Hair Care Gifts For Everyone On Your List (With links!)

It's that time already, with only a handful of weeks left until Christmas, you may have began to scramble for gift ideas. Don't worry, I've got you. Below is a list of all of my favourite gift ideas for 2020 when it comes to hair-care!

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Under $50

Hair Junkie Gift Card $25.00

Maybe this one is a given, but who doesn't love a gift card? If you want to recommend Hair Junkie to a friend or support someone's hair habit, a gift card is a great way to go.

Living Proof PHD Dry Shampoo

Dry shampoo, need I say more? I don't know about you, but I have been using a lot more dry shampoo since quarantine started back in March. This stuff is great for literally anyone on your list! If they have hair, they can benefit from dry shampoo.

Tressa Watercolors Intense

Tressa Watercolors are a hidden a gem. These babies add a temporary hair colour using just shampoo. Apply it like any regular shampoo and let it sit for 3-5 minutes, viola! This shampoo works best on someone with naturally light hair or hair that has been highlighted or lightened.

Redken All Soft Mega Mega Mask

Winter is coming, which means that our hair, skin, and nails will be approaching a dry spell. The best way to give your hair the boost it needs to survive the winter while still looking fabulous is with this mask! Replace your conditioner with it once a week (or two) and let it sit for 5-10 minutes to pack some moisture into your locks.

Gift Packs

Kerastase Nutritive Holiday Pack

This is the exact shampoo and conditioner I use at home. I cannot tell you enough good things about it. The Nutritive line is packed with moisture and hydration. I use this all year-round and recommend it for anyone who has dry hair. Kerastase is a luxury line but it's totally worth it.

Redken All Soft Holiday Pack

Redken has All Soft Mega and regular All Soft. Regular All Soft is great for ANYONE with hair. It's a basic moisture shampoo + conditioner duo that delivers a quality wash for any head of hair. This pack also costs less than $50 so it's a great go-to for anyone you're struggling to shop for!

Redken Frizz Dismiss Holiday Pack

The Frizz Dismiss trio is a great pack for those who have curly or fine hair. It's a gentle formula that helps to tame fly-aways in the long and short-term. The pack comes with an amazing frizz taming cream that aids in styling. Apply it on wet hair and style as desired (even if that means doing nothing to it).

Tools

InFashion Flat Iron

The InFashion iron is great for any hair texture. This professional 1 inch iron has enough heat to handle any hair. Choose from four different colors!

Izutech Mini Blow Dryer

While we might not be doing much travel right now, this mini blow dryer is great for the jetsetter in your life! This baby is only $25 and it's the perfect size for a carry-on.

19MM Curling Wand

This one is for the person who enjoys styling their hair! While there is a variety of sizes available for this wand, I like the 19MM as a go-to that almost everyone can use. I wouldn't recommend it for someone with really short hair, but other than that it's great for most lengths.

For Him

Redken Brews Cleansing Bar

1. It smells so good

2. It's a great bar of soap

3. It seriously smells so good.

Redken Dishevel Fiber Cream

Fiber cream is the way to go for anyone who wants the "I woke up like this" do. It's a medium hold cream that is easy to apply and really gives that tousled look.

Wahl Peanut Trimmers

Trimmers are a great gift for any fella trying to maintain his beard and/or hair at home! This set has several sizes of guards to make trimming fast and easy. If beard trims are still outlawed by the time you're reading this, trust me, this trimmer is a lifesaver.

All of these products (and more) are available for purchase at www.hairjunkie.ca ! We have a wicked offer for anyone who wants to support local this holiday season by shopping with us, FREE local delivery all November long! Hair Junkie will be dropping off online purchases every Sunday in November for no added fee. Bonus: if you add my name into the notes, let me know! I appreciate the love.

Stay home, stay safe, and enjoy the hell out your holidays!

- Emma

Why Your Hairstylist Has No Right to Judge You For DIY Hair During Quarantine

Let's face it, when faced with crisis our first instinct tends to be to change our physical appearance in some way. One of the easiest ways to do that is with our hair. Break up? Let's get bangs. Lose a family member? Should probably get some highlights. Global pandemic? Shave your head, I guess.

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While I don't recommend shaving your head, I also don't have any right to judge you. I see many many posts from fellow stylists shaming their clients for creating DIY hair while under quarantine. Look, I've shared some memes too, they're funny. I especially appreciate the ones that somehow relate back to Tiger King. If you haven't already witnessed that train wreck, please escort yourself over to Netflix.ca to view it immediately.

