Queen of Color, Maria Dowling of mariadowling Salon, Dubai tells us her reasons why we all need to detox our hair from time to time, and more importantly, how we should do it.

Why we need to detox?
“Having worked as a colorist for more than 20 years, I increasingly come across hair that is lank and lifeless, full of product build-up and not able to absorb color as deeply as hair which is truly squeaky clean. I also see increasing cases of scalps sensitized and irritated by many things including wrongly selected ‘over the counter’ shampoos and conditioners.”

How do we know when to detox?

• Your scalp may be itchy.
• The ends of your hair have an almost waxy feel when you rub the  strands together.
• Your hair is flat and the color looks dull.

Five Easy Detox Tips
Detoxing the hair needn’t mean a week of intense treatments. Here are my 5 easy tips for giving the hair some love and attention.
1.Wash less – The hair needs a chance to allow the natural oils to condition the hair so washing it every day means your hair is under strain and in dire need of a day off. Try and leave it a few days and give your hair a day off from washing and styling at least once or twice a week.
2.Stimulate the scalp – We always provide head massages in the salon and this is more than just to relax the client. Massaging the scalp encourages blood flow and stimulates hair growth, encouraging thicker, healthier hair. Once or twice a week is all you need to really make a difference.
3.Install a shower filter – While the tap water in the UAE is relatively clean, it plays havoc on our hair. The minerals, rust, and other chemicals can make cool colors warm and yellow our icy blondes. Installing a shower filter will put an end to dull color as it won’t allow any bad chemicals to penetrate the hair, only the pure stuff!
4.Take the heat off – We all know that long term, consistent use of heated hair appliances such as straighteners and curling tongs are damaging to the hair. Give your hair a break for a week – let it dry naturally, lay off the irons and embrace your natural waves to give your hair some recovery time.
5.Try a natural treatment – There are some good and not so good treatments on the market. Try and go for a chemical free option if you can. The mariadowling Hair & Scalp clay is a totally natural treatment made up of essential oils including peppermint, jojoba and lemongrass. Simply apply to the scalp, leave for 20 minutes and rinse. No need to wash your hair afterwards. Use this once a week until your hair is feeling and looking better, then once a month after that.

For more information visit www.mariadowling.com