Hair Styling Tools

So many of us find ourself in a daily routine and we suddenly wake up one morning and look at ourself in the mirror and ask the question, “What happened to my hair?”  As if it happened overnight, we take notice that our hair just doesn’t have the shine and simply lacks the luster it once had.

It sounds like its time to rejuvenate the hair.  There are many products that one can buy to try out at home.  However, in order to apply the appropriate treatments, it will depend on exactly what is wrong with the hair.  What if it is dry and damaged?   The hair specialists will tell you that it is time to saturate your hair in a deeply hydrating treatment. 

 I mentioned rejuvenating your hair.  How does one do that?  If it is the look and feel of the hair that needs addressing then there are those who recommend a simple Vitamin E treatment.  You can put it on your dry hair at night by working it through and leaving it in until morning when you will shampoo it out.

What if your hair is dull?  Usually dull means that you have a lot of buildup in your hair from using styling and haircare products.  Find a clarifying shampoo to use to take care of this.   Usually using this shampoo once every couple of weeks takes care of the problem.  Please remember, however, some clarifying formulas can be too much for color treated hair so be sure to read the directions before purchasing this special shampoo.   

My hair used to be shiny, but not anymore.  If you need a boost of shine, typically a hair gloss or hair glaze will take care of this problem.  These products will actually coat your hair and give it the shine that you so desperately want.  Some of these products will last four to six weeks.

Lastly, when I was in the salon for my last appointment, my hair stylist rinsed my hair at the end with cold water.  She didn’t tell me first so naturally I was somewhat surprised.  The funny thing about this is that when I was a child my mother used to do the same thing after she would wash my hair.  I had that memory tucked way back and it resurfaced when my stylist told me she read something about a cold rinse can help make the color and shine of your hair really stand out.

The obvious answer to what is the alternative to a wet shampoo, is a dry shampoo.  Are you serious?  Do they still make this stuff and if so does it really work?

Yes, there are several dry shampoos in the marketplace and they range in prices from about $7.00 to $20.00.  What is the difference in the price ranges?  Different brands charge different amounts.  Will you accomplish the same thing whether you are using the $7.00 variety or the $20.00 variety?  Yes, both perform the same function and why pay more when you can get it for less.

For those of you who have never used a dry shampoo, you really should have a can on hand.  This baby powder in hair spray form will get you through those mornings when you have either overslept, or for whatever reason you just don’t have time to shampoo  your hair.  Even if you are on time and your hair is looking just slightly oily, a spray of the dry shampoo will help absorb the oil but also add texture to your hair.  If you are also looking for a slight lift at the roots, this will do the trick as well.

So it’s Saturday morning and you have just got out of bed and you look in the mirror at that bedhead hair.  You are just not up for washing, styling, etc.,  plus you are going out for the evening.  So what  is the alternative?  Your hair is long enough to put up so that will work for the daytime, but what about the evening?

When you put your hair up, create a French Twist by securing your hair in a low ponytail.  Next twirl the ponytail up and use some bobbie pins to keep it up.  Look through your haircare products .   Spray your hair with a regular hair spray (not a maximum hold) and you are good to go for whatever you have planned during the day.

Ok, it’s time to get ready to go out for the evening and you want your hair to be down and look nice but not overdone.  Simply take the pins out of your hair and release the ponytail.  Turn your head over and shake out your hair.  The result should be some nice loose looking waves that give you that chic disheveled look.  Spray you hair lightly and your done!

When most people hear the words “salon style,” they immediately assume that the products will carry an exorbitant price tag. These products will definitely be of a high quality, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they have to be expensive. Thanks to the internet and increased competition in the beauty products industry, prices on these premium products can be reasonable.

The other day I was searching for salon style hairdryers online, and I came across a site that had dozens of models. When I found the one that I liked, I was a little scared to look at the price. Much to my surprise however, it was well within my budget and I was even able to pickup a few other goodies as well.

Ever since hair straightening hair has become popular, there has still been this overall concern that your hair is going to be damaged by this process.  If you are not taking precautionary measures, this could very well be a true statement. 

