Archive for December, 2007
Causes of Hair Loss
Each day, Americans are bombarded with advertisements for products and services to improve their hair. While some of these products may enhance appearance, they also can contribute to hair loss. August is Hair Loss Awareness Month and a good time to take stock of your locks. Breaking through the myths of hair loss and hair care is the first step to maintaining beautiful hair for life.
Speaking at ACADEMY ‘05, the American Academy of Dermatology’s summer scientific meeting, dermatologist Zoe D. Draelos, M.D., clinical associate professor in the department of dermatology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, N.C., dispelled traditional myths about hair care and discussed how poor hair care can contribute to hair loss.
“Hair loss affects 80 million American men and women and while it isn’t life-threatening, it can cause emotional distress,” said Dr. Draelos. “Disease, genetic predisposition and even poor cosmetic grooming practices all cause hair loss. Even simple changes in your hair care routine can result in healthier hair.”
Myth #1 – Dandruff does not contribute to hair loss.
Dandruff is caused by a fungus known as malazzesia globosa. This fungus is commonly found floating in the air which is why dandruff can be treated, but not cured. In addition to the scaling which characterizes dandruff, the condition also can lead to hair loss.
Studies have shown that with only 90 minutes of continuous scratching by the fingernails, it is possible to remove all of the cuticular scale, a protective covering on individual hairs, off of a hair shaft. This loss leaves the hair shaft weakened and permanently damaged, making it easily susceptible to breakage and hair loss.
“The most effective dandruff shampoos and conditioners contain zinc pyrithione,” advised Dr. Draelos. “These ingredients leave behind thin plate-like pieces of medicine on the scalp to prevent regrowth of the fungus, thus acting as a preventive measure for both dandruff and the hair loss associated with scratching.”
Myth #2 – Prescription shampoos treat scalp diseases, but also damage hair.
The two most common scalp diseases are dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis, which is characterized by both redness and scaling. “People often view products that treat these conditions as harsh and medicinal,” explained Dr. Draelos. “These misconceptions have led many people to choose to live with the scalp itching rather than treat it with what they fear are harmful chemicals.”
Technological advances now allow prescription shampoos to have the necessary medication to treat dandruff and seborrheic dermatitis while also containing the same mild cleansers found in cosmetic shampoos. “These potent prescription antifungals remain on the scalp, preventing reoccurrence and ultimately helping keep hair healthy,” said Dr. Draelos.
Myth #3 – As hair turns gray, permanent waves and color treatments should be stronger.
As people age, they lose melanin, the pigment that gives the hair color. To retain a youthful look, many people dye their hair. Hair dye interacts with the melanin already present in hair to produce the final hair color, but gray hair is less likely to dye as dark as hair that contains more melanin. Also, as hair ages, the hair shaft becomes finer, and thinner hair shafts are more susceptible to chemical damage from permanent waves and coloring.
“Hair growth slows with age, meaning the same hair is often chemically treated multiple times. The more the hair is treated, the more damage is done and the more chance for hair breakage,” stated Dr. Draelos. “As hair ages, perming and coloring solutions should be weaker and be left in contact with the hair for as short a period as possible.”
Myth #4 – Blow drying hair with heat gives the hair body.
Blow drying hair is a common morning ritual for many people. While it is a quick, convenient way to dry and style hair, blow drying damages hair as the high heat from a blow dryer can actually boil the water in the hair shaft leaving it brittle. In addition, vigorous towel rubbing or combing of wet hair also can cause hair loss, since wet hair is more elastic and more vulnerable to breakage than dry hair.
“Rather than blow dry, the hair should be allowed to air dry, with styling and combing occurring once the hair is partially dry,” recommended Dr. Draelos. “This will provide excellent body with less opportunity for hair shaft damage.”
“Hair Loss Awareness Month is a good time to refine your hair care routine. Keep your hair healthy by eating a well-balanced diet, avoiding overprocessing with chemicals and using styling tools that are flexible and easily slip through hair,” advised Dr. Draelos. “If you are experiencing itching or hair loss, visit your dermatologist to explore a treatment that will work best for you.”
