Summer is here and we are here for summer. It’s our favourite season, from the warm weather and bright colours to the t-shirts and shorts, you name it, we love it. However, this time of year can take a toll on your lovely locks. These top tips will help keep your hair in good condition when the sun hits.
 
Your hair can get damaged in many different ways during summer; exposure to harmful rays, sweat, sea salt, and chlorine. During summer you might find your hair is drier, limp and just a bit lifeless. We’re here to put an end to it.
 
Book a haircut, and then keep booking them
 
It all starts with a good chop. At the start of summer get a haircut and make sure you’re having regular trims throughout the sunny period (or what we get of it anyway!). This will keep your hair in good condition and get rid of those pesky split ends!
 
Take care of your colour
 
Take extra care of your colour if you’re going to be sat in the sun. You’ve spent time and money on it, so you don’t want to risk any fading. Buy specialist products that are made for colour-treated hair.
 
Use conditioner and hair masks
 
Help restore moisture in your locks by using a quality conditioner that suits your hair type. And if you want a deep conditioning treatment, we love Olaplex’s at home and in salon treatments and Philip Kingsley Elasticizer.
 
Top tip: if you’re going swimming, you can pop a layer of conditioner on your hair to protect it from chemicals in the pool. Or pick up Philip Kingsley Swimcap which is exactly what it says on the tin!
 
Go easy on the shampoo
 
You don’t actually need to shampoo your hair every day, but if you feel the need to, buy a gentle shampoo and focus on your roots, not your ends. It’ll stop you from stripping the nutrients in your hair.
 
Avoid heat styling
 
If your hair is already being exposed to heat from the sun, try and give your locks a break from heat styling products. Opt for a cooler temperature when you’re blow-drying and if you just can’t resist it your straighteners or curlers, invest in a good heat protection spray.
 
SPF… for your hair
 
Yes, this is a real thing. Your hair needs protecting from the sun, just like your skin does.
 
Pop a hat on
 
The sun hasn’t got his hat on, but you should. It’ll protect your head and make you look fabulous. Win win we say!
 
There we have it ladies! Look after yourself in the sun and put these tips to good use. If you fancy investing in some products, pop in the salon and we can advise what will work well for your hair. 

We get it, good hair days can seem few and far between. The happiness of having picture-perfect hair every day, actually comes from a few healthy habits and we’re here to share our top tips.
 
Shampoo and conditioner
 
Invest in a good quality shampoo and conditioner but use them sparingly. Good quality products contain fewer chemicals, so they are better for your hair. Most people don’t actually need to wash their hair as often as they do, so if you can skip a few days, do so.
 
Head massage
 
There’s a reason why us hair stylists do this, not only does it feel great, but it stimulates hair growth. If you haven’t tried it at home, grab some hair oils and give your scalp the time it deserves, which brings us nicely on to our next point…
 
Hot oil treatments
 
Hot oil treatments help to add moisture into your locks. They help strengthen and nourish your hair while preventing split ends. You should use one weekly and really massage it into your locks, leaving it to work for five minutes.
 
Deep conditioning
 
We know this may seem like a lot of hassle but it’s totally worth doing. Similar to above, a deep conditioning treatment will help repair and strengthen your hair. If you colour your hair, this will work wonders. You can pop into the salon for a deep conditioning treatment or pick up a product to use weekly at home.
 
Diet
 
Keeping your hair happy is just as much about what you eat, as much as it is about how you treat it. Eat a balanced diet with lots of fruit, veg and protein. A general rule, the darker and leafier the green, the better! Iron and protein are key here.
 
Trim, trim, trim
 
Hit the salon regularly to get your hair trimmed. This will help keep your hair healthy, keep split ends at bay and will help with growth. We recommend booking in a trim every six to eight weeks.
 
Be careful with chemicals
 
Fear not, you can still colour your hair and keep it healthy. We would just advise always going to the salon to change your hair colour and never using box bleach or dyes. You can also use a salon conditioning treatment such as Olaplex that will help protect your hair during the colouring process. Read more about this in our blog here.
 