I'm a full believer at making jokes to cope with difficult times, but stylists (myself included) need to remember that constantly posting shaming memes can be harmful to your relationship with your clients. At the end of our day, it's our job to make people feel beautiful. I don't know about you, but I've never felt beautiful while being shamed for my choices.

If your hairstylist is upset with you for using home-color or low quality products, they need to reevaluate their attitude. We cannot control what our clients do, especially during a global pandemic. People will find ways to help make themselves feel better, and their hair is typically a part of that. It is 100% okay to do something silly to your hair in the name of self-care.

Dear clients, your health comes first: physical and mental. If DIY hair will help to keep you sane, then that's totally okay. You have every right to do what you need to do and not be judged for it. As professionals, it's our job to make you feel your best AND to fix you up. Do not feel bad for taking care of yourself during a pandemic!

Now, please understand that this is not me recommending that you whip out a box of blue-black dye and throw it all over your gorgeous balayage. I've complied some tips for better DIY hair to help with the overwhelming need for change or control. Before I tell you anything though, please make sure that after this is over, you're honest with your stylist about what you put in your hair. It makes our jobs a lot easier if we know what we're up against.

Disclaimer: I am not recommending anyone use store-bought hair color. These dyes can be harmful and are very hard to remove. Always follow the manufacturer's instructions when using any chemical product on yourself. If you do choose to use these products, please preform an allergy patch test on yourself before use. In addition, I am not recommending that anyone cut their own hair. The purpose of this post is to aid in harm-reduction.

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- Tips for cutting your bangs

I get it, you enjoy having vision and hair sitting directly in your eyeballs can hinder that. It's all good, a bang trim is one of the least harmful things you can do to your hair during quarantine.

1. Take it slow. Don't rush, take your time.

2. Start with just a little bit. Don't go scissor-happy right away, trim off a small amount first to make sure you like how it's going to look.

3. Don't overthink it. I see a lot of videos of home bang trims where people do fancy twists or odd sections, don't worry about those. Just follow what you already have going on.

4. If it's your first time, ask your hairstylist for advice first. They can probably link you to a helpful tutorial or guide you in the right direction to achieve the bangs of your dreams.

- Home-color that isn't as bad

Step one: do some research! I love this video from Brad Mondo, but remember that this is a basic introduction to color theory. Take a moment to read the directions of what you're using and preform an allergy test.

• Avoid bleach if possible. This is one of the most hardcore chemicals to use on your hair, if you can resist, put the lightener away. If you must though, use a low volume developer and make sure to saturate your hair really well. Check on your hair often while the product is on, and follow directions on timing.

• Do. Not. Use. Henna. Many people reach for this as an alternative to color because it's natural. While this is true, that does not make it good for your hair. Henna is extremely difficult to remove from hair. It often has a bad reaction to other colors and lighteners and can actually start to smoke. Try to avoid reaching for this stuff.

• Sally's is better than a box. If it's available to you, I would much rather have you purchase color from Sally Beauty than a grocery store. While their color is not professional grade, it is usually easier to remove than box dyes.

• Vivids are easy to play with! If you're rocking some funky hair, keep at it! You can order many types online. While Pulp Riot is my baby for vivids, you cannot purchase it online without a license. Here's an alternative to try out while isolating, click the photo to check them out.

- Hair care tips

Alright babe, it's time. Reach deep under your bathroom sink and find that hair mask you bought a while ago but haven't found the time to try.

• Wash your hair less. Now is the time where no one is around. If you've ever dreamed of training your scalp to go farther between washes, try it out! I promise that with a little dry shampoo or styling, no one in your conference call will be able to tell if your hair is a little oily.

• Try out all the products! Chances are, you may have a few mystery products under your sink. Take them out and see what you can play with. There could be a few gems hiding under there.

• Try giving up heat. If you're up to it, try cutting heat styling out of your routine. If you're stuck at home, no one can see you anyway. Let your hair recuperate and show it some love by leaving it alone for a while.

- What to expect when you go back to the salon

As I've said before, your hairstylist should NOT judge you for Covid-hair. Opting for DIY hair does not make you less of a valued client, we appreciate your business!

• Be upfront with your stylist and tell them what you used. We aren't here to judge you, but it does make our jobs much easier if we know what we're up against. Being honest with your stylist helps both yourself and them to get a better picture of what to expect during the appointment.

• Your appointment may not be the same price, It usually takes up more product and skill to remove non-professional color. Talk to your stylist about pricing before you begin the service. Some salons determine pricing for corrections via the services they need to complete and others (like mine) go by the hour. Neither is the wrong answer, but make sure that you understand what you're in for. It could come out easily without a change to your regular pricing, but mentally prepare for that not to be the case.

