October 23, 1999
Portia De Rossi
Question
Hi Karen,
I am a major fan of Portia De Rossi. Could you
please include an article with photos of her on The Hair Boutique in the
near future.
I think she has the most gorgeous long hair.
George
Answer
Dear George,
You are in luck. There is a full length article about Portia
already available in the Tips
& Articles section (just click on the highlighted link)
and it has some great photos of her wonderful hair.
You can also read about Portia in JerkyFlea's
Celebrity Hairspray.
Thanks for taking the time to write. I appreciate the suggestion.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 22, 1999
Updo Photos - Need Quickly!
Question
Karen,
I am a bridesmaid in a wedding next weekend and I
need photos of updos ASAP. I really love the Hair Boutique but am
very disappointed that you do not have any photos of updos anywhere on the
site. I hope you will add some in the future.
Can you refer me to a hair website that has updos and
instructions on how to re-create them.
Joyce
Answer
Dear Joyce,
The Hair Boutique has an entire section of the site devoted exclusively
to Updo Styles
with complete instructions on how to re-create them. The section is
constantly being updated and includes all sorts of updos from braided
updos to curls to knots and buns.
Hair Boutique also have a complete Gallery
of women's styles that includes some updos. We also have a Gallery
of bridal styles as well as a few special photos from our friend Gretchen
bridal
hair expert.
I think if you take the time to visit the Tips & Articles section
that contains the updos and you view the Galleries you will find lots of
different updos.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 21, 1999
Hair Jewelry - Out Of Stock?
Question
Dear Karen,
I fell in love with your magnetic flowers hair jewelry and when I
went to order them I noticed that they were out of stock.
Will you be getting them back in soon? I love all your hair
jewelry but was especially drawn to the beautiful flowers.
Please let me know.
Mary A.
Answer
Dear Mary,
The hair jewelry that I personally select and purchase for the Hair Boutique is often
available in limited supply. Sometimes the jewelry is handmade and only a few
sets can be offered.
I will do my best to restock the magnetic flowers but can not guarantee if and when I
can get them back in supply.
All of the hair jewelry we currently offer is available in limited amounts. That is why
I encourage everyone to purchase an item they like without waiting since sometimes once an
item is sold out, it is gone forever.
We sold out all of our beautiful magnetic stars in a very short timeframe but
luckily I was able to acquire a few more sets to restock the store. They are
different than the flowers but very beautifully made and I do have a few sets of those
left, although not many.
All of the magnetic jewels sell pretty fast because they are so beautiful and easy to
wear.
I will email you and let you know the status on my quest to get you a set of the
flowers.
Thank you very much for your interest in our hair jewelry. We do our best to provide
the highest quality of hair jewelry possible.
This means that sometimes we buy handmade items that are in short supply.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 20, 1999
Growing Out Bangs?
Question
Dear Karen,
I am a 16 year old female and I have brown highlighted hair which
falls just about my shoulders. My hair is somewhat thick and I have bangs.
I have had them for about 4 years and have decided that they need to
go. I have grown out my bangs numerous times and each time I have become frustrated.
Is there any way that I can speed up the process?
Or how can I make my growing out bangs blend with the rest of my hair
until they reach the length where I can tuck the hair behind my ears?
I would appreciate it you would answer me.
Lauren J
Answer
Dear Lauren,
Hair grows only as fast as your genetics allow it to grow. That is
the bad news. The good news is that it will grow an average of 1/2 to 1 inch per
month.
Growing out bangs is always painful but with the aide of all the hot new hair jewelry
that is available these days, it should help make things a little less frustrating and
give you some options.
What can you do with bangs that are growing out? I know that it is
very frustrating but you do have a few options:
1. Wear your bangs heavily gelled and combed to one side and held
in place with a clip or barrette.
2. Wear a headband that holds the bang/fringe hair off your
forehead. The illusion headbands
are great and so are the lingerie bra bands and
they are the latest thing. Both will hold your bangs off your forehead quite nicely.
3. Use tiny little hair clips
to separate the growing out bangs into little sections and clip them up off your
face. This is a very fashionable look right now.
