Watch as Internationally Renowned Stylists use Moroccanoil products to create beautiful, fashion-forward styles at Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2013! A backstage Fashion Week staple around the globe, Moroccanoil's innovative, performance-driven, easy-to-use formulas are ideal for creating gorgeous, runway-ready looks!
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Moroccanoil at Fashion Week Around the Globe -- Fall/Winter 2013
Watch as Internationally Renowned Stylists use Moroccanoil products to create beautiful, fashion-forward styles at Fashion Week Autumn/Winter 2013! A backstage Fashion Week staple around the globe, Moroccanoil's innovative, performance-driven, easy-to-use formulas are ideal for creating gorgeous, runway-ready looks!
Monday, May 27, 2013
How To: Glamorous Hollywood Waves
Watch to learn how Moroccanoil Educator, Violet Sainsbury, created the ultra glamorous Hollywood waves. Created in partnership with InStyle Australia, Violet teaches you how to create this red-carpet worthy look featuring Moroccanoil® Treatment, Moroccanoil Frizz Control, Moroccanoil Round Brush, Luminous Hairspray Strong, and Moroccanoil Glimmer Shine.
Friday, May 24, 2013
Desperate Curls, Desperate Measures
Your beautiful curls won't reveal themselves on just a wing and a prayer! Or even, with a couple of wet kisses or some fruity olive oil—trust us on this. (and take a look at the video to see what we mean!)
Tuesday, May 21, 2013
How To: Beach Waves
Watch as Moroccanoil Artistic Director, Antonio Corral Calero, teaches you how to create the perfect beachy waves.
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Want Great Hair? Pro Haircare Tips You Can Use at Home Part 4 (of 7) - Brushing
Brushing:
Using a ball-tipped bristle brush can promote healthy hair growth. It must be a brush with soft plastic knobs on the ends of the bristles to keep from scratching your scalp.
DENMAN brands, which you can order online, are recommended by leading hairdressers.
Many people keep their old favorite brush and use it for all types of hair styling jobs and then wonder why their hair doesn't look as good everyday as it does after a visit to the stylist.
To help you choose the best brushes for your styling needs, first let's discuss what each of the brush types are really for:
Vent Brushes...
The open vents allow air flow. It's used to create root lift and volume for your hair and to give some direction and movement like flicking out the ends of your hair.
If your hair tends to be a little flyaway or static this is not the styling brush for you as it's the simplest brush to use but gives only the simplest effects. It's not far removed from using your fingers to dry your hair. It is a great brush for easing out tangles on medium to thick hair and men's or children's short simple styles or to give a little more height and lift to a style that you might normally dry with your fingers.
Styler or the "Denman"...
Denman is a brand name for a type of brush with no vents and a solid cushion backing. The bristles are on one side only and form a slight half circle. They are best used on bob shape cuts and mid length hair to smooth and straighten the lengths and ends of the hair. Like the vent brush, they are easy to use, but if you can't get the smoothness you want form this type of brush it is because it cannot provide enough tension. For that you will need to use a large round bristle brush.
Cushion Brushes...
These have a soft cushion base with bristles on one side, often slightly curved and are used to smooth, without lift or volume on short to medium hair lengths that aren't too thick or dense. They are very simple to use and are popular with men to create neat smooth shapes without lift.
Round Brushes...
The name round brush describes it but the most important thing to realize is that it's not just for creating curl. The more open bristle type is used for achieving maximum height and lift.
The densely packed real bristle round brush is great for smoothing and straightening your hair with the tension needed for hair that is naturally wavy or curly.
The size of the brush you need depends on the length of your hair and the effect you want. Your hair needs to be long enough to rap around the brush once.
As a general guide:
Paddle Brushes...
These are larger and flatter than the cushion brush and are known by their size and cushion type base from which the bristles protrude. They're used when you have long or very thick hair to deal with. They are great to smooth naturally straight hair or to finish off after using a round brush to straighten frizzy, wavy or curly hair.
Simply sweep the brush down the length of your hair with a paddle type motion. This way you won't create volume or highly stylized looks with this type of brush.
Thermal Brushes...
