Past Photo shoot with ABSORB

ABSORB

Styled by Chiara Bianchino 

Make up by Stephanie Gangi

Strength and solutions for fine, weak hair

One of the questions I've been hearing often over the years from my clients is "How do I make my hair thicker? Not just when I'm styling it but every day..."

There are many reasons why some peoples hair is thicker than others. A lot of the time its just that everyones hair is different. Some people have thick hair and some have fine. But there are ways to take care of yourself and your hair if you do want to improve the strength, shine and density of your hair in the long term.

First of all, diet. Make sure you have a diet full of protein, iron and vitamins. So obviously more meats and veges but if you're a vegetarian then nuts, eggs and fish are also very important to your hair. Vitamin B complex, C and a multi vitamin is also going to be helpful.

There is also an amazing mineral supplement called Silica which, when taken daily, greatly improves hair strength, elasticity and shine. It also is great for the strength of your skin and nails and even prevents against wrinkles.

Secondly, products. For styling, a Sea Salt Spray or the Karpati Natural Hair Care Volumiser are going to improve thickness and texture when blowdrying or even letting the hair dry naturally.
For a great product that externally treats the hair so it will maintain strength and thickness and prevents against balding and thinning in a noninvasive fashion is the Activance range. I highly recommend the Hair Stimulant Spray and the Shampoo in this range. I have recommended it to many clients and even tested it out on myself and it helps even if your hair isn't thinning. I also found that my hair was less frizzy.

Lastly, treatments. Protein and Keratin treatments are so helpful in strengthening your hair.

Please try one or all of these if you wish for stronger, thicker and shinier hair. I hope to hear some great feedback.

Celebrity Hair Icon : Nicole Richie

Nicole Richie has been a Hair Icon since she chopped off her hair extensions and brought the bob back. Nobody has rocked it better than this fabulous gal. Not only is her style always amazing, from the bob, back to long bohemian waves with a grown out parted fringe and now with a textured fringe and shoulder length locks, her colour is always flawless. So many clients ask for the "Nicole Richie Blonde" Creamy highlights in a caramel base. And then theres the braided styles and high pony tails. Always stunning and inspiring. There's no doubt she will always be a Hair Icon
Whoever is doing your hair Nicole, never let him/her get away

 

Hair at Home; By Vanessa Deluca

Ever wondered what it looks like when I work? Probably not but just incase heres this cool video of it:

What Hair Extensions are the best?

Have you ever had hair extensions? The are such a fun way to cheat! You can have Long, Thick Hair overnight. They're fantastic, but...... Extremely high maintenance and if you want the best quality they can be extremely expensive and you can pay as much as $3000 for a maximum period of 6 months.

There are some things you should now when choosing which extensions are best for you.

Firstly remember, when you are regularly getting any type of extensions please remember to give your hair and scalp a break every now and then. Having an extra set of strands on top of yours can get heavy and weaken the follicle roots over extended periods and the result can lead to hair loss or thinning.

Secondly, types of extensions:

Great Lengths bonded strands. These are amazing great quality extensions that work best on courser darker hair. The look natural and are easy to manage and can last up to 6 months. The don't put complete strain on a concentrated area of your scalp and follicles. However in some cases where the hair is finer, or frizzier naturally, they can matt up over time and be quite painful to remove. So if you go down this path remember to take good care to wash and comb your hair well. Only getting them styled at a hairdresser is also a great option but becomes a very high maintenance solution.

Tape in extensions are fantastic. They are cheaper and you can get amazing quality hair. They don't really last as long as they fall out easier but that just means they aren't putting very much strain on the follicles at all. They also don't matt up and are a low maintenance option.

Weaves.  These are my favourites. They always look natural. Depending on the quality of the hair you buy and who sews them in they can last a very long time. They can strain your follicles in a concentrated area as you are  getting the weft re-sewn to a tightly braided area under your crown every 6 weeks. Prices vary depending on the quality of the hair and the experience of the hairdresser who applies them.

Lastly is the cheapest, easiest, longest lasting and low maintenance option. Clip in wefts. You can buy a pack of one or two great quality wefts with clips attached for under $350. They aren't permanently sewn or bonded to your hair and you can clip them in and take them out whenever you please. They are easy to style as you can clip them to a hanger and straighten or curl them out of your hair before you attach them. You can wear them for special occasions only so no damage or strain ever comes to your scalp or follicles. No commitment necessary. And depending on how well you look after them and how often you wear them, they can last years.

