Look no more damaged hair sufferers, your new favorite (miracle) hair mask is here! I recently tried Coco & Eve’s super nourishing coconut & fig hair mask to see what the hype was all about. Now I know. I knew about 30 seconds into the application that this was going to be praise-worthy. I immediately felt a difference in my strands, and once it was dry, I could not stop running my fingers through it because it felt so silky soft. As someone who has always struggled with dry hair, then due to the damage from being a blonde, I am always battling the repercussions. Coco and Eve has seriously transformed the health of my hair and I am forever grateful. This mask is for all hair types. So, if you are struggling with dry and damaged hair, or maybe you are just looking for a maintenance mask, this is your new love.
The “Riverdale” star Camila Mendes finally scored her first beauty gig. The actress who portraits Veronica Lodge in the drama series is the definition of good hair days. Whether is on or off the screen, she always has her glossy black hair styled to perfection. John Frieda was the first who noticed the actress’s flawless hairstyles and tapped her to be the face of his namesake brand.
Camila Mendes will front the brand’s “Your Hair Talks, Make a Statement’ campaign. John Frieda’s mission is to encourage women to express themselves through their hair. A lot of times we overlook the potential to make a statement with our hair. Most of us would put on a bold lipstick or dress to impress but leave it to Camila Mendes to teach you how to let your hair do the talking. In the following period of one year, the actress will join the brand on events and social media where she will share her hair secrets and ideas to inspire your next hair transformation.
Mendes took it to Instagram to announce her new role. She shared a behind-the-scenes shot from the “Your Hair Talks, Make a Statement’ campaign. In the photo, you can see Camila sporting her dark glossy waves. According to the star, she and John Frieda hair products have a history ever since her elementary school days:
“So excited to reveal that I’m partnering with John Frieda Hair Care for an awesome new campaign! I’ve been using their Frizz Ease Extra Strength Hair Serum since I was in fifth grade, so this partnership truly is a perfect fit. Can’t wait to share what we’ve been working on. Check out @JohnFriedaUS for more behind-the-scenes!” – she captioned the photo.
Mendes and John Frieda will work on projects that involve the actress’s personal story with her hair. She told US Magazine that her hair also serves as a tool to portray her characters in a better way. Since Camila loves to play with her mane so much, this beauty gig will most certainly bring exciting hair tips for all of her fans. Thanks to this partnership, they can now get all the details about the actress’s hair care and styling routine.
Every time we can get a close look at celebrities’ beauty routines, we are here for it! Since they work with the best professionals in the industry, we can always use a free pro-tip.
Photo By @johnfreidaus/Instagram
Celebrity beauty and fashion brands are more than thriving. The last few years were marked by the launches of companies founded by famous people. All of them are now extremely successful and more popular every single day. The fan-base out there is enormous, so all of these ladies, men, girls, and boys can’t wait to get their hands on the products made from their favorite celebrities. Serena Williams is the next one to join the club. The tennis legend is reportedly launching her own beauty company. Brace yourself, Kylie Jenner, competition is coming!
Photo Credit: @serenawilliams/Instagram
According to TMZ, Selena already filed the documents to the Patent and Trademark Office for her beauty brand. It will be called Aneres, which is actually Selena spelled backward. The tennis player first introduced Aneres in 2003, when it was supposed to be the logo of her clothing company. Since that never happened, Williams decided to use it for greater purposes.
“Cosmetic preparations for skin care; cosmetics and make-up; make-up removing preparations; colognes and perfumes; body lotion; skin lotions; bath soaps and body wash; make-up kits comprised of lipstick, lip gloss, eyeshadow, powder, foundation, remover, eyeliner, and mascara; hair shampoo; dry shampoos; hair rinses; hair sprays and hair gels.”- states the official record of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Photo Credit: @serenawilliams/Instagram
Selena is a real beauty and fashion maven. So far, she’s experimented with countless makeup looks, hairstyles, and even nail polishes both on the court and outside. So the chances are that her beauty line will be more than diverse. While most brands decide to start off with only several products, the legendary tennis player is going all in. According to the report, Aneres will include a full makeup line, body care line, hair care collection, fragrances and more. Maybe she’ll even introduce a collection of products meant for female sports players that are more long-lasting and can stay put through the whole game.
Photo Credit: @serenawilliams/Instagram
Coming out with an eponymous brand turned out to be a great business venture for celebrities. The beauty and fashion industry are more inclusive and more profitable than ever. We are talking about millions of fans that look up to their favorite actresses, makeup artists, sports icons, models every single day. So when they have the chance to buy something that these celebrities created, they don’t hesitate to give it a try.
For now, Serena still hasn’t shared any details on what we should expect. Stay put for more updates.
Beauty product addicts, rejoice! Actress Gabrielle Union is starting off the year with a bang, launching her own beauty and hair care lines just in time for spring! Set to hit stores on April 16th, Gabrielle Union’s beauty line, prophetically entitled “Flawless’, will officially debut at Ulta Beauty, and is all about natural haircare and beauty.
However, Gabrielle Union’s Flawless is about to make its debut online, on March 1st, on the website flawless.com. We do already know what kind of products the hair care line will contain, and that the items are also quite affordable considering their luxe appeal. With price tags that range from $19 to $29, Gabrielle Union’s Flawless 10-piece hair care line includes everything from moisturizing shampoo to moisturizing conditioner, smoothing shampoo, smoothing conditioner, hair masque, blow dry cream, hair protection spray, shine spray, oil treatment and even edge control gel.
While creating her own line, she felt she needed to reach all of those women with textured hair who desire “great hair days,’ and are willing to embrace an all-natural kind of beauty regimen.
