Hair

I’ll bet you didn’t know that the first safe commerical hair color was created in 1909 by a French chemist. The chemical used at that time was paraphenylenediamine. I know, try saying that fast three times!

Today, coloring hair is so popular that over 75% of women color their hair and a growing number of men are following suit. How does the hair color process work? It is the result of a series of chemical reactions between the molecules in hair, pigments as well as peroxide and ammonia.

Your hair is mainly keratin, the same protein found in skin and fingernails. The natural color of hair depends on the ration and quantities of two other proteins, eumelanin and phaeomelanin. Eumelanin is responsible for brown to black hair shades while phaeomelianin is responsible for golden blond, ginger and red colors. The absence of either type of melanin produces white and gray hair.

Temporary or semi-permanent hair colors may deposit acidic dyes onto the outside of the hair shaft or may consist of small pigment molecules that can slip inside the hair shaft, using a small amount of peroxide or no peroxide at all. In some cases, a collection of several colorant molecules enter the hair to form a larger complex inside the hair shaft. Shampooing will eventually dislodge the temporary hair color. Temporary or semi-permanent colors don’t contain ammonia, meaning the hair shaft isn’t opened up during processing and the hair’s natural color is retained once the product washes out.

Bleach is used to lighten hair. Bleach reacts with the melanin in the hair, removing the color in an irreversible chemical reaction. The bleach oxidizes the melanin molecule. The melanin is still present, but the oxidized molecule is colorless. However, bleached hair tends to have a pale yellow tint. The yellow color is the natural color of keratin, the structural protein in the hair. Bleach reacts more readily with the dark eumelanin pigment than with the phaeomelanin, so- some gold or red residual color may remain after lightening. Hydrogen peroxide is one of the most common lightening agents. The peroxide is used in an alkaline solution, which opens the hair shaft to allow the peroxide to react with the melanin.

The outer layer of the hiar shaft, it’s cuticle, must be opened before permanent color can be deposited into the hair. Once the cutilcle is opened, the dye reacts with the inner portion of the hair, the cortex, to deposit or remove the color. Most permanent hair colors use a two -step process, occuring simultaneously, which first removes the origional color of the hair and then deposits a new color. It’s basically the same process as lightening, except a colorant is then bonded within the hair shaft. Ammonia is the alkaline chemical that opens the cuticle and allows the hair color to penetrate the cortex of the hair. It also acts as a catalyst when the permanent hair color comes together with the peroxide. Peroxide is used as the developer or oxidizing agent. The developer removes the pre-existing color. Peroxide breaks chemical bonds in hair, releasing sulfur, which accounst for the characteristic odor of haircolor. As the melanin is de-colorized, a new permanent color is bonded to the hair cortex. There may be various types of alcohols and conditioners present in hair color.

In early times short hairstyles were not popular. Today they are the trend. Once you have reviewed some short hairstyles and decide you want to go short, you will find there are dozens and dozens of styles to chose from. Try to narrow your selection down to three or four styles.

Print a copy of the models or the hairstyles so you can them with you to the salon. You can always explain what you want to your stylist but there’s nothing like having a visual image to clarify it. Besides if your stylist is an image consultant, she can validate that a particular style will be good for your face shape. If it will not, she can make recommendations on modifications so it will be a good “frame” for your face.

Short styles are great for summer because they provide relief from the heat. Short haircuts are great for moms who spend hours in the sweltering heat watching their kids play outdoor sports. As opposed to long hair, the short cuts can make you look hip and trendy. And don’t be misguided thinking you can’t look formal if need be with short hair. You can dress up or down with a short “do”.

Surprise your friends by sporting a cool short hair cut. Some of them will probably envy you for having the “guts” to express yourself with your hair!

Remember if you go short and you don’t like it - it’s only a haircut, it won’t result in major changes in your life and it will grow back. And who knows, it may elevate your mood and you could find it really suits your lifestyle. A radical change may not work with your current wardrobe and you might be forced to go shopping. I can think of worse things than that, how about you?

Make sure your new short “do” is versatile enough to suit every occasion, especially if you are a professional career woman. Perhaps short spiky platinum blond might be out of place in your office. If you are timid, try the new color first. Once you are comfortable with that change, then go for the short haircut.

You are in charge. Don’t let your stylist or friends influence you or push you into something you are not ready for. You are the one who will have to live with your new style.

