Archive for June 15th, 2006
When it comes to hair most of us want what we haven’t got - if it’s curly we crave sleek styles, if it’s straight we want some bounce.
Follow our guidelines and you can put in what nature left out.
Straight Hair Know How
Don’t get stressed by trying to curl very heavy straight hair. There’s little you can do to stop the weight pulling down the curl in a very short time. If you’re determined it’s curls you want, you have to consider a perm.
For short to medium length hair, it’s best to add temporary curls with tongs. A hotbrush will also help add movement.
Try a volumising spray at the roots when you blowdry to avoid that ‘hanging’ look , or try a root perm that will add lift without adding curls.
If your hair is one length or blunt cut keep the hair regularly trimmed as split ends look more obvious on straight hair.
Condition only the ends of straight hair and mid length if long. Conditioner at the roots will simply make it look limp.
Curly Hair Know How
Naturally curly hair always looks curlier when left to dry naturally. Don’t blot excessively with the towel after shampooing - better to wrap the towel around your shoulders and allow to ‘drip’
For extra rootlift, tip head upside down, tousle crown gently with fingertips and spray with a product such as Wella High Hair Finishing spray for volume & control. Tip head upright and don’t disturb until dry.
As curly hair is often delicate, especially when wet, always use a good conditioner and taming serum.
If your hair is apt to grow ‘widthways’ have some layers cut into the top - roots will look fuller, sides slimmer. Hair will look altogether better proportioned.
Hairspray may hold curls for longer but remember it can be very drying so don’t overdo it.
June 15th, 2006
Shaving your head is not really very hard, but it can be a little intimidating the first time. For the first-time shaver, here are the steps required to turn your hairy head into a smooth scalp.
1 First off, your hair has to be trimmed down to stubble. Anything longer makes for a difficult shave.
◦ You can have a barber trim it down to stubble, or do it yourself with a set of hair clippers. It doesn’t have to be cut perfectly evenly, but try to get is as short as possible.
2 When you’re ready to start shaving, get your head as wet as possible.
◦ If you shave after a shower, your hair should be softer and easier to cut.
◦ Being wet and soft reduces the chance that you’ll suffer from razor bumps or ingrown hairs.
◦ Check out this ShaverLog article about head-wetting for some suggestions.
3 Apply a shaving lubricant and get it worked in as well as possible.
◦ This is an important step. The better your lubricant is worked in, the better your shave. It can make a big difference both to closeness and to comfort, so don’t neglect this simple part of your routine.
◦ Personally, I recommend a good shaving oil (if you can get it) or a good shaving gel. Check the reviews page for some ideas.
4 Start shaving!
◦ Shave hair that is softer or lighter first. Shave areas that have coarser or stiffer hair last (like the back of the head). This gives the shaving cream more time to soften coarse hair and provides a much more comfortable shave.
◦ Use slow, even strokes, and don’t rush things.
◦ Shaving against the grain produces the closest results. Shaving with the grain produces the least irritation. The direction you take will depend on how sensitive your skin is, and how close a shave you want.
◦ For the least irritation and smallest chance of nicking yourself, pass over each area of your scalp only once. You can shave over the same area more than once if you feel the need to shave closer, but each pass may increase the irritation you experience.
5 When you’re done, clean it up and perform your post-shave routine.
◦ If you prepare for shaving properly, there shouldn’t be much irritation, and you probably won’t need aftershave. I usually just wash my head with soap and water and towel off again.
◦ If you do experience irritation, use a good aftershave lotion or skin care lotion. The most important thing about any aftershave product is that it should soothe your skin and help it heal. Aftershave products or skin care lotions that contain Aloe Vera or Vitamin E will help. Avoid aftershaves that contain alcohol. Alcohol dries out the skin, and this is the last thing you need after shaving.
If you have coarse or curly hair, you should take extra care while shaving, because you are more likely to get razor bumps or ingrown hair. Shave with the grain and don’t make more than two passes over the same area, and be sure your hair is very wet when you start shaving. If you tend to suffer from razor bumps, check out this article.
And that’s it, basically. You should now be the owner of a smooth and sexy bald head.
June 15th, 2006
Razor bumps are not uncommon to men with coarse or curly hair. They are especially common for black men, with some people estimating up to 30 or
40% of black men may experience bumps.
The process of blade shaving can cut the hair at an angle, making it sharp. Curly hair then sometimes curls back toward the skin and can puncture the skin and become ingrown. This leads to red bumps and skin irritation, which can be very painful for some men. The technical name for razor bumps is pseudofolliculitis barbae (often abbreviated PFB).
You can see some pictures at the Dermatology Image Atlas.
Prevention
The following steps may reduce your chance of suffering from razor bumps:
• Make sure to get your hair very wet before shaving, ideally after taking a bath or shower. If you don’t shower first, wet your hair for at least two minutes with warm, soapy water. Wet hair cuts better and easier than dry hair, and is more likely to cut evenly (and not at an angle).
• Use a good shaving cream to reduce friction and irritation. Really work the shaving cream into your scalp for at least two minutes, and save areas that tend to develope bumps for last when you’re shaving, so that the shaving cream has longer to soften the hair.
• Shave with the grain, not against it.
• Don’t go over the same area more than twice.
• Don’t stretch out your skin while shaving; let is stay neutral and relaxed. Stretching your skin while you shave increases the chance that the hair will ’snap back’ to below skin level.
