The Beauty Bar Blog

Tag: hair

Hair Care Tips for All Seasons

Whatever your hair type, here are some tips to keep you looking your best.

When you wash your hair, rinse it first with warm water. If you have long hair, condition before you shampoo. Lather shampoo at the scalp and work it toward the ends, using an amount the size of a quarter. Be gentle and use vertical strokes. Only shampoo your hair once, add conditioner from the mid-lengths to the ends, give it a few minutes to penetrate the hair, and then rinse with cold water. Use a shampoo and conditioner made for your hair type. If you have oily or fine hair, you may need to shampoo every day, but if you have normal or dry hair, you can shampoo every other day. To keep your hair looking its best between shampoos, use a lifting and texturizing spray gel, dry shampoo, reactivating spray, anti-frizz cream, or moisturizing oil. You should also use a shower filter to remove rust and minerals from the water that can damage your hair.

If you have wavy hair and want to accentuate the waves, scrunch your hair with mousse. If you have coarse hair, use a moisturizing product. If you want your hair curly, dry it upside down, or lean your head to one side as you blow dry and use a diffuser. If you are going to straighten your hair, treat it with a product to create smoothness and fullness. Blow dry with a brush or use a flat iron to straighten your hair and curve it at the ends. Do not air dry your hair, and brush gently to avoid breakage and frizz.

For curly hair, sleep on a silk pillowcase, or wrap your hair in a silk scarf to prevent frizziness. Apply styling products when your hair is sopping wet. Dry your hair by pressing gently with a microfiber towel, T-shirt, or paper towels, and avoid using a terrycloth towel. If you blow dry your hair, use a heat-protecting product and a low setting, and finish with a smoothing product. To air dry your hair, use hair gel or curl cream and wrap one- or two-inch sections around your finger to create well-defined curls. Lift your hair off the scalp with clips. Use a moisturizing mask once a week. Get your hair trimmed every eight weeks, and choose a layered style. Use a wide-tooth comb, never a brush. Start combing the ends and work upward. Don’t play with your hair, since that can make it frizzy. Avoid products that contain sulfates, alcohol, and salt, because they can dry your hair and damage curls.

To make your hair grow, you need to keep the follicles strong and prevent breakage. Eat a healthy diet full of protein and nutrients, omega-3 oils from salmon or supplements, and nuts, especially almonds. Keep your weight stable, because hair can be affected by extreme weight changes, as well as stress and hormones. Limit the use of heat, including flat irons and blow drying, because this can damage hair.

Should You Choose Fusion Hair Extensions?

Fusion hair extensions can be added to your natural hair to give you the extra fullness and length you desire without a lot of maintenance.

In the fusion bonding process, the stylist separates several strands of hair and bonds small sections of hair extensions to the scalp using a protein glue bond and either hot or cold fusion, which both give similar results. Fusion hair extensions generally last three to six months and can be styled and cared for just like your natural hair.

The extensions come in a variety of colors and textures to match your natural hair and generally do not cause damage to the real hair if properly cared for and removed. If not properly maintained, the bonds between the scalp and extensions can break, which can make the extensions come loose or even fall out. Oil-based hair products and heat styling tools can weaken the bonds.

If you choose to get fusion hair extensions, proper maintenance is essential. Do not wash your hair for 48 hours after getting the extensions. Do not wash your hair more than once every two days, and do not wash it upside down, scrub aggressively, or get shampoo or conditioner on the bonds. Use quality shampoo and conditioner and avoid products that contain sulfur and alcohol, since they can cause the bonds to break down faster.

Before showering and going to bed, brush your dry hair out completely with an extension brush to prevent the extensions from matting and tangling and to spread natural oils throughout the extensions.

When styling your hair with heat, apply a thermal heat protective solution. Do not flat iron or apply excessive heat to the bonds.

To avoid tangling and matting overnight, braid your hair into two side braids or put it in a high ponytail and sleep on a satin pillowcase. Never sleep on wet extensions, because this can cause matting.

In the summer, avoid water with salt and chlorine. If you go swimming, wear a cap.

Fusion hair extensions are a great way to give your hair extra length and fullness. With proper maintenance, they can give you the beautiful look you seek.

Holiday Beauty Fixes

The stress of the holidays can affect your entire body. Here are some helpful tips to deal with common holiday beauty issues from realsimple.com.

Overstyling can cause static in your hair. To prevent this, use a deep conditioner once a week to keep your hair moisturized. If your hair is not color-treated, you can remove styling product buildup by using a clarifying shampoo. Avoid nylon brushes, since they can contribute to static electricity. Use a boar bristle brush instead. If you have dry hair, use a silicone product to reduce flyaways and static. You can also remove static by running an anti-static dryer sheet through your hair or using a brush with a little hair spray.

For a flaky scalp, use a moisturizing shampoo once or twice a week. Avoid putting conditioner directly on your scalp. If the itching and flakiness are severe, use a shampoo with zinc, salicylic acid, or an antifungal agent. You can also warm olive oil, use your fingers to massage it into your scalp, leave it on overnight, and wash it off in the morning. If your scalp is itchy, use an over-the-counter cortisone solution for the scalp.

Stress can cause breakouts. Prevent them by washing your face every day with a soap that contains benzoyl peroxide or salicylic acid. If you get a pimple, apply an ice pack for five to 10 minutes to reduce swelling and then pat the area dry and use a cotton swab to apply benzoyl peroxide cream or gel.

