Fiona Pincente is a dynamic brand builder that has effectively positioned, marketed and scaled multiple personal care brands during her 15 year career. She is also a dear friend of ours here at BALM and our go to for healthy hair tips! Here, Fiona shares her advice for luscious locks, along with some words of wisdom to those looking to break into the business.
What are the 3 most important things people should do to achieve a healthy mane?
1. Shampoo is for your scalp. Conditioner is for your hair.
This is the most overlooked and misunderstood element of hair care. Select a shampoo that answers your scalp needs: Is it dry? Is it happy, normal and balanced? Oily? Sensitive, inflamed or damaged? If you cleanse and nourish the scalp you will have happy hair follicles and glorious new growth. Conditioner is what answers the needs from the inner cortex to the outer cuticle of the hair, so choose accordingly. You can have dry hair battling an oily scalp, so it's best to choose a Shampoo for Fine Hair and Oily Scalp and pair it with a Conditioner for Dry Hair. Mix and match to best serve your needs and you'll have healthy, glorious hair.
2. Always use conditioner.
By its very nature shampoo opens up the cuticle layer for proper cleansing. Conditioner is pH balanced to help hydrate and seal that cuticle layer back down for strong, shiny, frizz-free hair. Conditioner replenishes moisture lost in your day to day actions, restoring elasticity to prevent stress and breakage, and smooths the cuticle so it reflects light for shiny beautiful hair. This is true for all you fine hair folks too! Get a conditioner specifically attuned to the needs of fine hair to get the right balance of moisture and shine.
3. If you use heat tools (hair dryer included), use a heat protectant.
This is how you play the long game for beautiful hair. Remember that the ends of your hair are the oldest and have been through repeated styling, top-knots and chemical treatments. A little protection goes a long way. Use a cream or a serum on damp hair before you blowdry or take a flat iron to it. You'll get the desired style you're after while protecting the integrity of the hair so it maintains it's elasticity and prevents breakage. Think of it like applying sunscreen before your makeup.
Is “aging hair” a real thing? If so, how should one manage it?
Aging hair is a real thing. As we age and the grays start to show, you notice the hair texture changes and becomes more coarse. This is because hair is made of proteins, most notably keratin and collagen, which begin to break down as we age. Use a protein-based hair mask with regularity to restore those lost proteins. After shampooing the hair is primed to absorb the nutrients and fortifiers in conditioning agents. Look for things like collagen, keratin and biotin to serve the needs of aging hair. Our Collagen Mask is loaded with proteins to help restore those lost in the aging and coloring process.
What do you do when you’re having a bad hair day?
When I'm having a bad hair day I like to dampen my curls for a little style revival, that is if the day is young. I'm also a big fan of hair accessories, so I'll whip my hair up into a topknot if it's particularly unruly and slide in a hair band, bright metallic clips or a vibrant scarf - the equivalent of using bright red lipstick to draw the eye on the days when your eyes are little more tired than usual.
What is your favourite T0112 product?
This is a tough one to answer (I literally travel with my TO112 silk pillowcase!) but from a hair care perspective, I have to say the Biotin Shampoo. It was life-changing in dealing with the post-partum hair loss after each of my three kids. I still use it to this day because its so nourishing on the scalp and keeps my eczema at bay.
With everything you know now, what advice would you give your younger self?
Recognize the impermanence of everything. You will always have the power of change. And nothing is insurmountable if you make conscious and considerate decisions for today and your present moment. You will be happy, and inspire confidence and joy in others, when you take risks and make decisions by shaking off the 'what ifs'. Kind of like how you 'don't sweat the small stuff' only after you understand that it's all small stuff to begin with.
