New Year Hair Resolutions

New year resolutions; gym bosses love ‘em, pub landlords less so. More jogging or less chips, more calls to your nan or less texts to your ex. Though we may not always stick to the plan, I think we can all agree that - generally speaking - our intentions are good. 

With “Auld Lang Syne” still repeating in your ears and the champagne headache still reverberating through your cranium, there are plenty of theoretical promises you could make in an attempt to improve things for 2024. 

Hold your horses for a moment and read on, for we may be about to suggest something achievable which won’t involve an awkward phone call to Virgin Active to get out of a fixed term contract in a few months time. 

We are here to suggest some simple resolutions to improve your hair health, as we all know that self-care is a great way to build confidence and maintain good mental health. 

Upgrade Your Shampoo and Conditioner 

We’re always surprised how many people are happy to lavish time and money on their hair, until it comes to their shampoo and conditioner. 

We often hear such comments as “surely they’re all the same” and “I use it everyday so it needs to be cheap”. Trust us, good ones makes a big difference. 

Commonly, lower priced supermarket-type shampoos and conditioners are crammed with cheap chemicals and fragrances which can strip the hair of its natural oils and cause scalp inflammation. The consistency also has a tendency to be runnier, meaning that you need more to do the same thing. 

Swap these out for an alternative containing less of the nasties and more natural ingredients and essential oils. It’s a bigger initial investment but you should need less each time you wash. 

Also, we recommend cleansing your locks no more than every other day (considerably less than this if your hair is dry or frizzy). This means it should pay you back in time, both in the monetary sense and with better hair. 

Book Cuts In Advance 

Obviously, this benefits us as barbers, but hear us out as it’ll help you too. 

For many of us, there are precious few opportunities to take time out of our busy schedules to sit down and do something for ourselves. A good haircut is one of these. 

We also often hear that people see a trip to the barbershop or salon as a good time to chat stuff through with their trusted trimmer. 

So why go into this in a mad rush, trying to book something in last minute, attempting to shoe horn a trim in amid meetings or on the way to the airport for your annual holiday?

Booking a cut or two in advance means that you can choose the days and times that work best for you, rather than the ones that your stylist has left. This way you’ll be able to arrive relaxed, with a clear idea of what you’re after, and ready to make the most of your appointment. 

Wear Less Product 

Unlike our preceding suggestion, this one may sound counter productive for a company who sells hair products. However, we’d rather be honest with you. 

When you load up your hair with thick or hard holding product such as gels or oil based pomades then your scalp will find it hard to breathe. This can cause issues such as flaking and dryness. 

Much like shampoo, we’d suggest opting for a more natural and pliable product instead. This will improve the condition of your hair and scalp, and you will need less to get a good result. 

With longer hair styles, we find that you may not need to apply products every day. If you style your hair after washing then it can even look better the day after, once it looks a bit more lived-in. 

Get a Hairdryer 

Clients often tell us how they wish that they could achieve the same finish at home as they do in the barbershop. Often it can be as simple as using a hairdryer. 

It can take a little bit longer in the morning, but shouldn’t be more than five minutes. The payback for that tiny bit of extra time is far more volume, direction and staying power. 

Be sure to apply some pre-styler first to protect your follicles, and towel dry your barnet a bit first so that it’s not dripping wet. 

You may find that you don’t need anything as swanky (and expensive) as the professional ones that we use day-in, day-out. There are decent options available for the price of a round of drinks at your local watering hole. 

Try Something New

If you’ve found a style that works for you and that you’re consistently happy with then don’t let us tell you to do anything different. However, if you are one of the many who constantly think of changing things up then what better time than now?

Cut in a mullet, go for a fade or grow it out to your shoulders - a change is as good as a rest an’ all that.

There is one word of caution though, make sure that you speak to your barber or stylist before embarking on your new hair goal. This way you’ll know whether the style will suit you, work with your routine or even be possible before you get going. 

Just one more thing to mention from all of us at Ruffians whatever your follicular goals for 2024 - Happy New Year! We look forward to seeing you all in the chair soon.