Plastics in our Oceans

Did you know over 16 billion pounds of plastic leak into our ocean waters yearly?

With the world’s population increasing, this number is only projected to increase. Plastic in our oceans is something to be concerned about not only because of its detrimental effects on animal life and vital ecosystems but also on our health.

Divines is proud to partner with Plastic Bank to stop ocean bound plastic and improve lives. 

Through their partnerships, they will prevent 100 tonnes of plastic from entering the ocean each year. Empower collectors in coastal communities in Indonesia, the Philippines and Brazil.

Products with No Animal-Tested or Animal-Derived Ingredients

Over 100 million animals a year die from animal testing and millions more are captured and caged for the sole purpose of animal testing. Not only is this cruel to animals, but this could also pose sustainability concerns in areas of the world where animals are captured. Disrupting the balance of nature in the name of animal testing is both risky and more expensive than non-animal testing. It is best to choose products that do not support animal testing. Davines Group is committed to producing only the highest quality products which meet our uncompromising efficacy and ethical standards. They do not test their products on animals, nor do they ask others to test either their products or ingredients on animals. Animal testing does not align with their values. 

Supporting cruelty-free products not only will make you feel better knowing no animals were harmed in the making of your products, but you will be one step closer to helping us become an eco-friendly salon.

Energy-Saving Practices

We have started to use energy-saving components in our salon to conserve electricity and water. For example, using energy-efficient lighting like the GE Energy Smart Energy light bulbs. 

We have fitted a programmable thermostat in the salon and set it to a comfortable temperature to help reduce our energy consumption.

We have installed water saving taps to help conserve the amount of water used.

We at Avalon salon Crouch End are working towards building a sustainable salon. We want to inspire and enable as many people as possible to live more sustainably.  

What is a toner? Admittedly, the term can be confusing. That’s because many hairdressers use the word interchangeably with other terms like hair glossing and fading. Essentially, a toner is a hair colour product that contains low or no ammonia, that gently alters the undertone of the hair but let me break it down for you so that you understand what they do and why they are so important. When lighting, we lift the hair to what we call "RAW" lift. It’s a raw cuticle that is open and if it’s not closed and the pH of the hair isn’t balanced, it can create damage and split ends over time. Lightener leaves the hair yellow, a little orange and sometimes white. And even if you love the colour it is, it needs to be toned to close the cuticle. A consultation is a guided interview that should help you both get to the best understanding of what you would like, and what is attainable. Our colour experts at Avalon hair salon, Crouch End will take time to talk in depth about your hair history. So when you talk to one of our colourist, honesty is truly the best policy. We work with a variety of chemicals that create different reactions. Sometimes these chemicals have adverse reactions when mixed, and the only way your colourist will know if they are present is for you to tell them. The simplest way to talk about your “Hair History” is to work backward in months. Hair grows on average half an inch per month. If your hair is 6 inches long, the ends are 1 year old.  If it 12 inches long it is 2 years old. Everything that you do and live through exists in that hair. If you went blonde last year but put a box on it to go back to your natural, the blonde is still there, just hidden.  If you used any sort of box or shampoo that altered your colour enough for you see “roots” growing out, it is chemically affected, and you must tell your colourist everything that has affected your hair. This is where your toner comes in to play. Toners are designed to either enhance warmth or neutralise, subdue excessive warmth or simply to sprinkle some absolute magic onto your hair to create something absolutely beautiful. Toners are what we as hairdresser mostly call a “semi” permanent colour meaning they fade from shampooing and once they are gone the hair is back to its Raw state. Toner formulas can be changed tweaked to suit changing needs and trends and a great way to keep your hair shiny and fresh without having to foil work every time. Toner will not lift your hair to make it lighter but they can certainly make a big impact when the correct formula is chosen. Why not pop in to Avalon Crouch End Hair Salon and ask one of our colourist for advice. This article was written by the Salon Manager Michelle at Avalon.

Does your hair constantly feel stiff, dry?

Does it look dull and dingy?

Does your colour lose a little more clarity with every shampoo… even turn weird shades of green, yellow, orange or brown?

