INCREASE YOUR HAIR IQ
GENERAL HAIRCARE
Pro Tips & Tricks everyone should know
Wash
Your hair should be washed only as often as necessary. This will prolong the life of your salon services, as well as avoid drying out your ends. It can be trained by consistently stretching days between washes. Dry shampoo at the root can also help with this process. In some cases, washing every day is necessary, which is fine as long as you follow our shampoo tips and use the right shampoo for your hair type.
Also, most people don't realize that it's important to occasionally clarify. In the same way you need exfoliate your skin, it's just as beneficial to deep clean your hair of product and environmental build up. This will allow your hair to accept reparative and conditioning treatments, as well as prepare it for in-salon services, producing better results.
Key shampoo tips:
Wash every other/third day
Concentrate on shampooing the roots, not the ends. The shampoo will wash over the ends naturally as you lather and rinse.
Place fingers through the hair to better scrub the scalp
Rinse thoroughly.
Use a clarifying shampoo every 5-10 washes to remove build up for healthy hair and scalp
Condition
There are many types of conditioners, from leave-in to deep, generally with the purpose of moisturizing, repairing, volumizing, smoothing, or protecting. Most people need to condition after every shampoo for hair to be manageable, soft, and detangled.
It's important to note that this is where the biggest issue with pharmacy/store brand products comes into play. Many store-bought conditioners contain heavy silicones and waxy materials that will build up on the hair over time, making it unmanageable, tangly, difficult to curl or style, and will noticeably feel like the strands are coated with something. This will interfere with just about every salon service. Salon quality products are HIGHLY recommended.
Pro tip: Hair needs a balance of moisture and protein to maintain its optimal condition. Too much of one or the other can lead to hair being brittle and weak, causing more damage and spilt ends, especially in the case of over keratinization from too much protein. If your hair is dry or damaged and needs the extra love, look for products that list being both moisturizing AND strengthening, or get one of each and rotate them.
Key Conditioning Tips:
Use only salon quality brands
Condition after every shampoo
Apply only to mid shaft and ends, concentrating mostly on the ends
Leave in for at least 1 minute before rinsing
Rinse thoroughly
Alternate protein (strengthening/repairing) with moisture (hydrating)
If needed, deep condition weekly-monthly
Blow Dry
The most important step to blow drying, is heat protection, heat protection, heat protection. You should never blow dry your hair without first applying a protective barrier. We carry multiple sprays, lotions, and creams for use on wet hair, as well as sprays for dry hair, to use when restyling second or third day hair.
Blow drying is the first step to styling your hair and can have a huge impact on the finished look. If you want volume, dry it while upside down, or use a brush to pull it up and away from the root as you dry. If you want to smooth it down, use a paddle or large vented brush to create tension as you dry. To preserve the hair's cuticle, and for a smoother finish, always angle your dryer from roots to ends, blowing air down the strand.
Pro tip: Dry your hair about 80% before attempting to round brush or style. Wet hair can't curl and will take substantially longer if you try to go section by section with a round brush while it's still soaking wet. The only exception to this rule is when blowing out very curly or frizzy hair.
Be mindful of the heat increasing the longer the dryer is on, particularly with round brush blow dryer combos. They are not temperature controlled like a flat/curling iron, so they will continue to get hotter and hotter over time, which can lead to breakage and heat damage. Keep the blow dryer and brushes moving at all times to avoid too much heat in one area.
Key Blow Dry Tips:
HEAT PROTECTION
Dry 80% before styling, except for coily/frizzy hair
Beware of increasing heat of dryer/brushes. Turn off and let cool if necessary
Blow air from roots toward ends
Avoid holding dryer in one spot, keeping dryer and brushes moving
Style
Any repetitive style can cause repercussions on the integrity of your hair. This is particularly true for chemically treated, damaged, or fine hair. Something as simple as a daily messy bun can cause catastrophic breakage. Coupled with heat damage from iron use, you may find your hair refusing to grow or generally looking limp and lifeless.
If heat styling is part of your daily routine, the most important step, as always, is HEAT PROTECTION. This should always be the first product you put on your hair, before adding styling agents, such as hairspray, mousse, texture spray, etc.
Pro tip: Hot irons can fade artificial color and/or cause natural or blonde hair to discolor, typically to a yellow or orange shade. Keep the heat at the lowest setting needed to achieve your desired results (we recommend beginning with the lowest possible setting and increasing 10 degrees at a time), use a heat protectant, keep your iron clean of product residue, and make one, slow pass through each section.