How much time and effort do you want to put into your hair? Typically, long hair is going to require much more maintenance than short hair.

If you go extremely short, you may find out you are making constant visits to the salon, that could become inconvenient and unaffordable. I’ve considered a really close cropped style and that is exactly why I have refrained from doing it. Mine is still short but requires minimal maintenance.

Before you take the big plunge, look through every magazine, website and hair book that you can find. Get a feel for all of the different styles to chose from. If you can’t find anything, go to the salon early and page through the books they have available. Then get ready to show off your new short “do” and your pretty little face!

Did you know there are people out there that think if you wash your hair too often you can go bald or get dandruff? There is no truth to the rumor, that washing your hair frequently causes baldness or dandruff. Having said that, I must tell you that I wear my hair short and spiky and the dirtier it is, the better! I realize that doesn’t work for everyone.

You might find that you are losing hair while in the shower or when combing your hair but that is perfectly normal.

The hair follicle has a three - phased life: growth, rest, and shedding. Five percent of your hair is in the shedding phase. That means - (ah-hum, refer to previous post) that it is normal to shed “80-100″ hairs per day. If you showered once per week, it may seem like you are losing a lot of hair but that would be hair which is ready to be released - or in the “shedding” mode.

If you are worried about hair loss, you should have it evaluated by a hair loss expert. A dermatologist will be able to diagnose the type of baldness, if you are - in fact, experiencing hair loss. It can be something as simple as a thyroid hormone imbalance, which can be corrected. There are many solutions for women’s hair loss. The worst thing you can do is stress over your situation, as I have talked about before, stress only exacerbates the problem.

Dandruff is not caused by washing your hair daily or frequently. Dandruff, otherwise known as seborrheic dermatitis, happens when your scalp is too try or too oily. Your skin produces natural oils, especially on the scalp, ears and the T-zone of the forehead, nose and chin areas. This oil is produced to lubricate both your skin and hair follicles. Excessive oiliness can cause dandruff to occur. Dandruff is an abnormal amount of flaking from your scalp, which is often accompanied by redness or irritation.

Actually, washing hair daily can improve a dandruff problem. Use a shampoo formulated for dandruff. If your problem is severe, you may need medicated shampoo or physician prescribed creams or pills. It’s also important to consider your diet. As we’ve discussed before, something like dandruff is an outward sign of something missing internally. I’ve written a lot about diet and healthy hair and skin if you would like to read some of the past blogs.

Okay, we’ve determined that it’s safe to wash your hair daily if you desire. But, there are some tips you should follow. Don’t use really hot water as that can lead to a dry, flaky scalp. Don’t vigorously scrub your scalp, hard scrubbing can pull follicles in the rest and growth phase. Hair is sturdy and strong, but it can be damaged, especially when it is wet. While it may not fall out, it can be weakened then subject to breakage.

So, for all of you who like extremely clean hair, knock yourselves out and wash it daily. As for me with my short, spiky do, I’ll wash it weekly whether it needs it or not!!!

Want to know what is one of the most abused areas of your body? Yep, it’s your scalp! Something we rarely if ever see.

Every day your scalp comes into close contact with brushes, chemicals, dyes, bleaches, gels and sprays. Then, as if that isn’t bad enough, we blast it with high heat that we would never dream of exposing to other parts of our body!

According to one dermatologist, the scalp has a really hard time. But apart from the balls of the feet, the heels and back - the scalp is the thickest part of the body. The top layer, or epidermis, is of average thickness. But the dermis, which is the strong layer underneath, is much thicker.

Hair grows from roots or hair follicles. These are “down-growths” of the epidermis. With the scalp, hairs are thick and strong. The roots bud down through the dermis into the underlying subcutaneous fat where they can lie 4 millimeters below the skin’s surface.

There is a rich blood supply around the hair follicles. While the number of follicles varies enormously from person to person, according to a spokesman for the Trichological Society, the thicker the hair shaft, the bigger the hair follicle.

The average follicle will produce a hair that will grow for about a year. It will rest for a month or two and then the hair will fall out. The hair follicle then starts over, producing another hair, it rest then falls out, and so on and so on.

