Hair Care 101 | Ten Tips From a Professional

I can barely contain my excitement for today's guest post by one of my dearest friends. KateLin is a professional hair designer and is answering 10 common questions she gets from clients. You can follow her amazing work on Instagram or book an appointment with her if you're in the metro Atlanta area. She's saved me from a hair crisis (or two) and introduced me to some holy grail hair products. You will love her hair tips!

Chris Henderson Photography

 

Hey everyone! My name is KateLin and I am a Hair Designer of 5 years in Woodstock, Georgia.  I am beyond blessed to call Aundi my friend. Also, like you, I'm totally inspired by her passion for makeup and more! I'm honored to be a part of her awesome blog! I hope that you learn something cool that you didn't know and enjoy! 

Hair Care 101 - Answers to Your Hair Questions

10. "Why are my Bobby pins not holding in my hair?"

Bobby pins are meant to be placed in the hair closed. If you open a Bobby pin, it will try to hold more hair than it can handle and will easily come out. Try keeping it closed but weaving it into you hair for a perfect hold (and to use less Bobby pins)!

 

9. "How do I know what size round brush I should use?"

The size is determined by the look you are trying to achieve. The bigger the brush the smoother the outcome. The smaller the brush, the outcome will have more flip or curl to it.

EXTRA TIP: Blowdry your hair 75% of the way before you start using a round brush. It will cut down on the time!!

8. "Is box color really THAT bad for your hair?"

First of all, your hairdresser was trained to look at your hair and know how to achieve the desired look. A professional will know the correct strength of pro-oxide, the correct type of color your hair needs, be able to apply it properly, and can create a CUSTOM color for you. We can mix different tones and shades together to create a perfect desired color. Picking a box off of a shelf simply from the color it shows on the box is truly a "cross-your fingers" kind a of situation. It could look okay OR you will be rushing to your nearest salon for a color correction that could end up costing hundreds of dollars.

Also, many store bought "box colors" have waxes that build up on your hair and make your hair feel like straw. Technology in professional hair color is so advanced that your hair is being conditioned while it colors! 

7. "Why should I buy hair products from the salon?"

Have you ever walked out of the salon thinking, "Wow, I wish I could make my hair look like he/she just did"? I'm sure most people have at some point. The answer is PRODUCT. Your stylist can "prescribe" the perfect products for your hair whether it's thick, thin, fine, course etc.. Grocery store products have mostly fillers in them (water, alcohol, waxy substances, etc). These things are really doing nothing for you except for building up on your hair and weighing it down. As hairdressers, we aren't sales people. We "prescribe" products because we want you to look good!

6. "How do I keep my hair healthy in the summer if I spend a lot of time at the pool?"

Hair is like a sponge. If you go into chlorine water with dry hair, your hair will absorb the chlorine. Wet your hair before getting in the pool and don't let the chlorine water dry in your hair either. Rinse/shampoo ASAP!

Chris Henderson Photography

5. "I only want to have 3 layers in my hair, okay?"

Layers aren't counted. You have the main length and then a shorter length that are blended together evenly. Asking a hairdresser for 3 layers will mean nothing to them and most likely they will just smile, nod, and then ask more questions to find out what you are really meaning.

4. "Will my hair grow faster if I cut it more often?"

Your hair grows from your head, not the ends. Cutting your hair doesn't make it grow faster. However, getting regular trims will keep it healthy so that once you get it to the length that you want, you won't have 4 inches of split ends that need to be cut off.

3. "What do you think about products to fix split ends?"

No "split end mender" product will truly "mend" split ends. The only way to get rid out split ends is to cut them.

2. "Is it really necessary to use a heat protectant on my hair when I straighten it?"

Most flat irons and curling irons can get as hot as 400 degrees or more. Someone once explained it to me by saying that Chicken is cooked to 165 degrees. Think about it-400 degrees straight on you hair absolutely NEEDS a heat protectant! This isn't a gimmick. If you are using a hot tool on your hair, absolutely use a heat protectant. My absolute favorite is Beyond Shine by Aquage!

      

1. "My hair is so frizzy, what can I do?"

Imagine, for a moment, what fish scales or shingles on a roof look like. They are overlapping, but all going to same direction. That is the same kind of look a hair strand has under a microscope. The outer layer of a hair strand is called the cuticle. Anytime a hair strand is forced in the other direction (often times by blowdrying), it causes frizz. Always blow dry or smooth in a downward direction towards the end for less frizz! Plus, a smoothing product will hold down the cuticle for some extra help.

How beautiful is she?! If you have any other questions for KateLin, be sure to leave them in the comments below. Show her lots of love and maybe she'll come back again in the future with other awesome hair care tips!