News

AWARDS OPEN DOORS OR WHY YOU SHOULD LOVE WINNING AWARDS!

It goes without saying that winning industry awards is a huge personal boost, offering ‘official’ confirmation that you are excelling in your field and achieving your goals. But have you considered the benefits to your business as a whole and the opportunities that can arise from claiming one of hairdressing’s most coveted trophies?

Current holders of the British Hairdressing Business Awards Sustainable Salon of the Year title, Anne Veck and Keith Mellen, co-founders of Anne Veck Limited, believe that their win, and the associated press coverage, have helped their sustainability mission reach a much wider audience, while also creating new business leads.

Amongst these are educational contracts, as well as endorsements of green initiatives such as their role in helping to develop the Nature Positive Business Pledge which has been created by the UK Business & Biodiversity Forum (upon which Keith Mellen sits); the launch of their own educational programme and bookings galore from global hairdressing giants Davines. Keith comments, “We are also having some interesting conversation with other brands who want to genuinely improve their sustainability offering, so watch this space for exciting next news.”

Anne said, “One amazing surprise was that we were contacted by academic Dr Katherine Sugar, a post-doctoral research associate at the University of Oxford. When Dr Sugar read of our awards success in sustainability in hairdressing, she wanted to include us in her academic study to demonstrate how SMEs across the UK can reduce their carbon emissions and help to tackle climate change.”

Keith and Anne’s unwavering commitment to sourcing eco alternatives for every area of their salon business has seen them become authority figures on the subject and led to the creation of their Salon RE:Source downloadable toolkit, which provides practical sustainability advice to other businesses.

“Every opening for us is another way and another audience with whom to share our ideas for making positive sustainable choices – and much of this has come about as a result of our awards success and the consequent media coverage” commented Keith Mellen. “The results show in the constantly growing numbers of salons and hairdressers downloading our Salon Re:Source toolkit to help them on their way; currently 1,650 hairdressers have chosen to use the toolkit for positive change, which is incredibly rewarding. Entering awards does often require a little time, effort or cost, but the opportunities that can arise from the experience makes it so worthwhile.”

To see Anne Veck’s awards and accolades click here.

Spring is on the way and 2023 is in vogue for wedding extravaganzas!
Anne Veck loves everything sustainable and eco friendly, and she wanted to share with you some tips to make your wedding better for our planet!

Number one (obviously), come get your hair done by Anne Veck!!! She is based at Kelly’s Hair Oxford and the whole salon is designed with “its good to be kind” in mind! Anne uses Davines: an eco friendly and also carbon neutral all natural hair care range! Their packaging is made from recycled material and is recyclable again, and they have undertaken a tree planting initiative to help offset carbon emissions worldwide.

Number two, if you are still looking for some wedding rings, head on over to www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com, Anne’s favourite jewelry designer. An independent craftswoman, she makes everything herself locally to reduce her carbon footprint, and can design you the most beautifully bespoke wedding rings!

Number three, confetti! looks pretty, but a bit of a culprit when it comes to littering! We recommend buying a heart shapes hole puncher, and collecting leaves. Then when you’re chilling in the evening at home, binging some Netflix, get your hole puncher, get your leaves, and start punching away to your hearts content! You then have some beautiful heart shaped confetti that is totally environmentally friendly!

Number four, location location location! It is no secret that cars, planes, boats… vehicles of all kind are not great for our mother earth, so if you can choose a local venue that is easy to get to for yourself and your guests and keep that travel distance and time down!

Number five, if you haven’t decided on a decor yet, maybe go for the shabby chic, reusable, DIY look. Use potted plants instead of cut flowers, and try to plan what happens to said plants after your wedding day. Use things such as crates, jam jars etc.. for decoration. It might be a bit more work atn your end, but the end result is gorgeous and our planet will thank you.

I could carry on all day about tips and ideas to make a wedding more sustainable, but I’ll stop here. Anne hopes to see you for your special day, so we can make it extra magical.

To book your trial session, including consultation, with Anne, call Kelly’s Hair Oxford on 01865 727077.

by Chloe Mellen aka Dirty French Girl

How many of you heard of Veganuary?

