A Professional Hairdresser Shared 10 Things That Everyone Needs to Know About Hair Care

We have already shared Vera’s blog “The Hairdresser’s Diary” with you, where she shares her professional secrets. Before, she worked in a beauty salon and now she works for herself. And she still has a lot of interesting cases, most of which happen because of poor hair care.

We at Bright Side have gone through our reader’s comments and we’ve prepared another compilation of tips to help you maintain the beauty of your hair. And in the bonus, you can read the story of a woman’s transformation from dark to wheat blonde hair.

How to battle hair loss

Unfortunately, this problem is becoming worse and worse every year even among young guys and girls. Of course, the fact that you have some hair on the hairbrush is okay but only if there’s a little. Here are some tips I give to my clients:

• Identify and get rid of vitamin and microelement deficiency (do the necessary tests), eat more vegetables, fruit, and meat, and maintain the water balance in your body.
• Make sure you don’t have any hormonal imbalance.
• Have less stress (this is probably the hardest part).
• Scrub the scalp once a week. Scrubs are very effective at removing the dirt, the styling leftovers, dead skin cells, and they also stimulate hair growth.
• Have a course of plasma therapy and massage.

Are sulfate-containing shampoos really that bad?

A lot of people are crazy about sulfate-free, natural, and eco-friendly shampoos. And they’re not always good. Yes, these products are necessary for hair that is really damaged. But you should always have a shampoo that gives you a lot of foam and washes the scalp really well. Otherwise, you won’t be able to avoid a lot of trouble — from clogged pores to dandruff.

If you use a sulfate-free shampoo every day, you should use a sulfate shampoo every 3rd day. It won’t do any harm, but will clean the hair and the scalp well. Once a month, I recommend using a deep cleansing shampoo to remove any extra product from your hair.

Is it possible to cheat your genes and have really long hair?

Ever since I was 14, I had a bob. Then, I wanted to grow long hair but it wouldn’t grow any longer than my shoulders. Even though I used masks with mustard and red pepper, had massages and mesotherapy, the photo above shows the maximum length of my hair.

The maximum speed for hair growth is in our genes. It can be increased with different stimulators — up to about 0.7 inches.

Despite how hard you try, hair can only grow to its genetic maximum.

How often you should have your hair cut

If you have a very specific and precise haircut, you’ll need to have it fixed every 1.5 months. Otherwise, it will start to look messy and it’ll be difficult to style. If you have long straight hair, you need to have the ends cut once every 3 months. If you don’t do this, the ends will split and “infect” all of your hair.

And please, don’t cut your hair by yourself. This has to be done by a professional with the right tools. The health and the beauty of your hair directly depend on the tools and the skill of the person who cuts it.

What collagen wrapping does

This procedure is a lot like going to a spa for your hair because, in the process, you enjoy it a lot (your hair and scalp are covered with oils and vitamins and then carefully massaged). But the main goal is deep collagen infusion. It makes your hair more smooth, healthy, and attractive.

Collagen wrapping takes about an hour and works for all hair types. It is especially effective for dry hair that has lost its shine or dehydrated hair. Don’t forget that this procedure has a cumulative effect: to achieve the best results, you need 2 wraps with a 1-week difference, and then you’ll need to restore the collagen balance when needed (1-2 times a month).

Why blonde needs to be “cleaned” and why it gets “dirty” in the first place

Very often, blonde women complain that their hair loses its color, goes yellow-ish, and has “dirty” (purple or blue) ends. This is why these things happen:

• Hair becomes yellow because of lack of care and a lot of heat.
• Purple, blue, and grey plaque appears because of the shade of shampoo that goes too deep into the hair.
• Hard water can make hair look rusty.

My recommendation is to use deep cleansing shampoos from time to time. And in order to solve the hard water problem, you can use products that contain citric acid or install a filter to make the water softer.

How to take good care of your hair in the summer

Direct sunlight takes all the moisture from your hair, making it more fragile and dry. And if your hair is dyed, the color resilience may drop.

Obviously, the first thing you should do is minimize UV light exposure, but this doesn’t mean you have to stay inside for 3 months. Wear hats and use special hair sprays. Don’t use oils because they only attract UV light.

In order to keep your hair moisturized, use beauty products that have an SPF in them.

How to choose a good brush

The simplest, most popular, and most affordable brushes are those made of plastic that have big bristles. They are perfect for everyday use — you can brush your hair carefully and not damage it. Many women buy wooden combs, but they may be hard to clean. Also, wood is a favorable environment for bacteria.

Massage brushes stimulate blood circulation, but they can easily damage your hair. So it’s better to use them only after you’ve combed your hair.

People often ask me what type of brushes are best for wet hair. But my opinion is that you shouldn’t brush your hair when it’s wet.

What to do about static in your hair

Hair is constantly rubbing against itself and clothes, so a lot of static electricity can build up if it’s a cold time of year when the air is dry outside. Fragile and damaged hair is more prone to static. Here’s what you can do to fight it:

• Visit a hairstylist for a procedure to make your hair smoother.
• Use product on your hair. If you have thick hair, you can use oils. And if you have thin hair, sprays are your best bet.
• When it’s cold outside, don’t go out with wet hair and always cover it with a hat.
• Buy a brush that has natural or silicone bristles.

Which offers in beauty salons are effective and which aren’t

In the past, I was the co-owner of a beauty salon. In order to attract new customers, we came up with different offers all the time. I’ll tell you which of them were useful and which were not.

• Come with a friend and get a discount. Not all friends will agree to have procedures they don’t need. Also, many people get used to their own hairdressers and don’t want anyone else.
• Get your hair dyed, and get a free cut. Clients were happy to have this series of procedures and saved good money on the cut.
• 50% discount if you write a review online. This offer got us a lot of new clients.

We also had an offer where clients could pay as much as they wanted. This was the worst and the most humiliating offer we ever did. It only lasted 3 days. We would even get $1 for a very complicated cut. Can you imagine?

Bonus: My job in pictures

My client used to dye her hair at home and then asked me to get the color to a wheat blonde and preserve the quality of her hair.

You can see the entire process and the result above. In the end, she has a nice golden shade with pearl highlights. The hair quality is preserved in the best possible way, and the hair is really shiny.

What is your hair care routine? Do you do it by yourself or do you go to beauty salons regularly?