Many types of brushes now come in thermal versions. You most commonly find round thermal brushes but they also come as vent or styler types. If time is your concern then a thermal brush could be what you need. They work by using a metal or heat conductive material as the center of the brush; this gets hot using the heat from your hair dryer. As you increase the heat that is drying your hair working not only on the surface of the hair, but internally as well, it dries faster. You can get effects that are like setting your hair on rollers when you get really good with one of these.
Be very careful though, it's easy to scorch your hair if the brush gets too hot! We recommend that if your hair is fine, chemically treated or damaged that you use a good old-fashioned non-thermal brush to avoid overheating damage.
You can also try the new ceramic brushes. Since ceramics retain heat, a brush with a ceramic core can help you dry and style your hair with less heat damage. Previously various metals have been used as the centers for brushes and the plates of flat irons and tongs. It turns out that replacing the metal with ceramics not only does the job better but is less harmful to hair.
Using a ball-tipped bristle brush can promote healthy hair growth. It must be a brush with soft plastic knobs on the ends of the bristles to keep from scratching your scalp.
DENMAN brands, which you can order online, are recommended by leading hairdressers.
- Brush your hair before shampooing (while it's still dry).
- Remove the dust and dirt of the day from your hair with a good brushing.
- Brushing stimulates the natural oil production of your scalp and distributes the oils along the hair strands.
Many people keep their old favorite brush and use it for all types of hair styling jobs and then wonder why their hair doesn't look as good everyday as it does after a visit to the stylist.
To help you choose the best brushes for your styling needs, first let's discuss what each of the brush types are really for:
Vent Brushes...
The open vents allow air flow. It's used to create root lift and volume for your hair and to give some direction and movement like flicking out the ends of your hair.
If your hair tends to be a little flyaway or static this is not the styling brush for you as it's the simplest brush to use but gives only the simplest effects. It's not far removed from using your fingers to dry your hair. It is a great brush for easing out tangles on medium to thick hair and men's or children's short simple styles or to give a little more height and lift to a style that you might normally dry with your fingers.
Styler or the "Denman"...
Denman is a brand name for a type of brush with no vents and a solid cushion backing. The bristles are on one side only and form a slight half circle. They are best used on bob shape cuts and mid length hair to smooth and straighten the lengths and ends of the hair. Like the vent brush, they are easy to use, but if you can't get the smoothness you want form this type of brush it is because it cannot provide enough tension. For that you will need to use a large round bristle brush.
Cushion Brushes...
These have a soft cushion base with bristles on one side, often slightly curved and are used to smooth, without lift or volume on short to medium hair lengths that aren't too thick or dense. They are very simple to use and are popular with men to create neat smooth shapes without lift.
Round Brushes...
The name round brush describes it but the most important thing to realize is that it's not just for creating curl. The more open bristle type is used for achieving maximum height and lift.
The densely packed real bristle round brush is great for smoothing and straightening your hair with the tension needed for hair that is naturally wavy or curly.
The size of the brush you need depends on the length of your hair and the effect you want. Your hair needs to be long enough to rap around the brush once.
As a general guide:
- For short hair (up to 6 inches) the center barrel of the brush should be 1 inch or less in diameter.
- For mid length hair ( 6 - 8 inches) the center barrel of the brush should be 1 to 1.5 inches in diameter.
- For long hair ( 8 inches or more) the center barrel of the brush should be 2 inches or more in diameter.
- You need to practice. Think of it as a workout for your arms!
- Use sectioning clips, so that you can work with only a small piece of hair at a time.
- Angle the air from your dryer, so that it flows from roots to ends, (not across or back towards your head, which is good only for making your hair frizzy).
- Ask your hairdresser to give you a demo on how to do it then ask them to watch you and correct your technique. They really shouldn't mind teaching you how to keep your hair looking great.
Paddle Brushes...
These are larger and flatter than the cushion brush and are known by their size and cushion type base from which the bristles protrude. They're used when you have long or very thick hair to deal with. They are great to smooth naturally straight hair or to finish off after using a round brush to straighten frizzy, wavy or curly hair.
Simply sweep the brush down the length of your hair with a paddle type motion. This way you won't create volume or highly stylized looks with this type of brush.
Thermal Brushes...
