If You Thought This Cuffing Season Was Dry... We Have News For You

Problem: During the dryer, winter months our hair lacks moisture.

Don't worry. We got you covered. Top winter hacks to keep your hair health intact throughout the holidays.

1. Avoid overusing clarifying shampoos.

Without a lot of scalp buildup, there isn’t a reason to use such a harsh washing agent. Instead, stick with a hydrating shampoo! Kevin Murphy's product "Hydrate.Me" is one that my clients love and it responds extremely well to dry hair. I recommend trying this product once a week on your hair! Tag me if you try it out! I'd love to see the results! *heart eyes*

Can't forget about my Curly Gang! I’ve been using Traci Ellis Ross’ line “Pattern” Intensive Conditioner on my own curls and can we just say: WOW!

2. I've said it once and I'll say it again: don't wash your hair every day, sis.

Dry shampoo is your best friend. My favorite and most popular of the Kevin Murphy line is "Doo.Over" Spray. This stuff does exactly what it says it will: It gives you a complete hairstyle do-over. If you’re looking for a powder-based dry shampoo, try "Bumble and Bumble" Prêt-à-Powder. Puff some of this on your roots and watch the oil immediately disappear.

3. Throw on a pre-shampoo oil treatment before washing.

More often than not, I find myself grabbing for organic coconut oil or Argon. Apply the product throughout your hair, letting it soak 15 - 20 minutes before washing it out. This will give your hair enough time to soak up the nutrients, without leaving an oily residue behind.

However, I’ve been loving Ecoslay’s “Hot Sauce” oil treatment for the scalp. Massage through the scalp and brush through the ends, cover your hair in a plastic cap to trap all the heat in. Follow with a glass of wine and then a hydrating shampoo and conditioner.

4. Invest in a humidifier.

This may seem extra, but hear me out: Indoor heating can cause the air in your home to be dry. As a result, you'll usually find that the winter months make your skin, lips, and hair dryer than normal. Not only is a humidifier great for breathing, but it can add the needed moisture to your hair and skin as well.

5. Washing your hair in cooler temps.

So, this sounds like a nightmare, I know. The very idea of washing your hair in cold water, matching the freezing temperatures outside - usually an immediate 'no' from me. However, to minimize hair breakage, being mindful of your shower temp can go a long way! On top of the already on-going battle of moisture, hot water can add an extra layer to that - making it even more difficult to stay on top of your hair dryness levels. Of course, the water doesn't have to be super cold, just lukewarm to make a difference. And, trust me, you'll notice a difference!

There you have it. My top favorite hacks for winter hair. Use these tips along with your everyday preventative actions to combat breakage: less heat-styling, no going outside with wet hair, using a satin pillowcase to sleep on, and less frequent hair washing. All these tips will have you rockin’ some luscious locks throughout the holidays (and beyond).

If you're in the Nashville area, let's get you a consultation booked and get started on your dream 2021 hair. Why wait until 2021 when you could leave 2020 like the knock-out you are?

Non-Nashville residents: I'd love to ship these items to you and break down the best routine for your hair type. Shoot us an email and we'll get that package ready for you or a friend! No better gift this season than one that is sure to increase your or your friend's confidence!

What are some ways you've been dealing with winter hair? Did you learn anything new in this blog? Tag us on IG! Let's hear your hair stories.

-Kat, Kbeauty Founder + Creator

Top 9 Ways to Stop Hair Breakage

Tired of those pesky split ends? Let’s talk break-ups… and how to get over them.

1. Buy a wet brush. Brush hair starting with ends and working your way up until tangles are out.

2. Toss cotton pillowcase & replace with satin. This reduces the friction that may occur while sleeping. Wrapping your hair in a satin cap is a great alternative as well, plus this can preserve your style!

3. Do not pull your hair back with a hair tie while your hair is wet. When your hair is wet, it’s in a weaker state, so having a hair tie tugging on it while it’s wet will cause breakage over time.

4. Using a heat protectant before applying heat to your hair (Psst. Our go-to is the Kevin Murphy Heat Defense) will preserve the integrity of your hair! Most heat protectants also help to prevent damage from outdoor elements. Shop here!

5. Using less heat if you’re noticing that your hair is breaking or has become weaker. There’s a lot of protective styles out there that can be beneficial to your hair health along with rockin’ a new do at the same time! Giving your hair a heat break will give your hair a chance to heal while you implement these other tips.

6 Practice changing your part so your hairline (home to your weakest hairs!) doesn’t have continued stress.

7. If you’re using a flat iron, be mindful to have the heat lower than 400 degrees. Personally, I like to stay in the 375 degree-390 degree range to play it safe. Also, be sure to only go over a section of hair 1 or two times. Any more than that will put major stress on your hair.

8. After washing your hair, do not vigorously dry your hair with a towel. Wrap a towel around your hair and scrunch up a few times to collect all the loose water. After that, do not rub the towel throughout your hair. That only welcomes a hair day of friction, frizz, and ongoing breakage!

9. Lastly, invest in a hair-bonding treatment. We recommend Olaplex! It will restore your hair's healthy appearance and texture by repairing damage and protecting hair structure. Shop the treatment here.

---

Single Mom Top 6 Must Haves

Is it even a surprise that being a mom means alone time is very limited? Being a single mom means your alone time is spread thinner than butter on a slice of bread (is that the right saying?)

My time to myself equates heavily to driving. I’m in my car 80% of the time it feels like - always on the go. So, most of my must-haves need to be things I can have in my car. There’s no doing makeup “before” the kids wake up because sleep is important. So how do I make sure I look like a human before work?

