6 Haircare Secrets
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Celeb hairdresser Nicky Clarke unveils new SuperShine Rose range of styling tools
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I’ve had a fair few hair disasters in my time.
There was that year that I decided I wanted to sport a fringe like snazzy Sarah in my Maths class and so rather than venturing to the hairdressers for a hair update, I figured my mum could do just as good a job, without spending any money. Win, win.
Spoiler: she didn’t and I quickly shuddered at any mention of the word ‘fringe’, as well as investing in a thick headband, which promptly attached itself to my forehead for the next 3-6 months.
Oh and then there was that time that I figured I could totally pull off jet black hair.
Totally.
In fact, I was going to look like Megan Fox’s twin.
Spoiler: I didn’t. I looked pale, washed out and tired. It didn’t suit me and I found myself wearing an plethora of rainbow coloured disasters on my body to compensate.
And while I love the world of hair and beauty – and the fact I’m now a part of it as a blogger, I definitely have A LOT to learn when it comes to haircare and styling.
So who better to debunk some hair myths and give me his six golden rule secrets of hair then styling guru Nicky Clarke himself, renowned for his own glossy, voluminous locks and a much loved haircare range.
With an incredible career spanning over 40 years, Nicky Clarke’s passion for hairdressing and his unique style have made him an international icon.
He has worked with an entire generation of the world’s most famous faces, from movie stars to princesses.
And yet little old me managed to bag an invite to the launch of his brand new SuperShine Rose styling tools range, an event which turned out to be super intimate and Instagrammable and I got to chat to the guy himself for a good twenty minutes!
So without further ado, let’s reveal Nicky’s top hair styling secrets. Shhh…
This is a paid for collaboration with Nicky Clarke.
Get the right cut and colour for your hair
This one seems like a pretty obvious one, right?
But too often, we are distracted by Blake Lively’s new swooshy layers or Jennifer Lawrence’s Platinum Blonde colour, that we forget to remember what suits us – and our own hair types.
Nicky’s all for experimentation (often it takes a bit of trial and error to get it ‘right’) but a good hairdresser will be able to analyse your face shape, your hair texture, your colourings and decipher from that what would suit you best.
It’s all about making the most of what you have, rather than faking it – which is why balayage has become so popular in the last few years, as it enhances your hairs natural movement, shine and body.
Getting the right cut and colour is vital for getting your very best hair and so if you’re not sure what this might be, seek an experts advice.
Often they might suggest something you’d never considered before, especially if you have certain hair goals in mind that you’re working towards.
“It’s all about making the most of what you have!”
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Use the right styling tools
Back when I was 13 and hair straighteners and – the dreaded – crimpers had surfaced and become big business, damaging your hair with heat was seen as an unfortunate side effect of having great hair.
You had to practically singe your locks into place and hope for the best as you ventured out into the humidity and could feel your hair slowly swelling at the ends. Oh those were the days, eh!
Today however, styling tools have come on leaps and bounds and as long as you use protecting products, you can style away!
As a blogger, I’ve been lucky enough to try out a huge range of styling tools and new launches over the years but admittedly none have impressed me as much as Nicky’s new range.
SuperShine Rose is a premium collection of hair styling products designed with the inspiration of rehydrating your hair via the use of ionic steam conditioning, infusing moisture back into the hair for added gloss, shine and hydration.
The range consists of a hairdryer, curling tong and pair of straighteners, each of which can be purchased in a gorgeous rose gold shade. Because as much as the function is important, looking pretty on our dressing table is a bonus!
The SuperShine Professional Dryer has very snazzy inbuilt ionic conditioning technology which will not only leave your hair soft, smooth and sleek, but it will also dry your hair in salon-quick time.
There’s 3 heat and 2 speed setting for ease, and an extra long cord – perfect if you regularly stay in hotels and find that places never seem to put plug sockets within proximity of a mirror.
The SuperShine Straightener rehydrates & nourishes hair through the use of ionic steam conditioning technology.
