THE BLUNT BOB

Snip snip...

You either love them, or you hate them.

I say 2022 has been the year of change...

The idea of chopping off almost all of your hair can be terrifying. Not only is a blunt bob super chic, but it's also a super low-maintenance and versatile style that will elevate your look.

Fashionable and sophisticated, this style works to emphasise the cheekbones and jaw. Plus, it’s oh-so-versatile!

A blunt cut is a great way to add some definition to your ‘do. This style is especially perfect for reviving dry, damaged hair. And without layers to hide behind, the focus is put on the stunning fullness of your locks.

If you're tempted to try the trend.

A regular cut every 6 to 8 weeks to maintain the shape and blunt edges is what will keep the bob in its best blunt shapely cut. The best part about the blunt bob is that it suits many face shapes. Your hair will look healthy and that’s because you are always cutting them bluntly. They can be worn curly or straight, it doesn’t matter. But if you are going to try out the blunt bob you will end up with a style that is stronger and healthier than ever before.

Thank me later. :)

Let's talk about silicone in hair products...

Let’s Start With The Basics

What is silicone and what does it do you might ask? Without getting too sciency, Silicone is almost like a rubber or plastic, it is essentially acting as a sealant against both water and air and prevents moisture from penetrating the hair shaft. In general, silicones are incredibly hydrophobic, meaning they essentially “waterproof” the hair and do not wash out easily. Ever had a blow-dry at a salon or blow dried it yourself and noticed your hair become noticeably smokey, this is effectively the silicones heating up, and burning off the hair – EEK! Basically, silicones act as FaceTune for damaged, dry, or blah hair.

But too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. Though silicones are harmless, they do tend to build up on your hair, which can eventually leave your hair weighed down, limp, greasy looking and undefined, and impossible to style – something none of us want!

Silicone is used widely in high street haircare products to give a slippery, silky, frizz-free finish to hair, which is ideal for certain hair types. But if you’re curly and happy about it, silicone won’t suit you, as it weighs down waves, curls and coils to make them look neither one thing nor another. If your hair is fine, or straight and you want your bouncy blow dry to last… then silicone should be avoided.

Silicones are mainly added to hair products because they are cheap for companies to use, so your Shampoo and Conditioner are cheaper to buy. Silicones also make the hair feel TEMPORARILY (can’t stress this enough) great as well. Though these plasticy-polymers leave your mane looking shiny and sleek – this is an artificial shine caused by a layer of plastic that builds up on the hair. Silicone suffocates the hair and prevents any nutrients from penetrating the hair shaft. With time, our much-loved tresses will become dry and brittle, due to the lack of moisture which can lead to breakage, frizz and brittleness. If you are using leave-in oils, hair masks or other treatment-based products, chances are they aren’t really going to be working if you are using them alongside a silicone-based shampoo or conditioner. Hair that is dry and damaged can be left feeling and looking healthy and gives the hair a slippery-when-wet-feel which is perfect for detangling those unmanageable tresses we can all get from time to time. Another downside of silicone is that they can’t be washed out of the hair easily as they are not water soluble. Over time, the plasticy, rubbery molecules build up on the hair which is what we call “silicone build up.

Still think your supermarket shampoo will cut it?

Chances are if you have been using supermarket products over a long period time, your hairdresser will be unable to achieve that Instagram-worthy hair. - has no body or the blow dry won't last. Clarifying shampoo is great to get rid of any possible buildup (which also causes hair to fall flat), and follow with a light conditioner just on the ends if needed.

If your products say “silicone-free”

Top tip: Don’t believe everything you read on the label.

A lot of hair care products market themselves as “silicone-free” when they really mean they don’t contain any of the “bad” silicones.

To ensure your shampoo or conditioner is truly free from silicone, it’s best to look over the ingredients list.

Symptoms of silicone product build-up in hair

So what does silicone build-up look like and how do you know if you’re actually suffering from it? Below are tell tale signs:

• Oily roots but dry hair lengths. Build-up will feel slippery and weigh down your hair. This means that the sebum produced by your scalp has an easier way to travel down the lengths of your hair – which will lead to greasier hair. However, because silicones wrap around your hair shaft, this will prevent moisture to actually penetrate your tresses, which leads to dryness of the lengths from within. (You might also find yourself washing your hair more frequently to get rid of the excess oiliness, but excessive shampooing will also lead to extra dry hair!)