#1 Make-Up Bag.

My makeup bag needs to be small enough to not just be another item thrown around in my car, but big enough to fit my necessities. I can fit my foundation stick, brow pencil, tweezers, brushes, bronzer, a couple of lipsticks, mascara.

You may be a single mom but doesn’t mean you can’t look like a queen when you pull up to work.

#2 Ibuprofen.

You never know when a migraine is going to pop off so it’s best to be prepared. In mom world, you’ve got plenty of things that will prompt a headache, in the “single mom” world, with any sudden movements a throb can occur.

#3 Napkins, disinfectant wipes, baby wipes; anything you can wipe various messes up with.

This one is self-explanatory.

#4 Hair ties.

You never know when you have to pull her back and handles some hardcore mom shxt.

#5 Oils.

I’m an oily girl and I’ve got to have my lavender on me. This is a great stress reliever for all the mom stressors. I also love a good breather so sometimes you may find some eucalyptus oil on me, too.

#6 Snacks.

Hunger may strike at any given moment as you’re out and about. Saving time and money is very important to a mama so let’s not go wasting our hard earn cash on (funny snacks you can buy at fast food places). Not to mention, a hangry-mama is never good.

These here, will get you at least through a few hours of single mom-ing. I excluded a few items (a bottle of tequila) for obvious legal reasons. ✌🏼

Communication Skills Are Key.

Before I go too in-depth with this process, let’s go over some vocab words (there may or may not be a pop quiz at the end.) And then message me how impressed your stylist is next time you see them!

Descriptive Words:

Airy - Think of this as the opposite of heavy. If someone’s haircut or style is described as airy, it means that it’s not so perfectly placed, looks slightly undone but in a tasteful way, it is light and flowy as opposed to heavy and flat. 

Blunt - The lines created in the haircut are dramatic. The length is all sitting on the same line. 

Piecey- Can be similar to airy, but even more specific. you can see the separation in certain pieces of the hair, usually made with using product such as a paste or cream. 

Textured - When the hair holds more volume and doesn’t feel too soft or limp, usually has some type of curl pattern in its natural state. 

Polished - hair style that is sleek, usually a haircut that doesn’t hold many layers that separate the hair. 

Balayage - this word can be used in many different ways. The actual word just means “blended”. Therefore this is a technique of how natural you want your highlights to look. This does NOT describe a specific color. Balayage can range from a caramel brown to a platinum blonde. It only describes how you want the color/highlights to be placed in your hair, meaning a gradual blend from your roots to ends.

Rinse/Gloss/Toner - These terms are all used interchangeably. These all describe a service that is usually preformed at the shampoo bowl because of how fast they work but are susceptible to being put on at the chair based on stylists’ preference. A rinse or gloss usually darkens the hair that’s faded between services, usually leaving it with a shiny finish. This can also be colorless (clear) if you’re solely looking for shine. A toner describes the same service but is used to shift the tone in hair that has been prelightened or naturally lightened due to sun exposure or hair damage. 

Colors, explained:

When you sit down in a hairdresser’s chair, the first images that pop up in his or her head, are these 2 charts.

Sorry, not the beautiful Pinterest pic you brought with you; Although, that is definitely considered. 

These two charts tell us (your stylist) everything we need to know. The color chart lets us identify what level your current hair is and the level we are trying to achieve after your appointment. The color wheel will help us determine what tone of the level of color we need to use to achieve the color and, same as above, helps us to identify your current hair undertone. 

I won’t break it down too much because I wouldn’t want to spill a hair dresser’s secrets! But some of this knowledge is good for anyone to know to help promote clear communication between a stylist and their client:

If you are any shade of brown (levels 6 and under) the tones that your stylist will have to lift through to get you to that pretty bright blonde are - first red, then orange, then yellow. So what that means is the darker your hair color is, the warmer the undertones are. That is not a curse, that’s just a fact. Once we acknowledge facts, we can appreciate the process. So, depending on your desired color, assuming you’re trying to go lighter,  your stylist has to lift through all of those undertones, therefore the process may be more in depth and take more time. Your stylist will then use what ever toner necessary to get you to your desired color - whether it be something cool, because you’re wanting an icier or deeper look, or something neutral, to leave you with a more natural highlight. 

What to take from the color wheel: think of what color undertone you have and what undertone you’re trying to get to. 

For example: you have medium brown hair (level 5 or 6) and it is a bit warm, kind of an Auburn color. So that means your undertones are of orange or red. Look at the color wheel and see what’s the complement of orange or red. You’ll fin the complement of these two are blue and green. So this means if you mix the colors red and green together, it will neutralize, and then blue and red, same thing. That is what we want to happen with hair most of the time, is for the colors to neutralize so the unwanted tones can disappear. 

Your desired color is to be about the same color level (still 5 or 6) but less warm. You would use a color with the undertones of green or blue. So that would be like an ash brown in whatever color series with the option of a blue base or green base. Slap that baby on your hair and then boom, you’ve got a deeper color of the same level. 

I also always mention to clients who desire to be super blonde and super bright, that the icier we go, the darker it may look. That is, because icy equals blue undertones instead of yellow undertones which would be like a neutral tone. Applied at the same level, blue will always appear darker than yellow. That’s always something to consider. There are ways to work around that but I like to mention that to help people to understand those over filtered IG and Pinterest pictures may not look that bright and icy in real life. 

With this knowledge, hopefully your trip to your hairdresser can be a bit more informative and create easy communication now that you’ve done a bit a research.

Tell em Kat taught you ;)