Why wont my hair get longer?

Have you been constantly growing your hair and finding it at the same length? Even though you have regrowth at your roots? This problem is driving a lot of people crazy.

There are some reasons for this.

One reason could be your aren't taking very good care of your hair. If your ends are damaged and you style your hair daily and want to grow it, there's a good chance it's breaking off gradually over time. 

Give it a break from colouring and styling and nurture it with some treatments. Get regular haircuts and you will find that it will not only grow longer but will have thickness to it also.

Another reason could be that your hair is at its longest already. It's not something I like to tell people but it's the truth. Hair only grows to a certain length. To what degree of length that is varies with each person. And no amount of TLC will help.

Still don't understand? 

All hair grows in cycles. Eyelashes, and eyebrows grow for 1 to 2 months. Arm and leg hair, 1 to 4 months. Generally the hair on your head has a cycle between 2 to 7 years.

This isn't to say it all falls out at once and starts again at once. If that were the case we would all be bald and start from scratch many times in our life. Each follicle on our head is in a different stage of this process you see. When it gets to the end of its cycle it stops growing and sits in the scalp for up to 3 months until you comb it or disturb it enough times for it to come out. This is why hairdressers say that generally we all lose 100 hair follicles a day. Each person is different though. If you have more hair than the average person you may lose a lot more. 

So if you are having the latter of these problems then embrace your hairs length! Or get extensions 

Connecting with your hairdresser

One of the most important things when getting your hair done can be whether or not you connect with your hairdresser. If you don’t feel confident that you’re on the same page and you can’t put trust in the person who is cutting your hair it’s never going to work.

My best work is always done when my client puts complete trust in my skills and opinion. While I never do whatever I want with whomever's hair I want, I do express my opinion strongly and honestly when working with a client. When they express theirs back with confidence I know we're going to get it right. This always works out for the best because there is a strong communication.

If you’re having trouble getting your hair right at the salon then try a little harder to get your message across to your hairdresser and get as much information out of them as you can. Do whatever it takes for them to realise what you want. Bringing photos to your appointment is extremely helpful for your hairdresser. It also helps you become more decisive because half the time the problem is that we aren't really sure we know what we want. If you have lots of photos from magazines or wherever, your hairdresser can at least get an idea of what you sense of style is and recommend something that works best for you. Then if you feel good about it, put your trust in them. It’s always going to get the best results.

If your confidence in that hairdresser still isn't there after all this, its time to move on and find a new one. 
Neither you, nor any hairdresser wants you to leave the salon unhappy.

Long Hair? Avoid tangles and knots while protecting your hair from damage!

If you have long hair that you’re styling daily and it’s always knotting and matting up you need to start using a leave in moisturizer and serum. Try to find one that’s right for your hair type. Many of these improve the condition of your hair, but this isn’t the main reason to use it. They also detangle the hair and protect it from styling thermals that you use day by day some even adding a finishing shine. Unfortunately using a supermarket brand may not always be the best choice but don’t run out and buy the most expensive product on the shelf. Be very careful to buy the right product, as everyone’s hair is different.

If your hair is fine and limp you may want to avoid it, but if its also very tangled the a light spray leave in treatment is best.

If it is damaged and course then try an Argon or Macadamia oil based product. These have moisturizers and proteins. Try Moroccan Oil products

If your hair is in perfect condition and just gets a bit frizzy just use a shine serum.

Because these products are for daily use the less cosmetic and more natural based brands are recommended. Try Silicone-Free Hair Repair from the karpati natural hair care range. That's also a good one if your hair is damaged buy fine as it doesn't weigh your hair down or make it oily.

Holiday Hair

How to wear your hair on holidays and what products to pack

The best way to pack is lightly when travelling. Guys are lucky, all they need is shampoo, one product and maybe a straightening iron at the most. But for girls theres also brushes treatments, products, clips, hairdryers and other bulky items.

When holidaying I want to be as low maintenance as possible. I don't want to be blowdrying my hair everyday. I wear my hair wavy or if I want to wear it straight I make sure I get a Keratin treatment before I head off so its easy to style while I'm away.

