07.28.09
Best Conditioners and Shampoos for All Hair Types
Shampoo is meant to remove dirt, sebum (a.k.a. oils), and product buildup from your hair. But there are dozens of different brands to choose from, and even more types within those brands. The same goes for conditioners. Conditioners are meant to add shine, protect hair from drying out and allow for easier combing. Here, we run down the best shampoos and conditioners for four different hair types.
Coarse, curly hair Curly hair is almost always dry hair and here’s why: Oils produced in the scalp don’t travel as easily down the hair shaft as they do with straight hair. We’ve found creamy, moisturizing shampoos work best for this hair texture. Look for wheat germ oil, shea butter and nut oils (macadamia, for example) in your shampoos. These tend to coat the hair shaft, trapping water inside. Conditioners: More than any other hair type, women with coarse, curly hair must condition every time they shampoo. Look for an ultra-moisturizing conditioner made especially for coarse hair. Once a month use a hot oil treatment. For extra-dry hair, use an intense moisturizing treatment every 2 weeks.
Extra tip: Curly hair should not be washed every day. You’ll only dehydrate hair and make it more frizzy and unmanageable. Another alternative to shampoo washings is to rinse the hair with water and then follow with a conditioner. Also, lay off the blow dryer (they tend to dry out hair even more) and let curls dry naturally.
07.25.09
Myths About Well-Groomed Hair
Psychologists have ascertained the fact that men do notice a hairdo of the woman when first meet her. No scarlet lips, no heavens length eyelashes can improve your look if your hair is in chaos.
There are lots of amassed myths concerning hair care. And we’ve decided to shatter the myths surrounding the hair care halo.
Hair should be washed every day! Myth or not?
Myth! In the mind of an average man this myth is bind with the awkward thought that hair loss supposedly increases within this regime. That’s not true! No matter how often you gibe your head of hair a treat with washing procedures, normal hair loss ranges from 50-100 pieces a day.
Lots of cosmetologists are even not afraid to recommend daily care to their clients. All the more, modern shampoos and rinsers are so good that they can hardly harm your hair. But be wise, and hold “the golden mean” and wash hair when it gets dirty.
07.15.09
Rainy-Day Hair Tips
* Always start by misting a heat-protective spray on wet hair. Not only does it stop hair from drying out over time (which makes it much more frizz-prone), it helps create a barrier against environmental moisture.
* Add a little anti-frizz product. Just keep the application light, and if you can, skip the holding products (like mousse, styling cream). While the temptation is always to pile on more products when it’s crappy out, this actually makes frizz seem worse most of the time.
* Blow your hair bone dry. Absolutely no moisture should be left in the hair when you’re trying to maintain a blowout in humid air.
* Let your hair cool completely before stepping out into the elements (or finish your styling by using your dryer’s cold setting). This’ll ensure that your cuticle lays flat so water vapor can’t sneak its way in.
* Resist running your hands through your hair. I always thought the oils from my fingers helped smooth frizz
07.11.09
make your hair shine with Teabags
We all had situations when in a few hours we had to be at a celebration but the hair looked terrible, dull and faded.
Now I’ll tell you about a perfect and easy way to change that and turn into a hot beauty with luscious bright hair!
The recipe is simple enough and doesn’t traumatize the hair. First of all wash your hair with the shampoo you usually use, then apply some conditioner but a bit less that you do ordinarily.
Now the main thing: pour some boiling water into a bowl and infuse two or three teabags in it (the number of teabags depends on the bowl size). Don’t use usual tea; if you do you’ll have to comb out the tea leaves for hours and hours. Let the decoction cool down.
07.01.09
Tips to make your hair shine this summer
No matter your hair type or texture, you know that summer can mean more bad hair days than any other season. So we’re sharing some expert hair tips to help you make your hair behave through to the fall.
As someone with naturally curly, daily-straightened hair, I fear the humidity that will invite the kinks and curls back to my perfectly ironed ‘do. If you usually let your curls go wild, you’re probably already dealing with that frizzy halo that happens on hot days. I spoke with Superstar Hair Challenge winner Jason Lee about summer frizz-fighting tips. I’ve also included step-by-step instructions on how to achieve Gisele Bunchen, frizz-free waves from John Frieda International Creative Consultant, Harry Josh.
Beauty Buff: Any frizz-fighting secrets for the summer?
Jason Lee: The most essential tip for folks with curly hair is to properly moisturize those ravishing ringlets! No matter what kind of curly hair you have, the proper moisturizing shampoos and treatments are the basis for great curls. (Jason recommends Keratase products.)
06.20.09
Hair Tips for African -American Women
As the summer gradually descends on the nation’s capitol, thousands of African American women are considering what to do with their tresses. In addition to being harangued by the humidity of the city, Black hair is often caught in style limbo due to damage from over-processing or the many summer activities that “sweat hair out.” But according to area stylists, all is not loss.
Despite making up only 10 percent of the nation’s population, African American women spend more than $2 billion a year on hair care products according to a report released in 2008 by the Black Owned Beauty Supply Association – and still, the summer creates or exacerbates some heads.
Stylist Syphira Johnson, 28, of Silver Spring, said having healthy summer hair requires planning and care, and is not reliant upon the amount of money spent on products. Particularly for those Black women who will be going to swimming pools and the beach, prepping ones hair is essential.
A lot of African American women who are athletic will opt out of relaxers altogether in order to keep their hair from being further damaged by chlorine and other chemicals in swimming pools. However, for those who want to keep their hair relaxed and swim, it is crucial that they wrap their hair first, and then use a swim cap,” Johnson said.
05.09.09
Home Remedies for Dandruff
Dandruff is a huge problem. It looks terrible when still on your hair and then when it falls down on your clothes. You can’t wear black or even darker hues without always checking whether everything’s all right or not. And when you are told that about one-third of the world population is affected by dandruff it doesn’t sound soothing to you.
Dandruff is very annoying – it looks dirty on the hair, causes itching and hair fall. It also troubles the face skin: people suffering from dandruff are also prone to develop acne and pimples.
Dandruff can be caused by many factors. Among them are: poor nutrition, deficiency of zinc, yeast infections, high use of alkaline soaps and shampoos, etc.
Various anti-dandruff products are manufactured, but they don’t help everyone or can cause allergy, that will even aggravate the problem of dandruff. To avoid such situations you can use home remedies, which can be much more effective against dandruff, than anti-dandruff shampoos or other produced stuff. If you don’t develop allergy to anti-dandruff products, it is recommended as more effective to use both special shampoos and home remedies to get rid of dandruff faster.
The home remedies listed below are very useful in the prevention and treatment of dandruff. They look like grandma’s advice, but you would probably be surprised to know that the same ingredients are used for the production of anti-dandruff products. And if you prepare the masks yourself, you get the 100% effect, and you know for sure, what is inside the mixture you apply on your scalp.
Here are some of the home remedies for dandruff:
04.03.09
Best Tips & Tricks Split Ends
Just anybody that has hair of any length and is old enough to have a basic comprehension of how it grows knows what split ends are.
Even guys are aware of the problems and pitfalls of scraggy pitty split ends as demonstrated recently by Nick Lachey on Dorm Raiders. While looking through a co-ed’s room with the Dorm Raider male college candidate, Nick discuss split ends on one of the female contestants.
Cause of Split Ends?
In the beauty world split hair or split ends is officially known as trichoptilosis. There are wide range of reasons why split ends occur.
Some causes include:
1. Excessive use of hot styling tools (irons, hot curlers, blow dryers, hot combs).
2. Overuse of chemical treatments (relaxers, perms, hair color).
3. Use of inferior styling tools that rip or snag hair (cheap synthetic brushes or combs, brush rollers, etc.,).
4. Environmental damage from heat, cold, wind and other climate issues.
5. Lack of routine maintenance such as regular trimming.
6. Improper detangling techniques.
7. Overwashing.
8. Use of inferior hair care products.
9. Excessive use of styling products such as gels, waxes and sprays.
10. Trimming with inferior scissors.
There are other causes for split ends beside some of the main ones mentioned above. Other causes could be excessive tangling, improper application or removal of hair extensions, headgear that snaps or rips delicate strands or even scratchy bedclothes, fingers or hands.
03.26.09
Chocolate Brunette Hair Rinse
This rinse will not ruin your highlights but instead will make your brown color deeper and more vibrant. Do not use a coffeemaker to prepare the rinse, as the concentration of coffee won’t be strong enough.
Ingredients:
* 2 cups purified water (do not use mineral water)
* 5 tablespoons dark roast ground coffee
* 1 ounce black chocolate
Method:
* 1. Boil the ground coffee in two cups of water in a shallow pan for 10 minutes.
* 2. Add the chocolate while the coffee is hot. Let the mixture cool and carefully soak your hair with the flavorful blend. Beware of the spills!
* 3. Cover with a non-PVC plastic shower cap, wait for 10 minutes, rinse off, and shampoo as usual.
03.20.09
Dandruff
Dandruff is an annoying and embarrassing scalp condition.
The scalp sheds off an excessive amount of dead cells. It is accompanied by itching and can spread to the eyebrows, neck, and shoulders. What causes dandruff cannot be exactly pinpointed. However, there are external and internal triggers related to the appearance of dandruff.
Internal causes are pinpointed as poor diet, stress, hormonal imbalance, allergies, heredity, and physical exhaustion.
External causes are weather conditions, improper use of hair care products, and infrequent or insufficient hygiene practices.
The discovery of fungi that thrives on the scalp has led to the development of better scalp and hair care formulations that have shown to be effective in minimizing or controlling dandruff; and despite the several anti-dandruff shampoos available, there is no cure for the condition. It can only be controlled or minimized.