“Veganuary is a non-profit organisation that encourages people worldwide to try vegan for January and beyond. During the 2022 campaign, more than 620,000 people took our pledge to try a vegan diet, while more than 1,540 new vegan products and menu options were launched in our key campaign countries.

Throughout the year, Veganuary encourages and supports people and businesses alike to move to a plant-based diet as a way of protecting the environment, preventing animal suffering, and improving the health of millions of people.”
https://veganuary.com/about/about-us/

I am aware we are well into January at this point, but the idea is interesting. Being entirely vegan may not actually be the best solution for the planet, but drastically reducing our meat consumption would definitely give mother earth a breather! So why not Feganbruary? Or just give it a go for a week, and then see if it can become part of your daily routine? (Editor’s note. DFG, have you tried saying Feganbruary out loud? Fegan’s Brewery? What’s their IPA like?)

Anyhow, veganism can actually be good for your hair IF done correctly (in the past I was a lazy vegan, my diet was not very well rounded at all, and it caused hair loss. However this would have been the same whether I had been eating meat, been veggie, pescatarian etc).

Having a healthy vegan diet helps lower blood pressure. FGF5 (Fibroblast growth factor 5, a protein) is the major contributor to deciding hair growth and length in human. But it has also been implicated in the development of hypertension. There is a link between hypertension and hair loss and one fabulous way to reduce hypertension is through a healthy plant based diet.
On a similar vein, a plant based healthy diet reduces cholesterol (no more fatty dairy products!), and cholesterol is also a main villain in our hair loss fairy tale.
Many of us do not realise that fast, healthy hair growth is down to healthy food, and vegetables provide a lot of the vitamins we need for our hair. So munching on all those gorgeous colourful veggies could be just what we all need to be rid of our winter breakage and have rapunzel-like hair in no time.

You can even get yourself some vegan pro hair tools for when you may need to style your hair in between appointments. Denman has taken the Veganuary vibes and developed a range of items perfectly in line with it’s ethos.

So how many of you will try being vegan for a week? a month? forever and ever? 🙂
Let us know!

Have a great day.

xxxDFG
www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com

Hello to all our lovely Anne Secret’s readers. Hope you all had a wonderful festive season: celebrating whatever and however you wanted with whomever you wanted (or no celebration at all!)
For many this is was a period of (not so) slight (over) indulgence, and we start 2023 full of resolutions to eat better, exercise more, and generally be a healthier human being (it is the most popular New Year’s resolution by 51%!) But if, like me, you have decided you are a beautiful disaster and exercise is not your choice of self improvement for the next 365 days, may I interest you in another, less sweaty way, to keep a part of you healthy and looking fabulous?!
I have amalgamated some unusual habits to keep your hair looking its finest, and maybe by implementing some of these in your 2023 routine, could get that hair looking as fresh as a summer’s day!

1.Don’t fall for the supplement hype!
We all want to! Packaged so beautifully, advertised so wonderfully, and oh so easy! But no.
They are convenient for sure, but not always effective.
There is no real regulation in the dietary supplement industry. So even though biotin, zinc, and even protein are all essential for strong hair, it’s much better to get them from food than from a pill. So waste not your money on little pills, and just treat yourself to yummy quality food!

2.Bone Broth.
So, no supplements, but yes to natural quality foods! And an odd one that is very good for your hair growth and health is Bone Broth! My inner teenage emo loved this discovery: there something rather cool in saying you are brewing some bone broth, like a wicked modern witch, making a potion for beautiful hair!
Bone broth is one of the best food sources for collagen, a digestible form of protein that is vital for hair. Bone broth is also rich in gelatin and glycine, both of which contribute to hair elasticity. The healthy fat found in bone broth also helps absorb Vitamins A and E and your body uses Vitamin A to produce sebum, the natural oil that’s released from your hair follicles.

