By Helene Ravlich
The owner and head creative at Karangahape Road, Auckland salon Colleen, the inimitable Lauren Gunn is a hair and makeup artist with a reputation for producing beautiful editorial work both in the salon and alongside fashion designers, photographers, musicians and film-makers. Lauren is in her element creating hair and makeup looks for fashion and advertising campaigns, runway, music clips and editorial and television, and like the rest of us in Auckland, is feeling the effects of a length level four.
Lauren Gunn
“Hair is a wonderful thing, it is intrinsically linked to our sense of wellbeing,” she tells me, “why else would hair feature so consistently in fairy tales, mythology and pūrākau? During tough times (like now for instance) we look to our hair to improve our hauora and reconnect with ourselves, but what to do while we are in lockdown and can’t get to the salon to see our favourite stylist for a boost?”
Lauren says the biggest temptations – to pick up the kitchen snips or to reach for a supermarket box dye – are real. Here are some other, less regrettable ways that she recommends for scratching that itch and get a hit of hair wellbeing.
Brush your hair. Sounds basic but I’m talking about a good 5 minute session running a brush over your scalp to stimulate blood flow and release tension, even better if you can get someone else to do it for you.
Evo Pete Ionic Paddle Brush RRP $46.00
Treat yourself. A hair mask is not only great for your hair and scalp health, but the sensory experience itself is worth the effort. Masks feel and smell amazing when they are on, and once they are rinsed out the texture of your hair feels so soft and loved you’ll be running your hands through your hair just to feel that silkiness for days to come.
Davines The Wake Up Circle RRP $21.30
Experiment. Jump on YouTube and try your hand at a new style, practice makes perfect and you can wow your co-workers with your new skills when you get back to work.
Colour In. You can use temporary spray colours to cover up any new tidelines of grey hair that have sprouted. Even if no one sees you that day it can be a nice little pick me up, kinda like throwing on a red lip.
R+CO Bright Shadows Light Brown RRP $55.00
Retail Therapy. Use the money you’ve saved by not visiting the hairdresser to buy yourself something special, or splurge on an extravagant hair tool you’ve always wanted to have.
Cloud Nine Curling Wand Gift of Gold RRP $300.00
Header Image by Unsplash