Ken Paves is considered one of the WORLD’S MOST RECOGNIZED HAIRSTYLISTS. His new line of sulfate free styling products and his line of clip-in hair extensions has made him a complete hair master. He’s worked with the biggest names in the business including Eva Longoria, Carmen Electra, Celine Dion, Kim Cattrall, Ashlee Simpson, Christina Applegate, Heather Locklear, Avril Lavigne, Jennifer Lopez and is BFF’s with Jessica Simpson. He is also a regular on the Oprah Winfrey Show and has graciously given hair makeovers to audience members.
If all of that wasn’t enough, he is one of BeautyStat’s GUEST EXPERT’s and has answered your wildest, craziest hair questions!
Read on!
DRY HAIR:
My hair literally has a mind of its own. At the roots it can get extremely oily and the ends it’s dryer than a Brillo pad. I’ve been told to trim my hair every three months, but that only brings the dryness higher up on the strands. I’ve literally been scared to get a haircut in THREE YEARS! I’ve tried practically every product and even stopped using styling tools for six months. I don’t know what to do, please help I am desperate for a fix and a haircut!
If you haven’t had a hair cut in three years, then I promise you the moment you do your hair will look better! What’s happening to your hair is this: By not cutting it for so long, you’re allowing the split ends to rise – so what once was an inch of split ends in now virtually several inches. Most women don’t realize you save tons of length on your hair by simply trimming it often because you end up cutting less hair in the end. Now we know why your ends are dry and I can take a guess as to why the rest of your hair is dry as well: you’re looking for heavier products! This, in turn, will cause your roots to get greasier! It’s all about finding the right balance.
Here’s what I want you to do: First: promise me you’ll trim it! Secondly, I ask you to try my hydrophobic shampoo and conditioner from my new Self Help: Care of Ken Paves hair care collection. Both are SLS-free (Sodium Laurel Sulfate). What’s SLS? It’s soap – like in your dishwashing soap. It dries out hair tremendously and weakens it over time!
When shampooing hair, I suggest washing the roots thoroughly, and when conditioning, just concentrate the product from MID-SHAFT down to the ends – skip your roots entirely. Your hair has natural oils that are produced at the scalp so you can skip using a product that contains oil to see if this will eliminate some of the greasiness. Next, I suggest introducing a deep treatment (I have one called Get Deep that you use for 4 minutes, 4 times a week, and every 4 weeks). You’ll see your hair transform! But again, when applying the deep treatment you should skip applying to the roots and concentrate on the ends.
Now that your hair is clean and conditioned, loosely braid hair or create a loose bun on the top of your head without any product in it before you go to sleep. Apply styling product to your air-dried hair the next day as necessary. This method allows you to control exactly where you need product without over-applying it. I always tell my clients to stick to a styling crème, mist or lightweight serum – using the same method when applying – avoiding your roots! Flip your head over and apply product to avoid running your fingers through your roots. I hope this method helps you, and please write back and let me know how it goes!
My hair is starting to show age, can you advise me on how take care of hair that is going on the dry side? I let my hair air dry naturally, but it’s still dry on the ends. Do you have any suggestions?
Hair ages just like our skin does and the best way to treat hair that is aging is to pay attention to your hair and the changes that it’s making. What naturally happens is hair starts to become less elastic and more brittle, dry and weak. This means you need to switch your hair care products just like you do for your skin care. My new hair care line, Self Help: Care of Ken Paves, is actually an anti-aging hair care line that is 100% SLS-Free (Sodium Laurel Sulfate), 100% synthetic fragrance-free, hydrophobic (water doesn’t swell up the strands and fade color) and is the first hair care formula that contains Co-Q10 which actually increases elasticity in hair! I urge you to try out the shampoo, conditioner and deep treatment. You’ll see a huge difference in your hair!
THICK HAIR:
I have naturally thick/coarse, wavy dark hair. It is just past my shoulders and I’ve had the same long layered style for many years (I graduated high school in the 80s). I have used gels, mousse, wax-type products as styling aids for years, but am not sure what the best products are to use on my hair type. I wash and condition every other day and use the above products on those days. What do you recommend for overall styling products? I prefer a “wash and go” style that requires minimal work to get out the door – I work full time and have 3 kids. I appreciate any and all advice!
