Friday, June 26, 2009

Frizz Free

Original Article
Pricey serums, scorchingly hot tools, noxious straightening chemicals like formaldehyde -- women aren't afraid to bring out the big guns in the war on frizz. But many of these methods can actually cause frizz. "When the cuticle is damaged -- which can occur from chemical processing, UV exposure, or excessive heat styling -- it becomes porous, allowing water to enter the hair shaft and swell it open," says Joseph Cincotta, a cosmetic chemist. In civilian terms, that's frizz -- and you don't have to have curly hair to get it. Thankfully, there are safe solutions, including breakthrough products that seal the cuticle to keep out moisture and simple but effective styling techniques.

Choose a shampoo and conditioner for your hair type with smoothing ingredients such as silicones. Wash hair, then leave conditioner on for a full five minutes. Once out of the shower, blot -- don't rub -- hair with a towel.

Rub a dime-size drop of anti-frizz serum or cream between your hands; rake your fingers through the length of hair, concentrating on the outer layer. If hair is particularly damaged, spritz on a heat-protecting spray.
If you are wearing your hair straight, blow-dry it using the dryer's nozzle attachment and a big round brush. The technique is up to you, as long as you aim the air down the hair shaft and keep at it until hair is completely dry.

Or, if you are wearing your hair curly, dry from underneath, using a diffuser attachment on the blow-dryer; cup the ends of your hair with your hand and gently lift them up a few inches as you go to help keep curls intact.

For straight hair, spritz shine spray into one palm and rub your hands together, then smooth lightly over hair. Do the same for curly hair, using an anti-frizz styling cream; be sure to just skim palms over the surface to avoid flattening.

Once a week, apply a deep-conditioning treatment with keratin to damp, just-shampooed hair. Leave it on for ten minutes. The conditioners seal the cuticle to keep out moisture, while the keratin strengthens it to resist damage.

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

Frizz Free Products

Products

  • Look for shampoo and conditioner with silicones. For thick hair, try Biolage Smooththérapie Shampoo and Conditioner; for curls, try Bain de Terre All About Curls Shampoo and Conditioner (biolage.com; baindeterre.com).
  • Water-based products tame frizz well on straight hair. We like Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Anti-Frizz Serum (1) for use on damp hair. On dry hair, try Redken Vinyl Glam 02 Mega Shine Spray (3) (garnierusa.com; redken.com).
  • For curly hair, choose anti-frizz creams rather than serums or sprays. If you plan to blow-dry hair straight, go with John Frieda Collection Frizz-Ease Smoothing Crème. If diffusing curls, try Living Proof No Frizz Styling Cream (2). To skim over dry hair, we like L'Oréal Professionnel Liss Ultime Smoothing Leave-In Treatment (4) (johnfrieda.com; Living Proof, sephora.com; lorealprofessionnel.com).
  • Use a weekly treatment with keratin, such as Liquid Keratin Deep De-Frizz Conditioner (liquidkeratin.com).

Monday, June 22, 2009

Top 20 Secrets

Original article
1. Cool Your Conditioner "Leave conditioner in the fridge to keep it cool. This way, it will instantly seal the cuticles because it's already at a low temperature." -- celebrity hairstylist Tippi Shorter
2. Apply Product Strategically "Where you should apply product depends on texture. For fine hair, concentrate volumizers near the root for body and lift. For other textures, don't start at the top of your head or with your bangs because too much styling or smoothing product there will weigh down your hair." -- celebrity hairstylist Kiyah Wright
3. Rinse, Then Rinse Again "The key to a sleek, shiny finish is a thorough cleansing. Take the time to rinse well-- leftover oils, dirt and products make hair look dull and lifeless. A clean canvas ensures a great style." -- celebrity hairstylist David Babaii
4. Plump Up Fine Hair "Mousse is great for adding volume to fine hair. Apply it only to the roots-- to avoid making hair appear stringy-- then hold hair vertically and blast with heat to seal in volume." -- celebrity hairstylist Richard Marin
5. Fix Flyaways "Spritz holding spray onto a natural-bristle eyebrow brush. Use it to lock unruly hairs into place around your part, hairline and above the ears." -- celebrity hairstylist Mark Townsend
6. Butter Up Brittle Strands To moisturize dry hair, apply organic almond butter to the parched areas. Let the butter soak in for 30 minutes, then shampoo and rinse well. -- David Babaii
7. Dry Curls Like a Pro "Blow-drying curly hair can be tricky. The key is to keep your blow-dryer on the lowest setting and direct the air downward to prevent frizz. Want more definition? Once it's completely dry, set your hair in large heated rollers, tucking the hair under and rolling up instead of outward. Leave the rollers in for 20 minutes and then run your fingers through your hair to create loose, flowing curls." -- celebrity hairstylist Frédéric Fekkai
8. Beat the Bends Hold loose strands back while applying your makeup with a duckbill clip. Place a folded tissue (or a business card) between your hair and the clip to prevent creases. -- Tippi Shorter
9. Updating Your Hair Color? Update Your Lipstick Kiyah Wright suggests switching your lip color so the new shades work together. Here are her perfect pairings:
Blond: Blond hair looks great with pastel pink lip hues, as well as rich tomato-y reds.
Redhead: Red is a bold hair color, so use rosy lipsticks and lip stains that match your natural lip color.
Brunette: Plum, nude and sheer lip tones all work best with dark hair.

Friday, June 19, 2009

The Truth about Your Hair: Part 3

Original Article

Notes about detangling hair and hair loss:
Many people are misinformed that it is safer to detangle the hair while it is dry. One must understand that the hair can stretch up to 50% of its length while wet without breakage, however, while dry, hair will break before it stretches 25% of its length. It is best to keep a wide-toothed comb within your shower to detangle & seal split-ends, as described above, while using a low pH (3.5 to 5.5 acidic) crème rinse or daily conditioner.
On the subject of misperceived hair loss - many people turn fearful upon seeing their hairbrush & shower drain filled with an inordinate amount of their hair. I wish to relieve some of this fear by stating the fact that each strand of hair has a lifespan of 2 to 7 years before a new hair begins to grow in its place, pushing it out to end up in one's brush or shower drain. This means everyone sheds 50 to 80 hairs from their head everyday. If one has longer hair it may give the false appearance that they a shedding more hair daily than the average amount. One should only be concerned if the hair being shed daily is not being replaced by new hair growth, however, this is the subject of a future article.

Thursday, June 18, 2009

The Truth about Your Hair: Part 2

Original Article

Conclusion #2: Since the hair we visually see above the surface of the scalp is essentially dead matter, how can we repair it from external environmental and/or chemical damage? First, we must realize that any product remedy we might add to our hair is always a temporary fix, no matter how good it is at initially solving certain hair challenges. Any product that is effective at controlling frizzies must be used periodically to continue to be effective. Some haircare products work for longer periods between uses, while others must be used every day to overcome challenges like split-ends.
This brings us to several fallacies concerning the shampoo and conditioning of hair. One of which is that a shampoo alone can increase the overall health of the hair. Shampoo, no matter what exotic or expensive ingredients are added to it, is designed to perform one single task - to cleanse the hair of excessive sebum (natural oils), body sweat and environmental impurities. It is a scientific contradiction that cleansing the hair alone will keep it healthy, once you have stripped it of all of its natural protective properties, like sebum. The longer your hair is, the less the chance is that these natural hair oils will reach the mid-shaft to ends of your hair with daily shampooing. This leaves the older and more vulnerable sections of the hairshaft exposed to further damage from heated styling appliances and chemical processes, such coloring or permanent waving.
Therefore, the mid-shaft to ends of your hair do not need the same intense daily cleansing as the first few inches of hair closest to the scalp. The remedy is very simple - as you gently massage your scalp while shampooing, only apply and focus your shampoo within the first 2 - 3 inches of hair closest to your scalp. When you rinse the shampoo from this base section of the hair it will quickly pass though the mid-shaft to ends of your hair, thus providing these areas with the lighter cleansing they require.
Many people have the misconception that daily conditioning (protection) of their hair will cause flatness or added weight. This challenge is easily resolved by, first, knowing how to physically condition the hair and, second, by understanding the different intended uses of the main 3 types of conditioners, i.e. - rinses, daily and deep conditioners.
Daily conditioning (protecting) any type of hair, from thin & fine to thick & frizzy, is basically the same. It is simply the reverse concept of shampooing hair as discussed above - considering that throughout the course of the day the first 3 inches of hair closest to the scalp will receive an adequate supply of naturally-occurring hair oil (sebum). Therefore, if you condition this area with a crème rinse or daily conditioner it can become over-conditioned, heavy & less manageable. The solution is to apply your conditioner from the mid-shaft (3 inches from scalp) of the hair to the ends. Then using a wide-toothed comb and holding onto the ends of your hair, gently comb the conditioner from mid-shaft to ends for even distribution, detangling and sealing split ends. By the time you finish doing this, the conditioner will have remained within your hair for the appropriate 3 to 5 minutes to be effective in temporarily repairing any damaged or frizzy areas.
The concept for applying deep conditioners is the same as above, however, the time the conditioner is left within the hair must be extended up to 20 minutes to allow penetration into the inner (cortical) layer of the hairshaft - only 10 minutes if your wrap your hair in a moist, hot towel. Deep conditioning should be done sparingly - once per week for most hair types. Deep conditioning the hair more than this is could cause the opposite intended effect. If you over-use a protein-based deep conditioner to strengthen and add body, it could cause the hair to become dry and brittle. If you over-use a moisturizing or oil-based deep conditioner, it could cause your hair to become limp and lifeless.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

The Truth about your Hair

This week will focus on a series of articles that debunk the myths about hair. This is taken from an article by Maximilian Cannon.

Conclusion #1:We must be concerned with preventative maintenance by creating a healthy environment below the surface of the scalp, where hair is germinated or born. Since hair in its basic form is 100% keratin (protein), our diets should consist of a good balance of easily digested protein, i.e. - dairy products, poultry and meat. For those of us who are vegans, good protein alternatives are nuts, beans and the old stand-by - peanut butter. I suspect that with the popular emergence of low-carbohydrate/high-protein diets, we in turn will begin to see more heads of hair with less frizzies and easily split ends.
Now, how do we ensure this quality protein gets to the living roots of our hair? Just as we stimulate quality muscle growth through exercising and bringing protein-laden blood to specific body parts, we can do the same for our hair. This is easily achieved by simply massaging your scalp, once a day, while you shampoo and condition your hair. You'll not only have cleaner and more thoroughly conditioned hair, but you will have stimulated protein-supplying blood to feed the germinating roots of your hair. Be careful to use only the pads of your fingers in small circular motions as you gently massage your scalp. Never use your fingernails for this purpose as you can cause abrasions to your scalp that could lead to infection and possible skin disorders.

Friday, June 12, 2009

Want healthy hair?

Tips for healthy hair : click here for article

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Natural Hair & Nails

How to get great hair & nails - naturally

by Nancy Dodd Cates

As with skin, the beauty of hair and nails begins with good nutrition, adequate rest, and good personal grooming habits. And, although a beautiful head of hair and well-manicured nails are not necessarily essential to good health, when they look good, we feel good.

Sometimes, in our efforts to beautify our hair and nails, we may do more damage than good. Here, let's take a look at how we can make our tresses and tips look great, gently.

Hair: combing through the facts

The "power" of hair has been noted time and time again. As far back as biblical times in the story of Samson and Delilah, Samson's great physical strength was found in the length of his hair, as long as it remained untouched by a razor. O. Henry turned long, beautiful hair into the "Gift of the Magi." And Mitzi Gaynor, as she crooned with her fellow nurses that she was going to "wash that man right out of her hair" in the 1958 musical, "South Pacific."

Yet today, we bleach, dye, sunburn, overwash, undercondition, expose to the elements, fry, stretch, and break our hair. Fortunately, there's lots we can do to prevent damage and protect our hair.

According to the American Academy of Dermatology, approximately 90 percent of hair on the scalp is continually growing (growing cycle), while 10 percent is in a resting cycle. The growth period lasts two to six years and slows down as we age. The resting cycle lasts only several weeks, and the "falling out" cycle is when hair dies, and falls out, to be replaced by new hair. "Most head hair grows about half an inch per month, faster in the summer," says Earl Mindell, R.Ph., in Dr. Earl Mindell's What You Should Know About Beautiful Hair, Skin and Nails. "We normally shed 50-100 hairs per day."

Hair loss can be caused by a number of factors including genetics, depression, disease, surgery, childbirth, and ringworm (a fungus). Some medications (e.g., birth control pills) can contribute to hair loss. Two of the biggest factors of hair loss in women are stress and yo-yo dieting.

Hair care considerations

Shampoo. When selecting a shampoo, choose one with a pH balance of 7, as alkaline shampoos may clean your hair, but may, over time, also alter the acid balance.

In shampooing, follow these basics (Mother Nature's Guide):

* Rinse your hair first with warm water;

* Pour a little shampoo (diluted with water) into your hands, then massage it into your scalp and hair;

* Rinse with warm water until all the shampoo has gone down the drain;

* Wrap a towel around your head, press to blot excess water, then dry gently;

* Use a wide-toothed comb with rounded tips and draw it through your hair while wet to detangle. Never pull or stretch the hair, especially when wet.

Brushing. There is disagreement over whether you should brush your dry hair the old-fashioned 100 strokes daily, or not. In truth, it depends on the condition of your hair. If your hair is in good condition, brushing draws the oils through and stimulates circulation. If your hair is in poor condition, brushing could break the strands.

The most important part of brushing is stimulating the scalp, which can also be done with your fingertips. To do this, lean your head over to increase blood flow and start in the top center of the scalp with small rotating movements and move outward.

Hot oil treatments. Hot oil treatments with the proper ingredients used once or twice a week will improve the condition of your hair. Look for products containing such ingredients as jojoba oil, olive oil, evening primrose oil, or wheat germ oil and vitamin E. Essential oils, such as rosemary, cedar-wood, juniper, lavender, lemongrass, nettle, or thyme are also good for hair.

Place the product in a container of hot tap water for several minutes. Apply first to dampen the entire scalp, then pat through to moisturize the hair. Massage into the scalp for approximately five minutes and then leave on for 20 minutes. You will probably need to shampoo more than once to remove all the oil, and then rinse with water. Your hair will soon have a silky feel and a lustrous shine.

While the heat of a hot oil treatment may help your hair, too much heat from styling tools, such as blow dryers and curling irons, can hurt it. Avoid overuse of such tools. Your best bet is to let hair "air-dry" as often as possible, and, when blow-drying, use the coolest setting possible.

Remember that the sun, too, can have a drying effect on the hair, so be sure to wear a hat or scarf to protect it.

Hair dyes and sprays. As far as hair dyes and bleaches are concerned, it is better to stick with natural products, rather than harsh chemicals. One natural, ancient hair coloring of choice is the henna herb (Lawsonia alba), which contains 1 percent of a coloring compound called lawsone.

Another effective ingredient found in natural dyes is black walnut, say Myra Cameron and Theresa Foy Di-Geronimo in their book, Mother Nature's Guide to Vibrant Beauty and Health.

As for gray hair, Cameron and DiGeronimo say, "...premature graying is linked to heredity, stress, and nutritional deficiencies." They say that nutritionists have reported success with a high-protein diet plus two tablespoons each of brewer's yeast and vegetable oil daily, and the following supplements: B-complex, choline, and PABA.

