Survival guides for blondes

So it’s official. We’re stuck in lockdown and this virus means social distancing is the new norm. Until we’re told otherwise that means no visiting family and friends, no shopping, and no hair appointment.

I know you hate your roots, and I know you’ve looked at those box dyes as you make your online shopping order wondering what harm it could do but please….don’t.
Blonde hair is a commitment. It’s like dating the best looking guy in the class – it’s high maintenance and hard work. Everyone wants it, you know it looks good and it makes you feel great! But at the same time you’ll doubt yourself every few weeks when you see that first bit of regrowth and wonder why you ever even started on this ash toned journey! It’s a turbulent ride of toners and shades , lighter, darker, more golden, less warm…. And it’s exhausting. It’s also a financial commitment. You know you’ll be back in that chair every 8 weeks without fail because you have to keep on top of it, you cant possibly go out on Friday night with your roots half way down your head, and when did your natural hair get so dark!? If all this sounds familiar then trust me you’re not alone. Being a blonde is no easy feat – even if they do have more fun. I know the situation isn’t ideal, and lockdown means that on a daily basis you’re trying to find the best light for your office zoom call, so that they cant actually see just how ‘bad’ your hair looks but trust me, no body cares. We’re all in the same predicament at the moment and it’s certainly not worth you cheating on your honey and caramel toned highlights and reaching for the box of brown chocolate home hair colour…

So even if you can’t get to the salon, there are a few things you can do to try and make the whole experience a little easier….on your hair at least.

What are you using to wash your hair?

Are you sure you’re using the right shampoo? Does it suit your hair type and texture? Does it help to maintain your salon colour? Or do you simply but whatever’s on offer in Tesco that week as you grab your shopping? It always surprises me how many people will be pay over £100 for a beautiful hair colour, only to go home and wash it with a £2.99 shampoo they picked up on the high street. There is a reason that stylists will recommend professional products and it’s not just because they want to sell you something more expensive than what you can find yourself, its because they know what your hair needs. They know that the products they recommend are the best way to protect and preserve that beautiful colour or cut they’ve just spent the last few hours tending to so lovingly. They want your hair to look as good as possible because you’re a walking advertisement of what they can do. Have you ever walked out the hairdressers feeling like a million dollars with your new do, only to go home and wash it a few days later and you simply cant recreate whatever magic it was they did in the salon!? Next time you see your stylist take a bit of time to ask questions about what products they think would suit your hair best. In the mean time have a read online about your hair type, colour and style. You might even want to invest in something a little more special. After all, and as they say, ‘’ Your hair is the crown you never take off’ . You might just be surprised at how much information and advice you can find…and what a difference it can make.

Leave in conditioner

If you have a home use leave in conditioner treatment then great. Make sure you use the product as directed and follow the instructions to give your hair a little bit of TLC. If you don’t then there are plenty of DIY recipes to enable you to make your own. Failing that, even just something as small as leaving your conditioner in for a few extra minutes can make a big difference to your hair. When conditioning you don’t need to apply product to the roots, it’s the mid lengths and ends of your hair that need that little bit extra so take a wide tooth comb into the shower and once you’ve applied your conditioning product give your hair a good brush through to ensure its evenly distributed throughout your hair. And turn down that hot tap, rinse your hair with warm, or even better – cool water.

Use Protection.

Before you apply any heat to your hair you should always use protection. This might be in the form of a leave in conditioner balm that you apply before blo drying, or a heat defence spray that you add each morning before you get the straighteners out. Either way it’s really important to use a product that’s going to maintain your hairs integrity. Especially, and even more so, when you’re blonde. Blonde can often be dry, fragile and more prone to damage and breakage. Turn down the heat setting on the hairdryer or the tongs and give your hair a breather.

