it ​Once you have tinted your hair and achieved the glorious hair color of your choice, there will come a time when most of you will have to face a tedious chore…the retouch.

After four to eight weeks of living with the new vibrant color, you probably have gotten used to and maybe even begun to think of it as your own natural shade. Then there it is, down at your scalp, the telltale sign of darker hair or dull or gray hair threatening to make it known to the world that this new persona of yours is not the original. Now you have to entertain the idea of doing it all again.

Since the first one half to one inch of your hair is un-tinted, you can't treat it the same as the tinted hair. If you apply the hair color to the entire length of hair, it can result in uneven color tone and dry, damaged hair. Instead, it is best to perform what we call the “retouch” This is not as easy as the original application but it is rewarding when it comes to the condition of your hair and the evenness of hair color. Following theses instructions will save you time and trouble.

Prepare:
Gather everything you will need.

1. An old shirt for you to wear.
2. An old sheet or some old towels to spread out on the floor. This
   is important since one stray drop of hair color can give you
   a lasting reminder of this session.
3. Plastic or rubber gloves. These usually come in your packaged
   hair color kit.
4. Clips; four to six of either the long “duck bill” kind or the
   “jaws” variety. You can find these in your local variety store.
5. Kitchen timer or a clock that is easy to keep an eye on.

Proceed:

• Divide your hair into four or five sections. If possible control all the hair in each section with a clip, with no ends dangling.
  
• Put on your gloves and mix your color in the applicator bottle provided in the hair color kit.
• Take down one section of your hair. Using the tip of the applicator bottle divide off a thin slice of hair at the top of the section and place a thin ribbon of hair color along the new growth area. With a gloved finger or thumb “moosh” the color into the hair being careful to spread it only on the new growth. Clip this slice of hair up out of the way and divide off another slice.
• Continue in this way throughout each section of hair until you have successfully applied hair color to all of the new growth area.
• Follow the manufacturer’s instructions in timing. If you have
  resistant or hard to color hair, –sometimes gray hair is resistant—covering it loosely with a plastic bag while processing is helpful.

For faded ends:

• Add a small amount of shampoo or conditioner to your left-over color.
  Wait until the last five minutes of the processing time and apply this mixture to the rest of your hair. This is to refresh the color and is not a necessary step.
• When the timing is complete, shampoo and follow up with a good quality conditioner to preserve the health of your hair.

 

​Are you overwhelmed? Watching too much of the News?  The stress of life causes you become tense and even your scalp becomes tight. That tight scalp inhibits circulation and hinders healthy hair growth.

For years hairdressers have known the best way to relieve stress and to relax the scalp. That’s why every salon visit starts with a shampoo and thorough head massage. This massage increases circulation, stimulates nerve endings, frees knots of muscle tension, relaxes connective tissue and feels great. Professionals are trained in the pattern of manipulation for the most beneficial massage, however it is a simple process to perform on yourself with almost the same relaxing and healthful results.

Using the following technique will get you started on taking better care of your scalp. You can create a massage lotion yourself by using a moisturizing conditioner and adding a few drops of essential oil. Try using lavender oil, chamomile or jasmine for anxiety and stress relief, or use grapefruit to uplift the spirits. Be aware that the essential oils are too strong to be used alone so be sure to mix them with the conditioner.

Rinse your hair with warm water, and then wrap the hair in a warm towel to remove about 50% of the water. Remove the towel, loosen the hair, and apply a massage lotion. 
​
All of the manipulations will be performed with the pads of fingers and under the hair. Use slow, steady movements for enhanced relaxation or vigorous massage for more energy.

Begin by placing both hands at each side of the back of the head, fingers pointed up. Slide the fingers firmly upward until they meet at the top at the head.

Next, repeat the movement, except move the fingers in one-inch rotations as they slide towards the top. Repeat this several times.

Now, place your hands in the front, palms on the forehead, fingers toward the top of the head and repeat the rotating motion while sliding the fingers toward the crown. Repeat this motion several times.

Next, place the fingertips at the sides of the head just above the ears. Use the same circular motion as you move your fingers toward the top of the head. Repeat several times.

Finally, place the fingertips at the temples and massage in slow circular movements.

Finish by firmly running the fingers of both hands from the front hairline to the back. Repeat this several times.

Remove the oils with a gentle shampoo.  Follow with a conditioner to leave both scalp and hair in top condition.
There is no need to wait for a trip to the hair salon for all the therapeutic benefits of a wonderful scalp massage. All you have to do is spend a little time pampering yourself.

​It seems so simple – just cut a straight line on straight hair. Right?
No. Cutting your little girl’s hair or your own hair can be quite a challenge.
Looking closely, you may notice that a person’s head is not made up of straight lines. All of the areas are curved. Cutting straight lines in hair may result in an  un-natural un-even appear appearance.

Trimming bangs: You may call this section the fringe.
Comb all of the long hair – the hair that you do not want to cut – back and clip it out of the way. We do this to avoid cutting hair that is not meant to be part of the bangs. Cutting a few long hairs, by accident, each time you trim bangs, can eventually result in more bangs than you want.

• Divide the bang area into two or three sections. You will cut each section separately. Judge the amount of hair in each section on whether you can see through it. It must be that thin.

 

• You may want to begin the bang area at the eyebrows and angle down slightly from the end of the eyebrow to the hairline so that the effect is curved. Bring down the next section and trim it even with the first. Don’t lift the hair and the shears away from the head. Keep your fingers and the shears close to the forehead.

 

• When all the sections are trimmed, I like to comb all of the bang section straight up and together at the center, allowing shorter hairs to fall away. You will see that there are longer hairs in the center. I trim the longer (keeping it thin) area straight off, thus creating a very slight layering, taking away the blunt effect. Start with a very small amount, not more than ¼ inch. You can always cut more.

The result is natural looking bangs with a soft, not blunt, edge.


The end trim.

• Divide the entire back of her hair into sections. Try to keep your partings even as they go around the curve of the head. If you have a wavy line, straighten it out. Each section should be thin enough to see through. Trying to cut through a section that is too thick will result in uneven ends or a very blunt effect.
• Comb each section smooth and trim the hair, keeping your hands and shears very close to the back, making sure not to lift the hair up to trim it.
• Bring down each section and trim it to match the previous section.
• If you want the hair to cup under slightly, tip the chin down to the chest. Comb hair down smoothly and trim. Again, holding the shears very close to the body. This will cause the hair underneath to be slightly shorter than the hair on top.

Nervous? Start your haircutting career by trimming a small amount at first. It is safer than attempting a major style change. Save that until you are an experienced “pro.”