GBA Lifestyle News
The Loop x Kenji Tse (Alchemy Boutique Hair Salon)
Your unmanageable mane driving you up the wall? Seasoned stylist Kenji Tse, who currently works at Alchemy boutique hair salon, has these tips to get you sorted.
How often should you wash your hair? There’s no magic formula out there, but every other day is a perfectly good frequency for a hairwash (unless you’re one of these people). This is when you can keep your hair at its ideal texture, cleanliness and moisture level. For the rest of us sticky, active city dwellers living in the hot and humid concrete jungle, washing every day might be inevitable. To minimize the damage, keep the following rules in mind:
Oily hair types: Use a deep-clean shampoo three to four days a week to remove the excess grease from hair. But don’t overdo it! Use a normal shampoo for the rest of the week. Balance it out with a moisturizing conditioner, but only apply to the ends of hair instead of to the roots.
Dry hair types: Use a moisturizing shampoo, and top off with an oil- or cream-based hair care treatment rather than a regular conditioner.
Remember: Massage your hair and roots firmly with your fingers while working in the shampoo. This not only feels good, but ensures the shampoo will come in contact with all your strands. Also, don’t rinse the shampoo or conditioner immediately — leave everything in for a few minutes for maximum efficacy. Use your fingers to comb through your hair in the meantime: they work better than most brushes.
Dry your hair on a regular basis? Before you do, apply a hair oil on the most vulnerable parts of your hair: the ends. This will prevent the harshness of the heat from penetrating through.
Your hair looking like a lifeless lump in the morning? Pour some saline solution in a spray bottle, and give the top of your mane a few spritzes before you walk out the door. This will add some natural shine to your locks. You can also spritz your hair with saline solution before blowdrying, for a similar effect.
What is it that makes our hair extra smooth and shiny every time we go for a trim? It certainly doesn’t hurt to learn from the pros — and the pros use products with serious street cred. Two haircare brands that have been trusted by hair salons all over the world: Nioxin and Kerastase — which you can find at select salons and hair specialty shops around the city. Or just ask your stylist next time you pay a visit, and get them to recommend a brand or a specific product that will work with your hair.
Time for your next hair appointment? Here’s a special just for The Loop readers:
Written by The Loop for Kenji Tse (Alchemy Boutique Hair Salon).
