How to Reduce Frizz

Having smooth, frizz free hair is a blessing. For most of us though we do a lot of damage in our everyday lifestyles. We need to blow-dry, we need to style with our high temperature heating tools and at the end of the day our hair has taken the blunt of it all. All of this can be avoided given  you follow some simple steps. I am not saying that you cannot use your hairstyling tools but just try using them in a different way. Don’t stick to one type of shampoo either, doing so will result in hair that just has no life. It is a good idea to change shampoos at least once a month. I‘m sure you  have seen the products on commercials and in Drug stores where they claim they can help reduce frizz, this is true but there is a technique to it where-as not everyone would know what this technique is.

Anytime you are wanting to reduce the amount of frizz, do so  by adding frizz free lotions or creams right after you are done washing your hair. Your hair must be absolutely soaking wet for almost any of these types of product to work. Removing any water from your hair reduces your chances of becoming “frizz free” So, while your hair is profusely dripping all over your bathroom floor add your preferred  frizz free tonic directly to your hair or use a quarter size dollop in your palms and then run it through with a wide tooth comb.  Using a wide tooth comb reduces frizz by allowing the curls or waves to stay together. When you use a brush or fine toothed comb you separate the curl thus giving the look of frizz once your hair is dry.

If you are needing to blow-dry your hair, try using a diffuser. A diffuser is an attachment you can obtain from most hair salons or Drug stores which attaches to the end of your hair dryer. There are diffusers now that are already attached and come as one. Air is dispersed evenly and in a much calmer fashion than a blow dryer. If you held a diffuser directly to your hair you would see minimal movement. Because of this air being distributed evenly throughout you are helping to improve the look of your hair by keeping your curls or waves together.

Use frizz free shampoo’s and conditioners,  you will find a product that works for you by trial and error or by word of mouth. I suggest buying from a salon because these products have the proper PH balance required to maintain a healthy head of hair.

If you are prone to frizz try to not brush out your hair when it is fully dry this again will separate your curls setting up the frizzies for sure. As mentioned use a pick or wide tooth comb and always start at the bottom and work your way up. Also, deep condition at least once a week using the leave-in 15 min. heat activated kind.

How to Roller Set

First you want to make sure your hair is clean so shampoo and condition then towel dry. Use a setting gel or mousse to hold curl. If you have thin fine hair, I recommend not using a conditioner. Try just a small amount of spray in conditioner (I always emphasize on using products that do not contain alcohol) . Using conditioner on this specific hair type will cause the curl to not hold as long as it should. Also, try to use a thickening type gel or mousse. Your local Drugstore or Hairdresser will be able to help you chose a setting lotion that will work for you.

1. Using a fine toothed comb with a pick like handle (these are called rat tail combs)
2. Take a section on the top front of your head no bigger than the roller itself.
3. Pull this forward as shown is diagram 1 and roll back, keeping tight, loose rolling will result in a loose curl and you will notice this once you are done. Note: Try not to use the velcro type rollers as they don’t stay in place tight enough, and will leave you with loose curls.
4. Pin either side of the roller with a secure type clip.
5. Do this process all over always rolling back. As shown in diagram 2. Always make sure you are stretching the hair and not pulling it. Pulling too hard will result in a line showing once the rollers are removed. It is harder to not get this line on fine thin hair so be sure to never pull, stretch just as far as the hair will go naturally.
6. When you are finished place a hair net (you can even use a plastic bag or nothing at all) over your hair and sit under a dryer until completely dry. Note: if you do not have a dryer and you have a little bit of time on your hands just do your daily duties with the roller set intact and once dry remove rollers.
7. Once rollers are removed brush with a good bristle brush, it is not ideal to use the plastic type bristles.

Once you have brushed your hair out you will notice that you can almost make your hair do anything you want. This is a true benefit of roller setting. Usually your hair will hold this look for as many as 3 days before you will have to wash it again. I have known ladies to be able to leave it as long as a week. They would just come in every Monday or whenever their week was up and get their blow-dry roller set. This, of course depends on hair type, like I have said before, some people are just lucky with the hair they were born with. The average hair type can go 2-3 days without a noticeable shampoo.