The American Academy of Dermatology (Academy), founded in 1938, is the largest, most influential, and most representative of all dermatologic associations. For more information, contact the Academy at 1-888-462-DERM (3376) or www.aad.org
December 28th, 2007
Summer Beach Vacation and Hairstyle Care
Summer vacations at beaches are the most desirable vacations for all, but not for our hair. Shiny sun and salty water cause difficulties to our hair. Therefore, Â we need to be very watchful to protect our hair and keep the hairstyle.
Most of us have noticed that our hair don’t shine brightly during summer time. This is because sun dries upper adipose layer of hair and disturbs albuminous balance. Salty water also has bad impact on hair, especially during vacations when we swim regularly and stay under sun. These two factors together make hair fragile, dull, especially hair tips. Hair almost stop shining because of uneven surface, they loose flexibility and become very easy to break.
So this is not only a problem of pretty looking hair, this is a serious problem of hair health, and we need to take care of it.
The first thing we need to do to have healthy hair is to protect them from direct sun rays - wear head gear. Nowadays we have a big choice of head gear: hats, panamas, bandanas, caps. But we must remember that hair must be able to breathe, so the perfect choice is a straw hat.
The second is the protection from salt. Each time after swimming we must wash hair very carefully to remove salt from hair and head skin. Most of the cosmetics brands have special products for summer time, which can take care of hair needs. These products are specially developed for those who spend lots of time on sunny beaches. While it is preferable to use “2 in 1″ formula products during vacation, it is recommended to use separate shampoo and conditioner for more detailed care of hair and head skin.
Also we must take care of the liquid-salt balance of whole body. Usually 1.5 – 2 litres daily of healthy liquids will help us with health and beauty. But please note, that not every liquid is useful and healthy: only natural products are recommended, for example hot green tea or ice green tee with lemon, fresh fruit juice with ice, mineral water.
Disturbed albuminous balance can be recovered by the help of natural hair masks with protein additions. The masks must be used in healing order: apply mask on hair and head skin, wrap head up with cellophane, then wrap it up with a dry towel, let the mask stay for 15-20 minutes, then carefully wash your head. Stay away from chemical actions on hair (curling, coloring) during summer time, because they have their own bad impact on hair.
Taking care of your hair during vacation time will make your hair healthy during summer time and you will not have to spend time after vacation solving hair health problems.
December 27th, 2007
Hair Loss Prevention and Restoration of Hair
Did you know that between 60 and 100 million Americans suffer from hair loss? This August marks the 6th Annual National Hair Loss Awareness Month of the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD), and millions of Americans may be interested to know that new advanced treatments – in addition to FDA-approved medications like Rogaine and Propecia - are available that can help them to both protect and regrow hair.
Alan J. Bauman, M.D., an internationally renowned hair restoration surgeon practicing in Boca Raton, FL, is encouraging all concerned patients to check with their doctors about five new treatments and procedures that may help them regain natural-looking hair:
Five New Hair Loss Treatments:
• Laser Combs: Low level laser therapy is believed to stimulate hair follicles at the cellular level, thus helping to regrow hair. Hand-held laser devices, or “laser combs,” are one way men – and women – can treat themselves in the privacy of their own homes.
• Microscopic Detection: By the time hair loss is visible to the naked eye, it’s too late for fast and easy treatments. But now PC-based video microscopes, like the new Folliscope from South Korea, enable doctors to spot areas of thinning follicles before they become difficult to treat.
• Follicular-Unit Extractions: A highly advanced microsurgery, follicular-unit extraction (FOX/FUE) is a new type of hair transplant that is helping thousands of men and women achieve natural looking hairlines.
• Trichophytic Donor Closure: In order to restore hair to one part of the head, you have to take it from somewhere else. In the “old days” of hair restoration that usually meant patients were left with a sizable scar. But today a new technique called trichophytic donor closure prevents noticeable scarring, and enables easy hair regrowth.
