Hot hair care tips for fall

Expert hair tips

We turned to Greg Ruggeri of Salon Ruggeri in New York City to get the inside scoop on how to transition your tresses from summer to fall. He has over 20 years of experience in the industry, has worked with a wide range of celebrity clientele and was happy to share his expertise with SheKnows.

Color trends

When it comes to color trends, fall and winter are anything but one-note, Ruggeri says.

Blondes will be lightening up and softening their tone with buttery, vanilla crème and caramel tones. Variation is the key to achieving this multi-toned look. Try to stay away from a look that's too uniform or one-dimensional.

Brunettes will experience the usual warmer winter tones – with a twist. Instead of opting for one shade or simple highlights, tones from opposing color families will be brought together using three possible techniques:

• Balayage: Natural-looking, hand-painted highlights that frame the face.
• Ombré: Darker at the top and gradually lighter towards the ends.
• Color blocking: Color added in blocks, giving hair more dimension.?

"The effects will be eye-popping," Ruggeri says.

Redheads will be opting for soft, subtle auburn, burnt titan or volcanic red. These eye-catching tones are always a great way to start the fall/winter season.

Try to have an idea about what you would like to do with both your hair color and style so your stylist can help prepare your hair and give you some ideas for bringing out the best you for the new season.

Hair care

To take your hair from summer to fall, start with a deep clarifying treatment. Ruggeri recommends Creo Hair Cleanser ($16) and Creo Conditioner ($17) and then an even deeper conditioning treatment. Try Burt's Bees Hair Repair Shea & Grapefruit Deep Conditioner ($8) to repair and revitalize hair. "These are used to basically rid your hair of build-up that might have occurred from styling products, swimming water and general summer lifestyle," Ruggeri explains.

When winter finally hits, there are three things to remember: static, dehydration caused by air conditioning used during the summer months and the drop in temperature. Keep hair looking great despite the elements with these simple tips.

Static

• Try shampoos that don't contain harsh chemicals.
• Serums are great, but be careful not to use too much, as they can weigh hair down.
• Lightly spritz a bit of hairspray to tame any unwanted frizz?.

Dehydration

• Rinse your hair with cold water to help lock in your moisture.
• Use leave-in moisturizers or conditioners. Ruggeri suggests EVO happy campers hard-working moisturizer ($26) and EVO mane prescription protein treatment ($26).
• Make time for weekly moisture treatments.
• Try to limit the amount of times you use mechanical styling tools like curling and straightening irons?.

Cold weather

• Make sure you don't leave the house with damp or wet hair. Not only will you run the risk of getting a nasty cold, but you'll also increase your chances of getting some unwanted hair breakage.
• Wear a scarf or hat to protect your hair from the wind.

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