3.Figure out a post-workout hair routine that works for you.
We think this is obvious but it is actually a bit counter intuitive.
Go gym –> get sweaty –> wash everything, including hair –> we are sparkling clean and healthy!
Well NO (not for your hair anyway!)
Your hair can suffer from constant shampooing, so limiting the post-workout shower shampoos is ideal. Try dry shampoo, exercising at times that don’t need perfectly washed hair after, test out different ways of holding your hair up to avoid too much sweatiness.

4.Try using a t-shirt to dry your hair, especially if you have curls.
I won’t pretend to understand this one, I have a shaved head, but even before that when I had a bob, I would get the tiniest waves at best on a hot and sticky day! But this blog article is all about unusual techniques, and to me this seemed very unusual (sorry to all my curly haired readers if it is actually super obvious :/ )
SO (apparently) curly individuals know that using a towel to rub wet hair dry is the quickest way to end up with frizz. Instead, keep an old t-shirt in the bathroom and use it to squeeze and blot excess water out of your hair. This method will keep the hair cuticle flat and smooth. Even those of us with flat hair could use this technique to keep baby hair at bay, and our locks looking like Rapunzel!
AND make sure 100% sure you steer clear of micro fibre towels, yes they may be soft, but they are the utter worst for the environment and our planet!

5.Minimize breakage by sleeping on a silk pillow case.
My friend Camille, who has the most beautiful curled afro, told me she wraps her hair up in a silk scarf at night, and when I saw this tip, I thought it was a fab original (maybe alternative) tip for all types of hair.
SO you may be thinking this sound a bit boujie, you have a lovely 100 cotton thread pillow case, BUT cotton absorbs moisture so it dries out your skin and hair, whilst the silk pillow case does not.
So many things that can cause hair breakage, from tight hair bands to metal hair clips with sharp edges! But you can also snap your strands if you’re a wild sleeper. The friction created between your hair and the pillowcase can cause frizz to flare up, freak out and break!
But get yourself a silk pillowcase to minimize the wear-and-tear on your hair while you snooze.
And if you want to go one step further, we recommend the gorgeous Davines Detox Shampoo!

And just because I can not repeat this one enough: Get trims on the regular.
Even if you’re growing out your hair!!!
The trim only removes the split ends and allows healthy for quicker healthier growth! Like weeding a garden!
It avoids hair getting overly tangled in the shower and causing more breakage!

Hope you enjoyed the read, and have a fabulous week!

xxxDFG
www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com

HOW THE PERFECT HAIR CUT CAN SHAVE YEARS OFF YOUR FACE AND SAVE THOUSANDS IN YOUR BANK ACCOUNT

It is no secret that certain hair cuts will suit certain face shapes, and that a mismatch can be unflattering. But did you ever think that coining that perfect hair cut and style, could help you look ten years younger?

Personally I turn 30 in a few weeks, and a year or so ago I was panicking a bit as I straddled my thirties, and decided to go for a fringe, to hide the wrinkles I thought I could see appearing on my forehead. I have since realised I am actually 30 years young, and the wrinkles I believed I could perceive were actually just the marks of an unhealthy society making me believe my life ended at thirty… so I shaved my head and now have a fabulous pink buzzcut. And as it turned out, that was the perfect hair cut for me. Depending on how I am dressed, and the vibe I want to give, I can look younger, or mature and sensible, and it instantly gave the impression I had lost 5kg. And it actually did, in some instances, make me look ten-ish years younger, as on an evening out meeting some new people, some thought I was 22 (I decided to take the vino lensed compliment, and did not question it!).
So this got me thinking, we must all have the one perfect haircut, and colour: that one look that will make us feel a million dollars, avoid us going under the knife (and I say this because sadly it is becoming more and more normal, and then we all end up looking like a Kardashian) and just love ourselves the way we are!

The first step is to the figure out which face shape you have.
Well no, first step is to come into the salon for a consultation and figure out with us which face shape you have 😉

Your fabulous stylist (who is trained for this obviously, in French it is called being a visagist, which sort of translates to face designer) will then help you look at different hair styles that match your face shape. You choose, then we cut and style!

If it is the forehead wrinkles you feel most self conscious about, fringes can help! Perms are making a big comeback, and wavy voluminous hair always have a great youthful vibe to it, and long hair cuts always offer more coverage. But it is essential to remember that we are working with what “god” gave you, so this is all accentuating your natural beauty, and making you feel fabulous, NOT making you question your worth because of what society says we should look like .