Avoid over-styling
 
Styling your hair can be so much fun and we recommend it to make you feel fabulous. However, just know that heat styling does cause damage. Take precautions and invest in a decent heat defence product and avoid unnecessary styling where possible. If you don’t fancy letting your hair dry naturally, try turning down the heat and drying your hair on a cooler setting.
 
If you want some more advice or fancy getting your hands on some of the products mentioned, get in touch. 

In the salon we often get asked questions from people considering changing their hair colour. Here are the top seven you should consider before your trip to the salon.
 
Book a consultation
 
Tea and advice is always free at LK Hair so book a consultation before booking your appointment to talk about the style and colour you want to go for. We can talk you through how long your desired look will take and the best way to achieve it. Just get in touch to book a consultation.
 
Bring pictures – of what you like and what you don’t like
 
Showing us pictures of your desired look helps us to understand what colour and style you want to go for, and what you want to avoid. We can advise you how that particular style and colour would look on you.
 
How often do you want to visit the salon?
 
It’s important to decide how often you want to colour your hair and how much maintenance your colour will require. If you don’t want to be doing your roots every few weeks, tell your stylist and they will suggest colours and techniques that require less maintenance.
 
Use a conditioning treatment
 
Apply a conditioning treatment at least a few days before your appointment to moisturise your hair and prepare it for the colour process. Healthy hair will take on your hair colour and and keep it vibrant, so always look after your locks! We recommend an oil treatment every couple of weeks to keep strands moisturised. We have lots of tips on our blog about how to keep your hair healthy.
 
Washing your hair
 
Avoid washing your hair the day of your colour so that you don’t strip away the natural oils in your hair, this will help give a more even result when it is coloured. When you do wash your hair, use a clarifying shampoo to remove build up from products.
 
Olaplex
 
If you are worried about the colouring process damaging your hair, ask for an Olaplex treatment, it helps to protect and repair your hair. Read more about the miracle treatment here.
 
Avoid box dyes at all costs
 
If you want your hair coloured, do it safely and visit a professional. Box dyes can damage your hair and can leave traces of the damage for years afterwards.
 
If you’ve had your hair coloured and want tips to help maintain the colour, read our blog.

As hair stylists, there's nothing better than an amazing hair transformation and knowing our clients are walking out of the salon with huge grins on their faces. It was a tricky choice, but we've put together our favourite before and afters from the season. 

With people going lighter for summer, there's a whole lotta blonde in this list but this is definitely one of our faves. We're in love with the different tones in this blonde bombshell. 🔥

This amazing balayage had to make the cut! Sometimes all you need is a little freshen up to transform your hair! ❣️  

Unlike most of these transformations, this client wanted her blonde locks toned down and we're completely in love with the result. 💕

A balayage and cut has added so much life and definition to these locks. We love the warm, honey tones shining through! 🍯

This beautiful client is glowing after a full head a highlights. 🤩

We always get so excited when we bring hair back to life with a big chop. ✃ 

 A full head of foils have reignited this blondie. Summer ready hair! 💛

This incredible client braved a big chop to support The Little Princess Trust and the Teenage Cancer Trust. We can't thank our Penny, and the rest of our clients enough for letting us be part of this. So inspiring. 💗

A classy classic look for this lovely client. 💁‍♀️ 

A balayage really brought this head of hair to life. We are living for this colour! 💇‍♀️

How amazing is this transformation?! 😍 A full scalp bleach using a toner from the new Montibello Metallics range. We're still obsessing over this look and how much it suits her.

WOW! 👌 This client is rocking her new platinum locks. Vicki absolutely smashed this! 

Feeling inspired? If you'd like to transform your hair, book an appointment online. 

Olaplex is endorsed by celebrities from stylist and hair God Guy Tang, to stars like Kim Kardashian. It’s spoken about a lot, but what is it and why should you use it?
 
According to Olaplex “the simple three-step process includes a patented active ingredient that works on a molecular level to seek out broken bonds in the hair that are caused by chemical, thermal, and mechanical damage. You can use Olaplex to restore compromised hair, or add it to another service to provide the ultimate breakage insurance.”
 
What is it?

Olaplex is a three-step system that rebuilds damaged bonds in your hair that become broken during chemical treatments and heat styling. So if you’re guilty of over-bleaching, over-colouring, or over-styling your locks, Olaplex rebuilds the strength and integrity of your hair. The miracle treatment allows stylists like us to make dramatic hair colour changes while keeping your hair healthy.
 
