Hair Care Tips: 10 Must-Dos and 10 Absolute-Don'ts of Great Hair Care

If the amount of money consumers spend on hair care products annually is any indication, most people are concerned about the appearance of their hair and strive to attain beautiful, healthy and stylish locks. In fact, most will go to any lengths to achieve their desired look. 

From professional salon treatments to over-the-counter serums, hair care is a big business.

The only problem is that while many people are buying the right hair care products for their hair, they forget to follow basic hair care regimens that will guarantee the health and beauty of their tresses. Additionally, many are also causing needless damage to their hair by participating in unhealthy hair care behavior.

So, what should you do to make sure your hair stays healthy, shiny and strong? Here are 10 essential must-dos of great hair care.

1. Use the right hare care products for your specific hair type
2. Get a trim every 6 to 8 weeks
3. Use hair care products containing sunscreen
4. Shampoo your hair only when it is dirty
5. Turn to a professional for all of your hair care needs
6. Use professional conditioning hair coloring systems
7. Stick with one chemical service
8. Add texture
9. Choose hair color that compliments your style
10. Use a wide-toothed comb when your hair is wet

1. Use the right hare care products for your specific hair type

If your hair is damaged, dry or color-treated, use hair care products formulated to repair this damage and add much-needed shine and resiliency. On the other hand, if your hair is oily, use a deep-cleansing shampoo and light conditioner to keep your hair looking its best. The right products should be at the base of your hair care routine.

2. Get a trim every 6 to 8 weeks

Get a trim every 6 to 8 weeks as part of your regular hair care routine. Even if you are growing your hair longer, it is still vital to make a routine trim a major part of your hair care routine. Snipping ends before they split will keep your hair looking healthy and save you hair care headaches in the end.

3. Use hair care products containing sunscreen

Protect your hair with hair care products that contain sunscreen.

4. Shampoo your hair only when it is dirty

Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to shampoo your hair daily. Doing so can make your hair dry and hard to work with.

5. Turn to a professional for all of your hair care needs

Yes, kitchen beauticians and friends do not cost as much as putting your hair care needs in the hands of a qualified professional, but they often cause blunders that end up costing you more money than if you went to the salon in the first place.

6. Use professional conditioning hair coloring systems

There are many hair coloring systems on the market, and the ones you choose can have a great impact on your hair care costs. Simply put: choose a system that causes minimal damage and conditions hair as it colors. This will save you money when it comes to conditioning hair care products.

7. Stick with one chemical service

In order to keep your hair as healthy as it can be, ask your hair care professional to recommend only one chemical service: color or perm. By only using the service that is perfect for your particular style and needs, you will ensure that your hair stays healthier.

8. Add texture

By adding texture to your style, through perm or cut, you can greatly reduce the time it takes to style and perform your daily hair care routine. And you will look sensational.

9. Choose hair color that compliments your style

With all of the professional coloring techniques available, this part of your hair care regimen has never been easier. From chunky highlights to soft color, you can greatly enhance your style with the right technique.

10. Use a wide-toothed comb when your hair is wet

Comb your hair with a wide-toothed comb when it is wet to prevent breakage. The only time you should use a brush during your hair care routine is when your hair is barely damp or dry.

Ten Absolute-Don’ts of Great Hair Care

To avoid all hair care disasters, follow these 10 absolute-don'ts of great hair care.

1.  Avoid unprofessional and over-the-counter hair care products whenever you can. Many of these only offer false hopes and

promises.

2.  Do not cut your own bangs. Leave all of your cutting needs, even bangs, to your hair care professional.

3.  Avoid excessive sun, chlorine and salt water during the summer months. Excessive

     exposure can cause severe damage that is irreversible even if you use the best hair care

     products.

4.  Do not use clarifying hair care products on your tresses more than one time per week. 

     They can strip hair of moisture and essential oils.

5.  Do not visit a hair care salon without first getting a referral from someone you can trust. 

     Choosing a salon based on an advertisement or sale alone is very risky.

6.  Do not purchase hair color that comes in a box.

7.  Never stick with an outdated look because you are afraid of looking different. Styles change

     for a reason. Ask your hair care professional to bring you into this decade with a new style.

8.  Do not straighten your hair with a clothes iron. Come on, this was so over in the 70s. We 

     have straightening irons now that won't damage your hair. Look in the hair care isle.

9.  Don't brush your hair or put too much tension on it while it is still wet. This will cause

     breakage. Also, do not wear tight styles such as cornrows for extended periods of time.

10. Never use sun-lightening products such as lemon juice or over-the-counter hair care

     products designed to lighten hair with the sun unless you want a very short hair cut in the

     future.

In the end, hair care is a very individualized and personal thing. Feel free to add your own flair and style to your hair care routine, but remember to include hair care principles that will benefit your hair and avoid those that damage it.

