As a hairdresser I think of myself as a creative and everyone knows creatives don’t really enjoy asking for money in exchange of their skills. The other thing we really hate and just can’t get our head around is selling products.
When Steve and I opened YOKE we kept our product offering minimal for a few reasons a) We didn’t want to bombard the team with a plethora of complicated products. b) We only use L’Oreal professional colour so we know that L’Oreal Professional products are designed to work in harmony with our colours and maintain them. c) We are a salon, not a shop!
So although none of us at YOKE do ‘the hard sale’ with any of products we do think it’s park of our job to recommend products that will help you maintain the condition, colour and style of your hair at home.
There are so many factors that need to be considered when you colour your hair if you want the colour to last, stay true and for your hair not to feel like shit. Obviously going to a qualified, educated colourist that will take the time to achieve or work towards your dream shade is the biggest factor. However the products that are used to colour hair obviously matter greatly – is someone is using a crappy cheap bleach powder from Sally’s then the difference will be huge to someone using a luxury brand with decades of science behind! The other major factor is how you look after your hair at home, post service and pre any other colour service.
So here’s my ‘hard sell’ if you want your hair to be amazing, after your service do you research and use a good shampoo, conditioner, treatments and styling products at home!
And here’s why…
Cheap products are filled to the brim with shit and one of the nastiest ingredient in the haircare world is silicone…
“Silicone is almost like rubber and/or plastic. It is used as a sealant against water and even air. It is not a natural ingredient, and its side effects are bad for our hair. It gives the hair the illusion of shine, but it is not the shine we want—it is a fake shine from the plastic. The shine we want is when the cuticle layer is sealed and light reflects off the hair. This only happens when hair is properly hydrated and kept as healthy as possible.
“Silicone will weigh the hair down, making it limp, lifeless, and, with time, very dull. It prevents moisture from penetrating the hair shaft and becomes like a magnet for dirt and other ingredients. So in essence, we get a good shine for a couple of days, but over time it will attract more buildup on the hair. With time it will dry the hair out because it won’t allow in the conditioner and it ends up sitting on the surface. Due to lack of moisture, the hair will become very brittle and could lead to frizz and breakage.” —Shai Amiel, Celebrity Hairstylist & Owner, CAPELLA Salon
The other huge effect of this is that this barrier caused by the silicone also acts as a barrier against colour!!!!! So we often see that we try to colour air heavy in silicone and the colour will not penetrate or simply won’t give the true results. We often see a build up so heavy that we can literally scrap the silicone from the hair with scissors – see our recent Facebook video!
So enough of the lecture but as with everything in life – you get what you pay for and if somethings that cheap there is most defo a reason for it! If you want more advice please chat to any of us at YOKE and we will be happy to help.
Jo x