Specific hair colours with different skin tones can also give more or less radiant skin vibes.If your skin has warm undertones, warm, golden, honey and chocolate tones will make you radiate. if you have neutral skin undertones, you can get away with anything, (lucky bugger!), and cool pale skin usually looks good with with icy colour, ashy ones too, and crazy colours!
But do not discount your own confidence and confort! If you have warm undertones, and want to rock an icy white blond, and that will make you feel confident and beautiful af, talk to your stylist about it, because making you feel your best is what we are all about, and when you do it shows!

So this festive season, let us help you release your inner beauty by ccentuting what you already have going on!

Hve a lovely day!

xxxDFG
www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com

A style usually associated with the 80s, overdone down to the bone til it was deeply out of style, the fuzzy mullet perm was a bit of a traumatizing look for a while.

However, this throwback style is making a come back. No longer considered gauche, and probably thanks to shows like “Stranger Things” and Netflix’s love for vintage vibes, The Perm is quietly re-emerging in salons.
Technologies and products have evolved, to leave the hair softer and healthier, and the look these days is less fuzzy mullet and more soft beach waves, with volume and texture. The soft waves and natural curl pattern is such a leap away from the tight controlled curls we associated with the term perm with, “perm” may not even be the best name for it anymore!

Celebrity Julianne Hough recently got a perm and posted on insta “Today, I woke up like this…bye bye straight hair, hello sexy beach waves!”.

Old school perms used thio and ammonia to break hair bonds to restructure the shape of the hair. This treatment was aggressive, abrasive and left the hair super dry and overly crisp. These days the “perm” products are ammonia and thio free, they gently seep into the hair nourishing it rather than sucking it dry. The treatment is applied and the hair gently wrapped to achieve the level of curl you desire. Davines have a wonderful product for perms: The Balance & Bouclè line. These relaxing, curling and perm treatments are formulated to ensure the best professional result respecting hair health and like always they smells nice, feel nice, and is nice for the environment!

So if you’re craving some curls this Christmas, book your appointment now!

Bizous

xxxDFG
www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com

Dry Shampoo, or as it was originally known as Hybrid Shampoo, has been around a lot longer than we may think. I seem to remember it hitting the shelves and becoming the latest new thing we all needed to have to style our hair about ten, fifteen years ago.
Hairdressers of course never not used it. But did you know it has actually been around since the 15th century- research suggests that people in Asia used a clay based powder to clean their hair. So safe to say, we’ve had time to fine tune the formula.
Now just because we have refined today’s dry shampoo, does it mean never to wash your hair properly again? If you only use and over use dry shampoo it will itch – a lot – which will result in scabby scalp and breaking hair, clogged hair follicles that can stunt hair growth, and potential dandruff. But like I said this would be a result of mega over usage!

When used properly, dry shampoo is a excellent styling aid for those with naturally greasy hair hair, it can help desired style stay in place, it helps add texture and volume for those of us with flat locks, it can give us that ever so desired fresh outdo bed sexy look, and always give us a gorges matt finish!

And to prove our point, Davies have recently released a new utterly fabulous dry shampoo: “More Inside This Is An Invisible Dry Shampoo” : Enriched with rice starch to help absorb excess sebum to prevent greasy roots and promote a volumised effect.

The benefits include (taken from Davines’ website)
-Cleanses and refreshes hair without water
-Gives body and volume without weighing hair down
-Rice starch helps absorb excess sebum
-Non sticky, doesn’t leave white residue on the hair
-Invisible feeling in the hair
-95.5% of biodegradable ingredients
-CO2 neutral packaging

And as usual here at Anne Veck we love Davines or their 100% sustainable brand, where professional quality meets respect and love for the environment!

So next time you’re shopping for your hair styling tools, do make sure to drop by the salon and ask for our advice, were always here to help!

xxxDFG
www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com

You may think, because the sun is natural, that it can not aversely affect your hair. Well I am here to sadly inform you that this is incorrect! And as summer ends and winter begins, the signs of sun damage will probably catch your eye!

