Women across the Gulf are more likely to have their hair blow-dried at a salon than women living in other parts of the world, according to a survey on hair-care in the region, conducted by Sunsilk, a Unilever hair brand. When asked what concerns them about their hair the majority of women answered, hair damage and hair fall.
Tom Taw, edgy London hair stylist, whose client list includes world-famous musicians, models and actors including Jude Law and Agyness Deyn, is obsessive in his passion for repairing damaged hair. The Sunsilk Damage Reconstruction range, now available in the Middle East, is proving to be particularly popular with ladies in the Gulf where the average number of blow-dries and salon visits tops the rest of the world. Tom Taw, Sunsilk’s Damage expert, has a thing or two to say about this.
“The biggest culprit causing damage to a woman’s hair is generally the hairdresser! Excessive use of heat tools, such as hairdryers, tongs and irons and styling products, and the execution of aggressive styling techniques upon the hair all contribute towards distressed locks” advises Tom Taw, one of seven pioneering global hair experts chosen by Sunsilk to co-create new products for all hair types.
Everyone wants hair that’s healthy; that moves and bounces – whether you’re a world-famous actress, catwalk model or live in Dubai where the climate is very dry. Tom says: “Moisture gives hair movement; protein gives it strength – and we’ve got the perfect balance in the Damage Reconstruction Program I’ve co-created with Sunsilk.”
Tom has developed an easy formula to check levels of hair damage, involving ‘floating’ hair in water. Healthy hair floats, while damaged hair will sink. For Tom, complete repair comes from deep penetration into each layer of the hair follicles, filling in the cracks created by damage over time. Without this approach, all you achieve is a veneer over the damage, without actually repairing anything.
The new product Tom and Sunsilk have co-created reinforces hair structure and brings back extreme smoothness by penetrating deeper and filling damaged cracks.
Known for his discretion, Tom is a firm favourite amongst London’s influential actors, pop stars, fashion designers, models and influential musicians who treat him like a confidante, trusting no other hairdresser to repair their damaged locks. Whether he’s backstage at fashion shows, styling for Elle and Vogue, hosting educational seminars for hairdressers, or running his achingly cool hairdressing salon – BobSoho – in London’s hippest district, Tom’s your man when it comes to reconstructing damaged hair.
Words of advice from Tom: “Firstly, beauty starts on the inside – eat healthily and keep your body hydrated and secondly, make sure you look after your hair when you are not working by using regular conditioning treatments.”