“I went through a phase where I would leave my relaxer on so long, thinking the longer I leave this relaxer on, the straighter it’s going to be. Cut to lesions, like open wounds in my scalp, trying to chase something that was unrealistic, and eventually probably in my mid- to late-20s I decided to give up my relaxer, and I went natural. By natural I mean underneath the weaves, extensions, clips and the hair color was my natural hair ‚Äö√Ñ√∂‚àö√ë‚àö√Ü thriving,’ she admitted.
Intersectional feminist, the concept behind Flawless is an inspiring and empowering one for sure, as not only did Gabrielle Union want to “have a seat at the table, and part of that is having ownership,’ as she told WWD, but also aimed at making sure that each woman could be represented in the beauty industry, wherein products are not always targeted towards everyone.
On top of that, she made sure both her hair care and beauty lines could be suitable for everyone, from children to adults, and could be something she herself would use and recommend. “It makes me work a lot harder than if I was just a hired gun. I want to make sure that it’s right for me, for my family, for my friends, and for every person with textured hair,’ she concluded.
By launching her own beauty line, Gabrielle Union is joining the list of all of those actresses who have already joined forces with the beauty industry, including names such as Jessica Alba (cofounder of Honest Co.) and Drew Barrymore (founder of Flower Beauty).
Way to go!
Photo courtesy of @gabunion
What do you think about the magic item that is dry shampoo? I’m a massive fan, and I want to get you in on the obsession as well. I’ll give you all the dry shampoo secrets: how to use dry shampoo to stretch out how often you have to wash your hair, as well as a few other dry shampoo hacks you may not have thought about before. I’ve also read all of the reviews to bring you a comprehensive list of all of the best dry shampoos on the market!
I discovered by accident (or, rather, through sheer laziness) that the longer I go in between hair washings, the better my hair will look once I do wash it. If I can handle going three days without washing, my hair ends up looking fuller, bouncier, softer, and definitely healthier.
Unfortunately, by the 3rd day it starts looking greasy and flat, so I break down and wash it, and miss out on the wonderful health benefits of not over washing. Nowadays, thanks to dry shampoo, I don’t have to wash on the third day anymore, and my hair is looking healthier than ever.
What Is Dry Shampoo, Exactly?
Dry shampoo is a powdery substance that can be applied either as a spray, or as a powder, to absorb excess oils from the hair and scalp, leaving the hair looking cleaner, more voluminous, and a little more textured. Most dry shampoo formulas include butane, propane, alcohol, or aluminum. More natural formulas feature ingredients like rice or corn starch, and kaolin clay.
How to Apply Dry Shampoo: The Classic Method
This is the classic method of using spray dry shampoo, for when your hair is starting to look greasy, but you don’t want to hop in the shower quite yet. Start with dry, unwashed hair.
Step 1: Hold the nozzle about 6 inches away from the face. Any closer, and you risk using too much product. Any further away, and you won’t be applying enough.
Step 2: Start spraying along the part of your hair, front to back. Remember, you are spraying the roots, never the ends of the hair.
Step 3: Spray along the hairline, shielding your eyes from the spray.
Step 4: For more excessive oiliness, part your hair into sections, and spray along the roots.
Step 5: Allow the product to sit in your hair for a minute or two, at least. Some people wait as long as 10 minutes to allow all the oil to be fully absorbed.
Step 6: Here, there are some disagreements. Some experts recommend massaging the dry shampoo into the ends of the hair using the fingers, while others state that touching the hair with the hands at all will add oil to the hair and totally defeat the purpose of the whole exercise. Those latter experts recommend brushing the dry shampoo from the roots to the ends with a brush.
My personal preference is somewhere in the middle: I like to first brush my hair from roots to ends, and then with my fingers to fluff the whole thing up a bit and in the process get rid of excess dry shampoo.
Step 7: If you feel like your hair is still looking a little greasy, you can add a bit more dry shampoo where it seems necessary.
Step 8: The oils are now gone! Style your hair as you wish.
Bonus Dry Shampoo Hacks
• Dry shampoo is an excellent texturizer, so you can use it when you want to add a piecey yet volumized look to your hair.
• If you’ve applied too much dry shampoo, and your roots are looking too powdery, taking a blow dryer to your hair should get rid of the excess product.
• If you’ve seriously over applied dry shampoo, and no amount of brushing or blow drying is getting rid of the excess, using just a touch of your favorite hair oil or serum where you have over applied should do the trick.
• You can also use dry shampoo to thicken up your hair, especially if it’s refusing to hold a curl or if your bobby pins keep slipping out.
• For all you gorgeous banged ladies, spray just a bit of dry shampoo under the bangs, to give them a bit more volume, and prevent them from getting matted down on hot and sweaty days.
• It is possible to overdo it with dry shampoo, and over-mattifying your scalp. Try not to apply dry shampoo every day.
• Experiment with when you use the dry shampoo. Some experts recommend applying the dry shampoo as a preventative measure, to freshly washed and dried hair, both to extend the efficacy of the wash, and to volumize and texturize the hair.
• If you haven’t gone with the balayage trend, and your roots are starting to show in an unflattering way, an appropriately colored dry shampoo can double as a temporary hair color to conceal all kinds of laziness.
• If you prefer going the natural route, you can use simple corn or rice starch as a dry shampoo. If your hair is on the darker side, you can add cocoa powder to avoid a powdery look. Just be careful, some people find the starch breaks them out.
• A few other DIY ingredients include kaolin clay, arrowroot powder, talcum powder, and rice flower. Experiment with different recipes, to make the ultimate customized dry shampoo!
