Styling tips from award-winning hairdresser Jason Collier

Jason Collier has worked with the likes of Victoria Beckham, Eva Longoria and Damian Lewis. He is also the current ambassador for US haircare line, Shea Moisture.

This company is fast gaining a reputation for its great hair products. It has a wide choice of ranges including its new Shea Moisture African Black Soap Bamboo Charcoal line (lookfantastic.com) for those with sensitive scalps.

Words of wisdom from Jason

Making sure you have the right product for your hair is imperative. Jason also stresses the importance of using the shampoo and conditioner from the same range as they are designed to work together. You can use styling products from other collections.

If you are not sure what you should be using ask your stylist. Everything in moderation when it comes to using heated appliances including straighteners. A heat protector will help to keep your locks in good condition.

Use a masque once a week. If you have fine hair, you can use it as a pre-shampooing treatment. You should find it will give you the benefits of deep conditioning without weighing your locks down. 

What brush should you use? According to Jason, bristle brushes will give you more control than ceramic. Jason suggests asking your hairdresser if you can try styling with one on each side of your hair to see which you prefer. 

A good way to get the kinks out of your hair is to use the flat wrap technique. As you brush your hair snugly against the scalp, keeping it taut, follow it closely with your dryer. Then dry it in the opposite direction. You can smooth out the ends using a round brush or try a Mason Pearson.

It may look easy when you watch videos on how to blow dry your hair but what you don’t see is the work that goes into it behind the scenes. 

If you have got to your 26^th birthday and don’t know how to blow dry your hair, Jason reckons you probably never will. So he advises to have a weekly blow dry and economise elsewhere.

Jason’s favourite products. Obviously, he likes all of Shea Moisture’s collections but at the moment, he says he cannot be without Shea Moisture Hydrate + Repair Multi-Action Leave-in Conditioner, (£10.99, Boots. Superdrug also stock Shea Moisture products). When travelling he likes to use the SuperFruit Complex 10-IN-1 Multi-Benefit Range.

As for what the new decade will bring, Jason says at the moment we are seeing a lot more individualism in hair styles and colour. But things change so quickly so who knows what tomorrow will bring!

By Daralyn Danns

Great hair conditioning treatments

This is not a paid post. Products are press samples.

Now is the time to make sure that your hair is in good shape for summer. So give it some TLC. You should get into the habit of using a deep conditioning treatment once a week. There is a move away from using products from major brands to smaller ones that specialise in what are deemed to be more natural.

Here are my favourites.

Leonor Greyl Masque Fleurs De Jasmin, Nourishing Mask For Normal And Thin Hair, £37, Space NK  

Containing high-quality natural ingredients, this masque is the perfect treat for delicate hair. Subtly scented with jasmine it is a melange of amino acids, proteins, vegetable oils and acacia collagen. Working together they leave your hair feeling soft and nourished. Use as an everyday conditioner and as a weekly intensive treatment which you leave on dry hair for 20 minutes before shampooing.

The Renaissance Circle Hopeless hair extreme repair mask by Davines, £8, Liberty London, libertylondon.com

Ideal for at home or travelling, this will give your tresses a new lease of life. A favourite brand with those in the know, it helps to restore hair that has been damaged by overuse of hairdryers and straighteners as well as too much swimming in chlorinated water or over exposure to the sun. Contains babassu butter for moisture and yellow clay, which the company says, reassembles the external structure of the hair.

Shea Moisture Fruit Fusion Coconut Water Weightless Masque, £12.99
Ideal for fine, wavy or curly hair this will hydrate and smooth your tresses without weighing them down. A cocktail of shea butter and coconut water with added goodies such as dragon fruit and vitamin-rich imbe oil, which aids in keeping humidity at bay, it leaves hair soft, bouncy and manageable. Can be used on coloured hair.

Davines Nounou Mask, £20.20, cultbeauty.co.uk

Full of goodies such as tomato extract and olive butter and vitamin E, this will help restore chemically-treated hair to its former glory. Makes locks bouncy as well as soft and silky. Another plus is the minimalistic design of the packaging. This ethical Italian haircare brand makes you feel all the money is all in the product. 

By Daralyn Danns