Hair Color

Hot Tips on Hair Color

Kathryn M. D�Imperio

There�s just something so sexy about being a woman. Buying new lingerie, donning a new look with a great makeover, trying out a new hairstyle or hair color�. We all need a change sometimes, and what better to change than the color of our hair?

Dyeing our hair a new shade shifts us into a new sense of being, gives us a new persona to assume and fulfill. We can be the boisterous blonde we never were, the seductive brunette, the electric redhead or the mysterious ebony-haired beauty. And with this exciting new shade also comes a stunning blast of self-confidence and invigoration.

Changing the color of our hair gives us freedom and a sense of renewal, even if the only thing different from yesterday to today is the color of the strands on our heads. Depending on your comfort levels, you can try at-home coloring kits or you can make an appointment with your stylist. Opt for highlights only or color your entire mane for the ultimate head-turning factor.

Tips and Tricks:

Try to stick pretty close to your natural hair color if it is your first time. This way it won�t be the end of the world when your roots start growing in.

Also, you might consider a temporary washout color treatment if you are a beginner. This gives you the freedom and flexibility to remedy the situation if you don�t like the new color of your hair.

If you opt for do-it-yourself highlights, have a family member or a friend help you, if possible. It is always nice to have another set of eyes to guide you through things you cannot clearly see. Mirrors may be deceiving, so having someone there to help really could be the difference between an okay dye job and an excellent one.

Follow the instructions closely and thoroughly. No skipping steps. Test a small area of your hair as instructed, just to be sure you aren�t allergic to anything in the dye.

Leave your hair down as you color it and you will achieve a more even look. Pinning your hair on top of your head leaves more to chance.

Part hair into sections and apply color from roots to ends, starting near the temples. Double-check the instructions to be sure you are following them properly.

To prevent hair from dripping on your skin, apply a thin layer of moisturizer or petroleum jelly to the skin at your hairline. Most hair dyes will not drip, but in case they do, this makes cleanup so much easier!

If you want beautiful blonde tresses, consider seeing your stylist for best results. Dyeing darker hair into a lighter shade, especially blonde, can be a tricky task. Even if you�re an at-home hair dyeing professional, remember that it�s easier to do it right the first time than to cover up any boo-boos.

More Home Coloring Tips: Deep condition before you color your hair. Wait two days after shampooing before coloring. The color will adhere better, since your scalp is more sensitive after shampooing, it will make the process more comfortable. Plus the natural oils in your hair will protect it.

Quick Fixes for Your Hair

Quick and Refreshing Fixes for Your Hair

Kathryn M. D�Imperio

Have you ever had one of those �perfect hair days� where your hair looks fabulous just before you�re about to hop in the shower? Knowing full well that you�d be generously lucky for your hair to look half as nice, you grab that quick shower, even though you just washed your hair this morning/last night.

You needn�t wash your hair repeatedly to ensure remarkable results, so why not skip a shampoo or two? Remember, the more you wash your hair and the more styling products you apply, the greater the amount of buildup that adheres to your silky strands.

Every once in a while, forego the routine washing by twisting your hair up into a towel or piling it into a shower cap before you step into the shower. To alleviate your concerns of how your hair will smell, look and feel without shampooing it just this once, try these tips to keep your hair vibrant and refreshed.

Freshen Up

You�ve got your perfume and your body spray, so why not something sweet and tantalizing for your tresses? A number of well-known companies offer deliciously delightful fragrances for hair, like Clairol�s Herbal Essences Style Refreshing Mist. It comes in a compact pump spray bottle with flirty floral fragrances that are sure to keep you feeling great about your hair.

Another option � if you simply must wash your hair every time you shower, so be it. Shampoo and condition your hair, but do without the blow dryer during the warmer months. Twist your hair up and secure it to your head with a hairpin or some bobby pins. Try a sexy style with some little claw clips or pull your hair back into a classic braid.

De-Frizz and Smooth Out

So the end of the day is nearing and you�ve still got your dinner date in less than an hour. You may not have time to shower and get prettied up all over again, but you can at least apply some frizz-fighting gel or styling product to smooth out your hair.

If you can�t possibly dream of going on a date without a shower to freshen up, take the fastest shower of your life and get moving! Apply a leave-in conditioner or other anti-frizz styling solution to your hair and follow the instructions for drying your hair, or allow it to dry naturally if you have time.

