For the hair

The treatment: Diarichesse semi-permanent colour treatment
Where: Pastels Salon, Al Wasl Road
Best for: Covering grey roots and re-glossing tired, dry hair
The experience: My ‘natural highlight’ roots are the bane of my life, and I’m usually scrupulous about covering them, but because I’m six months pregnant, it’s not so simple. Shakira, the Pastels colourist explains that I should avoid my usual permanent tint. This is because fluctuating hormones can make your hair react differently to strong chemicals, she says.

‘Sometimes they don’t take well enough the first time around so it’s best to opt for a semi-permanent colour that can be repeated the same day rather than a harsher formula,’ she explains. The same, she tells me, applies to any harsh hair treatment during pregnancy (and even the post-natal period) as hormones do not go back to normal for around 18 months after birth.

Diarichesse contains no ammonia, less peroxide than other colourants, and also works well as a glossing treatment, which means mums-to-be who are just suffering from pregnancy-related bad hair, can opt for the clear version which works as a deep conditioning gloss. The process is the same as any colourant procedure. Shakira applies the tone to the roots, and waits 20 minutes before adding colour to the rest of my hair.

Then it’s time for the loveliest bit of the afternoon – the shampoo/conditioner and 15 minute head massage. Back in the chair and it’s time for a trim and blow dry. As per Shakira’s instructions, I don’t opt for drastic. ‘You don’t know how much hair you might lose after the delivery, so don’t go for a new, shorter style. Have regular trims and save the big image-changing cuts for later on. It’s better to have more hair to cover up possible loss-patches, than less.’
How much: From Dhs220
Contact: 04 394 7393