The Very Best Dry Shampoos You Ought To Try!
1. Batiste Dry Shampoo
This product is the classic, with thousands of glowing reviews, a trusted formula, and affordable price. This is one of the best dry shampoos, because it is guaranteed to soak up oils and give your hair extra volume, without taking a toll on your wallet.
Batiste offers 9 different dry shampoos, each one with its own fragrance, so you are sure to find one that will please you. It’s available at Ulta for $7.99.
2. Klorane Dry Shampoo with Oat Milk Natural Tint
While the original Klorane Dry Shampoo is definitely a winner, their Natural Tint version stands out as one of the best dry shampoos for those with dark hair. You get the clean, voluminous hair, and never have to worry about powdery looking roots.
It’s available at Sephora.
3. KMS California Hairplay Makeover Spray
This dry shampoo has a cult following, and for a good reason! It works beautifully, the fragrance is barely detectable, and its ingredients are extremely gentle (no butane in sight!). Additionally, it seems to work well for all hair colors! It’s available at Ulta for $6.99.
4. Living Proof Perfect Hair Day (PhD) Dry Shampoo
This dry shampoo spray boasts a few additional benefits, including an ability to eliminate odors, absorb sweat, and overall strengthen the hair. It’s great for all hair types and colors, so you really can’t go wrong. It’s available at Ulta.
5. Alterna Haircare Caviar Anti-Aging Dry Shampoo
For anyone who wants to stay away from sprays, this powder based dry shampoo is an excellent choice. The formula is gentler and more natural than your average spray product, and the results are speedy.
We are not so sure about the anti-age claims, but we are sure it works great. A pointed applicator makes sure you can apply this product to targeted areas without any mess. This dry shampoo is best for those with lighter hair, and it’s available at Sephora.
6. Drybar ‘Detox’ Dry Shampoo
This is one of the best dry shampoos to try, when all the others just don’t seem to work! It eliminates all of the grease, and works with all hair colors. A light sandalwood and jasmine fragrance is sure to please discerning noses, as well. It’s available at Nordstrom for $13.00.
7. Redken Pillow Proof Blow Dry Two Day Extender
Redken’s claim to fame with this dry shampoo is its long-lasting effect. Unlike most of these sprays that should be applied in the morning (and may even need a midday refresher), this dry shampoo can be sprayed unto the hair the night before, and is guaranteed to last for 48 hours. It also has some heat protecting properties, to make it a double-action product. It’s available at Ulta.
8. Rahua Voluminous Dry Shampoo
You’ll be hard pressed to find a cleaner dry shampoo formula than this one. Formulated with clay, tapioca starch, anise, and vanilla, this powder dry shampoo will gently soothe and mattify the scalp. Only drawbacks to this gorgeous natural formula? The powder applicator can be a little messy if you aren’t careful. It’s available at Sephora.
9. Osis+ Dust It
Another option for the dry shampoo powder lovers! In addition to mattifying, this must-have item also volumizes the hair like no other product. If you need easy to achieve height and texture, look no further. It’s available at Ulta.
10. Not Your Mother’s Clean Freak Dry Shampoo
This is another classic spray formula, with thousands upon thousands of dedicated fans. Perhaps it is a touch of silica that makes this incredible dry shampoo do the impossible: get rid of the grease, while imparting the most delicate natural shine. It’s available at Ulta.
What’s your favorite dry shampoo? Do you have any special tips and tricks of your own for it? Comment and let us know!
Photos courtesy of @emmahoareau, @gablopes, Instagram
Don’t miss: Using Coconut Milk for Hair Care: Benefits & Recipes
Coconut is a great addition to any kitchen, in just about any form. Even for those who don’t enjoy eating coconut (myself included), there are benefits that come with the products that come from the fruit. You can get coconut water, flour, oil, and milk from the various parts of the fruit, and each has its own place in the kitchen, but also in the beauty department. It’s pretty well known in the beauty industry that coconut oil is great for making your hair luscious and healthy, but now it has come to light that coconut milk can have the same, if not better, effects on your locks, and might be easier to pull off from the comfort of your own home. Check out all the benefits of coconut milk for hair care below!
Coconut oil is made by drying out the coconut’s flesh before pressing the oil out mechanically, or by a “wet milling method,’ which might include boiling, fermentation, or refrigeration. On the other hand, coconut milk is made by grating the fruit’s flesh and then soaking it in hot water, before skimming the cream and using cheese cloth to strain the remainder. What results from the milk is a range of essential vitamins and minerals, which makes it a superfood for your hair. The milk is relatively simple to make yourself, so this alone might make coconut milk the ideal product for your hair growth, hydration, and conditioning needs. But the product also carries benefits that will keep your skin and bones healthy as well, so what more could you ask for?
Naturally, you can find coconut milk stocked in your local grocery store (canned), but if you’re interested in making your own from home, here is a more detailed description of how to do so:
All you need is two cups of freshly grated coconut, if you have access to the whole fruit, otherwise unsweetened shredded coconut will work, as long as you pulse it in a blender first. Once this is in a bowl, you add in four cups of hot (not quite boiling) water. Leave this sit and cool to room temperature.
While you’re waiting, you’ll need to grab another bowl as well as a sieve (sifter), which you will line with two layers of cheesecloth. Next, you’ll strain the mixture through the cheesecloth-lined sieve over the new bowl. You can grab the cheesecloth and squeeze the rest of the liquid into the bowl as well. Now you have your fresh coconut milk! All that’s left is to bottle it up to store in the fridge, and remember to use it up within four or five days, or you can freeze it for up to two months.
