As part of The Sam Willows, Sandra Riley Tang is no stranger to the spotlight. And ever so often, she makes an appearance sporting a fresh new shade on her hair. From pastel purple to mermaid green and every shade in between, Sandra has almost tried them all. Yet her hair always looks strong and healthy, nothing like what we’d normally expect from someone who is such a colour chameleon.
We asked her to let us in on the secrets to the health and strength of her hair, above.
All images: instagram (@sandrarileytang)
“Mix in some dye with your shampoo and conditioner to prevent your colour from fading too quickly. I use the Colourista range from L’Oreal or Artic Fox, which you can get at Guardian or Watson’s stores, or at the basement of *SCAPE,” says Sandra.
“Leave the bleaching to the professionals but feel free to touch up and play with crazy colours. Temporary or semi-permanent hair colours can really be easy to use and fun to experiment with. This way you can try out new colours without actually committing to it,” she shares.
According to Sandra, “If you want your colours to last, don’t wash your hair as frequently as you normally would.” But if you are prone to really oily scalp, then prolong the time between each wash as much as you can with a dry shampoo. Look out for formulas that don’t contain alcohol as that can strip hair of its colour. She also stays away from heated styling tools like curlers, hot showers, avoids the sun, sea and chlorinated pools as these are all factors that can dull hair colour.
“I use a mask or a really thick conditioner every time I wash my hair. Use a brush to evenly distribute the mask throughout the lengths of your hair and massage it in — be careful to avoid the scalp. Then, I leave it on for about five minutes and then rinse it all off thoroughly, which makes all the difference!” quips Sandra.
When it comes to skincare, we hardly think twice about giving it exactly what it needs depending on our skin types and skin needs. The same should apply for your hair because the condition of your hair determines the type of products you should be using on it.
“It’s important to understand your hair so that you can choose the right products for it. If it’s weak, get some protein in it. Or if it’s dry, you need to make sure you replenish it with moisture accordingly,” shares Sandra. She then lets us in on her little DIY hair care secret: for a hair SOS, use mayonnaise: work a generous amount through your hair, wrap it up and go to bed. According to her, hair will be instantly softer and smoother after you wash it off in the morning.