The Secret to Loving Your Hair

I want you to love your hair!  Most of us unfortunately, do not.  Growing up I had hair that was unmanageable, unruly and I was constantly searching for the perfect product, the perfect stylist or for a rubber band to just tie it up when I had given up.  I’ve finally learned the secret to good hair…and I’m here to share it with you and the rest of the Carmel Valley San Diego community.

The secret is to love yourself first, then address your tresses with lifestyle changes like eating foods that support healthy hair and using products to maintain it.

Healthy hair equals happy hair, so lets go over some hair techniques, remedies at home and treatments in the salon that will help guide you back to loving your hair.

Goals

First, set goals.  Think about your desired cut, color, length and shape.  Set your goals in time frames, short term and long term.  Bring pictures to your stylist to give her visuals of what you like.  She will map out a customized cut based on this picture to suit your features.

One hot trend is “The Lob” a long bob that can be worn by many face shapes, is sexy, understated and manageable.  When looking at these pictures, don’t focus on the celebrity or the face of the model when looking at the hair.  Really look at that hair.  Now, have the stylist examine your face shape, bone structure and hair texture.  What features do you like about your face?  Do you love your cheekbones?  Do you have gorgeous eyes?  Use your haircut to enhance the features you have that make you feel pretty.

Healthy Hair

• Here are my top 10 foods for great hair that can easy be found anywhere in Carmel Valley: avocado, spinach, beans, Brazil nuts, chicken, oysters, carrots, yogurt, whole grains, and salmon.
• Investing in professional products is also very important.  Think about it- if you are already investing your hard earned money on hair color, why use cheap grocery store shampoos that will only strip that color out with harsh ingredients?!  Be wise about the products you use daily, and don’t be fooled by clever marketing.  I love the “It’s a 10” line, as the products all heal your hair as they aid in styling.
• A good mask once a week is recommended, and always treat damage first and then address the dehydration.  Another great treatment line is Awapuhi by Paul Mitchell.  It helps prevent color from fading, creates shine and deeply conditions damaged and thirsty hair.  The Awapuhi professional conditioning treatment can be done in salons and is a great natural monthly alternative to a 3 month Keratin smoothing treatment.

Color

Color is a fun way to change your look, but remember color only looks it’s best when your hair’s integrity is in tact.

Balayage is my favorite color technique that guests love whether they are blonde, brunette or red heads!  My brunettes especially are loving the dimension, and can feel confident playing with color by choosing the tones, and how bold they want to be with it.  By simple movement or standing in the sun, you see pops of color that either are woven throughout the hair or peeking out from underneath.  It can be as close to one shade of a difference or many.  The options are endless in this highly coveted French technique that involves delicately hand painting a customized color palette for the client.

When choosing your color, ask your stylist to really create a cut that enhances your color.  This could mean updating your layers, or blending old highlights to go with your “Lob.”  If you get those sun kissed highlights that look like you spent the summer at The Hamptons, don’t fight your natural texture if you have gorgeous wavy hair!  Don’t be a slave to the flat iron when you can let those long layers flow with that sun kissed hair.  Angles and layers won’t allow your color to look it’s best if they aren’t harmoniously and intentionally customized to you!

Be excited to start the new year with an updated version of you!  Love what you have and enhance it.  The relationship we have with our hair is emotional.  We find true confidence in ourselves and perform our best at work, and also in relationships with others when we feel we look our best.  Tend to your hair like a garden, treat it well, and feed it!  Your hair will thank you, and you will definitely finally love your hair!

Meghan Carraher

Meghan Carraher is a passionate Sassoonhair stylist and colorist at Salona Mar Salon, a quaint boutique hair studio in Solana Beach, CA. In the fashion side of hair, Meghan has worked under world renknown Wella hairstylists in Los Angeles, bringing San Diego a taste of the celebrity treatment and trends yet in a comfortable and peaceful spa like salon. Her professional highlights include working the Emmy’s, Oscars, Grammy’s and Golden Globes, as well as leading ad campaigns for national brands including Charlotte Russe. Meghan uses her 10 year esthetician background to create a relaxing and unique hair experience, including hand/arm massages during color processes, options for facials/peel ad ons and waxing. Meghan prides herself on a perfect blow-dry that lasts for days, and amongst her peers is considered the Blow-out Queen!