From the IMAGE archives: hair-raising hairstyles from March 1986

This week, we’re looking back at hair advice from the 1986 March issue of IMAGE Magazine. Expect suggestions of ‘the new perm’ and haircare tips that really aren’t too different from 2019.

A dull, matted mass in the mirror every morning and you don’t turn a hair? MICHELINE WALSH gets to the root of the problem.

If you’re feeling tired and worn out after the winter (and who isn’t?), take a short cut to sanity. Having your hair done makes you feel brand new again. Clean, shining, healthy hair is one of the loveliest things you can wear and the best accessory there is to the season ’s super new clothes.

The first place ill health or a bad diet shows is in the hair. Slimming diets, unless carefully balanced, are lethal for hair condition as they deplete the body of vitamins and minerals. Stress is another major factor in poor hair condition as it uses up the B complex vitamins, which may result in colour loss. (This can be counteracted by taking a daily vitamin supplement). Just as vitamin pills can improve hair condition, other pills can make it dull and brittle.

A balanced diet, containing as little processed food as possible, combined with the ability to relax in order to counteract the effects of stress are all that is really needed to keep hair healthy.

In our efforts to keep up with fashion and to look our best many of us subject our hair to much abuse. Shampoo should be ph balanced to keep the tiny cuticle cells smooth and flat so that they reflect light (shine) and protect the moisture within the hair shaft from dehydration. Alkaline shampoos are definitely bad news for hair. So check your shampoo to make sure it is ph balanced. Klorane make a range of shampoos which fit this requirement. If in doubt ask your hairdresser.

City dwellers need to shampoo almost every day to remove grit and grime which can be harmful to hair. Daily washing, in this case, using a ph balanced shampoo, can be regarded as a protective measure.

All hair which is exposed to sun, wind, air pollution or harsh treatments like colour or perms, benefits from regular conditioning. Conditioning can be done at home, every time you shampoo; or you can have a deep conditioning treatment in a hair salon.

Protein and balsam conditioners coat the hair and smooth the cuticles promoting a shine. If you blow-dry your hair on a regular basis, make sure to use a conditioner or better still use one of the new conditioning mousses, which give body and condition while protecting the hair from the cumulative damage caused by blow-drying. Lancôme are introducing a complete hair care programme in early April. Their new Fluance range includes a protein-based toning mousse, designed to protect delicate hair and give it extra body.

It has always been a woman’s prerogative to change her mind, and often this means a change of hair colour. Temporary hair colours coat the hair and add highlights of another colour to the natural shade. The coating effect gives a healthy looking shine and this usually lasts for about six shampoos. But remember to take into account the natural colour of your hair before trying out a temporary colour. Red or auburn over light blond hair will give a pink or harsh red colour. Naturally dark hair will look no different with a temporary colour intended for blondes,

Permanent colour involves the use of chemicals and this does have a lasting effect on the structure and condition of hair. If you are contemplating home colour it is advisable to stay close to your natural colour. Embarking on dramatic colour changes can often uncover unsuspected red and orange tints which need an expert hand. Older skins need shades which will flatter. Yellowish blon can make skin texture look coarse and very dark brown will accentuate lines.

Another way of making a striking change in your appearance is with a body wave – the descendant of the perm. This process chemically changes the structure of the hair and should be approached with caution, but it is much better than the old-fashioned perm.

Remember permed or coloured hair is much more vulnerable and needs careful conditioning. Corimist spray tonic conditioner can be sprayed on dry ends to condition without making roots oily.

Finally, when choosing a hairstyle, remember to take the entire picture into account – far too many women chooses styles for only the face, forgetting the rest of the body. Tall people with long necks need the softness of a little length. Square faces need soft styles with hair brought over the forehead. If you have a wide jaw, allow your hair to grow below the jawline to avoid looking like a chipmunk storing nuts for the winter.

People who wear glasses should take care not to choose a hairstyle that will create clutter. Heavy frames need hair to be swept back from the eyes. Far from being a disadvantage when choosing a hairstyle, glasses will often balance features like too large a nose and allow the wearer to choose a hairstyle that she could not otherwise wear.

Unless you are a dab hand at managing your hair (in which case you are indeed gifted), your hairdresser is your lifeline. When you have found a hairdresser who understands your hair and what you require of it, stick with him! And take a shine to spring.

This article originally appeared in the March 1986 issue of IMAGE Magazine.