Now that you have the milk (either from the store or straight from the fruit), the next step is to know what to do with it! And that all depends on your personal hair type, or what you wish to do with your hair. Coconut milk can be used as a base for your other haircare products, as a shampoo, a rinse out or leave-in conditioner, to help with dry scalp, to combat hair loss, as a detangler, as a hydrator, to create shiny hair, or to stimulate growth. All you have to do is mix the milk with a couple of key ingredients to induce the results you want, so we have listed some easy-to-follow guidelines for some of our favorite suggested uses of coconut milk for hair care listed above. If the use you’re interested in isn’t covered, you can easily find recipes online.
Coconut Milk as Shampoo
For this, you’ll need 1 ¬¨¬®≈í¬© cups of coconut milk. Mix it with ¬¨¬®‚àö¬∂ cup of castile soap and one tablespoon of vitamin E oil. Just use this like you would your standard shampoo, and any remaining shampoo can be bottled and stored in the fridge for up to a month.
Coconut Milk as Conditioners
Rinse-out
You’ll need 2 tablespoons of your coconut milk for this mixture. Mix the milk with 2 tablespoons of any conditioner and 2 tablespoons of any oil, and use it directly after you shampoo. Then you can rinse the product.
Leave-in
Take 1 tablespoon of the coconut milk and put it in a small spray bottle with ¼ cup of distilled water, 1 tablespoon of either coconut or vitamin E oil, and 10 drops of any essential oil. Spray this onto your hair at any time of day for a quick refresher for your hair.
Coconut Milk for Dry Scalp
Measure out ¬Ω cup of your coconut milk and heat it up. Massage the warm product into your scalp and allow it to soak for 30 minutes, then rinse.
Coconut Milk as Detangler
This is the simplest use of the bunch: all you need to do is take some of your coconut milk and rub it into your hair. Then you can use your fingers, a brush, or a wide-toothed comb to detangle your locks. If you’d like, you can add in some melted shea butter or some oil.
Coconut Milk for Hair Growth
You’ll need to start this process by detangling your hair properly. To make application easy, dip a cotton ball into the milk and apply it from your scalp to your tips, then massage it into your scalp. This will help by increasing your circulation. Tie up your hair and cover it all with a cap for the best results, so the product will be able to naturally heat up and also so there isn’t a lot of leakage. You’ll leave it like this for 4-5 hours to ensure that it reaches your roots. Then you can proceed by washing your hair with your favorite shampoo and then conditioner. This whole process will also result in shiny hair, so it’s a win-win!
So it’s easy to see the basic benefits of keeping coconut milk around the house. The list can go on and on, but some of the best uses for coconut milk are everyday necessities: an alternative for dairy milk in your favorite dishes, a boost to your bone strength and immune system, a revitalizing moisturizer, a sunburn treatment, makeup remover, and of course, a way to preserve your hair’s health.
Whatever your intended outcome of using this product is, the most important part of the application process is to massage your scalp! This is a great way to make sure the product is reaching your roots, and the great feeling of a head massage is an added bonus. Coconut milk isn’t as well-known as coconut oil for its hair-refreshing properties yet, but soon you’ll be able to rave about it and spread the word yourselves.
Photo courtesy of @negin_mirsalehi
There’s always a level of jealousy involved when watching models walk down the runway with flawless hair and makeup. While that level of styling is out of reach for women going about their daily lives, we were allowed a glimpse into the behind-the-runway scene to pick up 10 quick and easy beauty tips to achieve that runway ready look to glam up your day. With these tips in mind, it is important to remember that you can use a combination of these styles in order to achieve an overall beautiful look.
1. Use the Right Dryer
If there’s one thing you need to know about your beauty routine, it’s that knowing about your hairdryer can make the world of difference for your hair. Hairdresser and stylist Syd Hayes disclosed that the heat of a blow dryer doesn’t matter nearly as much as the balance and weight. If a dryer has balance, it can help avoid the frizzy static, especially in warm weather. That, however, doesn’t mean you can slack off during the fall and winter seasons. Maintaining a healthy hair regimen can open up new doors in terms of styling possibilities, so you won’t regret the extra care.
2. Just Act Natural
There’s a certain air of elegance that can only be achieved by natural blush, yet it also holds a seductive lure for the wearer. It has a secretive feeling, almost as though you’re cheating on your makeup and your skin. It takes a careful hand to maintain a natural skin color while bringing out the shades of pink and red to give a youthful, glowing appearance. Makeup artist Sam Bryant suggested beginning with a pale shade and then adding layers in a rosier shade to give the face a natural, blushing finish.
See Also: 60 Common Makeup Mistakes Women Make
3. Use Texture to Add Dimension to Your Face
If there’s one significant thing about fall and winter, it’s the monochromatic color scheme of the world. This makes it a vital aspect of your beauty routine to make sure you stand out from the browns of autumn and stark white backdrop of winter. A quick and easy tip to stand out this season is to add a matte, light pink lip to complement your lightly powdered and glowing skin. You’re sure to stand out from the crowd with this simple look, without having to take any extra time in the mornings. (So yes, that means you can stay those extra ten minutes in bed and still manage to look fabulous!)
4. Why Warm Brown Works for You
There have been many colors to come and go from fashion fame, but the trend of warm brown perfectly encapsulates the cozy and natural feeling of fall. Earth tones can accentuate the eyes, so using a brown mascara can do wonders to bring a youthful look to your face, with lighter shades of brown as liner, instead of the standard black.
