Top tips for lockdown hair from The Vegan Hairdresser

9 October 2020

15 years ago, Andrea Harvey, The Vegan Hairdresser, made a decision that would change the direction of her life and career forever. After finishing her training, Andrea went on a course at Vidal Sassoon’s in London. She started her first job in education working at The Joshua Galvin Academy in Bethnal Green.

Andrea Harvey

Andrea travelled to Dubai on a one year contract as Business Development Manager for a hair and beauty salon. When she returned to the UK, she met her husband and after 1 year together, they decided that being vegetarian was the right path for them. 13 years later, Andrea decided to go vegan.

In 2017, Andrea started working for a world renowned hair and make up Academy in Shoreditch as an educator and in 2018 was promoted to manager.

With the CEO of the academy wanting to change the business to a 100% cruelty free business Andrea could put the products in there that were ethically more attuned to her beliefs.

Whilst working at the academy, Andrea opened her own salon in Southend. Earth Vegan Salon was to be the first 100% vegan and cruelty free hair and beauty salon in Essex.

Earth salon is also adding ways that reduce its carbon footprint wherever possible. Currently, it has a water saving eco head on the back wash, reducing water use by around 40%. Hair is shampooed once or twice, depending on clients hair, then a leave in conditioner is used instead of a rinse out product, again reducing water usage. All the paint used as décor is VOC free and again, where possible, furnishing has been upcycled or reclaimed/recycled materials have been used.

So if you are not able to get to a salon, and your hair is stressing you out, what can you do to keep your locks looking their best without your hairdresser pulling their hair out trying to fix your mistakes? Andrea shares her top tips...

Always use the best products you can afford.

Look for products that are sulphate free….. Sulphate’s can fade colour, dry your hair and irate the scalp and if you have an itchy scalp, sulphates could make it worse. Always use a conditioner.

Conditioners will help keep your hair shiny and manageable. Use a light, spray, leave in conditioner if your hair is fine and tends to be oily, that way it won’t become oilier and will not be weighed down with product.

Use treatments if your hair is damaged

A restructuring treatment works differently to a conditioner which only works on the outside, the cuticle, of the hair.

A treatment will go into the hair and add moisture making dry, damaged, hair feel better and more manageable too. Use once a week between conditioners.

Box colours are not the one!

If you do not have any white hair, try to stick to a semi-permanent colour rather than a permanent. That way, if it turns out to be a colour you are not sure about, it can be easily removed.

If, and really only if you reach for a permanent box colour to cover your regrowth, only apply to the root area. Applying tint over tint will go darker. Also, tint will not lighten tint however it may go darker.

Remember that a dark or medium brown are very dark, in some cases, they look black!

Try to stay clear!

For something different, look out for Manic panic-available on Amazon.

Tint of Nature has a range of vegan and ethical colours.

STAY AWAY FROM THE BLEACH!

Bleach is one of the strongest chemicals used in a salon, and when used in experienced hairdressers hand, is safe, but without the know-how, it can leave you with very orange patchy results at best and at worse broken hair that is snapping away from your scalp.

Scruffy updos

If your roots become too much, scooping your hair up in to a scruffy updo can make your roots disguised and can look amazing.

Keep it clean.

There is nothing worse than dirty hair to make it feel horrible. If you need volume, spray a bit of dry shampoo at the roots to give some OMPH!

Cutting it fine

The last thing that you should do is attempt to cut your hair or your families, however if we are unable to visit a salon for 3 or 4 months, you may feel desperate.

So, some tips

Play at wearing your fringe in different ways. As it gets longer, sweep it to the side or use a clip to it into a quiff.
Play with styling products. Before reaching for the scissors, try gel or wax to create different looks.
If you must cave into the chop - use sharp scissors. Blunt, big kitchen scissors or tiny nail scissors will not give you a good, straight result.
With the fringe area, never cut past the hairline at the temples. This will create lines in the hair.
Be aware that hair is longer when wet - so if you cut your hair wet you could take too much off and the hair will become much shorter than you wanted….. Less is more!
Hairdressers and barbers make it look easy…. however creating a fade when you don’t know what your doing can end in tears! So, if your husband or son wants a cut, use a number 4 or longer all over. If you are feeling brave, go for a lower number attachment, say a 3, around the edges. Never go to high.

Remember, your hairdresser is not always able to correct your mistakes in one go and sometimes, when it comes to colour, it can take months to put right.

Try to enjoy your hair as it changes from your original style and colour, you never know, you may like what it grows into!

Always do an allergy test before colouring.

So with all this in mind and the not knowing how long it is going to be until we can be safely in the hand of our hairdresser….. try to be kind to your hair! Do not attempt anything drastic!