About: soulhair

If you want to shake up your look, look no further than a bold colour update this season. From pastel shades to rich coppers and auburn, there’s a variety of different ways that you can add a unique edge to your look using hair colour. Read on to discover three ways to add bold colour to your hair…

All Over Colour Update

If you’re ready for a dramatic update, an all-over colour change might be the right way to go. If you do choose to go for a complete colour change, a consultation is a must to determine the results you can achieve, and the shades and tones that will suit you best.

Consider bold shades of copper and auburn for this season, or if you have light blonde hair an all-over pastel update will create a playful look that you can mix up quite easily should you want another change a little later down the line.

Balayage

Balayage presents a great way to experiment with colour, without having to completely change your look. For brunettes, balayage doesn’t have to mean brassy ends, and for blondes, white blonde ends aren’t the only option. Balayage is a fantastic method of introducing tonal layering to the hair and can deliver a variety of results depending on what you want to achieve.

Consider being creative when it comes to balayage. Pastels, brights, creamy blondes and copper tones are all options and provide a great way to mix up your look for the new season.

Face-Framing Highlights

Finally, if you just want a subtle update and want to keep your overall colour, try introducing some face-framing highlights in a bold shade. This could be a contrast to your current colour, such as honey blonde highlights for brunettes, or dirty blonde for ice white blondes. Alternatively, try introducing a colour, such as copper, rose gold or a pastel shade.

As you can see, there are lots of ways to mix up your look using colour. From a complete change to a subtle update, we can help you refresh your style for the season ahead. Get in touch to book your consultation now.

How shiny and healthy your hair depends as much on nutrition as it does on haircare. Eating well and ensuring you are well hydrated will help make your hair strong and healthy while choosing the right hair care will ensure your hair is manageable with a glossy shine. Here’s how to nourish your hair, including both haircare and nutrition tips…

Eating for Healthy Hair

A healthy and varied diet will go a long way towards helping the condition of your hair. Equally important is hydration. If you are regularly dehydrated, your hair will suffer too, becoming dry and brittle. Aim to drink at least 2 litres of water a day to ensure your hair is well hydrated.

When it comes to diet, these foods, in particular, are known to improve the condition of your hair and add a healthy shine the natural way:

• Eggs
• Berries
• Spinach
• Fish
• Avocados
• Sweet potatoes
• Nuts and seeds
• Beans

Try to include all of the above in your weekly diet where possible. After a couple of months of eating well, focusing on foods that are good for your hair, you will start to see the difference.

Haircare to Add a Healthy Shine

When it comes to hair care, it’s all about using the right products. While shampoos, conditioners and serums with artificial ingredients might add instant shine, they can cause damage to the hair, making it appear dry and causing split ends over time. Where possible, choose more natural products instead.

We love the Shampure shampoo by Aveeda which is 95% naturally derived and contains 25 pure flower and plant essences. This paired with the Brilliant Conditioner is the perfect combination to nourish your hair using natural ingredients.

To add an extra shine, try an Argan Oil or similar. Choose an oil made from natural ingredients, instead of artificial chemicals. This will ensure the hair has a glossy shine, without causing any potential future damage.

Other tips include avoiding washing your hair too often, brushing your hair every day to move the natural oils from the scalp down the length of the hair, and avoiding heat styling where possible. Just a few changes to your routine will help you achieve healthy and glossy hair for the long term.

If you’re yet to experiment with a shorter cut, it can be tricky to know what kind of style might suit you best. While short hair doesn’t suit absolutely everyone, for many there’s a cut that will bring out your features and be really flattering. If you’re considering a bold change with a pixie crop, bob or similar, read on to discover three short hairstyles to suit your face shape…

Heart-Shaped Face: Lots of Layering

Your face is heart-shaped if it’s narrower towards the chin. Those with heart-shaped faces tend to have wider cheekbones and a slightly pointed chin that is prominent from the jawline. If you have a heart-shaped face, the perfect short cut for you has lots of layers and a side-swept fringe.