But no worries, here at Anne Veck we always have you covered!
Here are three major signs your hair is suffering from sun damage and what you can do get it healthy again!

1. The sun can cause loss of natural hair pigmentation!
You know how your hair lightens in the sun, some lucky few get that gorgeous beach blond we yearn for in the salon, seemingly seamlessly and with no effort? But the sun is actually waaaaaay stronger than bleach, and too much exposure and lighting can weaken the protein structure, de-moisturise hair, reducing it’s elasticity!
If you have coloured hair you will see the effect even more quickly, and if you are blond, it is sort of like having pale skin under sun, you have to be more careful!
So what can you do? In the salon we have lots of fabulous treatments, for all of the hair types (curly, greasy, dry, straight etc…), so do not hesitate to come in and ask one of the fabulous Anne Veck stylists what the best product for you could be!

2. Number one can and often will result in number two: hair breakage. This indicates a deep drying out of the fibre (sort of like cracking skin). If you have spent all summer outdoors in the sun, in the water, you’ve basically just washed and burnt out any nutrients. We recommend coming into the salon and booking a cut (and blow-dry if you really want to treat yourself) so we can be rid of those nasty split ends, and make sure to get your hands on some super nutrient rich shampoo and conditioner on your way out 🙂

3. Opaque, knotty hair! A culmination of number 1 and number 2, your hair will not be its gorgeous usual shiny self by the end of summer, and it will be so dry, you’ll feel like you have a tumbleweed of knots up there, rather than hair!
To combat the dull appearance, tumbleweed of tangles, it is essential to use products that strengthen the hair and contain technologies that promote fibre protection.

Have a great day

xxxDFG
www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com

Much like our skin, our hair changes over the years! And it is more than just going grey: hormone changes, lifestyle changes, can alter everything from lock thickness, to moisture, to brittleness…
‘Hair is not immune to the ageing process; just like the rest of our body, it changes as we get older,’ explains Anabel Kingsley, expert trichologist at Philip Kingsley.

So Anne wanted me to write little article inspired by Kris Jenner’s new subtle hairstyle, because trying something new has no age!
Has anyone else noticed Kris Jenner’s (the Momager) slight hair change? It seems small, but it is a big move away from her signature look, and we love a daring move!

Anne 100% believes it is so important to suggest a new hairstyle to her most regular clients! She does not want you guys getting bored, or thinking your stylist is taking you for granted and being lazy! We never want to hear you say “I have had the same hairdresser for years but I feel they never suggested anything new”…. So a thorough consultation is a must. We want to find out about your routine, help you find a style, and teach you how to best take care of it! We will be honest with the implications involved in whichever new style we go for, and if you want to learn how to dry and style it, just ask us to show you!
In the case of Kris Jenner’s new haircut, a shoulder-length bob with side-swept bangs at the front, Anne would have recommended the Relaxing Moisturising Fluid by Davines as it is perfect for creating a perfectly straight-haired look. This Relaxing Moisturizing Fluid adds shine, eliminates frizz, moisturises hair, and protects against heat damage and humidity. Combine with oil non oil also by Davines, a light oil for natural-looking and hydrated texture: this oil adds structure and definition to hair, smoothing frizz without leaving any residue (and is the winner of INSTYLE best beauty buy).

What age is hair at its best I hear you say? And we want to say there is no such thing! Big fat No to ageist hair dressing! However, our locks do change over the years, and here is how to best to take care of it no matter what decade you are straddling.

(taken from Prima.co.uk)

In your early to mid 20s
Your hair at this age: Strands very gradually get finer in diameter and are unable to grow as long as they once could.

How to look after it: The degree of change is in large part down to the genetic hand we are dealt, but it is also reliant on hormones, diet and general health, so try to eat well and look after yourself as much as possible!

In your late 20s to early 30s
Your hair at this age: This is the most common time for women to have children, and this can impact the hair. Six-to-12 weeks after giving birth, approximately 50% of women experience a type of hair shedding known as ‘post-partum hair fall’ – and this is in fact one of the most common hair concerns for women in their 30s. However, this can actually happen to a woman of any age who’s just had a baby.

