| Revised Date: 5/01/07 - Original Publication Date: April 2007 |
February
28,
2004
Home Recipe For Dry Hair?
Question
Dear Karen,
I heard somewhere that there is a home recipe you can make to
condition hair using butter and milk. It is supposed to really
soften super dry strands. Although I love to splurge on the
great conditioners from Phyto and Rene Furterer I also like to try
some home formulas to stretch my conditioning dollars. Any
ideas where I might find this formula?
Thanks,
Sylvia
Answer
Dear Sylvia
One recipe that seems to be popular with Europeans does involve
softened butter and margarine blended with cream or milk and a
regular deep conditioning product. The idea behind this
formula is to enrich the chosen deep conditinong
product.
Try this recipe on for size:
Creamy Butter Deep Hair Conditioner
This recipe is designed to deep condition and soften the most
damaged and dry strands. This mixture does tend to be a bit
messy so be sure to lay down some old bath towels before applying to
your strands.
In a blender combine:
4 ounces of any type of regular soft margarine (skip the low fat
or diet spreads since you want the oils)
2 ounces of pre-softened butter
6 ounces of true cream
6 ounces of deep hair conditioner (any kind will do)
Blend until all the ingredients are mixed and smooth.
Separate your hair into 2-3 inch sections and then apply the
mixture with your fingers, a rubber spatula or cotton
balls.
Apply the mixture from the top of the ears down to the
ends. Avoid applying the mixture near the roots.
After you have completely saturated your strands with the Butter
Conditioning Mix wrap strands in plastic wrap or a clean plastic
shower cap. Either wrap a newly warmed towel over the top or
sit under a hood dryer for 30 minutes.
Rinse the treatment out of your hair, shampoo lightly, rinse well
and finish with a cool water rinse. Use a good detangling
cream or leave-in conditioner. Style as normal.
If possible, let hair air dry to maximize the treatment's
potential.
If you enjoy the results, repeat on an "as needed"
basis. If you would like to experiment further, try adding 1/4
to 1/2 teaspoon of almond oil to the mix for added softeness.
Best wishes,
Karen Shelton
February
15,
2004
Too Much Hair
Question
Dear Karen,
I have seen countless questions and articles in magazines and on
websites about people that want to have fuller hair, but I have
never seen an article about people that have too much hair!
I have a crazy amount of hair, it is big, wavy, and frizzy!
I want a way to get my wavy hair under control wouthout using too
many products!
I am on a VERY low budget! Also, when I read articles about
getting sleek hair it mentions blow-drying, I do not blow-dry my
hair because previously when I have tried to it makes it even bigger
and takes a looong time since my hair is sooo thick!
A little information on my hair, it is about chest length, I have
colored it a few times, but I have vowed to never again! Any help
you could give me would be
Greatly Appreciated!
Katalyn
Answer
D ear Katalyn,
In actuality there are just as many people who struggle with too
much hair as those that struggle with not enough.
What do people do that want to control lots of hair?
1. Get a haircut that is designed to thin out the thickness and
help the hair to lay sleekly. Not every hairstylist has the ability
to cut hair that is too thick because it is really an art. However,
a talented stylist with the right skill set can help to thin hair
that is too heavy. Take your time, ask around, and find a stylist
that specializes in dealing with thick strands.
2. Wear hair no longer than a bob, or very long. Hair that is
super thick is most manageable when it is either shorter, because it
looks less bulky, or much longer, because the weight of the longer
strands weighs the hair down.
Wavy hair also tends to do very well when it is longer because
the weight of the hair tends to flatten the waves.
3. Consider getting your hair relaxed, but not straightened.
Getting hair relaxed helps it to bend and be more liquid, which
ultimately helps the strands to nestle better together.
Relaxing also helps to soften waves and control frizz.
Unfortunately the professional home relaxing kits like those from
Phyto generally cost around $60. Relaxing may cost even more
at a salon when done by a professional stylist.
With your tight budget having your hair relaxed may not currently
be an option for you. While there are some relaxing products
available from grocery and drug stores, they do not tend to
work as well, or last as long. They also may be more harsh and
could actually cause more dryness and frizz. I definitely do
not recommend that you go the relaxing route unless you can have it
done by a stylist or use a professional style kit.
4. Avoid hair color. Hair color tends to swell the hair shaft
making hair appear even bigger. Since you have sworn off
coloring your hair for now, that is a great decision.