A layered fringe will help balance your face shape, while a textured cut and style will soften your features. When it comes to styling your new shorter cut, try using a low heat setting on your hairdryer and rough drying your hair to add texture. Make sure your blow-dry your fringe in the direction that you want it to sit. Hold in place with a pomade to finish.

Oval Shaped Face: Blunt Bob

Oval shaped faces are well known for being able to pull off almost any style, but of course, there’s always a style that is more flattering. If you have an oval face, your proportions tend to be well balanced, with your forehead being as wide as your jawline. The most flattering shorter cut for those with an oval face shape is a blunt bob.

The perfect length for your face shape is in line with or just below your chin. As those with oval faces typically have soft features, you can go for an angular style with sharp edges. Try a few subtle layers in the length to add a bit of body, while keeping the edges blunt.

Round Face Shape: Pixie Cut

Your face shape is round if it is as wide as it is long. The pixie cut has long been popular, but there are few people that can actually pull it off. If your face shape is round, you have the perfect proportions for a pixie crop.

This cut is all about shorter sides with length and volume on the top, which flatters a round face by creating the illusion that it’s longer and therefore more of an oval shape. Go for a short pixie crop, as anything around chin-length will actually make your face look rounder.

If you’re not sure what shape your face is, try standing in front of a mirror and using a lipstick to draw around the outline of your face. Step back and the shape should be clear. If at all in doubt about what short cut will best suit you, get in touch and book a consultation to discuss your restyle further.

If you’re looking to update your style for the season ahead, look no further than the top hairstyles for men in 2019. With the short back and sides cut still going strong, 2019 provides a variety of refreshing updates and alternatives to choose from…

The Disconnected Undercut

The disconnected undercut creates an ideal balanced between long and short styles. With a short undercut to the sides, the top is kept longer to add volume and height. This style is flexible though, as the top can be cut as long or as short as you wish, although we recommend having at least a few inches of length on top. This cut looks great with a beard, as the sides can fade out into the facial hair for a neat finish.

The Low Fade

A low fade is a great option if you want to experiment with a fade. Increasing in length towards the top of the head, this subtle fade is on-trend yet still fairly traditional, making it a great versatile style.

The Caesar Cut

This indie style is named the Caesar because it’s said to replicate the cut of Julius Caesar himself. The hair is kept short, with a short horizontal fringe with a blunt edge. To update the look, try adding a fade to the sides.

The French Crop

Ideal if you want to maintain a bit of length and keep your hair swept across your forehead, the French crop is cut with a mid-short length and styled forward to create a messy sweeping short fringe. Best worn with lots of texture, this style has a slight rock and roll feel to it, while still being smart enough for your everyday lifestyle.

Messy Waves

If you’re lucky enough to have naturally wavy hair, embrace this for 2019. Made popular by the likes of the Game of Thrones character Jon Snow, wavy hair can be extremely flattering when grown out a little. Choose a length that’s manageable and suits your style, then just add a little texture to complete this look. As ever, if you are in doubt about your style and want to switch things up, book in for a consultation to discuss your look and what you want to achieve. We’re always happy to advise, and can help you find the best cut to suit your bone structure, personal style and lifestyle.

Flat hair can be a real burden and generally a frustration. There are a variety of reasons why your hair might look flat, from having naturally thin hair to having heavy hair that weighs your hair down on top, but there are solutions to the problem.

Hair with a little volume is typically more flattering. To achieve volume in your hair, try these five methods…

1. Blow Dry Upside Down

One of the easiest ways to get more volume into your hair is to blow dry it upside down. In drying your hair the right way up, typically you concentrate the heat down the shaft of the hair, making it sit flat to your head. Instead, if you blow-dry it upside down, you will be lifting your roots away from your scalp to create instant volume. This is ideal for rough drying, but you can spend the last couple of minutes drying your hair the right way up to achieve your desired style.

