Behind the Chair with The Lillie Bag & Evereve : Hair Q&A’s

Morning Friends!  Hope everyone had a nice weekend.  We enjoyed consecutive days of sun and semi warm temps over here!  I swear it just makes everyone in a better mood when the sun is shining !  Many of you know I partnered with one of my favorite brands recently, Evereve , where we took some time together sharing my love for hair from behind the chair.  When this journey all began for me, I always dreamt of having my passions cross paths and I couldn’t be more excited to share it with you.  Today I am talking All Things Hair with you !  You asked and here ya have it!  I went through every single question and DM sent to me and rounded up the most asked questions and answered them here for you.  Before I start, I want to share a little insight about my passion.

I have been lucky to work at an amazing salon with some pretty awesome girls.  I have been behind the chair at the same salon as a Master Stylist for 16 years and counting.  Working in the beauty industry has exposed to me to all sorts of things!  I have grown close to many of my clients, some became friends.  I have learned to work in a predominately all female environment for half my life.  As a little girl, I dreamt of doing hair.  All my Barbies, even Ken, have a haircut ! LOL!  In a family where education was always at the top of the list, it was hard to break the news to my father that I wanted to pursue hair.  Not that he wasn’t supportive, but he really encouraged education at a college level and his only daughter had other things in mind.  I remember the conversation like it was yesterday.  Needless to say off I went.  I put in the extra hours to finish early , studied hard (which I never did as a college student, ever) and finished with nailing almost all my tests.  He would stay up late and help me study , and shortly after I became a licensed cosmetologist.  For those that don’t know, this license covers Hair, Skin and Nails.

Today I sit here, sharing this love of mine with all of you!  Never could I have imagined this is where it would all come together for me, and I truly feel more fulfilled than ever.  As a girl mom, I want my girls to follow their dreams , whatever they are, and even though the hours and days can be long , there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a cancer patient that her hair has grown back , leave you chair smiling because they haven’t felt that pretty since we shaved it all off.  Some days aren’t the easiest when your sick or you are working holidays, but the reward is pretty awesome.  We stand and listen to your life battles, and believe me, as a hairdresser, we know it all!  People confide in you, trust you and most of all rely on you.  And to me , that is pretty amazing.  I love what I do.  I sit and listen daily to my clients about their jobs or battles and I feel blessed that I found what I love to do.  I started working full-time and then I moved out on my own at 19 years old and never went back.  Without any help, I snagged a little condo and lived there until Paul later joined me and shortly after, he proposed in that very family room.  Years later, we are married and have our own family now.  Being a Hair Stylist has taught me more than I could imagine and I truly believe it was the path for me in this journey of life.

Hair Q&A’s :

 How do I pick the right shampoo and conditioner for my hair?

Picking the right products can be overwhelming.  I always suggest talking to your hair care provider and reading the labels!  Many of these products say right on the bottle what they are geared towards and what they are meant to do.  If you are finer, don’t go too heavy.  Some of the masks and heavy hydrating ones can be heavier.  If you are dry, add moisture!  Same for curly hair, it almost always needs moisture!  I have a bunch of my personal favorites linked here : https://thelilliebag.com/all-things-hair/ .  You also want to make sure to use something professional.  I cannot express this enough.  You are likely paying a good amount for your hair services, so treat it that way.  Just like when you buy a nice shirt that is dry clean only, you don’t throw in your wash machine.  You need to maintain your hair the same way.  Many, not all, over the counter products have different ingredients, and although they smell good, they may not be best for your hair that you just paid to have done!

I have hair loss around my face , why can this happen?

Hair loss can happen for a number of reasons.  I am no doctor but I see this daily.  This can be amongst many things, but the most common are hormones, diet, and medications.  Always speak to a health care provider if you have any concerns and if you are one who watches their diet , try adding in a vitamin B complex and whole grains!  Usually what I tell my clients.  If it is hormonal, I also suggest a vitamin B complex for hair, skin and nails and it usually subsides once the hormones calm down.