If you answered “yes” to one or more of these questions, it’s a sure thing you’ve got hard water.

Hard water can really mess with your hair texture and colour, making it very hard to style and leaving you with no shine. 

CAN YOU GO BLONDE WITHOUT DAMAGING YOUR HAIR?

Ok, so the first question you need to ask yourself is, "Is my hair healthy enough to go blonde?"

Well, you need to ask yourself the following questions before you can answer this:-

Does your hair have split ends?

Is it rough to touch?

Does your hair break off when you brush it?

If yes to any of these questions then your hair is porous and it should not be coloured.

If you're still not sure, why not do a strand test:-

While your hair is wet, take a strand and gently pull it. You can use a strand that has fallen out already if you prefer. If it snaps easily then this is a sign of it has been over-processed and is not suitable to colour again. Your best option in this situation is to have a good cut to get rid of those split, dehydrated hair. I would also recommend that you grow as much of your tint/bleach out before colouring again. Why not pop into Avalon, and speak to one of our colour experts at our Crouch End hair salon for some advice on what to do for the best.

Also, a really important thing to consider when going from dark to blonde is tint does not lift tint. If you have coloured your hair either dark or blonde, once you have put tint on your hair you can not lift the colour with tint. You can go darker but you can not go lighter. This means that you would have to revert to bleach to achieve a lift in colour.

As you most probably know with bleach you get a lot more lift than you would do with tint but the downside is that bleach is a lot more damaging than tint. Here's why:-

Bleaching involves the oxidisation process, which uses hydrogen peroxide to remove the colour from the hair shaft.

Tint permanent hair dyes use the same oxidisation process that bleaching does, but it doesn’t lift the cuticle and damage the hair to the same degree. Oxidisation lightens the hair slightly while colour is being applied and bonded to the hair shaft. This process not only changes your hair colour, but it allows you to lighten your hair colour.

Ok so you've considered your options but you still feel nervous about going lighter and damaging your hair. Let's go through the safest steps to take:-

1/ DO IT GRADUALLY - At Avalon, we like to use colour safely by coming up with a long term plan with our clients to achieve the results they want with the minimum damage. We pride ourselves in gaining the reputation of being one of the best hair salons in North London. If you don't have the option of coming to Avalon hair salon Crouch End then talk to your colourist and explain your concerns. Mention that you would prefer not to overlap the colour when coming in for a colour touch up and that you would prefer to go lighter slowly and safely. Any good colourist will completely understand and agree with you.

2/ TREAT YOUR HAIR WHILE COLOURING - When lightening your hair the colour breaks down the protein bonds in the hair shaft. Olaplex is a product that any hairdresser would advise you to use when colouring your hair to protect the natural proteins in your hair and makes the whole lightening process safer and less damaging. It helps stick the protein bonds together and therefore protects them and helps the hair stay strong and healthy.

3/ AFTERCARE - This is your part of the long term plan. Investing in a really good shampoo and conditioner. Our Davines Nou Nou range at Avalon is perfect for bleached, permed or relaxed hair. The rich formula gently cleanses treated hair, giving it deep nourishment, hydration and restoring its natural softness. By buying this product you not only take care of yourself but you will also be taking care of the planet with the effort that is put into sustaining the natural resources and environment when producing.

4/ HEAT PROTECTION - This is my go-to product that I use every day. I use it on wet or dry hair. Not only is it a great lightweight, All In One Milk, it's a multi-function leave-in spray treatment that softens, detangles, controls frizz and protects the hair from heat, it also smells amazing!! This is my personal hair perfume!!

Well, I hope this advice has helped you make a decision on if and how to lighten your hair. Remember shiny healthy hair wins hands down versus dry, dehydrated, limp hair so be sensible and be safe.

This article was written by the Salon Owner Debbie at Avalon.

SPLIT ENDS

So let’s start with what split ends actually are. Basically it is wear and tear. From shampooing to styling, it's dehydrated hair. In technical terms it’s where large areas of the cuticle have split away from the shaft, revealing the inner cortex.

What causes our hair to split?

Well there are a number of reasons.

