With more time spent at home, salon appointments are postponed for at least a month — and likely longer. Roots are reappearing, ends are dry and styles that once held shape are starting to lose their polished edge.
It isn’t a major crisis since most of us aren’t meeting people in person beyond immediate family or the friendly checkout clerks. Still, we’re joining virtual meetings and catching our own faces more often on-screen. Watching your hair grow out or become messier each day can dampen your mood even if only you are noticing it.
“When we look good we feel good; it’s important for our emotional and mental well-being,” said Frenchie Bradley, a stylist and Regional Educator for BASIC Hair Care Systems who owns Frenchie at Salon Lofts in St. Petersburg. “We should do everything we can to feel better in this temporary normal. Every client should get some sort of care plan from their stylist or barber even when they aren’t seeing them regularly.”
DIY Haircare: Upkeep Matters
Rebecca Gregory, a stylist and vice president of education at Palm Harbor-based Simply Organic Beauty, says now is a period for upkeep, not radical changes.
“It’s a good moment to use color conditioners and tinted shampoos that stretch out the life of the color you already have,” she said. It’s worth spending a portion of the money saved from skipping salon visits to keep your hair looking its best, she added.
Gregory suggests these practical tips to help you through the coming weeks without stepping into a salon.
- Dust eye shadow over roots. It’s temporary — lasting a day — but won’t harm the hair.
- Switch your part so the areas with the most new, untreated growth are less visible.
- Arrange a video consultation with your stylist to plan a new look as bangs grow out or roots show more.
- Wear headwraps, headbands or turbans to conceal several inches of root regrowth from the hairline. These accessories were already gaining traction before this need arose. Etsy carries thousands of styles, colors and patterns starting at around $1 each.
- There are products designed to temporarily seal split ends and give the appearance of a fresh trim without scissors. Ask your stylist for a recommendation that will seal ends and nourish strands.
Bradley, whose clientele is primarily African-American, shares these additional recommendations.
- To prolong chemically relaxed hair: use moisturizing shampoos and rinse-out conditioners plus a leave-in, then detangle very gently.
- For shorter cuts, shape with a setting foam and wrap with a scarf to hold style until hair is fully dry. Air-drying or using a hooded dryer works well.
- You can use a blow dryer or curling iron, but avoid excessive heat — don’t hot-curl more than twice weekly or blow-dry on the highest setting. Too much heat can cause lasting harm.
- Root touch-up sprays, including products from well-known brands, are an easy temporary solution. Unlike permanent dyes, these sprays can be matched to your shade and wash out with shampoo without causing long-term change.
- Natural-textured hair needs products that maintain hydration and moisture.
- Now is a great time for a “shampoo and go” or a two-strand twist set. You can keep it in the first week and then twist and fluff during the second week. It’s a low- to no-maintenance style.
- If you’re wearing protective styles like wigs, custom hairpieces or extensions, use products that care for both hair and scalp. You can have wigs serviced by a stylist to freshen them or craft a new look. If you’ve been curious about wigs, this is a suitable time to experiment.
- She advises against cutting your own hair but, if necessary, trim in half-inch increments. It’s safer to cut too little than too much.
- Men can use clippers or a razor to keep edges neat while the rest of the hair grows out, preserving a sharp appearance.
- Guys with facial hair should consider a nourishing beard wash that cares for both hair and the skin beneath.
Don’t Attempt Major Chemical Changes
Both Bradley and Gregory warn against attempting over-the-counter chemical treatments to color or relax hair at home, since mistakes can be costly to fix later.
“If you botch it, how do you correct it when you can’t see a professional?” Bradley warned. “You could be stuck with blonde ends and orange roots for a while.”
Gregory added: “Layering chemical services can make color turn out like shoe polish.”
Stylists formulate personalized colors for each client, taking into account which chemical mixes are best for that particular hair. Box dyes can be far too harsh for some, resulting in unwanted effects.
“When this (staying at home) ends and you need a color correction it’s almost like starting from scratch. We may have to perform multiple processes to lift the new color that bonded to the old. If we then have to do a full head of foils to correct it, that’s going to be pricier. It’s like putting the wrong fuel in your car to save money now and later needing a full engine repair,” Gregory explained.
Contact Your Stylist for Products and Guidance
Even with salons shuttered, stylists can safely drop off products like shampoos, conditioners and maintenance styling items to your home.
Simply Organic and BASIC Hair Care are encouraging their stylists to enable clients to order products through the stylist’s access code. The products ship straight to your door and the stylist earns a commission.
Many stylists are also offering video calls to walk clients through styling or product application. Buying professional-grade products from your stylist with some of the money saved by not getting in-person services helps both you and your stylist.
“It supports our network of licensed hair care professionals,” Bradley noted, “while helping you look good and feel better.”
For extra self-care while you’re home, consider making your own pampering items like diy bath bombs or refreshing homemade treatments such as diy face masks to complement your hair routine.