Embrace an accessory

If you’re just hanging around the house then maybe a scarf or headband can help you disguise the natural colours coming through at your roots. Adding an accessory might help detract your mind from your regrowth and might even give you that encouragement you needed to try out a new style or look ( safe in the knowledge that whilst were in lockdown there’s no way anyone’s going to see it! )

Give your hair a holiday

A heat holiday that is. If you can manage it then why not cut out the heat altogether. Do you really need to ‘do’ your hair to ‘Netflix and chill’ today? Let it dry naturally, embrace your natural waves and wear it loose. Use a comb to brush the knots out when your hair is wet and save your hairbrush for when it’s dry. Soaking wet hair is in a more fragile state than dry hair and tugging at it wont do you any favours. Always brush your hair from the bottom up, don’t start at the top and hack your way down and then wonder why you’ve got a brush full of hair!

Lockdown won’t last forever- but neither will your beautiful blonde hair colour if you don’t look after it! Support your stylist by buying a voucher for as soon as they open up again, or even put your name on the waitlist to be one of the first people to grab an appointment. Everyone’s going through hard times at the moment, don’t make it even harder on your hair by attempting a ‘quick fix! ‘

Look forward to seeing you all again soon!

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Real Bride: Emma, // Wedding Hair at The Old Kent Barn

Bride: Emma
Venue: The Old Kent Barn
Photography by: David Fenwick

When I first met Emma for her hair trial session she had a good idea about the look she wanted to create. She knew that she wanted curls and that a half up half down style was at the top of her list when it came to her wedding hair preference. So many brides are unsure of what they want exactly or what will suit them so a preview session is a our chance to have a play around and figure out exactly what you do and don’t like when it comes to selecting your bridal hair.

Another thing Emma knew was that she wanted to wear extensions. Mainly for thickness and length but also for a bit of additional colour and tone, we added a full head of clip in extensions to Emma’s beautiful locks on the day. This meant that even when the hair was styled into a half up half down design , it didn’t look thin or flat at all. It also meant that we were left with a beautiful, full and thick looking style that could easily carry some beautiful accessories too.

Emma’s beautiful curls were created with a ghd flat iron. When adding heat to long hair its important to make sure you use a good heat protection spray. It’s also important that you correctly prep the hair for any bride wanting to wear curls on their big day. You need to ensure that the style will last and the curls will hold so they can look just as beautiful in the very last photo as they do the very first!

A lot of brides worry in regards to their own hair thickness and length and clip in hair is a great, quick and easy way to achieve the style you imagine without having to spend months growing your hair. It’s temporary too, meaning that its low maintenance. The clips can simply be removed from you hair at the end of the evening with minimal fuss and with no professional knowledge or product needed. Added hair is a quick and effective way to create the most beautiful and intricate bridal styles , regardless of your own hair type. By adding colour we can give extra dimension to a twisted up style, by adding length you can have the Rapunzel locks you always dreamt of, and by adding thickness we can be sure that you look and feel really confident despite your otherwise fine hair.

Thankyou Emma for these beautiful Images and for choosing me for your big day. We got ready in the bridal prep room of the beautiful venue The Old Kent Barn. Emma’s photos really capture the diversity of this amazing venue – which offers everything from stunning countryside to gorgeous sunset photo opportunities. If you’re looking for a Barn venue for your wedding day then be sure to take a look.

If you’d like to ask any questions regarding hair extensions then please do get in touch. I offer all of my brides a free colour match consultation and can even source the best type of extension and the best quality hair for you. So many brides wear extensions to complete their wedding day hair look and you’d never even know they were there!

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10 top tips for your preview session

So you’ve booked your wedding hair and make up artist…

… Exciting stuff! For some brides to be the preview session is the first time they’ve ever personally met the person that will be making them beautiful on their big day. It’s really important that you’re fully prepared so I’ve put together my ten top tips in order for you to really get the very best out of your preview session.

1. Book your appointment.

Perhaps the most simple, yet the most important. Some brides leave it right until the last minute and struggle to fit in their session. If you have a specific date in mind then get it booked in – even if it’s a way in advance, it’s worth securing your slot so you’re not left disappointed.

2. Be prepared.

Make sure your hair is clean (preferably washed the night before) and your face is make up free ( or at least be prepared to remove your make upon arrival).

3. Arrive on time.

As simple as it sounds if you’re rushing in flustered and late then you’re not going to be in full ‘wedding’ mode! Lots of brides get nervous for this session and you might find yourself worrying things like ‘will she be able to do what I want? Will I look as good as I want to? Will the style I want even suit me?‘ Try to relax, together and by the end of the session, we will have rid you of all of those worries I promise!

4. Bring ideas.

If you need a bit of help with this then have a read of my‘Preparing for your Preview session’ guide on the galleries page. It’s full of lots of questions that you might want to get thinking about in preparation for our session.

5. Show me pictures.

It’s so much easier for us to understand one another if we’re able to look at something visual. You might describe to me a ‘smoky eye’ but I can guarantee you that my idea of what that is, and yours, will be different. This leaves much less room for error if I can see what you’re describing.

6. Think about your dress.

If you’ve chosen your dress because you absolutely love the intricate detail around the neck, do you really want a hairstyle that’s going to cover it?

7. Tell me what you don’t like.

As well as wanting to know what you do like, I want to know what you don’t. this helps me be aware of anything that you might not have mentioned before. Maybe you don’t like your hair to be pulled too tightly around your face, or you don’t like your ears on show.

8. Be open to try something new .

Throughout the session, I might make suggestions based on my own experience and knowledge. I might suggest we use a specific colour to ‘open’ your eyes and make them stand out, or a certain lip tone to compliment your skin. We need to find a balance between looking like you, but looking like the very best version that we can possibly create. If you feel confident then you’ll feel good, and if you feel good – you’ll look good.

9. Take pictures.

You not only need to look amazing when people see you in the flesh, but you also want your look to photograph perfectly. Chances are you’ve spent money on a professional photographer so you want to be sure that your ‘look’ is just as good on camera as it is in person.

10. Bring a friend.

Whether its mum or a bridesmaid – whoever. Anyone who knows you and what you like to look like will be able to give you an open and honest opinion on what they think of the look we create. Sometimes it’s a little overwhelming for you to see yourself in a way you never have before so having someone on hand to give a second opinion is always a good idea.

And one more for luck….

11. Be honest

If you don’t like something then say. Please don’t lie, and please don’t think I’ll be offended. I’d be more upset if you went for something that didn’t make you feel comfortable and then looked back on the photos of your day wishing that you hadn’t. Of course, I won’t let you look anything less than absolutely beautiful but if there’s something that just doesn’t make you feel 100% just say and we can change it.

Preview sessions can get booked up months in advance and whilst I will always do my best to fit you in at a convenient time the earlier you book the more chance there is for you to get the date you want! I general suggest somewhere between 4-8 weeks before the day itself, and if you can make that work with a night out or event then even better!

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A September Wedding at The Oak Grove, Kent // Gemma and Matt

On a beautiful day last September, I headed over to a lovely little place called the Green Farm House to get the beautiful Gemma ready for her big day. I caught up with Gemma and asked her if she wouldn’t mind sharing a few memories of the day with me…and a few photos of course! Taken by the wonderfully talented photographer that is Simon Hawkins ( who also happens to be my husband! ) … Enjoy!

Full name: Gemma Kent
Wedding Date:28/9/19
Venue: The Oak Grove
Photographer: Simon Hawkins

My wedding style was….

Woodland vintage boho

My wedding hair was…..

Amazing Mermaid updo

My wedding make up was….

Natural, pinks – perfect

The thing I love most about my wedding day was….

Marrying the love of my life and sharing our hard work and marriage with those closest to us!

My venue was perfect because…..

it suited our personalities and we fell in love the moment we first visited it was the most magical venue even at night in darkness.

My favourite photo was….

