Y's Words

OUR TOP 10 SUPER FOODS FOR THINNING HAIR, HAIR LOSS & HAIR STRENGTH.

If you crave a head of thicker fuller hair or are worried about hair thinning then its crucial to pay attention to your diet. ‘YOU ARE WHAT YOU EAT!’ By eating the correct foods with a balanced diet you can eat your way to fitter,stronger, longer thicker hair!  In this the first of our series of the best foods to eat for hair health we are going to be giving you low down on what foods you can eat to tackle various hair problems like hair loss, breakage,lack lusture, dandruff and greasy hair.

Your hair is a reflection of whats going on with your inside health and each strand is made up cells that contain a protein called KERATIN which needs to be nourished inside and out constantly with minerals and vitamins. What better time to start to use the power of plants, as it helps the planet too and as we say here at Y salon “Healthy Hair, Healthy Planet!”.  You’ll find a few recipes that you can follow to make packing those essential foods into your daily routine.

So lets begin with our top ten superfood countdown to thicker fuller hair.  

1) Citrus Fruits - provides your daily dose of Vitamin C - strengthens hair shaft  and hair follicle preventing breakage

Did you know that Grapefruit packs a more powerful punch than its other family members of oranges,lemons and limes ? Combined with honey this tart fruit will not only give you your daily does of vitamin C but also aid absorpbtion of iron and in the production of collagen which in turn helps capilllaries connect to the hair shaft ensuring hair growth.  

Quick breakfast tip: cut a grapefruit in half, drizzle with honey and sprinkle with cinnamon and place under the grill

2) Yellow Bell Pepper = Vitamin C

These yellow fruits have five and a half times more vitamin C than an orange  ( 341 milligrams in fact compared to 63 to its citrus sisters ) which is great news for your hair.  So if your not big into fruit add this to your salads or grill them or stuff them

3) Eggs = Protien

Your hair is made up of protein  and eggs are one of the richest sources of it. It’s the building block of everyones hair. Containing essential Biotin in the yolk which aids collagen renewal and hair growth. You will also find this in skin and hair  care ranges and  hair vitamin supplements like the ever popular SugarBears which is endorsed by the Kardashiens and look at their hair!

4) Spinach - Kale -Broccoli - all provide Iron

Rich in magnesium, vitamin A,C,K,E, calcium, folic acid, potassium,thiamin all of which improve blood quality as hair is fed from your blood supply it is essential to have healthy red blood cells and that they function properly. Deficiency of iron may lead to hair loss, thinning and breakage. Women are particularly low in iron especially during their monthly cycle and during pregnancy which is why some loose their hair after the birth. its the first sign of thinning hair in women under 50 so they need to aim for 18mg per day ovr 50 8mg. Spinach is the richest source and a superfood it should always be bought organically as it’s free from pesticides and in its purest form.

5) Avocado - Vitamin E, B5,B6,C,K

Aids blood circulation helping hair follicles work more efficiently promoting hair growth as it maintains ph levels. This super pear shaped fruit really packs a punch providing you with your daily allowance of vitamins together with small amounts of magnesium, copper,iron,zinc,phosphorous  all this from 100gm serving, Can be eaten in so many delcious ways.

6) Whole Grains - Biotin - Iron

These are essential if your suffering with serious hair loss. Rich in biotin, iron,zinc and b vitamins. Biotin is required for cell reproduction and is improtant part in amino acids which are required for the hair to grow.

7) Nuts and Seeds - Omega 3 - Fatty Acids - Biotin

Not a fan of eggs or whole grains for your biotin intake then nuts and seeds are your friendly alternative. Almonds and walnuts are the only nut to contain  omega 3, vitamin B and biotin just 6 halves of these a day are all you need to reep the benifits. Omega 3 and fatty acids nourish the hair  and support thickening whilst  supplying the essential fats promoting faster hair growth, your body cannot produce these healthy fats so its essential to add them to your daily diet. Flax, sunflower and chia seeds can all be sprinkled onto cereal or into smoothies. Tahini can be added to dishes or spread on toast its vegan friendly too!

8) Oysters - Zinc

They say its the food of love but its also the food of hair growth. Clams and oysters are among the highest food sources of zinc  just 3ozs gives you 4935 of your daily needs. Zinc deficiency can create hair loss and poor scalp conditions.

9) Papaya - prevents balding and boosts hair growth

This sweet fruit helps to strengthen the roots of the hair and boosts hair growth can be eaten or places in smoothies or used as a hair mask.