Many types of brushes now come in thermal versions. You most commonly find round thermal brushes but they also come as vent or styler types. If time is your concern then a thermal brush could be what you need. They work by using a metal or heat conductive material as the center of the brush; this gets hot using the heat from your hair dryer. As you increase the heat that is drying your hair working not only on the surface of the hair, but internally as well, it dries faster. You can get effects that are like setting your hair on rollers when you get really good with one of these.
Be very careful though, it's easy to scorch your hair if the brush gets too hot! We recommend that if your hair is fine, chemically treated or damaged that you use a good old-fashioned non-thermal brush to avoid overheating damage.
You can also try the new ceramic brushes. Since ceramics retain heat, a brush with a ceramic core can help you dry and style your hair with less heat damage. Previously various metals have been used as the centers for brushes and the plates of flat irons and tongs. It turns out that replacing the metal with ceramics not only does the job better but is less harmful to hair.
Next: The right color for your hair.
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Want Great Hair? Pro Tips You Can Use at Home Part 3 (of 7) - Blow Drying
Basic Blow Drying:
Preparing for a good blow dry starts with a good shampoo and conditioning.
Then, use a thermal protector product every time you blow dry.
Tools you'll need:
**A handheld dryer.
--Smaller ones are lighter and easier to maneuver;
--Larger ones dry faster (because they have more power).
**And a nozzle for directing the airflow precisely, or
--A Diffuser for curly hair.
**A large round brush with real bristles (DENMAN is my preferred brand).
**Clips of various sizes, the large, flat, professional ones work best.
**Hair spray and/or gloss for finishing.
1. Gently towel dry first, now pre-dry by running your hands with fingers spread apart, through your hair, shaking it while doing the initial blow drying. DO NOT OVER DRY.
The trick is what hairdressers call over-direction.
This means that as you blow dry each section you pull the brush, directing the hair in the opposite direction that you want it to fall.
The result is that when it falls it has to loop up and over itself giving it added height, body and bounce.
2. Use clips. Pin the top layers up out of the way and dry the underneath sections first, starting at your neck.
3. Use that cool air button to "set" the dry hair before removing your brush from each section.
4. Use a large paddle brush for a smooth finish. Use a diffuser on curly hair.
5. Finish with a light gloss product for added shine and no frizzies.
Next up in the "Want Great Hair?" series: Hair Brushes, the products and techniques for healthy beautiful hair.
Preparing for a good blow dry starts with a good shampoo and conditioning.
Then, use a thermal protector product every time you blow dry.
Tools you'll need:
**A handheld dryer.
--Smaller ones are lighter and easier to maneuver;
--Larger ones dry faster (because they have more power).
**And a nozzle for directing the airflow precisely, or
--A Diffuser for curly hair.
**A large round brush with real bristles (DENMAN is my preferred brand).
**Clips of various sizes, the large, flat, professional ones work best.
**Hair spray and/or gloss for finishing.
1. Gently towel dry first, now pre-dry by running your hands with fingers spread apart, through your hair, shaking it while doing the initial blow drying. DO NOT OVER DRY.
The trick is what hairdressers call over-direction.
This means that as you blow dry each section you pull the brush, directing the hair in the opposite direction that you want it to fall.
The result is that when it falls it has to loop up and over itself giving it added height, body and bounce.
2. Use clips. Pin the top layers up out of the way and dry the underneath sections first, starting at your neck.
3. Use that cool air button to "set" the dry hair before removing your brush from each section.
4. Use a large paddle brush for a smooth finish. Use a diffuser on curly hair.
5. Finish with a light gloss product for added shine and no frizzies.
Next up in the "Want Great Hair?" series: Hair Brushes, the products and techniques for healthy beautiful hair.
Sunday, May 12, 2013
Want Great Hair? Pro Tips You Can Use at Home Part 2 (of 7) - Conditioning and Treatments
After rinsing the shampoo out of your hair:
Step away from the nozzle if you're in the shower, and towel dry your hair.
Yes, before applying conditioner.
Removing a lot of the water will help the product penetrate the hair shaft and give you a better result.
Treatments:
In a perfect world, we'd all be able to go down to the local salon and have our hair custom treated. But for now, my advice is: "Any treatment (within reason) is better than none at all!"
If you're trying to correct a convoluted problem you'll get faster results by finding a good salon for the initial treatment and following your hairdresser's instructions at home for subsequent treatments.