Preserve

While you may not have all the time in the world to get ready, it doesn�t hurt to catch a glimpse of yourself once in a while to be sure your hair is behaving and your makeup hasn�t smudged. Be careful not to whip out your compact in front of your date and surely avoid the obvious gawk at your reflection on a tinted car window as you walk by.

Excuse yourself for a brief trip to the ladies room, and failing all else, use a tiny bit of water or a small dab of hand cream to assuage any hair catastrophes.

Flat Irons

Flat Iron Tips

By Lisa L.

Still can't live without your straightening iron? Once you know how to achieve that sleek, smooth look it's hard to go back. It really doesn�t matter which flat iron you use: ceramic, thermal, metal or ionic - they all damage your hair with over-use and inappropriate use. They heat keeps your hair dry and over time will damage the ends of your hair.

Here are 10 tips to help you and your flat iron work side-by-side without damaging your hair.

1. Keep your flat iron clean. It will last longer and do less damage to your hair.

2. Use a styling aid to prevent frizz before you blow dry. Sealed Ends by BC Bonicure seal the ends of your hair locking out frizziness by 79 percent. Use it after your blow dry to get rid of frizz.

3. Practice before you head out to any major event. It's very easy to use once you get the knack of it.

4. When using the iron on your hair comb, on the section you are using first, before running the iron through it.

5. Try avoiding using any products until you finish straightening out your hair.

6. Use small sections. The smaller the section the flatter and more weightless your hair will be.

7. Use even pressure while stroking your flat iron from the root to the end without stopping on any part of the sectioned hair.

8. Use a wide bristle brush on your hair while brushing your desired shape into place.

9. Use a lightweight serum to smooth any frizz left over. You'll only need a little.

10. Let your iron cool; clean its surface with a cloth so you�ll be ready to use it again tomorrow.

Blonde

Sheer Blonde

By Lisa L.

Ok blondes, we all know you love to soak up that sun but so does your hair. Natural sun and heat damages your hair vaporizing all the moisture needed for your hair to look healthy and shiny. Texture doesn�t really matter nor does the shade of blonde, as they all are more prone to damage in the sun. Frizz is common in the summer and with good conditioner and frizz control you can look like any celebrity.

Try Frizz-ease or Split Ends by BC Bonicure to control frizz after or before your blow dry. For added protection apply a blow dry sealer before you start to blow dry your hair. It will protect your blonde hair from heat and this is for high damage control. There are also newer sprays and conditioners specifically formulated with SUV protectants helping your hair from damage. For a great feel try Back to Basics - Kiwi Melon Body Boosting Conditioner.

If your hair starts to go a green from being in the water a little too much, Resolve by JOICO is highly recommended. It will strip the chlorine buildup letting your hair breathe. Eventually you'll get back to your great color.
Sheer Blonde is available at most drug stores. It's formulated to enhance your blonde while protecting it from further damage.

Frederic Fekkai Baby Blonde Conditioner is a daily conditioner and enhances your hair with a great shine. Using sunflower seed oil, lemon peel and other natural products it helps with your hair's elasticity and this product is used specifically for color treated blonde hair.

For further protection, use a wide toothed comb or pick while your hair is wet. If you need a great detangler, BC Bonicure�s Spray Moisturizer is the best product on the market for detangling those hard annoying tangles.

Blonde will always have high maintenance and expensive to maintain. The tips above are to help you in between visits to your stylist. It�s still more fun to be blonde at any cost!

Updos

Easy Hair Updos

By Lisa L.

Updos - see Heidi Klum - are back. The nice plush updos that look like they took hours to make piling up so high upon your head are in fact very easy to do yourself. 5 Minute Makeover

First consider using hot rollers - see Salma Hayek - even if you don't want a curl. It's easy volume without having to work for it. If you can, then curl a few pieces on the top and sides with a curling iron - see Hillary Swank.

Flip your head over towards the front. With a pick or large comb tease your roots. Tease it with small fast strokes until you feel a little nest forming at your roots. Give it a little spray using JOICO�s Ice Finisher to add a little hold.
Flip your hair back and assuming your standing position with your paddle brush smooth out your hair into your desired shape.
You can use a big bristle brush if you want to see more definition in your updo. Hair SOS

Start with the back of your hair and grab a piece of hair like you�re doing a ponytail. Twist clockwise bring up and put your bobby pins in. Four to six usually do it and don�t forget to criss-cross the bobby pins if you feel you need a little support in the back of your updo. Take your top piece that�s left over and twist very lightly.