With both these options theres a way to limit taking up space in your luggage.
You can use a cleansing conditioner so you don't need to pack both shampoo and conditioner try Wen by Chaz Dean. Or if you don't like that most brands have tester size bottles you can try from salons. Get some of those, or if you already have some small bottles, transfer your products into the smaller sizes.

I would suggest taking a leave in hair moisturiser (try Redken leave in detangling spray or for something heavier try Redken Smoothing Cream)

And the only equipment I would take would be a wide toothed comb, a straightening iron and a butterfly clip.

If you still have room then you can add whatever other products are your favourites, but that should be all you need.

Essential Products! Gift Ideas for anyone

Looking for Christmas gift ideas?

Here are some great ideas, all prices that will suit almost anyone:

ghd for ceramic hair iron and products have some great gift packages that are amazing right now if you're looking to spend around $250-$310. When it comes to straightening irons the ghd brand is far superior to any other.

The best hairdryer on the market in my opinion is PARLUX 3800 which is now designed more eco friendly. It is an Italian brand but can be found with more information here (http://www.ry.com.au) for around $150

Another idea would be a salon voucher. These are great as you can purchase any treatment from a blowdry minimum to a haircut to a full colour to a keratin treatment to the works! Just find out where their favourite hairdresser is based.

There is a great styling product brand out there which is becoming very popular at the moment called EVO they have 3 summer favourites right now which are mostly for thickening and texture. But all EVO products are amazing with fun descriptions like "salty dog, cocktail beach spray - a sea-esque mist designed to give you salty, beach-based texture and a matt finish" Check out their site for more products all around the $30 price range. 

Other great options are product packages which most salons or department stores provide this time of the year. Also great brushes and hair accessories are amazing presents and can be either affordable or quite special depending on where you buy them.

For any further questions or ideas please feel free to leave me a comment.

Essential Product for Blondes!

One of the first problems I blogged about was Brassy Blondes and how to prevent that problem.
Since then I've been getting feedback from clients telling me that they love these ideas but when using a toning shampoo have found that it dries out their already damaged hair somewhat.

Since then I've discovered an amazing new product which I believe trumps the rest!

In the Redken Blonde Glam range there are two after care treatments to be used on either cool blondes or warm blondes to enhance your colour. For Platinum Blondes use "Perfect Platinum" (or cool or ash blondes) this product tones out any yellow or brass. And for Golden Blondes use "Rich Vanilla" (or warm blondes) use this treatment to soften you colour and keep it radiant. Make sure your read the label and follow it directly. Don't leave them on your hair too long as they are quite strong.

If you do leave one in too long then remember the other one will help to counteract that colour.
For example, if you leave the Perfect Platinum in too long and it becomes slightly pink, use the Rich Vanilla after and the pink will get toned away. Or, alternatively you could mix a drop of the Rich Vanilla when about to apply Perfect Platinum to create a less strong tone. But only do this if you feel confident with the products and how well you know your hair.

They are my new favourites for my blonde clients. Try them out and let me know what you think

About me

I've been blogging for just over a month now and am really enjoying it.

Incase you're curious to know, I though I'd share a little about myself.

I am an freelance working hairdresser in Sydney. Always expanding my work range, client base and skills.

In my 10 years in the industry I've ended up hearing the same questions from clients and friends about their hair problems over and over. So I finally decided to post all my answers, ideas and tips onto a blog to help more people out there with the same issues.

I hope you're all enjoying reading and finding it helpful.
Please feel free to comment and email any and all hair related questions to info@vanessadeluca.com.au I'd love to help

Platinum Blonde! MX article

Mx magazine asked me to do an article all about platinum blondes. So I thought I'd share it with you.

Here is the Q&A:


Is it for everyone? 
Definitely not. First of all its a very extreme look and so you need to have the right personality and sense of style. Platinum is very high maintenance, if your natural colour is quite dark it may be hard to achieve. Also if your hair is not very strong, it wont handle the damage bleach can create, very well. 


What kind of skin tone suits platinum hair? 
In my opinion anyone can have this look, its all about how you wear it and how you alter your other features to suit it, eg. you may have to lighten your eyebrows. But in saying that it definitely looks better on someone with fair skin.


Would you have to alter your make-up with this dramatic style? 
Yes, the clearer your skin is the better your hair will look when its platinum so a cover up or concealer will probably be necessary. Eye make-up is also a must, the minimum you should wear is mascara as your eyes will look washed out without anything.


