Shampooing and conditioning your hair is an essential part of any beauty routine. Here are a few tips to get the best result for your efforts.

  1.Use a shampoo and conditioner that suits your hair type. We use and recommend KMS, Tigi and Nioxin because of selection, quality and performance

  2.Brush your hair before shampooing as this loosens skin scales that may have come off your scalp as well as   styling products that you have in your hair.

  3.Distribute the shampoo through your hair before starting to shampoo by spreading it on your hands & then onto your hair.

  4.Shampoo the hair closest to your scalp using the tips of your fingers. The hair close to your scalp will be the most effected by natural oils and perspiration and this is where most of your attention should be directed.

  5.If you have long hair then pay  attention to the hair underneath at the back as natural oils and perspiration can build up here.

  6.The mid lengths and ends of long hair are best shampooed by simply massaging the shampoo through the hair. This way you will clean your hair and avoid creating troublesome knots.

   7.When conditioning your hair, apply conditioner to the mid lengths and ends first as this is the hair that needs it most. Any easy way to do this if you have long hair is to pull your hair into a pony tail and apply the conditioner there. What’s left on your hands after can be applied to the rest of your hair. Allow the conditioner a minute or two to work and then rinse thoroughly.

We’re happy to share our knowledge so if you need any other advice then please feel free to ask.

There are different types of brush, each designed for a specific purpose. What often happens is that we have this "old favorite" brush that we use for all things imaginable and expect it to be everything we need.

Here’s some information about brushes to help you choose the best selection of brushes for your styling needs.

1. The Vent Brush - These brushes get their name from open "vents" through which air can flow. It's used to create root lift and volume for your hair and to give some direction and movement like flicking out the ends of your hair.

If your hair tends to be a little flyaway or static this is not the styling brush for you as it is the simplest brush to use but gives only the simplest of effects, as it is not far removed from using your fingers to dry your hair. It is a great brush for easing out tangles on medium to thick hair and men's or children's short simple styles or to give a little more height and lift to a style that you might normally dry with your fingers.

2. The Styler or the "Denman" - "Denman" is a brand name often used to describe this type of brush. They have no vents and a solid cushion backing. The bristles are on one side only and form a slight half circle bend. They are best used on bob shape cuts and mid length hair to achieve a little root lift and to smooth and straighten the lengths and ends of the hair. Like the vent brush, they are easy to use, but if you can't get the    smoothness you want form this type of brush it is because it cannot provide enough tension and you will need to use a large round bristle brush.

3. The Cushion Brush - These have a soft cushion base with bristles on one side, often slightly curved and are used to smooth, without lift or volume, short to medium hair lengths that aren’t too thick or dense. They are very simple to use.

4. Round Brushes - The name "round brush" describes itself but the most important thing to realise about it is that it's not just for creating curl. The more open bristle type is used for achieving maximum height and lift. The densely packed real bristle round brush is great at smoothing and straightening your hair with the tension needed for hair that naturally has a wave or curl. The size of the brush you need depends on the length of your hair and the effect you want. Your hair needs to be long enough to rap around the brush once. As a general guide:

For short hair (up to 15 cm or 6") the center barrel of the brush should be approximately 3cm or 1" diameter or less.

For mid length hair (15 to 20 cm or 6 to 8") the center barrel of the brush should be approx. 3 to 4 cm or 1" to 1 1/2" diameter.

For long hair (20cm or 8" plus) the center barrel of the brush should be approx. 4cm or 1 1/2" diameter plus.

These are only rough guides. To get it right with a round brush:

You need to practice, but think of the workout your arms are getting! Invest in some sectioning clips, so that you can work with only a small piece of hair at a time.

Angle the flow of air from your dryer, so that it flows from roots to ends, (not across or back towards your head, therefore making the hair frizzy).

5. The Paddle Brush - These are distinguished by their size and cushion type base from which the bristles protrude and are larger and flatter than the cushion brush and are used when you have lots or long hair to deal with. They are great to smooth naturally straight hair or to finish off after using a round brush to straighten frizzy, wavy or curly hair .

Simply sweep the brush down the length of your hair with a paddle type motion. This way you won't create volume or highly stylized looks with this type of brush.

 Caring for Blonde Hair

· Use a moisturising shampoo to avoid stripping further moisture from the hair.

· Always condition hair after each shampoo.

· Before applying conditioner, gently bolt excess water from the hair.

· Deep condition or treat once a week to rebuild  moisture levels in the hair.

· Any cool blonde shades with icy undertones such as platinum or champagne need a little more   attention at home to help maintain the tone. Goldwell’s Soft Color in the shades 10V & 10P is a good product to use for this

Detangling

There is a real trick to getting the knots out of your hair without damaging and pulling half of it out,     leaving yourself with a sore head! The following    general tips will help, especially if your have mid to long-length or curly hair:

· Brush your hair using a paddle or pad brush before shampooing to lessen the tangles later.

· Get a good detangling comb. These should have wide teeth and a handle for ease of use. Never brush wet hair, always comb it to avoid  splitting.

· It is often easier to work with conditioner in your hair when you comb it than after you have towel dried. If you're not too keen on standing in the shower for ages then try a spray detangler whilst you are combing.

· When towel drying, try not to rub the hair: rather squeeze out the excess water.

· Start combing from the ends rather than at the scalp working in 6cm long sections get the tangles out, working each section until you can comb the whole length of your hair. It will also help to gently tease apart clumps or sections of hair rather than  doing the lot in one go. Clip sections that you are not combing out of the way.

· Sleep on a silk pillow case to stop your hair matting during the night.

We use and Recommend KMS products