hair

Moving away from constantly styling my hair, opting for lower-tension hairstyles and no longer following practices like oiling my scalp, which, according to trichologist Ebuni Ajiduah, “can also contribute to skin conditions and make scalp symptoms much worse,” were hard adjustments despite the fact they inevitably helped get my scalp back to normal. According to Ajiduah, “the body works by continually monitoring its environment and adjusting its response, so when we grease or oil our scalp, effectively we are telling the sebaceous glands to kick back, and we will handle it. That would be okay if we didn’t have a whole system designed to do it already, and the products we used matched the natural secretion and were not harmful. The products I list...

From start to finish, this probably took around half an hour to do on my hair type. If you have shorter on finer hair, this will no doubt be a shorter process. The key is to let the hair cool down once you have styled it to ensure your curls last for as long as they can. If I’m being honest, the Airwrap gives me a wonderful blowout look, but if you’re after curls that will last for days on end, then a hair wand or tong may be better suited to you, which will provide a more structured style. My hair still looked bouncy the day after, but not to the same extent as day one. But if it’s a bouncy blowout that you’re after, and you don’t mind topping up your hair on the second day, then this is most certainly the tool for the job. Yes, it is expensive...

Similar to many people, I wasn’t born with thick and voluminous hair—it’s pretty fine and thin, to say the least. While I love my natural hair, I’m always on the hunt for the best volumizing hair products to give my strands more height and dimension. Now, I’m not trying to look like a popular reality television personality (you know who I’m talking about), but I want my hair to have some lift and simply zhuzh it up just a bit. And similar to most of my shopping needs, I turn to popular retailers like Amazon, Target, and Ulta to look for products that may fit the bill, especially when it comes to haircare. However, not every product lives up to its advertised standards, which is why looking at the reviews is critical to making an informed purchase.   To help you find the best...

Petty predicts that we’ll see more of people mixing their natural hair colours with bright shades. “Gemini hair is a fun two-tone style,” she says. “Inspired by its astrological namesake, this will make you stand out from the crowd and allow you to express your personality.” For dark hair, Petty recommends using pinks, purples, greens, and blues, and for light hair she suggests blues, greens, reds, yellows, and black. “If you are concerned about your hair coping with a colour treatment, opt for more natural colour choices that will cause less damage and are easier to maintain,” she advises. “To maintain the colour, try to wash your hair less frequently, use a heat protectant when styling, and use plenty of hair masks to moisturise and nourish your hair.” You Deserve to Make Money Even When...

Here’s the thing about medium-length hair—it’s incredibly versatile. It’s not too short and it’s not too long, which means you get the best of both worlds as far as styling is concerned. Do you want to straighten your hair into a sleek, centre-parted lob? Great. How about showing off your natural texture in a curly topknot? Or, do you want to replicate the wet-look hairstyle that celebrities like J.Lo and Kim Kardashian have made famous? With medium-length hair, you have all of these options and more (many more). The best part is that you don’t have to be a professional hairstylist to achieve A-list results. There are countless examples of medium-length hairstyles that are both easy and flattering (trust us, those two things&...

While blunt bobs are undoubtedly chic, making a drastic hair change can require a switch-up in your day-to-day styling routine. To help get to grips with the best way to look after and style a blunt bob, I asked Ryan Forsythe, international artistic director for Trevor Sorbie, for his top tips. “Blunt bobs are universal and can work on all hair types. It’s a timeless haircut that never goes out of style,” he says. Plus, it’s a super-versatile style. “If you want a bob that is low-maintenance, try air-drying using Shu Uemura Art of Hair Shiki Worker to condition and leave hair looking healthy,” he says. “For a more polished bob, I would avoid too much volume and go for a vertical wave with a mid to large curling iron for an ...

For those of us blessed with kinky and coily hair, finding the right blow dryer to add to your toolkit—no matter your texture—can often feel overwhelming. Although some Afro-haired people prefer heatless styling, for certain styles, the added help of a great blow dryer is key. And when scoping out a new Afro hair–friendly blow dryer, prioritising its versatility and ability to work with Afro hair in all its iterations is a good place to start. For coiled and curled looks, this means a low and steady heat tool—perfect for providing an even dry—and one lightweight enough to stave off the dreaded washday dead arm. We’ve all been there, right? Not all tools are created equal, however, with some dryers sporting easily accessible cool buttons (ideal for providing a...

For those of us blessed with kinky and coily hair, finding the right blow dryer to add to your toolkit—no matter your texture—can often feel overwhelming. Although some afro-haired people prefer heatless styling, for certain styles the added help of a great blowdryer is key. And when scoping out a new afro hair-friendly blow-dryer, prioritising its versatility and ability to work with that of afro hair in all its iterations is a good place to start. For coiled and curled looks, this means a low and steady heat tool—perfect for providing an even dry—and one lightweight enough to stave off the dreaded wash day dead arm. We’ve all been there, right? Not all tools are created equal however, with some dryers sporting easily accessible cool buttons (ideal for provi...

Blonde is back in a big way for 2023, but this time around, it’s high-maintenance, polished and expensive-looking. “When you think of glamour, you think Hollywood blonde,” says Zoë Irwin, creative director at John Frieda Salons. “We’ve grown up with Hollywood blonde, but now, the association of glamour has shifted. It’s now the ’90s yellow blonde,” she says, explaining that creamy yellow blondes are in big demand right now. “It’s uptown because it is a high-maintenance look, so after a couple of months, a root will appear, so it becomes an entire new type of colour look. To maintain this, you’ll need to be in the salon every three to four weeks,” she adds.  Giuseppe Stelitano, creative director at Trevor Sorb...

I have tried a lot of haircuts in my time and I can officially tell you I am walking into 2023 knowing which one I suit best—preferably towards an industrial sized fan for dramatic effect. To set the scene, let me fill you in on my hair type. I have fine hair but a lot of it, and I’ve always loved the idea of having Rapunzel-esque locks. But once mine gets past a certain length it starts to look thinner at the ends and generally lacks that enviable oomph.  Last year, after painstakingly growing my hair past my shoulders for my wedding so I could have the up-do I wanted, I swiftly booked in for the chop. In preparation, I went back through old pictures and realised that the length my hair is at its absolute prime is when it’s cut into a bob. It looks thicker, it fra...