Can Limp Hair Have Volume?

This is a question I’ve been asked on numerous occasions. Statements like, “My hair just won’t ‘poof’ up, no matter what I do.” And, “Give me a haircut that will make my hair lift on the top.”

The cut does matter, actually. And it’s also true that volume is unattainable in long, one length hair when it’s left to dry naturally, with no product used. One must tell the hair what to do. If we don’t use products to create volume as our hair dries, the hair knows only what nature tells it to do. Just lay there. Spring out of the scalp and fall. That’s its only job.

Short hair is no different. We HAVE to use a volumizer, and use it correctly, if it is volume we seek.

Most of us add our volumizing products straight out of the shower, and after we’ve towel dried our hair. Want to know a little trick of the trade? Allow your hair to sit until it is about 75-80% dry, THEN add the volumizer. Oh! You have LONG hair??? You will have to towel blot REALLY well (no rubbing the hair between towel fibers), then hit the hair at the scalp (only), with a low-to-medium heat for about 1 minute. Okay! Now you are ready to apply the volumizer at the roots. That’s where the lift is needed, right?

If you have questions, add them in the comment section below. I’ve got you!



Fun In The Sun...

Solutions to Swimmers Hair!
It's swim season, right??? All the salon talk is circling what to do with blonde hair damage, or blonde hair turning green. I'm going to now share a "Mary Emergency Hack" for blondes that are constantly in the pool and complain about the green in their hair.

HACK:
IF you are in-between salon visits, and it's really bad (hold tight, now), I'm going to recommend putting KETCHUP (yep, ketchup) on your hair. Mush it through & let it sit for 20 minutes. Rinse well, shampoo & condition.

WHY???
Ketchup takes out all of the copper that deposits in the hair after a few summer swims. You may never (ever) want to eat a cheeseburger again, but your hair will be looking blonde and fabulous.

There are a few things you can do to actually PREVENT the chlorine (& copper) from messing with your hair, and really, really, drying it out. No need to do them all everytime you head to the water. Just choose one, or two. Whatever you’ve got time for.

1) Rinse your hair in the shower BEFORE going into the pool.
2) Add a leave-in conditioner (liberally) to your hair BEFORE going into the pool.
3) Wear a swim cap while swimming.
4) Wash hair immediately after leaving the pool (okay. So that’s an after project)
5) Apply a hot oil treatment to your hair BEFORE going into the pool. It will seal the cuticle and prevent the chlorine from leaching onto the hair.

Fun in the sun need not be sacrificial...

Let's Talk About Thinning Hair



It has become the biggest topic in my salon, with female age ranges from 35 years to 60 years. There are so many reasons hair becomes thinner than what it was in our teen years, and even in our 20’s. If you feel something else is happening besides aging, speak with your family doctor. But the main cause is simply age. And here is why…

Just like the aging process in the rest of our body, our hair begins a decline in reproduction. We lose approximately 150-200 hairs per day. Yikes! I know that’s a pretty scary number, but if one only knew just how many hairs were actually coming out of the scalp, one would be amazed. Sorry, ladies and gents. It’s simply the truth of the matter. And I’m pretty sure you already know this. But just for the sake of making it obvious, let’s examine what happens as the years of becoming mature, do to our hair. To our reproductive cycle in the scalp.

1) Since the hair follicles are structures in the scalp and skin that help hair grow, as we age, the hair follicles start producing less pigment. This causes the hair to turn gray and the thickness we once enjoyed is now becoming thin. That is the number one reason for thinning hair. And graying hair…

2) Hair strands become smaller as less pigment is pumped to the strands. So the thick, coarse hair of a young adult eventually becomes thin, fine, light-colored hair. Many hair follicles just stop producing new hairs all-together. Men may start showing signs of baldness and/or gray by the time they are 30 years old. Yep. Tis true. I have a brother in law this happened to. He had a full head of jet black hair, married my sister, and in a matter of 10 years (or so), he had a full head of white hair. But that’s another story. 😉

3) Now, scientists have uncovered a new mechanism behind hair loss: When stem cells in hair follicles are damaged by age, they turn themselves into skin. Ever notice how wide that part of yours is getting? Over time, this happens to more and more stem cells, causing hair follicles to shrink and eventually disappear. Isn’t this exciting? Our follicles, that actually produced our luscious locks of hair, actually begin to disappear as we age. Doesn’t matter how thick of a mane we begin with, there will be death to some of our hair follicles. Others may not notice it, but we sure will.

The good news is that we can slow down this process, early on, by having good nutrition, which is essential for the growth and maintenance of healthy hair. Please read that again!

Even though other things can cause hair loss, aging is the main culprit. Aging, and mega stress. And because we like to play the blame game with everything, because, hey! It can’t be our own fault, we like to say “because of Covid, I’m losing my hair.” Disclaimer: That can actually be true, but it will come back within 3-4 months, unlike nature taking it’s pay with the death of the follicle.

So…since I’ve given you a bouquet of dead flowers, I’ll just let ya think about the futility of using a ton of hair growing products (nope, I don’t sell that stuff…it doesn’t work), in HOPE (that’s what they’re really selling), of bringing forth a new hair.

You’re beautiful anyway!!! No hair needed. Or…there are really great wigs that are worth the money, should it get so bad we can’t believe just how beautiful we are without hair. You will have to spend a buck (or a thousand) to get one that looks like it’s actually growing out of your head. But well worth it, if you’re as self conscious as I am.

Wishing you all things beautiful,

Mary

P.S. There are hair styles that can make it appear as though you have more hair than you actually do. Talk with me. Maybe you and I can come up with a plan to help you navigate to look your beautiful best!