#theitguy

1. You can't just have any cut or colour you want.

Okay this one seems obvious to me now, but I never realised how important it is for your haircut to complement the shape of your face. A bob will just not work for some people, and it seems that lots of these people are wearing them anyway. I've actually started noticing that I critique people's hairstyles on the train, thinking about ways they could improve their styles. (I'm not too happy about this one though, since my train journey used to be so peaceful).

2. If you dry your hair before you apply hair product it makes everything so much easier - the hairdresser's weren't lying about this one!

I never dried my hair before I met Michael and since he showed me a few ways to quickly blast dry it and get the style in first, my time getting ready has been halved. No more standing there for 15 mins applying too much product and not knowing what it's going to look like until you get to work and it's dry!

3. Spread out the hair product evenly in the palms of your hand before applying to hair

They weren't lying about this one either - stops it all clumping in the front.

4. For guys: if you start applying the product from the back of your head, then the sides, then the front, and you only use a light pressure to get the product in the hair first, you don't end up with it all in the front and none in the back. 

Sometimes I still go front first when Michael's not watching...but it does look shit - kind of "There's something about Mary".

5. The more product you use, the heavier your hair gets. It's not easy to achieve the style you want when there's too much product.

I used to just add more product for more hold, but it actually made things worse.

6. Do not overwork your hair when styling it, unless you want to look like a Backstreet Boy.

Michael has this rule that if you are still fussing with your hair after 30 seconds then you need to stop and walk away. So I'm not sure if my hair looks any better but I don't stress about it anymore (a good haircut helps).

7. Wash twice!

You actually use less shampoo - I'm not kidding - give it a go!

8. I've developed a Hairdresser-Radar (sort of like gay-dar).

There's something about how hairdressers wear/style their hair - maybe it is all the different colours and crazy haircuts. Or even that they have that bit more of a professional finish. But my "hairdar" is pretty accurate.

9. Hair colour doesn't stink anymore.

Michael uses Ammonia-free colours and they don't smell at all. I can remember my Mum getting perms back in the day and the hair salons used to reek. I don't understand why any hairdressers would still want to work with Ammonia colours when the results from the L'Oreal INOA range are just as good.

10. A really good Balayage colour is not easy to do.

There is actually a lot to this colour technique and I now can see it isn't about needing your dark roots touched up. I also tend to spot some seriously bad balayage on the train now (black at the roots with a strong line in the hair where it turns to really blonde - not blended or anything). Again, my public transport life used to be so peaceful. 

Good Balayage that I like: Sarah Jessica Parker

  Awful Balayage: Actress/Singer/Model I don't know

Ok that's enough hair advice from the IT Guy - going to get cracking on some code! The new Shop is going to be up in March -  right after we get back from the Philippines so get excited because I think you'll all be really happy with the great deals on Products and Tools to do your hair at home!

Winston