You’re a lucky girl to have such a great hair texture! But I do think it’s time to update the products you’ve been using since the 80’s! Here’s why: Gel has a ton of alcohol and dries out hair. This is bad for any hair texture, especially wavy/curly hair! Next up, Mousse: This has even more alcohol and dries out hair even more. Lastly, wax is not really meant to use on a daily basis. A wax is meant to slick back unruly hair when in an updo or to create texture (which you already have) and is tricky to use because some waxes are very, well waxy! I think you’re fine not washing your hair every day, if it can stand up to it. However, I want you to use lightweight products – that still provide frizz-control and manageability. You should look for styling crèmes (there are a million varieties!), serums and styling mists that will give your hair shine, bounce and control. Apply them after you’ve washed, conditioned and air-dried your hair. You’ll also create less build-up and keep your thick, wavy hair shiny.
CURLY HAIR:
I have curly hair and am in need of a haircut very bad because my hair is too long and the weight of my hair is weighing my curls down. The salon down the street says it’s best to dry-cut curly hair. Is it really better to cut curly hair dry? I made an appointment then cancelled because I was very unsure of the dry cut. What is your advice, should I have my hair cut wet or dry?
Curly hair and straight hair grow in a different pattern, and the cut should be different as well. To best see the curl pattern, hair needs to be dry. If it’s wet, the length of the hair seems longer because the hair is saturated and weighed down with water, thus, cutting while wet can result in a shorter do’ (and with curly hair that is the ultimate nightmare because when your hair dries and curls coil, you have a much different do’ than expected!) I say, if you’re uncomfortable, go to the salon and have a consultation with a stylist before you commit to a cut. Come prepared with questions and if you’re still uncomfortable, keep searching for another salon!
I’ve been coloring my hair “dark auburn” (over my natural brown turning grey) since my early 20′s, and it’s been pretty resilient, considering. But now my thick curly hair is getting really dry, and short of slathering a quart of olive oil all over my head, I’m not sure what to do. To make the problem worse, a few months back I had so much color build-up in my hair it got really dark, so I had the color stripped to reveal the much lighter auburn lurking underneath…and now that I’m coloring it again, I just can’t seem to hydrate it enough to get my soft, glossy, soft curls back. Can you suggest products for me to try? Or do I need to cut off my over-the-shoulder length hair and start all over?
When you stripped out the color, it is likely that you put too much stress on your hair and now it is weak and brittle. The good news is that it’s not too late to care for it NOW! And what’s more, it’s simple! I highly suggest switching your shampoo and conditioner to a SLS-free formula. SLS creates suds, but these suds strip the natural oils from your hair, making it more brittle, weak and dull. I created a new line called Self Help: Care of Ken Paves that is 100% SLS-free. It’s also Hydrophobic, which means that water is less likely to swell up your hair and remove color as quickly (causing it to fade). I also suggest that you use my color infusions which are styling crèmes with added color. This product will deposit non-chemical color onto hair, thus preserving your color and buying you time in between your salon visits. I hope this helps!
STYLE:
My hair is so flat, are there products that will help give lift to the crown? Also, what’s a good way to “up-do” an all-around chin length?
One option is to get a cut that provides more movement and volume. However, if you want a quick fix, then I definitely suggest using the new hairdo Crown Volumizer that simply clips in and with moldable base wire that allows you to adjust the height of the volume you need! It’s that simple! And this leads right into your second question too! There’s also a new braided chignon in the hairdo collection that easily clips into your own hair, creating an easy already-styled updo for the evening!
FRIZZY HAIR:
I have naturally curly/wavy hair and its making me crazy. I only wash it every other day (if that), and I let it air dry as much as possible since I know that I will use a curling iron eventually to tame some of it. It’s a different kind of curly all over and I can’t seem to keep it from looking like I have a fuzzy halo around my entire head in every picture I take. What do you suggest?
Well, it depends on the type of products you’re using. There are certain ingredients to stay away from if you have curly hair. The first is alcohol; it dries out hair terribly! It’s like acetone on a nail; it will soak up all of the natural oils and leave hair dull and frizzy. I always suggest using products that provide moisture – not grease. So, choose styling crèmes that aren’t too greasy, and lightweight serums that will not weigh hair down. Also, if you wash your hair in the evening, I suggest sleeping on it in a loose bun at the top of your head. In the morning you can apply product to your air-dried hair – this allows you to add the product exactly where you need it, including the frizzy areas!
FINE HAIR
I love the look of my straight tresses, but how can I get volume and curl without having to hairspray like there’s no tomorrow?
I have an easy solution for you! Jessica Simpson has fine, limp hair and she uses extensions to add volume, length and even color to her hair! You can try the hairdo Bump Up The Volume which adds volume to the crown of the head (and has moldable wires to adjust the height of your volume), or you can try using the 23 inch wavy clip–in extensions which add that sexy wave you’re looking for as well as volume and length. And then you can slightly add a curl with your curling iron to your natural hair without having to worry too much about the curl falling out!
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Compiled by Allison McKenna