5. Use a good defrisant product to help hair lay sleeker and less
frizzy. While Phytodefrisant is considered the absolute best product
on the market today, John Frieda also makes one that is probably
more affordable for your budget and available from grocery
stores.
While it is true that the professional lines do a great job like
Phyto and Kerastase and Rene Furterer, it is possible to find decent
products in the grocery store lines if you take your time and read
all the labels.
You can also dilute shampoo to prevent it from drying hair out
which causes it to ultimately frizz and be way too big. Dilute
shampoo with 1 part shampoo to 3 parts warm water mixed in a clean
plastic cup or bottle and shaken well.
6. Use moisturizing shampoo, conditioner and leave-in
conditioners.
Adding moisture softens big hair and helps it lay smoother and
closer together. It also banishes frizz. You don't have to spend a
fortune to find a good moisture enhancing product. Buy grocery or
drug store brands that advertise on the bottle that they add or
create moisture.
You can also experiment with home hot oil conditioning treatments
like sesame, extra virgin olive or almond oil. Home hot oil
treatments will add moisture to parched or moisture starved strands,
making hair softer, less frizzy and more manageable.
Buy the oil, heat it until warm, apply it to your strands
approximately 1 inch from the roots, wrap in plastic wrap or a
shower cap and then let it sit for about 1 hour.
To remove the olive or other oils, apply a tiny dab of shampoo to
the palms of your hands and then pat on top of the oil BEFORE you
apply water. The shampoo will cut the oil. Then apply water, suds
and rinse well. Apply a good rinse out conditioner and then a
leave-in. Again, these can be found inexpensively.
7. Avoid any type of layered styles. Cutting in layers makes hair
actually look fuller and bigger.
8. Wear hair braided. When hair is wet, braid it into a tight
braid. This will help to contain the hair when it is dry.
Keep in mind that your hair will be bigger when you undo the
braid but this will help keep it neat during the day. You can also
experiment with buns which will contain the hair as well.
9. Avoid washing hair in hot water and if possible, allow your
hair to "age" a few days between shampoos. This allows
natural oils to accumulate and soften frizz.
10. Experiment with a variety of hair accessories that will
help hold down the volume of your hair. Try large volume
barrettes, thick elastic bands and jaw claw clips. Karina
makes a fabulous line of inexpensive but very functional hair
accessories.
To Blow Dry Sleekly
When done correctly and using the correct products, blow drying
hair can definitely make it sleek, straight and less wavy.
1. Start by using a moisture enhancing shampoo. Keep in
mind that you may wish to dilute the shampoo that you select so that
it is less harsh on your strands.
2. Use a moisture enhancing rinse out conditioner. Be sure
to focus the conditioner or the driest part of your strands and keep
the conditioner approximately 1 inch away from your roots.
This allows the conditioner to be focused on the part of your
strands that need it the most.
3. Rinse well with cool water as a final rinse.
4. Towel blot your hair well to remove excess moisture.
5. Apply a good leave-in conditioner or detangling spray w/
conditioning properties.
6. Detangle with comb starting from the roots and working up the
hair shaft.
8. Apply a good defrisant product. Yes, it is OK to use a
defrisant product on top of a detangling or leave-in conditioning
product. The products will work together to help you achieve
the ultimate sleek look you desire.
7. Divide and conquer.
Divide hair into 2-4 inch sections all the way around your
head.
Be sure to only work on one section at a time. Take a paddle
style brush (Conair has a good one that is very well priced) and
anchor the strand from the ends. Blow dry with a special
concentrator, if possible. Direct the air DOWN the shaft from the
roots to the ends rather than from the end to the roots. When the
air goes DOWN the shaft, it helps the strands to lay flatter.
Remember that blowing the air up the shaft ruffles the cuticles and
will make hair bigger.
8. Work slowly around your head one section at a time and blow
dry until the hair is 100% dry. Hair that frizzes is often not 100%
dry OR needs more moisture.
9. Never blow dry your hair upside down. This will
cause the cuticles to swell and look even bigger.
10. When finished, apply a little dab of defrisant into the palms
of your hands OR a serum to add shine and then lightly glide your
hands across the top of your hair.
This will add shine and seal in moisture to avoid frizz.
Additional Tips
- Shop wisely for products that you need and can afford.
When possible, shop for products on sale or use coupons.
- Do NOT use a combination shampoo/conditioner. These tend to
dry out hair and make it frizzy.
- To contain the drying properties of any shampoo, experiment
with diluting the shampoo with water. You could even afford to
buy a better quality shampoo and dilute it to stretch the number
of shampoos that you can get from the bottle.