*Reference Michael Burrows

Proper Beauty Sleep

Start winding down a few hours before your actual bedtime.  Consciously leave all your must-do's for the next day, reassuring yourself with a written list of reminders.  Dim the lights and avoid all simulations such as caffeine, alcohol, upsetting conversations and violent television shows.

Tune into the sound of your own breath or the cadence of soothing music.  Run a warm (not scalding hot) bath and soak by candlelight, inhaling a favorite blend of relaxing essential oils in the vapors.

Examine the nagging thoughts that keep you awake at night.  Do you feel that by being on constant "fight or flight" alert you will better control outcomes?  Switch to a new mantra:  The more rest you get, the more efficient you will be.

Give up rigid expectations about how much sleep you  require.  Even night time wakefulness can be restful if you use it as a time for quiet meditation.  The more you trust in the natural processes and in life in general, the easier it will be to eventually get the right amount of sleep you really need.

*Reference: DailyMakeover

The Top 5 Natural Hair Tips

The Top 5 Natural Hair Tips

Not everyone knows what it takes to create beautiful natural coils and curls and maintain them, but a few simple tricks can give you long-lasting, frizz controlled and beautifully maintained style.

Tip #1 – Water

Keep hair wet! Everyone loves the curl pattern they see when their hair is wet. The best way to lock that curl pattern in is to lightly mist your hair with water before applying the selected product to twist, coil or curl your strands.

Tip #2 – Dryers are Good 

Dryers are great for natural styles. Curly girls love to allow their beautiful natural locks to dry naturally, but styles last longer and frizz is dramatically reduced when you take the time to sit under the dryer or use a diffuser. The sooner you get to the dryer after styling the quicker your frizz free curls are locked into place.

Tip #3 – Make Styles Last

The key to making natural sets and curls last is to take them apart slowly. First, wear the set twists, coils or curls for a couple of days, then separate them in two and wear that for a day. The next day separate the two into four and so on and so on. As you separate the curls, hair gets bigger and frizz increases. If hair gets too big, add a headband as a great style alternative.

Tip #4 – Cutting Curls

Cuts and trims for naturally curly hair can be tricky, and when it is done incorrectly, you have to wait months for your hair to grow back, so you can fix the damage. The biggest mistake you can make is to get your hair cut while it is straight, especially if you prefer to wear it curly most of the time. Many women have various curl patterns throughout their hair which causes hair to shrink or “curl up” at various lengths. To achieve the perfect curly look, cut hair one curl at a time without pulling it straight to get the perfect curl shape every time.

Tip #5 – Home Maintenance

Comfortable sleep is the enemy of beautiful natural styles. By morning hair is flattened, frizzed and dried out, especially if you are sleeping on moisture zapping cotton pillow cases. A satin bonnet, pHusion wrap or satin pillowcases will help hair to maintain its moisture, and hydrated curls and coils are prettier much longer than dry parched curls and coils.

Combine these tips with the Design Essentials Natural products coming soon to a salon near you…

*Courtesy of Design Essentials

At home Facials

Facials not only pamper your skin, they completely relax your mind and body as well. But how many of us can afford going to the spa on a regular basis?  The good news is is that you don't need to!  You can reap all the benefits of a spa facial right at home with an at-home facial.

Difficulty:  Easy

Time Required:  30 minutes or less

Here's How:

1. Get prepared: Gather your supplies so you won't need to go looking for something you need later on, which would completely ruin the mood.  This includes: 2 slices of cucumber or freshly steeped tea bags, turning on relaxing music and clearing a place to relax and lie down when your mask is working.If you have long hair, pull your hair completely back.  Use a headband to hold stray hair and bangs out of your face.
    
2. Cleanse: Clean your face using your basic facial cleanser and warm water.  Use circular motions with your washcloth to get a nice gentle clean.  If you have eye makeup on, gently remove it with eye makeup remover.  Rinse your face clean.
3. Exfoliate: Exfoliation is the key to smooth healthy skin.   Apply a nickle-size dollop of facial exfoliator to your face and gently exfoliate your skin, being careful not to get the exfoliator too close to your eyes. Don't forget to to pay attention your neck and chest, because these areas show skin blemishes and aging just as much as your face does.
   When you're finished exfoliating, rinse face clean.
   
4. Open Pores: My favorite part of a facial is when they apply hot damp towels to my face, leaving only a small opening by my nose to breath.  You can do this easily at home. Have your aromatherapy spritz handy, lie down and grab your damp hot towel. Put the middle of the towel on your chin and wrap the ends up and around your forehead, spreading out the sides to envelope the sides of your face. (Leave a small opening at your nose.) Spritz a couple sprays of aromatherapy spray in the air. You could also put a drop or two of essential oils on your towel for the same effect.
   Relax for a few minutes while your pores open.
   