2. Switch your Parting up

Your hair will naturally start to sit flatter at the roots as the day goes on as it settles into your style. In addition, if you wear your parting in the same place most days, essentially you are training it to sit this way and it will naturally sit flatter on your parting. To instantly create more volume, switch up your parting on those pesky flat hair days.

3. Use Volume Boosting Products

Sometimes our hair needs an extra helping hand. From nourishing and smoothing conditioners, to texture creating balms, we use other products daily to help control our style, so why not consider introducing a volume-boosting product too? We love the Pure Abundance Hair Potion by Aveda, which can be applied to damp or dry hair to add impressive volume and texture.

4. Sleep in a Bun

This method might sound unusual, but it’s actually really effective. To wake up to amazing volume, try popping your hair up in a bun after washing it in the evening. Do this while your hair is still damp, and go for a high and loose bun. Use a scrunchy or similar to hold in place to avoid getting hairband lines in your hair. By doing this, your hair will dry in a position so that it’s lifted off your scalp, so when you take it down, your roots will stand up a little to create impressive volume.

5. Use Dry Shampoo

While some dry shampoos aren’t great for your hair, using one with natural ingredients and of premium quality is a great way to boost your roots. If you don’t wash your hair every day, dry shampoo will help remove any excess oil that can weigh it down and give your hair a much-needed lift. Try the Shampure Dry Shampoo by Aveda to revive your hair using 99.8% naturally derived ingredients. For more assistance learning how to boost your hair to add impressive volume, get in touch and book an appointment. We’d be happy to help you find a style that will ensure you have voluminous hair each and every day.

Straight and glossy locks are in for 2019, with various celebrities and bloggers choosing this sleek style over more natural waves or bouncy curls. If you have naturally straight and smooth hair, then this is a look that will require little in the way of maintenance, whereas if your hair has a natural frizz, wave or curl, there are a few ways in which you can create straight and sleek locks…

Products

The first step to creating super sleek and shiny hair is by choosing products that are designed to smooth, reduce frizz and add shine, while also protecting the hair ahead of heat styling. Super glossy hair needs a good conditioner, and a good heat protector is also necessary to ensure your hair looks smooth and healthy despite having to heat style it.

The Smooth Infusion Conditioner by Aveda is a great option, used alongside a complimentary shampoo that also works to reduce frizz while removing product buildup, dirt and oil. After washing, use the Smooth Infusion Style Prep Smoother, as a pre-styling treatment to add extra shine and tame frizz, as well as protecting from heat styling.

 Styling

When it comes to styling, all you need is a good pair of straightners. We recommend choosing GHDs to deliver the best results. Whenever you straighten your hair, ensure you have used a heat protector before hand to limit any damage caused by heat styling. Part your hair in the middle and section off. Start with the hair at the nape of your neck and work your way up, running the straightners down the full length to iron out any frizz, waves or curls.

Maintenance

To keep your hair straight all day long, there are a few things that you can do. Once you have finished straightening it, try giving it a quick blast with the cold setting on your hair dryer to set it and add more shine. If your hair is prone to frizz as the day goes on, a light hairspray should reduce this and keep it looking straight and smooth. Try the Air Control Hair Spray, that’s light enough to allow movement and won’t weigh the hair down or make it feel sticky.

If sleek and smooth hair is your thing for 2019, make sure you nail the look with these styling tips. Remember to always use a heat protector though, and make sure you give your hair a break from heat styling whenever possible.

Each season there are new cut and colour trends to consider, but nobody really talks about the styles that it’s time to move on from. Whether out of fashion or ageing, there are various cuts and colours that while once popular, might now be dated.