10) Sweet Potatoes  - Vitamin A - Beta Carotene

We all know carrots are full of beta carotene but who knew Sweet potatoes were to? For those of us who can’t eat or drink carrot juice  what better way to get your daily does than with sweet potatoes! Vitamin A is  required for the growth of every cell. It al helps to produce sebum oil which in turn keeps the roots healthy to boost hair growth.

Try to add these top 10 foods to your daily dietary routine and you will be reaping the rewards with a head of thicker, stronger, longer hair. in addition to these super foods try adding basil,sage, rosemary and st Johns wort these herbs are also known for their hair growth properties.

As well as working from the inside nurture your hair from the outside too by selecting products that contain some of these ingredients. Using paraben and sulphate free shampoos and conditioners will be beneficial to your hair and scalp creating a healthier environment for your hair to flourish. In salon we have the Kevin Murphy range Maxi, Angel,Plumping and Repair me wash all contain these active ingredients together with anti gravity and thick again finishing range.

Another little helper is Sugar Bear supplements these are favoured by celebrities Kylie Jenner, Khloe Kardashien and Vanessa Hudgens.These Tiffany - blue, gummy bear shaped vitamins not only taste great but are natural alternative containing essentials A, C, D,B6  folic acid and biotin they are cruelty free and suitable for vegetarians. A months supply is £32 and are available in salon.

My superfood cleansing hair growth Juice:

1 full pack of organic celery,                                                                                  1/2 cup of organic spinach                                                                                   1 pear                                                                                                                      an once of fresh ginger                                                                                            sprig of lemon grass                                                                                            half a lime

Pop this all in a juicer and watch this healthy green juice flow. Start with shot glass size twice a day then increase portion size to a 8oz tumbler. This tasty juice not only helps with hair growth but also cleanse the gut and liver too. You can add honey/yakon syrup to sweeten it up if needed and chia seeds too if you want to switch it to a smoothie add a  1/2 banana  and  plain yogurt, kefir or coconut milk                                                                                                                   

So Ayn Rand may not be the obvious choice for our feature on Inspirational Women but we are not about being obvious. We think she is just the perfect choice if you just take a second to read the quote “ The Question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me ? “. That in itself is such an empowering quote for women everywhere in the world. Because no one should stop you doing anything you dream to achieve. It should be a daily mantra. 

We wouldn’t have the vote for women if Emily Pankhurst had let people stop her.  

Now We are not saying you have to break the law but if you set your mind to achieving something no matter how big or small than may be you should truly not let anyone or anything stand in your way. 

So who is Ayn Rand ? she was a Russian - American novelist, philosopher, playwright and screenwriter ( oh yeah that’s another reason we love her she's a creative) she is best known for her two acclaimed novels. The Fountainhead and Atlas Shrugged, and for developing a philosophical system for living on earth she called Objectivisim distilled by her as the belief that  ‘man exists for his own sake that the pursuit of his own happiness is his highest moral purpose,that he must not sacrifice himself to others, nor sacrifice others to himself’. Powerful stuff from a women eh?

Now we would love to write about every inspirational woman out their but they are just so many past and present that we would have you sat at your computer reading for days and we don't want that we want you out their challenging the world for what is right as their is still so much do.  We have come along way  look at what we have accomplished in the last 100 years just think what we can achieve together in the next ? unlike our great ancestors we have the power of the internet to have our voice heard. International Womens Day is a fantastic platform to enable us to do this.  

Quite right Emma Watson - who is our second Inspirational lady. For one so young she is certainly wise  and the perfect choice for The UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. She’s come along way since she first hit our screens as Hermione in Harry Potter. Emma continues to speak out for women’s rights and equality

Audrey, Audrey, Audrey of course we had to have Audrey. We have so much to be thankful for with her she has inspiration from the top of her head to the tip of her toes. A British actress, a model, a dancer, and humanitarian, As a film and fashion Icon Hepburn was active during Hollywood’s Golden Age. During World War 2 she danced her way to make money for the Dutch resistance. So as you can see we couldn't just do one quote as they are so many so as she's our third choice and ranked as the third- greatest female screen legend we gave her three.

Michelle Obama first came to our attention as The First Lady, wife of the former President Barack Obama. As our 4th Inspiration she is so much more than that. Michelle attended Princeton University, graduating cum laude in 1985, she went on to earn a degree from Harvard Law school in 1988. Prior to her role as first lady she was a lawyer, Chicago city administrator and community - outreach worker. This is just one of the many great quotes she has given us.