- Take your time, experiment and see what a difference some of
these steps may make with your big hair.
Best wishes,
Karen
February
9, 2004
Hair
Color Confusions
Question
Dear Karen,
I have been bleaching my own hair for way too long.
Now it looks brassy, over bleached and horrible. I decided
to consult with a hair colorist to see how to get a softer, more
realistic blonde. I left the hair colorist's shop very
confused. He seemed very knowledgeable but confused
me. I could not figure out what was the difference between
highlights and lowlights and color chunking? He also
mentioned color straps.
I didn't make any decisions yet because I wanted to try
and figure out what is best to do. Can you please give me
a quick summary of what the different techniques will do for my
hair?
Thanks in advance,
Kate
Answer
Dear Kate,
Every
stylist and colorist has their own hairspeak that may or may not
be clear to the clients. The majority of hair pros that I
have talked to over the years really care about helping their
clients find their ideal color and style. In the future, if
you are feeling confused when discussing a potential treatment
with your hair care professional, ask them politely to please
explain in more detail so you are clear about what they are
recommending.
There are
actually a myriad of coloring techniques that colorists use to
achieve a soft, believable blonde.
Highlighting
simply means to infuse light into the existing color.
Depending on what you wish to achieve, the skill of the hair colorist
and current hair fashions, highlights can range from tiny,
delicate strokes to bold, random stripes or chunks.
Highlights can also combine a series of compatible colors.
Thus a blonde could have lighter blonde hues mixed with light and
dark red colors for a stunning result. A redhead might go with
lighter and darker ruby tones mixed with some blonde tones.
Lowlighting
means to enrich or intensify natural darker tones. Therefore
a colorist might apply actual highlights and lowlights in the same
treatment with the low lights bringing our rich darker tones and
hues.
Color
chunking has actually been around
since the mid 90s when Brad Johns who was formerly at the Oribe
Salon in NYC use contrasting blocks of color, not fine streaks, to
achieve a natural looking just-home-from-the-beach
blonde.
Over the
years many new highlighting techniques have popped up including
color quilting which was perfected by Henry
Amador in Florida at the Elite Group (954-779-2821),
baylage by
the Siggers Salon in Atlanta and color strapping from the
genius haircolorists at Paul Mitchell.
Generally
speaking most of the blonding techniques are designed around
making blonde soft and believable. Blonde is best when it is
low maintenance, healthy and grows out with minimal rootage.
The good
news is that you found a professional colorist that appeared very
knowledgeable. Once you find a good colorist that you value,
hang on tight because they are a good find.
Best Wishes,
Karen
Shelton
February
8, 2004
Prom
Hair Problems
Question
Dear Karen,
Where do you suggest that I go to get ideas for how to wear
my hair for my Prom which is coming up in June of this year? I
have found my dress and accessories but am not sure where to get
styling ideas.
Thanks,
Tiffany
Answer
Dear Tiffany,
The good news is that you have lots of time left to find your
dream Prom hairstyle. The bad news is that it will take a
little effort and research.
Listed below are some great places to search for special event
hairstyle ideas:
1. Golden Globe, Grammy & Oscar Award Shows.
All of the celebs have the very best hairdressers, stylists and
makeup artists work and are perfectly coiffed for any formal hair
event. Pay attention to the prominent hair themes. In 2003
the hot style was the polished chignon. For 2004 it is
curls, waves and lots of gorgeous hair accessories like ultra chic
headbands, jeweled hair combs and a range of flowers.
2. Hair magazines like 101 Celebrity Hairstyles, Short
Cuts and similar often have Clip & Save pages with a range of
styles that you can snip for future reference. Or do as I do
and use little colored stick on flags to mark pages with styles
you love. Not only can you use the styles as reference, you
can take them with you when you visit your stylist for your
pre-Prom consultation.
3. Surf the Internet. Sites like HairBoutique.com have an
extensive collection of Prom, Wedding and updo articles with step
by step information. HairBoutique.com also has an extensive
Gallery of styles that can be viewed right online at no cost.
4. Read the fashion magazines like InStyle, Cosmo,
Glamour, Allure and Marie Claire for hot hair trends in the
fashion world.
5. Check out the weekly fashion section in your newspaper
for hot fashion trends.
6. Check out the annual prom magazines that hit the
magazine stands every year for specific Prom hair tips.
7. Ask your friends to share any of their magazine updo
or Prom hair clippings for additional ideas.