To prevent swelling in your face from eating salty foods, drink plenty of water or other caffeine-free beverages, such as peppermint tea. Sleep propped up on a few pillows to prevent fluids from puffing up your face overnight.

Your face can get flushed from cooking and cleaning. Prevent this by chewing on ice chips, draping a cold, slightly damp towel around your neck, or filling a bowl with whole milk and ice cubes and patting it on your face with a towel. If it is too late to prevent redness, you can cover it up with a yellow-based powder.

Remove wine or lipstick stains from your lips by exfoliating the outer layer of skin. Wet an extra-soft toothbrush with warm water and rub your lips in a gentle circular motion, then rinse, pat them dry, and apply a moisturizing lip balm with petroleum. You can also remove color by gently rubbing your lips with lemon juice, rinsing and drying them, and then applying lip balm.

Staying up late and eating and drinking too much can leave your eyes red, swollen, and tired. To remedy that, lie down and place cold cotton balls or a chilled gel eye mask over your eyes for 10 minutes. You can also soak cotton balls in water, flatten them, keep them in the freezer on wax paper, and then wipe your eyes with them in the morning. Use lubricating eyedrops, but avoid the kind that claim to get rid of redness. They work by contracting blood vessels, which can make your eyes get even redder later.

Carrying shopping bags and writing cards can leave you with sore hands. To alleviate pain and stiffness, stand over a table, place your palms flat on it, spread your fingers, and press against the table for 15 seconds. Then flip your hands over so your palms are facing you and repeat. Next, hold one hand in front of you, palm down, spread your fingers, and use the thumb on your other hand to press down on the webs between your fingers.

For sore feet, soak them for 10 minutes in warm water with sea salt, then for 10 minutes in cold water, then repeat. The heat will ease the soreness, and the cold will relieve swelling. Elevate your feet above heart level to drain built-up fluid, and massage them with peppermint foot lotion before going to bed.

If you follow these tips, you can look and feel your best throughout the busy holiday season.

Expert Tips for Cold-Weather Hair Care

With summer over and cold weather here, your hair will need some extra TLC to stay looking shiny and healthy this fall and winter.

Use a clarifying shampoo or get your hair professionally clarified to get rid of residue from summer styling products. You only need to wash your hair with a regular shampoo every other day. Washing too much removes natural oils from the hair that moisturize the scalp and protect the strands. Deep-condition your hair once a week to protect the ends.

If you blow-dry your hair, keep the heat on the low setting and hold the dryer at least six to eight inches away from your scalp. Use a spray to protect your hair from damage before heat styling, and use tools with a protective coating and an ionic generator to minimize heat damage.

Use quality hair care products, especially those that contain natural botanical extracts, such as rosemary, nettles, and chamomile. Also try those that contain protective oils that repair hair follicles damaged by frequent shampooing and styling. Use an anti-frizz product to prevent unruly hair.

Nutrition is important. Fall foods, such as pumpkin and cranberries, have seeds that yield a pressed oil that is anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory. Those oils protect hair follicles against free-radicals that can cause damage. Grapes are also good anti-oxidants. Oils from pumpkins, cranberries, and red grapes are being used in many hair care products. You should also eat foods high in protein and omega fatty acids, such as salmon, nuts, eggs, and cheese.

It is also important to stay hydrated during the fall and winter to keep your hair strong and shiny. If you don’t like to drink water, try green or herbal tea.

Take a supplement to repair and rejuvenate your hair. Choose one that contains a combination of herbs, vitamins, minerals, fatty acids, amino acids, and other nutrients.

If you follow these expert tips, you can keep your tresses looking healthy and radiant all winter long.

Back to School Beauty Hacks

Check out these beauty hacks you can do using just your school supplies!

The end of August is near and that means it is back to school time! Girls, it’s time to get new school outfits and stock up on the hottest makeup. Every girl has her little tricks when applying makeup to give them a unique look, but what if you are at school and need to freshen up? We have some of the best beauty hacks that you can do using just your school supplies!

Hair Chalk

You can use chalk to give your hair some awesome highlights. Make sure your hair is completely clean and spray down the parts of your hair that you want to chalk with water. If your hair is dark, use more vibrant colors so they will show.

Use your Eraser to Smudge your Liner

Have beautiful eyes and want to make them the center of your look? After you’ve drawn a graphic line with your eye liner, smudge the edges using your pencil’s eraser to diffuse the shape. Toss a little eye shadow above the liner to set the pencil in place and add extra dimension.

The Pencil Bun

Don’t have a hair elastic and need to put your hair up for gym class? Wrap your hair into a really tight bun and secure it with a pencil. Use the pencil like it’s a bobby pin, grab a piece of hair with the tip of the pencil and punch towards the scalp to secure it in.

Use an Index Card for Flawless Mascara

Your mascara needs to be touched up throughout the day in between classes. When you are in a rush you can easily get it everywhere. Take an index card and place it along your lash line, resting the card against your eyelid. Then coat your lashes with mascara and use the index card as a backdrop to absorb any excess product.

Binder Reinforcements for Nail Art

If you like to do your own nail art, you know having a steady hand is key. If you need some help creating a flawless design, use your binder reinforcement stickers. Just place one of the stickers on each nail and paint any color you want over the rest of your nail. Once it’s dry, peel the sticker off and you will have a beautiful half-moon design!

Airbrush Makeup is great for girls to use when getting Senior Portraits done. No more retouching makeup in-between outfit changes!