Adventures With A Crimping Iron & A Four Year Old

This is Aislyn Blue my youngest of 3 kids.My oldest is a girl as well and when she was little I was really into the braids and clips and unique updo type hair do's.Anything unique was my motto back then.

With Aislyn, I tend to let her locks flow more freely and I love the natural look on her.Maybe I am drawn to natural beauty more due to ageing and fading youth myself.

But the chronic stylist in me couldn't resist trying out my newest crimping iron on her.

I used my Conair infinity deep waving iron.I really love it.The temperature goes up to 395 degrees!

I find that important when using a crimping iron.If it isnt hot enough to wave in 3 or 4 seconds, your hand get tired out before your done, and you apply less and less pressure causing the waves to be less defined.

I rubbed a little anti frizz serum through her hair and crimped it in sections about 4 " wide and 2 " thick starting at the nape area.

I sprayed each section with TIGI Rockaholic Fun Times Flexible Hair Spray and crimped my way down from roots to ends.

I just used my fingers to separate the waves a bit and place them where I wanted to go.

She is a hairy little thing as you can see and the whole process took about 15 minutes.

Were going on day 2 and her hair still look great!

Lemon Juice To Lighten Hair

Everyone has heard of using lemon juice and laying out in the sun to streak your hair.

Lemon juice on its own will do nothing to your hair as far as color goes.When mixed with UVA/UVB rays from the sun lemon juice will have a lightening effect on the hair. This process takes about 5 hours sitting in the sun to work so make sure you use a good sunscreen!

Lemon juice is naturally acidic in nature. Alot of hair care products use citrus extracts to help balance the pH of hair.The natural pH of hair is around 5. pH is measured on a scale of 0 to 14 with 0 being extremely acid in nature and 14 being extremely alkali. A pH of 7 is considered neutral.Lemon Juice has a pH of about 2. So if your hair is on the alkali end of the pH scale, the acid will balance out the pH levels in your hair leaving it softer and more manageable.

However overuse of lemon juice will cause your pH levels to get out of whack and end up too acidic. This can leave your hair feeling dry and damaged.

Lightening with lemon juice works best on those with already light hair. If you use it on hair that is darker and that has red pigments in it, you can end up with brassy orange streaks because the lemon lightening system just isn't strong enough to break through the red molecules in your hair.

If you do choose to use lemon juice to lighten your hair, make sure you wash it out well and use a good conditioner that does NOT contain other citrus extracts to keep your pH levels in check.

Also avoid using heat on top of the lemon juice.That means no blow dryers, no flat or curling irons, nothing. Think of how as kids you used lemon juice as invisible ink.Once the lemon juice on the paper was held over a heat source, it turned brown and showed up for reading. It will do the same thing in your hair which totally defeats using lemon juice to lighten the hair.Plus it is nearly impossible to remove that brassy effect without resorting to bleach and harsh chemicals.

Products like Sun In have the same problem when heat is applied so use carefully and wisely washing thoroughly after your sun time lightening session.

Tangles Knots Tears & Kids Hair

Combing out tangles after a bath can be one of the most grueling tasks of the day.Tears, whining,bribes are issues familiar to any mom just trying to take care of your little ones hair.

Although kids shampoo's are tearless, they do lack conditioning and can leave hair full of knots and tangles. When your little one is able to avoid getting shampoo in his or her eyes, switch to a shampoo that meets the growing needs of their hair.Also don't skip the conditioner! Apply it from the nape down, let it sit for a minute or two while everything else gets scrubbed and rinse it with a cup of water down the back.Keeping the conditioner just on the back of the hair helps keep it from running into their eyes. You can also gently rough detangle the hair with your fingers while the conditioner is in the hair to help release some of the major knots.

After the bath you can use a leave in light detangling spray to help with the tangles.My girls both had/have long heavy hair and detangler does little to nothing for them. If you have this problem too, try an anti frizz serum like Paul Mitchell Super Skinny Serum.These products contain oils that help not only fly aways and static, but help the tangles slide out alot easier.

Use a good large cushioned paddle brush for detangling and a softer natural bristle brush for finishing when dry for the least painful haircare.

Tie it up! If your little one takes a bath before bed, use a soft scrunchy or pony tail holder that wont break their delicate hair and tie it into a loose braid or pony tail. This helps for the next morning to keep the knots down.

Little men have issues all of their own! Bed head, cowlicks and not being able to sit for more than 5 seconds to let you fix them up. A quick easy fix when you have to head out is keep a spray bottle around with half water and half soft hold liquid gel mixed together in it. Boys always think getting sprayed is a good time! A little hold to keep things in check and the water helps redirect the bedhead back to its normal position.

Of course your always going to have gum, candy and other sticky stuff to contend with along the way. Try using ice to harden the sticky goo and chip it away little by little.Or you can try a product with oil of some sort to soften the mess and help it slide out.Alot of people use peanut butter, margarine or mineral oil. I prefer the ice method so I don't have to wash the oil out after.

Lock up the scissors as best you can, but if you have older kids chances are, there will be experiments in hairdressing. It happens to the best of us.Try not to panic and cry. Its just hair no big deal, it grows and it gives you a good story to tell! Take lots of pics to show future boyfriends/girlfriends. And make a trip to the salon and get a game plan to grow it out.

Don't skimp on cheap junk products for your little ones hair. Time is money, and getting the right product for his/her hair will save you oodles of time, and save your baby oodles of tears. It is worth the investment to make both of your lives simpler.

The Battle Of The Bald, Should I Have Surgery?

I do understand men are vain about their hair.Some more than women! Loosing your hair can be a traumatic experience for anyone.

There are clubs and doctors and all kinds of products out there that go to unbelievable measures to restore hair to its original position.If you are contemplating having your scalp dissected and relocated, why not try giving bald a chance before you scar up your head!

