Salons are places of escapism, and nothing ruins that feeling faster than money talk. But how is one supposed to dutifully budget when getting their hair done is important to them?
We’ve asked the experts for tips on how to cut down your hair-allocated spending, without scrimping on what you want.
“Try and stay either two shades lighter or two shades darker than your natural colour,” says Denise Phillips, registered trichologist and owner of Pelo and Voduz.
“Otherwise, the reflection of your roots compared to your mid-lengths and ends will be drastic. As well as this, get to know what your natural depth is. You could ask your hairdresser, or you could nearly Google a shade chart as they’re standard. Black is one, dark brown is two etc. If you’re more than 50% grey, you could try highlighting the grey parts to incorporate them into your natural colour. Going for more subtle highlights can really help here. Root touch-ups are also incredible for those in a pinch.”
Whatever you do, Phillips says, making sure the hair is healthy is key to minimising time in the salon.
“Healthy hair needs three things; the correct pH, protein and moisture,” she says. “You could spend millions on different hair treatments, but if they don’t have those three, they’re useless. Adding a scalp scrub like Voduz Clear It (€19.95, Meagher’s Pharmacy) into your routine before you shampoo will correct the pH, then you need to ask your hairdresser about whether your hair has sufficient protein and moisture and they can advise.”
One final thing, Phillips insists: “If your hair is looking bad two weeks after being in the salon, then you need to reassess — either your stylist or your hair care. If the doctor prescribed me something that only worked for a few days before my ailment came back, I’d be reassessing. And you should too.”
For those looking to swerve the salon chair altogether and embrace their natural shade, Teresa Boland, founder of Light Hair Therapy and Consultant to Trua Hair, recommends going for it.
“There’s a huge movement happening of women in their 30s and 40s growing out their grey hair,” she says.
“It’s really refreshing and beautiful, and obviously the most low-maintenance colour one can have. For those who aren’t quite ready for that yet, I would recommend sticking to an all-over colour not far from your natural, and then maybe enquiring about whether your salon offers a service called ‘masking’.
“Masking is for those who don’t like root-touch-up sprays. It’s when your stylist basically does a t-bar colour service to mask greys. It’s to get a longer time between colours, and allows you to avoid going for a full colour every four weeks. I’d also recommend an anti-aging scalp serum like Remi’s Density Drop [€52, remi.ie] which slows down the production of grey hair.”
When it comes to low-maintenance cutting, according to Boland, there’s only one answer.
“The ideal haircut at the minute would be a one-length bob style that sits just above the shoulder. It’s really in fashion at the minute, and it can grow down for a couple of months without losing its shape. It also suits curly and straight hair.”
Junior stylists are fully trained, usually eager to do a good job, and more experienced hairdressers will typically check that they don’t make any big mistakes.
Search for salons that need models for their trainee hairdressers. This will often result in colours and cuts for half price or lower. An experienced stylist will also be present for the process to avoid any disastrous mistakes.
Some salons, such as Dylan Bradshaw, run loyalty schemes to help out their clients. For every €1 spent on salon services in Bradshaw’s, you will receive one loyalty point. Twenty loyalty points equal €1, redeemable off your next visit.
There are thousands of hairdressers across the country to choose from, and a small, local salon may offer a cheaper rate than a chain. Do your research.
