Hollywood hair expert reveals how to makeover your hair in lockdown and manage those nightmare roots

With so many Australians still stuck in lockdown, there’s one thought at the front of millions of women’s minds.

“What the hell am I going to do about these roots?!”

Managing your hair without salon trips and expert advice from your usual hairdresser can be a minefield, especially for those of us with styles that need regular upkeep.

Bottle blondes are seeing their dark roots take over, while some of us have contemplated cutting our own fringes after one too many lockdown wines.

But how should we really be looking after our hair in lockdown, and is there a way to use this time to our hair’s advantage?

Australian Women’s Weekly spoke with Hollywood Hair Stylist and HASK Ambassador Jessica Elbaum, who has worked with the likes of Ariel Winter and Sarah Hyland, to get the lowdown on lockdown haircare.

The first question was how often we actually need to be washing our hair in lockdown, and the answer is at least once a week.

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“You can train your scalp to adapt [to less regular washing] over time,” Jessica says.

“We develop our own natural oils that help us stretch out the wash schedule overtime. As long as you wash once a week and brush daily, your hair can stay healthy.”

While it’s tempting to let haircare fall to the wayside during lockdown, Jessica warns that you still need to put in some effort while stuck at home.

“You still want to stimulate and nourish your scalp to keep it healthy. A clean scalp is a happy scalp!”

Speaking of scalps, many of us have been seeing our dreaded roots peeking through during lockdown.

While it can be tempting to just go at them with some box dye you ordered online, Jessica warns against DIY dye jobs – especially if you’re a blonde.

“Blonde hair colour is the hardest to achieve on yourself,” she reveals.

Instead, she suggests investing in a dry shampoo or a root spray in your hair colour.

“They make really good ones now that can come close to your colour and will save you from a bad at home colour job. I use those a lot on set when an actor or actress comes in with roots [showing].”

As for her best tips to keep your hair strong and shiny in lockdown, it’s all about preventing and repairing damage.

“Hair doesn’t ‘auto repair’,” Jessica warns. “Lockdown gives us a chance to have lots of self-care moments and use deep conditioning products.”

She recommends the HASK Shea Butter & Hibiscus Oil Shampoo and Conditioner to strengthen hair and prevent any breakage.

You can also invest in a dedicated kit for repairing damaged hair, like the VIRTUE Recovery Discovery Kit which includes a shampoo, conditioner, and a hair repair mask.

For seriously damaged locks, or when you want an added boost, try adding a deep conditioning treatment or leave-in conditioner to your routine at least once a week.

Lockdown is also the perfect time to give your hair a break from heat styling, Jessica says, as they can be some of the biggest culprits when it comes to damage.

And don’t worry, ditching the heat doesn’t mean you have to forsake style.

“Heatless curls have been making a huge comeback at the moment,” Jessica explains.

“I use bendy rollers or Velcro rollers to achieve this. The results are beautiful hair without causing any heat damage.”

If heat styling has left your tresses dry and frizzy, an overnight oil treatment can help breathe life back into it.

While your hair is still wet or damp, run a small amount of an oil product like HASK’s Repairing Argan Oil Hair Oil or MOROCCANOIL Original Oil Treatment through all of your locks.

Jessica swears by the technique, saying: “By sleeping with oil on my hair, it drastically reduces my frizz the next day.”

Repair damaged hair in lockdown on any budget