How to look after it: While the overall thickness of the hair can drastically decrease, this hair loss is temporary; the shedding should stop and growth should resume as usual. Eating a healthy diet and managing stress levels can help the hair to recover as fast as possible.

In your mid 30s to early 40s
Your hair at this age: Ferritin (stored iron) deficiency is a common issue for women in their 30s and 40s – and remains common up until your periods stop at menopause. Ferritin is needed by the body to produce hair cell protein and a deficiency can cause excessive daily hair shedding, as well as loss of length – particularly around the temple areas.

How to look after it: To improve and maintain ferritin levels, try to eat red meat at least twice a week. Dietary supplements containing iron, vitamin C and vitamin B12 can also be very helpful, especially if ferritin levels are already below normal levels.

In your mid to late 40s
Your hair at this age: Volume reduction can occur at any age, but for the majority of women it usually becomes noticeable in their 40s. It is not that woman in this age group have fewer hairs in number than they used to, each hair is simply slightly finer.

How to look after it: To immediately improve the appearance of your hair’s thickness, try using a thickening spray when styling. You might also want to consider applying anti-androgenic scalp drops(try Tricho 7 Daily Scalp Drops) daily to help slow down the thinning of individual strands.

In your 50s
Your hair at this age: The average age of menopause is around 52. While subtle changes to the hair can and often do occur long before this, menopause speeds up these changes. As the body produces less oestrogen, and the percentage of androgens (male hormones) increase, the hair’s diameter and the length to which it will grow gradually decreases.

How to look after it: Again, daily application of stimulating anti-androgenic scalp drops can help to slow down the thinning of individual strands – and applying thickening sprays throughout the length of the hair can give the appearance of more body.

Finer hairs are also weaker, so it is important to take extra care when styling so as not to snap strands. Choose a brush that is gentle – the best are cushioned at the base with rounded, plastic prongs.

In your 60s+
Your hair at this age: Sebum (oil) secretion tends to diminish in our 60s and 70s+, and this can make the hair dry and brittle. Our haemoglobin levels also tend to decrease during at this time of life, and this can affect hair health.

How to look after it: To restore moisture, strength and elasticity, use a weekly intensive pre-shampoo conditioning treatment. To improve haemoglobin levels by taking a daily supplement containing Iron and Vitamin C.

Have a fabulous hair day!

xxxDFG
www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com

Ok, so I am guessing you read the title and most probably thought “eeeh what?”.
Let me explain, I came across an article recently stating that getting your freak on could actually be the best thing for your hair’s health!
I mean society has at times said sex is great, sex is bad… it can be confusing. But scientifically we know it has many many health benefits. So why could it not be good for your hair too? (plus it makes for a fun attention grabbing blog article!)

I don’t want to go into the societal myths and stereotypes of sex, to each their own attitude towards the beast with two backs. I want to look at the science behind the claim and let you guys do what you will with the information!

Some of the fab physiological effects are a stronger immune system, improved bladder control (thinking ahead to our golden years lol), it can actually prevent certain cancers, it is a natural painkiller, and is considered by many health professionals as a form of cardio. So no downside.
But how does it affect our hair, I hear you say.
So, firstly, during sex, higher levels of estrogen are released in our bodies! Testosterone is the nasty little hormone that causes hair loss, but estrogen strongly counteracts this (hence why men tend to go bald more than women).
Secondly: exercise! I mentioned before, it is considered by many health professionnals as a form of exercise, and exercise helps open up the pores on your scalp, resulting in increased blood circulation and increased oxygen levels, stimulating hair growth.
It is common knowledge that stress can make your hair line unwantedly recede! Something to do with increased corticosterone levels. And was many of us know, a bit of sexy time is a great way to decompress and get rid of that unwanted tension!

So there we have it! A fun and natural way to increase your hair growth, but unlike my other blog articles, I think this time maybe don’t tell us how it goes… some things are best left in the bedroom 🙂

xxxDFG
www.dirtyfrenchgirl.com