Roller setting is quite easy and once you get the hang of it can be done in minutes flat.

Thin hair do’s & dont’s

Having fine thin hair almost seems like a curse. You try all the newest shampoos and conditioners that say they will change your hair into luscious thick locks. Well, after 37 years of trying them all I do believe not one of them made my hair thicker but some did in fact add body and or shine.

Things you should not do with thin fine hair:

• Do not shampoo everyday. Shampoo takes away the natural occurring oils that help in protecting thin fine hair.
• Do not blow dry from soaking wet. This will dry out your hair much quicker and your hair will become extremely damaged. After time it will look as though your hair is actually thinning out.
• Do not brush your hair from the top of your head to the bottom.  This will cause breakage. Breakage happens when you rip through your hair, brushing too quickly. The shorter pieces of hair that are not as long as the others are broken hairs.
• Do not use conditioner after each and every shampoo. This will weigh your hair down.
• Do not deep condition too frequently, your hair will always be limp and lifeless.
• Do not color or perm too frequently, causes extreme damage after time.
• Do not use elastics or barrettes that are too tight on your hair, this causes breakage.
• Do not use the highest heating temperature on hair straighteners, or other heating elements. Causes the hair to actually burn.

Thing you should do with fine thin hair:

• Shampoo every second day or third if you can handle it. Your hair will start to get used the non-shampooing everyday and soon you will be able to leave it for 2 days before your next shampoo. The natural occurring oils that your hair produce help to keep it healthy and shiny for a noticeable difference every time you have your first shampoo style after the 2 day waiting period.
• Blow-dry when your hair is almost dry.  Will keep your hair from becoming too dry and porous (porous is hair that is so dry that it has sucked up all the moisture. So although you may have just washed your hair it will be dry to the touch seconds later.)
• Brush from the bottom of your hair working up slowly and making sure to not rip through.
• Use a spray in conditioner (one that does not contain any alcohol) after at least 3 shampoos. This will prevent your hair from being weighed down from use of regular conditioners on  a daily basis.
• Deep condition once MAYBE twice a month. Use a lightweight but effective deep conditioning. This will help to restore your hair’s natural balance and keep hair shiny and healthy in between hair stylist visits.
• If you are a perm /colour user, make sure that you are doing this every 3 months if not more and getting your 6 week trim after perm. So easy to dry out fine thin hair with perms and or colours. Try to maybe see about getting hair extensions as a replacement to this. They are not as expensive as they used to be and now have clip on ones where you can do them yourself.
• Use loose fitting elastics. Prevents breakage
• Always use the lowest temperature on any heating device. You will know which temperature is best for you after some practice, instead of starting with the hottest temperature and burning your hair.

What you Need to Know Before you buy a Hair Dryer

There are a lot of hair dryers to chose from, so many that in fact it can be hard to chose which one is right for you. Prices range from a few dollars to the hundreds of dollars. How can a blow dryer be so expensive?
Well they can do different things, and are also made to last longer. Some are made for traveling as well. These are usually the ones where the handle will fold in to make it easier to pack with you. A Travel Hair Dryer is a good hair styling tool to have on hand.

Traditional blow dryers have approx. 1500 microns of EMF and some of the more expensive ones ie: ceramic, ionic, tourmaline) contains only 1.5 microns. EMF stands for electric magnetic field and the higher the micron the more damage to the environment. So obviously one who is concerned with the environment would make the wise choice of the lesser micron.

These “Ionic Ceramic Hair Dryers”  state that they are made with genuine tourmaline crystals. They are known to help create the same styles and as easy as a professional hairdresser and give even drying. Tourmaline is infused into the ceramic, which when used help to eliminate frizz and improve shine. These blow dryers can run into the hundreds but if they do what they state they do, what is a one time investment for great hair?  These kind of hairdryers most likely will come with some sort of warranty, therefore it should leave the buyer worry free!

There are ionic ceramic blow dryers that come with higher wattage, this is what usually tends to make the price higher. These will dry your hair in half the time, drying  hair from inside out while at the same time reducing  frizz and static electricity and producing shine. Also known to lock in color, repel humidity and seal the cuticle.