   
5. Apply Mask: Using a mask best suited for your skin type, apply with your fingers, or if you'd like to mimic the spa, use a paint brush.Make sure you apply a good amount of mask to all areas of your face, neck and chest, but avoid the eyes.
   Most masks need to sit for a good 10 minutes.
   
   
6. Treat your eyes: Lie down in a comfortable spot and place your cucumber slices or tea bags on your eyes. This is a good time to relax to your music and enjoy the moment.If you're lucky enough to have a partner at home, ask if he could give you a hand massage while your mask is working.
   
7. Rinse:  Using a warm wet towel, wipe off your mask making sure you pay special attention the areas around your nose and your hair line, which are easy targets for left-behind mask.
8. Moisturize: The final step is to apply your moisturizer. Feel free to give yourself a slight massage while applying, concentrating on your temples.

Tips:

1. This is a perfect way to spend time with your mate. Take turns so that you can each fully pamper each other.
2. Keep a bucket full of hot water filled with towels so you can always grab a clean steamy hot towel each time.
3. If you don't have an aromatherapy spray, drop a few drops of essential oil into the bucket with water so that you can get the full spa experience.

What You Need:

• Cucumber slices or tea bags for your eyes
• Towels and washcloths
• Facial cleanser
• Facial Exfoliator
• Facial mask
• Facial moisturizer
• A relaxing place to lie down
• Aromatherapy spray (optional)
• Relaxing music (optional)

 

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Healthy Foods that Enhance your Beauty - Part 2

There is no doubt that all of us want to look beautiful, slim and fit.  One has to exercise sufficiently to look good.  But it is important to eat the right kind of diet to look beautiful. There are a number of beauty foods that are healthy and help in enhancing your looks and below are some foods that you can add to your diet if you want to look beautiful.

• Apple Cider Vinegar: This vinegar has a number of healing properties and it makes the skin soft and supple. Apple cider vinegar is concentrated with enzymes and these help peel off dead skin cells. It breaks down fat and helps food digest properly.
• Carrots: Help to maintain the outer layer of the skin to prevent premature aging. It works just like Retin A.
• Cheese: Make a slice or two of hard cheese a part of your diet. Cheese helps to prevent bacteria from growing in the mouth and prevents cavities. Choose between Swiss, cheddar or Gouda.
• Citrus Fruits: These fruits hold the skin cells together by forming collagen. Collagen cannot be added to the skin topically and hence fruits and juices must be made an integral part of your daily diet.
• Cranberries: These berries keep the urinary tract lining healthy.
• Garlic: Helps to combat wrinkles and restores tissues.
• Nonfat Yogurt: Is high is calcium and helps to keep your smile white and your teeth cavity-free.
• Sweet Potatoes: These potatoes are full of vitamin A and vitamin A is known for being an anti-wrinkling agent. The result of eating this vegetable is smoother skin.
• Tomatoes: This vegetable does wonders to your skin. Tomatoes are rich in vitamin A, vitamin C and potassium.
• Wheat Germ: To get rid of pimples efficiently include two or three tablespoons of wheat germ in your diet. You add this to your cereal, yogurt and cottage cheese.

Here are some general tips about a beauty diet:

• Vegetables: you should have three to five servings of vegetables daily. Include one serving of raw, leafy greens.
• Do not have more than three-ounce servings a day. Take off all the fat. Try to include two servings of turkey or chicken and a serving of fish a day is ideal.
• Fruits: Have two to three servings everyday. ½ cup of chopped or sliced fruit is one serving.
• Dairy: Have at least two servings daily. One serving is eight ounces of milk or yogurt.
• Fats: Salad dressing, cooking oil, butter and mayonnaise should be limited to two servings a day.

Men's Skin Care Tips

While many men seem to have the idea that skin care is for women, it is important that men take good care of their skin as well.  There are some men who do like to take care of themselves, and believe it or not, often these are the men that the women are drawn to.

It is definitely not feminine to take good care of your skin; in fact, it is a very sensible undertaking.  Many women are going to be taking a close look at your skin, so you want to be sure that you can give them a great first impression.

So, what can you do to start improving your skin?  Well, there are a variety of great ways that you can work on making you skin healthier and more attractive.

The following are some great ways that you can keep your skin looking great:

Tip #1 - Clean Your Face - One of the most important things you can do to improve your skin is to keep it clean.  This is a very simple tip; however, it is one that many men tend to forget. When you keep your skin, it looks much healthier and more vibrant as well.  Just taking the time to wash your skin twice a day can go a long way towards keeping your skin looking clean and clear.