Our 1st dance as our little one got involved too! That was special magical moment as all of our guests got involved and held up their phone torches and it created a perfect picture. ( and of course our chaos flair pictures! Great fun!)

I chose Katie for my wedding hair and make up because …..

She made me feel confident in my choices and I had no worries and new my hair and makeup would be perfect on the day! And it was!

If I could give other brides one piece of advice it would be….

Stay calm and take a step back on the day breath and take it all it, watch everyone for a few minutes enjoying the day that you created as it goes so fast. I did this a few times it was great to stop and take it all in have a moment. Do this with just you and your husband and look around together instead of being busy all day talking away and before you know it the day has gone 🙂

Thank you so much Gemma! If you’re one of my past brides and would be happy to feature on my blog with the details of your day then please do get in touch!

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An open letter to my 2020 brides

To all of my 2020 brides,

The next few months are set to be uncertain times and for those of you reaching out to me , I just wanted to provide you with a little reassurance about my position when it comes to your wedding day. I know that everyone is telling you not to panic, but I have been in your position as an excited bride to be and can imagine that panicking is probably all you are really doing right now! I wanted to take this chance to reassure you that I will do all I can to help with any changes that might need to be made and help you however I can. I have outlined a few points below for you to consider and I wanted to take this opportunity to let you know how I intend to handle the current situation/mess/ chaos that we all find ourselves stuck in!

PAUSE,- don’t cancel

Don’t hastily cancel your wedding plans. Lots of venues are allowing couples to postpone their plans rather than miss out altogether. Currently the government have enforced a ban on weddings but this won’t last forever.

If you can postpone…

Given the current situation some brides are finding themselves in the difficult position of wanting to postpone their wedding day or rearrange their date. I can only imagine what an awful situation my brides are in trying to make this decision and trying to figure out what to do for the best. I can totally sympathise with anyone wanting to reschedule but concerned that in doing so they might be left out of pocket. Registrars have previously said they will move any 2020 bookings over the next few weeks, to a rescheduled date later in the year without any additional transfer or admin costs ( something to consider when making any changes to your plans! ) .

What I can do…

I have personally taken the decision to do everything I can to help my brides that are wanting to reschedule their wedding date. The following advice is on behalf of my business only. It does not mean that any other suppliers are obliged or expected in any way to follow suit or agree to the new terms that I am happy to offer. As a small business I want to ensure that we are able and willing to help one another so that everyone can get through this challenging time with minimal upset and disruption.

If you can make a claim on wedding insurance

I’m so far only aware of one bride who has been told she is successfully covered for her wedding day. If you think you might also be in this situation then please contact me directly. If your insurance policy is saying that they will cover you, then they will also pay out to your suppliers in full as agreed within your contracts. For me personally, that means that my original and agreed contract with you still stands and that neither of us will not lose out on any payments. As you can imagine, myself – like many small businesses- are going to find the next few weeks and months really challenging so if you can claim then go ahead and do so. Please don’t think that you are claiming ‘against’ me, (you’re not ! ) Or that it is detrimental to our relationship in any way. It simply means that in this scenario I get paid, and you get reimbursed so we are both covered. If this is the case, I can simply create a new booking for you and we can go ahead and book in your new wedding date. If you need any documentation confirming payments that you have made or will be expected to make to abide by my T & C then please do not hesitate to ask and I will provide everything I can to support your claim.

Be aware

Unfortunately, even some couples with wedding insurance are finding themselves helpless because the situation is now considered a worldwide pandemic, and therefor not covered. Your wedding day is supposed to be the best day of your life and you’ve spent both money and time trying to ensure everything is perfect. Sadly, no one could have foreseen the current situation we find ourselves in but that doesn’t make it any easier or you to accept.