COLOURING - Colouring changes the structure of your hair. Our colour experts at Avalon Hair Salon Crouch End  always recommend you use an Olaplex treatment with your colour so as to reduce the damaging effect of colour.

CHEMICAL TREATMENT - Chemical straightening and perming weakens the hair quite dramatically. Your aftercare is extremely important to make sure your hair doesn't dry out.

HEAT STYLING - Step away from those straighteners ladies! Heat styling also significantly weakens your hair, especially if you’re not using heat protection every single time you style. My recommendation if you have to use heat on your hair is to use Resistance Extentioniste Thermique Hair Protection. It's strengthening hair protector for long hair and split ends which helps to gently restore hair and detangle without causing breakage.

How to get rid of split ends?

Unfortunately there is no way of fixing a split end. You can make them look a little more presentable with finishing products like Kerastase Resistance Serum Therapiste Dual Treatment. This product helps with dehydrated hair and can temporary seal the split ends which makes them visibly smoother.

So what can you do about split ends?

Cut them off! Unfortunately this is our only option. Once you have cut them off you can then change what you do that cause the ends to split.

How to prevent split ends happening again?

Get regular haircuts. Our stylists at Avalon Hair Studios Crouch End recommend every six to seven weeks to really stop those pesky ends from splitting.

Don't brush so hard. Maybe try a tangle teaser and start at the bottom and work your way up.

Use a deep conditioning treatment to keep the ends hydrated. You can even comb your hair while the conditioner is still in especially if you do have a tendency to have knotty hair.

Oils! I can not emphasise this enough. Add to your daily routine a little oil to the ends of your hair, it will make a huge difference. I swear by Elixir Ultime L'huile Original, it's saved my poor dried out hair!

Put your hairdryer on a low heat. Over heating can burn and dry the hair out.

Wear a hat on your holidays! UV rays is so damaging for the hair, it can make your hair dry and brittle.

So that's it folks. My advice on split ends. Cut and rehydrate is my two key points!

This article was written by Debbie at Avalon.

Scalp issues are one of the most common causes for unhealthy hair. Here we will address some of the most common problems like itching, dryness, flaking and oiliness.

So here's the thing, we only ever want to fix something once it becomes a problem instead of looking at the root of the problem. It's the same with our hair; if we concentrate on the root then there will be no problem.

What do we really know about our scalp? No it's not just skin. it differs in the fact that it has a high number of lipid and sweat glands and is home to around 100,000 hair follicles. Those lipid and sweat glands combined with the strands of hair means that our scalps can get dirty and sweaty far more easily than other areas of our body. Keeping your scalp healthy and clean is the key to beautiful hair.

So what are major issues when it comes to our scalp:-

1/ ITCHY SCALP

This generally shows that you have a sensitive scalp. It can be due to a number of factors like, pollution or UV rays which can lead to inflammation and itching. It can also be caused by more internal issues like anxiety and stress and it can also be just down to the products you use. Some products you may find way too harsh for your scalp. So I'd maybe start with that one. Why not change your shampoo to a more sensitive formula. At our hair salon in Crouch End we would always recommend Kerastase Specifique Bain Riche Dermo-Calm.

This shampoo cleanses the scalp and helps with any discomfort with dry hair. Infused with Calophyllum Oil and Glycerin with soothing and calming properties, the scalp is gently cleansed, soothed and rehydrated whilst lengths and ends of the hair are nourished. Hair regains lightness and vitality. This is our go to product from our full range of shampoos and conditioners in our back wash bar.

For seriously irritated scalps try Specifique Cure Apaisante, the kit contains a leave-on scalp treatment that you apply three times a week for four weeks. A three-pronged approach, the formula soothes irritation, hydrates and protects the scalp against the environment.

2/ DEHYDRATED OR DRY SCALP

So this is different:-

A dry scalp is usually genetic and generally what you are born with. In some cases it can lead to eczema.

Whereas a dehydrated scalp could be caused by a number or things like stress or just something as simple as central heating. A dry or dehydrated scalp is likely to feel tight and you may experience some unwanted flaking.

So how do you fix these it?

Well the first suggestion is an easy one, water! We should drink at lease eight glasses of water a day to be completely hydrated (that means water, not coffee or wine!)