• Nutritional Supplements: A few supplements have shown some evidence they can improve the quality of hair growth, including a European product called Viviscal, which is comprised of marine extracts and a silica compound.
National Hair Loss Awareness Month was begun in 2000 by the AAD to help raise public awareness about the signs and symptoms of hereditary hair loss and the effective treatments and procedures available. For more information about hair loss, visit Dr. Bauman’s Web site (www.baumanmedical.com), the AAD (www.aad.org) or the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (www.ishrs.org).
Dr. Alan Bauman (baumanmedical.com) is one of only a handful of U.S. surgeons who practice exclusively in hair restoration.
December 26th, 2007
Cute Looking Hairstyles
Do you ever wake up in the morning, look in the mirror and just want to crawl back in bed because of the way your hair looks? We all have bad hair days, but if your bad hair days are turning into bad hair weeks or months, then you might need some help.
Many people look to celebrities to find a new hairstyle - spending tons of money on all kinds of magazines only to frantically tear through the pages in search of the perfect hair style.
Then you go to your salon and get that fantastic celebrity hair style only to discover (usually after the first shampoo) that you need to spend about an hour to get it to look the same way.
There are 5 important questions you should ask yourself if you want to get the most flattering hair style that will work for you.
• How much time you are willing to spend every day fixing your hair? Include hair drying, hair straightening, hair curling, special conditioning, styling, etc. Be realistic about your lifestyle and hair grooming habits. If you don’t have the time, don’t get a high maintenance hair style.
• Is your hair in good condition? Don’t plan on doing any sort of perms, hair straightening, extensions, bleaching if your hair is damaged or brittle.
• Do you know what your face shape is? Your face shape is very important for selecting any hair style. What will look great on a square face shape might not look good at all on a round face. See HairResources.com for suggested hair styles for each face shape.
• Are you generally happy with your hair stylist? Does your hair stylist give you instructions about how to style your hair at home? Do they address all of your concerns about your hair or hair style?
The hair stylist plays a vital role in the way your hair style will look from day to day. Sometimes you can leave the salon looking great–for a day or two. Then it’s all downhill after that. You need to get a hair style that YOU can make look great on your own. This can require special instructions from the hair stylist along with specific hair care products.
• Do you know what hair styles you like and why you like them? If you explain to your stylist what you like about certain features of a hair style -Â i.e. long side-swept bangs or long layers in the back - the stylist may be able to add some of these features to your hair style even though the entire hair style may not be suited for your hair.
For additional information on hair styles, including celebrity hairstyle photos, samples of the most popular short, medium, long, updo, bridal, prom and mens hairstyles, check out the galleries at HairResources.com.
Perriann Rodriguez is the founder of Hair Resources, the place to find hair styles, beauty salons, plus stylists, hair extensions info, hair loss info and more WORLDWIDE. Browse hair styles at http://www.hairresources.com FOR BETTER HAIR DAYS.
December 21st, 2007
Allergy, Hairstyles and hair dye
Allergic reactions to hair dye are increasing as more and younger people dye their hair, warn researchers in this week’s BMJ.
This can lead to dermatitis on the face and, in severe cases, facial swelling may occur.
More than two thirds of hair dyes currently contain para-phenylenediamine (PPD) and other related agents. During the 20th century, allergic reactions to PPD became such a serious problem that it was banned from hair dyes in Germany, France, and Sweden.
Current European Union legislation allows PPD to comprise up to 6% of the constituents of hair dyes on the consumer market, but no satisfactory or widely accepted alternatives to these agents are available for use in permanent hair dye.
Dermatologists report anecdotally that the frequency of positive reactions to PPD on patch testing is increasing. This was confirmed in a recent survey in London, which found a doubling in frequency over six years to 7.1% in a clinic for adults with contact dermatitis. This trend has also been observed in other countries.