Key Style Tips:
Avoid frequent buns, pony tails, clips or other hair accessories
HEAT PROTECTION
Styling product for hold and style memory (mousse, hair spray, setting spray, etc)
Use at lowest necessary heat setting
Make only one pass per section
Let the section cool before touching it or brushing it out
Clean iron after every use to avoid product build up
Chlorine/Metal
Chlorine and metals from rusty pipes or well water can wreak havoc on your hair, and possibly cause adverse chemical reactions with salon products, as well as discoloration of the hair, usually green from chlorine or brassy from metals. Here are a few tips to minimize damage from both.
Chlorine:
If you're a fequent swimmer, wear a swim cap
If no cap, wet your hair BEFORE getting into the pool, and apply a leave in conditioner. This well help protect the hair from absorbing the chlorine
Wash hair as soon as possible after exiting the pool
Use Malibu Swimmers Wellness shampoo, conditioner, and treatment packets to minimize effects
If build up occurs (sticky or squeaky hair, green or yellow discoloration, tangled or unmanageable texture) come into the salon for a Malibu Crystal Gel treatment to remove
Metal/Well Water:
Get a filtered shower head or water treatment system for your well
Shampoo with bottled water if filters are unavailable
Use L'oreal Metal Detox shampoo and conditioner (or something similar) to gently remove metals
Ask for Metal Detox Treatment to be used with your salon service to minimize chance of reaction
If build up exists, schedule a Malibu Crystal Gel/Head Lab treatment to remove
APPOINTMENT PREP
Everything you need to know to get the best results from your service
HAIRCUT
For a haircut and style or wet cut, no prep is necessary. For a dry haircut, make sure hair is clean, dry, free of any sticky products, and straight when you come into the salon.
COLOR/FOIL
Hair should be clean, dry, and straight, especially for foiling services. Excessive product or build up from days of not washing can interfere with how well the color deposits and the lightener lifts. For extra credit, use a clarifying shampoo on your last wash before your appointment.
BLEACH OUT
Your hair should be clean, dry, and straight, and free of excessive products. Ideally, a clarifying shampoo/treatment used in the week prior to your appointment will create an optimal canvas for lightening. You should not wash your hair the day of your appointment to allow for some natural protective oils to linger to shield your scalp from irritation. Also avoid scratching or scrubbing your scalp in the days before your service.
PERM/KERATIN
No prep is necessary, as we will wash your hair with the appropriate pre-service wash in the salon. Avoid scratching or scrubbing scalp in the days prior to your appointment to avoid irritation.
SPECIAL OCCASION STYLE
Contrary to popular belief, dirty hair is NOT better for an updo. We have plenty of products to give your hair the appropriate grit and texture we need. It's easier for us to add it than to remove it. Please come with your hair clean and dry, with minimal product. Most importantly, DO NOT FLAT IRON. Using a flat iron makes the hair unable to accept a curl, and the style won't hold. You can blow it out with round brushes, etc, but no hot irons. You can also opt to have it washed and blown out prior to the style at an additional cost.
CORRECTIVE COLOR
If your hair is dark or has a vivid color that you want removed, do your best to fade it as much as possible prior to your appointment. Clarifying shampoos, hot water, and washing frequently all help to release some of the color molecules, which can help make the correction easier.
VIVID COLORS
First time vivid colors require no prep beyond the usual bleach out or color prep. If you currently have a vivid color and would like to change the color palette at your next appointment, it's helpful to fade it as much as possible by doing all of the wrong things: hot water, clarifying shampoo, and frequent washing.
POST APPOINTMENT
Everything you need to know to care for your hair after your service
VIVID COLOR
Vivid colors are super fun, but also super high maintenance.
Some things to note: Your hair (especially deeper and darker colors) will LIKELY bleed. It will stain your shower, your towels, your couch, and your pillow cases. When it is wet, it will drip colored droplets. It can be cleaned out of most materials, but it's good to be aware.
