Your hair looks perfect each time you visit the salon, but how is a girl to maintain the same look after she leaves and is left to fend for herself?
Your hair looks perfect each time you visit the salon, but how is a girl to maintain the same look after she leaves and is left to fend for herself?
With a whole team of experts pruning your hair to perfection and blow-drying it into complete submission, it’s no surprise your hair always looks gorgeous when you step out of the salon. But the next day, you realise your bob’s not as voluminous; your curls are frizzy; and your attempts at repeating the same scrunching action your hairstylist did the day before just isn’t working. Whatever the reason, your hair’s a shadow of its former self.
This might make it seem like hairstylists are magicians, but there’s really nothing mysterious about achieving the same salonperfect hair on your own. And funnily enough, the tricks are similar to the ones for a successful romantic relationship.
Finding The One
The main reason for not being able to achieve your dream hair is a lack of mutual understanding. This is most apparent when you visit a hairstylist for the first time. Much like a first date, you find yourself having to share the most basic details of your lifestyle and personality – a much easier task if you and the person happen to have chemistry. And even then, you barely scratch the surface of who you really are.
Finding a hairstylist that’s for you is no different from finding The One. You have to put yourself out there and “meet” different ones to get an idea of what your options are. Get recommendations from friends who have hairstyles you like and try their stylists out. Or go to salons where you’re more likely to find your type. So, for example, if you love K-Pop, a reputable Korean hair salon is definitely worth checking out.
Don’t be afraid to experiment with different stylists until you find one you like. And you’ll know when you’ve found them. Like an amazing first date, it’s effortless.
“I can create a style that suits your hair texture and face shape but there’s so much information that can help me create a style that truly suits you in the long run,” says Edward Chong of Evolve Salon. “Things like how much time you usually put into your hair, how adventurous you are with your personal style, even your occupation… these things take time for a hairstylist to tease out from their clients. So the longer you stick with the same one, the more he understands you and he’s able to create something that you can carry and maintain, and evolve your hairstyle over time,” he adds.
Open communication
Communication is a two-way street. Sure, a good hairstylist will ask you the right questions to find out what you need, but it helps if you open up to get a look you can maintain. Junie Tan, co-founder of DUO, says understanding the client’s lifestyle is of utmost importance. “For example, even something as simple as knowing you play sports means I can create a style that can easily be tied into a ponytail if you have long hair.” So don’t expect your hairstylist to be a mind reader. If you don’t know where to start, try sharing the frustrations you’ve had with previous cuts.
The more you share, the easier it is for them to create something that suits your lifestyle. So be realistic about what your dream hair means for you. It will also help to bring pictures of girls with a similar hair texture to yours.
Learn to ask for help
There’s no shame in letting your hairstylist know you’re clueless about styling your hair, and asking them for a dummy’s guide you can follow on a day-to-day basis.
Hairstylists usually show you how to style your hair after your cut, but make that time work harder for you by asking them to teach you how to deal with specific situations. For example, if you’re in a rush in the morning, what can you do when you reach the office to look presentable? Are there styling products you can use to make the job easier?
Your styling problems fixed
Easy tips to keep your hair as your stylist intended.
1 Your bangs always fall flat on a hot and humid day
Ethan Tang, Master Stylist of Shunji Matsuo, suggests doing what the Korean celebs do – use a smaller hair roller and roll up the mid section of your bangs, and larger rollers to curl the sides of your bangs outwards. Use a hairdryer to heat the top and bottom of the rollers for a few seconds. This will give your bangs long-lasting and natural-looking volume.
2 You had no time to blow-dry your long locks this morning
Don’t fret. Ethan says wait for your hair to naturally dry. When you get into the office, tie up your hair into a loose bun and keep any flyaways in place with hair wax.
3 Your curls are a frizzy and dull mess
Curls don’t reflect light as well as straight hair so applying a shine spray is the easiest way to fix that. To tame frizz, use a large curling iron. It defines your curls, and smooths the cuticles so your hair appears shinier and smoother. To add life to limp or frizzy curls, mix equal parts conditioner and warm water and spritz onto your curls until slightly wet then let hair dry naturally.
Images 123RF.com Text Cheong Kamei. Some prices unavailable at press time.