5. Find Your Natural Blush
What’s better than complementing your face with your own, unique blush? Absolutely nothing, if you ask me. Makeup artist Alex Box shared his technique for going against the grain. Instead of adding on your layers of makeup, maybe you should try removing some. After applying your foundation, your instinct may be to grab a shade of blush and apply it on top, but this could also be reversed. By removing the layer of foundation just over your cheeks, you’re allowing your natural “blush’ to shine through. This can be a beautiful way to accent your new, natural look.
6. Add Dimension to Your Nails
Sometimes I find myself looking at the different bottles of nail polish I have and spending more time deciding on a color than actually painting my nails. If you ever have this problem, the trend of layering nail polish can help solve it (or if you don’t struggle with indecisiveness, it will still add a new element to your style). A great combination would be a layer of black, followed by a layer of red.
7. Emphasize Your Lips
Lucia Pieroni, makeup artist, gives quite possibly the simplest tip on this list: use just a touch of lip gloss in the center of your lips to make them look fuller without appearing too glossy. All you need to do is carry around a small tube, and you can apply it without even using a mirror (if you’re a brave soul), so you can do quick and easy touchups throughout your day.
8. Get Your Shine On
There aren’t many ways you can create an amplified level of artistic makeup while still maintaining an everyday, professional look. However, with metallic makeup you can add a whole new sense of dimension, and even achieve a bold and graphic look. Metallic eyeshadow can achieve the same concept as charcoal, black, or other dark colors, while taking away the ensuing darkness. Metallics marry together the best aspects of dark and bright eyeshadow: carrying the drama and graphic edge as the dark, and holding the same eye-catching shimmer as the bright.
9. Give Your Eyes a Sleek Chic
While cat eyes will always hold a special place in my heart, there’s something so sexy and sleek about straight-lined eyeliner. You can add an instant level of chicness to your look by using simple, straight lines to outline your beautiful eyes. This look is gorgeous when paired with metallic eyeliner, as I shared in the previous tip.
10. Bring out the Blending Brush
This last tip will make your daily routine slightly longer than what it may be already, but trust me when I say that you’ll thank us later! When dealing with cream makeup (like eyeshadow), never forget to use a blending brush, even when you’re tempted to save the time by just using your finger. But don’t let yourself just stop there. You’ll have a longer lasting color on your lids if you just keep going at it ” rub it in until there is only the color remains, and not the wet residue that comes from eyeshadow cream. It helps relieve the oils from your fingers, and will let it smoothly blend into your skin.
11. And Don’t Put it Away Yet
To go along with this, it is important to know how to blend your blush as well. As long as your blending brush is soft-tipped, it will work perfectly. After making your perfectly stained eyelids, your natural, youthful cheeks can be used to create cohesion using your brush to stain your cheeks in a like manner (unless, of course, you decided to go with the anti-foundation replacement for blush!)
Photo courtesy of Vogue
Don’t miss: How to Make Short Nails Look Longer and Nice
Women have been experimenting with their appearance for ages to look young, fresh, modern, interesting, extraordinary and, what is most important, beautiful. Probably no one knows for how long they have been using natural products and recipes, such as henna to dye their hair as the habit is as old as the humanity itself. In ancient times, they were using herbs, plants, mixing them together for thrilling colors continuing to look younger with covered grey hair.
In spite of the crazy wide range of available chemical hair dyes of today that provide the utmost predictable and trustworthy results, many women still prefer to use natural hair coloring products and the most popular of them is henna. Most of you have heard or even had the experience of dyeing hair with henna, but there are many things you might not be aware of.
This natural hair dye is extremely useful with several benefits at once ” henna gives you a rich redhead color, smooths your hair, nourishes it with necessary strength and flexibility, repairs the acid-alkaline balance of the scalp, makes it thicker, silkier with extra shine. Henna itself is an amazing kind of conditioner, which locks the nutrients and moisture in the hair structure building a protective layer on it.
Henna is totally devoid of ammonia and toxins, which might harm your skin. Moreover, henna is an effective treatment for dandruff and scalp infections. You can use henna at home by yourselves and get these benefits and a desirable rich color with little cost.
Henna is irreplaceable for those who are allergic to chemical substances and have grey hair. Generally, colorless henna is widely used as a quick and efficient hair mask to recover the damaged hair and promote fast hair growth. Also, it protects hair from the ultraviolet rays of the sun and dust, which surrounds us everywhere with the air pollution.
Nowadays the market is literally filled with products stated to be henna, but only a few of them are trustworthy. Many companies sell products with little information about the ingredients used in them, or they lie about them giving the wrong list with missing ingredients.
The most common misinformation of all is the color availability in the products. Remember! Natural henna dyes the hair in the red-orange color range only, so no blacks, browns or blondes are possible.
The misleading information might be the result of confusing names “Neutral henna’ or “Black henna’ used for Cassia obovate and Indigo plants respectively. These also have pigment capsules in their structure but they have nothing to do with henna.
For reference you might take the fact that Indigo is mixed with natural henna to provide brown to black colors, and Cassia obovate is for light, grey or dull blonde hair to give it a yellow shading, but it has no effect of coloring on dark hair. Natural henna has an olive green color and a sweet smell of freshly cut grass.
To get your hands on 100% pure henna products, first check the country that produces them (Israel, Egypt and Turkey produce relatively good quality henna besides the major Indian products that are the best).
You may as well go to the local Indian market or shop and buy body art henna (used for temporary paintings on the body for aesthetic or cultural purposes), which has a stronger pigmentation and is well enough sifted and pure. In case there are no Indian markets in your city, you can order them online from licensed websites.
Things You Should Know Before Using Henna As a Hair Dye
Henna dyeing takes a lot of time so prepare for a long procedure. Once you have got the right product, make sure you know the right way to use it. Contrary to the common belief, you do not need 500g henna for BSL (bra strap length) hair. The amount used depends on how long and thick your hair is: for short hair you generally need 100g, for collar length ” 200g, shoulder length ” 300g, BSL ” 400g and 500g for waist-long hair.
