I’m normally in and out the hairdressers in under 30 minutes. A trim, blow dry naturally and go. Last week I was in there for 2 hours!
The lady in PAS, Pelo Arte Sano in C/Duc 14, an all organic hairdressers after asking what I wanted done was okay, but first we need to address your scalp. I knew parts of my parting were red, but put down to the sun those parts have been red for years. If you’re my Mum you’ll say they saw me coming, however the redness is a sign of a stressed out scalp and hair. It needed intensive care asap. If I didn’t take good care of it, it could result in hair loss later in life. A great aunt lost her hair thanks to alopecia and in the summer I shed so much hair I worry it’s too much for natural annual hair shed. Yes we moult like cats and dogs.
I usually get told it’s not in the best of condition. I thought this was due to the fact I go every 3 months following lunar haircuts, I train daily so it’s washed daily thanks to sweat. It’s condition’s improved greatly after the advice of one hairdresser to braid it cycling so the wind doesn’t strip it dry. Fine hair can’t hide problems as well as thick hair. I took my hair and working out a stage further by putting it in a bun running and in the gym with a baseball hat running and cycling. Last summer to avoid the sea drying it out if I went for a dip that evening I applied a mix of coconut oil and sweet almond oil in overnight. Come the end of the summer it was doing better. The regrowth at least.
PAS use exclusively Oway hair products, an Italian, organic, biodynamic, Fair Trade, sustainable production, natural ingredients, cruelty free PETA approved line that’s perfect for vegans! They source ingredients from across the globe to insure you get the best for your hair free from nasty ingredients like parabens, SLS’s, artificial colours – green chemistry. All packaging is minimal and recyclable. No additional cardboard packing, just the product. Shampoos come in glass bottles (yes, care in the shower!) and conditioners or masks are in aluminium tubes. PAS have about 3 hairdressers in Barcelona and with on one my route I’ve been curious to try them for a while. I’m not the biggest fan of going to the hairdressers (dry ends equally coming out with shorter hair than expected) however I’m glad I stopped by to make an appointment. They put me at ease immediately, were patient with my Spanish, the salon was clean, the area behind the sinks looked like laboratory with all the glass bottles, the sinks were comfy (neck foam roller!), seats were comfy and they do nails too!
She talked me through my options, a mask and cut, mask, infra red treatment and cut, mask and a more expensive one I can’t remember. I mulled over my options and opted for the 2nd option. If I went by the basis of going every 6 weeks it would break even. Or as I only go every 3 months or in this case it was 4 months as I missed the Winter Solstice cut it would work out one cut per month. Non of my previous hairdressers have mentioned anything with the scalp and the initial infrared treatment only has to be done once. Followed by better hair care.
Before my hair saw water, an intensive care serum was massaged into my roots followed by another serum with added mix of essential oils applied all along the length of my hair. As one hairdresser applied the serum another went over the hair with infrared straighteners sealing the cuticles. I’ve tried to find more info about the straighteners and treatment but I alI get is help for balding men and infrared hair/head lamps. They used straighteners not a lamp I guess being the 1st stage of hair care otherwise more serious or those wanting to promote hair growth see a specialist. From what the lady said and what I can find, the infrared helps promote a healthy hair cycle for weak, damaged, brittle hair. Just because I don’t dye it or use a hairdryer doesn’t mean as I learnt, I get off from colour and heat damage!
Hair ‘straightened’ I was left for 20 minutes for the serum to work it’s thing before the actual wash. I think another mask was applied. Back at the chair a leave in emergency scalp treatment, Vivifying Remedy Sensitive Scalps, which I took away for continued home use was applied. This was left for about 5 minutes and thanks to the peppermint, tingling wasn’t the word for what my scalp was feeling! It was on fire! And my eyes too, but all good. After massaging the product in, the actual cut and natural blow dry took about 10 minutes.
Was it worth it? I think yes. My scalp hasn’t been red since, my hair still feels soft and healthy looking over a week later. Softness and healthy hair is a thing I struggled with for years. The at home treatment is applied 2-3 times a week for 6 weeks then 1-2 times a week continued use.
Hair day after treatment 
I had some itchiness a few days later after I applied the first at home treatment. It was mostly in the areas I applied the spray before massaging in. I wasn’t sure if I was using too much (I don’t think so as the tingling from the peppermint wasn’t as strong as in the salon), or my current shampoo and conditioner with the spray weren’t compatible. I popped by a week later to ask and the girls were great. They immediately checked out my hair, asked when it started, where etc. I mentioned maybe my shampoo wasn’t compatible and I also wasn’t liking how my hair was looking with it. I’m allergic to isoeugenol but none of the ingredients (it’s found in a few ingredients) contained it. I decided to try out the recommended shampoo and mask and I haven’t experienced itching since. If it does continue with the Oway shampoo and treatment I can swap the spray out for one similar.
Hair 10 days after treatment. Minimal fuss mess! Still working on my style and selfie skills. I’ve got a long way to go!
Itchiness aside, I haven’t had as many strands fall out combing or brushing since the treatment and I use much less product (always a good thing!). The summer will be the test. I also got great advice to relief itchy scalps or hair with fingertips not nails and as my hair’s fine, start using a hair dryer. I usually air dry it, however in the winter it’s not so good for fine hair or sensitive scalps. I’ve been doing half and half as I don’t want heat damage. Other than an itchy scalp the other con are the cows licks since. It’s like my hair’s yay, we can breath! Strategically placed grips/bobby pins after drying, or air drying help prevent them.
Have you had infrared hair treatment? What’s the longest you’ve spent at the hairdressers?