4. Braid the bang hair into tiny braids and clip them back. Braids
are also very hot.
5. Make tiny twists with the bang hair and clip it up off your
face or to the side.
6. Have your stylist give you a graduated shag type of cut for the
bangs and around the face so that your hair will blend in from the bangs to the rest of
the hair. You can also just have the hair that touches your face on the sides
slightly cut in a graduated way to help the bangs blend in better. This would also
give you a graduated look.
7. Take vitamins to help your hair grow to its maximum
length. Vitamin B helps as does Essential Fatty Acids. You may also want to
investigate our HairTopia or
Viviscal hair growth products that we sell at Hair Boutique. I personally take it and it
helps my bangs grow so fast I have to have them trimmed every 2 1/2 weeks instead of once
a month.
8. Part your hair in the middle and clip either side of the bangs
to your head.
9. Spike the bangs up with gel ala the movie Something About Mary.
10. Do a scalp massage every night and focus on the bang area to
add circulation and help your bangs to grow a little faster.
11. Use a temporary hair mascara to give your growing bangs a new
look and feel and distract you from the frustration of the growing out feeling.. Use a temporary hair mascara to add s out.
12. Start a journal just for your bangs and document what you go
through every day until they grow out. This serves a couple of purposes. One,
you can have a reminder for the future when you can't decide whether to have bangs or not
and you can also really see that you are making some progress, no matter how slowly it
goes.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 19, 1999
Why Is Hair Elastic?
Question
Dear Karen,
OK. Maybe you can explain to me why hair is
elastic and how keratin is involved in this whole matter. I have heard so much about
hair's elasticity. Do you know anything about this?
Kara T.
Answer
Dear Kara,
I will gladly tell you what I know.
Hair is elastic due to the coiled spring structure of the hair's keratin in the cortex
of the hair which allows it to stretch and to spring back to its original length when
released.
The scales of the hair cuticle slide over each other to allow the hair to stretch.
The amount of stretching is limited by the hydrogen bonds which hold the coils of
the spring together, for although they are weak, they are very numerous.
Keratin in un-stretched hair is known as x-keratin. If the hair is stretched, some
of the hydrogen bonds are broken and the spiral structure straightens out to form
b-keratin. When the stretching force is removed x-keratin is re-formed. The
change on stretching is called the a-b transformation of keratin and is reversible.
What this means is that is you stretch healthy undamaged hair and then release it, the
hair will bounce back to its original shape.
If hair is stretched with sufficient force, a point is reached when hair will no longer
return to its original length when the force is remove.
At that point the hair has then reached it elastic limits. When stretched beyond
this limit a sudden tension of the hair may take place due to the breaking of a large
number of hydrogen bonds. If the stretching force is again increased the hair
eventually breaks, due to the breaking of the polypeptide chains.
Dry hair, as a rule, stretches by a third to a half of its original length before
breaking. Wetting hair increases its elasticity but decreases its strength.
This is why it is so important to be extra careful when combing or styling wet hair.
It is in its most fragile state.
The increased elasticity of a wet hair is due to water molecules entering the hydrogen
bonds thus allowing them to extend further.
Hair has even greater elasticity if treated with steam.
Hope that answers your questions about elasticity and keratin.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 18, 1999
Wanting Stylist To Re-Create Heather Locklear Hairstyle.
Question
Dear Karen,
I am having an awful time with my hair. Its
longer, past my shoulders, cut into layers with just a few bangs.
What I really want is the look Heather Locklear had on
TV's Melrose Place. Every time I try to tell my stylist what I want, she says I
already have the look that Heather had on Melrose. Believe me when I say that my
hair really does not look like Heather's did on Melrose.
Would you know where I could get information on exactly
how Heather's hair was cut and styled so I can take it in with me the next time I get my
hair cut?
Pictures are great, but sometimes stylists don't really
understand by just looking at a picture.
I think it would really help if I could get some step
by step instructions or very detailed diagrams on how to create Heather's Melrose style on
my hair and take it to my stylist.
