Getting your hair in tip top condition for Christmas

We only have a few more weeks until the party season really kicks into action, so treating your hair now is important to ensure it is looking its very polished, shiny and lustrous best.

First and foremost with your hair's condition in mind before your Christmas colour and the added damaging and aggressive cold, start with some TLC for your hair. Use a conditioning masque or treatment ritual once a week to add protein and moisture to the hair and strengthen the hair structure and even out the porosity of the hair. This will prepare your hair for even the most vigorous of colouring processes and lots of Christmas blowdrying and heat treatment. At Saks we would recommend a treatment routine like the Kerastase HomeLab. This is a prescriptive salon treatment that can be continued three times at home. Each treatment is tailored to your specific hair type and with each hair concern tackled to achieve your desired hair.

Your hair is left feeling super soft and shiny and prescriptive treatments add lots of strengthening protein. If this is a bit too much of a price commitment Pureology and Redken do a fantastic treatment masque with loads of moisturising, protein enriching and shine enhancing properties. Use your treatments at least once a week.

Then move on to booking your colour. This could be your usual service or if you fancied, why not have a change - this could be small, a few highlights or a bit more tone and warmth added to your hair or even take some inspiration from the celebs and catwalks recently and have a few dip dyed textured highlights for fun? This will get you into the mood for dressing up and party styling yourself.

It is always a good idea at this busy time of year to book your appointments ahead as far as possible to avoid the disappointment of not getting the times or dates you would most like. Most good salons are busy for the Christmas season four to six weeks ahead. On that note don't forget to book your New Year's Eve party blow-dries as well, you will feel super organised and you will be so pleased with yourself when you go out feeling like a million dollars.

The next consideration is your party hair cut. You may fancy a trim to keep your hair style in peak condition or a dramatic change of image - and what better time to do this than when you really will get a chance to show off your new look to family and friends. Book a week before you want to show it off so you really get used to your new cut or colour, this way you will know its new quirks and get the hang of blowdrying it too.

Finally, look after your salon hair do. Your colourist and stylist will have spent lots of time perfecting your look. A trained professional will take time to blow dry your hair with products and lots of know-how, so get as many tips from them as possible. You also can't expect to achieve the same results with a slow dryer, no products and the wrong tools and in five minutes! Set aside time and make an investment into good shampoo and conditioner to look after your hair - especially coloured hair - and some good products for hold, shine and easy blow drying. Products really make all the difference - colour won't last or be at its best with generic shampoos and conditioners that tend to contain cheap and aggressive ingredients. Don't be surprised that your hair isn't responding optimally if you don't look after it.

So treat your hair, book your party hair colour and cut and continue your home haircare regime for the most shiny, manageable and long lasting beautiful hair and hair colour and have lots of fun.

For more ideas check out www.saks.co.uk