Do:
Wait 48 hours before first wash
Wash as infrequently as possible to extend longevity
Use sulfate free shampoo or cleansing conditioners
Rinse with cool water
Depending on color choice/pattern, use a color depositing conditioner/shampoo to refresh color
Don't:
Avoid heat styling as much as possible. Hot irons can fade color instantly, so keep heat at 375 degrees or below
Avoid swimming in pools or the ocean
Avoid clarifying shampoos/treatments
COLOR
Traditonal color requires minimal maintenance between appointments. You want to use salon quality products to protect the color from fading, as well as maintaining health and shine.
Color Preservation Tips:
Use color-safe or color preserving shampoo and conditioner
Use heat protectant to protect from fading during styling
Optional: To keep color fresh between appointments, use a color depositing mask at home, or come into the salon for a glossing or toning service
BLONDE
Blonding services can be strenuous on hair integrity, so the focus of after care is mostly TLC, with a little toning maintenance.
Blonde Care Tips:
Use deep conditioner (alternate moisture and protein) or bonding treatments (plex or K18) weekly.
Use salon quality hydrating or repairing shampoo and conditioner
Always use heat protectant and keep irons at 375 degrees or below. Heat can and will dull your blonde or discolor it, turning it yellow.
Keep hair pulled away from face when applying make-up, tanners, and lotions. They can cause staining.
To maintain specific tone (ashy, icy, golden, etc) use blonde toning shampoos and/or masks weekly or biweekly, or come into the salon for a toning/glossing service between appointments
Avoid tight or frequent pony tails, claw clips, buns, or anything else that pulls or puts pressure on the hair. Blonde hair is delicate and requires gentle treatment.
Avoid chlorinated swimming pools
KERATIN
Keratin treatments are temporary, gradually fading out over time. Proper at-home care is imperative to prolong the smooth results for as long as possible.
Do:
Wait 72 hours before first wash
Use dry shampoo at the root if necessary
Use ONLY sulfate free shampoo
Wash infrequently as possible, 2-3x a week or less.
Don't:
Water is not keratin's friend. Avoid submerging hair in water for extended periods of time
No swimming - beach or pool
Avoid clips & pony tails until after first wash, ideally for the first week. They can cause dents and creases to form.
PERM
Permanent Waves require minimal maintenance beyond the first few days, but as with all chemical services, they do leave your hair in need of a little extra conditioning.
Perm Maintenance:
Do NOT wash hair for 48 hours
You can wet it and restyle as necessary using only styling products. Avoid any conditioning agents, such as leave-in treatments until after first wash
Use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner or one specifically for curly hair
To maintain curl pattern for curly styling, don't brush or comb the hair. Use a pick, wide tooth comb, or finger comb
If you style with a blow dryer, always use a diffuser
QIQI
QiQi services are permanent and require nothing except twice weekly use of the QiQi mask.
HAIR SALON TERMINOLOGY
Your guide to all things salon jargon
BALAYAGE
Balayage generally refers to any kind of free hand hair painting. Sometimes it's left to process in open air, but can also be done with foils, film, or meche. Generally, the result is a lived in, natural look. But, it can also be used to create highly dimensional results.
COLOR MELT
Blending 2 or more colors into each other to create a graduated look. Typically a darker root, medium shade midlengths, and lighter ends.
FOILYAGE
Foiling technique that mimics balayage results, but allows for more lift
GLOSS
High shine, translucent, deposit-only color. Used to add shine and/or vibrancy to any color service or as a refresher between appointments.
MONEY PIECE
The hair that immediately frames your face. Usually, a money piece is the lightest part of your hair, and can be chunky and defined, or soft and natural.
OMBRE
Refers to a gradient color, which typically consists of a darker root fading into lighter ends.
PLATINUM CARD
Specialty service combining a full foil and a bleach out. Every piece of hair goes into a foil to achieve an even, platinum blonde
REVERSE BALAYAGE
Hair painting technique that adds depth and dimension instead of lightening
SHADOW/SMUDGE ROOT
Color is applied to just the root in a strategic way as to avoid leaving a harsh line of demarcation. Can be used to blur out traditional foil lines, to create a softer grow out, or to give a "rooted" look.
TEASY LIGHTS
Foiling technique in which the hair is teased to the root before applying formula. This helps create a seamless blend for a lived-in look
TIP OUT
Using a balayage technique to apply lightener to the ends of the hair, usually between a separate foiling service, to lighten or brighten all the ends of the hair for the finished look
TONER
Can be used to adjust tone, add, or change color. Typically used after a lightening service to remove unwanted warmth to create an icy look, but is also used to create caramel, red, or golden highlights