Dry Shampoo Basics

Think of those mornings when you hit the snooze button a few too many times, and you wake up with barely enough time to pull on some clothes and rush out the door to the office. Thanks perhaps to some perverse joke being played by the goddess of coiffures, those frantic occasions also tend to coincide with your worst cases of bed head. When the-sebaceous glands attached to your hair follicles have unleashed an oil slick worthy of the Exxon Valdez. Your 100,000 to 120,000 or so of hairs weighted down with that oil—which is really a combination of accumulated cell debris, chemical components of sweat and various tiny pieces of dirt picked up from the air- are protruding every which way, creating a look reminiscent of the lead character in the Calvin & Hobbes comic strip. Of course you don’t have time to shampoo and rinse your rebellious locks in the shower, and then dry and reshape them.

Well, don’t go to pieces. Hair care technology has an ingenious solution for you: dry shampoo, a water-free way to freshen and restyle your hair when you don’t have time for a leisurely scrub. Just sprinkle or spray the preparation on your hair, wait a few moments for it to absorb the oil, and other gunk then brush or blot it out. Dry shampoo enthusiasts, of whom there seem to be a growing number, insist that some of their favorite designer brands will give your hair a shiny, bouncy volume that’s nearly as good as what a stint under the shower nozzle would accomplish. Beyond that, the latest pearl of wisdom from hair care gurus, is that a daily wash-and-rinse with a detergent shampoo may strip away too much natural oil from your hair. Follicular fashionistas are reverting to the once-a-week hair-washing regimen of decades ago, when stylish dames went to the salon. Between salon visits, shampoos are enough to keep you looking good, according to proponents.

We would say try it. It does help, and there is nothing wrong with letting your hair stay un-washed for a couple days.

Three Totally Different, Super Sexy Weekend Hairstyles

Getting bored of your  go-to hair looks already this winter?Thankfully, these three celebs were out this weekend showing off some totally covetable styles to inspire you to switch things up a bit.

Camilla Belle wore a totally twisted up-do that we can’t take our eyes off of. Since it’s meant to look messy, you can easily recreate it by twisting up different sections with pins.

The always-adorable Carey Mulligan rocked a teased-on-top hair bump that, as she proves, looks hot on any hair length.

Odette Yustman shows us that super shiny soft waves are always a sexy choice for a night out. Copy her deep side part for extra drama.

Which look was your favorite?

How Hot Should Water Be to Clean Hair?

Use Hot Water For A Deep Cleaning

• Hot water breaks up oil and product build-up on hair

  Using hot water--as hot as is comfortable--will open pores and break up oils near the scalp. The warmer the water, the more oils will break down and be carried away with a rinse. If the hair has extra product or oil on it, hotter water may be the best choice for a thorough cleaning.

Too Much Hot Water Can Be Harmful

• The ends of long hair need protection from heat

  Using hot water on a regular basis is generally not recommended. If too much of the natural oil is stripped away, then the skin of the scalp could become dry. Also, too much heat--whether from hot water, hot curlers or hair dryers--will eventually cause damage to the individual hairs, causing breaks and split ends. This is a greater concern for those with long hair that is not trimmed as often.

Bottom Line

• The temperature used at most salons for shampooing is lukewarm to warm. For everyday washing--or every other day, as some recommend for preserving natural oils--warm water allows much of the dirt and oils to be carried away, without adding enough heat to dry out the scalp or damage the hair. For extra shine, follow with a cool-water rinse to "lock in" moisture from conditioner and close up hair follicles on the scalp.

Source: Ehow Style

What is Hair?

Hair forms part of the integumentry system of the body, consisting of hair, skin, nails and sweat and oil glands that act as a barrier to protect the body from the outside world.

Humans are covered all over in hair, except on the palms of the hands, the soles of the feet, and the lips. Hair is most obvious on the head and face (including the nose and ears in some people), the armpits, the groin, legs and in men, the chest.

Humans have much less visible hair than do other primates like apes and monkeys. Surprisingly, however, a square centimetre of human skin carries a greater number of hair-producing sites (called follices) than the same area of the skin of other primates. We have lost the requirement for insulating our bodies, and presumably the hair which animals need for this.

