Warren Theunis, owner of Mr. Barber South Africa, believes the biggest challenge for essential workers while salons remain closed is maintaining overgrown hair.
“Therefore, keeping the hair clean is a top priority, so using a shampoo and conditioner is very important. If you’re using a conditioner, keep it on for at least two to three minutes before rinsing. This will help restore and protect your hair against the elements,” he says.
If you’re using a styling aid, Theunis suggests using only a minimal amount so that you don’t over-saturate the hair, as this will only create additional build-up, which in turn will add to the need to cleanse your hair more.
“When it comes to styling, try and adopt a messy and less structured look that you feel comfortable with as this will help reduce styling time, which will hopefully ease some of the stress you are already facing on a daily basis due to the current situation we are in.
For short or mid-length hair, try using a brush with natural bristles as this will help in taming your hair, or use your fingers to style if you can, he says.”
For non-essential workers, Theunis suggests giving your hair a break. “Keep it clean by shampooing and conditioning as per normal, but remember that you need to dry it properly. Prior to lockdown, when you were out and about, you could get away with applying product to towel dried hair for styling because the sun did the rest. You now need to make sure your scalp is dried properly.”
For those who absolutely have to shave due to skin irritations, he recommends exfoliating first. “This will help in preventing ingrown hair and irritations. I would advise shaving after you have showered as this helps with preparing the skin,” he says.
If people feel the overwhelming need to cut their overgrown hair, Theunis advises not to cut off too much. “You don’t want to be adding a bad haircut to your existing list of stressors. Cutting off just a bit will also allow for easier corrections to be made by your barber when lockdown is lifted,” Theunis concludes.
As for product ranges, he recommends The Bluebeards Revenge and label.men.