Hopefully then my stylist could follow the written
instructions and there would no longer be any reason that I could not get the Heather look
that I really want for my hair.
Regards,
RJ
Answer
Dear RJ,
There could be a couple of things that are actually going on involving your problems
with your hairstylist.
Please understand that I think the majority of hairstylists try very hard to please
their clients and provide them with the best hair care possible.
I also know that some hairstylists have their own personal opinions about what styles
look good or don't look good in general and specifically on the heads of their regular
clients.
Also, unfortunately, some stylists do not know how to re-create a style from a photo or
from knowledge of a celebrity.
I apologize but I could not begin to give you detailed instructions on how to have your
stylist cut your hair like Heather Locklear on Melrose place. Even if I could, I am
not really sure that it would help with your current situation.
If your stylist is not able to re-create your desired Heather style from photos, or
tells you that your hair is not right for the style, having detailed instructions will not
make any difference whatsoever.
Whether your hair is suited for the style or not is hard to say. As I said, there
may be other factors.
Maybe your stylist does not like Heather Locklear's look on Melrose Place. It is
also possible that your stylist doesn't know who Heather is or what she looks like.
It is also conceivable that your stylist really thinks you would not look your best in
that particular style.
If I were you, I would do a couple of things. I would get several
photos of Heather in her Melrose role. Not just one, but several from many
angles...front, side view, back.
The second thing I would do is to consider getting another
stylist. In fact, I would look for a woman with Heather's hairstyle and ask her who
does her hair.
I had a stylist who for years refused to cut my hair like I wanted
because she secretly did not like the style. She never would tell me but one day she
accidentally told my boyfriend that she thought my face was too round for the style that I
really wanted.
I was very upset that she did not tell me that and continued to, in my
opinion, cut my hair the way that she wanted to, rather than the way that I wanted it cut.
I decided to get my hair cut the way I wanted and came up with a plan to
make it happen.
I found two different women (complete strangers) with the exact style I
wanted and asked who their stylist was. I then went to one of the stylists and took
about 20 photos of the style I loved (all angles and sizes of photos). I told the
new referral stylist up front that I wanted the style or else. He didn't know me and
didn't care. He cut it just like I wanted. I mean 100% perfect. I loved
it and got lots of compliments. In fact many people told me that it actually
slenderized my face.
I never did go back to the first stylist that would not give me the cut
and continued to go back to the new stylist for many years because I knew that he would do
what I wanted with my hair.
So you see, even if I could tell you in writing how to get the Heather
style, it would probably not do you any good with getting your stylist to agree. If
a photo or photos don't work written notes won't help either. I suspect your stylist
just may not be willing or able to do what you really want, for whatever reason.
Unfortunately the experience that you are having is not uncommon.
I know that it can be frustrating. If you really want to keep your
current stylist but they are unwilling to do what you want with your hair, you can try
giving them an ultimatum and insist that they do your hair according to the photos that
you bring in.
Regardless of whether you stay with your current stylist or go to a new
stylist, it is my experience that a picture is always better than written instructions.
So if you love your current stylist and want to stay with them, take
several photos and tell them you really want the style no matter what.
If they are still unwilling to work with you, tell them they you will
need to find someone else that can do the style you desire.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 17, 1999
Purple Hair: Semi-Permanent Dye Is Not Washing Out!
Question
Dear Karen,
I have naturally blonde hair. About 1 month ago I dyed it
purple with semi-permanent hair color. Since it was semi-permanent I figured it
would eventually all wash out with time.
Unfortunately the purple has faded but still basically remains in my
hair as a very ugly gray kind of discoloration. I have tried just about everything
to remove the ugly gray/light purple hideous color but nothing seems to work and I am
getting desperate.
Should I bleach my hair or should I color it yellow or add blonde to
get rid of the purple/gray?
HELP!
Tammie
Answer
Hi,
Sorry about your hair. Unfortunately some dyes and hair colors are NOT
really semi-permanent. This is especially true when they are applied to hair that is
porous or if a darker dye or color is applied to lighter colored hair. Purple, red,
black or bright blue applied to blonde may never completely wash out of fad since some of
the color will coat the hair cuticle on a permanent basis.