Olaplex 1, 2 & 3

Olaplex No.1 – this is the Bond Multiplier and can be used as a stand-alone treatment or when you get your hair coloured. If it’s the latter, it is mixed with bleach and put straight onto your hair in foils. If you’d like Olaplex with your next colour, just ask in the salon or book online.
 
Olaplex No.2 – this is the Bond Perfector and is put on the hair once the bleach is rinsed out to further repair any damage.
 
Olaplex No.3 – this is the Hair Perfector and is the at-home treatment. You can buy this in the salon and we recommend that you use it once a week to get the most out of it. It’s simple to use – just apply it to damp hair and leave it in for a minimum of 10 minutes and then wash your hair as normal.
 
Can it be used on all hair types?

Olaplex tends to be used to repair damaged hair but you can use it on every hair type – including virgin, uncoloured hair.
 
How long do the benefits last?

The most amazing thing about the three-step system is that the results last until your next chemical treatment. However, all processes that damage hair, like heat styling, will weaken it.
 
We offer Olaplex in the salon as a stand-alone treatment for £20 which takes 30 minutes or you can ask for it as part of your colour which costs £10. Get in touch or book online.

 
At this year’s English Hair & Beauty Awards we bagged the national award for Most Wanted Salon of the Year. For the second consecutive year, we left the awards with huge grins on our faces that haven’t faded since.
 
After winning the national award for Customer Service of the Year at last year’s awards, 2018 was going to be tough to beat but we did it!
 
We wanted to take this opportunity not just to shout about us winning (although we are loving doing it!), but also to thank all of our amazing clients who helped us to win this award and for continuing to support us.
 
So thank you for letting us be creative, thank you for your amazing conversation and thank you for coming back time and time again. We love what we do and we love making you feel even more fabulous than you already are. We’re looking forward to seeing what this year brings and we’re super excited to think about what we can achieve over the next 12 months.
 
Every year we get bigger and better and we couldn’t do it without you.
 
Kim x

Choosing your next hair colour is no easy feat, do you go lighter, darker, a different colour all together? Then you have to consider the spectrum of tones that exist within each colour. Do you pick ice blonde, ash blonde? And just to top it off, when you finally find a colour, you have to check that it will actually suit you, rather than washing you out *kisses ice blonde dreams goodbye*.

Quite frankly, it’s exhausting. But it helps when you have basic knowledge of what cool and warm hair shades actually look like, as well as an understanding of your skin's colouring. That’s why we’ve put together a handy colour guide to help you on your way. So go crazy girl, become that blonde bombshell or that fiery redhead that you’ve always dreamed of.

Identify your skin tone

To uncover your undertones, look at your wrists. If you see blue or purple veins, that’s an indicator that your skin tone is cool. If you see greenish-looking veins, then your skin has warm undertones. For those that see both, you’re most likely neutral, lucky devils.

If you’re still unsure, here’s a little trick to try. Put in silver earrings or a silver necklace and look in the mirror, then switch to gold. What colour looks better? Cooler skin tones look more radiant in silver, but gold jewellery pops against warm skin.

Now that you’ve identified your skin’s undertones, you can pick a colour that will suit you. A good rule of thumb to follow is to choose a colour that is opposite to your undertones. So warm skin tones should pick cooler colours and vice versa.

So what colour should you go for?

Cool blonde

Platinum, ice, silver, ash, sand, beige, champagne

These shades are great on porcelain skinned gals (and guys) with reddish undertones, since those icy hues tend to neutralise redness. They also look fab if you have warm skin with warm undertones.

Warm blonde

Gold, caramel, honey, butterscotch

​Fair skin with cool undertones looks better with warm tones. We’re thinking strawberry blondes, copper, honey, and gold. These colours also tend to be better for those with olive or deep skin.

Cool red

Red, dark auburn, burgundy

Red is a really great option if you have pale skin with red in it. Those with warm, peachy complexions will also see their skin pop with cooler, auburn reds.  