Once it is secured and you have the desired height you want on the top, pin it down with 2 bobby pins. See Reese Witherspoon. Now take each side twist it back to secure on the top building into a pile. Fix your bangs and pull any front hair back that�s been left over and secure with a bobby pin.

Combination Hair

How to Take Care of Combination Hair

By Anna Lynn C. Sibal

There are many different types of hair. There are thick types and there are fine types of hair. There are curly ones and straight-falling ones. Some hair types are more prone to the accumulation of sebum (the natural oils that our skin secretes) than others, while some hair types are just naturally dry. There are various ways of taking care of hair according to its various types.

But what if your hair happens to be a combination type of hair? What if your hair is very oily near the scalp but has the tendency to be dry to the point of brittleness as the strands reach the ends? How do you take care of hair like that?

Fortunately, there are a number of ways to care for the combination type of hair. With the appropriate use of the right products, you can prevent damage to your hair, protect it, keep it healthy and even enhance its beauty. So how do you effectively care for the combination type of hair?

It all starts with the proper washing of the hair. In shampooing, never use hot water to wet your hair. Hair strands are susceptible to extreme heat and hot water will only damage it. Instead, just use lukewarm water.

Be choosy with the products that you use for your hair. If you have the combination type hair, avoid using shampoos formulated for oily hair. It might worsen the condition of the dry tips of your locks. Instead, opt for shampoos specially made for normal hair.

Do not use too much shampoo to wash your hair. Just a dollop the size of a quarter will do. Apply the shampoo directly on the scalp and just let the suds flow to the ends of your hair. Never apply the shampoo directly to the tips because the shampoo will wash off the oil that your hair tips need so much. If you must, just scoop some suds from the top of your head and use it to wash your hair�s tips. Never overclean your hair�s ends and be careful in handling them. Rinse the shampoo off carefully and thoroughly until it is not slippery any longer.

After shampooing the hair, apply a rinse-off conditioner. Just as you should never apply shampoo directly to the tips of your hair, you should never apply conditioner directly to your scalp either. The moisturizing agents in the conditioner will cause the scalp to produce too much oil. Instead, concentrate the application of the conditioner to the tips of your hair strands, and then rinse your hair thoroughly, this time with cold water to lock in the moisture and to discourage your hair from secreting too much oil.

For added TLC for your combination type hair, indulge in deep conditioning treatment once a week. Apply moisturizing conditioner to the dry parts of your hair, wrap it with a towel and let it be for a couple of hours before washing it off completely. You can substitute olive oil for commercial conditioner if you wish. Also, make it a habit to have your hair trimmed once every two months to get rid of your hair�s brittle ends.

The combination type of hair need not be a hair care nightmare. All it needs to keep healthy and beautiful is the know-how for its proper care.

Versatile Haircut

Our hair frames our face and the way it is cut and done should highlight the best features of our face.

However, inasmuch as there are so many hairstyles out there that we can pick and choose from, there are some haircut styles that may look good on some but not on others. A hairstyle we may like may not look good on us, and mainly because that haircut does not flatter the shape of our face.

A woman with a round face should wear her hair in such a way that it lessens the width of her face and should go for hairstyles that add length. In contrast, hairstyles that add length should be avoided by women with long faces, and these women should go for hairdos that add width to the face.

Read more on best hairdos for your face.

But whatever the shape a woman�s face may have, there are indeed a few haircuts that would look good on her regardless. This all-around hairstyle is so simple and versatile that it would look good not just on any type of face, but also on any kind of occasion.

What are the elements of this all-around haircut that goes well with any shape of the face?
There are two elements to the all-around hairstyle.

The first element is layering. The layers of the hair should act as arrows that direct the eyes to whoever is looking at you to the best features of your face, such as the eyes, the lips or the cheekbones. So, the layers of your hair should be done to the front of the face, rather than in the back. However, avoid having your layers done too short; hair layers should not fall above the eye or above the earlobes.

The second element is length. Try to keep the length of your hair to just about your shoulders. Long hair that falls to the middle of the back and cut without any shape or layers should be left to teenage girls.

But if you want to wear your hair long, wear it with layers around your face. Also, have the length at the back cut to a round shape, or a V-shape. Long hair cut straight and without any shape can make a woman look either too old or too juvenile, but long hair that is done with layers and with the ends shaped at the back can make you look sophisticated and sexy.

The all-around haircut is perfect for any face, regardless of the shape. Why don�t you try it and see for yourself?