Coco Chanel she's our fifth why? because she has the top 5 quotes of all time! Now! we are not going to tell you them all you can go look for yourself thats your homework. What can we say about Coco that already hasn't been said but we’ll say this she stood by what she believed in so thats why this quote is just perfect. To say she was ballsy is an understatement. Its a powerful thing to transform the way we dress. Flat shoes, elaborate costume jewellery, cardigan sweaters and ‘The Little Black Dress’ is still a statement is every girls wardrobe.

Now, we could go on and easily do 10 as we haven't mention Beyonce, Princess Dianna, Maya Angelou, Mother Teresa, Oprah Winfrey, Alice Walker so we will feature them over on our instagram, Facebook, pintrest and twitter over the coming days. All highlighted with Purple.  

So you have heard the hype and seen the celebrity endorsement.Love her or hate her Images of Kimmy K were everywhere when she suddenly went from the darkest shade of brunette to the whitest of blondes overnight right. And yes we all suddenly wanted to be platinum blonde and finally we could be with this all new what seems to be a miracle in a bottle. 

SO... WHAT EXACTLY IS OLAPLEX?

Its unlike any other type of conditioning treatment you have ever used. Instead of traditional treatments be their in-salon or bought from your local supermarket or pharmacy which tend to just coat the surface of the hair. Olaplex goes beneath the surface of the hair to the core and starts the rebuilding process from the inside out so actually repairing the structure of the hair rather than just sitting on the top of it. Creating incredible strength and shine.

HOW DOES OLAPLEX WORK?

Basically,when colouring our hair we are eating away at our hairs protein reserves, Put quite simply hair is made up of lots of connecting bonds a bit like rungs on a ladder, when we apply any chemical processes to the hair, not just colour it can be perming, straightening  or too much heat from say a straightening iron we break some of those rungs or bonds, the hair becomes weak, fragile and dehydrated because some of the protein has been gnawed away. Olaplex links these bonds together and protects them from further damage making hair stronger, smoother and shinier. the formula is added to your regular colour and then applied as normal its worth noting this is a 3 part treatment. Part 3 you will continue at home.

HOW WILL OLAPLEX BENEFIT YOUR HAIR?

As we said earlier Olaplex works by putting the bonds back together which means after just one treatment you will feel and see a noticeable difference to your hairs strength and appearance it will start to feel like your hair again. If your hair has split ends and breaks easily this is your miracle go to treatment, add a trim to your service for an even better effect.Your hair will feel softer and be easier to manage (no more hair tangled in the brush or left in the shower which can only be a good, no? )

  CAN OLAPLEX BE USED ON DARK HAIR?

It most definitely can its not exclusive to blonds only, it can be used on anyone who colours their hair from any colour to any colour! Remember Olaplex keeps the integrity of your hair enable you to colour your hair to any shade with less chemical damage.

CAN OLAPLEX BE USED AS A STAND ALONE TREATMENT?

If your hair is feeling damaged and weak and you want  seriously healthy strong hair,  OLAPLEX is perfect for a deep nourishing strengthening treatment anytime  perfect for when considering changing up your colour as a pre-strenghthening treatment, Sometimes depending on the damage its advisable to get the hair into a better state of repair to make the new colour take evenly.

WILL OLAPLEX REALLY MAKE MUCH DIFFERENCE TO MY HAIR COLOUR AND CONDITION?

All the images you are seeing in this blog post are actual clients who visit the salon so you can see the difference in both their colour and condition. None of these images have been enhanced or retouched in anyway they are as you see them taken before and after a single treatment in the salon on the day taken from our instagram posts.

HOW LONG DOES OLAPLEX TAKE TO APPLY?

As olaplex no1 is added into your colour mix it doesn't take any longer than your usual colour process, but allow 10-20 mins for part two of the stage depending on the level of damage. As a stand alone treatment again 10 - 20 mins is added to your normal blow dry or cut and blow dry service so you can fit it into a lunch time appointment.

HOW LONG WILL OLAPLEX LAST ?

Thats’s the beauty of it, it doesn’t wash out! its like the gift that keeps on giving as it  just continues to get better with every application. It stays in your hair until the next colour. Don’t go blonde without it.

CAN  OLAPLEX BE USED AT HOME?

It most certainly can! in fact we would strongly recommend it as the best way to improve your hairs condition and improve your future colour, if you apply NO.3 once a week it will keep you hair strong, healthy and best prepared for your next colour application which will give you even results less colour fade so colour will last longer.