I am very sorry to tell you this but you really only have one "best" option
at this point. I strongly recommend that you see a stylist who has color correction
expertise.
The color specialist will first apply a product that most likely is a bleaching agent
that will lift all the remains of the purple from your hair. They will then reapply
color back as close as possible to your natural color.
I wish I could give you tips on how to do it another way but I believe in being as
honest and helpful as possible with people who write with hair problems and this is the
absolute best answer.
Your only other options is to have your hair cut very short to remove the remains of
the purple hair color or live with your hair until it grows completely out.
I am sorry. If you decide to do the color correction you will need to go to an expert
or else there could be potential hair breakage from the chemicals being applied. An expert
can correct your hair without damage and get the color out.
You can try using color shampoos like Aveda's Blue Malva, Mine's
Blue Monday, Mine's Sunny Sunday or Aveda Chamomile which can
help minimize the faded colors. The impact from the Aveda color shampoos will only
be temporary...from shampoo to shampoo.
I do not recommend that you add color on top of the purple because there is no
guarantee what color will result and you do risk damage to your hair.
I wish I had better news but I get about 5 letters a month from people with similar
problems. Many have tried lots of different things to get rid of the semi-permanent
dye, but ultimately the best bet for getting your hair color back is to have a color
correction specialist remove the old color.
Best wishes,
Karen Shelton
October 16, 1999
Brush Caught In Hair
Question
Dear Karen,
I have a psuedo bob very similar to Melissa Hart from
Sabrina. I recently had a problem with the round brush that I was using. It
got caught in my hair and it took my sister about 1 hour to detangle my hair. It was
a nightmare.
I was not really sure if there is any easy way to deal with this in
the future. Any suggestions about brushes that get caught in your hair?
Any suggestions would help so much.
Erica
Answer
Hi Erica,
Ouch! I know firsthand what it is like to get things caught in my
hair. I got a round brush caught in my hair many years ago. I also had an
unfortunate encounter with both an electric curler and a hairdryer in my past shorter hair
days.
You did the right thing by having someone help you get untangled.
It is a lot easier for someone else to disentangle you since another person can usually
have a better view of where the tangle begins and ends.
Patience is definitely a key factor in removing a tangle. Take as
much time as you need.
I always keep a rattail comb on hand to help carefully lift and gently
pull hair out of the tangle strand by strand. If you don't have a rattail comb handy
you can use a pick or wide toothed comb. In a pinch a smooth screwdriver can even
work.
It is important to be careful with any sort of detangling tool that you
decide to use to avoid possible poking to eyes or other body parts.
To actually untangle you should work in very small sections of
hair. On a strand by strand, hair by hair basis carefully and slowly loosen the
tangle hair. Work from the ends of the hair and not from the scalp.
Slowly and carefully work on the hair till the brush comes free. Do not try and
force it.
If after a reasonable amount of time (which depends on your patience) the brush is
still entangled, you may have to have the brush cut free from your hair.
If a lot of your hair remains tangled in a brush and it does need to be cut out you may
want to try and find a stylist that can cut it out for you. Hopefully they will only
have to cut a little bit.
It is always best to try and prevent these things from happening in the first
place. Therefore it is best to never wrap hair around any sort of brush more than
two revolutions. The more hair you wrap around a brush the more likelihood of a
tangle. Less is always more when it comes to using brushes.
When it comes to hair dryers, always make sure that the little vent to the motor is
covered by some sort of mesh covering. The reason most people get their hair caught
in the motor is because the air vent cover falls off.
As far as electric curlers, again, try not to wrap them too tight or around the hair
too many times.
In many cases you can save your hair from the tangle, in some cases you just
can't.
Stay calm, ask for help, be patient and then after a reasonable amount of time know
when to declare the situation unfixable except for the scissors.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 15, 1999
Dealing With Fine Hair?
Question
Karen,
I have very straight, very fine, thin hair. Sometimes it will
have body, but no curl will ever hold.
Whenever I go outside the curl all falls out.
