Monthly Archives: December 2012

Méret Oppenheim Gets Inky Hands

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(Erotique Voilée 1933) Méret Oppenheim. Artist/Photography: Man Ray (Emanuel Rabinovitch)

I love this picture of surrealist artist and photographer Méret Oppenheim – She of the furry cup fame (Object ‘Breakfast in Fur’). Photograph title: Erotique Voilée by the artist Man Ray 1933.

I used to hate getting ink on my skin when printing at school, but here Oppenheim flaunts it openly in an innocent act of chastity and filth, acceptability and the forbidden fruits of sexual indulgence, maybe male and female or physical and spiritual, and today we might just say black and white!

Just to note that Oppenheim’s Eton crop hairstyle was, by 1933, about ten years out of date amongst the glitterati – however, it’s my favourite style to cut!

Is short hair going to make a comeback in the Spring 2013?

Hair Loss – How can I stop my hair falling out?

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hair loss | Michael Pring losing his hair, Eton 1979

I got asked a question by Anne this afternoon, “How can I stop my hair falling out?” Here’s my potted reply!

Firstly, I’ve got to say, check your diet. Eating a healthy well balanced diet is very important for healthy hair, skin and nails. Hair loss is often exacerbated by inadequate nutrition – vitamins for the hair: A, B complex, E and C. Minerals: iron, iodine, zinc and copper. Get them from food, not pills; however, for a quick fix belt and braces approach that won’t kill you, take a multivitamin and mineral tablet!

Hair Loss Is Often Very Upsetting

The general name for hair loss is Alopecia. Hair loss is very common amongst women as well as men. In fact, 98% of women who have given birth suffer from postnatal hair loss, which is natural, normal and almost always grows back.

The main cause of hair loss amongst women is hormonal (postnatal hair loss) and the main cause of hair loss amongst men is pattern baldness (Alopecia Androgenetica) which is caused by genetics and stress. The common causes for hair loss are (not in any particular order): hormonal, genetics, stress/ anxiety, poor diet, mineral deficiency, illness, scalp infection, medication and severe trauma (i.e. after surgery or illness).

Don’t confuse hair loss with natural moulting. It is normal to lose around 100 hairs per day, if your hair is long and you wash your hair once a week, you could notice quite a lot of hair in the plug hole! Once a year you might find you are losing extra hair caused by natural moulting. If you have problems with hair loss, you or your hairdresser will normally notice a bald/thin area. The first course of action is to start taking a multivitamin and mineral tablet, visit your doctor and/or trichologist.

The Solution

All I’ve got to say is, minoxidil lotion (Rogaine®/ Regaine®)! Regaine is an effective hair loss treatment for men; obviously it’s suitable for women too.

I have looked around for an affordable, effective and an all-natural product to help my clients who have thinning hair and baldness; I found and I recommend, Pro-Genenesis and OnlyHairLoss.com – with over 100 products to choose from!

They say, “The Pro-Genenesis Hair Enhancement System is a clear, topical solution prepared by a special curing process which concentrates the biologically active components of select plant enzymes, while preserving their natural organic state; specifically formulated to stop abnormal hair loss and promote the growth of thick, healthy hair for *men and women*.”

OK, let’s face it, out of the profusion of hair loss remedies that are marketed, only a very few actually work; always stop, think and proceed with caution before you actually buy.

How To Get Super Shiny Hair

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© Model: Anik, Photographer: Chris Roberts 1981, Hair: Ian Robson. London - Willie Christie's Studio

Styling products, chemical processing, environmental pollutants, the sun and heat (typically, blow-drying and straighteners) and hair ties (like those fucking little ponytail bands with a metal joint) are the main factors in damaged hair. Damaged hair is normally dull hair. Healthy hair is normally shiny hair. Hair becomes dull when the outside surface (the cuticle) is rough. Light does not reflect well off a rough surface, light reflects off a smooth surface!

The first course of action to get shiny hair is: review your shampooing and conditioning method. The most common cause for dull hair is product overload. So start off by shampooing your hair with a clarifying, anti-residue shampoo, which should remove up to 70% of the residue left from hair products. Depending on how often and how much product you use, use the anti-residue shampoo once every two to three weeks. You will also need to use a compatible detangling conditioner for best results, as anti-residue shampoos can cause the hair to tangle. I recommend you use Urtekram shampoo for every day – if you can get it!

Of course there are loads of brilliant, shine-enhancing glossing sprays and various shine boosting serums, but there’s also an awesome old fashioned remedy for shiny hair: After shampooing and before conditioning, use a citric acid rinse. Prepare the rinse in a plastic measuring jug by completely dissolving 1/2 (half) teaspoonful of citric acid crystals into 200ml of boiling water. Add 300ml of cold water (you’ve now got 500ml ‘warm’ citric acid solution) – give it a stir. You could use an organic cider vinegar rinse instead if you want! carefully pour the citric acid rinse over your hair, avoid getting it in the eyes, leave it on for one minute, rinse off well with cool/ cold water and then condition as normal with an harmonious hydrating conditioner – rinse off again with cool water. Super Shiny Hair – simple.