Tip #2 - Learn About Your Skin Type - Yes, you have a skin type.  If you want to take good care of your skin, you need to know what it is.  You can have normal skin, oily skin, dry skin, or a skin that is a combination.  There are many products designed for oily, dry, and normal skin; however, it can be a bit more difficult to find products for combination skin. Remember, if you use the wrong skin care products, you can make your skin look worse, so be sure to find out what skin type you are.

Tip #3 - Shave Carefully - It is important that you always shave carefully.  You want to avoid getting a shaving rash or any cuts on your face.  If you are in a hurry it is easy to make a mistake, so use some products to help you get a great shave and take the time to do it right. You may want to purchase a good shaving foam or gel that will provide you with a smooth shave, and after you are done use an aftershave that will keep the skin smooth and help avoid any rashes.

Tip #4 - Use a Toner - While you want to keep your face clean, it is also important to tone your face as well.  Using a toner on your face will firm up your skin and it can also reduce the size of your pores too.  Do this every day and your skin will begin to look much healthier.

Tip #5 - Always Moisturize Your Face - It is very important that you keep your face moisturized, which will keep your skin health and soft as well.  Never forget this part of your facial skin care routine.

If you want to take care of your skin, there are a variety of ways that you can do so.  There are many great skin care products especially for men, so there is no reason for you to not take care of your skin.  Pick up a few great skin care products and start working on your skin to get it looking great.

Skin care tips

1.  Exfoliate.  Exfoliate 2 - 3 times weekly.  Gently scrubbing of dead skins helps fresh cells shine through (making the skin more radiant).

2.  Moisturize.  Moisturize regularly.  After showering, slather on moisturizer with hydrating ingredients like shea butter, milk or jojoba oil.  Also look for the antioxidant vitamins A, C and E,which help protect skin from environmental pollutants.  Always apply moisturizer after washing hands.  Dry, indoor air, cold weather and frequent washing can suck the moisture out of the skin on your hands.

3.  Cleanse.  Always remember to wash your face before calling it a day.  Remove any makeup before going to bed to avoid setting the stage for blemishes.  Use cleansers formulated with pore-purging benzol peroxide or salicylic acid.

4.  Hydrate.  Hydrate your skin from inside out.  It is not possible to have good skin if you do not drink enough water.  When you are dehydrated, your skin is one of the first organs to show the dehydration.

5.  Exercise.  Feed your skin with an exercise regiment.  Exercise boosts circulation and keeps oxygen and nutrients flowing to the skin, giving it a fresh, radiant look.

 

Healthy foods that enhance your beauty!

Wild Salmon: An excellent source for omega-3 fatty acids, which reduce skin inflammation preventing redness, wrinkles and loss of firmness.  It is also loaded with antioxidants* and vitamins B and D.

Low-fat Yogurt:  Lots of calcium!  Excellent for strong bones, nails and teeth.  One cup of plain low-fat yogurt has more calcium than a glass of skim milk.

Oysters:  The best source of zinc. Zinc helps build collagen which supports the structure of skin and speeds up the renewal and repair of the skin as well.

Blueberries:  Full of antioxidants and anti-inflammatories that prevent long term cell damage.

Kiwi:  Another good source of antioxidants, kiwis are also a great source of vitamin C and potassium; which aids in the prevention of wrinkles.

Spinach:  This nutrient-dense based leafy vegetable us a great source of beta-carotene and lutein, which protects the eyes.

Tomatoes:  Tomatoes are a major source of lycopene, a potent antioxidant also thought to protect against sunburn.

Dark Chocolate:  Full of antioxidants and nutrients, cocoa (choose chocolate with at least 60 percent cocoa) increases blood flow to the skin, which in turn boosts hydration, smoothness and protection against sunburn.

*Antioxidants are substances that may protect your cells against the effects of free radicals. Free radicals are molecules produced when your body breaks down food, or by environmental exposures like tobacco smoke and radiation. Free radicals can damage cells, and may play a role in heart disease, cancer and other diseases.   

How to apply lipstick - Part 1

Women who wear heavy eye makeup and dark lipstick tend to look clownish.  

If you want to wear red lipstick, try to keep the rest of your makeup light.  If you want to play up your eves, try to keep your mouth light with a gloss or light lip color that does not stand out.

Lip Liner

For "plump" lips, you want to apply lip liner just outside your natural lip line.  Use the lip liner on your lips as a base.  The lipstick will tend to last longer if you fill in your lips with the liner first.  If you are using a light shade of lipstick, you may want to use a nude lip liner, then apply your lipstick over the liner. 

You can apply the lip liner either before or after you apply the lipstick.  Some ladies prefer to apply the liner first making it easier for you to see your natural lip line. Also, don't forget to dab a bit of gloss on your lips for a finishing affect! 

Tips

Remember, defined lips are great, but make sure the lip liner matches the lipstick and or lip gloss.  Dark liner not blended in with the color tends to look tacky.