Take a non-metallic bowl to make the mixture in it. Metals may result in chemical reactions providing unpleasant surprises for you in the form of greenish hair. All you need is warm water or milk (to avoid dryness) and henna or Mehendi powder.
In some cases, you might want to add some lemon juice to reduce oiliness of your hair, (though it is not recommended if you have dry hair scalp). Stir these ingredients thoroughly and then pour some water on the ready mixture’s surface and leave it for 10 to 12 hours.
Once the mixture is ready for usage, stir it and start applying it on clean, washed dry hair just the way you apply other hair dyes ” from the roots to the edges. Make sure you do not use a hair conditioner or any sort of balms as they make the hair surface too smooth for henna to be impregnated into the hair strand. Or at least wait for an hour or two after their usage and then start henna dyeing.
After applying the mixture, wrap your head in a cellophane bag and let it remain that way for one to four hours depending on how tense you want the color to come out. Wash henna mud off your hair only with clean water though very thoroughly so that your head scalp does not get itchy. Use a little conditioner if needed.
The henna dye recipes good for others may not work out so well for you, so you should adjust them to your hair type. For the product to indulge into your hair scalp additional 2 or 3 days are needed after you dyed your hair, and shampoos and soaps will wash the product off your hair along with coloring substance not letting it give you the desirable results. Do not wash your hair for three more days so that the color sets with all its depth.
The process of applying henna mud mix is rather messy. Henna may get on everything around you, so you might want to do it in the bathroom rather than anywhere else at home to be able to wash the drops while still wet, otherwise they leave stains.
Also, use gloves so that your hands are not painted and put on an old T-shirt or one you do not like much. For protecting your skin, apply some balm on your forehead, ears, neck and jaw lines. A shampoo can also be used for this purpose just like in every hair dyeing process to quickly wash afterwards.
If you are expecting your hair color to even out, you had better not use henna at all. Your roots and hair ends are going to differ from the rest of your hair after dyeing with henna. However, if you have highlights only, the results might be positively thrilling with red and orange shining strands, so go for it!
Henna is permanent on hair. After lightening a few shades, when henna is finally oxidized, it will remain as it is on your hair until it grows out and is cut off unless chemical bleaching is used.
For chemical hair dyes to set, you will need to wait for two to three months after henna dyeing and vice versa, so make sure you are 100% sure to go for it. Unpleasant results of shading cannot be removed so fast.
Also you cannot have very predictable color outcome, as henna is a natural product and works with your natural hair color mixing into it and creating new hues. That is why you might see varying results on different people’s hair after following the same list of dos when dealing with henna.
You will also have to wait for a while and make several applications of henna before you reach the desired outcome. As any hair dye, henna sets stronger and deeper with every following application: the color sits on the previous shade and creates a deeper and steadier base.
Henna, as well as other natural hair dyeing plants can be drying, but it never locks out the moisture. You can still use your conditioning and smoothing products freely, though we recommend that you let several days after you dyed your hair before you use them, so that the color is steady enough not to be erased. However, if you have extra dry hair, do the way that suits you best.
DIY Henna Hair Masks
There are a lot of various recipes with henna that will provide additional effective results contrary to those of using only henna and though we recommend that you keep it simple there are still ones we would like to recommend you.
1. For richer color and thick hair, you might want to use Henna, Amla, Tulasi, Shikai and Bring raj mix. There are ready mixture packages of these plant powders available on the market, but you may also buy them separately and combine them yourselves.
To make the needed mixture you will need 2 cups of henna powder, half cup of Amla powder, two spoons of Shikai powder, one egg white, two spoons of lemon juice, one spoon Tulasi powder and one spoon of Bring raj powder.
Stir all this together with coffee or tea decoction and let it rest overnight. In the morning apply the mixture on your hair; cover it with cellophane food bag and wash after 45 minutes to 1 hour. The results will be more than pleasing.
2. To promote your hair growth with the help of henna do the following: boil a quarter kilograms Gingili oil until it gets hot and then add 5 or 6 cups of henna to it and let the mixture boil for another 5 minutes.
Then switch the fire off and let the mixture cool down. Put it into a bottle or a bowl with a cover and keep it for future uses. Apply this on your hair 2 or 3 times a week for over two months. You will be astonished at how fast your hair grows.
3. Green tea has been long known for its conditioning effects on hair and reducing hair loss and breakage. It prevents the growth of DHT that causes hair loss, adds elasticity and strength to hair.
Lemon on the other hand helps reduce oil of the hair, so the mixture of henna, lemon juice and green tea will become your favorite homemade hair conditioner for oily hair. To make it, soak 2 cups of henna powder into two cups of freshly brewed green tea liquor in an iron bowl and let it rest overnight.
In the morning add 2 tbsp. lemon juice and 2 tbsp. beaten yogurt to the mix and apply it on your hair. After three hours wash the mixture off your hair with mild shampoo.
Also check out: 60 of the Best Ever Hair Care Secrets Revealed
Besides these, there are numerous recipes with henna to fight dandruff, hair loss and scalp infections. Henna efficiently struggles against the fungal infections that result in itchiness and dandruff when used in the contents of remedy masks for them.
However, you should make sure you know the right cause of these conditions, as henna will do no good and even harm a little if the cause is dryness or some severe scalp infection that reacts badly to henna.
Anyway, despite a few drawbacks, henna’s given benefits are far more prevailing. To add even more advantages of henna usage, we should say that it prevents your hair from splitting and falling. Nevertheless, any hair mask only helps from the outside.
