Archive for March, 2010

Hair Color Ideas | Home Hair Highlighting Tips

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Hair Color

The most important thing to consider before coloring your hair is to decide what color is best suited to your hair type and skin complexion. The hair color most suited for you depends upon your complexion and the easiest way to decide is to perform a strand test. Color in one strand of your hair on the back of your neck to decide how suitable the color is for you. If you’re happy with the results, then you can go ahead and color the rest of your hair. Highlighting your hair will give you a bold new look and can turn any simple hairstyle into a bold and dramatic one. If you are highlighting your hair at home, there are a number of highlighting products in the market to choose from. In addition to the color best suited to your skin tone, you need to determine what kind highlights will suit your length of hair. Length of hair will also decide the kind of highlighting kit you have to purchase. For instance, if you have short hair, you should procure a highlighting kit that contains a cap and a hook. For longer hair, on the other hand, you may require a highlighting kit that contains a special application brush to paint the highlights into your long hair strands.

Tips for Highlighting Hair at Home

You must also decide the overall effect that you are aiming for with highlights. A subtle effect requires subtle highlight shades that are only two or three shades lighter than your skin tone. For a dramatic look, you can choose from bold red or blonde streaks for your hair. Ensure that your hair is completely dry before coloring to ensure the best results. Highlighting is most effective on a day that you have not washed your hair and when it still retains some natural oils. The natural oils in your hair will help protect it from damage while coloring. Ensure that you color your hair in a spot that is easy to clean afterwards. The bathroom is perhaps most effective, but wherever you decide to highlight your hair in your home, ensure that you take necessary precautions to avoid making a mess. Wear an old shirt while highlighting your hair so that you don’t worry about ruining it. Keep a few old towels handy to wrap your shoulders or to protect the dressing table top or other surfaces that you may be working near.

Tips on How to Treat Very Dry Hair

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Causes for Dry Hair

Dry hair is a common problem and is generally very difficult to groom. Dry hair is often accompanied by problems like dandruff which arises as a result of a dry scalp and dry hair. While dandruff is more common in people with oily hair, it manifests just as frequently in persons with dry hair. There may be several factors that contribute to dry hair. The most significant of these factors is improper hair maintenance. If one pays little attention to hair maintenance, then it tends to become damaged on account of a number of reasons.For instance, one of the main causes for dry hair is external factors like dust and heat. Hair is exposed to extreme climate and environmental pollutants in addition to sweat and dirt on a daily basis. Its strength and health thus need to be preserved carefully.

Tips for Very Dry Hair

  • Ensure that you only use mild shampoos that are suited to your hair type. Avoid using shampoos that contain strong perfumes as they may be damaging for your hair.
  • Avoid shampooing your hair very often as this can also lead to dry hair. Excessive shampooing can sap your hair of essential moisture, thereby making it dull and brittle.
  • Wash your hair twice a week to help remove everyday buildup and to help retain its strength and shine.
  • In addition, always protect your hair when you go out to help treat dry hair. Wear a scarf or a cap while going out in the sun or when the weather is extremely cold or windy. This will help retain some moisture in your hair.
  • In addition, make sure that you keep your hair covered while swimming. Most swimming pools contain very high levels of chlorine that can make your hair very dry and it is thus essential to cover it.
  • In addition, you must make sure that you avoid using excessive heat to style your hair. Excessive heat can make your hair dry and rough as exposure to heat damages hair very quickly. Therefore, try to avoid using straightening and curling irons as they may rob the hair of essential moisture, thereby making it dry.
  • While drying your hair with a blow dryer, ensure that it is on a cool or medium setting to avoid damaging your hair. Keep the air from the blow drier diffuse by moving it around a lot and this will help prevent hair from becoming dry.

How to Restore Shine to Hair through Hair Oils

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Causes for Dull Hair

There are several reasons why hair may lose its natural shine and become dull and lifeless. One of the main causes for dull hair is improper hair maintenance. Your hair is exposed to several pollutants everyday and in addition, sweat and other skin secretions tend to build up on your scalp. A proper hair care routine is thus essential to help protect your hair’s natural texture and shine and to help prevent various other hair related problems. A proper hair care regiment includes choosing the right hair products and maintaining a healthy diet. Ensure that you use a mild shampoo and don’t wash your hair more than twice a week. Harsh shampoos and excessive shampooing makes the hair lose essential moisture, causing it to appear dull and lifeless. In addition, ensure that you eat plenty of fresh vegetables and fruits that are rich in minerals and proteins to help keep your hair healthy. Avoid using excessive heat to style your hair as this could also lead to dull and lifeless hair.