Naturally, those of us with curly hair have been in lust for our hair straighteners, and probably do it more than we should.   According to the experts, if you take into consideration the following recommendations, your hair should maintain a healthy looking appearance.

1)  Do not straighten your hair more than twice a week.

2)  At a minimum use a flat iron that has ceramic plates.

3)  Keep the flat iron moving while straightening your hair.  Don’t hold the straightener in one spot.

4)  Consider switching from chemical straighteners to a keratin treatment.

5)  Do not have your hair treated with the “Brazilian” keratin treatment if it contains formaldehyde.  Don’t get dooped by a stylist telling you that his/her keratin product will actually straighten your hair for weeks at a time.

6)  Apply a protective hair care product prior to using your flat iron to straighten your hair.

7)  Do get your hair trimmed at least once a month.

Have you ever sat back and taken the time to think about what you are grateful for?  You are probably wondering what relevance  this question has to an article relating to hair styling tools.  Well the answer is plain and simple.  At this particular moment in time, I am grateful for hot rollers.  Let me tell you why.

I keep my small five piece set of hot rollers at the far right hand end of my vanity where there is an outlet,  and I keep them plugged in and ready to go.  They are my life savers.  More often than I really like to admit,  I  run late on the mornings that I have to shampoo my hair before going to work.  As luck would have it,  there are usually one or two sections of hair that just won’t cooperate (as if it’s the hair’s fault – lol).   How do I solve the problem?  I turn on my hot rollers and while waiting for them to heat, I start my makeup process.  Only a minute or so into the application of  my makeup,  the rollers are hot and I insert them into my problem areas and continue applying my makeup.  By the time I’m done with my makeup, I take out the hot rollers and then I finish my hair.  It works every time.   Who would have thought that something as simple as a set of hot rollers could make my day!!!

Obviously, if  you are reading this article, you were not fortunate enough to have been blessed with thick hair.  While this may not have always been the case for many of you, your once-thick hair is now starting to thin and you are looking for interim measures to give your hair the appearance of  being thick again, while you figure out what exactly happened.  So, believe it or not, there are ways to achieve thicker-looking hair.

1)  Wash your hair with a volumizing shampoo.  Condition your hair with a formula designed for fine hair.  Only apply the conditioner to the hair strands starting at your ears and working it down to the ends of your hair.  Towel dry your hair.

2)  Massage mousse or a volumizing spray throughout your damp hair, followed by spritzing a heat-protectant spray all over your hair, except for the roots.  Using a detangling comb, start at the ends of your hair and work your way up.

3)  Blow dry your hair with your head flipped over and without the concentrator.  Use only the medium setting on the dryer while using a vent brush to aid in the drying.  Just before your hair is completely dry, stand up and finish the drying process with a medium-size boar bristle round styling brush for medium and longer length hair.

4)  Select the cool setting on your hair dryer and lift your hair with your fingers.  Point the dryer at your roots for several seconds.  Continue this drying  process as you move around the remainder of your hair.

5)  On a regular basis (at least once a week), apply a hot-oil treatment to your hair by starting just below the roots on down to the ends.   

Give these 5 easy steps a try and if you aren’t happy with the results the first time, give it a second try.   What is easy for some isn’t necessarily easy for others.   It  took several times for me to get the hang of this process but it eventually worked.  Patience can sometimes be a virtue.

The expression “the grass is always greener…” applies to more than just your neighbor’s lawn. Most of us are perpetually unsatisfied with what we have, and our appearance is no different. In American culture, we prize bronzed skin, while people in India bleach their skin to appear whiter.

Many women follow the same trend when it comes to their hair. Those with straight hair use a curling iron to give their hair “body” or “personality.” While those with naturally curly hair, on the other hand, often complain about the unruliness of their locks.

Yes, sun exposure can be harmful to your health but why do so many of us continually want to soak up the sun?  Well for starters, most of us think that a tan or extra color to our skin makes us look better, more attractive, and we don’t have that washed out look.   How many blondes or fair-haired individuals shy away from wearing pastels simply because it makes our skin tones look even paler?

