Can I do my hair myself during lockdown? I feel such a mess!

Right now people everywhere are looking sadly in the mirror and wondering if their hair will ever be the same again. So what exactly CAN you do to your hair without ruining everything!?

We asked Melodie Pope, co-founder and owner of Restore salon and brand in Shoreham, and stylist to the stars… help us, please!

And she’s come up massive trumps here. Every question you’ve wanted to ask about your hair in lockdown – and some…

Should I cut my own hair?

Cutting your own hair is never a brilliant idea, but there are things you can do to improve your Barnet.

By trying to cut your own hair you can really undo the good work your stylist has put in – it might look easy but it’s a real science. And it may take months to correct with whatever those nail scissors do.

Again, there are tips for fringe trims on YouTube, and if you really want to push it, that can lift your look. But remember (if they’re worth their salt) your stylist is probably at the end of the phone so use them for advice. I’m sure they would rather help than be faced with a fringe that’s taken half the side of your hair away when you’re released, looking like a yeti!

What’s the best way to keep my hairstyle – it’s looking really misshapen now?

Everyone everywhere desperately wants to fix their own hair. And lots of people are feeling like a complete mess. But stop before you go mad. There are things you can do without taking drastic measures!

Time to go clever and creative with the hair. Experiment with buns, partings, and plaits – there’s plenty of tutorials online. We are blessed with technology, so by listening and watching step-by-step guides, almost anything is achievable – and we can’t say we don’t have the time.

Invest in some great products and use the time wisely to give your hair a break and plenty of lovely treatments.

Put the straighteners away and use heated equipment less. Start doing more conditioning treatments, and even make up some of your own remedies (see a good recipe below).

 

I need to sort my roots. What’s the best band box colour to use?

Sooooooo – I get asked this a lot. And seriously any decent hairdresser would agree with me – we don’t like recommending any box colour. It’s not just because we want you to come to us, it’s because the results are often patchy and unpredictable.

With my own personal clients, I have been in constant contact and actually suppling professional colour to them. And I talk through with them how to do it. So they’re getting something reputable that’s going to have better results.

The cost is a little more than buying a box colour, but in the long run it’s your crowning glory! Either ask your hairdresser if they can do this for you, or get in touch with me and I’ll try and help.

 

So that’s definitely no box colours?!

Okay, we’re all broke, I totally understand that. So if a box colour is your only option, my advice would be…

• Never apply on freshly washed hair – your natural oils will have been washed away. A super clean scalp will be more prone to itching and feeling uncomfortable.
• Apply Vaseline all around the hairline as for some reason the box dyes take hair a shade darker than professional dyes, and can dye skin too.
• KEEP to the time suggested and follow the instructions! NEVER over-process
• And make sure you apply a good conditioning treatment afterwards. Give that hair some love.

I want to go wild and dye my hair pink and have some fun. What’s your advice?

Again, it’s really hard for me to say anything like ‘yeah go for it’ because dying your hair wild colours takes skill to get it even and it can look terrible. It goes against my years of Toni & Guy hard graft training and knowledge to even help you consider this!

BUT I know there’s some of you out there will still desperately want to brighten up your days right now and do something brave. Just have a think about these things first…

• To get even pink colour on the hair it has to be bleached super pure blonde all over first, or it’s just going to be dull.
• To achieve that pure blonde base is a very tricky thing to do and there’s damage risk. Research this properly.
• If you don’t get the bleach done properly, or you apply the pink dye unevenly, it’s going to look a hot mess, and not in a good way.
• Have you thought about what you’re going to do if it goes wrong? You can’t come into the salon and have your stylist fix it.
• Make a Plan B, just in case.

Having said all that, there are many bright dyes that give great results – like Crazy Color, for example. Test it out first – combine a small amount with conditioner and do a test strand to see what the colour would be before applying all over.

PS – a word to the wise. Stay away from blues and greens as these tones really do break down on the hair, and you can be left with messy mermaid effects. It might be fun for a while but let’s face it, lockdown isn’t gonna last forever and hair appointments are going to be GOLD DUST for months. Can you afford to go back to work looking like that?!

 

I want to change my style without cutting it. Are there any hacks for making it look different?

