Afro hair advice for salon professionals by charlotte mensah

Charlotte Mensah is HJ's British Hairdressing Awards Afro Hairdresser of the Year 2013 and a renowned celebrity stylist based at the Hair Lounge, Portobello Road, London. Her flair for embracing afro hair textures and creativity has seen her win numerous industry accolades including Weave Stylist of the Year 2013 at the Black Beauty/Sensationnel Awards and create the beautiful campaign shots for MIZANI celebrity ambassador Beverley Knight. Here, Charlotte dispenses afro hair advice to ensure your clients achieve sleek, healthy looking hair every time. 1. Replenish natural oils If you want to achieve beautifully healthy-looking hair, then MIZANI Supreme Oil is a treatment that you should definitely invest in. Shampooing too often can strip the hair of its natural oils so ensure you put them back in with a hydrating product like this. 2. Nourish You don’t always have to wash conditioner out. For extra nourishment and to keep clients' hair in tip-top condition, apply a leave-in treatment like MIZANI D’Tangle Moisturizing Leave-in Milk to wet hair for added long-lasting hydration. 3. Get regular trims Make sure clients are visiting the salon regularly (every 4-6 weeks) for a trim. Split ends are especially noticeable on sleek, smooth hair. 4. Master the blow-dry Teach clients that if they want to up the shine, they should always blow-dry the hair in a downward motion. This causes the cuticle to lay flat and reflect light, giving strands a super glossy appearance. 5. Massage the scalp Encourage clients to take a few minutes each day to massage their scalp with or without oil; I like to use MIZANI Comfiderm Scalp Oil. This simple practice stimulates the secretions of sebaceous oils and boosts blood circulation. 6. Hair TLC Combat dry hair by getting clients to undertake a hot oil treatment once a month. The MIZANI Supreme Oil Haircare collection is super-moisturising and will leave hair feeling and looking silky smooth and soft. Start by gently warming a few drops of Supreme Oil and applying to the hair. Leave for a few minutes then rinse with MIZANI Supreme Oil Sulfate-Free Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner.