Jean-Francois Lazartigue is one of the most renowned hair care specialists in France. He began his career as a hairdresser and opened his first salon in Paris in 1963. Lazartigue started his J.F. Lazartigue hair care brand to address hair damage.

His products include his moisturizing line for those with colored hair to restructure, energize and protect hair. Products include Moisturizing Mask ($54), Moisturizing Shampoo ($32) and Moisturizing Conditioner ($31).

The J.F. Lazartigue line of volumizing products gives hair holding power and pumps up limp and flat hair. Products include Body-Giving Shampoo ($32), Hair Volume Tonic ($41) and Volumizing Styling Gel ($32).

Here, Lazartigue took a few moments to answer your most common hair questions.

How can I color my hair without damaging it?

Ammonia-free, oxidizer-free hair colors do not damage the hair. Unfortunately, hair color products all too often contain ammonia and oxidizers, which burn the hair.

Does it harm my hair when I wear it up?

Wearing your hair up is not harmful to it, if it’s not pulled or clasped too tightly (do not use rubber bands). That said, for your hair to be able to breathe, it must not be worn up all the time.

What is the best method to use when shampooing?

There are several stages that must be followed for effective shampooing:

• Spread the shampoo evenly over multiple points of the hair.

• Carefully massage the hair and scalp.

• Rinse thoroughly, particularly after the first shampoo, which gets between the dirt and the hair. It separates the dirt, incorporating and absorbing it. Rinsing allows for full evacuation.

Always shampoo twice. The first time to wash the hair (eliminating 80-85 percent of the dirt), and the second to facilitate penetration of the active ingredients. Shampoo frequency will depend on your environment (pollution, cigarette smoke, heat, etc.); on your lifestyle (exercise, sleep, stress, etc.); and on your own personal requirements. On average, the French tend to wash their hair two or three times a week.

How can I best care for my curly hair?

Curly hair (dry hair type) is often extremely fragile. It is unruly and often requires blow-drying after each wash. Under the hair dryer, the heated hair is damaged and becomes even drier. For healthy curly hair, real maintenance is necessary, with frequent treatments for very dry hair.

How can I straighten my hair effectively, but without damaging it?

Straightening is a particularly delicate process, consisting in modifying the chemical structure (disulfide bonds) of the hair. To straighten the hair, its keratin must be smoothed. Hairs are composed of 40 million small fibers connected to one another by rods (disulfide bridges). In curly hair, these bridges are inclined and are responsible for causing the curls. Straightening consists in breaking a portion of these connections and reshaping them horizontally to remove the curls.

Many straightening processes cause real damage to the already weakened hair, which is why the straightening method must be as gentle as possible.

If the hair has been colored using an oxidation dye (which greatly weakens the hair), it is vital to see an experienced professional. The hair must be in perfect condition for it to tolerate the transformation of its structure. This is why, in some cases, Lazartigue experts may refuse to straighten hair, especially when the hair has not received deep nourishment for a pre-defined period of time prior to the straightening session.

For more information, visit jflazartigue.com.