Market research also indicates that more people are dyeing their hair and are doing so at a younger age. A survey in 1992 by the Japan Soap and Detergent Association found 13% of female high school students, 6% of women in their 20s, and 2% of men in their 20s reported using hair colouring products. By 2001 the proportions had increased in these three groups to 41%, 85%, and 33%, respectively.
Severe hair dye reactions among children have also recently been reported.
Wider debate on the safety and composition of hair dyes is overdue, say the authors. Cultural and commercial pressures to dye hair are putting people at risk and increasing the burden on health services.
It may not be easy to reverse these trends, however, as some patients have continued to use such dyes even when advised that they are allergic to them and risk severe reactions, they conclude.
December 19th, 2007
A person can pull off any look he or she want with the right hairstyle. The secret to wearing the hottest celebrity looks in real life begins with scissors. This season the most wanted hairstyles are no-fuss, easy-to-do and simply sexy. In order to pull off these effortless looking styles, you must have the right cut. With a great haircut, the rest is easy.
This spring and summer the streets will be sizzling with sexy hairstyles. While the main buzz may be to simply state it, these new looks are simply hotter than ever. French twists, basic braids and loose ponytails are favorite picks. This look is about saying it without screaming it. It’s a no-fuss, less-is-more look that can be worn anytime.
In order to keep up with the latest hairstyle trends you will also have to get ready to travel back in time. You are going to bump into some new versions of old favorites. Don’t worry, you won’t have to dust off your leg warmers, but you will have to get your fingers ready to start scrunching. Bigger is better this season, and a little scrunching and the right cut is all you need. This time around it’s a softer, lighter and more natural scrunching look.
Another popular blast from the past style is popping up on foreheads everywhere. That’s right! Bangs are back and they’re sexier than ever. Celebrities such as Jessica Alba, Mandy Moore, Charlize Theron and Rachel McAdams have helped them make a strong comeback. Long, short, heavy or wispy — everywhere you turn, you will surely bump into bangs.
Alan Kurkland, Top Stylist and Manager of Salon 151 in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, says, “The hottest trends we are seeing for the summer are just above the shoulder cuts with small, swooping bangs or long bangs.”
Texture and layers are the secrets behind achieving these great looks. Kurkland says:
“Nicole Ritchie’s hair has been a favorite. Many of my clients want the same look. The long layers at shoulder length with the swooping bangs is very popular. For shorter hairstyle, I recommend lots of texture and movement.”
The main idea is embracing the effortless sexy look in any style you choose. In other words, don’t look as you’ve spent hours in front of the mirror. Look terrific without going over the top.
Blonde hair and summer have always gone hand in hand, but this year browns are moving in with a vengeance. There has been a brunette boom, and it’s not slowing down - from Britney to Brittany.
You will undoubtedly start seeing darker shades on the beaches. There are still, however, plenty of blondes and light highlights to go around. “We are seeing lots of partial highlights and lots of contrast, light on top and dark underneath,” says Kurkland.
The sun is out and shining strong along with this season’s most wanted looks. Have fun, feel sexy and show off your sense of style. You don’t need to walk on a runway to turn heads. Nothing will heat up the streets and spark up the summer season like a hot new hairstyle.
Top ten most wanted hairstyles
1. Longish and Somewhat Irregularly Cut or Layered Bangs
2. Modern Scrunch
3. Relaxed Up Dos
4. Layered and Textured Bobs
5. Shaggy Surfer Style Layers
6. Choppy Crop
7. Softer Layers for Long Hairstyles
8. Short, Blunt Edgy for Short Hairstyles
9. Shoulder Length Curls
10. Wavy Locks
Carolina Diaz-Bordon - eDiets.com Staff Writer
December 18th, 2007
by Danna Schneider
By now, I’m sure you’ve heard of the Japanese hair straightening process that has swept America and made countless women forever grateful to it’s hair-transforming powers.
It goes by several different names - Japanese Straightening, Thermal Reconditioning, Straight Perm, and Japanese Straight Perm.