• Replace your blade regularly. Shaving with a dull blade increases the chances of hair tearing unevenly.
• Use a single-blade razor instead of a double- or triple-blade razor. The ‘lift and cut’ effect of multi-blade razors is something people with PFB generally try to avoid.
Some people who suffer from razor bumps might prefer using a depilatory (like Nair or Neet) instead of a razor. Depilatories work by dissolving the hair so it can be washed off. The chemicals used in depilatories are strong, and may cause irritation. There’s a little more information about them in this article.
Treatment
If you’re already suffering from razor bumps, keep the following points in mind:
• Before anything else, let your hair grow out for a while and give your skin a rest before shaving again (a minimum of three days).
• Bumps can get infected fairly easily, so tend to them immediately. Using a local antibiotic will probably help, especially if there’s a cut.
• Don’t pick at or squeeze bumps. That will tend to make things worse.
A recent treatment for razor bumps is called eflornithine hydrochloride 13.9 percent, usually called Vaniqa (made by Bristol-Myers Squibb). It’s a prescription drug used to remove facial hair for women, but it’s apparently proven effective in controlling and treating razor bumps as well. Since it’s a prescription drug, you’ll have to talk to your doctor about it.
The following companies sell products that are available on the Internet and claim to help people suffering from razor bumps. I haven’t tried any of them myself; buyer beware.
Tend Skin
No Mo’ Bumps After Shave
Prince Reigns gel
Follique treatment for razor bumps
Elicina Biological Treatment
Moore Unique Skin Care
Dermagen Skin Revival System
Smart Shave
If you are suffering seriously from razor bumps, you should probably consult a dermatologist or your family doctor.
June 15th, 2006
Some intentionally bald gentlemen consider a skull so smooth that it reflects light to be the ultimate sign of a good shave.
Others recoil at the thought of blinding passers-by with their mirror-like finish, and wonder how to avoid it.
No matter which way you go, it’s soon apparent that some people just reflect more light than others.
There are two components to shine: the smoothness of your scalp, and the amount of oil on it. One is mostly under your control, the other only partially so.
First, the smoothness. A mirror reflects light very well as long as it is smooth. Rough up the surface, and it loses some of its ability to clearly reflect an image, as the rough surface will bounce light in different directions. The same principle applies to your scalp. When you’ve just shaved, your reflectivity will be at its highest. When you have a couple of days stubble, you probably aren’t reflecting a lot of light.
Next, the oil. Your skin produces oils in order to protect itself. This oil is produced by all skin, not just the scalp. For instance, it’s the oils left behind when your fingertips touch an object that make fingerprints possible.
Some people produce more oil than others, which is why we see commercials for shampoos designed for people with dry, normal, or oily hair. Without hair, the oil up above will remain on the surface of your scalp, where it adds to your reflectivity.
A person with a very smooth shave and some oil on their head will reflect a fair amount of light. Another person with a rougher shave and less oil will probably not reflect much at all.
If you want to avoid shine, the two basic steps are not to shave too closely (for instance, shave with the grain instead of against it), and clean your scalp with soap and water periodically. Keep in mind, though, that by removing natural oils from your scalp, you are removing your skin’s natural protection. If you find that it’s getting dry and itchy, you might want to consider a moisturizing skin care lotion. Wiping your scalp with a moist cloth on occasion might be preferable to full-scale washing, in this case.
You might also want to consider finding a shine-reducing moisturizer. There are apparently several on the market, and are usually marketed as shine-reducing or matte-finish moisturizers. They’re usually intended to reduce that shiny look on one’s face, but there’s no reason it couldn’t be applied to the scalp as well.
If you want to increase your shine, shave closely and regularly, and let your scalp stay oily. If you tend towards a drier scalp, consider moisturizing skin-care lotions or something similar. You may have to experiment a bit to find something suitable.
This article is based on my personal experiences and thoughts. If you have additional information that might be relevant, or if you have any comments or questions about this article, feel free to contact me.
June 15th, 2006
After shaving for a while, many people tire of the regular shaving grind, and wonder if there’s an easier way to get a smooth scalp.
I did some checking online, and I don’t think there’s really an easier way to get a nice smooth head. But there are other ways.
Please keep in mind that while these other methods may work, they all have what I consider to be substantial drawbacks; I don’t recommend any of these methods personally.
There are a number of methods available to remove hair from the body. Shaving is the easiest, quickest, and cheapest of these methods; it’s also the one that lasts the shortest period of time.
Electrolysis and laser hair removal are supposed to be permanent in effect, as they destroy the hair’s root. Electrolysis can be painful, can result in scarring if not performed properly, and can take a long time. Laser hair removal works best on people with light skin and dark hair, is quicker and less painful than electrolysis, may require several treatments, and isn’t guaranteed to be permanent.
Waxing, sugaring, tweezing, and threading work by literally tearing your hair out. It can be somewhat painful. The results last about 3 to 8 weeks. For these methods to work, your hair has to be at least a certain length, or there’s not enough to grip.
Depilatories (like Nair or Neet) work by disolving your hair. You apply the depilatory, wait until the hair is eaten away, then wash off the gunk. The chemicals may irritate the skin, and they can stink. The results can last for days, maybe up to 2 weeks, but it varies.
June 15th, 2006