Tuesday, October 31, 2006

Hair Color Woes and Fixes. What to do if your hair color is wrong.

Common hair color mistakes are, well, just too common. Hot lines get claims like: “Help, I tried to bleach my black hair blonde and it’s orange.” Or, “I put crazy colors over my bleached hair and the pink won’t come out.”

Most problems come from overdoing it. Change your color too often, combine color with perms or straighteners or make extreme color changes, and you’re making hay.
If your color is all wrong or too-dark, put in this quick fix:
Mix:
Two ounces of shampoo
— preferably, a cleansing product or one that removes build-up.
Two ounces of 20-volume stable peroxide. (This is not the hydrogen peroxide you cleanse cuts with; it’s especially for using with color and is sold in beauty supply stores.)
Powdered bleach—1/4 scoop.
Apply:
Using an applicator bottle or bowl and brush, carefully apply the mixture to color-gone-wrong as you watch in the mirror. The moment the mixture changes color (about 5 minutes), rinse well.
If you have the opposite problem: hair that hasn’t lightened enough, either your hair is too dark to go blonde in a single step or your product and timing was off. Whenever you go from light to dark or vice versa, rely on a professional. Ditto for repeat coloring.
Summary:
But if you’ve just ‘gotta do it, call the hotline number on the side of the color box before you color, tell all about you’ve done to your hair in the past, and get help.

Then, you won’t have to spend your time reading stuff like this, frantically hoping for a solution to Bozo orange hair that’s breaking off in handfuls.

And remember, do not save on cosmetics! Cheap cosmetics
can't be good for you in any way!

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Short Hair Hair-Dos. Make Cute Curls On Short Hair!

Make Hair-Do on Your short Hair!

In order to successfully create pin curls you must have enough hair length and volume to be able to wrap the hair at least one revolution into the shape of a classic pin curl. You will also need enough hair to hold the salon clips securely in place.

Pin curls can be done randomly without any set pattern but the results will be random as well.

For a very finished set it is important to layout a carefully constructed pattern, use uniform sections of hair in each pin curl and wraps the curls in multi-directions.

In some cases if the hair is too short to wrap in one revolution to create a pin curl it might be possible to get better results with a small barrel curling iron or small hair rollers.


hair-doHowever, when short hair is long enough, a pin curl set should be tried because it can offer such a unique and beautiful finished style.

Follow the steps below for a quick pin curl set:

1. Wash and towel blot well to remove excess moisture. A good pin curl set requires hair that is damp but not too wet. (Conditioners will soften hair. If you prefer a firmer set, skip the conditioners if appropriate for your hair.)

Keep in mind that a gel will hold tighter than a mousse but that fine hair would work better with a mousse and medium to thick strands might work best with a gel. For a compromise mix gel with a light styling cream.

2. Use a comb with a long tail to help separate hair into neat sections.

3. Separate strands into 1/4 to 1" uniform sections in the areas of your head where you want the pin curls. (The larger the sections the softer the curl. The smaller - the tighter.)

4. Take individual strands and wrap strands tightly around your finger. It is important to have the proper tension when wrapping. Curls wrapped too loose will not produce the best curls.
Do NOT use traditional bobby pins to secure pin curls which will cause creases in the finished pin curl.
hair do
5. Continue to create pin curls until finished. Spritz finished pin curl set with water so that all of the curls dry to a uniform finish. If desired, spritz with a setting spray after misting with water for a firmer hold.

Sit under a hood dryer or use a diffuser on slow, low heat to help speed up the drying time. Ideally, let hair completely air dry or sleep overnight on your set.

When a pin curl set is allowed to air dry or is kept in the hair overnight, the curls are deeper, tighter and will last longer.

After you remove pin curls but before you style them, mist with a good hairspray. Let spray dry and then use fingers to tousle and arrange new curls.
Finish by applying a drop or two of shine serum in the palms of your hands and then brushing over the top of your newly tousled style. For extra hold, spray with a firm holding hair spray.

Monday, October 02, 2006

Straightening hair.

  • Straightening: A strong chemical, usually sodium hydroxide, is applied tot he hair and combed through. The hair is forced to remain straight with the wait of the chemical and the combing. The hair is then rinsed of its straightener and neutralized to maintain its desired shape - straight. My brother does this. hehe Don't tell him I told you.
  • Relaxing/Relaxer: Normally people think of a relaxer as a straightener but there is a difference. A relaxer can be used to straighten, reduce frizz or for smoothing out curls. It doesn't necessarily mean to completely straighten the hair.
  • Texturizing/Chemical Blowout: A relaxer is comb through the hair and left in briefly to loosen the curl pattern. The hair is straightened slightly which makes it appear longer and improves manageability.
  • Soft Curl Perm: This is a two-part styling process using a thio-type relaxer to reshape the hairs natural curl. The relaxer is applied and the hair is combed straight making it flexible and more manageable. Then the hair is rinsed and rolled onto perm rods to create a new curl pattern. The thio relaxer is reapplied and and the hair rinsed yet again and neutralized allowing the hair to assume the shape of the rods. Thus, creating a new curl.