With specialized hair repairing treatments, the products penetrate deeper into the hair when heat is applied. At the salon, they may put you under the hood to enhance the product's effectiveness.
At home...
1. Cover your hair with the product in it with a plastic shower cap (one you can dispose of afterwards) and
2. Heat it up either with your hairdryer (on low) or by getting back in the hot shower or bath.
What makes the difference is the expertise of the hairdresser. It is very difficult for you to work out whether your hair needs protein or moisture and your hairdresser will be able tell this at a glance. Also, although many of the products may look the same, the in salon version is often "stronger" because the manufacturers can make it so knowing it will be used correctly by someone trained in that field. If you ask your hairdresser, they may agree to give you a professional treatment to apply yourself at home with the correct instructions. But that is up to your particular hairdresser.
There are really three types of treatments, one of which is closer to a conditioner:
1.Reconstructors make the hair stronger.
2.Moisturizers balance the moisture content of the hair's cortex.
3.Thermal Protectors prevent heat damage before it starts and can be used each time you shampoo so it's similar to conditioner, and usually called a finishing product.
RECONSTRUCTORS: make the hair shaft stronger using protein and usually include a moisturizer to prevent the protein from causing brittleness. However, because they penetrate the hair shaft, working internally, you'll also need a conditioner to finish with smooth hair. They are critical to chemically processed hair but don't use one a week before or after coloring to avoid interfering in the process.
MOISTURIZERS: the most common treatment and something nearly every type of hair needs regularly. How often depends on the starting condition of your hair.
Used to balance the moisture content of the cortex (middle of your hair) and the solution to frizzy, dry hair and curly hair that lacks bounce. Used regularly to treat all damage conditions:
oChemical: coloring, perming and
oPhysical: over drying or heating your hair, water and sun damage.
THERMAL PROTECTORS: Used regularly can help prevent the physical damage of blow drying, hot irons and even sun damage. Applied properly, it will leave only a very fine layer, perhaps a little extra shine but no heavy feel in your hair.
You MUST always use a thermal protector if you...
1.Use a thermal brush with a metal center when blow drying.
2.You use a heated iron or tong to style your hair - direct heat is THE most damaging.
3.You have long hair - the older the hair the easier it is damaged.
Your Basic Rules for Treatment Scheduling...
1.Every shampoo for thermal protectors if you use heated tools or spend a lot of time in the sun.
2.Once a month for healthy hair. Don't wait until it shows damage!
3.Twice a month if your hair tends to be dry or its color is fading.
4.Once a week if your hair is already showing signs of damage.
5.Twice a week or at the salon if your hair is already fried.
Your hair can only absorb so many nutrients at one time, so don't layer treatments, leave them on longer than the instructions call for, or use too much product at one time. Be especially careful with the protein based treatments. Using too much can cause brittleness (hair breaks easily).
Step away from the nozzle if you're in the shower, and towel dry your hair.
Yes, before applying conditioner.
Removing a lot of the water will help the product penetrate the hair shaft and give you a better result.
Treatments:
In a perfect world, we'd all be able to go down to the local salon and have our hair custom treated. But for now, my advice is: "Any treatment (within reason) is better than none at all!"
If you're trying to correct a convoluted problem you'll get faster results by finding a good salon for the initial treatment and following your hairdresser's instructions at home for subsequent treatments.
With specialized hair repairing treatments, the products penetrate deeper into the hair when heat is applied. At the salon, they may put you under the hood to enhance the product's effectiveness.
At home...
1. Cover your hair with the product in it with a plastic shower cap (one you can dispose of afterwards) and
2. Heat it up either with your hairdryer (on low) or by getting back in the hot shower or bath.
What makes the difference is the expertise of the hairdresser. It is very difficult for you to work out whether your hair needs protein or moisture and your hairdresser will be able tell this at a glance. Also, although many of the products may look the same, the in salon version is often "stronger" because the manufacturers can make it so knowing it will be used correctly by someone trained in that field. If you ask your hairdresser, they may agree to give you a professional treatment to apply yourself at home with the correct instructions. But that is up to your particular hairdresser.
There are really three types of treatments, one of which is closer to a conditioner:
1.Reconstructors make the hair stronger.
2.Moisturizers balance the moisture content of the hair's cortex.
