How to avoid hair horrors and keep hair looking its best

With Halloween just around the corner, there are plenty of scares around every corner. And let’s face it, we’ve all done it. I’m talking, of course, about hair horrors - those cuts, styles and colours that perhaps should never have seen the light of day…

I don’t mean the bad hair day that everyone is prone to now and again, I mean the spur-of-the-moment, I’m-sick-of-the-way-I-look hair that sparks immediate action. There’s nothing wrong with doing things on impulse and, of course, sometimes we all need to be a little impulsive, but it doesn’t hurt to have a sounding board, particularly if you are planning something drastic.

Break-up hair is a well-recognised rite of passage. I’ve spoken to so many clients over the years who have come out of a relationship and really wanted to change up the way they look. Not only do clients want to shake things up a bit after a break-up, changing the way you look has a psychological aspect to it too - you are taking control of the way you look, you are calling the shots, which can feel empowering when moving on from a relationship that has ended.

Regardless of why you want to change the way you look, chat through all of the options available - sometimes you simply need a colour refresh, or brighter, bolder highlights than you are used to, to make your hair feel different enough. Building up a good relationship between client and stylist really pays off when you want a completely new look, as your stylist will be able to advise on what is manageable and offer alternative solutions too.

Any new look has to fit into your lifestyle, so I always talk to clients about the aftercare involved, whether that is a super-short crop that will need regular trims to keep it looking its best, or a switch from dark to peroxide blonde that may need frequent root touch-ups, or daily washing with a purple shampoo to keep the colour looking spot-on.

Face shape also plays a factor in finding a hairstyle that works best for you. If you have a square face shape a classic, close-cropped cut works well because it highlights a strong jawline.

For rounder faces - faces that tend to be equal in length as width - you want to give the impression of height, the aim is to visually give length to your face, so a quiff works well, or tall, spiky styles to balance things out. A short back and sides style will also help to elongate the face and ‘square up’ the jawline. Avoid the temptation to cut in a fringe though, which will only serve to shorten your face and make it look rounder.

Well-proportioned oblong face shapes pretty much have everything in balance, including cheekbones, jawline and chin, with a longer face shape. The challenge here is to make the most of the structure of the face, highlighting and enhancing shapes, so don’t choose a style that drags your face down, making it look longer than it is.

Any style makeover will generally mean switching up your styling products. If you are going for a new shade or highlights, use a shampoo and conditioner specifically for coloured hair, which will help maintain the colour. Factor in a weekly deep conditioning treatment too - a hair mask or leave-in conditioner - to help protect chemically-treated hair.

Regular trims are a must for any length of style and don’t be shy about asking your stylist for tips on what product might help hold your new style or how best to use them - we are pretty experienced in this kind of thing and happy to help avoid any hair horror stories!