A hard time for the suppliers

The last few weeks I’ve seen some really angry brides saying the most awful things about suppliers who didn’t agree to refund their non refundable booking payment, because the brides had made the hard decision to cancel their weddings. As it stands, without an enforced cancellation any suppliers insurance won’t cover them for any loss of earnings over this period at all. Even with enforced cancellation, because of the exceptional circumstance, insurance wont cover that either. For some, this can mean thousands of pounds and the difference between being able to support their families and quite literally put food on their table. The majority of suppliers are small, self employed individuals providing a personal service for brides on their wedding day. Everyone’s emotions are running very high at the moment but I urge you to take a moment to see both sides of the situation that we now find ourselves in. Some businesses simply won’t survive all the cancellations they’re faced with at the moment and everyone is doing whatever they personally see as the best way to try and get their business through a really difficult time. Working together to support one another now means that neither side need loose out.

My personal decision

I want to be at your wedding as much as you do! Wedding hair and make up has been my full time role for 7 years now and I’m personally invested in every bride that I meet and book. It upsets me so much that we find ourselves in a position where so many of the lovely ladies who I’ve excitedly met and helped prepare for their big day wont be able to have it on the day they had originally planned. Of course financially this is going to potentially have a massive impact on the business I’ve worked really hard to build, but what’s causing me most upset is speaking to those of you that are simply devastated as to what’s going on. I’ll do my very best to keep you updated and when it comes to your individual wedding days and plans, I ask that you do the same and let me know as soon as any changes are made so I can do everything I can to accommodate them for you

However, that being said I do understand that a lot of my brides are wanting and intending to cancel their current date and reschedule. I have personally decided that providing I am available, I am happy and willing to move your booking fee over to your new date and honour the rates of your original booking, meaning that you wont be at all financially affected.
I’ll also be changing the payment terms for you, meaning that a staggered payment will allow you longer to pay your balance.
By doing this it means that not only am I able to ensure that my business can continue during this difficult period, but it’s also my way of showing my brides some support. You shouldn’t have to be out of pocket for something that is totally beyond anyone’s control. I want my brides know that they are covered and supported by me and the contract we have made.
If you are considering a rescheduled date please feel free to contact me to request my availability. If I am not available for your new date then I have made it my personal mission to find you someone who is. I don’t want any of my brides to feel lost or daunted at the prospect of having to try and find another available hair and make up artist , so I will personally do this for you.
Hopefully this gesture provides you with some reassurance that I’m doing everything I can this end to make everything as simple and stress free as possible as it can be for you at the moment!

If you did still intend/want/ are happy to make payment in full as per your T & C’s at the time of your original booking, then this would be gratefully received. I know that some of you have said you have already accounted for payments going at this time anyway and that is very much appreciated. It’s really comforting to know that you can see the effect that this will have on my personal circumstance and really kind of you to be wanting to support me personally at this time also. Needless to say this helps my business at this tricky time and I thank you for that. In this instance, and for those of you that have already done this and made payment in full to me please just let me know your rescheduled dates. This way I can transfer your booking and send you over a revised booking form with your new date and receipt of your payment in full against this new date for you.

In addition to this, I’ll also be issuing all of my brides who have already had their trial/preview session a voucher for 10% off any further preview sessions they might want to have. You do not have to take advantage of this offer and it is by no means compulsory, but I just wanted to offer a little something extra to those of you having to change your date, and especially those of you who are waiting over a year for your new date in 2021. Should you wish to have another preview session nearer the time of your new and rescheduled wedding, you can use this 10% voucher against this booking. Hopefully by this point you will be able to relax and be excited about your upcoming wedding again, and this might help, albeit only a little, with building that excitement!

As I mentioned, other suppliers will not necessarily be working to the same terms and I’m sure everyone will be looking at each case individually. Just because I am offering to accommodate new dates does not mean that any other suppliers will be doing the same. Please please please be sure to talk to all of your suppliers individually as every business is different.

If you have any questions then please do just ask, I hope you are all keeping well and please know that I’m looking forward to joining you on your wedding morning – regardless of when that might be!

Kind Regards

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