The training cycle is tough on the body, and with successive workouts-and-showers, nothing takes a much of a gruelling battering as the hair. As such, and in direct response to several curious, hair-conscious reader enquiries over the years of scribing fitnessontoast.com, this post is fully dedicated to hair health. I may be a highly qualified professional when it comes to training and the likes of sports massage, but I’m only an enthusiastic amateur on matters pertaining to the hair. As such, I’ve done the heavy lifting for you, and picked the brain of multi-award-winning superstar hair artist Siobhan ‘Shivvy’ Jones for all the choicest pro-tips. Shivvy is a L’Oréal Professionnel teacher & Guest Artist, hair stylist on X Factor, Next Top Model, and artist to the likes of Little Mix, as well as being the Owner and Creative Director of Rose & Wild Hair, her delightful new studio in Fulham where we shot these pics! Those are some of her professional credentials, but beyond that, she enjoys heavyweight repute for setting the tone on color technique and trends in the fashion industry. If like me you wash your hair too frequently post-training, Shivvy’s insights will help you to find and get the perfect tone, products to use and much more! Read on…
Some biblical character once said ‘your hair is your crowning glory…’ – well, with Corinthians 11:15, I agree – a haircut can indeed totally transform the mood, poise, purpose, and even fortunes. I wanted to share some tips from my favorite hair ‘confident’ who has helped me not only achieve healthy and long hair but also managed the impossible – realising my dream tone.
I first met Shivvy before my wedding in 2015, when I had developed a quest-like obsession with achieving the perfect shade of blonde. [[ Shock alert, whilst I was born with stereotypical Swedish blonde hair, it darkens over time, so I have a little help once in a while!]] In the past I’d often gone to see a local hairdresser and come home with one ‘good’ tone of blonde, though the next time it would be a noticably different shade of blonde… there was such variety and inconsistency, sometimes I’d be happier than other times – but it really didn’t play on my mind too much.
Then like many other brides-to-be ahead of my own wedding (I’d like to think), I went a bit mental because suddenly I needed THE colour/tone to be just right ahead of immortalising it in the photos (see one such below)! I had seen a dozen or so hairdressers and at this point my hair was starting to break apart, because it was in unloved, brittle condition. Through sheer technical mastery, Shivvy achieved a miraculous result for me; she looked at my #pinspo board of hair color that I wanted, and hit the nail on the head first time, and every time since! Hallelujah!
I didn’t take this lightly (lol pun?) because prior to experiencing Siobhan I had tried 5 hairdressers (some incredibly costly) all promising they could fix my hair, and yet then didn’t. However, not only is this master the friendliest, loveliest woman but she listens and is honest. If I show her a hairspo picture, she’ll say up front, gently and respectfully, if something may be unachievable / different because of the intricacies pertaining to my hair are different – rather than telling me of the disappointment afterward. Shes also a magician when it comes to colour, truly elevating hair tones to a different existential plain. It’s the difference between buying a shop-bought croissant and one which is freshly made at the artisanal bakery in Paris. At first they look the same but on closer inspection they are simply incomparable. Her creations are perfection, so beautifully and elegant.
Here follow Shivvy’s responses to my questions around hair health, specifically from the angle of one who gyms regularly. I hope her insights help you in your quest for continued hair health.
1. What advice would you give to someone who trains regularly, sweats and therefore showers/washes their hair too frequently, c. 4-5x per week?
Washing your hair often can often lead to dry hair as you are constantly removing natural oils so ensure you are replacing these as often as possible.
Add the moisture to the areas that are most likely to not receive the natural moisture such as the ends of your hair .
Product-wise, Kerasrase masquintense is a great treatment that can nourish the ends of the hair after shampooing and they also have an elixir oil which can be placed in the hair before drying, after drying and also pre shampoo to nourish the hair before the cleansing.
Dry shampoos such as batiste are great alternative to shampooing everyday as it helps to remove and disguise natural oils
2. What are the best shampoos / conditioners for dry hair or greasy hair?
Kerastase is the most definitely the best range for all your hair needs as it’s prescriptive so any hair issue can be tackled . For dry hair I would recommend Bain satin. It comes in numbers 1-3 dependant on how dry your hair is .
For greasy roots my absolute favorite is Bain Divalent . Most shampoos for greasy roots can be incredibly drying on your hair however this one not only purifies the scalp it gently nourishes the lengths and ends
3. Are there any particular ingredients you should avoid when picking a shampoo/conditioner?
Sodium laurel sulphate or sodium laureate (detergents) create a lot of foam when shampooing so subconsciously it feels as if your hair is getting cleaner. In fact all that the detergents are doing is drying your hair out. Remember extra foam doesn’t mean it better or cleaner. The shampoos that foam less are more likely to be more caring for your hair whilst cleansing just as well!
4. I like an icey, cool blonde look; what are your best tips to achieve this?
To make sure hair is icy there are 3 major things to consider;
1) the hair needs to be lifted light enough. If it is only lifted to a gold or yellow it will always fade yellow.
2) once the hair has been lifted to the correct or ideal lightness then a color called a toner can be applied. Your colourist can create a bespoke toner dependant on the desired tone. There are different types of ash.
Some appear more white whilst others can appear more pearly or vanilla. Find your ideal blonde in a picture and ask your colourist to design the ideal tone for you.