If you need to have pleasing results, you need to change your diet first. Your hair might tell a lot about the condition of your body functioning in the form of hair loss, split ends, shine loss or other bending from the norm. Keep healthy and this natural product with so many benefits will work its best on you.
Photos courtesy of Pinterest
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The hair dryers women used in 1930s and 1940s were totally different from the easy-to-use styling tools we all have nowadays and it’s really interesting to look back in time and see the evolution of these magic tools.
Since ancient times feminine beauty has been one of the main themes of literature, music, architecture and art. A huge amount of legends and sagas were written about women, thousands of songs became popular due to lovely lyrics praising women, let alone infinite portraits depicting the beauty of a woman.
Men are actually never tired of admiring and glorifying beautiful ladies. Therefore it is not in any way surprising that every single woman in the world strives to enhance her beauty. The methods are different.
Some consider natural look with minimal makeup to be attractive, while others prefer to draw attention through a heavy and eye-catching makeup. It is beyond doubt that subtly accentuated eyes, seductive lips, professional makeup and stylish clothing are significant components of every woman’s appearance.
Still hair comes to be the major charm-giving and luxury-creating component. Beauty brands don’t stop releasing new and advanced hair styling tools and hair care products nowadays, but how did women style their hair back in the ’30s?
The Hair Dryer Debut
Have you ever tried to imagine your life without a hair dryer? Let us not imagine that depressing situation; it is better to take a little tour through the history of the creation and evolution of this irreplaceable treasure.
Until the end of the 19th century women could only rely on the windy weather to dry their hair. Some risky women, keeping in their minds the popular quotation “Beauty requires sacrifice’, were using fire as a drying method.
Afterwards, an idea came to some genius people’s mind. Why not use a vacuum cleaner as hair-drying equipment? The idea was put into action by attaching hoses to the exhaust ends of the vacuum cleaner and using it as a fantastic means of blow-drying hair.
Seeing the rising demand for a hair drying device among women and deciding to take advantage of the situation, French stylist Alexandre-Ferdinand Godefroy was the first to invent a gadget with a hair drying capacity in 1890, thus facilitating women’s life.
The original contraption consisted of a seat and a hood, which was connected to the gas stove and through which it operated. The mechanism of operating was simple ” the hot air was drying the woman’s hair passing through the pipe, who was sitting underneath the hood.
Hair Dryer: 1928
The Evolution of Hair Dryers
Being enthusiastically used in the fashion world, the original hair dryers actually experienced many changes in the period between the ’30s and ’40s. Different variants of hair dryers were released across the world, aiming not only at drying but also styling the hair.
The leading hair salons all over the world succeeded in attracting more and more customers thanks to this godsend. Additionally, the hair dryers generated the phenomenon of hairdressing exhibitions, where different hairstyles were demonstrated.
Going back to 1911, it is worth mentioning the first patent of a handheld portable hair dryer, invented by Armenian American Gabriel Kazanjian. The idea itself was really fantastic and useful. However, the realization was not so effective. They were heavy and difficult to use.
Still, what made these new hairdryers get out of circulation was the fact that they were really dangerous to use. In case of contacting with water they would short-circuit and cause many accidents. That is the reason why the original hair dryers survived until the 1970s.
Along with the development of the technique, the manufacturers started designing more powerful and safer handheld hair dryers, which are now widely used by individuals, at beauty salons and fashion houses around the world.
Hair Dryer: 1948
Photos courtesy of Mashable
Beauty is something every one of us women strives for. We want to look our best. However, we often run into a simple yet rather important problem: we do not have vast amounts of money to invest in pieces that help bring about the beauty ideals we crave and that are expected from society around us. Instead, we often cut corners, go for the cheaper products and, in return, are rewarded with problem after problem because of the lack of proper ingredients to ward off certain side effects of using a low cost cosmetic line. What we do not realize is that most of the time we have access to some awesome alternatives that are a whole lot more natural and definitely not as expensive as the brand name, clinically tested versions. We have taken it upon ourselves to create a list of awesome beauty hacks that are totally unconventional but absolutely perfect for catering to all your specific beauty needs.
Things in your fridge and pantry that you may want to stock up on in general include: baking soda, olive oil, coconut oil, and honey. Most DIY projects include these as active ingredients. Having cinnamon lying around would not hurt either as weight loss schemes, for the most part, include combining the honey and cinnamon in different concoctions.
1. Simple calorie killing hack: You will need honey, cinnamon and water. Boil 250ml of water and pour it over 1 tablespoon of cinnamon. Wait for it to cool down before adding in 2 tablespoons of honey to the colder water as the warmer it is, the more it gets rid of the necessary active ingredients in the honey. Drink this early in the morning before breakfast and late at night before sleeping on an empty stomach.
2. Hair care hack: If you tend towards dry hair, or even generally have medium to slightly oily hair but want to strengthen the roots, prevent hair loss and generally ensure healthier strands, use grape seed oil on your scalp. Simply take a small amount in your palm and massage it in your hair, over your scalp, encouraging blood flow to the roots. Leave it in for 15 minutes before taking your regular shower and washing out with a single round of shampoo. Your hair will be soft and supple, the roots stronger and your hair shedding reduced considerably.
3. Fixing split ends: Coconut oil also comes in very handy for many things, including helping maintain healthy hair strands that are breakage and split end free. The fatty acids and proteins in the coconut oil ensure your locks are shiny and hydrated. Simply rub it on, keep it there for a few minutes and then head into the shower to clean off the oil using your regular shampoo. We definitely recommend sticking to more natural shampoo alternatives as well.