Some come with a cool shot button which when held down will blow cool air instead of hot. There are some that come with diffusers, these are good for root lifting and also for those with curly hair. It disperses heat evenly and lighter therefore producing less frizz in final stage.

The most common mistake I find is that people seem to think that they have to blow dry then use a curling iron. In most cases this is not true. For instance, to blow dry out long layers  I suggest getting a small bristled brush, the kind where the bristles heat up during the blow dry process, and use it like a curling iron. Brush the hair forward scooping up the hair and brushing out twisting the brush in a feathered type motion. Using this method instead of  curling your hair will not only save time but instead of blow-dry then curling will cause less damage in the long run. Using too many heating products on a day to day basis will wear out your hair and you will need a few more trips to the hairdresser than if you don’t.

When choosing one, be sure to get all the information you need, because like I said there are a ton to chose from!

How do I keep my hair straight?

Many women are asking how to get their hair straight and have it stay that way. There are chemical ways to accomplish straightening that after long periods of use can cause considerable damage to the hair. Don’t get me wrong, some people are born with the advantage of strong hair that can be processed, ripped through, tugged on, heat ironed, curled to death, and blow-dried daily with minimal damage, however most of us don’t have this luxury. Many of us have weak hair where after processing of any kind can cause us to one day look in the mirror and want to scream.

For those of you who have the stronger, healthier type hair, I would suggest chemically straightening. A good stylist will be able to help you once looking at your hair and determine if this is for you. If this is not a route you want to take, a professional hair straightener is a great option. Hair straighteners give you the versatility of different heating temperatures as well as having the choice to go curly, wavy and of course, straight. There are hair conditioners and sprays that you can use to protect your hair from the heat elements for the more frequent user.

For the ones with weaker hair, chemically straightening is not preferable. I would choose a good hair straightener along with a good heat styling aid to help protect your hair from heat damage. Look for a hair iron with various heating temperatures and be sure to use a lower heat temperature with fine thin hair. To help maintain straightening results use a straightening product that helps to relax hair and then use the appropriate styling aids that are specially formulated for after hair straightening. Both salons and drugstores give you different options of products to use with straightening your hair.

Using these methods will shape your hair for the next couple days. I have heard many women tell me that after using straightening products before hair straightening, that even after a full night’s sleep their hair would still be straight! Women I talked to who did not use any kind of product before straightening found that even after a few hours of being out that the “flyaway’s” had already started. This was usually women who were out dancing or in a windy environment.

What most of these products will do is activate during the blow-dry process to help relax coarse, curly or wavy hair. Your hair will look smoother, shinier and silky while being protected and conditioned.

For best results use only small sections of the hair, start from the bottom pinning up the rest. I recommend starting all around the bottom from ear to ear. When you are finished section off a small portion again from one side to the other until completely finished. Ensuring your hair is completely dry will do less damage as well.

Hair Thinning Causes and Treatments

Our hair is a good indicator of how healthy we are. We naturally lose approx. 80 to 90 hairs a day so don’t panic everytime you brush your hair or look at the drain after showering.  Grief, stress, thyroid condition, iron deficiency or bad nutrition are all causes of thinning hair. There are of course medical reasons also but I will only talk about the ones we can try to reduce or fix.

I have a friend who has been going through a lot of stress I’d say for about a year now. He woke up one morning to find a bald spot on the back of his head where just the day before hair had been. This bald patch was the size of a small persons palm. He is taking medication now but is still feeling stress and  I haven’t seen any reduction in the size or any new hair growth. Yes, we do sometimes need medication, but I would try a different approach.  I would meditate, yes, meditate in that situation.  My definition of meditating would be a quiet 10-15 minutes where I relax and think over and over to myself things I am grateful for. Everytime my mind wanders to the more stressful side I start over.

I read somewhere that when you do not get enough sleep, your hair will start to lose its umph! Even when you can’t sleep, resting your body and closing your eyes is sometimes all your body needs.

If you work in an industry where you are using chemicals, any kind, always wear something over your hair if hair thinning is a concern or problem for you. I used to work cleaning kitchen exhausts and we used rather harsh chemicals and my skin and hair never looked so bad, even my nails were weak and marked.  If you eat a lot of junk food, or too much fried food…the toxins have to come out somewhere, and usually that is your pores.  Same with drinking too much alcohol, this will affect your hair no matter what hair products you use. Obviously over drinking affects your skin too.

