Here’s a round-up of beauty treatments, from the ultra-luxurious to those found in your pantry
Simon Taha is a Lebanese hair stylist who began his career at the age of 17. He ran his own salon in Lebanon for 8 years before moving to Dubai to work at Robert Alexander, a chain of successful salons serving a niche client. He now heads the The Robert Alexander salon in Pakistan at the Nishat Hotel.
THE SALON VS HOME HAIR SURVIVAL GUIDE
With winter melting away into pleasant spring days, it isn’t just your wardrobe that will be requiring a seasonal update. Winter being the time of festivities, your hair probably went through hell teased, curled and ironed to every inch of its life. While that ensured you looked your very best when you attended the whirlwind of social events that December and January bring with them, it also means that your poor locks need some serious TLC to recover from the stress you’ve been putting them through.
Salons provide a variety of treatments to choose from when it comes to repairing damaged hair and while these will do your hair a lot of good, the best place to start is at home. If you spend a few minutes extra each day incorporating some easy hair-care steps into your beauty routine, chances are you won’t need to dole out big bucks for expensive salon treatments. That said, we definitely recommend a splurge once in a while to pamper those tresses.
Here’s a round-up of beauty treatments, from the ultra-luxurious to those found in your pantry, that will give your locks that much-needed boost.
Salon: HIGH PRICED LUXURY
What do Brooke Shields, Gisele Bundchen and Brooke Shields have in common? Other than the fact that all three have been blessed with beautiful locks that are the envy of women across the globe it is that they all share a love for the luxury hair-care brand Kerastase.
The brand is favoured by the world’s best salons and is now available in Pakistan as well. The Robert Alexander salon is the flagship Kerastase salon in the country and Simon is the only stylist who is currently offering its high-end caviar treatment.
Caviar doesn’t only taste good it’s chock-full of nutrients that are beneficial for the skin as well as the hair. A caviar hair treatment will hydrate the scalp and leave your hair feeling soft and looking shiny. At 10k per session, this is a treatment not for the faint-hearted but the effects are likely to last for up to eight weeks.
If you’re looking for something a little more wallet-friendly, Kerastase has a range of other, equally luxurious hair treatments for a variety of hair conditions. Simon is particularly fond of the Kerastase Elixir Ultime that helps nourish weak and neglected hair.
No matter which salon you frequent or which hair care label you opt for, you need to be vigilant about the stuff that’s being put in your hair. "Try and opt for products that are free of ammonia or have very little of it, because the effects of the chemical can be very harmful to the hair in the long run," says Simon.
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Designer Shehla Chatoor has expressed a fondness for Kerastase revitalizing hair masks.
HOME: REMEDIES IN YOUR PANTRY
Simon recommends these five easy-to-follow tips that need to be part of your regular beauty routine to ensure a head full of healthy and luscious locks:1. Eat lots of fresh vegetables and fruits
2. Never sleep with wet hair, as it is more susceptible to breakage.
3. Use water that is free of chemicals to wash your hair.
4. Nourish your hair with good hair masks at least once a week to keep it conditioned and shiny. You can use store-brought masks or whip up a quick one in the kitchen using an egg, two tablespoons of olive oil and a squeeze of a lemon
5. Get a hair trim after every three months to keep your hair looking healthy.
Did you know that there is a host of everyday ingredients lying around in your pantry that have magical qualities when it comes to hair care? Here’s a look at the top two:
Honey: Honey is a natural humectant, which means that it attracts moisture. Hence organic honey makes an excellent mask for hair that’s dry and damaged. Mix honey with water or apple cider vinegar to allow it to spread easily before applying to hair.
Yogurt: Yogurt acts as a great natural conditioner for dry and damaged hair and helps gain and retain lost moisture. Coat hair with yogurt and wrap hair in a towel for 20 minutes before every bath time for two weeks and you will be rewarded with visibly healthy hair.