With wedding season around the corner, a lot of my recently engaged clients have been asking the ever-important questions such as:

When do I start prepping my hair?

When should I book my trial/wedding appointment?

What will suit me?

Do you have any style inspo?

I thought it would be a good idea to put together a detailed blog post on everything I’ve learned during my career. If you would love to know more, read on…

The first answer is very surprising to most but I would recommend to start thinking about your hair as early as one year before the big day. The reason for this is that there are multiple factors to think about. Things like condition, length and scalp health are important. If you want to change up your colour, this can be a journey! Colour changes can’t always be done quickly and the condition can be a deciding factor here. You want your colour, hairstyle and dress to really complement each other. Do your current hairstylist offer upstyling? Sometimes it’s nice to find someone who will be on the entire journey with you as you know they can ensure everything compliments each other and will have extensive knowledge of your hair.

I strongly recommend regular trims every 6-10 weeks, depending on hair growth. Even if your goal is to grow your hair, this will remove the dead ends preventing breakage further up the hair shaft. This will allow your hair to grow healthy and strong.

You should condition weekly with a professional hair mask. We have many to choose from in-salon, and myself and the team are more than happy to help you choose the ideal product for your hair type/condition. We currently have a fantastic offer in the salon at the moment, with the k18 spring booster. This can be added on to any service (cut/blow-dry/colour) and includes the use of our k18 shampoo range, deep repair mask and oil. You even get some to take home for yourself!

My next big tip is to hydrate within. Drink that water ladies and gents! And ensure you are receiving enough of the essential nutrients needed through your diet for optimal hair and scalp health. Our hair follicles have a blood supply and it really is so important that your body is receiving essential nutrients in order to grow healthy and strong hair. I see it daily where clients will come in who have been in poor health and you can really see how the hair has suffered as a result. This can affect many areas of the body including our skin.

This leads me to scalp care. Our scalp is skin just like the skin we have all over our body. Unfortunately, most of us don’t normally treat it the same way as our face for example. The reason is, we can’t see it. Just like the skin on our face, our scalp needs hydration and exfoliation. These simple practices can alleviate scalp issues and help promote hair growth. We have a wonderful range of scalp care products in the salon and all of our team are highly knowledgeable and happy to discuss your scalp care needs along with prescribing a combination of home/salon treatment options tailored to you.

So now you have condition and scalp care taken care of but did you know the shampoo you are using can also affect these things? It is really important that you use professional shampoo as these do not contain harmful ingredients which are known to coat the scalp, weigh the hair down and even achieve optimal results from your colour application. Even when choosing a professional shampoo, you need to ensure it is the right product for your hair.

Now, unfortunately, Ireland is pretty poor in terms of our water. This is because of the additives used to ensure it is safe to drink, but not good for our hair and skin. Because of the amount of limestone, we have particularly hard water, with some areas of course, worse than others. A water filter for your showerhead is a must if you notice the effects of this. Think dull/yellow blonde or dry, brittle hair. K18 have an amazing chelating product which is built into most of our colour packages or can be added to your cut/blow-dry as a detoxifying treatment.

Another excellent one is the Color WOW Dream Filter which can be used at home.

For all the “straightener girlies”, I really do strongly suggest limiting the use of your heated tools and don’t forget to use that heat protectant! Ways around this could be to tie the hair up a bit more and find a cute style you can vibe with. If it’s frizzy, the Color WOW Dream Coat is a game-changer! This eliminates frizz and will have your blow-dry lasting days.

If you are a curly girly that straightens, maybe try to embrace your natural texture. Curls are sooo in at the moment and with the right haircut, products and demo by one of our talented stylists you will be turning heads with those locks!

After ensuring your hair will be in the best shape for your wedding, it’s now time to start thinking about how you will style it.

You will no doubt be planning what your overall wedding aesthetic will be. This will naturally link in with your dress and the way you want to style your hair. After that, you should then consider suitability regarding face shape and practicality. Ie. Is your wedding going to be in a hot climate? In that case, you may want it up.

During your hair trial, your stylist should review these elements with you.

You will want to book your hair trial around 3 months before the big day. This will allow enough time to consider any adjustments you may like to make on the day.

Points to remember for your hair trial:

🤍 Bring along any accessories in mind

🤍 Wash hair at least the day before

🤍 Bring Photos of the dress.

🤍 Take photos when it’s styled to recap later

If you are looking for some style inspo, here are some looks I’m loving at the moment:

The glam 90’s stacked updo

This had been modernised to suit today’s fashion. This updo is created with internal support to hold it in place and provide longevity but the exterior is soft with tumbling wispy curls and face-framing pieces. This can be tailored to suit individual tastes and face shape. Sometimes the style is stacked higher on the head and is great for front-facing photos.

The de-constructed French twist

For the modern bride who wants to wow their guests. I love this look because it’s fashion-forward, practical and playful. With a fresh take on traditional styling giving a slightly edgier feel yet still remaining elegant and feminine. It’s structured enough to allow for the hold that’s needed to last the day. Expert product knowledge is key to creating this look and providing longevity.

The low bun

This is a beautiful, elegant look which can be particularly complimentary to a low-back gown. Don’t worry about the density of your hair as padding can be included, along with accessories to add interest.

Waves for days

For the bride who wants to wear their hair down, waves are a timeless look. There are different styles to choose from depending on your overall aesthetic. Boho waves are beautiful for a bohemian-inspired wedding and ideal for the bride with medium to thick hair. You can, of course, add clip-in extensions. Waves can be as loose or as defined as you wish but my personal fave is a slightly more defined wave than the boho but still soft and elegant. Again I would recommend medium to thick hair with a long layer to allow for longevity.

Product choice is vital to prep the hair for these looks and we have so much to choose from in-salon. I enjoy alternating between my fave products from Kevin Murphy and Color WOW.

Now that you have all the best tips for ensuring your hair is the best it ever looked, give us a call and we’ll get you into Gruaig D4 Hair Studio to start this exciting journey together.

Love,

Sharon X