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Choosing A Beauty Career

Here's a great start on make a decision: the original article can be found HERE at cutclass.com

Choosing a Beauty Career


If you′ve longed for a career that allows you to express yourself and be creative while also challenging you and pushing you forward, consider a career in the beauty industry. A beauty career is exciting and fast-paced, and gives you tremendous creative freedom and the ability to forge your own career path and set your own rules. If you′ve always loved style, fashion, and following trends and pop culture, you′ll find a career in the beauty industry will turn these fun hobbies into a rewarding career. There are many careers within the beauty industry, including haircutting and styling, makeup artistry, nail technology, electrolysis and hair removal, and even massage and natural skincare.

Beauty schools can be found throughout the United States, from large colleges where you can study many different aspects of the beauty industry, to specialized schools that offer intense training in a particular field. Beauty schools usually offer the option of a time-intensive, condensed course of study or allow you to take classes one by one, as your time and budget allows. No matter what your current career, you can find a great beauty school where you can work towards a degree and finally get into the job of your dreams. Beauty schools range in price, but they are generally very affordable and most offer financial assistance or individualized payment plans. The bottom line is that it′s incredibly easy to get started on the path to a new, more fulfilling career.

Once you′ve graduated from an accredited beauty program and are licensed in your state, the possibilities are endless. You may want to work with a team at a salon or spa, or set up your own business. Many graduates choose to work freelance, so that they can dictate their own hours and fit their jobs more easily into their lifestyles. There is always a lot of work for freelancers, including private in-home sessions with clients, hair and makeup for weddings and special events, and also the lucrative field of fashion, print advertising and entertainment work. No matter what area of the beauty industry you settle into, make sure that you remember that work should be fun. This creative and dynamic field is a wonderful world for those people who want to wake up motivated every day and be excited by the prospects that each day brings.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Beauty Careers Recession Proof?

Great article today at: beautyschoolsdirectory.com/blog

Are beauty careers recession proof?

In troubling times, most people feel that their careers could be in jeopardy – but there are a few careers that are not seeing the ax. Cosmetology and beauty careers are among those seeing an increase in demand for skilled professionals.

Some people might feel that spending money on cosmetology services to make them look better will be put on hold in troubling financial times. But it turns out it’s the exact opposite! Since the baby boomers are aging, many feel the hands of time are ticking against them and some will do anything to erase Father Time from their faces, hands and hair. Also, many people can no longer afford those luxurious vacations, and instead take a luxurious trip to the salons and spas.

Many professional women want to make sure that they’re looking their best so that they’re ready for that last-minute job interview or looking polished when out networking. And everyone still wants to look beautiful for the big events in their lives, such as graduation and weddings. That means there is an ever-growing demand for licensed estheticians and cosmetologists.

Training to become a beauty professional might be a smart move in troubling times. The demand for cosmetology, hairstyling and esthetics professionals is increasing - even during the recession. And when the economy starts to take off again, studying to become and working as a beauty professional could secure your future even more.

We want to hear from you! Beauty professionals and students, are you worried about the pinch of the recession economy? Or do you have a steady stream of business in these troubling times?

Academy Highlight:

A Mane Attraction Academy offers education in hair, nails, skin and beauty. We teach theory and practical hands on communication skills necessary to give our students the edge not only in the art of beauty, but in business. We guide the individual to seek, use and improve their unique talents and personality by providing outstanding instructors, guest artists, MiLady Curriculum and professional Salon atmosphere.



Wednesday, June 3, 2009

Bad Hair Day?

Found a great blog -- teases celebrities on their bad hair days... only bad thing is that it's a bit outdated... great idea, someone should run with it.

http://badhairday.typepad.com/bad_hair_day/

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Crazy Hair

Crazy Hairstyles Reign at the Colour Trophy Final


Big hair is back in a big way — at least at this year's L'Oréal Colour Trophy Final. The 54-year-old event, held in London, invites stylists throughout the United Kingdom to create avant-garde and fantasy-filled hairstyles. As with last year's competition, the results are delightfully over the top. Have a look when you read more.