The Beauty Bar Blog: CT Hair Styling, Bridal Makeup & So.Cap Fusion Extensions, CT Hair & Beauty Salon

How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

There is a lot of seemingly conflicting advice about how often you should wash your hair. Many people wash their hair more often than necessary. Washing hair daily can remove its natural oils, dry it out, and make it frizzy. Those oils are necessary to keep your hair and scalp healthy. It might look better the day after you wash it because the scalp’s natural oils provide it with new moisture.

You should wash your hair every other day at most. If you can go longer between washes, that will help your hair stay hydrated and healthy. If your hair starts to get oily after one day, you can use dry shampoo to absorb oil from the roots. You can also look for products to give your hair volume and keep it smelling fresh on days when you do not shampoo.

If you find yourself using a lot of products to control your hair, you might be able to make it more manageable simply by shampooing less often. How often you should wash your hair will depend on your hair type and the kind of products you use.

Hair Type

One of the most important factors that will influence how often you should wash your hair is your hair type. Thick, coarse, curly, or processed hair generally does not need to be washed very often because oil does not travel down the hair shaft as quickly as it does in finer hair.

If you have coarse, thick hair, use a moisturizing shampoo to balance your hair and scalp. You should avoid using shampoos with harsh sulfates because they can remove your hair’s natural oils. You can co-wash your hair with conditioner instead of shampoo or use a sulfate-free shampoo if you wash your hair more than twice a week.

If you have fine hair or an oily scalp, your hair can start to look dirty within 24 hours of the time you wash it. If you have fine hair, use a volumizing shampoo to prevent it from becoming greasy.

You should never put conditioner on your scalp because it can make your hair greasy. Your scalp should produce enough natural oils and should not need extra moisture from conditioner.

Exercise

If you exercise every day, you will most likely want to wash your hair after each workout. You should use a shampoo that is designed for daily cleansing and will be gentle on your hair. After you go to the gym, you can also spray your hair with a refreshing mist, rinse it without using shampoo, or use dry shampoo to remove oil from your scalp.

Are You Ready for a New Hairstyle?

The right haircut and hair care routine can help you look great every day. If you are interested in a new hairstyle for summer, make an appointment at The Beauty Bar. We can help you choose the right style or recreate a look you saw in a magazine or on TV. We can also give you tips on the best products to use and when to use them to keep your hair shiny and healthy. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

How to Prevent Your Makeup from Running This Summer

You probably enjoy going to parties and backyard barbecues in the summer, but all of that heat, sweat, and humidity can cause your makeup to melt, run, and smear. Fortunately, there are several products and strategies you can use that can stand up to the intense summer heat so you can look great while you enjoy spending time outdoors.

How to Stop Makeup on Your Face from Running

It is important to start out with a light moisturizer. A rich moisturizer plus humidity can cause your makeup to run. You can use a heavier foundation at night so your skin is soft and smooth and the foundation will stay put longer.

Use a long-wearing foundation that will be less likely to wear off in the heat. Use a damp makeup sponge to blend it and then remove any excess oil by gently pressing a tissue over your face.

Use a creamy blush to give your skin a natural glow. Then apply a powder blush in a similar color over it to help your makeup stay put.

Bronzer can give your skin a warm glow. Put it on areas where you tend to sweat, such as along your hairline, nose, and cheeks.

As you perspire throughout the day, your powder will settle in lines and creases. You can prevent this by using a mattifying balm.

Long-Lasting Lip Color

Lip gloss can slide off your lips. Instead of wearing lip gloss, use a pencil the same color as your lips to fill in your whole mouth and then put on a tinted lip balm. You can make your lip color last longer by dipping a thin lip brush in concealer and applying it around the rim of your mouth.

How to Make Your Eye Shadow Stay Put

Before you put on eye shadow, use a cotton pad soaked with remover to eliminate any oil on your eyelids. Then put on a bit of primer to create a base.

Use a pale or shimmery eye shadow in the summer to brighten your eyes. Creamier makeup is less likely to run.

Use a liner brush dipped in gel eyeliner and apply it right against your lash line. Then set it with powder eye shadow.

If you are using a mascara that is not waterproof, put a water-resistant topcoat on over it. That will prevent it from running if you start to sweat while you are outdoors.

Have Your Makeup Done at The Beauty Bar for a Special Event

If you are planning to get married or attend a special event this summer, you want to make sure your makeup will stay in place and look great all day or all evening long. Come to The Beauty Bar to have your makeup done professionally. We will work with you to choose the best colors and products and can even give you some pointers to help you look your best all summer long. Contact us today to schedule an appointment.

How to Deal with Summer Hair and Skin Problems

Summer is a time for relaxing at the beach or by the pool and going to barbecues and backyard parties. All of that time spent in the sun can cause your makeup to run and make you break out, and the humidity and chlorine can turn your hair into an unruly mess. Here are some tips to help you beat the heat and look great all summer long.

Protect Your Hair and Skin from Chlorine

Chlorine in a pool can rob your skin and hair of natural oils and moisture. Shower after swimming to keep your skin from becoming dry and flaky, then put on a moisturizing body lotion. Protect your hair with a conditioner that nourishes hair and protects it from chlorine. Rinse the chlorine out of your hair as soon as possible after swimming. If you swim a lot, you might want to wear a swimming cap.

Prevent Frizzy Hair

Moisture in the summer air can cause frizzy hair. Instead of fighting your wavy hair, you can embrace it with a sea salt spray that will eliminate your frizz and leave you with luxurious waves. Use a good conditioner to keep your hair hydrated.

