My Hair

Happy Sunday everyone 🙂 After posting pictures of my new copper coloured hair over the past few days I’ve been inundated with comments and questions about my new look. Instead of trying to reply individually to you all I figured a full in depth blog post covering FAQ’s would suffice. I have naturally mousey brown hair and have had my natural colour for some time now. The blonde highlights in my recent long bob length were achieved using extensions not hair dye. Prior to that I’ve had semi permanent darker shades applied and a few years ago I was bright blonde. I wanted to ring in the new year with a change and auburn is a colour I’ve always admired and wanted to try so I figured now was a better time than ever to take the plunge. I contacted my salon Easilocks on Store Street and booked in with Lianne who has applied both colour and extensions for me before so I trusted her expertise. Lianne discussed colour options explaining that the initial Lana Del Rey inspired bright orange copper I wanted to try would involve having to bleach my hair first to lighten the base which would cause a lot of damage. Trusting her opinion, I opted for a slightly warmer shade which would naturally coat and gloss my hair without causing damage or having to apply any peroxide. 

After deciding on the exact colour Lianne showed me the hair extensions we would be using so I could have an idea what the shade would look like on me. I decided on the 18″ length which is one of my favourites; long enough to wear any style but not Rapunzel-esque. After taking out my old set of extensions Lianne applied a fresh set in my new copper colour. The reason behind applying the extensions first before colouring my own hair was to ensure the colour blended perfectly throughout the extensions. For those of you who are unfamiliar with Easilocks, unlike other methods out there, they are a system that requires no heat, no glue, no sewing or braiding and as a result causes no stress or damage to your natural hair. The extensions are applied using tiny beads which are placed at the root of the hair, clamped and flattened attaching to your own hair. Easilocks look and feel just as natural as your own hair and just as comfortable to wear. The Easilock method is the only hair extension system available today that has been carefully designed to preserve the integrity of your natural hair whilst adding volume and length without having to worry about the long term effects. They blend incredibly well with the natural hair virtually undetectable to the eye, available in a variety of sizes, lengths, colours and textures. Easilocks use only the finest 100% human remy hair carefully chosen from around the world guaranteeing the most natural results integrating beautifully with every hair type and texture. Easilocks is the best kept secret in Hollywood with many A-listers favouring this organic alternative to enhance their natural hair knowing that their own hair will be cared for whilst leaving the condition fully in tact when the easilock extensions are removed. Easilocks can be worn for 3 months without any servicing and the hair is reusable again and again, making this system affordable for every budget. I have naturally fine hair so I try and make it to the salon every ten weeks to get a fresh set in which avoids any damage. Three years on my hair has never looked healthier and I can’t recommend the brand enough.

After my full set of extensions was applied Lianne applied the colour to my natural hair and gradually blended it through the extensions. After the colour took to my natural hair my hair was washed and blow dried straight and Lianne lightly layered the front sections of my hair to give a natural graduation leaving the rest of the hair the original 18″ length. The colour application was seamless and my hair has never looked so shiny. After seeing my hair straight Lianne also curled my hair so I could get a clear idea of how it would look with some volume and it’s safe to say I’m in love with the result and thankfully everyone around me seems to love it too.

Now to the one downside of having red hair; the maintenance. I won’t get too much into the science behind it but red molecules are larger than other shades, and as a result don’t penetrate the hair shaft as well. As a result red washes out quicker than any other colour and can lose it’s vibrancy before your roots start to show. So if you’re considering going this shade be prepared to invest in some new products and extra salon visits.

The products I’ve been using have been working really well so far. I’ve switched my shampoo, conditioner and oil to the Pureology Reviving Red range which is sulphate free, helps fight oxidation and fading, seals and anchors vivid pigments into the hair and keeps hair and hair colour in optimum condition. I was also advised to invest in a Colour Bomb by Revlon which is available from all professional hair supply stores. I’m currently using the shade 740 Copper from the Nutri Colour Crème range. The bomb bottle costs €23 and promises to last between 10-15 washes which should keep me going until my next salon visit considering you only use it once a week to maintain the vibrancy. A colour bomb is basically a deep conditioning colour treatment that contains no ammonia, or peroxide so it’s gentle on your hair. The natural conditioning colour temporarily stains the hair leaving it looking salon fresh.

Last but not least, how I style my hair. During the week if I’m working from home, running errands or at the gym I tend to keep my hair in a plait or up in a bun but on days where I’m off to an event, seeing friends, date night or a night out I’ll style my hair using heated appliances. The two tools I’ve been using for the past year are the Cloud 9 straighteners and the Babyliss curling tongs. You can check out my full review of the Cloud 9 here and the Babyliss is pretty straight forward to use too. I simply allow mine heat up, clip my hair into sections, begin by taking a small to medium section of hair and wrapping it around the barrel. After about five seconds I let the curl fall, continue around the rest of my head and lightly spritz with hair spray or oil depending on the finish I want. For the loose waves in the above images I brushed through my curls straight away to achieve more of a soft wave. I hope this in depth article answers all of your hair related questions. There’s a make up tutorial on it’s way this week too which will show a step by step of how to achieve this look 🙂