Steam is released from the plates on all temperature settings to help straighten, soften and style with added shine giving you the style you desire.
The SuperShine Curling Tong rehydrates & nourishes hair through the use of ionic steam conditioning technology.
The gentle flow of steam from the barrel penetrates hair to replenish moisture and enhance shine for smoother, softer curls.
There’s also a 60-minute auto shut-off function on each device, which is VERY handful if you’re the forgetful type like me and therefore don’t have to spend the night on tenterhooks wondering whether you did unplug them after all…
Who remembers the days of burning holes in your mum’s carpet with curling tongs? Just me, oh okay.
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Wash your hair correctly
The heat from hot showers opens up your cuticles leaving it dry and brittle and this can invariably lead to breakage.
Using a warm rather than scalding temperature is much better and if you’re brave enough, try finishing with a cold rinse to add extra shine and glossiness.
You need to detox your hair once in a while to get rid of build up and you can do this by using a deep cleansing shampoo that will strip the hair of all of it’s impurities.
Do this a minimum of two times and work the shampoo into the scalp using the pads of your fingers in circular motions.
Then work your way through the mid-lengths and ends before rinsing with cool water.
Repeat this process until the shampoo no longer lathers, as this is an indication that the hair is clean.
“When your hair no longer lathers, it’s an indication that it is properly clean!”
Protect, protect, protect
Nicky made a huge point about protecting your hair using oils, serums and specially formulated products.
He argues that there’s no reason you should be getting split ends between regular trims if you are being sensible with heat treatment – and if you find you are, it’s probably a warning to use heat protecting treatments or cut down on styling time.
I told him about my dream to have long, flowing Rapunzel locks and asked whether this was ever achievable for someone who highlights her hair regularly and doesn’t seem to be able to grow it past a certain length.
“Sometimes the longest our hair will grow is already pre-written in our genes. Your hair will keep growing, as you’ll see the roots but it will naturally break off beyond a certain length, especially if you colour treat your hair.”
He advised I switch up my heat protecting products and only colour my hair a maximum of three times per year, for optimum growth and health.
“Sometimes you take 2 steps back to take 1 step forward,” he replied after I asked whether I’d have to grit my teeth and bare having roots for awhile.
It’s all about knowing your hair type, what it can handle and working accordingly. Sensible advice, rather than a secret I suppose – but it was reassuring to put a plan in place in my own head.
Think about temperature
And not just your heat treatment, but the actual temperature of the air outside of where you are.
We subject our hair to a lot of different temperatures throughout the day.
The pressure from heat treatment can cause the cuticles of your hair to crack, resulting in dry and very brittle hair.
You may style your hair at home using heated appliances, then you jump straight into the freezing cold, which increases your chances of damage to your hair.
The new SuperShine range is fab for combating this constant temperature fluctuation as it infuses moisture back into your hair at the stage of styling, banishing the humidity/cold dilemma.
Also make sure your hair is 100% dry before you use any kind of styling tool, such as straighteners or curling tongs.
According to Nicky, one of the worst things you can do is style on damp or wet hair as your hair is at it’s weakest when wet and any damage caused will be amplified.
“We subject our hair to so many temperature changes, think about looking after it with protecting products and hydrating boosts!”
And what about those hair myths?
I asked Nicky whether washing my hair daily was damaging it, since this seemed to be the biggest myth in the beauty industry and I was eager to find out how on earth I’d manage my greasiness if this was indeed the case.
Luckily, this is a myth as there’s no evidence to suggest that washing – or even blow drying – for that matter, actually harm your hair. In fact the latter, is actually good for your hair.
Nicky explained “when you leave your hair to air dry, the ends can be pushed up – causing more harm and invariably split ends”.
Whoa, what a discovery.
His expert knowledge affirms that when you blow dry your hair (with the right temperature and protecting products), you are smoothing the cuticles and the ends and prolonging the life and wellbeing of your hair.
Are you looking forward to trying out the new Super Shine Rose range? What questions would you have asked Nicky Clarke?
