Help! I Burned a Huge Chunk of My Hair…Now What?
You ain’t gotta lie to kick it. We’ve all been there: burned hair. You pour yourself a glass of wine, the music in your bathroom is loud and you are ready to take on the night. You’re minutes away from dashing through the door, all you need is the perfect curl. Maybe it was the vino, or maybe it was Beyonce reverberating through your speakers but one thing leads to the next and now you are standing in front of your mirror with a huge chunk of burnt off hair. You spaced out on the curler and are now fighting back tears. How will you fix this one?!
“The most important thing is your road to recovery,” says Carla Zuniga, a senior stylist at Benjamin Salon in West Hollywood. We interpret our pro’s advice as a call to not beat yourself over the whole situation. Calmly accept that burned hair has happened and move on (quickly!) to try and salvage whatever possible.
Once tears have dried and the sulfurous smell of burned hair has subsided, “It’s important to utilize masks, oils, and in salon treatments to help nourish your hair,” continues our pro. She believes giving your hair extra TLC right after a burned hair accident will make styling much easier through the following difficult time.
Carla suggests a loose, wavy style if your accident happened to be towards the ends of your hair. This type of style will soften the appearance of any blunt, burned chunks. She continues, “depending on your level of damage, avoiding heat would be best.” So if you are trying to achieve said loose waves, consider rollers on damp hair or “sleeping with braids [to give] your hair a soft wave texture without using heat.” You can finish this look with a salt wave spray or good-for-your-tresses styling cream.
If your burned hair blunder happens to be in a more noticeable spot, worry not. We’ve got additional tips for you. “To hide breakage around the face and crown, a high ponytail is a great option,” says Carla. “Even with breakage, a high ponytail can look very polished and sleek,” our pro confirms. Other ways to pass the time after a hair fiasco include incorporating big hair accessories and switching up your part.
Nobody enjoys being at the other end of a hair-burning accident but try to keep your eye on the road to recovery. Get creative with your look immediately after the burn while simultaneously treating your hair with masks. Remember hair grows back, and you will be looking like yourself again in no time.
Searching for hair accessory inspo to hide the damage? Look no further than THESE celeb-inspired looks!