Self-Care in the Time of a Pandemic: One Editor’s Story

 

So, it’s week 3 of my self isolation/social (aka physical) distancing/cooped up with my also working husband and our 2.5-year-old and, well, I’ve got some beauty issues.

Back in September I got bangs for the second time in my life. (The first was in 6th grade. I had rock hard waterfall bangs and blue plastic glasses and braces. It was … not the best look.) I love these bangs more than I ever thought I would. But when I had them cut, I never considered that I wouldn’t be able to have them trimmed by a professional!

So, I reached out to my hair savior, Scott Reynaud, owner of Jupiter Salon (JupiterSalon.com).

Before we even got to bang trimming, he had some great advice.

“The first thing you need to do is to reduce stress with daily activities like going for a walk, meditating, reading or working on a house project. Stress can cause long term problems for hair, can make it dry and brittle and, in extreme circumstances, can cause alopecia.” Eek!

“Secondly, do a deep conditioning mask once a week to prolong the need for a trim.” Scott suggests putting a mask on your hair in the morning, then putting your hair up and going about your usual activities. Then rinse it out in the evening. I used that as an excuse to take a long bath and mask my face at the same time.

He also cautions that you shouldn’t try to color your hair at home unless you already have experience. If you feel you must, he suggests contacting your provider first to see if they’re willing to help you with the formula – but don’t have high expectations, it isn’t going to look like you just stepped out of the salon. (Maybe you might even be able to pay them to do a curbside drop of your color!)

Then, on to the trimming …

  1. Gather your materials: Towel, ponytail holder, very sharp scissors, comb and water or a spray bottle.
  2. Take dry hair and pull back in a ponytail, separating all the long hair from the bangs.
  3. Wet bangs; you can use a spray bottle or a comb dipped in water.
  4. Comb bangs as straight as possible with a natural fall.
  5. Cut from one side (from left to right halfway) at mid-eye, about where your pupil is, opening and closing the scissors rapidly in short motions so that the scissors don’t push your hair and make the cut uneven.
  6. Do the same from the other side.

Note: Err on the side of a longer bang. You can always trim a bit more, but you can’t add hair.

If you’re more of a visual learner, Scott created a YouTube video showing how to trim your bangs.

Remember that when we’re able to go back to see our providers, appointments will have more time between them so that your provider can properly clean and sanitize their tools and station wipe the chairs.

Scott adds, “Everyone is talking about the hospitality industry, but the salon industry is in the same boat, so remembering your provider during and after should be on your mind. Have a great hair day and remember your stylist!”

Beautiful Woman In Bathroom
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