Did someone say Balayage?

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Sharp, sleek, sexy. Balayage is the newest hair trend making waves, but what exactly is it? And how do you go about attaining this season's hottest look?

Balayage is a hair colouring technique originating from France in the 1970s. Unlike other techniques, Balayage involves manually applying colour to hair by hand. Balayage can be applied on any length of hair, but the full beauty of the technique becomes really visible on hair below the shoulders.

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Why all the fuss? 
Essentially, Balayage is very VERY versatile. You can go for subtle natural highlights to very full on, in your face edgy effects. To make things even better, Baylage is relatively cheap to maintain as it doesn't require regular touch-ups. This is because unlike other methods of dyeing hair, Balayage does not give a set separation line or regrowth. This is great as not all of us can afford to be visiting the salon every 2-3 weeks!

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 The process...
 Balayage is applied on the surface of a hair strand against a board, allowing for saturation of the tips   of the hair strand. This is what gives the lush blended stroke of colour Balayage is famous for. Balayage can take anything from 20 minutes to a few hours to apply depending on what you're going for. For example, a multi-tonal triple process look can take typically take anywhere between 3-4 hours whereas a few highlights will probably only take 20-30 minutes.


Will Balayage look good on me? 
The simple answer to this is yes. Remember what we were saying earlier on in this post about Balayage's versatility? Well this versatility means that there are a plethora of looks achievable with Balayage. Short hair, long hair, curly hair, straight hair, Balayage will work for you. Likewise, it doesn't matter whether you have dark or light hair, Balayage will still work for you beautifully. One thing to note however if you have Afro or tightly curled hair is to notify your hairdresser if you have had a lot of processes beforehand such as relaxing. This is important as processes such as relaxing can affect the outcome of your Balayage.

                                                                             

Balayage is an amazing way to introduce some colour to your hair. Speak to your hairdresser and give yourself the makeover you deserve this summer!

Growing a beard proving to be a lonnnnnnnnnnng road?

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You’re currently trying to grow some sort of facial hair, but struggling to stimulate the ad-hoc stubble scattered unevenly across your face? Well look no further, Genus is on hand to speed up your follicle growing journey!

First things first...

What’s your diet saying?

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Healthy eating habits although often neglected, are important when it comes to beard growth. A well balanced diet will help create an environment where your future beard can thrive. For instance, testosterone levels are important when it comes to beard growth. Adequate levels of zinc, vitamin D and magnesium play an important role in facial hair growth. Also protein from sources such as chicken and eggs can be beneficial to beard growth.

You can get zinc from red meats, broccoli and spinach. Vitamin D can be found in eggs, salmon and cod. Magnesium can be found in almonds, cashews and mackerel. Vitamin E is another key vitamin that could super charge your beard growth! Vitamin E increases blood flow and promotes healthy hair and skin. You'll find vitamin E in leafy green vegetables (yes that's right, eat your greens lads) and soy beans.

Do you even lift bro? 

As with most things, exercise is crucial in having us looking and feeling our best. Regular exercise will have your testosterone levels flying high, creating the ideal environment for your beard to prosper! Cardio such as running, swimming or HIIT combined with weights (with a strong emphasis on compound movements such as bench-press, dead-lifts and squats) will help send your testosterone soaring.

Exfoliate! Exfoliate! Exfoliate!

Clean skin is the FOUNDATION to any kind of beard growth! Exfoliating your skin removes dead skin cells, which hamper beard growth. You can exfoliate your skin in a number of ways. If using a non-chemical or (physical) face scrub, we suggest using a face scrub that contains natural exfoliating substances such as sugar and salt.

If using a chemical scrub, use one that contains ingredients such as glycolic acid, AHAs, and BHA. If you have sensitive acne-prone skin, you may find it more beneficial to use a chemical scrub as they can be less abrasive on the skin. If unsure, see your dermatologist or GP to see which options are best for you.

Whatever form of exfoliation you use, Always bear in mind that your skin around your face is sensitive, you’re cleansing your skin, not going for a PB on the bench press, so be gentle! Your face shouldn’t feel sore or look raw red after exfoliating!

Now you MUST moisturise…

Bearded or not, regularly moisturising your skin is generally good for keeping your skin looking healthy. When it comes to growing a beard, moisturising can help Prevent overly itchy skin when your hair growth starts to come through. Dry and broken skin can lead to beard itch and moisturising will help to nip that in the bud!

Time to grow!

Hopefully incorporating a few or all of the tips listed here will aid you on your mission to join the gang. Be patient, be consistent and hopefully we’ll see you and your newly acquired mane on the other side!