Lemon juice is also one to try. Not only does lemon juice help to reduce itching and remove dead cells, but it also helps to lock in moisture. Try a mixture of fresh lemon juice and honey in your hair, and rinse it out after several minutes.

Factor a hydrating mask into your routine that you can use on the scalp. Most hair masks are rich and heavy, designed to nourish the ends of your hair but Masque Hydra-Apaisant Hair Mask is a silicone-free gel formula that should be massaged into the scalp and extended through the lengths of the hair. Left on for three minutes, it has a cooling and soothing effect on the scalp, it nourishes and balances the skin while leaving your strands soft and beautiful.

3/ FLAKY SCALP

A flaky scalp can be embarrassing and sometime damn right annoying. That beautiful black jacket that you'd love to wear but makes you nervous as you know you'll be spending your day brushing your shoulders to rid off  the flakes. So what causes a flaky scalp?

There are various conditions that may cause a dry flaky scalp. Eczema, psoriasis, dehydration, poor nutrition and even shampoo can all be harmful to your scalp. However, it is possible to restore your scalp's health - from dry and flaky to soft and smooth.

Don't wash your hair so often. Try to wash your hair three times a week or less if possible. This will help  restore the natural oils in the scalp. Oh and rinse with warm water rather than hot. This again will strip the oils if too hot.

Diet. A good sauce of oily fish, lean protein and green leafy vegetables is a way to eating yourself to a healthy scalp.

Olive Oil massage.  Olive oil can restore the scalp's moisture balance. For best results, try this home remedy:

• Mix the juice of 1 lemon with 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl.
• Warm the bowl in a tub of hot water.
• Massage the lemon/oil mixture onto your scalp, being careful to avoid any blistered areas.
• Soak a towel in the hot water, then wrap your hair in this towel and leave for 10 minutes.
• Wash out the mixture using a mild shampoo.

Make sure you use a good anti dandruff shampoo. The Bain Anti-Pelliculaire, an anti-dandruff shampoo, acts on two types of dandruffs, dry and oily flakes. A cleansing action eliminates impurities from scalp. The anti-relapse action treats the scalp to remove visible flakes from recurring for up to 8 weeks

4/ OILY SCALP

Well this is something that we really should dislike too much as we want these sebum oils. Without them our skin wouldn't be looking it's best but too much isn't great either.

Microscopic sebaceous glands secrete a waxy oil called sebum. Sebum is our natural moisturizer that softens and waterproofs our skin and hair, among other things. We have the greatest number of glands on the face and scalp, and none on the palms of our hands and soles of our feet.

I asked our hair experts at Crouch End, Avalon what type of hair they would say was the most oily. They all came back with the same answer, people with fine or straight hair.

The reason that people with fine hair are more likely to complain about oiliness is simple: There may not be enough hair to fully absorb the amount of sebum their scalps produce. Straight hair tends to look oilier because the sebum travels easily from roots to tips without curls or kinks as obstacles. Fine, straight hair can spell double trouble. People with curly or oily hair complain of oiliness at the roots and dryness at the tips because oil builds up close to the scalp, and because curls act as obstacles, it doesn’t travel as efficiently down the hair shaft.

So how to get rid of oily hair?

Cool rinses - Hot water stimulates sebaceous glands and encourages them to produce more sebum.

Less shampooing - I know this is the last thing you'd want to do if you have oily hair but it's a viscous circle. Detergent strips your scalp of sebum – and your glands do an admirable job of replacing them as quickly as possible.

Try Bain Divalent, this shampoo is specifically designed for oily roots to balance the scalp and limit the overproduction of oil, so your roots get greasy less quickly. What’s clever about the formula is that it also nourishes your strands, so your hair is left soft, shiny and supple, while split ends are sealed.

As a thank you for reading this blog, we'd like to offer you 10% off any of our Kerastase products, just pop into the salon and quote our scalp blog offer. We look forward to seeing you soon.

Is bleaching your hair really bad?

