Making the transition from brunette to silver

 

It is now been 10 months since I stopped colouring my hair. The good news is that the condition has radically improved. Soft and silky has replaced the straw-like texture.

I have been able to let it dry naturally (thanks to my wonderful hairdresser Michael Charalambus and his fabulous cuts) so it goes into curls and waves helping to disguise the mix of hues.

Two months since my last cut, I am now back with Michael sitting with faded ends. “It needs cleaning up,” he says.

 

 

 

Michael adds more layers for more body and shapes the sides to get rid of those non-flattering reddish bits at the ends.

“I am going to blow-dry your hair straight so I can check the cut. You should let it dry curly and, this time, wear it behind your ears,” says the hair god.

He goes on to tell me that since lockdown, more and more people are embracing their natural texture. Many turned to straighteners and curling tongs to help them handle their hair when hairdressers were closed. The result was damaged, dry, brittle hair. 

 

 

 

 

 

“Another mistake people make at home is using the hairdryer on too high temperature. You should keep it on a medium setting and keep the dryer at least 15cm (6 inches) away from your hair,” he adds.

He also suggests wrapping it in a towel for no more than 20 minutes to get rid of excess moisture before you start blow-drying. Always use a heat protectant.

In no time at all I was transformed with another new look. I am not going to pretend that the transition period is easy. But Michael’s creative styling has made it much easier. The old and the new colour now seem to blend harmoniously.

As I have come to expect from a cut from the maestro, I leave yet again looking glamourous.

And the verdict from friends has been a thumbs up!

 

Happy holidays!

 

By Daralyn Danns

 

For inspiration visit nyumbasalon.com or follow on instagram.com/nyumbasalon 

Embracing your grey hair

 

 

I never thought that I could look glamorous whilst in the process of growing out coloured hair and embracing my greys. But my amazing hairdresser Michael Charalambous proved me wrong.

It has been eight months since I stopped colouring my hair. The good news is that the silver coming through is a great shade and also my strands are in a lot better condition that the rest of it. Overall, my hair is a lot softer and less brittle than it was after lockdown. I have also noticed that it is less frizzy.

 

 

 

 

 

“We need to add more layers at the back to get rid of that rigid line,” said Michael on inspecting my hair. “The grey strands will blend in better with the colour and it will bring out your natural curl making it easier for you to style. We are also going to change the parting from the side to the centre. It’s more modern and will look better with the colour.”

Michael set to work weaving his magic with the scissors and before long I had the most fabulous cut and blow-dry. As I have so much baby hair I also had a fringe which Michael tells me is bang on-trend. 

 

 

 

 

More shaped and shorter than I had been for a long time, I actually left the salon feeling fabulous. No mean feat when you are going through a transition of going grey from dyed hair.

What is more I received a lot of compliments on the new look (even one from a complete stranger in a shop) ranging from "you look five years younger" to "what a beautiful colour your grey is".

It feels liberating not having to go to the salon every seven weeks and having to use powders in between – I preferred them to the sprays which always made my hair look too matt and heavy – to cover up the roots.

The coloured strands fading over time will be an issue that l will have to deal with but, hopefully, as my hair grows fast it will not be too much of a problem. I also have the advantage of having Michael Charalambous as my hairdresser. He seems to have the solution for all my hair-related problems.

 

By Daralyn Danns

 

For inspiration visit nyumbasalon.com or follow on instagram.com/nyumbasalon 

 

 

Silver, the hair colour of the moment

 

Silver may be the hair shade of the moment but there is a difficult period to get through when you decide to go cold turkey and want to revert to your natural hue after years of colouring.

I was at that in-between stage where my hair was suffering from colour fade and the grey roots not looking as if they belonged.  You know it looks bad when a friend asks you: “When are you going to get your hair done?”

Luckily, I had an appointment booked a couple of days later with my mane man, Michael Charalambous. I felt happy visiting Nyumba, Michael’s salon once again as it feels so Covid secure. Not only are there screens to make it easier for social distancing, Michael was also wearing a mask and visor plus the sanitiser for the brushes and scissors was in full view so you knew that everything had been cleaned after each client. 

 

 

As soon as he saw me he explained that we had to change the haircut slightly so it would be better for me to wear it curlier and the grey would blend better with the rest of the hair.

“By taking it shorter, adding a couple of layers and subtly angling it to get rid of the strands that had been damaged from colouring, it will be much easier for you to manage,” he said.

When it comes to my hair, Michael has always been right. Every cut I have had I have always been extremely pleased with. His advice about colour has, too, always been spot on. So when he says embrace the silver trend, I know that is what I have to do. I know for my hair’s health, it is the right thing to do.

Michael pointed out that my tresses do not like colour. As your hair is strong and has a lot of melanin in it (I still have quite a bit of my natural black strands), the dye used will have to be stronger and left on for a considerable period of time for it to take. The years of colouring have taken their toll on the condition which is why you are getting so much frizz, he explained.

I had noticed this in lockdown. The new hair coming through was a better texture than the coloured strands. Putting colour on top of colour to combat the fading, which I had, would ruin it. I realised it was time to heed Michael’s advice and embrace the on-trend grey.

In no time at all, Michael wielded his magic with the scissors and I was transformed. I felt chic with my French bob and what he called my silver low-lights.

I saw the same friend just after I left the salon. “You look 10 years younger,” he exclaimed.

Having a hairdresser like Michael is the best weapon anybody can have in the quest to keep looking good no matter what age you are!

 

By Daralyn Danns

 

For inspiration visit nyumbasalon.com or follow on instagram.com/nyumbasalon