In male pattern baldness, which can also affect the temples of women, the hair follicles of genetically susceptible people, die young on exposure to the male hormone, testosterone. (see previous blog about this)

There are other causes of hair loss such as cancer chemotherapy which interferes with the growing phase and therefore results in loss of 90 percent of the scalp hair for as long as the treatment is taken. Then there is telogen effluvium which is a more common and reversible form of hair loss which may last for a number of months.

This type of hair loss can be triggered and provoked by stressful events. Doctors don’t really know why but suspect it could be due to changes in blood flow, thyroid disorder or iron deficiency.

Hair follicles have their own lubrication system, which comes from sebaceous glands and; too much of this lubrication or flow, results in an oily scalp. The scalp can be washed daily without damage to it or the hair, as log as the cleansing is done gently.

So, even though the scalp is one of the most abused parts of your body, don’t panic! In most cases, it is strong enough to take it!

To blow dry or air dry, which is better, which is right? Well… actually its a matter of personal preference. Some people don’t have much time to devote to styling their hair and want to achieve maximum styling so they opt for blow drying their hair. On the other hand, there are some who think blow-drying is a total waste of electricity and is a quick way to damage the hair, so they are all about air drying their hair.

Which is better? Both ways of drying the hair have their advantages and disadvantages. And, there proper ways of doing both.

Air drying. This is usually done by people who have short, low maintenance hairstyles or those with curly hair. There are also some people who have long hair yet have their hair air dry as air drying does not subject the hair to excessive heat. Therefore their hair is not as susceptible to damage as hair which is blow dried.

If you are going to air dry your hair, you must remember that the hair is at it’s weakest when it is wet. So, be very cautious not to rub your hair dry with the use of a towel. The friction caused by rubbing the hair with a towel with make the hair brittle and eventually break. Rather than rubbing it, you should instead blot the moisture out of your hair with a towel. As I’ve mentioned several times, at Fantasia we sell a chamois like towel with will help gently remove most of the moisture from your hair when washed. Be careful not to tug or pull at your hair much when it is still wet. Once the water is blotted out of the hair, you can fluff it with your fingers.

Blow drying the hair is the most convenient way of getting it dry and; because most people today live fast-paced lives, blow drying is typically the way it’s done. Also, blow drying adds volume to the hair. While it’s the most convenient method to dry the hair, it can also be dangerous to the hair, especially if it is over done. Blow drying can actually make the hair very brittle.

If you blow dry your hair, make sure that it is not soaking wet when you start. Blot the water out well first. Don’t hold the dryer too close to your head; keep it at least six inches away from the hair and move the dryer constantly around your head. Protect the outer strands of your hair from being over-dried by bending over and blow drying your hair with your head hanging upside down. Also, try not to dry your hair completely with the blow dryer, stop while the hair is ever so slightly damp.

Whether you air dry or blow dry your hair is your choice and should be based on lifestyle and preferences. Whatever method you chose, remember your hair is fragile. Handle it with care.

Okay, let me paint a picture for you. You are having a really bad hair day and of course, you are short on time. And, you don’t own a wig. So now what? Well, let’s talk about some quick fixes for common hair problems.

Here’s one I was fortunate to learn about many years ago and it has served me well. Have flat hair and need volume? Tip your head upside down, mist the hair roots with hair spray. Then, head upright and style your hair as usual!

Is your hair straight and limp like a noodle? Separate your hair into three or four sections on top and at the sides of your face. Mist each section with volumizing hair spray. Roll your hair up with one or two inch Velcro rollers. Blow dry your hair and keep the rollers in until your hair has cooled off. Now remove the rollers and style your hair!

If limp curly hair is your issue, part your hair into four or five sections. Now curl each section with a curling iron. Finish up with a small bit of a light styling aid.

So, you didn’t have time to wash your hair and it’s kind of smelly? Don’t panic! Add a few drops of perfume into a spray bottle filled with water. Spritz your hair all over. Or, apply a little bit of baby powder into your hair and brush it in. Remember I said a little bit? Don’t go nuts with this or you will never get the white out!

If you need to tame frizzy curls, spritz your hair with water from a spray bottle or scrunch sections of hair with a damp washcloth. Apply a small amount of a curl enhancer product through out your hair and let it dry naturally.

Do your bangs have a mind of their own? Apply a styling product to your bangs. Hold them out from your face your fingers or a brush. Blow dry your bangs in the direction you want the hair to go. If you want your bangs to lay down straight, aim the blow dryer downward.

