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This season's shades | Looking younger | Remedies | Bad hair | Perms | Dyeing | Home hair tipsBAD HAIR
Picture it: it's a special night. You've bought that dress that you promised your bank manager you wouldn't. You've had your hair done by the elder-looking of those scissor-wielding trainees at the salon, but it looks fab. The girls are round and the taxi's on its way. You feel great.
Five minutes later you're bobbing around with your plastic shower cap desperately trying to salvage some semblance of elegance. Forget it. If, like me, you've been blessed with tresses that at the slightest hint of moisture go as frizzy as a packet of crisps in a bonfire then you'll understand the concept of 'Problem Hair'.
Cute curls
There are others out there in the same dilemma, and help is at hand. Women like me have two choices - wear it curly or wear it straight. Now because I'm lazy I prefer opting for the curls. I find for the best looking curly hair, wash with a lightweight shampoo and conditioner. Don't comb conditioner through; just use your fingers to massage it gently.
Squeeze hair dry with a towel to remove the excess moisture. Rub and the curls will separate and become frizzy, and certainly don't commit the cardinal sin of brushing it.
Squeeze a generous amount of fixing gel or curl cream into your palms and rub hands together. Bend your head down and work the serum in from the roots at the back of your neck to the tips at the front; when you get to the tips of your hair scrunch it in your palm.
Experts then suggest blow-drying with a diffuser, but I often find this makes it just as frizzy. I'm going to buck tradition here and suggest leaving it damp, occasionally scrunch it gently it to ensure the curls are defined. Just make sure you leave enough drying time.
Poker straight
Then there's always the straightening option. It takes a woman of great patience to maintain this every day - and I never find it look quite as good as when the hairdresser does it - but if done well it can look sleek and glamorous.
If you are going to straighten your hair make sure you use a heat protective product: silicone-based serums are the most highly recommended, as these will protect hair from splitting. Use a rounded-bristle brush or large wide flat paddle brush; these help maintain control whilst straightening. Bear in mind that anything that changes the formation of your hair will damage it.
No to back-combing
However you may not be blighted with frizzy tendrils like mine. Perhaps you are one of the many women who have fine hair: does the mere mention of rain cause your hair to loose any trace of volume and quickly resemble that of a Lego figurine?
However you may not be blighted with frizzy tendrils like mine. Perhaps you are one of the many women who have fine hair: does the mere mention of rain cause your hair to loose any trace of volume and quickly resemble that of a Lego figurine?
To pump up the volume, experts at Clairol advise against backcombing. "Try spraying the roots with a light hairspray while holding them up with a round brush. When you backcomb the hair, you're actually ripping away its cuticle protection. This exposes the hair's sensitive inner layer - the cortex - and leaves it vulnerable to breakage."
"To protect your hair, comb smoothly downward from roots to ends, helping the cuticle lie flat and smooth. Backcombing makes the scales stick up, so hair doesn't shine and a coarse, frizzy, fly-away look is created."
Thatch training
Or perhaps you have hair so coarse and thick that hairbrushes shrink in fear as they approach your unruly bonce. You may curse your genes but you probably have a good deal: when kept in good condition, this hair type has great texture.
Experts in dry, coarse hair suggest washing it less - every third or fourth day should be fine - and always use conditioner. If you feel a bit greasy rinse it with water instead of shampoo, or use very gentle shampoo specifically produced for dry, coarse hair. Invest in a good leave-in conditioner; this will continue to protect your hair throughout the day. Intensive conditioning masks are also recommended, but no more than one every two weeks.
Weave it
Maybe you've got a weave, but unlike Beyonce you don't have a personal hairdresser on hand to sort it out when your silky locks turn into matted clumps. Weaves are high-maintenance, requiring patience and a gentle touch. Avoid oil-based products when shampooing, and always apply conditioner below the bonded areas. Never rub or massage the hair when wet, otherwise the bond could perish.
It's better to use leave-in conditioners to protect the hair throughout the day and maintain the glossy look. Hair can be washed often if required, but it's essential to do it gently.
No matter if you're a fine, frizzy or full-haired woman, the best advice is to invest in a good haircut every six to eight weeks. Your hairdresser will be able to maintain the quality of your hair, and advise you on the best products and techniques to create that salon look.
Words: Jemima Cattel
This season's shades | Looking younger | Remedies | Bad hair | Perms | Dyeing | Home hair tips
