Personally, as someone who is mixed race and, therefore, has inherited thick hair, I sometimes struggle to maintain a healthy shine. Whether your hair is light or dark, curly or straight, long or short, most of us have at some point experienced what it’s like to deal with dry or damaged hair. A trip to the hairdresser usually solves these issues for a short period of time, but Birmingham’s Wheelhouse Salon offers professional and expert treatments on how to keep your hair looking healthier for longer. Located in a trendy, exposed brickwork salon on 1820 3rd Avenue North in the heart of downtown Birmingham, this salon is just one of three which has been successfully established by owner and stylist, Courtney Grimes. 

 

With so many different products on the market, it can sometimes seem impossible to find a product that considers length, thickness, ethnicity, gender, and hair color.  However, with the help of your own personal stylist, the process of narrowing down Wheelhouse’s nine different conditioning treatments is made to feel like a personable and easy experience. Just a few of these treatments included Keratin smoothing, Olaplex conditioning, and color retention treatments. 

 

Breely Debalsi, who is a stylist for Wheelhouse, helped explain the process of how to choose a treatment that was right for me. She recommended the L'Oreal Power dose. “This is a great way to keep moisture in your hair without the treatment needing all day to work,” she said. This was certainly true for me, as I was delighted to find that the treatment was left for only five minutes before being rinsed. Not only was this process affordable, easy, and fast, but it also left me feeling genuinely good about my hair. 

 

After my hair care treatment was complete, I decided to ask Breely how she found herself working amongst so many other talented hair stylists. She shared that “I absolutely love working here. I used to work in the restaurant industry for many years and so have always gravitated towards wanting to make others feel good. I’m a creative and so naturally want to work with my hands,” she said. She also wanted to share some of her top tips and tricks for maintaining that healthy shine. 

 

Regular Haircuts

Breely recommended that you should get your hair cut every eight to 12 weeks. Even if you’re trying to grow your hair out or you already have long hair, she suggests that her customers should try to maintain regular trips to the hairdresser to stay on top of split ends and encourage healthier growth. “Remembering to rebook yourself in at the end of a treatment is a great way to ensure you don’t forget to come back into the salon,” she said.

 

Try Not to Over Wash

This is something that I personally fall victim to, but Breely explains that “while most people think their hair is greasy because they don’t wash it enough, it’s actually because over washing can strip your hair of its natural oils and leave it feeling dry and dull.” Instead, Breely suggests slowly trying to re-train your hair into a routine where you can leave it unwashed for longer. “Although it can be frustrating at the start, using an occasional spray of dry shampoo can help you get through the first few weeks,” she said. Be patient though, and ultimately find a routine which feels best for you. 

 

Consider a Leave In Conditioner

“I will always use leave in conditioner from brands such as Oribe before a blow dry," Breely said. "It holds curls beautifully and always leaves a customer with that feel good shine.”

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The Wheelhouse certainly left me feeling better about my hair, and although a bad hair day is completely normal, don’t forget to treat yourself to a wash and blow dry every now and then. It’s a real confidence booster and remember -- there’s nothing wrong about wanting to feel good about yourself.