Well it doesn't have to be if you find the right colourist. Our colourist at Avalon hairsalon Crouch End are experts in bleaching. We take time to analyse the hair to make sure your hair would withstand the ligtening process. There are certain techniques that you can use to prevent damaging when lifting the colour. One is to use a lower peroxide. A lot of colourist think that they need to blast the hair with the highest level of peroxide so as to get a light colour. This is where the damage occurs. It would be a lot better for the hair if you did two applications of bleach with a low peroxide. This way you can get the lift without the damage.  Olaplex is also one we use that is added to the lightener to protect and strengthen the bonds of your hair during the lightening process. The second step to this is a conditioning treatment that is done after the lightening.

Before deciding on bleaching:

Remember that bleaching is a lifestyle choice. A scalp bleach is a high maintenance colour which requires patience, expertise and is expensive- so please be prepared to look after it!

Hair that has undergone such an extreme colour process needs special care to make sure the colour continues to look great and your hair condition is maintained. Bleached hair should be treated with care, like a delicate fabric. Do not be rough with it.

Avoid washing your hair for at least two days before your bleach so that your scalp is ready. Let the natural oils from your skin build up a little to protect your scalp from the bleach. It will help to keep your scalp from becoming too sensitive during the colour process.

If you are having a scalp bleach be sure to have your regrowth retouch every 4-5 weeks. If you leave it much longer you risk an inconsistent lift and a brassy band and it may then have to be bleached twice, risking damage to the hair and taking more time (and money) to get it right.

Tips to keep your bleached hair beautiful:

• Avoid using tight hair ties. Rubber bands or hair ties that you can feel pull on your hair are doing exactly that- pulling on your hair! Use a scrunchie or wear it down to help prevent breakage.
• Heat style as little as possible. Try to avoid using a straightening iron or curling tong. If you do need to blowdry it, try to use as little heat as possible (ideally on a cold setting) and first treat your air with a heat protector. Alternatives are scrunch drying, twisting in a moisturiser or product or just letting it air dry. You can also use pins and clips as styling aides to get your desired look. Ask your colourist or stylist for tips.
• Use a protein mask for chemical damage (colouring) and/or a moisturising mask for mechanical damage (hot tools, styling)
• Sleep on a silk pillowcase. The soft fabric helps to minimise friction between your hair and the pillow, helping to prevent damage.
• Have regular haircuts. Once the ends start splitting there is no stopping them, except by having a trim.
• Shampoo your hair less- once or twice a week at the most as you hair will soak up more of your natural oils, which help to protect it. The less you shampoo your hair, the longer your toner will last, keeping your colour looking fresh.
• Avoid swimming in chlorine- this may affect the colour
• Use a quality shampoo and conditioner, as prescribed by your colourist
• Be careful when using toning shampoos/treatments. Overuse of blue/purple products can complicate your next colour service.

Does everyone suit a fringe?

Our Fringe experts at our hair salon, Avalon, Crouch End have spent years recognising what fringe works with which face shape so we've decided to share our knowledge and give you an insight in to the world of fringes. 

Everyone can have a fringe, but you have to adapt the fringe to your face shape.

There are so many types of fringes that can be tailored to your face-shape, hair texture and style.

WHAT TO CONSIDER BEFORE GETTING A FRINGE! 

MAINTENANCE - It will need trimming every 4 weeks.

STYLING - You generally need to blow dry it everyday.

HAIRLINE (GROWTH PATTERNS) -  Your fringe may separate or sit incorrectly for various reasons, cowlicks for example.

NOTE - Never cut a fringe at home….. uneven fringes never look cute!

FRINGES FOR VARIOUS FACE SHAPES

ROUND

 

Sweeping side fringe - this type of fringes are left longer to elongate the face.

OVAL

Also Curtin fringes have the same effect. They sit at both sides of the face leaving a  lengthens effect.

LONG

Long thin faces can pull off longer heavier fringes.

If you widen and have a heavy straight across style of fringe it will help give width to the upper face area.

HEART

Brigette Bardot- Esque fringe are most flattering especially if they are textured and choppy. Heart shape can get away with pretty much any fringe.

SQUARE

Soft, layered sweeping fringes complement more angular faces.

Can our curly clients have a fringe? Absolutely!!!