Yes! Let’s use our imaginations! The first way could be something as simple as changing your parting. Swap sides or even head for a middle parting – do it after washing your hair so it sits down where you put it. Once dry you can pop it up into a bun (high or low) or ponytail (again high or low looks good). And voila, a different look.

Another easy hack for sexy beach waves is to sleep with your hair in damp plaits. Play around with different sizes and even be adventurous and try a French plait (back to YouTube). Then in the morning or when the plaits feels dry, take them out (never brush) and just shake out or pull through with your fingers.

Another great tip is creating a wet look, combining some products – maybe serum or a gel and combing it through freshly washed hair and leaving to set backwards.

If you’ve got short layers around the front of your head, scoop the rest of your hair back and pin around the back securely. From the front you look like you have a bob. I have a client that does this regularly and it looks great.

 

What are the best conditioning treatments you recommend?

It’s a great time to work on your hair health. Deep conditioners are filled with a large concentration of super-hydrating and strengthening ingredients, like argan oil, keratin, and vitamin B5. There’s so many, I’ve chosen a homemade remedy, a shop bought option, and a professional treatment. So there’s something for everyone’s budget.

HOMEMADE HAIR CONDITIONING TREATMENT

Adjust the volume of this depending on your hair type and length. I suggest you wet your hair first, then apply the treatment, lay a towel on your pillow and sleep in it. Then shampoo and condition as normal the next day.

• 1 tablespoon of virgin coconut oil
• 1 tablespoon of honey
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice

Research shows that coconut oil can penetrate deeply into hair shafts compared to any other oil, conditioning dry and frizzy hair from within. So this treatment:

(1) It reduces protein loss in both damaged and normal hair.
(2) Honey is an emollient and has hair conditioning effects.
(3) It seals in moisture in your hair and keeps it soft and shiny.

Smells great too.

OFF THE SHELF TREATMENT

I would always recommend leaving a widetooth comb in your bathroom so every time you apply conditioner you can comb through, really getting it into your hair.

Aussie 3 Minute Miracle Reconstructor deep hair conditioner is a brilliant product. And I like that they also sell sachets so you can try before taking the plunge with a big bottle. It’s around a fiver for a bottle.

The main ingredient in this amazing product is the Australian Macadamia Nut Oil – again a fab way to hydrate and soften whilst also giving an incredible shine onto the hair! An all-round winner.

 

PROFESSIONAL TREATMENT TIME

So my all-time favourite is a pre shampoo conditioner from trixologist Philip Kingsley, the Elasticizer although this product is slightly more expensive at £30-odd. The concentration is immense (meaning a little goes a long way) and it works with any hair type.

I always ask for this as a birthday present.

Hydrolyzed Elastin – a protein that penetrates your hair shaft and increases its elasticity without weighing your hair down.
Castor Oil – has the amazing hair health benefit of helping to lock in moisture.
Olive Oil – high in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids which moisturise and make your hair look shiny and healthy. Not just great for salad dressing.
Glycerin – this helps your hair to retain moisture, which makes the effects last longer.

 

Finally – I’m really tempted to just buzz the whole lot off with clippers. I’d like to donate my hair. What should I do?

Ha ha. Do it! Amazing and really heartwarming thing to do actually. There’s lots of great charities that take hair but there are certain terms and conditions. For example there may be a minimum length they accept – so measure yours, and if you are slightly off, keep growing before buzzing.

I love The Little Princess Trust. They provide free real hair wigs to children and young people, up to 24 years, who have lost their own hair through cancer treatment or other conditions. They’re not taking donations right now because of the coronavirus but you can keep hair in a sealed, dry container and send it in later.

If this is something that interests you then u are an angel! Please see link below for more info.

And finally from me…

This is a stressful time, and this stress can show in your skin, hair, and nails. So TOP top tip is to nourish yourself from within for all the best results.

Good food, full of natural vitamins, oils and omega fats will all help your hair. Think tuna, sardines, mackerel, avocado, spinach… and lots of water. For veggies and vegans adding chia seeds is a great swap for fishy omega 3.

Your efforts will show in your hair within four weeks. And not only will your hair shine, you’ll be ready to take on the world again when everything starts back up!

 

Click here for The Little Princess Trust for hair donations.
Find Mel’s salon Restore here – if you want to message her, drop her a DM on the Facebook page