• Your appointment may take longer, Make sure that you prepare for not just an increased cost, but also an increase in time. Removing non-professional colors usually takes longer. Ask questions and don't plan to be at an event right after your appointment.

• You may not get the result you want on the first session. Correcting hair is not a one-size-fits-all situation, it can often take multiple sessions to get the desired result. In your consultation, ask the stylist if they think the fix will take a few tries and what you can expect during the process.

- Don't feel bad about it

Please do me a favor by rocking whatever you choose to do (or not do) to your hair shamelessly. Who cares what it looks like, you did the thing and you should own it. I'm sure you still look like a boss, so wear it with pride!

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I'll be releasing another blog post shortly to talk about ways to embrace your roots during Covid-19. Also, check out my Instagram for styling tips during quarantine! If rocking the regrowth is something you can handle, please do! After all of this is over, salons could really use the help to stay afloat. If you can hold off, please support local businesses that will need the love!

We're all in this together,

Emma

How to Care for Vivid Hair Color

Vivid colors are a world of fun, but they also come with responsibilities. Let’s talk about how to keep your vivids looking fresh for longer.

In case anyone doesn't know, vivid hair colors or fashion colors, are semi-permanent direct hair dyes. Semi-permanent means that the colors shade progressively and don't have any power to lift your hair. This is why you get best results on pre-lightened hair. Hair that has already been lifted, has a raised cuticle which allows the semis to sink deeper into the hair shaft.

Vivid colors aren't just drugstore bleach and Manic Panic anymore, now professional stylists can help you achieve beautiful results that last much longer and look stunning. The difference comes from understanding the science of the hair and how to properly care for it. When applied correctly. vivid colors will fade beautifully and not show uneven tones and unwanted hues. I've done my fair share of home hair coloring when I was younger (with Manic Panic, duh) and let me tell you, this is a very different ball-game. Professionally done vivids don't compare to at-home.

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Rule one: COLD water The top layer of your hair (the cuticle) helps to keep your color sealed in and looking gorgeous, hot temperatures cause the cuticle to rise or "swell". Color molecules are stored in the cortex (middle layer) and are protected by the cuticle. If your hair is damaged, chances are that your cuticle is already swollen, so it becomes even more important to keep it as sealed down as possible.

Rule two: The more you wash, the faster you fade. People who wash their hair every single day will also have to top up their color more frequently. Shampoo slowly takes off color and semi-permanent colors fade progressively. This means that with each wash, your color will fade more and more.

I wash my hair once a week, but that's because I have thick hair. My strands are larger and have a better ability to absorb oil. Finer hair looks oily much faster because the strands don't absorb as much oil. I'm not saying you can only wash once a week, but the more you reduce, the better. If you wash everyday and change to every second day, you're already doubling the life span of your color.

These selfies are taken two months apart! My client, Katie, gets her vivids done every three-four months. It's a long process, usually around six hours total, but it lasts and fades beautifully. These are stolen from her Instagram (with permission) @goddessreborn.

Rule three: Avoid cheap products ingredients like sulfates, sodium chloride, alcohols, and SLS strip the hair of not only color, but also moisture and health. These ingredients are also commonly found in car wax and laundry detergent. Most drugstore shampoos are the equivalent of putting dish soap on your hair.

These shampoos aren't chemically balanced to be on your hair. Our hair and skin are on the 4.5-5.5 level on the pH scale. This means that our shampoos and products should also fall in the zone. Unfortunately, cheaper made products aren't pH balanced.

Rule Four: When possible, always get your hair lifted professionally. The real determining factor on how your color looks and fades is what's underneath it. If you place vivid color over an uneven base, it won't fade evenly because it will start to reveal what's under it. It's also very very important to maintain the integrity of your hair while lifting. If your hair is over-processed from lightening, it won't latch on to the color. That cuticle will be blown wide open and it won't have the ability to hold color pigment.

Vivid coloring isn't a single step process, it has to be done in at least two (unless you're using high-lift colors, but that's a whole other topic). First, the hair needs to be lifted or "stripped" of the pigment already inside of it using lightener. This process becomes even longer if the hair already has permanent color in it. After it's lifted, the new vivid tones have to be placed on top.

Vivid hair is becoming much more accepted in society, most people don't even bat an eye anymore when they see someone with funky colors. I love seeing it become more socially acceptable because it means people can have the freedom to let their freak flag fly. Life is simply too short to not experiment with your hair (if that's something you enjoy), but always keep the health of your hair as a priority.

Do you have any questions about vivid colors? Send them my way! See ya soon,

Emma