Keeping your hair cut short lessens the impact of the balding effect.

More and more men are looking hot and sexy with a fully shaved cranium.

Check out these pics of stars with their pre-shaved and post shaved looks

I personally think all these men look much better in the bald.If you feel too naked bald try growing a goatee or play around with the facial hair growth in different styles until you find your look.

Shaving it off is an easy painless process that can be reversed at any time! Just don't shave it for a week or two and VIOLA! you got hair again.Then you can carry on with your medical intervention.But you may love being bald! And don't believe that women only like men with hair.Its all about your style. A bad hair plug job isn't going to make the ladies ooh and ahh over you.Combing what hair your have left over your naked scalp is definitely going to scare them off.Being confident is the key. A shaved head says ya, I may have lost my hair, but who cares! I'm still a tough sexy man beast.

Just make sure your putting some sunscreen over your newly nekkid scalp so you aren't miserable when it gets burned!

I would love to hear from some other ladies out there. What is your viewpoint on bald men? What advice do you have to give to a man who is considering hair transplant surgery? I think alot of men would love to have a woman's honest opinion without having to ask.

Should I Color My Gray Hair?

Gray hair is distinguished. Makes you look wise.

Ya right!

Some people can pull off the beautiful snow white locks look. It all depends on your age, original hair color and overall appearance.Not everyone is so fortunate to gray beautifully and gracefully.

Some people gray into a mousy off gray color. Or their gray turns salt and pepper with shades of gray varying from white to steel gray.Spotty gray patches usually start at the temple area and leave the back of your hair dark.

A good way to judge how you are going to gray and how early is to look at your parents and see how much gray they had at your age and how they grayed through the years.Chances are you'll take after one of them!

Coloring gray all over can bring you to a whole world of maintenance you may not be ready for.If you have a family history of heavy graying early (under 40) then stay away from all over color.

Your looking at eventually having to color your roots every 4 to 6 weeks to hide those unsightly roots from screaming " IM TRYING TO NOT LOOK OLD!"

Some great alternatives to all over color!

Lowlights: Pulling darker color through in the same manner as highlights can lessen the amount of grays while leaving some here and there.This helps buffer the line of demarcation (regrowth line) so you can go longer between colorings.This is also alot easier to grow out if you decide to let the gray do it's thing.

Streak It: If you have your natural color on the majority of your hair, but seem to be graying up top, take a tip from Stacey London and leave a gray streak! This says "Im not hiding the gray, I'm proud of it" Use your gray to accessorize and look classy, not old and haggered.

Demi Permanent Color: Demi permanent color will not give you 100 % gray coverage.It will blend the gray hair into your natural color making them look like natural sun kissed highlights. Demi permanent color lasts 4 to 6 weeks and eventually fades back to your natural color.If you go with permanent color your going to be in every 4 to 6 weeks for touch ups anyway.With demi permanent your not rushing in because you look like hell, you can go au naturale for a week or two if you cant get in for an appointment.

Semi Permanent Color: Again not gray coverage but gray blending.Lasts 4 to 6 shampoos and will just buffer the look of gray for special occasions without any commitment.

If you do decide your finally ready for going gray and want out of the commitment you made when you colored your hair, use the same techniques to grow your natural color out gracefully.

One of the biggest mistakes I see people make when coloring their hair to hide gray is coloring it too dark. Go for a lighter shade instead of your original hair color. A softer color looks more gentle against aging skin.Darker colors can look harsh and accentuate dark circles and wrinkles.Also a lighter shade will blend easier with regrowth leaving less of a line of demarcation.

Another problem with coloring gray hair is that gray hair has no underlying pigment to blend with the artificial hair color. This can cause color to look flat and lifeless.Natural hair colors are made of different shades of the same color.One flat color all over on any hair doesn't look natural.Shades of brown or blonde that are similar blended into your hair will give you the softest most natural looking color.Put the lighter shades where your hair would naturally be lightened by the sun like toward your face and on the top layer of the hair.

If your comfortable with having gray hair then by all means, let it go and be proud of it!

But if your gray makes you feel old and makes you self conscious, fight it off for as long as possible.

Just remember, when your 80 and you have black hair, people know its fake and it just looks funny. Plan for going gray eventually and make wise decisions.

Clip In Hair Pieces

All the celebs out there wear extensions of one kind or another.A great alternative for permanent expensive extensions are clip in extension.Branded by Jessica Simpson and Paris Hilton and even Dr.Boogie from Shear Genius can run you a good $100 or more.


But what do you do when you cant find the right texture,color or length to match your hair? Or maybe you just cant justify the price in your mind.

Make your own! You can purchase all the item you need at your local Sally Beauty Supply or other public beauty supply.The costs are minimal, usually under $40 or so.
A few things you want to keep in mind when looking for hair wefts.You want to buy the best hair you can for the money. 100% remy human hair is important.
Also look for cuticle correct hair.This means all the cuticles on the hair shaft are facing the right direction like hair grows naturally.Cuticle correct hair will have more shine, wear better, provide easier brushing and styling.

Here is a great video on how to DIY your hair pieces.

You can dye your hair pieces with whatever color you are using for a perfect match as well.Cutting your extensions to match can be done by your stylist or at home yourself. When you want to cut your extensions you want them to look as natural as possible.Hair naturally thins out as you get closer to the ends of your hair.Using a pair of thinning shears start about 1 " down from the top of the extension and thin about 10% of the hair out.Then go half way down the hair shaft and thin another 10% out.Take a final 10% out of the bottom few inches of the hair.This will help the cut look more natural.

Stay away from acrylic, artificial hair.They wont last long and wear terribly.You cant use any type of heat on it at all.So no washing and drying, no curling or flat ironing...they just turn into an old ratty mess and will be in the trash before long.Not to mention the shed factor.A good set of extensions made with good hair can last 6 months or more with every day wear.

You want to wash them only when needed, let them dry naturally and style to match your hair.

A great fun project for teens as well! They can have that bright purple streak you've been fighting with them over with no commitment.

Can You Mix Hair Products?

Most hair care lines want you to of course to buy all and use only their products so there isn't much info around about what products you can or cant mix.

Mixing hair care products is generally safe as long as you aren't mixing certain chemicals.

These chemicals are in products like perms, relaxers, hair color, peroxide and other chemical enhancement products.These products need to be applied strictly according to manufacturers directions.

Otherwise products like shampoo and conditioner are perfectly safe to mix and match.In fact you may even achieve better results by mixing and matching until you find your perfect combination.Combining your shampoo and conditioner and applying them at the same time can cause you to loose the effectiveness of the conditioner.But you can use XX shampoo and then use YY conditioner and get great results.

The exception to this rule is medicated shampoo and conditioner.If you are using a medicated product that contains an ingredient like pyrithicone zinc for dandruff or other scalp conditions it is ideal that you use the full product line.While there is no danger in mixing products like these with other shampoo/conditioner you may find you loose some of the effectiveness of the medication.If you have to choose either shampoo or conditioner, choose the medicated conditioner.This keeps you from washing away the benefits of the product through a second rinsing.You can even use a different conditioner on your ends and your medicated product on your roots and scalp.

Mixing styling products is fine as well.Some products however just will not mix leaving you with a globby or watery mess. To avoid this problem, read the ingredients list. Products that list water as a main ingredient will mix well with other products that have water as an ingredient.Products without water will not mix with products that contain water. Products with water contain emulsifiers to bind the ingredients.Without these emulsifiers weird globby messes can occur.Common bad mixtures of this sort are shine serums and gels. Gels and conditioning styling creams don't mix too well either.The conditioning agents in the styling creams contain ingredients that can interact with gels and you loose the effectiveness of both products.Hair sprays that are designed for finishing dry hair will not interact with products you put into your hair when it is wet so no worries there.

The best way to check and see if you can mix 2 products effectively is to combine the products in your hand and see if something weird happens.If you see products breaking down and separating into liquid and lumps then it is best to avoid mixing those on your hair as well.

Removing Artificial Nails Safely

When your ready to remove artificial nails the absolute worst thing you can do is just tear them off.The acrylic is bonded to your actual nail and you can rip holes straight through your nail exposing your nail bed which can be horrible painful.

Your nail bed will already be extra sensitive upon removal of the artificial nail because it has not been exposed to the normal everyday wear and tear that desensitizes the nails. You need to try to keep the trauma on the nail bed to a minimum to prevent further and possibly permanent damage.

You will need pure acetone to remove the acrylic.You can usually find this just about anyplace from a drug store to a home improvement store.

You can soak cotton balls in acetone and wrap the moistened cotton ball around the nail allowing it to soften the acrylic.Stick your whole hand inside a plastic bag and apply a heating pad to speed up the process of melting the acrylic.

A wonderful alternative to cotton balls and heating pads are little finger soak off pods!

You fill each "pod" with acetone and insert your finger.The heat from your fingers heats up the acetone for speedy removal.They also are alot less messy and less waste .

You can find these at online retailers or your local beauty supply may carry them as well.

Once the acrylic has softened some use an orangewood stick to gently roll away loose acrylic.It should peel away easily and not pull on your nail at all.Don't try to pry off half loose acrylic.Just re soak your fingers and repeat until all of the acrylic has melted enough to scrape away easily.

After you get all the acrylic off it is vital to use a conditioning oil on your cuticles and finger tips.Acetone severely dries skin out but unfortunately it is the only thing that melts acrylics.

Your nails may feel thin and brittle after the whole process.You will need to keep your nails short and trimmed until they have grown out.Any snags or weak spots in your nails caused during the application and removal of acrylics will catch and tear easily.

While there is no way to repair the natural nail there are ways to help the grow out process be less painful.

Using a strengthening clear coat will not actually strengthen the nail itself.The strength is in the product so keep a coat or two on your nails constantly until they have grown completely out.Taking a vitamin that helps with hair and nail growth may help your nails grow back faster and stronger.

You may be able to find a product like Essie Sensitivity which works much like the toothpaste that desensitizes teeth.This is great if your nails feel like they are fire and every bump or hot water touching your nails is unbearable.

Condition, condition, condition.Your finger tips have been through enough trauma so avoid over filing and buffing and keep the cuticle treatment with you at all times.

Stylist Or High Pressure Salesperson?

Does your stylist try to push a ton of products on you that you just don't need or want?


If you have ever walked away from a salon visit and feel like you've been pushed into buying products you didn't want or need, your not alone.


So why does it seem stylist now a days are turning into car salesmen pushing you to buy more, more, more?


Alot of salons now a days REQUIRE stylist to sell a minimum percentage of their service total in retail up to 50%.So if a client comes in and gets a $200 service the stylist is expected to sell them $100 of product.Now alot of people just wont do that so when one client says no the stylist has to make up their missing percentage on another client.So you may actually be being pushed into buying things not because you need it, but because your making up for a sale that another customer refused!


Stylist actually get fired if they do not sell retail at their specified service to retail ratio.This brings the problem back to the salon the stylist is at.Salons train their employees now a days with high pressure sales tactics.

Manufactures also offer incentives to stylist who sell the most of their latest product.So you may be buying something that isn't the absolute best product for your hair just so your stylist can win a blow dryer or flat iron.

Tipping your stylist more to make up for the lost comissions on retail does not make up for either of these issues.The stylist still has to make that sale someplace else!Tip more only if you want to tip more, not out of guilt.

So what can you do about this?

• If you don't want something don't buy it! Sounds simple enough but seriously stick to your guns.
• Tell your stylist if something isn't in your budget.If she has a choice between a 10% commission on a retail sale and a 50% commission on your service total and she knows you only have XX amount of $$ to spend, shes going to put that money where it makes her the most money.
• If your need shampoo only buy shampoo don't be forced into buying the whole product line.
• If you don't know exactly what a product is and exactly how to use it.....you probably don't need it and wont use it anyway.
• You have the option of just not buying anything! If your stylist knows your the kind of person that never buys anything, maybe she will quit nagging you.
• Tell your stylist your all set on products and if you need anything next time you ll ask them for it.
• Or you can say "Oh that sounds great but I want to use up what I already have at home first, can you write these product recommendations down for me and Ill buy them as I need new product" This takes the pressure off you and gives your stylist hope of a future sale.
• You can walk into any salon and just buy what you want or need, you don't have to support the salon that is forcing your stylist to resort to sneaky sales tactics.You can also compare prices this way both in salons and at online retailers and get the best bang for you buck.
• If your stylist is annoyingly pushy and you dread the sales pitches every time you go in, find a new stylist.Its supposed to be a fun relaxing experience and stylist are a dime a dozen.

There are lots of great stylist out there and if you do decide to find a new one, read our blog article titled "Interview With A Stylist" for ideas on how to find a really great stylist and salon.

How To Shampoo The Right Way

For years Ive seen shampoo commercials and advertisements featuring a girl lathering her long hair up into a wad of luxurious lather on top of her head in a hot steamy shower ....


I want to yell "STOP DOING THAT" every time not buy their shampoo. Makes my nether regions cringe in fright .

SO I thought I would write a step by step article for all those advertisers who are apparently more concerned with marketing what looks good instead of healthy hair.

1. Brush your hair with a soft natural bristle brush.Get in there and get juices flowing in your scalp to release oils and detangle the hair before you get it wet.Wet hair is more elastic when wet so get as many tangles as you can out before you wash.
2. Get your hair thoroughly wet with warm water.This opens the cuticle of the hair shaft allowing oils to come out and softens styling products.It also opens up the pores on your scalp similar to using a warm rag prior to shaving to open the follicles allowing dirt and debris to loosen.
3. Apply your shampoo to your scalp area ONLY.Massage your scalp and work the dirt and oils loose.
4. Rinse with warm water
5. Apply a second shampoo starting again at your scalp and again use your finger tips in a gentle circular motion along your scalp to release any underlying oils in the skin.Work the shampoo down the shaft gently.NEVER EVER bring the ends of your hair up to the scalp.You want to keep your hair as tangle free as possible during the process.Don't matt your hair into a ball and scrub it into a tangled mess.Allow your hair to fall naturally and wash it in a downward motion to keep from roughing up the cuticle(outer layer)
6. Rinse again in warm water.This allows the cuticle to remain opened up to allow for penetration of your conditioner.
7. Apply conditioner from your nape line down to the ends.Avoid putting heavy conditioners directly to the scalp area because this can leave you looking greasy.Wait a minute or two and let the conditioner do its job.Shave your legs and whatnots while you wait.Run your fingers gently through your conditioned hair to make sure youve gotten the conditioner through all of your hair and remove any major knots gently with your fingers.
8. Now a final rinse with cool water to seal the shaft and close down your scalp pores.
9. Rough (not roughly) detangle your hair with a wide tooth comb.Just get any major knots out.
10. Use a large paddle brush with cushioned base to detangle your hair the rest of the way, working in sections.Get any tangles out toward the bottom of the hair first then work towards the scalp.

Advertisers make showering seem so glamorous and everyone seems so happy to clean and lather while grinning orgasmically in the process.Maybe other people shower like that but when im in there im on a mission to get my peices and parts clean, exfoliated and shaved.So dont be fooled by the gimmick of the pretty wad of foam!

Combatting Oily Hair

I'm all about the why.SO before I get into solutions you need to be educated on why you may ave excessive oils in your hair.

The sebaceous gland that rests along each of your hair shafts just under the skin is the culprit.It is the oil producing gland.

In general the finer or thinner each hair shaft is the more oil escapes to the surface of your scalp.If each of your stands of hair and fine but you have a large amount of hairs per square inch then your oil problems are increased because you have more sebaceous glands.The thicker the hair shaft is the more oils are blocked from squeezing out to the surface.
The hair shaft wicks the oil up out of your scalp.Your hair doesn't actually product oils at all.So battling oily hair is really battling oily scalp.

Sebum (oil) is regulated by the male hormones called androgen's.The more of these androgen's you have the more active your sebaceous gland becomes.

On that note I must say a visit to the Doc to have your hormone levels checked could be a good idea if your have chronic problems with oily hair.

Now here are some simple solutions to help you win the battle.

• Use a shampoo that is clarifying.An easy way to tell if a shampoo will clarify is buy a see through shampoo.The more milky a shampoo is the conditioners and other things have been added to it.

• Shampoo twice.If the first shampoo isn't lathering up well it is because the shampoo is binding with the oils in your hair preventing it from foaming.So your second shampoo should get things moving.You can even apply your first shampoo to your hair dry for ultra deep cleansing!

• Squeeze your melon when your shampoo!Give yourself a good scalp massage to squeeze out any leftover oils trapped under the skin.Only do this during your shampoo so you can cleanse it.Over massaging your head at the wrong times actually stimulate the sebaceous glands to product more oils.

• Use an astringent on your scalp.You can use witch hazel or your facial astringent applied with a cotton ball to your scalp.This helps dry and slow the oil production.

• Don't over brush your hair. This just stimulates those glands and causes more oils to be wicked down your hair shaft.

When you want to skip a day of shampooing but don't think you can cope, use baby powder or talc.Apply it directly to your scalp/problem oily areas.Shake it around so it bonds to the oils then brush it out with a natural bristle hair brush.This works best on lighter colored hair.Darker hair can do this but powder sparingly or try using a dry hair shampoo.

• Don't apply your conditioner to your scalp.Many people will tell your to just skip the conditioner but clarifying shampoos can be very damaging to the hair shaft.Since the hair shaft cannot repair itself you really need to condition it to keep it from damaging.Just apply it to your ends only.Get the places where the natural oils do not reach.If you have trouble keeping the conditioner off your scalp in the shower then use a spray leave in conditioner on the last few inches of your hair to help detangle and maintain the integrity of the hair.
  
  Eat well.Eating foods high in proteins and healthy oils like nuts and lean meats and dairy can help strengthen your hair.Since hair is made of protein, a diet low in protein will produce scraggly hairs which in turn allows more oils to escape from your scalp.Also look for foods that are high in vitamin A, Beta carotene , and essential fatty oils such as flax seed oil which have shown in various case studies to regulate glandular activity.(I am no Dr. so I recommend you research these studies yourself and make your own decisions)

Curly Hair Care Including African-American and Bi Racial Children

Naturally curly hair can be beautiful so don't fight your blessing!

Most issues with curly hair lie in styling products and handling.

Here you can see in the image cross sections of hair

The actual shape of the hair is different in curly hair.Asian hair is typically round coming out a round shaft.

African heritage hair follicles and Caucasians with curly hair actually have flatter hair follicles producing a flatter hair shaft.

The biggest difference is basically the rounder the hair shaft the more oils are released along the shaft.Flatter, curly hair follicles do not allow as much natural oil to be released along the shaft.The curlier the hair, the dryer it is.

Select your hair styling products with this in mind.You will need more moisture and oils in your products.The good news here is your hair should not be washed as often.Most people with curly hair can go up to a week before washing their hair.Over washing dries what little natural oils you have and makes your hair look dryer and frizzier.

After you wash your hair , use a wide tooth comb that is sturdy.Comb the tangles out starting at the bottom.If you begin at the top you just push the tangles into other tangles making huge knots that rip your hair out upon removal.While you can use a wide tooth comb or a large bristle brush while your hair is wet, NEVER brush or combs your hair while it is dry.

Gels, mousse and hairsprays should be used sparsely.First of all these items are alcohol based and again avoid anything that dries your hair out.Look for texture creams, lotions and balms or pomades that have a little hold but give a soft manageable feel instead of a crunchy dry gelled look.You can use oil based products as well which form a moisture barrier to keep your hair from frizzing under humid conditions.

If you are Caucasian with extremely curly hair don't be afraid to look into African-American hair care products.African- American haircare lines like Mizani or Keracare which are very readily available.These brands carry more of a variety for curly hair than say Matrix or Redken will.Most of the lines like Matrix etc. do make lines for curly hair but with the intentions of making the hair even more curly.But when your looking to tame excessive curls look to brands that specialize in this.Generally the more curly your hair is the more moisture you need.Look for oils like coconut and jojoba oils.Stay away from petroleum based products.

If your a mother of a bi-racial child and have never had experience with curly hair, educate yourself on the needs of your child's hair.Cacasion/asian and other races with naturally straight hair have more oils and need to use different products than curly headed people.

Instead of washing your little ones hair every day, use a daily moisturizer.She may need you to apply natural oils to her hair and scalp.Use a cream hair dressing to style her hair and keep the hair tied up as much as possible to keep it from becoming a tangled mess while she plays.Make sure she has her special wide tooth hard combs and natural bristle brushes to ease the long process of combing out her hair after washing.

Keep it soft and natural looking.Don't overuse products to the point where your hair looks wet all the time.

I recommend air drying for natural curls BUT if you do want to blow dry your hair make sure you use a diffuser on your hair dryer.This buffers the flow of air from the dryer and gives your more of a radiating heat to dry your hair instead of tossing and tumbling your hair in the air making it look frizzy.

If you want a softer curly look try setting your damp hair in large pin curls and let air dry or sit under a hood dryer.

Once the hair is dry take the pins out and gently pull and place the ringlets in place with your hands coated in a light styling cream.

This can be done on any hair type but works best on light to medium curly hair.

Did I mention........NEVER COMB OR BRUSH DRY CURLY HAIR!!!!!!!

Flat Limp Hair Solutions

Well here is one option...

But in leiu of sticking a fork in your outlet every morning here are some tips and tricks.

Use a blow dryer with a cool shot button.Flip your air over and get it nice and toasty near your scalp, then push the cool shot button and cool it down before you flip your head back over.This acts much like a roller set or curling iron setting the body into your roots.

Avoid too much product!A lightweight styling product like Joico Bodyluxe Root Lift Foam is great, but only put it at your roots.Added product adds added weight.Keep your ends as light as possible to keep them from weighing your style down.

Use an aerosol hair spray that goes on almost dry.Spritz hairsprays take time to dry weighing you down.The dryer the hairspray on contact the better.Wetter hairsprays are basically a mist hair glue and can gunk your hair up.Dryer sprays will leave little beads on your hairshaft which work like a zipper adhering to each other.I love the new TIGI Rockaholic Fun Times Flexible Hair Spray . It smells a little like fresh oranges ( im a smell junkie).

Use a clarifying shampoo from time to time.Build up can add weight to your do, but dont use a clarifyer every day because it can dry your hair out.I add a few tablespoons of lemon juice to a few cups of warm water and rinse it through my hair every once in a while to avoid buildup.

Use a light daily shampoo and conditioner.Avoid bottles that say "hydrating" or "smoothing" as they are probably too heavy for your hair.

Avoid long hairstyles that make your hair look straggly.Long hair isnt pretty if it isnt pretty hair girls.

Dont overtease your hair! Teasing can be hard to hide with fine hair. When the day wears on your hair you can look like a ratty mess.Try using velcro rollers to add volume and find a style that will look great even if it falls limp.Bigger isnt always better when it comes to hair.

Lighten your hair color!Sounds simple enough but this works for a few reasons. The process can add texture to your hair and lighten the load on each individual strand.Also if you have problems with your scalp showing, lightening your hair can buffer the contrast between your hair color and your scalp color making your hair appear thicker and fuller.

Share your tips and tricks for fuller hair with us aand our readers!Post a comment:>

What Can I Do About Damaged Hair & Split Ends

There are a million products out there that claim to repair split ends.

Under a microscope you can actually see the fraying of the hair that looks somewhat like a broken twig.Since hair is not alive it cannot repair itself.Products that claim to repair this damage are actually just smoothing out and sealing the damage.When the product is removed the damage still exists and unfortunately cannot be repaired much as a twig cannot really be repaired.

These products are great for hiding the damage from eyesight until the damage has grown out or been cut off.

What works and why?

The actual structure of the hair consists of 3 parts.The cuticle or outside layer,the cortex or middle layer and the medulla which is the core of the hair shaft.

In fine thin and fragile hair the medulla, or core of the hair is smaller and in some cases almost non existent.

Since this is the layer that holds you hair together a weak medulla can actually make your hair more susceptible to breakage.

Using a protein reconstructor can strengthen all 3 layers of the hair shaft to help avoid breakage by filling any weak spots with proteins like keratin which you hair is naturally made of.A word of caution here though..More is not always better.You can get an overload of protein in your hair which when the proteins harden instead of making the hair shaft stronger can actually make it brittle and cause it to snap even easier! Limit your hairs protein intake to no more than one treatment per week.

The middle layer or cortex of the hair shaft is affected greatly by perms and hair color.This is where the majority of your hair color is stored so over coloring can weaken this layer very easily.In overly processed hair these chemicals damage the integrity of the medulla as well causing breakage.Avoid overly processing your hair with chemicals to keep the core strength of your hair in tact.

In the photo here you can see the dark spots are actually melanin granules in the cortex(middle layer) of the hair where it is stored.

Outside of the cortex is the cuticle which is much like shingles that are opened with chemicals to allow for penetration of hair color and perms.

Other chemicals in these processes close the cuticle back down .

Heat styling can break down the cuticle layer of your hair also causing it to become rough and brittle.

Once the cuticle layer is overly damaged it will no longer be able to close down sufficiently.This causes the hair to feel rougher and catch easier on combs and brushes causing snapping fraying and breakage.

Daily conditioners smooth over this outer layer of the hair.Use a conditioner that is sufficient enough to eliminate most tangles and knots smoothing them out to make brushing less damaging.

Always use some sort of heat protection when you blow dry and heat style.A product to make flat irons glide over the shaft is helpful as well.

A good brush with as little drag as possible will do wonders for your hair.

Trimming split ends are a necessity.When your brush catches on the ends of your hair it only causes your hair to split higher up on the shaft leaving a new shorter split mangled end.

Just use common sense and don't expect miracles.Repairing damage takes time so in the mean time strengthen what you have now to prevent more damage, hide the damage you have as best you can, and baby your hair so you can minimize future damage.

Growing Your Hair Out From Any Length

Ive done it over and over again.Cut my hair all off then immediately begin the growing out process.Ugh what a nightmare.You want to hang on to every scraggly little piece of hair hanging down at its longest point.Your hair gets out of shape and everyone can tell your growing your hair out and you look a mess all the time.Finally you cant take it one more minute and decide it isn't worth the drama and tell you stylist you give up just cut it all off.Your stylist tries to talk you into getting a trim hoping you ll be able to cope better if it is just shaped up,but finally she gives in to your whining and just does what you ask.Then the guilt and regret kick in again ,you've set yourself back months .You worked so hard and went through all that for nothing to be back where you started.

Growing your hair out is a huge commitment.

Think of it like a 250 lb woman who decides she wants to be a size 4 and is committed to the process.She has that number set in her hear but after months of hard work and effort ,size 4 seems like an impossible number.So she gives up and thinks there is no way she can do it.We all know she should set small goals to keep herself motivated and it seems like a simple concept when it comes to weight.

This same concept can be applied to growing your hair out!

Set a goal then set mini goals to achieve along the path to your ultimate goal.Pick a style a little longer than the one your wearing.Don't hang on to every thread of hair for the simple fact it is longer than another.Set yourself up to succeeed by growing into a versatile style that can be easily transformed into the next step in achieving your goal haircut.

Growing out in steps will help you feel like your getting someplace faster.You also will look like you are a chameleon of style instead of a frumpy mess

Growing out from:

• Short Pixie

Aim for an ear skimming to mid ear style.Try to keep the nape short and grow some bulk in the crown and bangs to give yourself something to work with.

• Ear skimming

Next step would be a style at your earlobe.Here is where you can start aiming for your goal style whether it is layered,a bob or decide on a bang.

• Earlobe length

Now look for a chin length style that will grow out easily into what your going for.

• Chin Length

Look for a flattering style that hits your collar bone.A shorter version of your ultimate goal hairdo is quite possible now!

• Collar Bone Length

Check out collar length and shoulder skimming possibilities

• Shoulder Length

After you get to your shoulders growing your hair out is a piece of cake.The floors the limit!!!!

Have Trouble Getting Your Hair To Stay Up?

Ive already posted once on my fave pony tail holders that will hold ANY hair type which is Goodys Stay Put pony tail holders you can pick up just about anyplace.

But alot of people want to put their hair up other than with a pony tail.

Feel like you hair is too heavy to put up?Or too fine and limp and it just slides back out of place?

You are probably using your accessories wrong!

If you are using bobby pins make sure you cross them.One pin wont do you a bit of good they are made to interlock and stay in place.Try different sizes of bobby pins too.A big pin will slide out of fine hair and long thick hair needs a good size bobby pin to hold in place under the weight.

I love using chopsticks and with a little practice they can be your best friend.Twist your hair up as you want it the take the first chopstick and stick it through the bun on one side.Go straight in like your stabbing your head.Then gently turn the chopstick and push it down at an angle through your hair.Repeat on the other side crossing the sticks by sliding the second stick under the first.

The same method applies to large hair pins which come in a variety of designs and styles.

As far as barrettes go larger barrettes are for holding and smaller barrettes are for accessorizing so get the right barrette for the job.

A little trick I learned when my girls were little and had that silky baby hair was to help barrettes stay in is take your old glue gun and apply a thin strip of glue to the part of the barrette that comes in contact with your hair.It doesn't take alot of glue just a smear or thin beaded like will do.When you put your barrette in ,the glue when dry is almost like a rubber gripper to hold the barrette in place.

If you have any ideas,tips or tricks you use to keep your hair up in an unusual way wed love to hear about it!

Spring Pedicure Tips and Tricks

Are your feet ready for spring?Your toes have been couped up all winter and are dying for some fresh air but are they "scene"ready?


If you have calloused heels I highly recommend buying a ped egg.You use it on dry feet and it grates away the callouses.Be careful though it is easy to get carried away!(Ive left sores being over zealous with mine)Ive found light strokes are better than hard deeper strokes.You don't want to rub too hard because that can actually be counter productive.The friction can cause your feet to build even more callouses which is your body's natural defense to build a pad of skin to protect the delicate underlying skin.So don't go too deep, a little callous is OK!





Another thing you can do to soften callouses is lather a thick lotion on right before bed or when your running around the house and wear socks to keep the lotion in place and soaking into your feet.





If you have extremely calloused feet and no matter how much filing or lotion you do it just comes back or gets worse,it may not be callouses!It could be a fungus infection caused by the same fungus that causes athletes feet.Check with your doctor if this is the case.They can do a quick, painless skin culture to see if that is what is going on.You may want to try an athletes foot cream or your doctor may even suggest a medication because this kind of infection can get into your blood stream and spread to your nails and other areas.





Don't ignore your toe cuticles!You may not get hangnails on your feet but your cuticles still grow,crack and dry out on your feet.Push back your cuticles on your toes and use an orangewood stick to remove the flap of adhering skin that binds your cuticle to your nail.


I love the orangewood sticks that are coated in sand grit at the ends.They really get into the little spots for a clean professional looking finish.


Trim your nails straight across not angled down at the corners to avoid ingrown nails.If you file your nails,file from the outer edge inward in long sweeping strokes.This helps keep your nails from breaking and chipping.

Polish or Au Naturale?
If you are an all natural girl and don't like to polish your toes use a non yellowing clear coat on your nails to keep your nails looking healthy and shiny.If your like me I feel naked without toenail polish in a bright color.It is a good idea to let your nails go natural from time to time though to keep your nails from yellowing.

When it is time for polish here are a few tips to keep your polish on and keep it from chipping.

• Use a low grit buffer on the surface on your nail beds.Don't buff until your have grooves, you just want to take the natural seen off of the top of the nail.This gives your polish something to grip to.CND makes a great base coat called Stickey that is an anchoring basecoat to keep your polish on even longer.
• After filing and buffing make sure you wash your feet well to prevent particles from making your polish less than perfect.
• Wipe your nails down with polish remover BEFORE you polish.This will help remove any left over natural oils and any transferred oils from your hands.
• Always use a bascoat to keep your nails from staining!
• Make sure you let your polish dry completely between coats so your polish will cure all the way through.
• After you apply your 2 coats of polish, use a heat cure topcoat.I use a coat of CND Shiney and a coat of CND Air Dry .
• Brush a drop or two of cuticle oil like CND Solar Oil on top of your wet polish.This helps light bumps to your nails from denting your polish.It also helps keep lint and particles from adhering to your polish while it is tacky and ensures a glass like finish while conditioning your cuticles.

If you follow these simple rules your polish can stay unscathed up to a month or until your nails grow out and it is time to do it again if you aren't scuffing them up in the pool or washing floors on your hands and knees barefoot.

I love a good french pedicure on toes as well.Ive tried the forms and paints but the best french pedi I can do on myself is using a thick white nail polish or even an acrylic craft paint in white with a long fine haired artist brush.Make sure you use enough paint on the brush to sweep all the way across the tip on one sweep for the best results.After it dries use an opaque topcoat.Stay away shades that are too yellow in tone if you are paler because you just look like you have a nail fungus.Look for a slightly pink shade.Darker skin tones can go for the more yellow tones.Make sure you still do your base/topcoat routine on french peid's!

Be festive with your feet and go for a color you would never wear on your nails!
Now go show your piggy's off!

Spring Wedding Hair Tips For 2009

Spring time is rapidly approaching and with spring comes I Do's.In the rush to make all your last minute plans and fittings...dont forget to make an appointment with your stylist for a consultationand trial run for your hair and makeup!

Ask your stylist if he/she feels comfortable doing your selected style on your special day.Updo's and special occasion styling can be a very difficult and takes specialized training and alot of work to do.If your stylist isnt comfortable with doing this type of look I bet they know someone who can do it! I have always been dubbed the UPDO queenand everyone sends their clients to me for special occasion do's.This is common practice in this situation so dont feel badly for asking your stylist reccomendation.Alot of stylist absolutely HATE doing weddings because of they just dont feel comfortable being in that position for such a special day.They may be the queen of cut or color but not so apt in the curls and pins department.Its a whole different ball game.

1. Make your appointment way ahead of time so your sure you can get in and out when you need to.



2. Bring your tiara,veil or clips in with you on your trial run so you can decide on placement.



3. Take pictures of your hair at different angles to remind your stylist exactly what they did on the run through and you can critique the photos and decide if there is anything you want tweaked on your day.Wear the style around and see how it will hold up to changing clothes and weather.Jump around and dance a little ,see if anything flops or comes loose.



4. Take the pins out and see how difficult it will be for you to take down and how it will look after all is said and done.You dont want to get to the hotel and fight with your hair.Im sure youll have better things to do then:>

Before you visit your stylist on trial run day figure out what theme your looking for.Long gone are the days of fussy wedding hair that competes with your dress for attention.In is hair that compliments your overall look and enhances your natural beauty.Bring in several of your favorite photos so you can see what will work best for your hair.

• Classic elegance? A simple pulled back classic chignon is always timeless and elegant.



• Soft Romantic?A soft wave adds a delicate romantic touch to an up do without looking over the top.Try a simple loose braid to dress up the look a bit.



• Easy Natural Beauty?Alot of brides are wearing their hair down or half down now.Soft tangled locks with a beautiful simple accessory or a gentle natural wave will make your look like you don't even have to try to be drop dead gorgeous.The soft romantic looks are easily transitioned into the easy natural beauty looks for a hair change at your reception too!Then you can dance the night away without worrying about your hair flopping or pins poking.



• Short hair?You can still do something special with your hair for your special day.Try a retro wave or a simple accessory to spice it up a little.

Keep in mind the weather! Spring can bring the unexpected rain and humidity so plan for the worst and hope for the best.Don't try to fight your natural hair texture on your wedding day.If you have naturally curly hair, opt for a curly or wavy style so you don't end up with a head of fuzz.If it takes a gallon of spray to make your hair curl, stay away from the overly curled looks so if it gets damp outside your not left with a sticky mess.

Buy an old lady rain bonnet to keep nearby just in case you have to dash to the limo in the rain.
Talk to your stylist and see if she or someone she knows would be available to do touch ups!Ideally it would be perfect to have a touch up person to check you over right before you go down the aisle after your get dressed,before and during photos and before you go to your reception if you want to change dresses and possibly let your hair down to PARTY!

Remember most importantly of all,no matter how much you plan something will always go wrong.Don't stress it! Its all about you day so look beautiful, be in love, let everything else work itself out and enjoy.

How To Get Long Healthy Hair

Once you get past the "growing out stage" and are trying desperately to grow length on you hair your scared to death to get a haircut for fear of setting you back a whole month on your mission.

But then it seems your hair just stops growing at a certain point...

Hair grows from the roots an average of 1/2 " per month.This growth does not stop simply because your hair gets a certain length.Chances are as your hair is growing from the roots, but it is breaking off at the ends just as fast!Keeping the ends of your hair in a healthy state is key to growing long beautiful hair.

Of course you need to get regular trims.How often really depends on your hair there is no magic number.I would say at least every 3 month get 1/2 inch trim.But a good test is when you brush your hair if it seems to "catch"the brush bristles on the last few inches then it is time for a trim.The brush catching your ends will only snap off your hair and can actually snap the hairs off mid shaft leaving little annoying stray hairs making your hair look frizzy and dry and thinning out the ends of your hair.

And following that note you need to have a good brush that doesn't damage your hair!A large paddle brush with a cushioned base and flexible bristles is ideal.Make sure the brush you are using is made for the job!A vent brush made for blow drying is made to grip wet slippery hair with rigid bristles.They are not made for detangling and brushing dry long hair and will only lend to breakage problems.

• Don't wash your hair every day.The less wear and tear the more healthy length you'll get.If you have problems with oil use a dry hair shampoo in between shampoos and don't bring your conditioner all the way to your roots.You can even use 2 different conditioners!Use a lighter conditioner at your roots down to the base of your neck and then apply a heavier deep repairative conditioner from your neckline down on the ends of your hair.This way your ends get the moisture and nutrition they need without making your hair look greasy and flat at the roots.

Avoid tight ponytails.The constant pressure on one certain point on the hair shaft can lead to breakage.I have thick but baby fine very heavy hair to my waist and I swear by Goodys Stay Put pony tail holders.They have little rubber grips that hold hair so you dont have to tie them as tight .You can pick them up at any Wal-Mart or Target.

• Stay out of the heat!Avoid as much blow drying and heat styling as possible.Every day heat styling is too much!Always use a heat styling protector under your flat and curling irons.
• Don't over color your hair.More chemicals=Less hair.Stay as close to natural to maximize your growth potential.

Listen To Your Hair ,It May Be Trying To Tell You Something!
If your hair seems to fall out excessively or your hair is growing slower than the 1/2 inch a month average...check with your doctor about a possible vitamin deficiency.I know alot of people swear by over the counter pre natal vitamins for hair and nail growth but too much of a good thing can be bad so make sure to check with your doctor before you start a vitamin regiment.If you have something wrong with your body,your hair is one of the first signals of your body skimping on un- necessary bodily functions to repair itself somewhere else.Those with hair growth problems include people with heart problems,blood pressure issues,diabetes,hormonal issues,thyroid imbalance and many other serious problems so don't be afraid or feel silly for bringing up your hair to your doctor.