How to Get Hair You Love

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As a hairdresser for 30 years, I can tell you there are some easy ways to get hair you love. The first thing is to realize that there are lots of things you can do, but just because you can doesn't mean you should. Remember when Kim Kardashian went blonde? That lasted two months. Why? Because even she doesn’t have the time to maintain that blonde with her natural color.  What Kim and Kayne forgot when planning this restyle is maintenance and lifestyle. Getting the color was the easy part, and even that took a few days on two different continents.

If you have ever heard the expression “All good relationships have the same things in common and all bad relationships have all different problems”? Well, the same is true for great hair.  Think about people who are known for great hair: Gisele Bundchen, Jennifer Lopez, Jennifer Aniston, Blake Lively, etc. They all have a few things in common.

Tip #1: Work With Your Hair Not Against It

Don’t fight with your texture or deny that your natural color is what it is. As many discover (previously mentioned, blonde Kim K.) even if you win the battle, the condition of the hair or natural color, over time makes you end up losing the war and having to cut off over-styled or processed hair.

Tip #2: Think About Maintenance and Lifestyle

Just because you can do it once doesn’t mean it's the right choice. Hair you love requires maintenance and some looks are more carefree while others may need to be looked at like a hobby. It’s like going to the gym—make sure you can commit the time to looking good. Ask yourself how much time you want to spend everyday doing your hair. That will help both you and your stylist.

Tip #3: Primp with Products

Not only do hair products really work, but they save time, too. From building volume to reducing frizz and even speeding up finishing, they do it all. Today, dry shampoos and conditioners are everywhere, along with products that create texture for wash and go hair. The hair we love is easy to create with the right products.

Tip #4: Make an Investment Not an Expense

Hair is probably the single best investment you can make towards looking the way you want.  Why? It's the one thing you wear everyday! It has to go with every outfit, it needs to be appropriate at work and it needs to express who you are. Make sure you can afford to maintain your investment or expensive hair may not pay off.

As I share with you in this month of February, I’ll leave you with a popular hashtag from ARROJO, the salon I work at in New York City when I’m not at my own salon in Nazareth: #LoveYourHairWeDo. 

About the Author

Patrick McIvor is Artistic & TechniCulture Director for Goldwell and KMS California and owner of 101 E. Center Salon, Nazareth. As one of the most respected colorists in the industry, McIvor was the founding Color Director for Nick Arrojo and Rodney Cutler at Arrojo Cutler Salon on 57th Street in NYC and has now rejoined Nick Arrojo as Brand Strategist & Techni-Color Director of ARROJO. McIvor is a cultural junkie inspired by international cosmopolitan influences from fashion and global trends to technology. The team at 101 E. Center Salon creates beautiful, sexy, believable hair in an intimate studio utilizing technology to make guests the center of a TechniCulture Salon Experience.  McIvor is featured in the book “50 Hairstylists” and was named one of the best colorists in the USA by Allure Magazine.

patrickmcivor.com