 HOW MUCH WILL IT COST? 

The current rate of an olaplex application wether its a stand alone treatment or added to your colour service is £30 - £40. This depends on the colour service chosen as it is added at every step of the colour process. Please be aware the charge is exclusive to any other salon service which is why we always recommend a consultation  and a skin allergy test 48 hours before any colour services and so we all have a clear understanding of the process thats about to happen. Some colour services can take 4 hours plus so its good to be prepared as it will effect your end result. We want you to leave the salon with the colour you want and it may take more than one visit to achieve it.

For more information please contact us tel: 0191 2301010 and speak with our colour and olaplex experts 

With spring officially here thoughts turn to weddings and proms, although on a day like today gloomy, dull, miserable its hard to get focused on such plans, but as I sit here at my computer looking occasionally out my window and see the beautiful budding pink blooms on my cherry blossom tree then I can’t help but think of confettii and all the pomp and circumstance that comes with a wedding. Planning is the key to a stressful and trouble free wedding day and what better place to start than at the top with your hair!

Finding a wedding hairstyle can be a daunting task, as it not only has to compliment your dress, tiara and veil but it will be immortalised by your wedding photos for years to come. So, your secret weapon is to Plan,Plan, Plan. Whether it’s  a mass of tumbling curls or a sleek sophisticated updo you will want to look your ultimate best and the best way to do that is by seeking out your hairdresser early.

The dress has been found so now is the time to head off to the salon armed with some images a mood board is always a good idea that way they can see all your ideas in one place rather than scrolling through your phone. Remember to put a pic on their of your dress too and possible ideas for head wear be it fresh flowers, tiara, or a simple ribbon take all your ideas with you. Book in for an initial chat first to get a feel of the place and their ideas, once you feel confident then I would suggest a trail date don’t leave this too late in the preparations as you will need to book in haircuts, colours and treatments all prior to the big day. As a general rule of thumb I always advise my brides to go with a look that’s not too different from how they normally wear it but a better version of it after all it is your big day and you want to look and feel special. Stay clear of a look that you’ve never worn before so if you have never wear your hair up why do that on your special day you will only feel uncomfortable. Keep it simple is my golden rule.

You know the type - sleek, polished, super-bouncy. So heres the low down on how to get expensive  looking  hair every day without having a stylist on speed dial ..... CUT - MILLION DOLLAR HAIR IS ALL ABOUT LAYERS .... The most universally flattering length is mid length  with sliced through layers to create softness and sophistication that works for everyone.consider face shape and what are your best feature that you need to enhance! A long face needs a fringe to shorten it, a heart shaped face needs volume around shoulders and chin and less on top or it will exaggerate your face shape whilst around face suits choppy soft layers falling around it if hairs fine layers will make it look thicker. Ignore any myths stating you can't have long hair when you reach a certain age as it can look fabulous at any age the key is keep it soft and the layers act like a face lift lifting the whole face. Your stylist should be able to advise the look thats right for you no matter what your age.

TIPS TO TAKE TO THE SALON 1. Be realistic with the picture you show your stylist. make sure the hair is of similar texture to your own or the style won't work for you 2. Speak the stylist Language! Movement and body means VOLUME ! Ask for subtle layers without taking too much weight from the length 3. Specify the length you want your layers. Layers that are level with your mouth or longer accentuate the mouth and frame your face so are very flattering.

COLOUR - SO SILVER HAIR IS IN? WHO CARES GET THE COLOUR THATS RIGHT FOR YOU..... The colour that will suit you most will need to balance with your skin tone. creating a harmonious and flattering look. So if you have warm olive toned skin you will suit warm toned colours so honey browns, chocolate shades if your skin is yellowy toned then golden shades of marigold , amber and caramel. if skin is cooler then cool icy shades and ashen browns. You can check your skin tone by looking at your veins if they are green you are warm toned if blue then cool tones. Eyes are also good at helping detect your skin tone too. As you age your skin tone changes so don't be too hung up on what suited you at 23 as this may not suit you at 43 choosing the wrong shade can be harsh and ageing so take advice from colour specialists.  Start with gentler colours i.e.; a few high/low lights framing the face or a semi- permanent colour thats non committal. Always use a specific shampoo and conditioner for coloured hair  this will maintain salon fresh colour Kerastase Bain Chroma Captive or L’Oreal Pro Fiber. If visiting a salon for colour for the first time always have a skin sensitivity test