Volume and Backcombs

Volume was big (literally and figuratively) for ages, with many of us turning to rollers, backcombing and hairspray to achieve that volumized look. It was all about creating volume at the crown, to create a flattering look and glamorous finish. 2019 is more about the natural styles, with volume being swapped for soft waves with just a little teasing at the roots. Swap rollers and hairspray this year for plaited hair brushed back from the crown and parted in the middle at the front.

White and Bleached Blonde

Not so long ago, toners were high in demand to create that white blonde-silver shade that almost seemed stripped of colour, without any yellow or brassy tones in sight. While yellow/brassy blonde isn’t on trend, today it’s more about creamy shades with a more natural feel to them. If white blonde is your thing, it might be time to say goodbye to the super ashy toners, instead opting for slightly warmer shades with a creamy finish while maintaining your light shade.

Dip Dye

Dip dye has well and truly been replaced by balayage, in favour of more natural multi tonal locks. Dip dye is harsher, with more of a contrasting change between the roots of the hair and the tips, and while it was really popular a few years ago, today this harsher contrast is harder to pull off. If multi tonal styles are your thing, think sunkissed locks for  2019, with subtle light highlights running through the length of your hair and framing the face.

Deep Side Parts

Your side parting can really change the shape of your face and is worth thinking about when it comes to creating the most flattering cut. That being said, very deep side parts are a thing of the past, with centre parts and subtle side parts being favourable in 2019. If you’re not sure what will suit you, ask your hairdresser for advice.

Lots of Feathering and Layers

It looks like the ‘Rachel’ haircut might finally be decreasing in popularity, as excessive feathering and layering becomes a dated style. 2019 is all about long layers and subtle face framing, keeping your look light, but more laidback. While it’s important to keep on top of trends and avoid your look becoming dated if you really like your style consider some alternatives to bring it up to date. Ask your hairdresser for advice, and don’t be afraid to state if you like something that is technically ‘dated’.

Having healthy hair that makes you feel confident doesn’t have to cost a lot of money, it’s all about knowing what’s worth splashing out on, and what you can afford to spend a little less on. Read on to find out more…

Spend:

Your Cut

The first thing to avoid every scrimping on is your cut. A good cut is well worth what you pay for it, and trying to cut corners here could only result in an error that you’re stuck with for a long time. It’s important to think about your hair as a whole here, for the foreseeable future, as a bad cut can’t just be sorted out with the next cut a few months later, a bad cut is likely to impact your future styles for the best part of a year.

When it comes to your cut, stick with a hairdresser that already knows your hair well, and don’t be tempted to pop for a cheap cut every now and then to try and save some pennies.

Your Colour

Your colour is another element that’s worth spending a little extra on. If you were to go down the at-home dye route, these are often much more damaging to the hair, and generally the results won’t last as long as a professional colour. In choosing to have your hair coloured professionally, the results will be much better, and your hair will be healthier and glossier with a longer lasting colour.

Your Conditioner

A good conditioner is worth its weight in gold. Nourishing, hydrating and smoothing the hair, your conditioner will make your hair more manageable, as well as improving hair health and reducing breakage and split ends. If you have a conditioner that you know works well for your hair, stick with it, or start to understand your hair type to determine what sort of conditioner would work best for you. Where possible, choose conditioners that are sulphate and paraben free.

Save:

Your Shampoo

It’s your conditioner that makes much of the difference to the health of your hair, so you can afford to save a little when it comes to choosing a shampoo. Much like conditioner, it’s best to choose a shampoo that’s paraben and sulphate free, but it’s not particularly necessary to go for a hydrating or smoothing shampoo, for example, as you can get these benefits from your conditioner.

Your Treatment:

Every once in a while, a deep conditioning treatment when you visit the hairdressers is a lovely treat, but have you considered creating your own at home hair mask to give your hair a boost? There are lots of great recipes that often use simple pantry items such as eggs, making a DIY mask a great alternative to regular expensive treatment.

Now that you know where you should spend and save on your hair care, you’ll be better equipped to ensure that your money goes a long way when it comes to achieving healthy hair that you love.