If you have some bad, ratty knots, spray a leave-in conditioner directly onto the knots. Use a wide-tooth comb and carefully pick out the knot starting at the end. For really nasty knots, try applying Frizz Ease before combing out.

So, just about anything is “fix-able” if you know just a few tricks of the trade. What ever you do, don’t panic, life is too short!

I’m continually searching for natural things which help with beauty. I’ve found some more natural hair treatments I’d like to pass along. So, if you are looking for a natural hair treatment to help you get strong, healthy hair, consider herbs. Some herbs have been used to treat dandruff, restore shine and help hair grow.

You have probably noticed that many shampoos and conditioners today use herbal additives. Herbs are a natural remedy that can offer solutions for dry, damaged hair and stimulate hair growth in some cases.

Herbs are all natural but it’s best to test a small amount of the herb on the inside of your wrist before treating your whole head or ingesting the herbs. It is possible to have an allergic reaction to some herbs. Wait a day or two after applying to your wrist, if there are no adverse reactions, you are good to go!

Which herbs help? Rosemary may help stimulate hair growth, fight dandruff and restore luster to your hair. Make rosemary by cooking the rosemary, discarding it and using the water as a rinse for your hair. Boil the water, add the rosemary leaves, reduce the heat and allow the leaves to simmer for 10-15 minutes. Again, discard the rosemary leaves, allow the water to cool (you can refrigerate it). Then pour the rosemary water over freshly shampooed hair and rinse with tepid water.

Horsetail is an herb which is a great source of sillica. Sillica will strengthen your hair at its core and help restore shine. Make your own horsetail shampoo at home by steeping 2-3 tablespoons of horsetail in 1/2 cup of hot water. Add the mixture to your and shampoo as usual.

Here are some other herbs for healthy hair. Just boil as with the rosemary above, and add to your normal shampoo.

• Aloe
• Birch
• Burdoch
• Chamomile
• Licorice
• Marigold
• Mulberries
• Parsley
• Sage

So, if you thought herbs were just for food, now you know better!

While we long for summer, especially those of us who live in Minnesota. But, unfortunately, sun and humidity can damage your hair’s cuticle leaving you with dry, drab, split, brittle or frizzy hair and ends. The sunlight is just as damaging as a hot blow dryer. Natural curly hair is often a victim to summer fizzes. Since none of this is fun, let’s talk about some preventative measures, tips if you will, so we can enjoy our hair all summer long!

Replenish. You can prevent static electricity when washing by applying a conditioner that adds moisture and shine. Every other shampoo, apply a leave-in conditioner after gently towel drying your hair. Products advertised that they “replenish” are designed to add moisture. The voluminizing and feminizing products are designed to add body and shine but not moisture. Read the ingredients in the products.

Ditch the hot tools. If you typically use the blow dryer and the hot curling tools daily, give your hair a break during the summer months. Consider letting our hair air dry and go with a more “natural” style. Braid your hair when wet and it will dry into beautiful waves. If you feel you must use the blow dryer, use a leave - in conditioner designed to protect your hair.

Deep condition. On the weekends or at night, dab a good deep conditioner on the ends and frizziest parts of your hair. Then, put it up or wrap it in plastic and sleep on it. This will restore absent moisture that contributes to your frizzies. It will also prevent heavy conditioners from weighing down your hair, since the conditioner is only on your trouble spots.

Use SPF. If you find yourself at the beach without a hat or SPF for your hair, you can use the stuff made for your skin. When you get home, be sure to use a deep - cleansing shampoo to remove it. This may not be the greatest solution but it will likely save your hair from sun damage.

Keep the Frizzies at bay. When the summer heat is it’s hottest, you can contain the “frizzies” by wearing your hair up in a knot, bun or braids. Use caution with using shine products to control the frizzies. Often times they contain silicone and can coat your hair after just a few applications. This will only make your problems worse in the long run.

Trim. Keep your hair trimmed. Since the summer heat can pump up the frizzies, make sure you have your ends trimmed every 6-8 weeks during the summer. when your ends are frizzy, its a sign that they are either damaged, split or both.

Protect your hair. Wear a hat at the beach, in the convertible or out in the hot sun. Your hair can get sunburned just like your scalp. The only way you can correct severely burned hair is by trimming. Frizzy hair is very often the result of too much sun time. Use leave - in hair products with sun protection when you know you will be hanging out at the beach, especially if you are unwilling to wear a hat or a cover-up.

