We all love that post-salon-blow-dry feeling. The infinitely swishier hair, the smoothness that somehow survives sweaty gym sessions, the gravity defying-bounce…Plus, have you noticed that a salon style always seems to last a longer than anything you do at home? It’s not just industrial amounts of hairspray (though that helps) – it’s because they get your hair really clean. That’s right – you’re not imagining that squeaky-clean sensation. A proper salon wash gets your hair clean from root to tip in a way that’s hard to replicate at home. Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘Um, Liz, I already know how to wash my hair, thank you very much.’ Well, think about it this way. You know how you definitely know how to clean your teeth, then you go and see your dentist and they show you all the spots you’ve missed? Exactly. All of us can benefit from a little refresher, so I enlisted Sophie Ruggiero, System Professional Expert to give you a few pointers on how get that salon-clean-feeling at home. Of course, different kinds of hair needs different types of washing, which is what System Professional’s new EnergyCode range is all about. It’s designed to help you solve all your haircare needs, not just one. Oily roots but dry ends? Sophie can tell you how to wash and care for both at once. Seriously damaged hair, but it’s still super fine and can’t take rich conditioner? She’s got something for that. Read on for more…
By Liz Hambleton
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1 Brush, wet, massage
We all know ‘rinse and repeat’ – but ‘brush, wet, massage’ really should be your new mantra for happier hair. As Sophie explained, ‘When your hair is wet, it's weaker, so how you wash your hair is so important. Always brush your hair before washing it – you don’t want to cause lots of breakage by brushing it when it’s wet. Brushing from the tips first, then working up your lengths, will ease any tangles out, and having knot free hair will cause less friction when washing your hair.’ Then there’s the fact of that lots of us fall at the first hurdle – we simply don’t get our hair wet enough. ‘It sounds a dumb thing to say but many people apply shampoo when the underneath of their hair is still dry! Make sure your hair is really properly wet all over before you start shampooing,’ explained Sophie. ‘The motion you shampoo in is crucial. Some people pull their hair far too much – remember, shampoo is essentially a detergent, so there’s no need to tear at your hair vigorously. It’ll cause the ends of your hair to tangle and could cause weaker areas to break. It’s much better to go for larger circular movements all over your head, making sure to cover your hairline, neck and crown areas. Use spread fingertips, then gently rub the shampoo through the midlengths and ends in a downwards motion to give you that clean feel from root to tip.’ Now, doesn’t that sound a little more relaxing than just madly lathering up?
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2 Be generous - but not too generous
It’s important to do two shampoos for the same reason I always tell people to double-cleanse their faces. The first cleanse removes makeup (or product, in this case), while the second cleans away oil and pollution. Don’t skip the second cleanse! Sophie echoed this; ‘Doing two shampoos will ensure your hair and scalp is clean, but also allows the shampoo to address the cause you chose it for – whether that’s colour protection, or hydrating, whatever it is. Also, while it’s important to do two shampoos, with System Professional you don’t need to use loads – you’ll only waste it. Roughly a 50p size amount is fine per shampoo. Of course if you have thick hair or lots of product in your hair a little more could be needed!’ So, two shampoos, lovingly massaged in. Got it? If you’ve got a sensitive scalp, I’d recommend the B1 Balance Shampoo – it’s gentle but effective, and designed to soothe and nourish.
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3 Shampooing can condition too
This might sound counterintuitive, but shampoo can condition your hair. Massaging the scalp stimulates the blood flow to the area and helps keep it healthy. As Sophie told me, ‘Massaging the scalp is the best way to make you feel like you’ve really cleaned your hair, but also, it's the kindest way to treat your hair. Doing those large but firm circular movements across the scalp to lather the shampoo and remove dirt, then using the palms of your hands to gently massage the shampoo through to the midlengths and ends is what we do at the backwash in the salon. All of this massaging and wetting might sound arduous, but it really shouldn’t be that taxing. ‘I would say a minute for each shampoo – the key again is getting your hair really wet. If the hair’s completely wet through and the shampoo is applied evenly then it’ll be much quicker, easier – and less product is used or wasted,’ noted Sophie.
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4 Don't skip masking
Okay, I understand, when you’re really time-pressed, doing a hair mask seems like a luxury akin to making puff pastry from scratch for tea. But trust me; even just doing a mask once a week can make a huge difference to the quality and condition of your hair. Sophie told me, ‘Applying a treatment once a week is the answer to having great conditioned hair! For me, a mask is a must. A mask is much more intensive than a conditioner, so it penetrates deeper into the hair, adding more conditioning agents and can support the hair in becoming more resilient and stronger. Many people think a mask is too heavy but now with System Professional, we’ve managed to create masks that are lightweight in texture but strong in care’ and the key thing is you can mix and match with other products from the range. Personally, I’d recommend the R3 Repair Mask hair for hair that’s been heat treated a little overzealously, the C3 Color Save Mask for colour-treated hair that’s lost its shine or the or the V3 Volumize Mask for fine hair in need of a volume boost. Fit more than one of those categories? Choose your primary concern for the mask, and then add a shot of extra benefits – chat to your hairdresser about your hair’s ‘energycode’ profile and what range of products you can use that complement each other but address different needs. System Professional have solutions for for colour protection, hydration, damage repair…you name it, they’ve got it.
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5 Condition like a pro
It’s a truth universally acknowledged that you’ll go through conditioner twice as fast as shampoo, right? Well, maybe you shouldn’t. Over to Sophie: ‘At a risk of making myself very unpopular…Without a doubt clients use too much conditioner! I definitely see how it happens, but it's mainly due to how it's being applied and sometimes because it's not the right one for them. If it’s the wrong conditioner or application, you’ll feel you need to use more to compensate.’ So what is the right way to do it? ‘Always gently towel dry or squeeze excess water out of your hair first. This will not only stop most of the conditioner slipping off the hair and going straight down the drain, but also allow the conditioner to penetrate the hair. When using System Professional, you really only need a dollop the size of a £2 coin, unless you have very thick hair. Apply on the ends first, evenly spreading the product onto both palms, then as if you were putting your hair into a ponytail, massage through mid lengths and ends. Any excess on your hands can be massaged through the roots of your hair, then comb through gently with a wide tooth comb and rinse.’ I’ve got fine hair, but lots of it, so I’m a big fan of the S2 Smoothen Conditioner – it brilliantly cuts through the frizz without making my hair feel heavy.
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