Just make sure it's cut to the natural form of your curl.

WHAT ACTUALLY CAUSES OUR HAIR TO GO GREY?

At Avalon we pride ourselves on the knowledge we hold on all aspects of colour. Working with various techniques and holding a huge amount of shade choices from various colour specialists such as Wella, L'oreal, Elgon, etc. 

We’ve been told many times that we have the best hair colourist in North London. So you can imagine how many times we get asked “What causes hair to go grey?” 

So let’s start with science. Your hair basically turns grey when the pigment cells that make melanin, a chemical that gives your hair its colour, start to die off. Once a follicle stops making melanin, it won’t make coloured strands again. 

The pigment is actually produced along the hair shaft, and there are two main forms of hair pigment. There's eumelanin and pheomelanin. Eumelanin is what we see in brunettes and darker-haired people, and pheomelanin is what we see in blondes and redheads. The cells in our hair bulb produce a small amount of hydrogen peroxide, which is a metabolic byproduct, and typically there's an enzyme called catalase that breaks this down to water and oxygen. But as we age, there's declining levels of catalase, and this allows the build-up of hydrogen peroxide in the hair bulb, which damages and destroys the melanocytes, or the pigment-producing cells, of our hair. Wow! Who would have thought we naturally produced hydrogen peroxide! 

So there it is, it’s all part of our ageing process but I think we all knew that. There are however some health conditions that may cause premature greying, such as diabetes, pernicious anemia or thyroid problems. 

A cause also can be if you have a deficiency in vitamin B-6,B-12 biotin, vitamin D or E. Smoking is a factor too. A study was taken out in 2013 in Italian Dermatology Online Journal showing smokers are 2 ½ times more likely to start greying early. 

However let me finish with the most common reason for greying. Genetics. 90 percent of all greying is down to our genetics so no matter what we do, it’s all written in stone even before we are born. 

DOES STRESS CAUSE YOUR HAIR TO GO GREY?

So one of the most popular questions that we get asked at our hairsalon in Crouch End is “are grey hairs caused by stress?”

Well let's look at what we know:-

The human body has millions of hair follicles which generate hair and pigment cells which contain melanin. - FACT

As we age the follicles lose pigment cells which result in the hair turning grey. -FACT 

What we don’t know yet is whether stress can make this greying process happen quicker. 

There have been many studies on this subject. One of which mice were injected with a stimulant which increased the production of adrenaline (poor mice) and the mice turned grey within a few days!

So does this mean if our adrenaline is heightened then we would go grey quicker?!!! - MAYBE   

I'll pass the next time I get asked to go on that roller coaster ride!!

Well let’s just consider a few things here:-

Mice and humans are very different.

Being pumped with adrenaline, (poor, poor mice) is not something we would do to a human.

This would be classed as acute stress. 

The stress we are talking about is more family, work, money related, chronic stress. 

None of which a mouse has to think about so not the best comparison.

So I’m not entirely convinced this study proves much. You could however relate this back to  that rumour where Marie Antoinette’s hair was said to have turned completely grey the night before she was beheaded so maybe they are actually on to something here! Not sure if this is an actual fact or rumour though so the jury is still out?

IS IT BAD TO PULL YOUR GREY HAIRS OUT?

So another popular question I get asked at Avalon Hair Salon Crouch End is “Is it bad to pull my grey hairs out?”

One of the things you need to know is if you pull your hair out it will grow back and it will still be grey, well generally it will grow back. If you pull the hair and it has a white bulb at the end, this is normal. If it’s red then there’s a chance you have damaged the root  and it won’t ever grow back. Usually grey hairs grow in the same area so if you keep pulling and damaging the root you could end up with a permanent bald patch! I think I'd prefer the grey!

People say that “if you pull your grey's out they grow back thicker or they double.” This is a complete myth. All that will happen is that if you continually keep pulling, then the area will either become thin or bald. If you really want to get rid of the greys, cutting them is an option or pop into Avalon and we’ll give you some advice on how to colour the specific grey areas. This can be done either by placing some low-lights/hi-lights in these areas or maybe a semi-permanent to disguise those persty beggars!