away tell me that OLAPLEX did not work on their hair, or it made it too heavy, or they didnāt see much difference. And my immedaite reaction was to ask: ''please allow me to educate you about the product you have not had the results you were promised''. and I would come to the conclusion that a client previously have bought the product for recommendation of their previous hair stylist but haven't been actually instructed on how to really use it the correct way.
OLAPLEX is a great product and it does need to be used a little different from the other products, for example: shampoo No.4 it is a concentrated treatment shampoo and therefore needs only a little bit, but the trick is to really rub into your hands first to break in before putting in your hair, the No.3 in my humble opinion works it is best only on the next two to three shampoos at home after a colour service, it is designed for that immediate restoraton of the hair integrity and I see cleints using it regurlaly as a hair mask (which I personally find a waste of the product after the third use post colour service). Also I like to reccomend personalised combinations that would suits more each individual case. If you highlight you hair and always wash and blowdry/straighteners/curling iron most likely I would recommend No.4 (shampoo) and
No.6 (bond smoother) which is an excellent heat protector/frizz taming magic potion due its thickness. Or if you just do permanent colour and leave it to air dry I would reccoment No.7 (oil) and No.8 (mask) to make sure your hair is properly nourished.
It is more likely to achieve a great colour result if the hair isn't half dead and makes my life much easier when I spend sometimes 12 hours on my feet doing blow dries and I don't have to spend half of the time fighting with a bird nest because the client isn't educated enough to effectively look after their hair in between salon visits.
Now, going back to the main subject of this post, there is a question I make everyday to every single client that is on my chair. Which completelly sets the tone on consultation to product recommendations.
If you could improve one thing today about your hair, what would that be ?
The volume ?, the frizz ?, the shine ?, or the condition ?.
This question almost always brings that surprised look into their eyes, perhaps it is not the kind of question they get ask in a consultation, and I make sure I do ask this question every time even to my long term regular clients, because why not ? It is not because I know them for years that I would assume I know how they have been feeling about their hair at the time they visit me again.
Sometimes what makes a client happy is not get a new hair colour, or curtain bangs, but it is having someone sensible to touch an everyday struggle that may be related to their hair texture or the lack of it.
It is much easier to make recommendations that would really make a difference in that client's everyday life and make them even more bonded with you as you will trully stand out as an specialist on what you do.
At some point having a salon I relised the need to have a second line of products, and even tho I was initially trained with WELLA PROFESSIONAL, I came to fall in love with L'OREAL PROFESSIONEL Expert Series. And I proudly happy to be L'Oreal partner and use all their products now alongside OLAPLEX. But before this blog post became longer than what actually already is, let me leave it here my reccomendations of products to each case mentioned above, and I promise to write more into detail on another blog post.
For Volume - A volumising duo that performs an anti-gravity effect to lift the appearance of hair at the root.
Adding texture and volume without the weight, the clear shampoo contains Salicylic Acid to cleanse and purify, and Intra-Cylaneā¢, an ingredient that expertly supports the hair fibre to leave it volumised at the root. For Frizz - Liss Unlimited uses its key technology, Polymer AR, to wrap the hair fibre with a special anti-humidity shield, keeping it smooth and glossy while stopping frizz in its tracks. ļæ¼
For Shine - Resurfacing and illuminate system for highlighted or blonde hair.
Remembring that this is not a purple shampoo. Blondifier Gloss is for dullness and lack of shine caused by bleaching and other sources of colouring and can be used by any one who wants extreme shine to their hair despite the shade of blonde or brunette.
For Conditon - Metal Detox
LāOrĆ©al Professionnnel Parisā Metal Detox mask helps to protect coloured hair from copper deposits, which come from water, and can leave your hair colour dull, lacklustre and can even cause breakage. This anti-deposit protector mask helps to protect the fibre from these copper deposits from water after any colour, balayage or lightening service. This can help you to maintain your salon-colour vibrancy. Hair feels smoother, softer & more nourished.
Next time you visit your hair stylist, try to write it down what you would really love to improve about your hair and ask all the questions you may have regarding poroducts and their benefits.
You are unique, so it should be your hair care.
FOLLOW THE LINK FOR ALL L'OREAL PRODUCTS AVAILABLE BELOW:
ļæ¼ Until the next guide. ;) Luiz Martins - BOSSA SALON / LONDON
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