With each new year comes a collection of stunning new bridal trends, alongside the classic and traditional looks. 2019 is a fantastic year to be getting married, as bridal hair and beauty advance further than ever before. Here are the top bridal hair and makeup trends for 2019, to take note of and adapt to suit your own unique style…

Undone Updos

Following the royal wedding in 2018, where Megan Markle chose an undone bun as her bridal hair style, the undone updo is one of the most popular styles for the season ahead. Essentially a messy bun, the undone updo looks soft, pretty and feminine. To create this look, you can either tease a few hairs free from a low slung bun, or tease a few hairs free from the front to frame the face or both.

Team with: this look requires a soft and pretty approach to makeup too. Ideal for spring and summer, try going for lightly bronzed skin, lots of highlighter along the cheekbones, and a pretty pale pink lip.

The Updates Half-Up Style

For years half up half down styles have been a popular choice for brides, with lots of volume at the crown and the upper half of the hair being secured at the back. For 2019 this style gets a subtle update with a Grecian feel. Instead of putting half the hair up, just take small sections from either side at the front. These sections should then be laid flat and secured with a few grips, for a simple and chic style.

Team with: this style can be worn with straight hair or wavy locks. If you opt for straight hair, try a simple makeup look, with a thin line of black liquid liner along the lids and a sweep of blush pink lipstick. For wavy hair, try a coral lip, patted with balm and a natural eye.

Centre Parted Straight Locks

Increasingly so, brides are sidestepping the more fussy updo for cool and simple styles. The centre part was seen all over the Autumn 2019 Bridal Fast Week runways, with a focus on straight locks, as well as some more tousled styles. This might sound a bit ‘every day’ and perhaps not very special for your big day, but think about how you’ll feel most comfortable and beautiful, if that’s with your hair down, go for hair down.

Team with: soften the look of straight hair and straight centre parts with glowing dewy skin, pretty eye-makeup with a palette of nudes and whites with a soft shimmer, and a pale plum lip. When it comes to choosing your bridal look, the most important thing is consultations and test runs, to make sure you’re completely happy with your style before your big day.

That golden time period between your cut and colour can seem a little illusive. Some people say it’s six weeks, others three months, and some say it’s just when ‘you feel ready’, so how can you tell when you should visit your hairdresser?

Lots of factors play a role in this, such as your hair length, style, type and whether you colour your hair. To help you recognise the signs, here’s how to tell when it’s time to visit your hairdresser…

Your hair doesn’t look quite right

What you might not realise is that your hair grows at different rates from different parts of your head, which over time might result in layers becoming much longer than you intended, and the shape being lost from your hair. If you’re starting to feel like your hair isn’t sitting right, this might be the reason and is a good indicator that it’s time for a restyle or a tidy up.

Your style is barely visible anymore

If you have your hair cut into a specific style, such as a blunt bob or with lots of layering and feathering, as your hair grows your style will essentially grow out. In addition, if you like your hair at a specific length, of course as a few months pass your hair will no longer be at that length. If your style is starting to fade due to growth, it’s time for a refresh to get your shape back.

Your roots are starting to show

Of course, if you colour your hair after 4-8 weeks your roots will start to show. How prominent they really depend on how different your hair colour is to your natural colour, and how quickly your hair grows. Once roots become noticeable, it’s time to book in for a colour refresh.

Your hair is becoming difficult to manage

Have you ever noticed after a cut that your hair not only feels and looks great but just seems easier to manage and style too? This is because any dryness and split ends can create frizz, making hair generally unruly and tricky to keep in check. If you’re finding your hair difficult to style, or if it’s not really holding its style anymore, that’s a clear sign that it’s in need of some TLC. If in doubt, book a consultation to discuss any issues you’re having and get professional advice. We’re always happy to help and can help you better understand how often your hair needs a trim, colour or restyle.