With the state of today’s economy, people everywhere are beginning to cut back on their budgets; and this usually includes the amount of times you visit the salon. Pantene Celebrity Stylist Tippi Shorter (one of her top clients includes singer Alicia Keys) believes one of the best ways to prolong your fresh salon ‘do is to get creative with the actual style itself.
“If you wear your hair straight, try getting a roller set. This will allow you to start with fuller hair and, after a few days of wrapping, you have your straight style again. After a few days, you can pull the top into a half up style and finally into a stylish pony tail,” she said.
From hair color to hair cuts, we talked with some of today’s top hair stylists to get the scoop on how you can stretch your dollars and your ‘do!
Hair Color
Right after you get the hair color at the salon, be sure to get a clear gloss to help seal the color, advises Shorter.
Anthony Dickey, owner of Hair Rules Salon, NY, said the best way to prevent hair color from fading and to maintain its vibrancy is to steer clear of the suds. “Stick to cream, non suds shampoo that don’t strip the hair of color pigment and natural oils,” he said. (Try Hair Rules Daily Cleansing Cream, $22 for 8 fl oz, hairrules.com).
Hairstylist Ursula Stephen (one of her top client includes singer Rihanna) also suggests using other cool products such as color polishers. “They’re basically serums with color added and can be used on a daily basis,” she said. (Try Ken Paves Healthy Hair Boost Up Color Drops, $40, drugstore.com.)
Hairstylist Rod Horton also reminds us not to forget to use moisturizing products to keep our hair from drying out and also keep hair color from fading. He suggests the Mizani Moisturfusion Milk Bath ($11.89 for 8.5 oz, sleekhair.com) and Silk Cream Conditioner ($15.29 for 8.5 oz., sleekhair.com).
Blowout
One thing all of the hairstylists agreed on was to avoid heavy hair dressing products that can weigh the hair down and to always wrap your hair at night. Stephen suggests the Motions Foaming Wrap Lotion ($5, drugstore.com) as a “great versatile product to use to extend the life of your blowout.”
“Styling your hair every morning and re-wrapping at night allows your scalp to breathe and lessens the natural oil build up at the scalp that can also weigh the hair down,” Horton said. For a fuller look, Shorter suggests pin curls. If you have longer hair, Dickey suggest pulling the hair up into a high, loose ponytail with a scrungie (not a tight rubber band) and twirling the ends into a bun on top of the head. Also try a dry shampoo, such a SUDZZfx Design Powder ($19.50, sudzzfx.com) to soak up excess oils.
Haircut
Getting a low maintenance cut can help to stretch the hair style and budget, says Maryl Velbeck, National Director of Education for Phyto. “Little changes keep your style fresh and exciting. Try a new fringy bang to make your old style new and fresh,” she said. “Little changes we can make in the front hairline (such as keeping the hair shorter and defined in this area) can add extra wearable time in-between trips to the hairstylist.
David Kastin, senior stylist at The Julien Farel Salon in NY, also suggests bangs as a great, low-maintenance way to freshen up your haircut. As far as the actual haircut to get, Stephens suggests the pixie or the bob as the best. “Both of these cuts usually maintain its shape as its growing out, so there’s no need to run to the salon as often,” she said. “The longer version of the bob usually turns into a pageboy and the pixie turns into a shag. It’s always interesting to see how both cuts change shape as they grow out.”
Another style that all of the hairstylists agreed on was layers. “Layers are good,” Horton said. “Your hair is not as blunt so you can actually prolong your trims a month or two extra and still maintain a more versatile style.” However, Kastin advises keeping layers to a minimum.
“Layered hair does get heavy and it loses its shape as the layers grow out,” Kastin said. “Strong outline or perimeter shapes tend to last longer.”
Still not sure of what cut to get? Dickey advises sticking to the main rules of getting a haircut which is to get a cut that complements your face shape or head shape so that it grows out nicely. “Avoid any others that don’t because it will grow out too bulky,” Dickey said. “Basically, if your hair is shorter, be sure that it accentuates your head shape. If it’s longer, then go with layers around your face.” Dickey also advises those that have a relaxed hair and a shorter cut to avoid going short on the sides so that you can keep the style longer.
Expert Advice
Dickey shares his tips on what NOT to do when it comes to maintaining your salon hairstyles.
“If you wear your hair straight, try getting a roller set. This will allow you to start with fuller hair and, after a few days of wrapping, you have your straight style again. After a few days, you can pull the top into a half up style and finally into a stylish pony tail,” she said.
