There are times in life, like now, when you just can’t make it to a hairstylist or when you want to stretch your style out a little longer than usual. For those times, we have a few tips to share to get your through. Thank you to Conjure’s favorite hairstylist, Trista Stevenson, for sharing her insights and expertise on social media and through emails. In case you’re looking for more tips, Trista shares fun videos and content via her social media channels, which you can find via her website here.

Roots got you down?

Should I dye my own hair? that is the question. The answer is almost always, no, friends. There are exceptions, of course. If you really, truly can’t afford to get your hair professionally dyed, I say go for it. Trista will probably kill me, but I say just be sure to keep it simple and choose a quality home dye or a temporary wash that won’t fry your hair and for the love of god, watch some online tutorials before you go crazy with the dye.

For everyone else who is willing to wait and not fry your hair, just use a root spray to cover those grays until you can get back in to see your stylist. I like to use L’Oreal Paris Root Cover Up. It works great, and I use it all the time to buy an extra week or two between hair appointments. My natural hair color is light brown and I’ve gone to a deep, dark mocha, so covering my roots is a must between appointments. Just pick the color that’s closest to your hair color.  Spray on your part or where your gray is most noticeable, mostly focusing on the crown. A zig zag part also helps conceal the harsh line of regrowth, says Trista.  

I’d also like to mention that now may be the time for you to explore those hat/scarf dreams you’ve been harboring. Have a cool hat that you’re usually too chicken to wear out? Wear it! Now is the time to shine. Or tie a fashionable scarf around that head of yours. This could be a life-changing moment for you.

Maintain the color you have

For those of us with dyed hair, another issue we’ll come up against is our hair color fading as time marches on. To preserve what we have, I suggest investing in a shampoo and conditioner that won’t strip your hair color away wash after wash. My new favorite shampoo and conditioner for my dark hair is Verb Ghost Shampoo and Verb Ghost Conditioner. They don’t have any of the harsh chemicals that will harm your color, and I swear my color lasts a LONG time from using these. I love them. If you use Trista’s link, you can even get 10% off your first purchase: https://linktr.ee/Tristastevenson

Try out new hairstyles and baby your hair

Is there a hairstyle you love but don’t normally wear? For instance, I love braids of all types. I do wear them occasionally when I’m not at work – French braids, side braids, you name it – but, I’m thinking this might be the time to let my braid love take over a little more and wear them more regularly. If you have a style you want to try or practice, now is the time!

It’s also the time, in my humble opinion, to baby your hair and give it a little extra TLC. Bust out the deep conditioners and rock those buns, ladies and gents. No need for heat styling every day. Just let your natural hair breathe and heal a bit while you have the opportunity. When you get out of quarantine, your hair will look amazing.

For more with Trista and tutorials on all things styling including blowdrying and curling, her Facebook videos can be found here.

If you’re in Vegas you should look her up for a cut/color/style. She’s wonderful!