How to Deal with Sweat

Sweat can make your makeup run, even if it is waterproof. If you are going to be spending a lot of time outdoors, you can decide not to wear mascara and eyeliner. If you do wear makeup and it runs, wipe your cheeks and then smudge the rest of the liner and mascara with a Q-tip to create a smoky eye.

If you are sweating, you can turn it into a healthy-looking glow. Apply a matte primer to prevent too much oil from accumulating on your skin and blot your T-zone with blotting papers. You can also spritz on a face mist to get a glowing look.

Avoid Sunburn

You should always wear sunscreen if you are going to be outside in the summer. Put it on your face, body, scalp, décolletage, and ears. If you get a sunburn, take a cool shower or bath with oatmeal, whole milk, and honey to soothe your skin and then apply aloe vera.

Prevent Breakouts from Your Sunglasses

Sunglasses can keep you from squinting and make you look stylish in the summer, but they can also cause breakouts. The frames are in contact with your eyebrows and the areas under your eyes and along the bridge of your nose all the time. You can prevent acne by cleaning your sunglasses with soap and water or an antibacterial wipe.

Get a New Look for the Summer

If you are thinking about changing your look for the summer, come to The Beauty Bar. We can help you choose the perfect new hairstyle and give you advice on the right hair products and makeup to use to look great all summer long. Make an appointment today.

Are These Products Safe to Use on Your Face?

There are tons of beauty products on the market that are designed to treat specific problems, but many people choose to use products that are designed for other purposes on their faces. If you have heard someone suggest using a product that is not made for beauty purposes to get clearer skin, you may have wondered if it is safe and effective. These are some products that you can safely use on your face to help you get clearer, healthier skin.

How to Moisturize Your Skin

As you get older, your skin becomes thinner and less elastic, so keeping it hydrated is more important than ever. Thicker moisturizers do a better job of locking in moisture. Petroleum jelly is an excellent moisturizer because it is thick and has almost no water, so it does not evaporate and release moisture, but rather creates a barrier to keep moisture in. It is best to apply petroleum jelly after you take a shower when your skin is damp. It should not cause acne, but if you have oily skin or rosacea you should use a lighter, non-comedogenic moisturizer.

Body lotions and face lotions are often very similar. Face lotions can be milder and provide more moisture, but you can use body lotion on your face.

How to Get Clearer Skin without Drying It out

Many toners and astringents contain alcohol. Depending on the types of alcohol they contain, they may or may not dry out your skin. Products with isopropyl alcohol are more likely to dry out skin and led to inflammation. Benzyl alcohol will not. If you use a toner or astringent to treat oily skin, use a small amount and follow it with a light moisturizer. You might also want to try a different face wash or a topical cream to fight oily skin.

Citrus juices, such as lemon juice, contain citric acid, and apple cider vinegar contains acetic acid. The pH of healthy skin is slightly acidic, which helps fight bacteria and yeast. You can use lemon juice or apple cider vinegar as a mild astringent, but you should dilute it with an equal part water to avoid irritating or burning your skin.

When used sparingly, baking soda can be a natural facial scrub and skin brightener. Dilute it with water to avoid drying out your skin. You can mix it with a face cleanser or coconut oil.

Toothpaste can treat a blemish. Many toothpastes have antibacterial agents, such as triclosan and baking soda. You should only use toothpaste on a blemish for a day or two to avoid irritation. If the toothpaste burns your skin, wipe it off and use a traditional anti-acne product.

An electric cleansing brush can give you healthier skin, but it should only be used a couple of times per week. Using it too much can cause irritation, swelling, and acne.

Make an Appointment for Special Occasion Makeup and Beauty Advice

If you need help with makeup for a special occasion, come to The Beauty Bar. We can help you choose the right look for your event and give you advice on which products to use to have healthy, glowing skin every day. Contact us today to make an appointment.

Platinum Blonde Hair: Why It’s Best Not to Do It Yourself

At some point, we all want to see how we’d look with blonde hair. So, you stop at the drugstore to pick up a box of dye. At home, you follow the directions, and once it’s done, you think you’ll emerge with a head full of platinum locks.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case for many. Rather, at-home dye kits, especially if you’re going from darker to light, result in a blotchy look, with a frizzier texture. In certain instances, that cornhusk shade you’ve sought out looks more like an orange.

When you want to try being blonde, it’s best to have a professional do it, for the following reasons:

1. One Size Fits All: That’s the method behind boxed dyes, but as most know, hair’s not the same for every individual. Even when you follow the directions, you don’t have the expertise to alter the dye to your hair. As a result, the dye job won’t look like it does on the box.

2. Flat Look: Or, even if it looks exactly like the picture on the front, the look is extremely flat. The highlights and low-lights of natural hair aren’t present, and that’s where a stylist’s expertise comes in.

3. Errors: Going blonde comes with several factors you need to consider, and ignoring them means you might end up with a head of mottled orange hair. Stylists select dyes based on your type of hair and the degree of color needed, taking into consideration your underlying pigment, your level of gray, your hair’s pores, and any previous dye jobs. Not taking these aspects into account can not only result in color that seems off, but also a “straw”-like feeling to your hair, as many describe.

4. Banding: Dye is applied with a brush, and in doing your hair, a stylist can see your locks from all angles. With an at-home kit, you or a less-experienced individual has to apply the dye, which, particularly at the back of the head, can result in “banding” – when multiple brush strokes overlap.

5. Needing Color-Corrective Services: After all this, you end up realizing that the boxed job didn’t go as planned, so you go to a salon to have one of their professionals correct it, either with a different color, fixing the one that didn’t go well, or a new haircut to get rid of the damage.

Rather than get a poor dye job camouflaged, have it done correctly from the start with the Beauty Bar’s salon. Interested in trying out blonde hair? Contact us to make an appointment.