Hair spray and gels just weight it down and I don't use
conditioner. I use a curling iron but by the time I get to school my hair is
completely straight.
What am I doing wrong?
Please write back and help me.
Answer
Hi,
One of our hair experts, Victoria Wurdinger wrote a fabulous article
about fine hair called FINE
SOLUTIONS and you can find it in the Hair Boutique's Tips & Articles
section which contains close to 300 different hair care articles on every hair related
topic you can imagine.
This should answer all of your questions about dealing with fine
hair.
Victoria did a great job of not only listing some great hairstyles that
are perfect for thin and fine hair, but she also included styling products and how to get
hair
Best wishes,
Karen
October 14, 1999
More Fine Hair?
Question
Karen,
Hi! I have very fine hair and I can never keep
it curled i'll go to school w/ it curled and by the middle of the day it is almost flat I
have tried mousse after mousse hairspray and gel nothing seems to work?
Please help.
Thanks,
Brittany
Answer
Hi Brittany,
Thanks for writing. With really fine hair it is very very difficult to get and keep it
curled. As you have found out.
However, there may be hope. Have you tried Aveda's Flax Seed/Aloe Gel? The product is
wonderful and holds like iron If the Flax Seed doesn't hold your curls, I doubt anything
will.
With fine hair you may want to consider lots of layers and try using the gels or
mousses only on the very ends of your hair. Also, if you use a cold water rinse and a cold
air flow on low speed, this tends to help curl hair that is hard to curl.
Lots of little tiny hot rollers will help to hold a tighter curl.
Try the Aveda Flax Seed Gel or spray on your wet hair and then blow dry on cold and
then set on hot rollers. If this doesn't work I am afraid curls are not your karma.
Hope this helps. If not, please write again.
Best wishes,
Karen Shelton
October 14, 1999
Dealing With Really Long Hair?
Question
Karen,
First I want to tell you that you have the best
long hair information on the web. Yes, I know that Hair Boutique is
about hair, but the amount of info on long hair is stunning. No other
site comes close to the hairstyling tips and columns and links and other
information.
I know that you have very long hair. Do you have difficulty dealing
with it? I want to grow my hair to my knees but my husband and family
tell me that it will be impossible to deal with.
Do you find that your hair is hard to deal with?
Thanks again for a great site.
Babs
Answer
Hi Babs,
Well I have had long hair for so many years I have just gotten used to
dealing with it over time. I still get my hair caught in things and my
friends and family can tell you some pretty hilarious stories about my hair
getting caught in ficus trees and the pack of couches and under my pillows.
However, your hair grows at an evolutionary pace which means that you get
used to it and that it does not get long all of a sudden. My hair
doesn't seem like a lot of work for me. I guess I am used to it.
Having long hair is an education. You learn all kinds of ways of
taking care of it. I have a friend that has hair to her feet.
She has learned to stand on a plastic step stool when she showers so that
her hair does not get caught in the drain. She is used to her hair and
so it is not a problem.
If you want long hair and feel that you will be happy with it I encourage
you to grow your hair as long as you like. Keep it healthy and take
good care of it. Don't worry about it being too long. I am sure
you will learn to deal with it as it grows.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 12, 1999
Little Girls' Hairstyles
Question
If you could add a section on your site for fixing up little girls
hair it would be great. would be great.
would be great. would be great.
would be great.
I like it to stay neat and look good threw the day.
Tammy
Answer
Hi,
Thanks for your suggestions. We are working as quickly as we can to add lots
of different new features to the Hair Boutique site and hopefully someday we will
encompass every type of hair possible.
At the current time we are working to round out our information on male hair, all
ages, all styles, all lengths.
Please be patient with us and check back in the future and we will do our best to
add info on little girls.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 8
Question
Dear Karen
I heard that you can create "instant" fat waves in
your hair by sleeping in braids. I have found that my ends get
super frizzy when I do this and so even though I have mastered the
good waves, my ends look yucky. Any suggestions on how to deal
with the frizzy ends?