How is it achieved? 
Primarily bleach directly on the scalp and most of the time a toner will be needed at the end of the process to create that icy cool feel. Brands of colour that get the most even result are Wella and L'Oreal. 


How often does it need to be refreshed? 
Every 4 weeks. Never leave your re-growth longer than that or you'll find it very hard to keep your colour even.


Does it damage the hair? 
Definitely, but different people will have different degrees of damage so some hair types will cope quite well with the colour. It can also be very harsh on your scalp depending on your sensitivity.


What about fading? 
Platinum doesn't really fade, it can get dull or brassy but most of the time if your using the right products (like a blonde shampoo which tones as you wash) and are getting it refreshed periodically you wont have any problems.


Is there a less extreme blonde look that is more manageable? 
Of course, you can get a light blonde tint which wont get as bright. Or my favourite alternative is a full head of high quantity bleach highlights. You can get almost as blonde without having to have your hair colour refreshed as often as the regrowth isn't as pronounced. (An example of this colour type is my client Ruby to the left)


Favourite platinum/super blonde celebs? 
Gwen Stefanie is the queen on platinum. Pink and Abbey Lee Kershaw also look great.

Summer Frizz

Summer has arrived! 
Loving that its hot enough to swim. The salt water is giving my hair a great beach wave but when I'm not at the beach the humidity is sending my hair into a ball of frizz!

The best solution for this problem is products. 
There are so many frizz repelling products out there from sea salt sprays which absorb the moisture in your hair, to shine serums which calm and smooth out the frizz. There are even anti-humidity hair sprays. But the most powerful product out there is the Keratin Treatment.
This product, in addition to eliminating frizz and adding long lasting strength and moisture to your hair for around 3 to 6 months, used to get your hair super straight also.

In the last year there has been a lot of controversy over Keratin treatment products. Mostly surrounding one brand in particular. As a result, all brands took their products off the shelf and reformulated to meet OHS standards. I was very disappointed (as were my clients) to find that after this reformulation, the once perfect and long lasting, smoothing straightening treatment, was not as good and in some cases not working at all. So I had to give some refunds and re-dos. I wasn’t going to give up though. 

Which Keratin Product works best?

I took it upon myself to sample several different brands and start stocking the best one.

I’m very excited to have found it! Global Keratin. Its not as great as the original product in the sense that it doesn't straighten the hair as well, but it and definitely reduces frizz, improves the condition of the hair and lasts around 4 months. 

But, I am continually testing out brands as they come out so if I find one that works better I promise to update this post.

Losing Hair? Don't stress

On average we lose 100 strands of hair a day. This is relative to how much hair you already have. For example, if you have thicker hair, you'll lose more, if your hair is fine, you'll lose less. Pretty straight forward. But if you're finding that you're losing more than usual there could be a few reasons why.

Change of season, diet or medication can all cause you to lose more hair. Also if you're a woman who has recently given birth you will lose a lot of hair in most cases. Then there's the hereditary reasons. If balding is in your family then you should probable see a Trichologist (a doctor who specialises in hair and scalp) to see if there are any solutions for your particular problem. 

If you're still losing hair and can't relate back to any of the above reasons then here is the last and most common reason for hair loss. Stress. Long term stress and anxiety will cause you to lose a lot of hair and you'll notice when you calm your nerves for a long period of time there will be a lot of short hair growing at once from your roots. This looks dreadful and makes styling your hair that much harder. So avoid it before its too late. 

Relax, do some meditation or let that stress out whatever way works best for you. You'll thank yourself for your thick healthy hair

Fringes!! (or "bangs")

I love a good fringe, whether it’s blunt over the brows, the side fringe or long and messy. Fringes or “Bangs” can be a fun addition to your look when you’re bored and want a change without doing anything too dramatic. They also give you some style when you decide to pin your hair back.

Unfortunately there are many cases of fringes gone wrong. This happens when you don’t have the right hairline for the fringe you’ve decided on. A low forehead or cowlick hairline can almost always struggle with a fringe that sits full and forward onto the face. In this case I would always go for a longer fringe or side fringe or short loose layers that shape the face more

When deciding what the best option is for you, you must go with your hair and DON’T FIGHT AGAINST IT! Gently style it forward and see where it parts and how it sits. If its separating and pushing itself back then go for a longer option.