3) When looking after your hair at home, tones of yellow can start to appear so using a purple toning shampoo and conditioner once a week can help to prevent this. My favorite is Kerastase blond absolu as it removes brassiness and yellow tone whilst still caring for your hair
5. What can you do to avoid the look of dry/split ends?
To tackle actual split ends the only thing really to remove the problem would be to trim them away. The more regularly you trim your hair the less you will need to cut and the better it will look. However to reduce the look of them, then a styling oil is going to be your best bet. This can be placed in your hair whilst you blow dry and used also to finish and seal dry hair. My favorite is Elixir Ultime – it’s hydrating for the hair but also seals the ends
6. What can you do if you’re washing your hair too often yet it looks greasy/oily/dirty quickly?
The more you wash your hair the quicker natural sebum will be produced so where possible try to get into the routine of washing your hair not quite so often. To help reduce the hair looking greasy and dirty avoid styling your hair smooth and embrace its natural textures. Textured powders like Loreal super dust are going to help remove oils whilst giving an Uber cool lived in texture to the hair
7. Any tips on how to retain your hair’s professional styling for a couple of days (and how do you avoid ruining it in bed)?
Silk pillows are great for reducing fluff and frizz when sleeping but encouraging movement and texture will always be your best bet and also will give the impression of more volume . Transitioning your hair each day will also be quite fun.
Day one – blow dry with bounce.
Day two – tong your hair.
Day three – add dry shampoo or texture dust ( Batiste or super dust ) and give your waves a lived in texture.
And day 4 – work a cool pin up do or undone pony . There are some great little videos on YouTube!
8. What is least harsh on the hair when styling – blow drying or straighteners?
Blowdrying can be the least harsh but that is only if it’s done properly.
I,e you always need to use heat protector – my favorite being the thermique range by Kerastase.
They have different types one for strengthening, one for hydrating and one for removing frizz.
Also only add a brush to the hair once it is over 85% dry because before that the hair is at its most fragile and can you can cause breakage by pulling the hair when wet.
However when straightening the GHD new range of stylers have ultra zone and predictive technology which means you only need to stroke them through your hair once to get great results rather than repeatedly passing through a hot iron over an over again and causing extreme damage.
9. Any tips for creating a professional blow dry look at home when getting ready for work in the morning and you have limited time? (Any special hairdryer/ hair dryer temperature etc)
Always use a professional hairdryer as the heat and speed will give you great, fast results.
I’m a big fan of the brand Parlux for value for money or if you are looking for something more high end then GHD professional hairdryers look flash and give an amazing finish.
10. You specialise in colour; for anyone who’s a bit unsure what to ask for, or maybe even what suits them, are there any tips how to figure that out what to go for?
If you look at the colours in your wardrobe it can generally give you a good indication on what colours you are drawn to which will often simulate what suits you.
I.e. if you wear a lot of coral, pink or mustard you are most probably more suited to warm shades where as if you find your wardrobe is filled with more grey, blue or purple then the cool route is most probably your thing!
11. What trends/styles do you predict are or become popular in 2019?
Experimental color is definitely a thing for 2019.
Due to the extreme amount of experimental color that we are exposed to via social media, it’s created a real buzz around it . This means people are a lot more open with color. This does not necessarily mean EVERYONE wants to be bold and bright, but it has opened people’s minds to be ready for change and open to playfulness. When people are more open it encourages a wider range of ideas and concepts and a less obvious one off trends you can pinpoint.
Stand outs for me however are play on tone – which is the use of playful hues such as coral, rose , blorange and pearl and Beautifully Blended color which is multi-tonal color that has a seamless transition. This is very similar to what I have created on your hair, Faya. It’s color where you can’t quite pinpoint where one color ends and another starts.
12. Rose and Wild is the most remarkable, cosy and comforting salon I’ve been to; what was the inspiration behind it?
I wanted to create a space that is more than just a salon but a feel good location .
A go-to happy place for clients and the colourists to enjoy also. To achieve this it meant I needed to create a space that was relaxed, lived-in and comfortable . When researching and flicking through millions of interior design pictures on Pinterest it was clear it needed a homely feel so I decided to create a kind of Instagramable living room that wasn’t afraid to be playful with color. I worked with an incredible designer Gillian smith and she helped to bring the dream alive.
Each area of the salon has a different color palette which means you partake in a kind of salon journey experience in each area you move from the consultation to the hair colouring stations and then the hair spa.
13. What made you decide to work in hair?
I originally trained in theater and decided to learn a skill that I could have to do in between auditions etc but I totally fell in love with the feeling you get when you make someone feel and look amazing each and every time you do their hair . A chef once said to me, you don’t know how lucky you are to be client facing and you constantly receive praise and thanks and it’s totally true. It’s like daily therapy haha
I now also have the added bonus of being creative and designing campaigns and sharing my knowledge internationally by educating colourists wishing to update their skills.
It really is a phenomenal diverse and interesting industry to work in.
14. You’re super inspiring – you manage to seemingly do the impossible – see clients, teach, travel, you recently got married – and meanwhile opening your own salon! How do you find the time and still have abundance of positive energy left over?
Time management and balance is what we are all seeking and and if I’m totally honest I always feel I could do it better, but I think what has worked best for me is to assign specific time and energy in what I’m doing at the moment and nothing else. I allow days for administrative things and that only and when I’m teaching or in salon I will be in the moment and focus my time on that and that only.
My phone can often cause distraction so I’ve learnt to put it in a different room or away in my bag if I’m doing something or with people that need my full attention and time ( my husband included)
Rose and Wild is a remarkable salon, from the moment you walk in and instantly feel relaxed. It’s like being cocooned in soft, pink tranquil macaroon. It’s fresh and clean but cosy, and is stunning but not pretentious, rather inviting and warm. If you’re seeking a color miracle too, here is your destination:
Rose & Wild Hair
61 New Kings Road
SW6 4SE
Happy monday. Faya x