The COVID-19 outbreak has taken an obvious toll on our beauty routine. Our hands are dry from sanitizing, our undereyes are puffy from too much snacking and our hair is in dire need of some TLC from a trusty professional.
So to help us out during these unprecedented times, Matrix celebrity hairstylist Nick Stenson talked with Us Weekly’s Stylish about the best ways to care for your hair while spending way too much time on the couch and far too little at the hair salon.
Stenson’s biggest piece of advice is to, “Mask, mask, mask!” He recommends “regular hair treatments,” such as the affordable Matrix Biolage HydraSource Deep Treatment Packs ($15).
“They come in different flavors based on what your hair needs,” says the expert, noting that there’s a formula for three popular concerns: frizziness, dryness and color-treated tresses.
“Anyone can mask their hair no matter the hair texture” Stenson continues. “I would say the rule of thumb is one to two times a week for healthy hair and up to three times a week for damaged hair.”
Besides masking like it’s your job, the Matrix Artistic Director also recommends that you “embrace your natural texture and use this time to rehab your hair,” just like you might be wearing less makeup to let your skin breathe.
“Try not to blow dry and iron your hair so much,” says Stenson. Instead of curling your hair for that Zoom meeting, consider using this time as an opportunity to experiment with hair accessories like your favorite fashion influencer.
Another pro tip from Stenson is to wash wisely. According to the Matrix Artistic Director, going a long time in between washes isn’t always a good thing.
“If you’re someone who has an oily scalp, you may need to wash more often due to oil build-up or odor,” explains the professional. “I would suggest every two days for this hair type. Someone with a dry scalp and or less oil can go up to four days.”
In between washes, the hair expert has two major video chat-approved styling tips. “One trick I like to do is spray dry shampoo at the root to absorb oil and odor, he says. “My go-to is Biolage Waterless Dry Shampoo and then combine it with a texture spray for the ends.”
But listen up: If you go too long without washing your hair, the consequences can be serious. “You will start to notice a build-up of oil an odor will build,” Stenson tells Us. “If you go too long — for example, weeks — you run the chance of the follicle getting clogged and hair loss starting to occur.” Yikes!
When you do wash, consider using a formula focused on scalp health. “Using something like Biolage Scalp Care Shampoo once or twice a week will ensure your scalp is staying healthy.” These formulas contain an effective combination of 2.9 percent salicylic acid and willow bark to exfoliate, eliminate dandruff and soothe your scalp.
Finally, Stenson doesn’t recommend dyeing your hair at home giving yourself DIY bangs to curb your boredom. “Don’t do it!!” he advises. “Why be sorry? “Instead, wait till this blows over and get back to supporting your stylist. They will be counting on your visit!”
As for touching up your roots, he advises that you “leave it up to the pros.” But if you just can’t bare the sight of your grays, conceal them with a temporary color spray (Us loves this one). After all, a temporary drugstore touch-up costs a whole lot less than permanent hair dye gone wrong.
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