If you still really want a fringe then look into the clip in human hair extension bangs. You can get these cut and coloured to 

suit your face and hair and you’ll never have to worry about fighting to style it again.

Sea Salt Spray!

Sea Salt Spray, Ocean Spritz, Salt Water Hair Products!

My favorite product out there! Giving your hair body and texture without making it greasy. It’s primarily used to enhance the curl or wave in your hair and give you a sexy beach look. But if you spray it moderately into your roots before blow-drying it is a fantastic body builder! It gives your style amazing long lasting volume. It’s a water based product with salt, so it actually absorbs the oil in your hair adding days to your blow-dry.

So what brand should you buy? Well you can't really get it wrong. They're all great. I even worked with a hairdresser once who lived up in the Central Coast of NSW and would fill a spray bottle up at McMasters beach. Apparently it was a great salt to water ratio. He used the spray like liquid gold in the salon.

So no matter what you try, please enjoy this product. Its one of my go-to's

Are you sick of Brassy Blondes? Some tips how to prevent this, and reasons why it occurs.

If your hair is blonde but is constantly getting yellow, orange or brassy you aren’t alone. This is a common problem amongst blondes. The reason for this (as you probably know and advise your hairdresser every time you sit down with them) is that you hair throws warmth when it is coloured. Well, the majority of people’s hair does. More so if your hair is naturally any shade of brown. This also happens when you wash your hair too often, style regularly with thermals (hairdryers, straighteners, tongs, hot rollers etc.), are out in the sun a lot or you swim regularly as all these things contribute too strip colour and health from your hair. It is always going to throw warmth when coloured any shade lighter than its natural colour.

Now if you want to avoid this in the salon when going blonde you need to avoid tints where possible where this problem occurs. Tinting is chosen over bleaching and highlights usually to cover grey, and colour throwing warmth in grey hair is less of an issue. But, when using a tint as a decision when highlighting (in foils), the finer the highlights the less brassy it will become. Eliminating tint completely and using bleach only in highlights is the best option but some brands of colour never get the yellow out completely. But if you do want low-lights (foils that are darker rather than lighter) ask your hairdresser if she will use a semi permanent instead of a tint in the foil. It will fade a little but tints fade also, the onle difference is the semi wont throw warmth or go brassy as it fades. 


Wella and L’Oreal salon brands are generally the best at achieving blondes so do ask your hairdresser before you get your colour.

Toners are great at counteracting yellow, but can sometimes dull your beautiful bright blonde down too much. So make sure your getting subtle ones.

To prevent this at home, every now and then use a silver shampoo (sometimes called blonde shampoo or violet) this will fight against rusty yellow blondes on a regular basis and maintain your toner between services. Wella SP range has an amazing silver shampoo, as does the Trichovedic Hair Wisdom range which is also sulphate and sodium chloride free.
Limit how often you wash and style your hair.
And when out in the sun or swimming use a leave in treatment/moisturiser/conditioner as a barrier. Try Moroccan Oil

Hair Colour Damage

Most of the time when I have a new client book an appointment with me it’s for colour correction. They have either put in a home colour, changed their colour so many times with different hairdressers that their colour has become messy, or a disaster has happened in a salon through a miss communication or chemical over processing. Most of the time I can fix this problem without further damage to the hair in one service alone. There are other times however, when the hair is so damaged that it becomes a progressive series of services over many months which will finally result in the colour and condition desired.

The best tips I can give are for avoiding this problem:
1. Steer clear of DIY home colour jobs 

2. Know what colours you love on yourself and what suits you best

3. Find a hairdresser who understands you, your hair, your personality and style. I always need to feel a connection with my client and know that we’re on the same page
4. Take photos of colours you like on other people or yourself, or from magazines. Its so much easier to understand what you want when theres visual description. In salon colour swatches make it hard to imagine the final result sometimes

5. If your hairdresser is getting it right, stick with them

6. Avoid changing your hair colour impulsively unless you certain you will like it

7. When changing your hair colour dramatically, know the process of changing it back again. If you don't like it, it may be more damaging to return to the original.
8. Commit to a dramatic change, changing back and forth, back and forth just as impulsively can be extremely damaging, not to mention you'll find it difficult to get the result you want. Its another disaster and mess waiting to happen.