So, what exactly can you expect after a thermal reconditioning service? Well, it’s actually nothing short of miraculous, if you choose the right product and stylist.
I had my treatment done at a Japanese salon in Ohio that specializes in this service. After about six hours of sitting in the salon, being alternately shampooed, heated under intense heat lamps, blown out, flat ironed, and then going through the entire process again, I emerged from the salon with a completely retexturized, smooth and sleek head of hair.
All together, the straightening process cost about $750, including a VERY generous tip and a large bottle of shampoo and conditioner specially formulated for my new tresses. The hourly rate for the service was $80, which is actually below most others that charge about $100 an hour. I was under strict instuctions to guard my hair from water or any type of moisture for the next 72 hours.
I was completely thrilled with my new hair. The light reflected off of it like crazy, and it blew naturally in the breeze, not at all dried out or artificial, like you might expect after a chemical treatment. It actually was in the best condition ever, which seemed counterintuitive since it had esentially just been through six hours of chemical and heat treatment. Nevertheless, it was absolutely and undeniably true.
I was told I would need to come back for a touch up on the new growth anywhere from 6 months to a year, depending on how straight I wanted it to stay and the rate of hair growth. It is now six months later, and even though it has more body, it is still shiny and smooth. I actually like it a little more with some body at the roots. It gives it a little extra lift, and the remaining hair is still straight and manageable.
There are some things you want to look out for when searching for a salon that offers thermal reconditioning. First, find out which straightening product they use. The best Japanese Straightening System is Liscio, and the second is Yuko. Both are made in Japan. Any others are to be cautiously researched. Liscio has produced the best results on clients, and if you’ve read about it anywhere, there is nothing negative to be reported. This is the system the salon I went to used, and my results were healthy and beautiful. Second, make sure the technician performing the service has plenty of experience in the process. Any good salon will provide you with before and after pictures of their work.
Third, be sure to be open and honest with the stylist about any prior haircoloring or processing, so they can adjust the treatment accordingly for the best results. Don’t fall in to the trap of buying expensive shampoos and conditioners like I did (I spent about $85 on shampoo and conditioner).
You can actually use several quality, gentle shampoos and intensive conditioners and get the same, if not better, results.
After Japanese Straightening, you do want to be sure to keep hair protected from the sun and moisturized, so frequent deep conditioning and an SPF spray or other UV protective hair product is highly recommended. You must wait at least one to two months before coloring your hair after the treatment, depending on your stylist’s recommendations. If you can, go to a stylist who was actually trained by a top technician at the corporate headquarters for the system they use. This assures they have been trained correctly and specifically on how to get the best results possible.
What this means for you is a lower risk of getting a “botched” straightening job or damaged hair. Do your research. Get online and find the salons in your area that offer the service along with their credentials. After all, you don’t want to waste your hard-earned money on something that is less than a superior result. The cost of the treatment can be very high, especially if your hair is particularly long or hard to “de-curl”. Typically, the longer and curlier the hair, the longer the process takes, and the more you will spend.
Bottom line, if your hair is unruly, frizzy, or overly curly and you would like to have low maintenance, hassle free hair that is shiny and straight, the “Japanese Straight Perm” is just the thing for you. I know I will be going back for a second round!
December 17th, 2007
Medical Hair Restoration
NewImage.com, the premier destination for cosmetic surgery and personal image enhancement solutions, today announced a partnership with industry leader Medical Hair Restoration to provide hair transplantation and restoration services to NewImage.com customers. This partnership will enable NewImage.com to offer consumers even more choices to enhance their physical image, and will ensure customers receive the best hair transplantation and restoration care, attention, and results possible.
Medical Hair Restoration is widely regarded as a hair growth and restoration market leader, revolutionizing the industry with innovative technology and treatments, and leading the industry in customer care and commitment. NewImage.com is known for its effort to educate consumers on the latest personal image enhancement solutions, making its partnership with Medical Hair Restoration a logical choice in providing the best hair restoration advice and services possible.