3.Thermal Protectors prevent heat damage before it starts and can be used each time you shampoo so it's similar to conditioner, and usually called a finishing product.
RECONSTRUCTORS: make the hair shaft stronger using protein and usually include a moisturizer to prevent the protein from causing brittleness. However, because they penetrate the hair shaft, working internally, you'll also need a conditioner to finish with smooth hair. They are critical to chemically processed hair but don't use one a week before or after coloring to avoid interfering in the process.
MOISTURIZERS: the most common treatment and something nearly every type of hair needs regularly. How often depends on the starting condition of your hair.
Used to balance the moisture content of the cortex (middle of your hair) and the solution to frizzy, dry hair and curly hair that lacks bounce. Used regularly to treat all damage conditions:
oChemical: coloring, perming and
oPhysical: over drying or heating your hair, water and sun damage.
THERMAL PROTECTORS: Used regularly can help prevent the physical damage of blow drying, hot irons and even sun damage. Applied properly, it will leave only a very fine layer, perhaps a little extra shine but no heavy feel in your hair.
You MUST always use a thermal protector if you...
1.Use a thermal brush with a metal center when blow drying.
2.You use a heated iron or tong to style your hair - direct heat is THE most damaging.
3.You have long hair - the older the hair the easier it is damaged.
Your Basic Rules for Treatment Scheduling...
1.Every shampoo for thermal protectors if you use heated tools or spend a lot of time in the sun.
2.Once a month for healthy hair. Don't wait until it shows damage!
3.Twice a month if your hair tends to be dry or its color is fading.
4.Once a week if your hair is already showing signs of damage.
5.Twice a week or at the salon if your hair is already fried.
Your hair can only absorb so many nutrients at one time, so don't layer treatments, leave them on longer than the instructions call for, or use too much product at one time. Be especially careful with the protein based treatments. Using too much can cause brittleness (hair breaks easily).
Next up, in the "Want Great Hair?" series: Using Your Blow Dryer Properly.
Thursday, May 9, 2013
Hair Care Tips - How to Choose the Right Hair Shampoo?
Hair care
Proper hair care is important for normal hair, particularly for hair that is thinning. Unfortunately, not many people understand the basics of hair care and get lured by advertisements into using products that may not be suitable.
Let us examine some aspects of hair care so that you can use hair products and styles to the best advantage.
Shampooing
Shampoos are cleaning agents rather like ordinary soaps. Indeed, shampoos in the past were soap based, but these had the disadvantage of being affected by hard water. They caused a scum deposit and made hair look dull. Modern shampoos contain synthetic detergents and work equally well in hard or soft water.
There are essentially three types of shampoos available in the market. They are: i) shampoos for dry hair, ii) shampoos for normal hair and iii) shampoos for oily hair. There are other sub-classifications, but these are unnecessary and confusing. The difference essentially lies in the amount of oil (lanolin, natural or mineral oil) added to them.
Shampoos for dry hair contain oil whereas those for normal or oily hair generally do not. It is helpful to choose the right shampoo for your type of hair.
It your hair looks greasy and matted together, then use a shampoo for oily hair. If these rove too drying even for oily hair, use a normal hair formula and wash more frequently or double wash. It should be remembered that the basic purpose of all shampoos is to clean the hair and all shampoos do this very well. Since they are all equally effective, you might like to choose the best-smelling one, remembering that price is not necessarily an indication of quality.
Some shampoos are labelled 'acid balanced' or 'ph balanced'. The detergent found in all shampoos are alkaline ( they have to be, otherwise they will be not clean) and open the imbrications(spaces) in the cuticle so that hair gets entangled easily. This effect is minimized by acid or ph shampoos balanced shampoos.
Another group of shampoos available in the market are called medicated shampoos. These contain substances that help itchy scalp conditions such as dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis and psoriasis.
Despite the name, medicated shampoos do not contain medicine for the hair and will not help hair to grow , neither will they cause hair loss. They can be safely used to treat such as seborrhoeic dermatitis or psoriasis. Medicated shampoos are generally more drying and a conditioner may be used if this is a problem.
All sorts of claims have been made by the manufacturers of shampoos and hundreds of healthful sounding substances are added to entice the consumer into choosing their products. In truth, shampoos only clean hairs; they do not nourish hair. All the nourishment for the hair is provided by the blood vessels around the hair follicles and nothing applied to the scalp will affect the follicles below.
