WINTER HAIR

Winter can be holly and Jolly but it’s not always so festive on your hair! ‘Tis a season filled with various hair weather woes. With the onset of cooler temperatures and diminishing hours of sun comes a new set of beauty demands. Adding moisture is especially important this time of year and a major oversight by many people. Any extreme temperature whether hot or cold can be damaging. Both indoor heating and cold outside temperatures can be very drying and detrimental to your mane. Proper preventative steps need to be taken during this season to ensure your hair does not go snap, crackle and pop like the Yule tide fire. So how does a girl look like a winter wonderland and not an abominable blunder? Take a gander at these quick tips and soon you will be looking snow right from head to toe !

Prepare so you don’t despair! Remember to winterize your hair.
Start off with a great cut to trim off dead ends and some color to brighten you up. Winter hair becomes darker and duller due to Less time in the sun. You can combat this with a touch of color or highlighting. Lots of people already highlight, but those who don’t probably should! It is a brilliant way to make the hair Sparkle and give your spirits A lift through the winter doldrums.

Q: What if I am a brunette and I don’t want to be blond can I still highlight?
A: Absolutely! Even a shade or two lighter than your natural color is all you really need to give your locks a lift, while keeping your bodacious brunette shade. For darker brunettes think chocolate tones, for lighter brunette’s hues of caramel and toffee can be sweet!

For the commitment phobic you can ask for a gloss. Think of it as lip stick for your hair. It is a very light sheer color that will accentuate your natural tones and impart shine. Most people won’t be able to tell you have color but it will glisten in the light. In the words of Madonna “life is a mystery” they will be curious does she color or doesn't she? Hmmmmmmmm…..

Q: My hair and skin feels especially dry and brittle, how do I feel fresh like the springtime dew?
A: Humidity! In the summer we try and fight it but in the winter we need to embrace it! The cold air of winter is more drying and less humid and therefore more abusive than other times of the year. Indoor heating devices create a dryer climate as well. Buy a humidifier this prevents cracked chapped lips, nose bleeds dry throat, increased allergy symptoms), more frequent colds/infections, dry skin and throat. If you can’t get a humidifier you can boil a pot of water on the stove. If you are afraid of the stove even just a pot of water on the radiator can suffice! You can even get creative with this and put a few drops of essential oil in the water or put some potpourri and give your home a pleasant aroma as well. Remember humidity is not always a bad thing and to drink lots of water to moisturize from the inside out. Follow these tips and you will be looking like a fresh daisy come spring time.

Wear a scarf, hat or cap to protect your hair from the cold and bluster.
When Jack Frost starts to nip at your nose remember not to leave your hair exposed! Make sure your hat is not too tight or it will restrict the circulation in your scalp.

Help I’d rather hibernate than go around with hat head in the winter us there anything I can do?
Don’t fret learn how to fight hat head and fly away hair. Low moisture and cold out door temperatures combine creating dry, “static-y” conditions. Such is the culprit behind clinging pants, flyaway hair and the shock. Tame flyaway hairs by spraying combs or brushes with Static Guard then running it lightly through hair after styling and before hairspray. The versatile product is essential for cutting static on the inside of hats and jacket hoods, too. Don’t put the spray away yet! Spritz the inside of your pants legs and skirts to further prevent static cling. Be sure to keep a handy tote-size can in the purse or car for “static emergencies.” Is a can to cumbersome? Try carrying a few unscented anti-static dryer sheets (such as Bounce) with you in the winter. "Pass one over the top of your head to immediately calm flyaway". It will combat static and flyaway hair.

Not laundry day? Use anything light that can add some weight to the top hair strands. A spritz of hairspray to hand or facial moisturizers can do the trick. Massage a tiny amount of product evenly over your palms (just enough to make them slightly damp or slick), and then delicately run your hands over the top, flyaway strands only. Remember less is always more when dealing with products. You can always add more later if needed.

Buy cotton hats - they generate less static electricity than wool or acrylic. If you are a worried about warmth, wear a loosely tied cotton bandana or scarf under a wool hat.

To get more body when you take off your hat And always wait until hair is completely dry (or has cooled off from a hot blow-dry) before putting on a hat. If your hair is long, delicate or baby fine use a clip to pull hair toward the top and front of your head before donning that hat. When you remove the hat and clip, voila instant sexy volume is unveiled.

Special Alert!!!! Don’t get caught under the mistletoe with a dry pucker!
It may sound simple but so many forget to remember those lips!!! A simple tube of lip balm ( carmex works best or look for one that contains aloe or vitamin E) is so important. Before applying lipstick, dab on a very small amount of lip balm or petroleum jelly to give your lips a little moisture. When the lips do become chapped it is very common for people to lick their lips in an attempt to moisten them. Unfortunately, even though saliva soothes momentarily, it digests the lips rather than moistening them. Therefore, before you go out—and several times while you're out—coat your lips with a lip balm. Since lips don't hold anything on them very well, reapply it every time you eat or drink anything or wipe your lips. If problems persist keep in mind that cracks at the corners of your mouth can indicate riboflavin deficiencies; you can treat this with vitamin B-2 supplements

While being coiffed at your holiday functions may be good for your social life, all the styling products and the close quarters with its lack of air circulation can dull hair. To look like the shining star that you are rid yours of product build-up using a purifying shampoo once a week at most. 'These are the most stringent of cleaners and aren’t designed to be used for everyday shampooing. My favorite is Philip B. Peppermint ad avocado shampoo. It’s cleansing without stripping the hair of it’s natural oils. You can always go to the salon and ask for a clarifying treatment. There is nothing worse than starting the new year with lackluster locks! You want the boys to notice your hair and not how many cocktails you have had!

e down the cuticle and normalize the Ph level of your hair.

Control static electricity in your hair by applying a leave in conditioner like Lovin’ Leave In by Philip B. and consider letting your hair air dry. Lovin’ Leave in has restorative soy and wheat proteins & strengthening amino acids that rejuvenate your hair with moisture and sooths dry brittle ends, adds lustrous shine and supple smoothness. With nurturing extracts of aloe, nettle, chamomile, and horsetail, without weighing it down.

When the summer heat is hottest tame those grizzly frizzes by wearing your hair up in a knot, bun or braids. Not only will it take your hair off your neck and cool you down but your hair will look sassy and have a summer chic style.

You can also braid your hair when it’s wet, and release it when it’s dry, for a head full of natural, beautiful waves.

Healthy hair tip: Avoid using shine products to control frizzes. They often contain silicone and can coat your hair after just a few times.

What’s wrong with that?
Let’s talk about silicones for a moment. Silicones are viscous oily liquids that coat the hair shaft in gloss, misleading you to think your hair has a healthy sheen. It seems like a miracle at first, however, silicones are not water soluble. They can only be removed with harsh detergents that strip the hair of it’s natural oils which the scalp produces to keep the hair and scalp healthy supple and shiny. The results are straw like dry hair, this in turn makes the beauty queen think she needs more silicone which become a vicious cycle. A barrier is then created preventing moisturizing conditioners from penetrating the hair, further drying it out. It’s hard to avoid and hard to believe how bad it is for the hair. But the extra-work and avoidance is worth it to have the best hair possible.

Be on the look out and be an educated consumer. But most of all be beautiful!