Perfect your hair regimen while in self-isolation - but leave the wacky haircuts until you can get to the salon!

The world has shut down due to COVID-19/Coronavirus. In some countries or states, every store that isn’t a grocery store is closed to ensure the slow of the virus and the protection of each other… Including the hairdressers! Numerous videos have been appearing online of people cutting their partner’s or housemate’s hair, including some attempting to cut their own!

But, is this a good idea?

If you’re getting into a tizz about the state of your lockdown locks, but are not a confident (or trained) hairdresser/barber, below are some essential tips you can do without a professional, to care for your hair safely during this turbulent time.

Look After Hair & Step Away From The Scissors

It’s incredibly tempting to reach for the scissors and hack at your own hair, but if you’re not qualified to cut hair, it’s unlikely you have a suitable pair of cutting tools. If you can hold out until the end of lockdown, it really is worth waiting for an appointment. It’s time to up your hair care game in the interim, to help eke out the time until you can get yourself in the salon chair.

Hydration is key to stopping split ends in their tracks. After washing your hair with shampoo, try masking it from root to tip in a nourishing hair mask, like Cel’s Microstem Hair Thickening Mask. Leave it for at least a minute (much longer if you want that deep conditioning effect!), before rinsing thoroughly. The formula contains glycerin which is a powerful, non-toxic sugar compound that works as a moisture-sponge to keep our scalp and hair hydrated - which is essential for preventing breakage. There’s also biotin, which is renowned for the way it promotes hair, skin and nail health. Biotin is critical to numerous functions within the body including cell growth, metabolism, and cell repair.

If you’re short on your supplies (or work has slowed down due to COVID-19 and affordability is now a concern), try lathering your hair in 100% coconut oil prior to washing and let it soak in for twenty minutes before shampooing and conditioning.

Look After Hair & Resist The Heat

We all know that heating, curling, blow-drying and straightening the hair with electric tools damages the hair, no matter how healthy it is. Whilst you’re in lockdown, it’s time to step away from the styling tools and your usual routine to give the hair the best chance of surviving time in quarantine.

If you’re required to be on professional video calls, it’s time to try some alternatives. Want wavy tousled locks? Sleep in a braid! Always wanted to attempt some clipped up-dos? You’ve more time in the morning so get on those YouTube tutorials!

Treat the ends of your hair to some leave-in conditioner after washing too, to maintain the healthy tresses during this time.

Look After Hair & Embrace Your Roots

The secret’s out! That isn’t your natural hair colour, is it? If you’re not used to colouring your hair at home, unfortunately, it’s best to say goodbye to the dye for this short while. No matter how nourishing the bottle claims itself to be, dye is still extremely damaging to hair.

A DIY dye can be great if you’re well-practiced, but boxed dye and salon dye are not made in the same way. Inexpensive store dyes are designed to colour as quickly as possible, whereas the professional ones are packed more with more nurturing ingredients and take slightly longer for the colour to take. If you can embrace your roots, now’s the time to be brave about it. Thankfully, a heavy root is in fashion right now!

Look After Hair & Don't Over-Wash

Despite advice that you should be washing your hands and hair more often if you’re still going to the store, gym or taking taxis in these times... If you haven’t been out, try to avoid washing the hair that day. Over-washing can strip the hair and scalp of its vital natural oils causing the scalp to dry and flake out and the hair to get greasier faster. Let your hair lead the way – it will tell you via oil build-up and limpness when it actually needs a wash. This will also help you prolong your colour’s life if this is a concern of yours!

Look After Hair In Lockdown: Our Final Thoughts...

Caring for your hair is really important if you want to maintain it’s long term health and vitality. We’re all learning the true value of our hair products, especially now that it's harder to access them!

But, the physical perks of products aside, nurturing and nourishing the hair can also be really therapeutic. Isolation can be really emotionally difficult, so taking time out to perform small acts of self-care like applying a hair treatment can do wonders for your mental health during this tempestuous period too!

As we learn more about the behaviour of the COVID-19 virus, information is constantly being updated around how to support the fight against it via your personal hygiene routine. Stay up to date with coronavirus advice on the NHS Website.