Warm red

Strawberry blonde, copper, amber

Strawberry blonde colours are great on fair and neutral skin tones. A light, warm red colour counteracts cool tones in pale skin. If you have deep skin and you’re wanting to become a red head, opt for a cooler, brown-tinged auburn instead.

Cool brown

Dark chocolate, chestnut, dark auburn, mocha

It's pretty hard to go wrong with brown as it’s very flattering for most skin types but cooler browns look particularly striking on those with warm skin. For those with deeper skin, lightening from black to deep mocha brown can look really gorgeous.

Warm brown

Caramel, honey, golden brown, amber, mahogany

If you have medium skin, picking one of these colours that contrasts with your complexion will look amazing. Caramel brown shades look best with skin tones on the lighter side of olive, with a bit more yellow and green tones to them. These colours look really beautiful on a base or roots that are naturally dark.

Cool black

True black, espresso, blue-black, Liquorice

Just like everything, black comes in all kind of shapes and sizes (well just colours, but you get the drift). Different tones of black look completely different and suit different people. A cooler shade can be a tad harsh on those with fair, cool skin, but for those with warmer or neutral undertones, it has a dramatic, porcelain effect on the complexion. The same applies to olive skin.

Warm black

Dark mocha, brown-black

Cool blacks look great on deep skin, but adding chocolatey tones is a flattering way to warm it up. Those with fair, cool skin who really want to go dark should opt for a warm black, rather than something cooler.

All the colours of the rainbow

For rainbow or unicorn hair, there is no rule. We fully encourage you to be as crazy as you possibly can and let your creativity shine through. Darker skin tends to look washed out if paired with paler shades, while saturated hues enhance deeper skin tones. Just remember that these colours will fade quicker so make sure you are armed with good quality, colour protecting products.

If you’re still unsure, pop in for a free consultation.

We all love beautiful, bouncy curls. But do you know what’s better? Beautiful, bouncy curls that don’t drop after five minutes.

To make sure your curls last all day, we’ve put together our top tips and tricks

1. It all begins in the shower, or not

The perfect, long lasting curls start in the shower, or rather not the shower. Grit and texture in your hair is more likely to make your curls last, so if you can avoid if, don’t wash your hair before curling it. Dry shampoo can work wonders if you are worried that your hair looks oily.

However, if you do need to wash your hair, skip the conditioner as this can make your hair too soft and slippery and will lead to your curls falling out faster.
​
2. Preparation is key

As we mentioned above, it’s important for your hair to have the right texture to hold curls and this can be achieved with the right products. Before you start curling your hair, apply a voluminising, thickening mousse from your roots to your ends. Mousse, like hairspray contains alcohol, so it removes moisture from your hair and enhances grit and hold.

3. Use the right products

The way most women cause the majority of damage to their hair is through heat styling so it’s really important that you use a heat protectant before you start curling.

Help your curls last all day and night with a good holding hairspray.

Once you’re done curling, finish with a texturising spray. It’s light so won’t weigh your curls down which will allow them to stay bouncier for longer. If you feel you need more volume, add a small amount of styling powder.

4. Invest in your tools

If you aren’t already, switch to using good quality styling tools. If you think your hair drops quickly, this might be the reason why.

High-end curling irons and wands are usually coated with tourmaline or ceramic, which are proven to cause less damage to your hair. They may be more expensive but they are less damaging and they heat up better so you will apply heat for a shorter period of time, plus they will last you years - worth the investment. If you’re not sure what to go for, just ask one of our stylists next time you’re in or drop us a message.

5. Size is important - barrel size that is

Barrel size is really important because the tightness of your curls goes hand in hand with how they will wear and fall. Generally speaking, the smaller the barrel size, the tighter the curl and the longer it will last.

You should also consider the difference between a warn and an iron, which will give you different types of curls. A curling iron is usually ideal for those tight curls, while a curling wand gives you more freedom to customise your curls. Sometimes though, all you need is a different technique to achieve larger or smaller curls, using the same tool.

6. Cool your curls

One of the most effective tricks on how to get your curls to stay is to let the curl cool down and set before letting it go. Take each fresh curl and secure its spiral shape with a clip, take the clip out once your hair has cooled down. The longer you can leave it, the better.

Don’t have time? Hit that cool button on your hair dryer.

