How to Care for Your Hair While Quarantined
All of us are missing our regular appointments to the salon for cuts and color during this crazy quarantine for COVID-19, and definitely rocking the “quarantine bun” that magically whisks unruly hair into something more polished. While we are trying to “flatten the curve” of Coronavirus during this scary time, I reached out to my stylist Bethany Marzullo, who has been cutting my hair for 8+ years. She is a hair genius, and though I don’t color my hair, her hand-painted balayage color is truly an artform. You can see her work on instagram here.
I interviewed Bethany for her expert opinion on how we should care for our cuts and color while we are waiting (not so patiently) for salons to re-open.
1. What treatments do you recommend to help with breakage and split ends?
“My favorite treatment is actually a leave in spray called 7 Seconds by UNITE. You spray it onto towel dried hair and not only does it detangle, but it also provides UV and heat protection. It can be used on all hair types without weighing the hair down. While products can help reduce split ends…nothing replaces a good trim. Aim for at least a “dusting” every 8 weeks for color treated and 12 weeks for non-color treated hair.”
2. How often do you recommend washing colored hair?
“If you can at all help it, try only washing it every other day, and anything less frequent is great! The more you wash, the more you stimulate the oil glands on the scalp and strip the natural oils from the mid length and ends of the hair. Another tip is to not equate lather with clean. The more it lathers, the better chances it is fading your hair color. In the day of dry shampoos, skipping a wash is rather easy!”
3. What are the best ways to cover roots that need a touchup while at home?
“I suggest using a colored root spray. You spray it on dry hair after styled directly onto the gray areas and it's a temporary fix until you wash it again. They usually come in a range of colors so its very easy to match. It buys you at least a couple weeks between hair color appointments.”
4. Is using box color in the meantime “worth it”?
“Sure, in the short term it may seem worth it, but once you do it enough, you will start to see bands of color from overlapping dye, and it will appear darker over time. It is a short term fix that causes a long term problem that a stylist will have to take care of. Your hair is the accessory that you do not take off. It is best to invest in a good colorist.”
5. What are some tips for hiding or embracing grays?
“Changing your part is an easy way to disguise them. Try a middle or deep side part opposite of where most of your gray is. If you want to embrace them, then do! Rocking your gray strands is becoming quite the statement of confidence!”
6. Which hot tools do you recommend for a beginner looking to make their hair look more polished?
“Investing in a good blow dryer can make the biggest difference. My go to is Babyliss Pro Portofino. Don’t forget to leave the nozzle on! This attachment on the blow dryer helps smooth strands by concentrating the air flow down. Also, a flat iron is a must to create a multitude of styles such as waves, curls, or straight. GHD (stands for Good Hair Day) is my absolute favorite flat iron. You can splurge on their new Platinum Plus GHD or they have a more cost effective model, their classic GHD.”
7. Who are some of your favorite accounts (YouTube or instagram) to follow for hair care or styling tips?
“Celebrity stylist Jen Atkin @jenatkinhair, Kristin Ess @kristin_ess, and Jenny Strebe @confessionsofahairstylist.”
8. any Favorite products you love?
“It all depends on the texture of the hair, not so much length. For hair that needs a boost, I love R + Co Dallas Shampoo and Conditioner, and Dallas Thickening Spray which thickens strands and adds texture.
For all hair types, I love R + Co High Dive which is a moisture and shine cream that can be used wet or dry to give deep hydration and reflective shine.
My two favorite drugstore products are Batiste which is a great, cheap dry shampoo. They even have them with hints of color to camouflage gray. The other is a Wet Brush which allows you to brush your hair wet while easily detangling. It is a game changer to blow dry with as well.
Also for putting your hair up, using an Invisabobble decreases chance of breakage and they stay in your hair without much slippage.”