Hair Mistakes: When hair goes wrong!

I cut my fringe  too short : Several possible solutions to this hair mistake: Leave it to dry flat under a headband, and finish off with hair straighteners to earn some valuable millimetres. Give it some styling by artificially creating small gaps with the tip of the scissors. If that’s not enough, draw a relatively low line on your forehead (starting from the outer tip of the eyebrow), put on some hair wax to help the hair hold more easily, and pull it to the side following this line. Secure it with a clip or hair slide until the hair grows back.

My hair colour is too flat: Buy a hair dye one to two shades darker than the colour of your hair at its tips. Apply the product to the roots, and let it rest a bit over 10 minutes before rinsing. It works like an inverted scanner, and removes the monochrome effect.

I skipped my dye touch-up appointment: To make your dark roots less obvious, spray dry shampoo 1cm down the root of the hair, and brushing your hair upside down to remove the excess white powder. As dry shampoo tends to leave a matte finish, spray your hair with a shot of glossy spray.

My dye job was a disaster: If it is a non-oxidising dye, washing daily for five or six days will do the trick. Otherwise, only a colourist at the hairdresser can make adjustments. Most top hairstylists have established a “damaged hair” department offering a diagnosis, appropriate care and colour change to repair these disaster scenarios.

I over-straightened my hair: Too much straightening kills the softness and natural look of your hair. To avoid having straw hair in the shower, wet your hands with warm water and scrunch your ​​hair to revive its volume. Use the same approach in the case of too much of the curling iron – moisture will instantly relax the curls.

My blow-dry is making my hair smell: To rectify this hair mistake and get a natural blow, spray on hairspray (light hold) upside down, and heat with a hairdryer. Another option: moisten hair with a cotton pad soaked in alcohol-free (if not, watch out the smell!) beer, place in 5 or 6 large rollers, and allow it to dry in the open air.

Continue reading our report on “Hair and makeup mistakes”:

Makeup: when less is more…and more is disastrous

When treatments go all wrong

Alix Etournaud