7. Keep your curls tight

Once your curls have cooled down and you’ve unclipped them, toss your head back and gently shake out the curls. Run your fingers through your hair to break them up but be sure to leave them a lighter tighter than you want them as your curls will drop out slightly. Leaving them a bit tighter will ensure your curls last longer than they would have and when you’ve got to where your want to go, they will be perfect.

8. Your curls still aren’t holding?

This could be a sign that your hair is overly damaged as damaged hair doesn’t hold styles well. It’s time to give your hair some much needed TLC. Pop in for a good trim and a conditioning treatment. You can book any service online using our booking system.

We live and breathe hair so it's always difficult to narrow down our favourite looks but we take a look back at the last 12 months and pick out some of our top styles from 2018.

We started the new year with a gorgeous subtle balayage by Vicki. Balayage will always be a favourite of ours whether subtle or bold. 

An oldie but a goldie. We just love these golden blonde highlights by Vicki. 

With Spring on its way, our clients flocked to the salon for lighter locks. This amazing close root balayage by Grace will always stick out as a favourite.  

We throw it back to April when this client braved the chop for the Little Princess Trust. It was also the beginning of her journey to blonde hair. An amazing transformation by Grace.

Wedding season started with this beautiful hair up by Kim. 

This full head of blonde is definitely one of our favourite looks by Grace this year. The perfect colour for the summer months. 

This balayage had to make the cut. After three sessions Grace lifted this client's brunette hair to this gorgeous ice blonde. 

Team work definitely makes the dream work. Kim and Grace both worked their magic to achieve this incredible transformation. 

If you ask us, pastels will never die. We adore these purple locks. 

This is what 150 strands of Angelslocks tiny tips looks like. Are you as in love with these extensions as we are? 

Stunning blonde curls by the boss. 

We ended the year on a high with this amazing blonde balayage. 

We're looking forward to all the transformations to come this year. If you'd like to book your hair appointment, you can do so using our online booking system. 

You may have seen that we've been running a competition over on Facebook and Instagram. 

We'll be picking two people to win two amazing Philip Kingsley products just in time for Christmas. You need to like our page, like the picture and tag three friends in the comments. The Closing Date is 15th December and the winner will be announced on 17th December. The prize will be posted if you can't get to salon and the competition is open to the UK only.

Here's what you'll be getting your hands on if you win the giveaway and why you should enter.

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer

This incredible treatment will leave your hair feeling silky, smooth and strong. It's a pre-shampoo conditioning treatment that delivers elasticity, manageability, bounce and shine to all hair textures. Using it frequently will leave your hair stronger and healthier looking with less breakage. 

Philip Kingsley Elasticizer is free from parabens and fragrances and is full of amazing ingredients like castor oil and hydrolyzed elastin that rehydrate your hair. It gives your hair added strength and elasticity to protect it from everyday damage like brushing and heat styling. 

Now we're going to get a bit science-y! The key ingredients are hydrolyzed elastin, castor oil, olive oil and glycerin. 

Hydrolyzed elastin is a protein that penetrates your hair and increases its elasticity without weighing your hair down. Elasticity is what gives your hair stretch and strength, so it will break less.

Castor oil helps your hair to lock in moisture.

Olive oil is high in Vitamin E and essential fatty acids which moisturise and make your hair look shiny and healthy. 

Glycerin helps your hair to retain moisture, which makes the effects last longer.

A little birdie told us that Philip Kingsley designed this miracle product for Audrey Hepburn, to give her that movie star bounce and shine she was missing after weeks of styling on set. If it's good enough for Audrey Hepburn, we definitely want in! 

Philip Kingsley Daily Damage Defence 

We really want to help keep your hair happy and healthy this winter. The second product in this giveaway is the Daily Damage Defence Conditioning Spray. This is an anti-breakage, heat protecting, conditioning spray that offers protection against everyday damage. Your hair will feel detangled, protected and conditioned with this award-winning formula. 

Philip Kingsley refer to this spray as the everyday Elasticizer so it will pair nicely with the Elasticizer. It makes your hair easy to de-tangle whether it's wet or dry, making it more manageable and reducing the chance of breakage. It will also protect your locks from damage caused by heat styling. 

What are you waiting for? Enter today!