Shampooing is not harmful even for people with hair loss. Regular shampooing keeps the scalp and hair cleans, healthy-looking and comfortable. It may also help male pattern baldness by removing locally-produced androgens from the scalp. These androgens are believed to contribute towards male pattern baldness.
Recently, a number of 2-in-1 shampoos have been introduced into the market. These contain the additional conditioner. Frankly, I believe it is better to use conditioners separately after shampooing because the detergent in 2-in-1 shampoos probably wash away most of the conditioner.
How you use the shampoos is also important for getting the best out of the shampoo. Wet the hair first ,then pour a 20-cent-size dollop of shampoo into your hand. Spread it between the fingers and then work the shampoo into the scalp. It is incorrect to pour the shampoo directly on to the scalp because cleaning will be uneven with some parts getting more shampoo than others.
Rinse off thoroughly afterwards. Remember that the cleansing ability is not related to the amount of lather the shampoo produces. Some shampoos clean exceptionally well even though they produce very little lather.
Proper hair care is important for normal hair, particularly for hair that is thinning. Unfortunately, not many people understand the basics of hair care and get lured by advertisements into using products that may not be suitable.
Let us examine some aspects of hair care so that you can use hair products and styles to the best advantage.
Shampooing
Shampoos are cleaning agents rather like ordinary soaps. Indeed, shampoos in the past were soap based, but these had the disadvantage of being affected by hard water. They caused a scum deposit and made hair look dull. Modern shampoos contain synthetic detergents and work equally well in hard or soft water.
There are essentially three types of shampoos available in the market. They are: i) shampoos for dry hair, ii) shampoos for normal hair and iii) shampoos for oily hair. There are other sub-classifications, but these are unnecessary and confusing. The difference essentially lies in the amount of oil (lanolin, natural or mineral oil) added to them.
Shampoos for dry hair contain oil whereas those for normal or oily hair generally do not. It is helpful to choose the right shampoo for your type of hair.
It your hair looks greasy and matted together, then use a shampoo for oily hair. If these rove too drying even for oily hair, use a normal hair formula and wash more frequently or double wash. It should be remembered that the basic purpose of all shampoos is to clean the hair and all shampoos do this very well. Since they are all equally effective, you might like to choose the best-smelling one, remembering that price is not necessarily an indication of quality.
Some shampoos are labelled 'acid balanced' or 'ph balanced'. The detergent found in all shampoos are alkaline ( they have to be, otherwise they will be not clean) and open the imbrications(spaces) in the cuticle so that hair gets entangled easily. This effect is minimized by acid or ph shampoos balanced shampoos.
Another group of shampoos available in the market are called medicated shampoos. These contain substances that help itchy scalp conditions such as dandruff or seborrhoeic dermatitis and psoriasis.
Despite the name, medicated shampoos do not contain medicine for the hair and will not help hair to grow , neither will they cause hair loss. They can be safely used to treat such as seborrhoeic dermatitis or psoriasis. Medicated shampoos are generally more drying and a conditioner may be used if this is a problem.
All sorts of claims have been made by the manufacturers of shampoos and hundreds of healthful sounding substances are added to entice the consumer into choosing their products. In truth, shampoos only clean hairs; they do not nourish hair. All the nourishment for the hair is provided by the blood vessels around the hair follicles and nothing applied to the scalp will affect the follicles below.
Shampooing is not harmful even for people with hair loss. Regular shampooing keeps the scalp and hair cleans, healthy-looking and comfortable. It may also help male pattern baldness by removing locally-produced androgens from the scalp. These androgens are believed to contribute towards male pattern baldness.
Recently, a number of 2-in-1 shampoos have been introduced into the market. These contain the additional conditioner. Frankly, I believe it is better to use conditioners separately after shampooing because the detergent in 2-in-1 shampoos probably wash away most of the conditioner.
How you use the shampoos is also important for getting the best out of the shampoo. Wet the hair first ,then pour a 20-cent-size dollop of shampoo into your hand. Spread it between the fingers and then work the shampoo into the scalp. It is incorrect to pour the shampoo directly on to the scalp because cleaning will be uneven with some parts getting more shampoo than others.
