Lockdown hair care: Salon tricks you can try at home

Can’t get to the salon? That’s not a problem. Some of Aotearoa’s top stylists talk to Zoe Walker Ahwa about how to make the most of your hair with these easy at-home tips.

Michael Beel, owner and creative director of Wellington salon Buoy Salon Spa

If your regrowth is starting to show through and you have Zoom meetings to do, while you're doing your essential supermarket shop, buy the L’Oreal Paris Magic Retouch Temporary Root Concealer ($17) to tide you over until salons reopen.

Or you can even use a little eyebrow pencil to blend in any greys on your parting.

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Lauren Gunn, owner of Auckland salon and online store Colleen

Lockdown affords me some time to regenerate and get ahead on things I would usually barely get around to doing, or things that have been on the back burner for a while. The kind of stuff that gives me a boost but isn’t essential to normal everyday life, such as my ongoing goal of achieving virgin quality hair.

I happened upon a brilliant treatment when I was prepping a look for NZ Fashion Week 2019. It was a wet look for Benjamin Alexander, and I had drenched a mannequin's hair in Kevin Murphy Young Again Oil ($74) to achieve a dewy wet texture.

A day went by before I was able to rinse and wash the mannequin’s hair, and it had been completely transformed from crunchy, dry, wiry, and undesirable, to soft, supple and glossy. This is the ultimate anti-ageing treatment for hair.

I try to give myself this treatment at least once a month to achieve the dreamy soft and healthy hair of my youth. Just apply generous quantities of Young Again to dry hair, section by section, and don’t skimp.

Gently comb it through for even distribution, bind it up on a knot or braid, and wash it out 24 hours later with your usual shampoo and conditioner.

Newton Cook, creative and education director of Rodney Wayne

A tip learnt from past lockdowns is that it is a great time to practise some hair self-care to reset the health of your hair and scalp. A simple way to do this at home is with a routine that includes an elixir or hair oil. My favourite product to use is Kerastase Elixir Ultime ($62).

Start by saturating your scalp with the oil as a pre-treatment for 30 minutes before your normal shampoo regimen to help rebalance your scalp and lift any unwanted elements or flakiness by softening the surface.

Then, thoroughly shampoo your hair two to three times, rinse thoroughly and towel dry. Follow by adding two drops of the elixir to your conditioner in the palm of your hand, and apply this mixture to the mid-lengths and ends of your hair, avoiding the root area. Leave this to nourish your hair for 5-10 minutes before rinsing.

To finish the ritual, I like to add a drop with my usual styling products before I blow-dry because the Kerastase elixir also has heat protection elements. I then add another drop to the lengths of the hair after styling to give extra nourishment, smoothness and shine.

The thing I love most about this at-home treatment is that it is perfect for all hair types, fine and thick, and will work on both of the most common scalp issues - dryness and oiliness. Just adjust the amount you use for your specific hair type.

Supermarket products to try:

• Macro organic coconut oil ($5) (use as a hair mask)

• Bragg Apple Cider Vinegar ($16) (mix with water as a hair rinse)

• Ethique Heali Kiwi solid shampoo for touchy scalps, $22

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