How to get great hair at home

If hairstylists were ever in any doubt as to how much their work is appreciated, a quick scan of social media or the most popular internet search terms will confirm their current position as beauty gods. Though we may be pining for the sanctuary of the salon, hair meltdown isn’t an inevitability.

We caught up with Aveda’s Global Educator, Bea Carmichael and Aveda UK Pro-Colour Specialist, Joe Hill during our Virtual Beauty Weekend to discover the tips and tricks we can all employ to keep our hair looking and feeling its best. ‘Most of us are living a little outside of our hair comfort zones at the moment but with a few simple techniques and the right products it’s easy to manage your hair on a day to day basis,’ says Joe.

‘Whether you’re taking work video calls or settling down for a virtual quiz night, Zoom-ready hair couldn’t be easier to achieve,’ says Bea. ‘As our normal working patterns have shifted, a lot of us are finding that we’re naturally washing our hair less. I’m a big fan of implementing a no-wash day to give your hair a bit of a break. To keep it looking fresh for those in-between days, dry shampoos or style-reviving products like Foam Reset are perfect for absorbing excess oil and can even be used on freshly washed hair as a preventative.

‘To help rebalance the natural oil on your scalp, run cool water over your hair rather than washing it at the same temperature as you do your body.

‘Dry shampoo is also your go-to if grey roots are becoming a problem. Even the white powder versions will help neutralise the oiliness that can make hair appear darker in contrast to the greys. It also adds a bit of lift to the roots which helps to disguise those tell-tale silver streaks. Try experimenting with different styles or switching your parting around as often grey hairs are more prominent in certain areas. Just don’t make it too perfect – a messy parting is a lot more forgiving and if necessary you can even use a bit of eyeshadow to conceal unwanted greys.

‘The key to keeping hair looking on point is to take a bit of time to really study your strands and pinpoint where to apply different products. For example, while some areas may need volume (especially where you find your normally thick hair getting lank) others may need bulking up with a thickening product.’

‘While we’re at home and out of our usual routines, it’s the perfect opportunity to really pamper our hair,’ says Joe. ‘By stepping up our home hair care routine and managing our hair’s health, we can ensure it’s in optimal condition for when we next visit the salon.

‘The first thing to do is to determine what your hair really needs. There’s a lot of confusion about when hair needs protein or moisture but as it’s important to have an equal balance of both, there are a couple of simple tests you can do to find out. The first is to take a strand of wet hair and gently pull it. Healthy hair will stretch before springing back like an elastic band. If it retracts a little but doesn’t quite go back to its original state, moisture is needed (the Nutriplenish range is great for this). If it breaks it means that your hair is damaged and needs a protein-packed product such as Damage Remedy which contains quinoa protein. We also use the porosity test: take a few strands between finger and thumb and push up the hair shaft toward the roots. If the hair stays in place it tends to mean that it's lacking moisture. Unlike a healthy cuticle where the cells lie smooth and flat, with porous hair the cells lift up causing it to feel rough and dry.

‘Make sure you treat your hair to a shampoo and conditioner tailored to its specific needs and add in a hair mask once or twice a week for a targeted hit of moisture or protein to help repair damage. Try to move away from mechanical drying where you can and keep heated appliances to a minimum.’

‘Curls in all their guises have been a catwalk staple for a few seasons now and with the current situation, people are taking a deep-dive into their born-this-way texture and experimenting with what their hair does naturally,’ says Joe. ‘Key is learning how to manage your individual curl pattern whether it’s wavy, curly, coily or frizzy which can be a challenge if you’re transitioning from using heated appliances to straighten your hair as you’re going to have to re-train that curl back in.

‘Curly hair is unique so it needs a dedicated system of care starting with your shampoo and conditioner. It also tends to be more porous and prone to tangles so invest in a paddle brush to comb through your conditioner in the shower. As hair is at its weakest when wet, avoid brushes with tightly packed bristles and always work from the bottom up to prevent putting tension on your strands. I personally like to hold the brush vertically so that the top of the brush is in line with the crown for a more consistent detangle.

‘After washing, rough dry and scrunch to get an idea of what your natural movement is and, when drying, if you find you’re not seeing the texture you want, start to introduce some product. Go for a smoothing cream to banish frizz or unwanted bends, or a curl-enhancing product  to reignite and hone those curls. As always, the key is applying the right product in the right amount to the right place.’

You don’t have to be a styling whizz to create hair magic according to Bea: ‘I always think the easiest place to start is a ponytail as it’s super easy to do and so versatile depending on the placement.

‘Instead of pulling the hair back in one big section, divide it into two halves tying off the bottom portion first, before brushing the top half back to join it. Once you have your ponytail in place there are so many things you can do with it but twists are probably the easiest as they don’t require any braiding know-how. Simply divide the ponytail into two strands before twisting each section around the other and securing the ends with a band or looping it back up into a knot to create an updo. Play around with partings or weave a scarf into one of your twists for a pop of colour. Prep the hair with a styling product before you begin to ensure that it does what you want it to.  Scarves are also great for disguising greys. A perfect square is the easiest shape to work with: simply fold over into a triangle and keep folding until you get a strip which you can wrap around your hairline and tie off in a cute knot at the side.

‘To add texture without having to master any tools, apply some styling product to damp hair and twirl sections around your fingers before blow-drying on medium heat. When you run your fingers through it, you’re left with a beautifully tousled, beachy texture.’