Rinse off thoroughly afterwards. Remember that the cleansing ability is not related to the amount of lather the shampoo produces. Some shampoos clean exceptionally well even though they produce very little lather.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Want Great Hair? Pro Tips You Can Use at Home Part 1 (of 7) - Shampoo
We've all had this experience...
We look great after visiting the Hair Salon and even for a couple days after.
Then we wash and dry our new style at home and it never looks even half as good as the professional version!
Sometimes it's because the stylist gave you a cut that is too high maintenance and it will never look good unless it's worked by a pro.
But, most times it's because we didn't follow the same procedures at home that our stylist used in her shop to get the look.
Whether you're going for a touch-up or a radical new look, always pay close attention to the tools and methods the stylist uses on your hair.
Ask what they're doing and why they're doing it to your hair.
Then, print out this overview of the steps to great hair (including the real pros' secrets) and use it to recreate the professional look at home.
Apply the options below that work for your hair and your style and you will have a lot fewer bad-hair days between salon visits!
The Down and Dirty About Shampooing:
When to wash and when to skip it
There are three reasons to shampoo:
*First off, to remove the stuff your hair attracts from environmental dirt and pollutants.
Things like dust, smoke, chlorine or salt if you're swimming, and all the nasty things cars belch into the air if you live in an urban or suburban area.
*Then, there's the oil that your scalp produces.
You need those oils to protect your scalp and hair but after a few days (more or less depending on your skin type) they start to cling to your hair giving you that stringy look.
*Perspiration can also soil your hair.
If you're a gym rat, you're gonna have to wash more often.
Shampooing too often strips the hair of the protective oils so try to schedule as many days between washes as you can stand. If you have a choice between washing today or tomorrow, I recommend waiting.
But, there's no hard-and-fast rule of how often to shampoo. You have to pay attention to what kind of environment you're in, your activities' effect on your hair, and how much oil your skin type secretes.
We all know our busy schedules have to be factored in too - if you shampoo when you don't have time to finish styling correctly, you're not going to end up with great looking hair.
Types of products:
The #1 question is always...
"are professional brands sold in salons and beauty supply stores really any better than drugstore brands?"
Short answer: "YES"... and here's why:
Drugstore Brands of shampoo are made with the cheapest possible ingredients. Read the label of any shampoo and you're likely to find lots of stuff with names you can't pronounce. But the cheaper the final product, the cheaper the ingredients that go into it.
"Name" Brands come in two categories:
The product-only producers like Wella, L'Oreal, and such that you can buy in beauty supply stores (and online)...
...and the private label products commissioned by and for stylists and specialty salons like Bumble & Bumble and Paul Mitchell (which you can also buy online).
**You should know that many shops require the stylists working there to use their approved brands and that the stylists make a commission on product sales.
**You should also know that if you're going to a salon and a stylist that makes your hair look great, using their products is the easy way to keep your hair looking good between visits.
We'll get more specific, with recommendations for various hair types, in future articles.
Step By Step Shampoo Instructions:
Wetting Your Hair
It's important to thoroughly wet your hair before starting to apply product. Especially if you have long or thick hair, be sure you give it time under the running water to get completely soaked.
Use lukewarm water, probably cooler than you prefer to shower in.
Amount of Product
Pour enough into your palms to start a lather. You can always add more so start small - a quarter's worth - and use only as much as the volume of hair you're washing requires.
Application of Product
Start at your scalp and work down to the ends. Don't rub, just smooth the lathered up shampoo onto the strands.
When you have a light covering, which may require additional product, move onto the next step.
Working Product Through Your Hair
You don't want to create tangles or stress your hair with vigorous rubbing. Use your finger tips (not your nails) on your scalp to loosen any dead skin and oily residues. Gently rub hair strands between your hands, working from the head to the ends.
Rinsing
Tilt your head back and allow the water to run from your head to the ends of your hair. Gently run your fingers through your hair to be sure all the shampoo is rinsed out.
Start with the lukewarm water and gradually add colder water (or turn down the hot water) until your hair is cool through-out.
To Repeat or Not
Usually not. Modern shampoos are designed to wash with one application. Unless you are removing paint or some particularly stubborn substance, one treatment with shampoo should do it.
We look great after visiting the Hair Salon and even for a couple days after.