Restoring Shine With Hair Oils

In addition to these styling tips, there are several home remedies you can try to help restore shine to your hair.One of the most effective treatments for dull hair is hair oil treatment. Hair oils help restore shine to your hair and provide natural conditioning that repairs any damage.

Olive oil is very effective in treating dull hair and restoring its lost shine. Mix together ½ cup of olive oil and at least five drops of lavender, chamomile essential oil or frankincense. After rinsing your hair with warm water, apply the oil mixture to your hair. The oil mixture should be warmed prior to application for best results. Gently massage the oil mixture into your hair using your fingertips until your hair is covered from the roots to the tip. Now cover your head with a thin cloth or plastic bag and allow the oil to stay in your hair for at least thirty minutes. Now wash your hair and style it as usual. This will effectively restore shine and vitality to your hair.

Coconut oil is also very effective in the treatment of dull, dry hair. Warm some coconut oil by placing it in a bowl of hot water. Massage the oil into your hair and wash it off the next morning using a gentle shampoo and style it as usual. This treatment will help restore shine and strength to your hair.

Hair Dying Tips

Monday, March 29th, 2010

Tips for Dying Your Hair at Home

Dying your hair is a simple way to cover up grays and to give yourself a new look. However, before dying your hair, there are several things you need to consider. There are several brands of hair dye available, including natural hair dyes and you can either dye your hair at home or seek professional help. The most important decision to be made before dying your hair is to choose the color most suited to you. This is important because your hair color needs to complement your skin tone. In addition, colored hair requires a great deal of maintenance and your choice of color will determine the extent of maintenance required. It is also essential to consider how suitable hair dye is for your skin as you may very well be allergic to various chemicals that hair dyes contain. Therefore, before purchasing hair dye or visiting your stylist, make sure that you take certain things into account. Ask your stylist about what color best suits your skin tone.

For instance, warm gold or red is best suited for skin tones that are ashy or olive. If you are coloring your hair at home, then you can perform a ‘strand test’ to estimate how suitable a color is for your skin tone. Color a strand of hair from the back of your neck with the hair dye and then assess the results. Similarly, to ensure that you don’t have an allergic reaction to the hair dye, perform a ‘patch test’ on your skin before dying your hair. It is important to ask your hair stylist to do the same before coloring your hair at a saloon. Dying your hair also involves proper maintenance. Hair dyes may be permanent or semi-permanent. Semi-permanent hair dye will wash out eventually, while permanent hair dye lasts longer.

However, proper maintenance is what determines how long even permanent hair dye will last. To preserve your hair color effectively, it is important to ensure that you use hair products intended for colored hair after dying your hair. Use a shampoo and conditioner designed for colored hair to help prevent your hair from damage and to help retain its color. Color tends to fade in the sun and you should make sure that your hair is well protected when you step outdoors. Always keep your hair well covered when you are out in the sun to prevent your hair color from fading.

Hair Care Tips for Teens

Monday, March 29th, 2010

The best way to prevent or treat any kind of hair related problems is to develop a proper hair care routine. A proper hair care routine will ensure that your hair does not suffer any damage and moreover, keeps it looking healthy and beautiful. You can help build your very own hair care routine with the help of a few hair care tips. Every teen likes to sport gorgeous, well-groomed and healthy locks. You can achieve that by ensuring that you give your hair enough rest.

Teen Hair Care Tips

  • One of the most important hair care tips is to allow your hair to relax and to ensure that you get sufficient rest. When you don’t get sufficient sleep or rest, you hair tends to be unmanageable and is prone to damage.
  • To keep your hair healthy and shiny, ensure that you shampoo regular to remove everyday buildup like pollution and sweat.
  • It is important to remember however, that excessive washing of your hair can also lead to damage.
  • Shampooing any more than twice a week may result in dry, rough hair in addition to other problems like dandruff and hair loss.
  • In addition, you should exercise a great deal of care about choosing your hair care products. While it is important to choose hair products according to your hair type, it is also essential to exercise caution while buying these products. Many of these hair care products contain chemicals that may be harmful for you hair. Stick with basic hair care products like shampoo, conditioner and styling spray or gel. This is because using many hair care products together may have harmful effects on your hair.
  • In addition to choosing the right kind of hair care products, you must ensure that you wash and style your hair in a proper manner. While washing your hair for instance, avoid using excessively hot or cold water as this may damage your hair. Excessively hot water may dry out your scalp and make hair rough and brittle. Similarly, while blow drying your hair, it is important not to expose it to excessive heat. Use your blow drier on a cool setting while styling your hair to avoid damaging it.
  • While stepping out in the sun, ensure that you cover your hair well to help prevent any damage. Similarly, while stepping out in extremely windy or cold weather, use a protective covering for your hair to keep it from becoming dry and entangled.