This is something I just recently saw: Twin girls, who believed in drinking copius amounts of water because it is what kept their skin so clear and their hair healthy, were asked to be part of a study on drinking water. One of the girls quit drinking water for 1 month, the other kept her regiment. They were sent in for tests at the end of the study to determine the difference in their skin and hair, there wasn’t one. Not a single one. The girls mind you did eat healthier than the average person and I believe this would have an affect on not changing their hair or skin but I know that if I drink water my skin and hair are looking better than when I don’t.

Generally the first test a doctor or specialist is likely to carry out on a patient who is experiencing hair loss is a thryroid function test. Two types of thyroid problems can occur and either of these problems can result in hair loss.  These are Hypo and Hyperthyroidism, to find out more about these conditions try googling them.

“Not every study shows a link between iron deficiency and hair loss,” says one Dr., “but from our clinic’s experience, it is clear to me that if you replenish hair-loss patients’ iron stores with iron supplements, they are more likely to regrow hair, or at least stop hair shedding.”

So, the main things are eat right, rest well, check your iron and wear something protective if needed. Till next time, Good Luck!

niki

Get This Look using a Hairstraightener

A Chignon sits lower on the head than a basic bun so be sure to focus on the nape of your neck as you style.

1. Towel-dry your hair and apply a loonie-sixed dollop of mousse evenly throughout to add texture and volume.
2. Blow-dry with a round brush to add bounce and then set with hot rollers or a curling iron. Concentrate curls on the bottom half of your hair,-keep the roots and crown smooth and use a hair straightener for your bang area.
3. Let hair cool and professional hair brush to bring out the shine.
4. Secure hair in a low ponytail at the nape of the neck, swept off to one side. Leave a one-inch-wide piece stray and wrap it around the hair elastic to conceal it. Secure with a bobby pin.
5. To add more texture, backcomb the ponytail. Don’t be afraid of your bun being too messy, this will be the beauty of it-it doesn’t have to look perfect.
6. Pin the hair under in small sections to create the chignon. Don’t go crazy with the hairspray. Instead, make sure it will stay put by anchoring the base with enough bobby pins.

Till Next time Good Luck,

Niki

Top 3 Celebrity Hairstyles You Want!

It’s called the “bed head”, Jennifer Aniston, Kate Moss and Gisele are wearing it. The messy but sexy tousled hair, has to be past the shoulders to be effective though. For this look, blow dry upside down, use a hair straightener on only some of it and use it quickly, just sliding down any section here and there. Then use a large barreled curling iron and curl some of the sections you left out hair straightening. Use it fast and not in any kind of order.

The bob: Katie Holmes, Patricia Arquette and Victoria Beckham are all sporting them. A fresh cut is the fastest way to healthier hair! The look is easy to get with a light blow-dry and a hair straightener, you can either straighten the bob flat or flip sides up or in.

Then there’s the French cut bangs. Get your hair styled any way you like and let your stylist go heavy on your bangs. Leave them long enough and you can sweep them back when you feel they are too heavy in hot weather. Use a straightener for the bangs, or the whole head of hair. Or blow dry upside down for a slight scrunchy curl, still hair straightening the bangs.

Till next time, Good Luck,

Niki

Invention of Scissors

It is most likely that the scissors were invented in 1500 BC in ancient Egypt. These were shears with the joint at the far end, cross bladed scissors were invented by the Romans around 100 AD.

Ancient 2nd Century scissors

Scissors from Chinese Tang Era 618-907 AD

In 1761 Robert Hinchcliffe produced the first pair of modern day scissors made of hardened polish and cast steel. He was reputed to be the first person to put out a sign proclaiming himself to be a fine scissor manufacturer.

An ironworks was started in 1649 in the hamlet “Fiskars” between Helsinki and Turku.  In 1830 a new owner started a cutlery works in Finland making hairdressing scissors with the trademark “Fiskars”. Fiskars Corporation introduced new methods of manufacturing scissors in 1967.

Fiskar scissors 1967.