Then we wash and dry our new style at home and it never looks even half as good as the professional version!
Sometimes it's because the stylist gave you a cut that is too high maintenance and it will never look good unless it's worked by a pro.
But, most times it's because we didn't follow the same procedures at home that our stylist used in her shop to get the look.
Whether you're going for a touch-up or a radical new look, always pay close attention to the tools and methods the stylist uses on your hair.
Ask what they're doing and why they're doing it to your hair.
Then, print out this overview of the steps to great hair (including the real pros' secrets) and use it to recreate the professional look at home.
Apply the options below that work for your hair and your style and you will have a lot fewer bad-hair days between salon visits!
The Down and Dirty About Shampooing:
When to wash and when to skip it
There are three reasons to shampoo:
*First off, to remove the stuff your hair attracts from environmental dirt and pollutants.
Things like dust, smoke, chlorine or salt if you're swimming, and all the nasty things cars belch into the air if you live in an urban or suburban area.
*Then, there's the oil that your scalp produces.
You need those oils to protect your scalp and hair but after a few days (more or less depending on your skin type) they start to cling to your hair giving you that stringy look.
*Perspiration can also soil your hair.
If you're a gym rat, you're gonna have to wash more often.
Shampooing too often strips the hair of the protective oils so try to schedule as many days between washes as you can stand. If you have a choice between washing today or tomorrow, I recommend waiting.
But, there's no hard-and-fast rule of how often to shampoo. You have to pay attention to what kind of environment you're in, your activities' effect on your hair, and how much oil your skin type secretes.
We all know our busy schedules have to be factored in too - if you shampoo when you don't have time to finish styling correctly, you're not going to end up with great looking hair.
Types of products:
The #1 question is always...
"are professional brands sold in salons and beauty supply stores really any better than drugstore brands?"
Short answer: "YES"... and here's why:
Drugstore Brands of shampoo are made with the cheapest possible ingredients. Read the label of any shampoo and you're likely to find lots of stuff with names you can't pronounce. But the cheaper the final product, the cheaper the ingredients that go into it.
"Name" Brands come in two categories:
The product-only producers like Wella, L'Oreal, and such that you can buy in beauty supply stores (and online)...
...and the private label products commissioned by and for stylists and specialty salons like Bumble & Bumble and Paul Mitchell (which you can also buy online).
**You should know that many shops require the stylists working there to use their approved brands and that the stylists make a commission on product sales.
**You should also know that if you're going to a salon and a stylist that makes your hair look great, using their products is the easy way to keep your hair looking good between visits.
We'll get more specific, with recommendations for various hair types, in future articles.
Step By Step Shampoo Instructions:
Wetting Your Hair
It's important to thoroughly wet your hair before starting to apply product. Especially if you have long or thick hair, be sure you give it time under the running water to get completely soaked.
Use lukewarm water, probably cooler than you prefer to shower in.
Amount of Product
Pour enough into your palms to start a lather. You can always add more so start small - a quarter's worth - and use only as much as the volume of hair you're washing requires.
Application of Product
Start at your scalp and work down to the ends. Don't rub, just smooth the lathered up shampoo onto the strands.
When you have a light covering, which may require additional product, move onto the next step.
Working Product Through Your Hair
You don't want to create tangles or stress your hair with vigorous rubbing. Use your finger tips (not your nails) on your scalp to loosen any dead skin and oily residues. Gently rub hair strands between your hands, working from the head to the ends.
Rinsing
Tilt your head back and allow the water to run from your head to the ends of your hair. Gently run your fingers through your hair to be sure all the shampoo is rinsed out.
Start with the lukewarm water and gradually add colder water (or turn down the hot water) until your hair is cool through-out.
To Repeat or Not
Usually not. Modern shampoos are designed to wash with one application. Unless you are removing paint or some particularly stubborn substance, one treatment with shampoo should do it.
Next up: Conditioning...
See part 2 of my article series: "Great Hair At Home: Conditioners and Treatments".
Friday, May 3, 2013
Make Your Blowout Last the Entire Week
Blowout salons are typically easy to find, but the service can range anywhere between $35-$100. To get the most mileage out of that next hair appointment, we have the cardinal rules of extending your blowout past day two, giving it leverage to last throughout the entire week.
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