Hair For You

Are you always struggling to achieve that voluminous hair style you desire? Does your hair always fall flat after a couple hours? We have all experienced the disappoint of styling our hair only to have it lose its volume in a matter of hours.

Here are some simple tips from the April 2008 issue of Ladies Home Journal for achieving a fuller everyday style:

Towel drying is your friend: Once out of the shower, scrunch hair at the root with your towel instead of smoothing it down and away from the head.

Blow it bigger: Use volumizer and spray it on the roots. Bend your head down and direct the air towards the scalp and not the ends.

Hotter is not better: Use the low and medium settings on your blow dryer. Hair dries and deflates when very hot air is used. It may dry your hair faster but it is doing more damage.

Don’t spray down – Spray up: If you hair needs hold, lift hair away from the scalp and mist lightly aerosol spray on to it from underneath. This pushes the hair up and out and does not create a helmet-like shell that flattens the hair.

Give your brush a break: Do not brush after blow drying because it pushes the hair down. An alternative is using your fingers to lift, arrange and fluff your hair.

Be mindful of your part: If you part your hair make sure the part is short and just a couple inches long. If you do this you can push the hair on your crown around so there is volume where you need it. Another good way to increase volume with a part is to flip your part to the opposite side during the day and this will give you some added volume because it bends the hair in a new direction.

Don’t be afraid to fake it: With so many new and high quality pieces out there don’t be afraid of partial hair peices. Pieces like ponytails, falls and  clip in extensions make your hair more voluminous instantly. If using clip in extensions clip them right above the thin areas and use your fingers to fluff them into your real hair.

Everyone has heard their Hair Stylist stress the importance of quality hair care products and many people don’t adhere to their advice. In this current economy sometimes beauty products suffer and cheaper products just have to do. Finding quality hair care products are vital to the health of your hair. Keeping it healthy and shiny does take work and proper care. Here is a list of some ingredients to look for when shopping for the best products for you from New Beauty:

IMETHICONE
There are different types of silicone-derived dimethicones, and almost all are emollient-rich and leave hair feeling silky and soft by coating the hair shaft.

SULFATES
Two of the most common sulfates, sodium lauryl sulfate and sodium laureth sulfate, allow shampoos to lather and conditioners to spread. Keep in mind, some experts believe sulfates and surfactants can fade your color. They come in different quality grades and are either chemically engineered or naturally derived, which can determine if they’re damaging or non-damaging. Sulfate-free shampoos are an alternative, as are those with natural sulfates, but they may not foam as well as other shampoos

SURFACTANTS
Surfactants allow for oil to be washed away from the hair and scalp, but they can possibly dehydrate them as well.

What are some of your favorite hair care products? How do you keep your healthy? What is your hair care beauty regimen?

Everyone loves to talk about celebrity hair and everyone loves to comment on their favorite celebrities new hair styles. You might have noticed that some of your favorite actresses have long flowing locks one day and then a cute short bob the next. This phenomena is what some like to call the Faux Bob. This short do is great for the everyday women when she feels like spicing up her look and a great addition to your Halloween costume.

Here are some easy steps from Bella Sugar for achieving this quick transformation:

• “STEP 1: Pull hair back into a low ponytail with a hair tie that blends in with the color of your hair. (Goody makes some inexpensive ones.)
• STEP 2: Tuck the ponytail under and secure it with bobby pins to hold your hair firmly in place.
• STEP 3: Next, pull a generous amount of hair from the tops and the sides to create the illusion that your hair is down.
• STEP 4: Lastly, curl the loose hairs with a curling iron so they shorten and look more voluminous. Mist your entire head with hairspray and then loosely pin back any extra long hairs to create an overall shorter appearance!”

Don’t be afraid to experiment with new looks! This is a great way to find out if you want that short bob or a great alternative to getting that short do.

Photo: InStyle Weddings