Hair is a remarkably tough material. It can stand up to considerable abuse, but over time this can wreak havoc with its natural properties. In particular, its porosity can be badly affected, so that it breaks easily and cannot be styled satisfactorily.

Hair is Tough But....

On the other hand, we can recognize hair that is in good condition. It shines, it is easy to manage - it just looks good. Even though the hair shaft is technically 'dead', in that its cells are no longer dividing, we may describe it as 'healthy'. So why can its properties change so much that the hair loses this 'healthy' appearance?

Sometimes this may be due to a medical condition such as poor nutrition: starvation or anaemia due to a lack of protein in the diet can damage the hair. In famine conditions, some people's hair changes as it grows from black to gingery-red if they cannot get enough protein.

We have seen that in older people hair may not be able to grow as long as it used to, and may become thinner and lose its pigmentation. It might be thought to be less healthy. But it can still maintain its structure, and indeed many elderly people have beautiful hair.

Probably the most obvious aspect of healthy hair is its shine - its ability to reflect light. This property depends mainly on the cuticle of the hair shaft, and how intact it is.

The appearance of the hair is the one feature of the body over which humans, unlike other primates, can have direct control. You can change the length, shape, color and style of your hair (including, for men, facial hair) according to the age you wish to appear, and the economic and social status you want to claim.

The style, length and condition of hair all play a part in how we perceive the people we meet.

Hair care - Preventing damage

Hair is 'dead', and we cannot permanently repair any damage that happens to it. You only get one chance with your hair! This is why it is so important to treat your hair properly, so as to prevent damage. Adopt a good hair care routine.


If you are to get the best possible results from your hair care routine, you need to choose the correct shampoo and conditioner for your hair. These products should contain natural ingredients.

How Switching Hair Styles Can Boost Self Esteem

If you’re like most women then you probably like to improve your look with a variety of hair styles. Hairstyles not only improve your look, but can also boost your self-esteem. If you’ve been feeling down in the dumps lately and feel like your confidence is at an all-time low, the best thing you can do might just be to head to your favorite salon.

The Importance of Hair Style

If you want to enhance your physical appearance, then there is no doubt that your hair style is one of the factors that you should consider. In fact, if you flip through beauty magazines or watch entertainment programs, you will see how much emphasis the media puts on the ever-changing hair styles of celebrities. To look your most attractive, it is simply not enough to have the right outfit, makeup or accessories. Your hair style is one of the things that people will notice about you, so it’s important that you work on it.

The importance of a good hair style goes beyond improving your appearance. Your hairstyle can also affect the way other people perceive you. For instance, if you regularly go to work with disheveled and unkempt hair, then you will give off the impression that you’re someone who does not prioritize grooming or even hygiene. Your hair style also plays a big role in your level of confidence. Try to remember the last time you had a bad hair day. Didn’t you spend the day feeling self conscious and uncomfortable?

Choosing the Best Hair Style

Now that you know how important hair styles are, it’s time to determine which one will help you look your best. It’s not enough to tell your stylist that you want to look beautiful. It’s important that you know what you want to achieve with your new hair style. The more specific you are, the more your stylist will be able to give you the best look. Before heading down to the salon, determine first what hair style will look best on you.

Know Your Face Shape

Tie your hair back and stand in front of a mirror. Now begin examining your face to find out what your face shape is. Your face shape is the biggest factor to consider when choosing a new hair style. If your face has the ideal oval shape, then you are one of the lucky ones who can try any hair style. If you have a long face then you can balance it with shoulder-length hair styles. If you prefer longer styles, get one with plenty of layers. If you have a full and round face, then your hair style should extend below your chin. Layers around your cheeks can also make your face look slimmer. Try to avoid chin-length cuts and bangs, because these can make your face look fuller. If you have a square-shaped face then your goal should be to soften it. You can do so by choosing hairstyles with waves and curls. When going for a layered look, keep the layers within the same length as your jawline. Shoulder-length hair with layers below the chin looks best if you have a heart-shaped face.