Today, physical beauty can be attained, and the appearance of aging can be delayed, by almost anyone, thanks to cosmetic plastic surgery and non-surgical alternatives. Hair restoration is one such alternative that has quickly gained in popularity due to its effective, permanent results.  While hair loss is a condition typically associated with males, the American Hair Loss Association reports that 40% of Americans afflicted with hair loss are actually women. Hair loss in women can often have an even more profound impact on their self-image and emotional well being than it does in men. Even though a large percentage of those afflicted with hair loss are women, the subject has remained largely taboo, making it more difficult for women to seek help for their hair loss. NewImage.com, through its Medical Hair Restoration partnership, will enable men and women alike to receive premium hair restoration and transplantation treatment with the utmost confidentiality, care and professionalism.
With an elective group of board certified surgeons and a clinical and administrative staff that is dedicated to developing the standard by which hair transplantation procedures are judged, NewImage.com, through its partnership with Medical Hair Restoration, is ready to provide the best services in the industry.
Founded in 2006, NewImage.com is a leading provider of information to help consumers make educated decisions about elective medical and dental procedures. With reliable and accurate information on cosmetic plastic surgery, surgical hair restoration, med spa therapies, cosmeceuticals, laser hair removal, and cosmetic dentistry, access to a network of 140 plus board-certified surgeons nationwide, hair restoration centers nationwide, flexible financing programs available, and 24 hour image consulting assistance with surgical procedures, NewImage.com can be considered the one-stop destination for cosmetic plastic surgery consultations and more. NewImage.com is based out of Norwalk, Conn. For more information on NewImage.com visit www.newimage.com.
Medical Hair Restoration is a leading provider of surgical hair replacement solutions based out of Orlando, Florida. People from over 40 countries around the world visit Medical Hair Restoration for the wonderful results achieved with their medical and artistic techniques and for the caring and individual attention that each patient receives. Their list of patients include many celebrities like pro football players, touring golf professionals, television personalities, congressmen, royalty, and even other hair transplant surgeons. Medical Hair Restoration’s pledge is to provide surgical excellence and to adhere to the highest standards of practice. For more information on Medical Hair Restoration visit http://www.medicalhairrestoration.com.
December 14th, 2007
Hairstyles for women have achieved wide variations during the course of the time.
Women’s hairstyles have always been elaborate and are not rigid, but flexible with the changing phases of time and generation. Depending upon the nature of occasion, women’s hairstyles differ from one another and vary in style.
Hairstyle is a very important aspect of female beauty, which measures the fashion of the latest trends. Women’s hairstyles can be verified depending upon the length of the dresses. Everyone desires for long and lustrous hair and hairstyle. Women’s hairstyles have at time turned out to be almost a ritual. Hair saloons and hair dressers works really wonders to give a new look to a woman with a specific hairstyle depending upon the nature of occasion. A real hair makeover is very important in changing the entire outlook of the women.
Types of women’s hairstyles:
Women’s hair styles are usually categorized into three styles:
1. Short hair styles: Short hair style have been tried by every woman at some point of their life. This style makes hair quite manageable and this style rarely goes out of fashion. Short hair styles can either be straight or curly and accentuated with highlights and etc. Short hair can be made very much trendy with expert hair dressers touch of hand.
2. Medium hair styles: Medium hair styles are in fact, the safest and most flexible hair lengths. Women at large find the mid-length haircut as a great option for various types of hair texture, whether it be thin or brittle, thick or just right. Medium hairstyles are very versatile and quite adaptable in the different updos, bobs, and various other styles that can be combined with the hair to create gorgeous looks.
3. Long hairstyles: Women having long hair have better prospects of beautiful hair styling. If the hair is lustrous it helps in giving a better effect to the type of hairstyle the woman is wearing. The structure of the hair is very important in deciding the right type of hairstyle one needs to wear. Long hair can be more stylish with different looks for different occasions: party or work. It can be tied in a bun, strands, braids, etc. The bun for instance can be made more stylish with flowers pinned to it.