Buehla
Answer
Hi,
Braiding slightly damp hair in a couple of fat three strand
braids is a wonderful way to create thick soft waves without the
hassle of sleeping on rollers or using heat tools. However,
frizzies on the ends can occur in some hair type and textures.
One way to tame the frizzies on the ends is to braid your hair and
then apply a bit of leave-in conditioner like Phyto 7 or 9 to just
the ends of your braids to keep them soft and frizz-free. If
this helps but doesn't completely eliminate the problem then
consider using the special end papers that you can buy in some
beauty supply stores that are designed to prevent frizzies from
rolling hair.
Another option is that you can create a half
wavy/half curly look by braiding the hair only part way down the
strand and then using a sponge or rag curler on the ends. This
will also prevent the frizzies.
To create the wavy/curly style complete the
following steps:
1. 5. Tie off the braid with a "hair friendly"
elastic cord or Blax band.
6. Roll the remaining "tail" of the braid into a
soft sponge curler OR create rag rollers from clean rags.
Apply a tiny bit of Phyto 7 or 9 to the ends of the hair before
adding the roller of your choice. Use tiny rollers for tight curls
and larger rollers for softer curls.
7. Sit under a hood dry until your hair is completely
dry OR sleep with the braids and rollers in your hair.
8. Gently undo the curlers and the braids. Use your
fingers to arrange the new waves. Avoid brushing or combing
the hair which may break up the wave pattern or cause frizziness.
Create your rag curlers from old laundered cotton PJs, T-shirts
or similar materials. Cut the rags into strips that are
anywhere from 1" to 3" wide and 4-8" long, depending
on the length and thickness of your hair.
Play with different sized and types of braids, rollers and
products to create a customized wavy/curly look that is all your
own.
Karen
October 7
Question
Dear Karen,
I was horrified to hear that some shampoos and other hair care
products contain HHP which means Human Hair Protein or in other
words human hair byproducts. Have you ever hear this? Is
it true? What do I look for on the labels of my hair care
products since I don't want to use human hair byproducts in my own
hair.
Tina
Answer
Hi Tina,
Don't panic. Although some products have in the past derived
their keratin protein source from Human Hair Proteins or HHP, it is very
rare now to find this substance in any hair care products.
How do you determine if HHP or KBS is the ingredient used for the
Keratin? You can look on the label to determine if the ingredients do indeed
include HHP or if in fact they include the synthetic version known as
Keratin Bond System of KBS.
Although L'Anza and some other European hair care companies have used
the original HHP in the past, I believe that all are now using the KBS or in
the process of using it.
When in doubt, ask a rep of the company what type of Keratin they use
and whether it is the non-human Keratin Bond or the original Human Hair
Protein.
I certainly understand your concerns. However, it is
easy to determine the exact ingredients of any US made products
since the manufacturers are required by law to include the
ingredients on the product's label.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 6, 1999
Question
Dear Karen,
I started taking birth control pills (Alesse) recently and my
hair has started failing out in handful clumps. I talked to my
doctor and he said that birth control pills can sometimes have side
effects that include hair loss. I am very upset since I don't
want to lose my hair but also feel the pill is the best birth
control method for me. Any ideas or suggestions would be
appreciated.
Kara
Answer
Dear Kara,
Yes, it is a well known fact that different types of birth
control pills can have different side effects on hair, skin and even
the nails to some extent. Most experts believe that the lower
the amount of estrogen, the fewer side effects you can expect,
including risk of hair loss. Ask your doctor to prescribe
other brands of pills with different estrogen amounts to see if you
can halt the hair loss with a different formula. Hopefully by
working with your doctor you can find the right combination that
works for your body.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 5, 1999
L'Oreal Preference Question
Question
Dear Karen,
I used L'Oreal Preference "Light Brown" on my slightly graying light
brown hair. The result was light brown with a lot of reddish highlights.
It is time to do it again but this time I want to achieve it a little lighter with
more golden highlights. They have a color " dark blonde" which I though I might
try.
What are your suggestions?
I really like this product but if you can suggest something else I am willing to
listen.
Thank you for your cooperation
Lynda
Answer
Dear Lynda,
L'Oreal Preference makes a good home coloring product. I also like a lot of
Clairol's home coloring products.
