If your hair isn’t quite the way you’d like it, these tips can help you get the look you’re hoping for
By Mariève Inoue
Hair care has come a long way in its ability to help you achieve your ideal mane, whether that means hair that’s perfectly smooth, more voluminous, more vibrant in colour, or simply healthier. From innovative formulas to styling tips, these experts’ secrets can help you get and keep the hair of your dreams.
THE QUEST FOR VOLUME
• The right products.
Choose a volumizing shampoo and conditioner to avoid weighing down your hair. “Skip applying conditioner to your roots,” says Melissa Tedeschi, national education director for Kérastase.
• After washing and conditioning.
Apply a volumizing mousse or spray. Look for brands that come with a special nozzle that lets you apply the product to your roots. “Using a root lifter before drying your hair will help you get much more volume,” says Alexia Baillargeon, a professional makeup artist and hairstylist and the owner of Au Studio, a beauty salon in Montreal.
• Styling tips.
Start by blow-drying your hair until it’s about 85 per cent dry, Baillargeon says. Using a round brush that’s an inch to an inch and a half in diameter, dry your hair in sections, lifting it at the roots. Don’t brush downward—that could flatten your locks.
SMOOTH AND STRAIGHT
• The right products.
Opt for a hydrating shampoo and conditioner. “These will help close the hair cuticle and make your hair shinier,” Baillargeon says. Terms like “anti-frizz” or “smoothing” on the label indicate a product that will help.
• After washing and conditioning.
“Blow-dry your hair downward, using a brush to control frizz,” Tedeschi says. Then apply a heat protectant to reduce damage from hot tools—you can opt for a separate spray or a leave-in product with built-in heat protection. Next, use a flat iron to smooth your hair, working in sections. Tedeschi recommends L’Oréal Professionnel’s Steampod, an innovative straightening iron that uses steam to “control frizz and create a smooth finish.”
• At the salon.
For a longer-lasting effect, try hair Botox or a Brazilian smoothing treatment. “Both relax curls and make styling 50 to 75 per cent faster, depending on your hair type,” Baillargeon says; she favours using AnS Brasil products. While similar, the two treatments don’t work with the same intensity: Botox lasts two to four months, while Brazilian smoothing is more powerful and needs to be redone only every three to six months.
DEALING WITH OILY HAIR
• The right products.
Apply a scalp treatment—such as a clay mask, an essential oil elixir, or an exfoliating acid treatment—once a week before you shampoo. Opt for a shampoo designed for oily hair with clarifying or exfoliating ingredients to rid your scalp of dirt and accumulated product. “Avoid applying conditioner near your roots, and make sure to rinse products out well,” Tedeschi says.
• Daily care.
Avoid touching your hair too often, as the oils from your hands can make it greasy, and make sure to shampoo regularly. “For a special occasion, you can use a dry shampoo; it will help absorb excess oil,” Baillargeon says. However, you shouldn’t use dry shampoo every day because that can cause a buildup of product on your scalp.
FOR HEALTHIER STRANDS
• The right products.
Prioritize hydrating shampoos and conditioners that strengthen the hair and nourish it with protein. There are also innovative treatments that repair the amino acid bonds that hold together the layers of each hair. Use one once a week or occasionally to give your hair a healthy boost.
• Daily care.
If your hair tends to get damaged easily, Baillargeon recommends getting a trim every five to six weeks, even if only a few millimetres are removed. “Try reducing how often you use hot tools and being gentle when you brush,” Tedeschi says. Elastic ties can damage your hair, especially when they’re very tight—scrunchies are a better option. Before bed, apply a hydrating product to your lengths and tips for extra moisture. A silk pillowcase can also help reduce breakage.
CURLS, CURLS, CURLS
• The right products.
Hydration is the key to beautiful curls. “Look for moisturizing, concentrated hair care, as curly hair tends to be drier,” Tedeschi says. After applying conditioner, untangle your hair using a widetooth comb before rinsing.
• After washing and conditioning.
Apply a leave-in cream while your hair is still wet to limit the formation of frizz. Add a gel with a bit of hold to give your curls more bounce and definition.
• Styling tips.
Ideally, you should let your hair air-dry, but you can use a blow-dryer with a diffuser to save time—“it helps add volume at the roots,” Baillargeon says. If you let your hair air-dry, don’t forget to restore some volume by lifting your roots with your fingers. “Finish by applying a nourishing oil to the tips of your strands,” Tedeschi says.
• At the salon.
If your hair is curlier on some parts of your head than on others, a perm can help even things out. “However, it’s important to entrust the task to a curl expert, as the treatment can be drying,” Baillargeon cautions.
FAREWELL TO FRIZZ
• The right products.
To limit frizz, Tedeschi suggests using a concentrated, creamy shampoo and conditioner. Look for words like “hydrating,” “nourishing,” and “anti-frizz” on the label.
• After shampooing and conditioning.
Gently press (don’t rub!) your hair with a towel. “Always apply a leave-in cream to wet hair before blow-drying,” Tedeschi advises.
• Styling tips.
Dry your hair while brushing it to “gain better control and keep it from becoming unruly,” Tedeschi says. “Finish with a serum or finishing oil to seal the cuticle.”
• Daily care.
Be gentle with your hair. “Use a comb rather than a brush to detangle it, sleep on a silk pillowcase to reduce friction, and try to avoid snagging it—on your clothes or under the strap of your purse, for example,” Baillargeon says.
• At the salon.
Hair Botox or a Brazilian smoothing treatment can really help reduce frizz.
VIBRANT COLOUR
• The right products.
If you colour your hair, it’s important to use a shampoo, conditioner, and mask designed specifically to protect coloured hair. For example, “products with acid technology help close the hair cuticle to keep colour from fading too quickly,” Tedeschi says. You can also use a colour-depositing conditioner or mask between hair appointments, but be sure to ask your stylist for help in finding the ideal hue for your hair colour. If your hair is white, look for a specially designed grey shampoo to keep it vibrant.
• After shampooing and conditioning.
Use a heat protectant if you plan to blow-dry your hair or use hot tools.
• Daily care.
Try to reduce how often you wash your hair. “Once a week is ideal; it will help prevent your colour from fading,” Tedeschi says. For those with white hair, Baillargeon recommends choosing styling products (serums and oils) carefully: “Look for white or clear formulas because dark ones can cause yellow tones in your hair if used daily.” Also, ensure that your flat iron or curling iron is clean, as product residue can stain your strands.
• At the salon.
If you have white hair with yellow tones, “your hairstylist can slightly discolour your hair to remove the unwanted pigment,” Baillargeon says. This treatment can help even out its colour.
Photo credit: Marc-Antoine Charlebois