In conclusion depending on the type of the hairstyle that a woman may choose, much is also dependent on the Hair color, which is another important aspect of how your hairsylte may look.
December 13th, 2007
Some hair professionals may try to discourage you from doing your own home hair color, saying that drugstore hair color products are harsh and the results can be uncertain.
But the truth is that you can achieve excellent results and save a lot of money by coloring your hair at home as long as you know a few basics about choosing the right color and applying it correctly.
Here are seven of the most common questions and my advice on hair coloring at home.
1. How do I know whether I should color my hair at home or go to a salon?
Most people can successfully color their hair at home but there are exceptions. You should get a professional color job if your hair is in poor condition - coloring dry damaged hair at home can result in uneven color. Also, if your hair has different shades and you want one even tone, a hairdresser can apply different formulas to the different areas. Finally, it’s best to leave it to the experts if you want to make a drastic change to your hair color, say dark brown to platinum blonde, or you want special color effects like highlights.
2. Are drugstore hair colors just as good as salon hair color products?
In general, salon products use higher quality ingredients that do a better job of cleansing, moisturizing and conditioning than the drugstore brands. But home coloring kits are getting better all the time and can deliver good results if used properly.
3. How do I pick a color that will look natural on me?
When choosing a hair color, your skin tone and natural hair color are the two most important factors. Whether you’re going lighter or darker, stay within two or three shades of your natural hair color. Here is a guideline for selecting a compatible hair color for your skin tone:
• Dark/olive skin: Stay with darker hair colors.
• Yellow skin: Dark, rich colors like deep auburn.
• Pale skin: Almost any color.
• Pink skin: Neutral tones like sandy or beige blonde or chocolate brown are best. Avoid reds or golden tones.
If you know what clothing colors suit you, you can also use that to help in choosing hair color:
• If you look good in warm shades like red, orange, golden yellow, cinnamon brown, olive green, and rust, then warm hair tones like golden blonde, golden brown, strawberry blonde, and auburn will suit you best.
• Cool color favorites like bluish red, fuschia, black, royal blue, and pine green indicate that cool hair tones are best for you: platinum, ash blonde, ash brown, burgundy, and jet black.
• If you look good in true red, purple, charcoal grey, periwinkle, and teal, then neutral tones like sandy or beige blonde, chocolate brown or mahogany will suit you.
4. How do I get ready to color my hair the first time?
It’s a good idea to gather a few materials together before starting: an old T-shirt, a few old towels and a washcloth that you don’t mind getting stained, some hair clips for sectioning your hair, a timer, and a hand mirror to see the back of your head.
5. If I color my hair at home and hate it, what can I do?
There are some home hair color products you can use to repair the damage, but it isn’t easy. The problem is that if you used a home hair color kit to obtain a lighter color, your hair has been bleached and colored in a single process. So the color needs to be added back in a process called “filling” before using the final color formula. Whatever you do, don’t simply buy a box of your original color and try to cover over a bad dye job… it won’t work. Fixing hair color gone wrong is a multi-stage process so a trip to the salon may be in order.
6. I already have permed hair. Can I color it without damaging it?
If your hair has been permed or relaxed, color has to be applied carefully or it can weaken the structure of your hair. Salons have colors specially formulated for treated hair. But if you insist on home hair coloring, choose a shade darker than you want since processed hair may come out lighter than expected. Then do a strand test to make sure your hair can handle the chemical stress.
7. I love my new color… now how do I keep it looking good?
You’ll probably want to recolor every four to six weeks. Make a record of the hair color product and shade you used, and how long you left it on the ends and the regrowth. Use shampoos and conditioners formulated for color-treated hair to prevent fading. Stay out of the sun and chlorinated pools to prevent dry damaged hair. Don’t use heavy conditioners and oil treatments after coloring… they can lift the color.
Now go out and enjoy your new look and all the money you saved by doing it yourself!
December 12th, 2007
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