When it comes to home hair coloring I am very conservative about what I recommend
because there are several ways that home coloring formulas, if not used correctly or
understood, can cause problems.
The number one topic that I receive the most email on for AskKaren is requesting help
in fixing home hair coloring disasters.
I am not surprised that your light brown came out with reddish highlights. When
going lighter from a dark to light brown the color red is prominent in the color base and
it is common for red highlights to show up.
Gray hair also changes the equation because it is often coarser and may not hold color
like hair that still has full pigment.
My suggestion is to call the 800 phone number on the L'Oreal box and describe your hair
to the color experts on the phone. Explain the results that you got the first time
around with the Preference and ask them to advise you of the formula or brand that will
achieve the colors of highlights that you desire.
L'Oreal,
Clairol and other home hair coloring companies have color experts that are
"on call" to answer hair color questions about their products. They are
there to answer questions before you color and also after you color. They are also
there if you have problems or questions.
If you want a color that have more golden highlights you may need to use a different
product or, as you suggested, a different color or shade in the line that you used
originally.
If your budget can handle it, you may want to visit a color expert and talk with them
about how to deal with your gray and also how to achieve the colors that you prefer for
your highlighting.
There are so many excellent hair coloring techniques in use today that allow colorists
to weave in multiple shades and ranges of colors to provide a gorgeous blending of shades
and highlights.
You may just want to talk to your regular stylist and ask their advice as well. If you
still feel that you need additional information I would recommend that you post a message
on the Hair Boutique's Hair Talk board and put William's name in the topic area.
William is a color expert that volunteers his time to answer hair color questions for
Hair Boutique. He offers great advice. Unfortunately William is unable to
provide personal email responses but will post answers on Hair Talk.
Let me know how your hair color journey ends.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 4, 1999
Feria Haircolor
Question
Dear Karen,
What can you tell me about a home hair color product by the name of Feria? Do
you know who makes it and where can I buy it? I have heard about it but never can
seem to get any details.
Thanks,
Janna
Answer
Dear Janna,
Feria, also referred to as Feria Multi-Faceted Shimmering Color, was introduced by
L'Oreal to be multi purpose in all ways.
With Feria, L'Oreal promises customized developers that will provide for darker and
lighter shades as well as adding special shimmering lights and finish.
Feria is designed to be multi-gender, multi-ethnic and multi-faceted and is a
collection of 24 shades. I have seen a lot of advertisements of the Feria line for
men as well as African Americans as well as other races.
L'Oreal's new Feria hair color formula is designed to be a no-drip gel that contains
double reflect dyes which L'Oreal promises will create highs and lows on the hair instead
of one simple solid color.
Does it work? I have gotten good feedback from some Hair Boutique visitors on the
product. However, I have heard from more than one person that the product does have
a rather strong chemical aroma that may linger in the hair.
Whether this is true I don't know since I have not tried the product.
Where can you buy Feria? At most retail outlets like large grocery stores, drug
store chains and places like Target.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 3
Question
Dear Karen,
My long hair stylist told me that I should use smooth plastic
hairsticks instead of wooden hairsticks. Do you know if that
is correct and why?
Thanks,
Camille
Answer
Dear Camille,
In the old days before plastic, wood was the considered better than metal
for hair. Metal could snag or pull delicate hair a lot easier than
high quality wood sticks which would be smooth and carefully sanded for hair
jewelry.
While it is really nice to have a beautiful pair of wooden hairsticks, if
you prefer smooth plastic or your budget dictates that you go that
direction, by all means go for the plastic.
The very best hair jewelry has always been made our of ivory, jade or
tortoise shell. Those materials are not only rare, they are very
expensive and may even be illegal in the US.
The key is to using common sense about what you use for your
hair. Always examine all potential hair jewelry to make sure
that it is smooth and will work in your hair without danger of snags
or rips.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 2, 1999
How To Oil Hair?
Question
Dear Karen,
I want to grow my hair longer. I have read references
to "oiling" hair on some of the hair boards. I don't
want to look stupid but I have no idea what they mean by that?