From hair color to hair cuts, we talked with some of today’s top hair stylists to get the scoop on how you can stretch your dollars and your ‘do!
Hair Color
Right after you get the hair color at the salon, be sure to get a clear gloss to help seal the color, advises Shorter.
Anthony Dickey, owner of Hair Rules Salon, NY, said the best way to prevent hair color from fading and to maintain its vibrancy is to steer clear of the suds. “Stick to cream, non suds shampoo that don’t strip the hair of color pigment and natural oils,” he said. (Try Hair Rules Daily Cleansing Cream, $22 for 8 fl oz, hairrules.com).
Hairstylist Ursula Stephen (one of her top client includes singer Rihanna) also suggests using other cool products such as color polishers. “They’re basically serums with color added and can be used on a daily basis,” she said. (Try Ken Paves Healthy Hair Boost Up Color Drops, $40, drugstore.com.)
Hairstylist Rod Horton also reminds us not to forget to use moisturizing products to keep our hair from drying out and also keep hair color from fading. He suggests the Mizani Moisturfusion Milk Bath ($11.89 for 8.5 oz, sleekhair.com) and Silk Cream Conditioner ($15.29 for 8.5 oz., sleekhair.com).
Blowout
One thing all of the hairstylists agreed on was to avoid heavy hair dressing products that can weigh the hair down and to always wrap your hair at night. Stephen suggests the Motions Foaming Wrap Lotion ($5, drugstore.com) as a “great versatile product to use to extend the life of your blowout.”
“Styling your hair every morning and re-wrapping at night allows your scalp to breathe and lessens the natural oil build up at the scalp that can also weigh the hair down,” Horton said. For a fuller look, Shorter suggests pin curls. If you have longer hair, Dickey suggest pulling the hair up into a high, loose ponytail with a scrungie (not a tight rubber band) and twirling the ends into a bun on top of the head. Also try a dry shampoo, such a SUDZZfx Design Powder ($19.50, sudzzfx.com) to soak up excess oils.
Haircut
Getting a low maintenance cut can help to stretch the hair style and budget, says Maryl Velbeck, National Director of Education for Phyto. “Little changes keep your style fresh and exciting. Try a new fringy bang to make your old style new and fresh,” she said. “Little changes we can make in the front hairline (such as keeping the hair shorter and defined in this area) can add extra wearable time in-between trips to the hairstylist.
David Kastin, senior stylist at The Julien Farel Salon in NY, also suggests bangs as a great, low-maintenance way to freshen up your haircut. As far as the actual haircut to get, Stephens suggests the pixie or the bob as the best. “Both of these cuts usually maintain its shape as its growing out, so there’s no need to run to the salon as often,” she said. “The longer version of the bob usually turns into a pageboy and the pixie turns into a shag. It’s always interesting to see how both cuts change shape as they grow out.”
Another style that all of the hairstylists agreed on was layers. “Layers are good,” Horton said. “Your hair is not as blunt so you can actually prolong your trims a month or two extra and still maintain a more versatile style.” However, Kastin advises keeping layers to a minimum.
“Layered hair does get heavy and it loses its shape as the layers grow out,” Kastin said. “Strong outline or perimeter shapes tend to last longer.”
Still not sure of what cut to get? Dickey advises sticking to the main rules of getting a haircut which is to get a cut that complements your face shape or head shape so that it grows out nicely. “Avoid any others that don’t because it will grow out too bulky,” Dickey said. “Basically, if your hair is shorter, be sure that it accentuates your head shape. If it’s longer, then go with layers around your face.” Dickey also advises those that have a relaxed hair and a shorter cut to avoid going short on the sides so that you can keep the style longer.
Expert Advice
Dickey shares his tips on what NOT to do when it comes to maintaining your salon hairstyles.
- Don’t go to sleep without wrapping your hair. If you fall asleep with your hair out, don’t expect your style to maintain!
- Don’t use heat on your hair on a daily basis; especially if your hair is relaxed. This leads to serious hair damage.
- Don’t get hair color that’s too far off the mark of your natural tone. This always requires more maintenance and you’ll have to go to the salon more often for touch-ups. Instead, keep your tone closer to the natural highlights in your hair so when it grows out, it looks more natural.
- Don’t keep relaxing your hair if you have a spot in your head that refuses to grow hair. (We call this a ‘stress spot.’)
- Don’t go beyond a week without shampooing your hair. If you have an itchy, scratchy, flaky scalp, then it’s probably time to wash your hair. Don’t always assume that you have a problem.
- Don’t use heavy, greasy products on your hair so you can avoid using shampoos that contain heavy detergents.