Ways to get volume in my hair without using dry shampoo?

First of all if you are finer, wash with a volumizing shampoo and conditioner.  This is my favorite.  Use a lightweight root lifter and add some texturizing spray to give it some substance.  Also blow dry opposite direction of where you want the hair to lay.  This increases volume at the roots.  You can also flip upside down to dry the hair and let it fall back into its place naturally.  This is great for all hair types to add volume and here’s a few of my go to products:

What is your favorite dry shampoo?

Batiste is my favorite over the counter dry shampoo.  It is lightweight, affordable and not sticky or too wet.

How do I protect my hair in the winter?

I swear by this all in one OI milk and hair masks!  Just like your face, mask your hair!  These are my top faves:

I have breakage in the front of my hairline, please help!?

This is another most asked question.  First and foremost, make sure you are limiting any highlighting around these areas if the breakage continues.  This is a very delicate area of hair so make sure to never touch the tip of your blow dryer to the hair itself while drying it.  That tip of your dryer has metal on it that will synch it right off if it comes in contact with your hair.  Many don’t realize they are doing this when they round brush their own hair.   I have had this problem area myself and again , I swear by these few products.

 What are your thoughts on hair extensions?

My thoughts on hair extensions vary to each person.  If you have them done professionally, they can do wonders for some.  I do believe if you hair is brittle, it can hinder that a bit.  Like anything they need to be properly maintained and cared for to look and feel best.  I have seen many done beautifully and look great and help fill in areas of thinning.  They do add weight so some shedding can be caused.  I really feel it is personal preference for this area.  I am not in favor one way or another.

Can you recommend a blow dryer and do these matter?

Absolutely this matters!  I have answered this before and it has come up again!  Invest in your tools!  Hair dryers have to do with the direction of the airflow and many are marketed a certain way and they end up being too hot for the hair instead of powerful.  The way the air is directed will help achieve a smoother and faster blow out.  I do not believe you have to break the bank.  This is my favorite blow dryer from behind the chair and at home for under $100.  Be sure to ask yourself when is the last time you replaced your dryer?  This is one of the top reasons for breakage.  They are often old and hot and burn the hair because many don’t think to replace them until they break.

How do I keep my fine hair curled?  It will not hold curl?

This is another question I get often!  This can be tricky, there’s a few options you can try!  First being to add a styling mousse to your hair before you dry to give it some texture.  Next a light weight product to help add some volume.  Also be sure to lightly hairspray the hair BEFORE you curl !!! You all know my love for hairspray and one in particular.  It will not weigh you down and will last!  Take small sections and curl from the root down and be sure to get very close to the scalp.  Start at the bottom and do very small sections to create a solid base.  Once you finish all sections, spray it again with the Davines Hairspray.  DO NOT TOUCH IT!!!!!!!  Let it set.  For minutes.  I would then spray it again and barely comb it through because remember , it will fall on its own.  Only tease the top layers and tease or backcomb with a wide tooth pick through the top.  I have this tutorial saved on my Instagram highlights under the HAIR tab on how to curl.

How to: Curly Hair?  All the things!

This is a good one.  Curly hair has a mind of its own.  This is a great shampoo and conditioner for starters.  Products are a huge part of curly hair and how to tame it.  It can be very tricky and often times it doesn’t take just one, but a few products all mixed to achieve a favorite look.  This is an area where it takes some trial and error.  I do recommend, don’t wash it daily, you can rinse and condition it if needed.  Let the oils set it.  Also clarify once a week to remove product build up.  If you wash and go, avoid touching it too much.  Fingers cause frizz so I always suggest to scruch with a towel!  Not your fingers.  Also twist the hair into sections as it dries and separate later.  This is great to tame frizz and maximize curl as it dries naturally.  Here are a few products for curly hair that I like:

I will be doing more of these posts so stay tuned!  Send me your questions if you have any that you would like answered!  Hope you all had a nice weekend!

Xx,

Lauren

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Beauty Favorites with The Lillie Bag: