Locks on Lock: Quarantine Hair Recommendations From the Expert
When it comes to our locks, some of us have a regimen scheduled so tight that an extra week between haircuts means a tale close to catastrophe. Under quarantine, those fresh fades have since turned to wild, overgrown brush, and those roots are likely far less reading balayage and are truly serving up Freaky Friday.
We reached out to hair expert Elijah Bleu Gonzales of Matthew Morris Salon and Skincare, voted Best Hair Salon in Denver, as to ways we can cope with not having access to our favorite stylists, colorists, and products.
“I think it’s a great time to take advantage of no-heat styling,” said Gonzales. “Embrace all your natural waves and curls!”
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It’s true, this may be a great time to repair some damage done by the daily blow-dry/flatiron combination. Gone are the days of morning meetings at coffee shops and after-work happy hours to close the deals under the strict isolation and quarantine orders upheld by most cities.
Many of us are resorting to at-home video conference calls and and phone meetings, none of which can involve true, face-to-face time. This is good news! You may even be able to pull off an extra day of skipping that shampoo, lather, repeat and get some natural oils to replenish your mane (no one will notice; those Zoom meetings are all pretty poor quality anyway.)
“You can refresh any look with spray. Salty Dog Salt spray by evo or Aura Botanica by Kérastase are both great,” said Gonzales.
If you just can’t handle the shine, however, Gonzales recommends dry shampoo to help perk up those roots for an extra day of wear. Not only does a dry shampoo increase the longevity of your style, it can enhance volume and help with overall styling of clean or dirty hair.
Gonzales also pleads for those with short hair to hold on a bit longer before taking the clippers into your own hands.
“For shorter hair that’s growing longer and is unmanageable, do your best to not buzz it off. You’ll thank your stylist when they finally give you a professional cut,” he pleaded. “Until then, take advantage of the length, and wear it messy with Baxter of California’s Clay Pomade. It has a strong hold and is pliable, so you can still run your fingers through it and restyle it if you don’t like the way it looks on your conference call.”
Additionally, if you have facial hair that needs grooming or are thinking about letting the chin hairs grow in, Gonzales had some suggestions on that, too!
“When it comes to growing your beard out, it’s always good to condition it with a beard oil,” he said. Recommending products like Baxter of California’s Beard Oil to keep things nice and hydrated.
If you’re in over your head when it comes to shaping that beard, Gonazales said to use clippers and start on your neck with a guard that similar to the length of the sides of your beard and gradually get longer as you get closer to your chin.
“You’re wanting to create a square chiseled shape with your beard,” he said. “When cleaning up around your neck line, a good rule of thumb is to start a finger width above the Adam’s apple. If you go higher you’ll create a double chin for yourself, and if you go lower it just looks unkempt.”
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Ultimately, this is all about making the best of the situation, as we are all in the mid-quarantine funkiness of life right now. Just try and remember, this won’t last forever.
Gonzales concluded, “Embrace your length, and play around with different ways of styling it. All this is temporary; you can always cut your hair back to the way it was, but for now, have a little fun!”
All the products listed above, and more, are available through the Matthew Morris website.
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