4. Alternative to dry shampoo: This hack is ingenuous really, with a starch spray doubling up as the texture producing oil absorbing product you love to use on your 2nd and 3rd or even 4th day of not doing your hair. Hold the can 6 to 8 inches away and spray on the oiliest areas to make sure you get fresh looking strands again.
See also: 10 Old Hollywood Beauty Hacks for The Modern Woman
20 Expert Beauty Hacks That Will Change Your Life
5. Static hair hacks: You would be surprised at all the uses a simple dryer sheet can have. In this case, we know how frizzy your hair can get, particularly in the winter with all the static in there. To smooth it out, carry a dryer sheet on you at all time and simply run it over. It has a miraculous effect thus.
6. Under eye hacks: The puffiness under your eyes can easily be cleared up actually, so stop fretting as you keep looking at your appearance in the mirror. A simple green tea bag tightens and de-puffs your eyes after about 5 minutes of you placing them on your closed lids. Caffeine has a very nice effect that way. Just make sure it is cool and not scalding hot from your last use.
7. Itchy skin and oatmeal: Itchy, red skin caused from the dryness outside or through sunburn can actually easily be comforted with something as simple as your daily oatmeal breakfast. Simply take the oats and sprinkle into a hot bath, the lubricating fats and sugars working wonders on your itchy hide.
8. Blackhead remover hack: Vaseline may never have been thought of as a blackhead remover, but you would be surprised at what that little bit of petroleum jelly can do. You will need a cling film wrap from your kitchen, as well as a washcloth with the Vaseline as you apply the product, put on the cling film, and apply hot washcloths over it for 5 minutes, softening the pores and pulling on the blackheads. Remove everything and use a tissue wrapped around your fingers to gently squeeze the skin and remove the blackhead clogging the pores.
9. Lip peeling hack: If you have a problem with dry lips that keep peeling, you might want to use a little bit of brown sugar with the honey and olive oil, creating a lovely lip scrub that will leave your pout soft and smooth. It is totally kissable as well, so be sure to use this before your dates to ensure the best possible feeling when lips finally meet at the end of the evening.
10. Soothing sun burns: Yogurt is possibly one of the best cooling agents for your skin after a burn, whether it comes from your hair curler, straightener, or simply from the sun. Pat some plain yogurt over the scorched skin and leave it on for about 10 minutes before washing it off. This will help restore the skin’s natural barriers through its richness in probiotics.
11. Toner hacks: Apple cider vinegar is an interesting alternative to buying toners from your local cosmetics and drug store. It has purifying agents in there that help prevent breakouts and smooth out blemishes. You can also use the vinegar with lavender and honey so that you are hydrating while you tone, balancing the pH levels, while the lavender regenerates and heals the skin, the honey keeping out the bacteria. All you do is mix the ingredients and keep refrigerated, taking it out to dab a bit on your face when needed and removing with lukewarm water with a muslin cloth. This toner normally lasts for a week.
12. Face washing hacks: It may seem counterproductive but the truth is that the olive oil that you use to wash your face pulls at the natural oils on your skin and clears it out, leaving behind only softness that you long to keep caressing. That natural glow is also a nice bonus, giving you a freshly scrubbed appearance.
13. Lip plumping hack: Have you wanted to buy that lip plumping product but found yourself feeling sorry for the money you would spend paying for the luxury item? Now you can stick to your regular $3 lip-gloss and add in a few drops of peppermint to give your lips that awesome pouty effect. You will look very much the kissable model come the next party you decide to attend.
14. Strawberry moisturizing technique: You will need plain oats, olive oil and strawberries. Cook the oatmeal with water and make it as soup like as possible, mash in around 3 or 4 strawberries, stir together and add 3 spoons full of olive oil before sinking your hands in it, massaging it for a few minutes and rinsing the concoction off with warm water. Smoother and softer skin you cannot find than like this.
15. Blotting hack: Coffee filters come in very handy when you want to be blotting out the oil on your face at any given point. Just carry one with you or look in your pantry at home when you are out of the drugstore product. Keep them close on hot days and get rid of the shine thus.
16. Cat eye line perfection: This is an awesome beauty hack, where you use a simply piece of tape in a diagonal fashion to draw out the cat eye effect with your eyeliner. You may not have a steady hand and you may not have stencils for the perfect cat eye, but that’s nothing a piece of tape cannot solve for you. Two inches of Scotch clear tape is all you need.
17. Baking soda and toothpaste: Yes, this actually works really well. You can technically use the backing soda on its own as well, merely brushing it on, leaving for a few seconds and then turning to your regular toothpaste for a full clean feeling, but why have two steps when you can work with one? Simply sprinkle some of the baking soda onto your paste you are about to use and give your tooth enamel a nice polishing down.
18. Fly away hair hack: While your hand lotion is normally only used on your hands, you can also use it to tame that silly hair that just does not want to stay locked in place. It is a cool hack and one that comes in very handy on the go as well.
19. Long lasting scent hack: If you love that perfume of yours, but do not want to carry it around or have no way of doing so anyhow, you will certainly want the scent to last a long time. The problem is that normally the scent will fade, no matter how much of it you spray on, effectively killing people in the first period as well. It is better to just dab on some Vaseline on your pulse points before spraying the perfume, which helps it hold onto the scent for most of the day.
20. Removing nail stains: This hack is awesome, really. And one that you may have never thought about in a million years. Use whitening toothpaste and brush it onto your nails that have those terribly ugly yellow stains after removing your nail polish. The hydrogen peroxide in the paste does wonders for polishing it back up and giving it a healthier glow overall.
Photo courtesy of Vogue