8. Channel surf for great ideas. Watch shows like
the OC to see what Mischa Barton's latest styles encompass.
Keep track of your favorite celebrities like Jessica and Ashlee
Simpson and watch how their styles change.
Another great idea is to start a Prom hair notebook.
Write down hairstyling ideas, todos and wishes. Attach
images that you find of celebrities with dressy hair styles that
you like. Not only does a notebook keep your organized as you
track your ideal Prom style but you can take the notebook with you
when you visit your stylist to discuss how you want them to style
your hair for the big night.
Best wishes,
Karen
February
4, 2003
Ponytail Problems?
Question
Karen,
Maybe you can answer my question. Why is it that when
celebrities like Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Lopez wear ponytails
they always look sleek, silky and totally healthy while my own
ponies look super messy and unhealthy. Hair pop out all over
and I look like I slept in my pony. What am I doing wrong?
I appreciate your help greatly.
Tamy
Answer
Dear Tamy,
One secret about Jessica Simpson and Jennifer Lopez is that
they often share the same hairdresser. Celebrity hairdresser
Ken Paves who often travels with Jessica to do her hair, also does
JLo's tresses when joint schedules permit.
Although ponytails look like a very easy style, the highly
polished ones are actually harder to create than they look.
And yes, they take some advance planning and a couple of pair of
hands. Many people don't realize that celebrities can have
those super high flirty tails because someone else is lifting the
hair ends high in the air to get the right positioning of the base
of the pony on the head.
 When
Ken is planning to coif Jessica's hair into a sleek ponytail from
scratch, he blow dries her fine strands perfectly straight with
the help of his favorite Mason
Pearson Popular boar's head brush. Ken then straight
irons all Jess's tresses to make sure that all the kinks and
waves are completely removed, applying some additional styling
finesse by brushing her hair several strokes. Before he
creates the actual tail he applies a spritz of Phytolaque
Soie (Jessica's favorite hairspray) to help hold the hairs in
place.
 Brushing
all strands back from the crown, Ken will ask Jessica to hold the
newly formed pony in place with her fingers while he tightly wraps
one of his favorite bungees
the same color as Jessica's hair around the base of the
pony. He finished up with a quick touch up of curling iron
on the ends to give a flirty little flounce or curl and a final
spritz of Phytolaque
Soie (as shown above). When appropriate he will add a jewel
encrusted pony elastic or other accessory to Jessica's
finished style.
If all that hair preparation seems like a lot of work just to
create a ponytail, you are right. It is time consuming.
If you want to shave some time off the ponytail prep time, you
can cheat the clock by starting with day old hair that has had a
little time to accumulate some natural shine producing oils.
Aged hair is also less slippery and will stay put better than
freshly washed hair. Use a boar's head brush to smooth hair
up and back towards the crown of the head. Then make sure
hair is pulled tightly into the base and held by a bungee or a Blax
band so that loose hair will not slip out. You may want
to touch up your strands with a straight iron to help eliminate
kinks and hair wrinkles.
Remember to use good styling and finishing products to keep
hair neatly coiffed. Finally, a beautiful hair accessory
always helps to elevate a style to a whole new level.
Best wishes,
Karen Shelton
February
1, 2004
Hair
Color Confusions
Question
Dear Karen,
I am sooooo over my hair. It is long, to my bra strap
with a bit of a natural wave that I blow dry straight. I
want a new look but am afraid that if I go really short my hair
will get too wavy. Do you have any suggestions of how I can mix up
my hairlook without going with a major chop?
Thanks in advance,
Linda
Answer
Dear Linda,
Curls and waves are very hot for 2004. Why not instantly
change your style by changing the texture? Instead of
blowing your hair straight, why not reach for a long finger
diffuser and blow dry your hair to encourage lots of luscious
waves?
Other ways that you can instantly change your look without
getting a cut include the following techniques:
1. Change your front fringe or bangs. You can add
them, change the way you wear your current bangs or grow them out.
2. Change your part. Experiment with a deep side
part or a zig zag or even a new center part. Changing the
part instantly gives hair a fresh new look.
3. Add highlights around your face. This will open
up and lighten your look without a major color expense.
4. If you always wear your hair down, consider wearing it
up in a series of new ponytails, braids and half up/half down dos.
5. Add different hair accessories and toys to instantly
add new interest in your locks.
If boredom overtakes you and you still feel the need to go for
a chop, keep in mind that naturally wavy and curly hair does
spring to life when there it is shorter because there is no weight
from long strands keeping it in check.
Best wishes,
Karen
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