A Note About The Sun And Your Hair

The sun can damage your hair (especially if it has been coloured) and cause colour fade. Hair colouring is expensive; so my top tip is: if you colour your hair, always wear a hat and/or use a UV protection product in the sun. You must protect damaged hair from the sun.

If you think you have a problem with your hair, the only way to determine its true condition and identify the proper course of treatment that’s right for you and your hair, is to talk with your hairdresser. I can help you to achieve and maintain, healthy, beautiful and shiny hair that will grow stronger and ‘live’ longer. I can also teach you how to safely use the different styling tools, like straighteners – that can potentially wreck your hair, so you can recreate a professional looking finish without buggering it up.

Bean Salad (Fasulye Salatası) For Hazel

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Bean Salad (Fasulye) For Hazel

Ingredients

Serves: 4

  • 1 tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Onion, finely chopped
  • 1 Clove Garlic, crushed
  • 1 Kg Flat Beans, cut to 5 cm
  • 2 teaspoons Tomato Puree
  • 4 Medium Tomatoes, skinned and diced
  • 1/2 teaspoon Salt
  • Black Pepper, to taste
  • 2 teaspoons Sugar
  • Water

Preparation Method

Heat the oil in a saucepan then add the onion and garlic, cook until the onion becomes clear. Add the beans, tomato puree and the skinned and diced tomatoes; use fresh tomatoes, not tinned. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally! Pour in enough water to completely cover the beans, then add the salt, pepper and sugar. Bring to the boil, put the lid on the pan and simmer for 30 minutes.

Serving

This bean salad is best eaten warm and served with that fresh crusty French bread from Waitrose. We like to eat it in the Summer with barbecued chicken and rice – yum yum :)

Chris Roberts Fashion Photographer – Where TF are you now

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Model: Persephone in Bruce Oldfield, Photographer: Chris Roberts © 1981, Hair: Ian Robson, Makeup: Arianne. Bath

This was one of my favourite photo shoots! Taken by Chris Roberts in the early eighties in Bath. Persephone is wearing a deep lilac silk Bruce Oldfield dress – which were to become very vogue.

Chris Roberts Fashion Photographer 1980-ish Shirland Road

Chris and I did three years of photographic sessions together, mainly in and around London, especially at Willie Christie’s studio in Princedale Road, off Holland Park Avenue (btw: Willie Christie was married to British Vogue editor Grace Coddington. Chris was Willie’s part-time assistant in the early 80’s. also: Robert Lobetta and I, while @ Ricci Burns, did a couple of Over 21 shoots with Willie Christie). Very sadly Chris and I lost touch for some unknown reason, we had some very good times – where are you now my little Northern friend?

Written by Ian Robson
SlashHair the sex, politics, religion and philosophy of the fashion industry, from the perspective of session hairdresser & stylist Ian Robson. “When you look good, I look good.” Find Ian on Facebook and Twitter. © SlashHair’s work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License, which means: quote me and steal my images, but give me credit by Linking Back.

How To Get Rid Of Static Electricity In Your Hair This Winter

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© Model: Penelope Savalas, Photographer: Chris Roberts 1981-ish, Hair: Ian Robson. London

I was with a client this frosty December morning and she asked the question, “When I brush my hair, especially after straightening, my hair turns static and I can’t do a bloody thing with it; how do I cure it?”

OK Katherine, well you know what it’s like when you walk across the carpet in a department store, step on the escalator and touch the handrail, Zap! You get a shock created by static electricity. The electric charge is generated by two materials rubbing together, you and the carpet, and discharged, usually from the fingertips, via the handrail!

It’s basically the same with the hair; when you brush your hair it causes the hairs to have the same charge and they repel each other, just like two magnets, the same poles repel. In hair, the same charge repels – it’s normally positive (+).

The cold frosty mornings of winter are usually the worst times for static electricity to occur in your hair, it’s caused by the lack of moisture in the air so the electrons move more freely.

How To Fix It

Add some moisture by washing your hair with a hydrating shampoo like, Redken’s Clear Moisture Shampoo. Always condition; use a compatible conditioner i.e. Redken’s Clear Moisture Conditioner. If you want, you can use an extra rich conditioner twice a month.

For your thick wavy hair Katherine, use up to 1.25ml (1/4 tspn less is better) of grapeseed oil applied to wet hair after washing and conditioning and before drying.

Blow-dry your hair with an ionic hair dryer, which helps to reduce static. If possible, use a natural boar bristle hairbrush like the iconic, great British hairbrush, Mason Pearson; however, I use and recommend the Denman D5 (used to be called Royal Denman).

Before straightening use a heat protector something like, Redken iron silk 07 ultra-straightening spray – there are others like the ghd Heat Protect Spray!

After styling and especially for fine, straight hair use a microscopically small amount of Frizz-Ease hair serum on the ends of your hair.

Finishing products like Elnett Satin hairspray (the only one I’d recommend) help fix the hair.

Moisturize, use a hand and body cream to keep your skin hydrated.

Ground Yourself Katherine, walk naked outside. Now you are static free and you look electrifying ;D

Model: Penelope Savalas, Photographer: Chris Roberts 1981-ish, Hair: Ian Robson. London