Cute & Easy Summer Hairstyle

Perky Ponytail
Upgrade your ponytail by giving your roots a lift and the base a boost, suggests NYC hairstylist Noah Hatton, who created these looks. Here's how:

Starting with dry locks, section off the top middle 2 inches, then put the rest of your strands in a high ponytail. Hatton likes to use a bungee elastic, which is a stretchy cord with a hook at each end. "It will make the base of your ponytail stick out," he reveals.

Now tease the loose top section, finger-rake it back, and gently wrap a clear elastic around it and the ponytail.

Spritz the tail with texturizer for a tousled look. Try Bumble and Bumble Does It All Styling Spray, $21. Top: Jean Paul Gaultier.

Keep your Hair Hot in Summer

It is an open secret that in summer our hair is sorely in need of special summer hair care. Among the main summer hair threats are high summer temperatures, sea water and UV-rays. Head overheating causes hair follicle overheating that can’t but lead to hair weakening. Sea water mixed with direct UV-rays makes a terribly harmful cocktail for our hair that causes hair splitting and extreme dryness. Just follow our summer hair care tips and avoid all those ‘hair risks’.

• The most important thing about summer hair care is that in hot summertime you are to opt for various moisturising shampoos and conditioners, as well as hair care remedies containing SPF. Also invest in sun-resisting sprays such as Victoria’s Secret’s Color Protect UV Shield Spray that would help to protect your hair against harmful UV-rays.

• Don’t forget of deep moisturising. Once a week make a moisturising hair mask.

• There is a lot of harmful dirt that sea water contains and your usual daily shampoo couldn't manage to clean your hair properly. That’s why we strongly recommend you to use high-alkaline shampoos once per month to provide your hair with a proper cleansing. But don’t forget to apply a hair mask after using this high PH-level shampoo.

• It is better to reject (as far as possible) using hair tools such as hairdryer, hair strengthener and curler as well as perm and hair dying.

• Besides, try to avoid using hair gels and oils prior to going out in direct sunlight. The sun can cause these hair products to heat up, and put your hair at greater risk for drying.

Source: www.ourvanity.com

Stars are flipping for the latest style in hair, a deep side part that's casual and adaptable

Celebrities and the cool girls who want to look like them are sporting a new, but familiar, look in hair -- the deep side part.

A part that’s an inch or two farther to the side may seem insignificant, but the way in which celebs such as Jessica Alba, Blake Lively and Kristen Stewart are doing it certainly makes a statement that’s casual, flirty and reminiscent of a 1980s Valley girl.

Alba in particular has been wearing a deep side part with a starting point that sometimes looks to be near her ear. The part gives the hair that’s flipped over to the other side of her head some volume and a wave that appears to be waiting to get teased, curled and sprayed as was in vogue through the early ’90s.

Lively and Stewart are also eschewing the typical middle-parted, L.A. boho hair and are going for something edgier in Stewart’s case, and evocative of Veronica Lake in Lively’s version.

"They’re giving us a retro glamour that’s less formal than finger waves," says celebrity hairstylist Scott Cunha, who styles Nicole Richie and Lucy Hale. "The part is deep to the side but the rest is loose, wavy and a little undone."

He recommends using the arch of the eyebrow as a good marker of where to start a deep side part. "You don’t want it over as far your ear," Cunha says. Use a comb to make a clean part and rub a little volumizing mousse through the hair to give it some wave and body. Otherwise a deep side part plus flat hair will leave you looking like a trendy drowned rat.

Lively’s hair with its deep side part always manages to look lovely and elegant. Her long, strawberry blond locks are generally parted deeply at one side, so that about two-thirds of it cascades down the side for a modern-day, more laid-back version of Lake’s famous ’do.

On the other end of the spectrum, Stewart’s take on the trend is edgy and definitely a little rock ’n’ roll. She showed up to the recent MTV Movie Awards with a deep side part and tons of body in her hair. "I loved her look at the MTV Movie Awards," Cunha says. "She really got the whole thing right."

Source: Los Angeles Times

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