Most hair scissors are best suited to use with the right hand, but left-handed scissors are designed for use by the left. Left-handed scissors have handles which are comfortable to hold in the left hand.

Till Next time Good Luck,

Niki

Aging Hair

Not like we don’t have to worry enough already about our aging skin, we now have anti-aging shampoos and conditioners? Seems lately I find myself writing a lot about aging and your skin and hair, but these are the two most worrisome factors when aging. I asked women what they wanted to know about most and this is what they said,”Tell me how to get my hair and skin back!”

Well, heaven knows I would love to, believe me. I am not taking to kindly to the thought of turning…well, the age that I will be turning soon! And yes, if I had an abundance of money you can bet your last dollar I would spend some, lots, okay, a substantial amount on some “younger” looking methods, ie: face lift? maybe a little nip & tuck, just pull everything up. Don’t get me wrong, I am most of the time happy with my appearance but my mother was right, time goes by way too fast.

With all the styling we do, hair straightening, chemical treatments, and such just to look beautiful all day it’s no wonder we have time to eat and sleep. Did you know that after 30 most women’s hair will start to thin out? I almost cried when I heard this, I mean I only have a few strands left, am I going to be nearing the age of 80 taking the local bus down to my hairstylist only to find out she doesn’t have my color in hair extensions? Trust me this is a scary thought for our fine & thin haired people out there.

Well, as already discussed in the last blog post, vitamins and all the other suggestions made for hair and skin are essential to the health of our hair. But, did you know that you can now purchase Age Defying shampoo and Younger Looking conditioner? This is a tremendous break through!

Dr. Reed, a New York City Dermatologist says “Chemically treat your hair as infrequently as possible, and avoid anything that pulls on hair, such as tight rollers, ponytails, weaves, and braids. “Not only can they cause breakage, but they can destroy your roots permanently, rendering them unable to produce hair,”

Hair Extensions are a great way to add volume and length. clip-in hair extensions are a good way to add it when you want and avoid the above mentioned damage. Hair weaving is different than hair extensions, hair extensions are done in a much less hurtful, damaging way. (depending on the stylist and method she uses!)

Take 5,000 micrograms of biotin (a B vitamin) daily and use protein-laced styling products. As your hair thins, it gets weaker and less able to support its own weight, leading to breakage and loss. Protein fortifies the hair shaft. It can actually stick itself into hair and pull splitting sections together. Isn’t that amazing? Your split ends can be brought back together by protein!

For use in our forever aging hair I suggest using Nexxus Y Serum Younger Looking Hair shampoo and conditioner or Nature’s Gate Stayin’ Alive Anti-aging shampoo and conditioner.

Y Serum younger looking hair system transforms aged, abused hair into youthful, radiant, and healthy hair… reversing the multiple signs of aging in just days. This revolutionary, 3-step program delivers abundant doses of youth-enhancing ingredients at each stage of the daily hair care regimen.

Y Serum Shampoo gets rid of impurities without disturbing hair’s delicate structure. This mild and nurturing formulation bathes hair in rare and anti-aging ingredients.

Y Serum Conditioner formulation reverses the signs of aging hair, transforming mature, coarse, dull, and brittle hair into youthful, radiant, silky soft, and healthier hair. You are looking to spend about      $60.00 for the package of 3 or get it cheaper online.

Natures Gate- Stayin’ Alive Anti-Aging Shampoo Gently cleanses hair while helping protect against environmental damage, the effects of UV radiation and the stress of daily blow drying and styling.
Hair looks and feels revived and young! Retail $ 14.99, but I found it for just over $ 10.00 on line. Price is same for conditioner.

Natures Gate-Conditioner: Help hair look younger, feel softer and rejuvenated! This conditioner gives hair a new lease on life, without weighing it down. Infused with certified organic botanicals and a proprietary blend of proteins, its never too early to start an anti-aging program for your tresses.

I am going to try the Nexxus line and am quite excited about starting the Vegetal Silica/Nexxus hair plan. I hope you will join me and in three months from now I’d like to hear all comments, see photos and have a final blog on the use of the Nexxus product or the Nature’s Gate along with the Vegetal Silica/Horsetail plan.  We can see and share final results if enough of us do this together. Till next time, Good Luck,

Niki

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