• Long-term hair dulling over time. As more build-up is created, less sebum has access to coat the hair from within. Without necessary amount of sebum on and in your strands, your natural hair shine will reduce and hair will look dull.

• Inability to hold its natural shape. As product accumulation increases, hair will be weighted down and look limp. This extra weight on your strands can make you lose the natural curl pattern of your hair.

• Breakage. As the hair dries out due to loss of moisture the hair shaft is weakened, it becomes more susceptible to snapping and breaking. Think about it as bending a dry tree branch vs fresh branch – the fresh will bend more, but dry branch will snap and break easier.

• Scalp irritation. The accumulation and clogged pores on your scalp can lead to redness and / or itchiness.

• Flakiness. Excess sebum on the scalp can lead to fungi growth as the sebum and dead skin cells have nowhere to go with the layer of product build-up, causing your scalp to dry and flake.

• Hair loss and thinning. As accumulation continues to get worse on scalp, the hair follicles almost become strangled to the point that the hair shaft is separated from the follicle and falls out. If leaving the pores unclogged, this can also prevent new hair growth.

Silicone Free Products that I have personally used on myself and on clients.

WELLA ELEMENTS

FORMULATED WITHOUT SULPHATES & SILICONES

This shampoo gently cleanses hair with a luxurious foaming experience, without stripping out hair moisture. It revives hair smoothness and shine for a healthy look and feel.

TRESemmé

The Pro Pure range is free of sulfates, parabens, and mineral oils to provide a worry-free wash experience that helps repair visible signs of hair damage. and it's been approved by the PETA

(People of the Ethical Treatment of Animals).

OLAPLEX

A high quality cleansing and conditioning routine means zero buildup + no sulphates that strip colour so you're left only with shine, softness and moisture.

LIVING PROOF

Eliminates frizz, blocks humidity, and adds shine for smoother, healthier-looking hair. Lightweight yet infused with enriching ingredients

OUI

Hydrating shampoo cleanses, fights frizz, hydrates  and revives shine for medium hair by using a fusion of keratin and kumquat extract, plus babassu and coconut oils. Follow with Medium Conditioner for best results.

KÉRASTASE

Infused with clever complexes it gently cleans hair without stripping it while proteins deliver a really nourishing treatment. Perfect for conditioning normal to slightly dry hair and protecting it from oxidation.

COCO&EVE

Cleansing and moisture boosting conditioning for shine, softness, smoothness & strength with no frizz or split ends. Free from drying sulphates, de-volumizing silicones & packed full of Balinese botanicals and powerful active ingredients plus infused with our iconic coconut & fig fragrance.

The C-Shape haircut...

The C-shape haircut has become super popular for many clients especially clients with hair on the thinner side.

The C-shape cut gets it’s name from the way its face-framing layers are cut into "c" shapes. The layers typically begin at the chin length and curve inward. It's a versatile style that works for practically anyone. The C-shape haircut works great on anyone with longer hair — especially people with thick hair — because it removes weight and bulk.

If you have short or fine hair, the cut gives hair texture and volume, and it actually has the ability to make hair look longer thanks to the way it falls.

How is a C-Shape Haircut Different From a V-Shape or U-Shape Cut?

All the alphabet-themed cut names can get a little confusing, so let me quickly break the most popular ones down for you. The C-shape haircut heavily affects face framing, whereas the V-shape cut is mainly sharp layering throughout the hair. U-shape is a rounded look with the longest hair in the middle and the sides sculpted shorter.

The C-shape cut is the addition of wispy bangs and face framing pieces. - Seamlessly connected which gives a sexy soft look.

What are the benefits of the C-shape haircut?

Besides all of the above, the main benefit of the U-shape haircut is that you can play around with the length, going as short as the shoulder blades to the mid back. It features face-framing layers, which lend dimension and stop hair looking limp.

Sleek, straight hair will also work well with the C-shape haircut, as will a bouncy blow-dry or you might be more of an air-dried hair person. You can still easily style this cut using a heat-free method.

How is this look achieved?

To achieve the look, the hair is “split down the middle of the head from the front to the nape of the neck, it is pulled forward on each side and vertically cut to create face-framing c-shape.-  It works great with a fringe, longer bangs and on hair where distinctive layers have already been cut. Internal layering are cut in underneath the top section of hair to accentuates the style, this instantly adds more volume and texture.

With any layered style it's best to get regular trims to maintain the style. I tend to recommend my clients to rebook every six to eight weeks, just to dust away any split ends.

Thanks for stopping by.

Noelle 💋