There are alternatives to having that healthy look of having color and it all boils down to applying just the right makeup that can give you that natural-looking glow.  So, what does every woman need to be able to achieve this affect?  The first step is to select a bronzer that is the right shade for their skin tones.  Next, you will need the right makeup brush to achieve the proper application of the bronzer.  According to makeup artist Mally Roncal (artist for Jennifer Lopez and Mariah Carey), you need to be very careful to not select a bronzer that is too dark for your skin as well as don’t blend a bronzer all over your face.  Ms. Roncal says “Pick a shade that’ golden–not brown–on your skin, and wear it with a rosy blush for a more realistic finish.”  Ms. Roncal goes on to say that “Another common mistake is applying most of the bronzer on your cheeks.  The darkest color should be on the perimeter of your face, so start by brushing the color there.”

Step 1:  Look for a bronzer that is slightly yellow in color.  If you are fair skinned you need to pick the lightest shade in what is available in that range.  If you have medium toned skin then go middle of the road.  If you are dark skinned the deepest shade is probably the one you should select.  The important thing for everyone is to try the shade out by applying it to your jawline.  If it looks golden then it is the right shade.

Step 2:  Before applying bronzer you will apply whatever foundation you typically use.  If you use concealer apply that as well.  For those of us who have oily skin, we should dust some translucent powder on our shiny areas so that the bronzer won’t look too dark in those particular areas.

Step 3:  This step is where you want to use a good powder brush.  I like the Spornette Marche Powder Foundation Bronzer makeup brush.  Take the bronzer brush and dip it into the bronzer and tap off any excess.  With small circular motions dust your jawline and hairline.  Take the brush and dip it in the bronzer again and retap off any excess.  This time sweep the brush on your cheekbones, the chin, the bridge of your nose, and your forehead.

Step 4:  There should be some residual bronzer left on your brush.  Take the brush and dust all over your neck.  Then tap the brush to get rid of any powder that remains on the brush.  Now you will repeat going back over all of the bronzed areas by swirling the bronzer brush over any visible edges of color so that they will blend right into your skin.

Step 5:  The finishing touch will be to apply a rosy looking powder blush on the apples of your cheeks.  This application helps to keep the bronzer from looking dull or flat.  

When you go to apply the rest of your makeup, be sure that you don’t overdo it.  Try to be subtle by using a brown eyeliner, a bronze eye shadow, and either a sheer nude or light pink lipstick.  Now that you have applied all of the steps, you will see that your natural look is much more realistic looking and that’s what we all want.

Yes, it’s that time of the year when the Academy Awards Oscar show is televised.  For all of us movie buffs and lovers of fashion, you will be finding us glued to our seats for fear of missing something (except for those of us who have a recording system where we can fast forward, and replay to our heart’s content).

What exactly is so intriguing about the Oscars?  For me it is mostly to see what clothing is being worn, but especially to see the hair styles and makeup.  I generally focus on the Red Carpet show that is on right before the Academy Awards because that is where you can really get that close-up look. 

Focusing in on the actors hairstyles, I did a little research and found that Maria Valdivia, a long time professional hair stylist for the Oscars and many celebrities, favors this one particular styling brush that is made by Spornette.  Have you heard of the Little Wonder?  The Little Wonder is this fantastic little brush that does wonderful things with your hair, thus the name Little Wonder.

How can a little brush be so highly rated?  Well here is what Maria Valdivia has to say about the Little Wonder, ” I love that all that gets lifted is the hair that you want. I love that it has the 3 rows of bristles – with space in between them for air and exact styling and this brush allows that, too. I use it for lifting. I love that pick end! I call the Little Wonder ‘my perfect backstage brush’. I carry so many things to jobs, it is easy to pack and perfect for short and long hair. I use it on male and female stars!”

The elevated tourmaline enhanced nylon bristles penetrate any hair texture while emitting negative ions for hair conditioning.  Adjacent rows of pure boar bristle easily pick up hair.  A just right tail length handle for picking up hair sections.  This brush was created for back brushing, creating volume, and for  teasing.  And, something so wonderful as this brush is one would expect to pay a little more.  This is not the case.  They are under $5.00 and come with pinkish red bristles, blue bristles, or a yellowish green bristles.  Why not get all three?