Easy does it. Be gently with your hair always but especially in the summer. Consider a gentle shampoo with ingredients that are as natural as possible. Avoid products containing alcohol or formaldehyde since they can be excessively drying to the hair. Consider washing your hair less often during the summer months to allow your hair to absorb more moisture.

So, enjoy your summer and your great looking hair!

If your hair is dull, dryed out and lifeless, are there some simple things you can do to turn it back to glorious locks? Yes! Here are some common sense tips for restoring and beautifying your hair.

Get your haircut often, at least every six to eight weeks. Shorter haircuts can be trimmed every month. By having your haircut often, you will eliminate split ends, leaving your hair smooth and beautiful.

Don’t shampoo your hair every day. Over shampooing can strip your hair of its natural oils, leaving it dull and lifeless. Usually, you can get away with shampooing every couple days. If necessary, on the days you don’t shampoo, you can just rinse your hair with cool water.

Blot your hair dry. One thing which damages your hair is rubbing it vigorously with a towel. Instead, you should blot the excess water out of your hair rather than rubbing. Then, comb it out and allow your hair to air dry if you can. Fantasia sells these chamois-like towels that pull the moisture out of your hair, they are great! Always avoid over using blow dryers and other heated styling tools whenever possible.

Find a good hair stylist. Bad haircuts and coloring jobs can ruin the way you look. It’s a good investment of time and money to find a good hair stylist. If you see someone who’s hair looks great, ask them for the name of their stylist. Most people are flattered by this and more than happy to provide the information to you. If you want to change your style, find pictures in magazines or on-line showing the style you desire. Bring the picture with you to the salon. Stylist like the fact that you know what you want and will be able to duplicate the look for you. If you have chosen a style that doesn’t work with your hair type, a good stylist will let you know that and make recommendations.

Use natural haircare products. There is a real movement today back to that which is more natural and you will find most salons today carry products that are herbal based. Some good salon products would be Nioxin or Pureology, both contain nourishing, botanical ingredients.

As you can see, it’s not rocket science and doesn’t have to cost you a bundle. And, looking good and having great hair doesn’t cost, it pays. There’s something to be said about the confidence one has when knowing your hair looks its absolute best!

Can you remember any of the hairstyles from your youth? Quess what? For summer fashion, the latest hairstyles have their stylistic roots in the seventies and eighties.

Two key hairstyle trends of the season are straight and smooth and loosely curled with a tousled bohemian look. The two styles may appear to be opposites but both have body. There’s no limit on length as both short and long styles are right in style.

There is a return to short hair with the eighties inspired “undercut”. The bob is updated with variations ranging from elevated to classic.

Long straight styles tend to feature lots of layers, jagged edges and side-swept bangs. Typically it is the younger clients wanting this layered jagged edged look, as they refer to as the “rock star” haircut. It is similar to the hairstyle worn by Ashlee Simpson.

If keeping straight hair smooth and sleek is challenging, there are styling tips and products that can help. Leave in conditioning creams that can be combed evenly through the hair prior to blow drying will help keep the hair smooth and well moisturized.

For height at the crown, lifters such as powder or mousse can be applied to the roots. A round brush and Velco rollers then can be used with a blow dryer to creast volume a the top of the head. Cutting weight out of the hair at the crown elevates the style.

Long and flowing loosely tousled bed head waves go with the bohemian influence seen in some of the current clothing styles. This is the look that stars such as Julia Roberts and Debra Messing have made famous.

Enhancing the look of natural curls and fighting the tendency for curly hair to turn frizzy when humidity is a factor, can present a challenge but there are styling techniques and products that are up to the task. Prior to blow drying, use a thermal active protective spray designed to hold curl, resist humidity and prevent “frizzies”. To make the most of natural waves and curls, use a sculpting mousse or medium hold sculpting gel while styling your hair. Although hair may have natural curl, warpping large sections around a curling iron can help to achieve a more evenly curled look. Finishing steps may include using a scrunching mousse or a curl-shaping cream designed to hold, separate and refresh curls on wet or dry hair.

Maybe back to the seventies and eighties isn’t so bad after all? As I look at everyone wearing the “Posh” do, I keep thinking…wasn’t this what we referred to as the “Sasson” in the seventies? It was pretty cool then and it’s pretty cool today!