Is there a specific oil that I should use? How should I add
the oil to my hair?
Thanks,
Mary Alice
Answer
Dear Mary Alice,
Many people with long hair swear to the benefits that oiling
their hair provides. Not only does oiling add back moisture,
it helps to prevent splitting and tearing of delicate ends. It
is also wonderful for adding softness and silkiness to hair.
Oiling your hair is easy once you understand the process. The
first key is to find an oil you like. Every person is different with
regard to the oils that they find are most compatible for their hair
type and texture.
Polynesian women are famous for oiling their hair to keep it
soft. They also were known to use coconut oil.
Unfortunately coconut oil may be drying for some types of
hair. That is why it is important to experiment with the
various oils until you find the oil best suited for you.
Be willing to test several oils before you are able to find the
oil that is the perfect one for you and your hair. While many people
swear to jojoba oil, other people have great results with Sweet
Almond, Olive, Coconut, Monoi and Sesame. Every oil is
different and will have their own unique benefits. Some people
use only one oil and others alternate between many depending again
on the needs of their hair.
Pour a few drops of oil into the palm of your hand and rub your
palms together. This will gently warm the oil and also mix it
well. Once you feel the oil has been well mixed slide them
down your hair strands starting below your ear lobes. Focus
the oil on the middle to ends of your hair that are more prone to
dryness, splitting or tangling. Use your fingertips and palms to
distribute the oil to the areas of hair that need it the most.
Some people oil their hair every night before they go to
bed. Other people oil their hair daily. Some will even
add oil a few times a day, as needed to keep their hair moist and
soft.
Heating the oil first until it is warm to the touch, will help it
absorb into the hair cuticle better. Whether you apply the oil
to dry or damp hair depends on the overall condition of your
hair. Most experts believe that dry hair will absorb oil
quicker than damp hair. However, follow what works best for
your hair.
If you wish to sleep with the oil in your hair then wrap your
freshly oiled hair in a plastic shower cap or similar bonnet to keep
the oil off your bed linens. You can sleep on a towel to
absorb any possible dripping from the cap.
In the morning shampoo your hair as usual. To cut the oil,
pour a tiny bit of shampoo into the palms of your hands.
Massage well and then pat on top of your oiled hair. This will
help cut the grease. Turn on the shower and gently pat the
hair until suds form. Rinse well and condition appropriately.
Best wishes,
Karen
October 1, 1999
Chamomile Tea Rinse?
Question
Dear Karen,
I read that if you pour chamomile tea over your hair it will
turn it blonde. I also read that if you add either honey or
lemon juice it will give it a special kick.
Well I poured chamomile tea over my mousy brown hair and
nothing happened. Then I added a teaspoon of honey. I
also tried it with fresh lemon juice. I am sad to say that
absolutely nothing worked. Then a friend told me to brew the
tea as long as possible to get it full strength. Still
nothing.
What am I doing wrong? I want shiny golden blonde hair
instead of the medium mousy brown hair I have now.
Thanks,
Caroline
Answer
Dear Caroline,
While the chamomile tea remedy will help to add subliminal blonde
highlights to some light to medium shades of blonde hair, it will not add
new blonde color to hair that is medium to darker brown.
To go from mousy brown to golden blonde will require that the brown color
is "lifted" from the cuticle and a blonde color is added
back. Chamomile tea is wonderful but it is all natural and does not
have the chemical properties necessary to lift color from your
cuticles. If it was as easy as pouring a chamomile rinse onto brown
hair to go blonde, there would be a lot more blondes in the world.
Yes, honey will add subtle honey blonde highlights, but again, only to
light hair that can absorb the chamomile. Brewing the tea and allowing
it to steep for a few hours will definitely make the rinse stronger.
However, to go from brown to blonde you will need to utilize a chemical
formula.
As far as using lemon juice, the jury is still out. Many
expert believe it can help to light dirty blonde or dark blonde
hair. Other experts believe that the lemon is acidic and will
dry out delicate strands.
As always, people should do what works best for them and their hair type.
Best wishes,
Karen
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