| Revised Date: 5/01/07 - Original Publication Date: April 2006 |
April 4, 2006
Cracked Dry Lips?
Question
Dear Karen,
I know that your column is dedicated to hair issues but I
have a nagging beauty problem that I thought you might be able
to help me with. The problem that I have is chronic
cracked lips. It doesn't matter if it is Summer of Winter,
my lips are always cracked, dry and uncomfortable.
My husband thinks that I might have some sort of vitamin
deficiency. That seems odd to me but I am open to
suggestions and will consider anything at this point to fix the
problem.
Any thoughts that you might have would be very much
appreciated.
Thank you. Donna
Answer
Dear Donna,
This is a question that you might wish to discuss with your
primary care physician. Your doctor should be able to
determine if you have a vitamin deficiency or if there are other
medical issues causing this problem.
If you do have a vitamin deficiency it would most likely be
serious and would probably involve additional symptoms. The
vitamin deficiencies most likely to cause dry or cracked lips would
most likely include a B vitamin deficiency. The specific B
vitamins that would be the potential cause might include vitamins B2
and B6. The B family of vitamins, when deficient, might result
in dry lips or related symptoms.
Another possible problem might include a prolonged iron
deficiency. When an iron deficiency is present there would be
additional symptoms such as very brittle nails, swollen or tender
tongue and feelings of exhaustion. Iron deficiencies can also
cause anemic conditions.
Since there are so many possibilities, you can see why it is so
important to work with a medical professional IF some simple
solutions do not alter your chronic dry lip situation.
It is possible that your cracked lips are due to a number of less
serious issues including:
1. Persistent licking of your lips with your tongue.
This could be a nervous or chronic habit and you may be unaware that
you are actually licking your lips as often as you are.
2. Ongoing exposure to dry air in the winter and in the
summer.
3. Exposure to intense sunlight or hot or cold air.
4. Allergic reactions to lipstick or other skin care or
beauty care products.
As a possible solution before assuming a vitamin deficiency you
might try using a lip protection product that has a built in
sunscreen protector. Pay special attention to whether
you lick your lips or not. You may be surprised to find that
you are doing so more than you realized.
One other option is to experiment for a short time with
increasing your daily Vitamin B supplements focusing on adding B6
and B2. You may find that adding more Vitamin B does the
trick. Or it may not. It never hurts to give it a try.
Best wishes,
Karen
April 2, 2005
Conair Hot Rollers - Big Curls?
Question
Dear Karen,
A friend of mine has lovely soft bouncy curls. She
told me that she uses Conair curlers and that they are known as
Big Curls? She raves about this hot roller kit but I have never
heard of it before. Is this a new product? How long have
they been around and where can I find them? I can't seem
to locate them anywhere.
Thank you. Lina
Answer
Dear Lina,
Known originally as Conair More Big Curls, these hot rollers,
which are HairBoutique.com's best selling hot rollers at this time,
were first introduced in 1996 and have been popular ever since.
The reason for the popularity of this hot roller kit is that it
consists of 12 "jumbo" size rollers. Keep in mind that what
Conair classifies as "jumbo" is not necessarily as large as you
might imagine. However, the More Big Curls is the largest hot
rollers that Conair currently manufactures.
To prevent consumer confusion with the image of "jumbo" rollers,
Conair now calls the kit
More Big Curls Volume Hairsetter.
Although difficult to find, they are currently available in
the
HairBoutique.com Marketplace. (Toll
free in the USA - (866) 469-4247).
The kits consists of 12 "jumbo" rollers which are actually 1 1'2"
in diameter. The rollers are flocked with a velvety-soft
surface that is gentle to the hair. Create big, bouncy curls,
lots of volume and deep sexy waves. Because of the design,
these rollers can work with long hair.
These rollers are unique because they still have the
old fashioned metal clips which
hold rollers securely. Many of the new hot rollers only come with
the new plastic clips.
Another unique advantage to these rollers is that they have a
steam option which adds moisture for longer lasting curls. The
Cool End rings make rolling hair easy because fingertips do not get
burnt.
Your friend probably loves this kit because the rollers are the
biggest that any of the current hot roller manufacturers make.
This means that you can put a lot more hair around each curler.
Because the rollers are flocked, there is no danger or ripping or
tearing strands. Long hair can actually be rolled onto these
curlers.
This is actually one of the best hot roller kits, in my humble
opinion, that Conair has made and we have carried it for over 6
years. It is hard to get but we work even harder to get it and
keep it in stock.
Best wishes,
Karen
April 2, 2005
Big Bouncy Waves & Curls?
Question
Even though I have some natural wave to my hair, I never seem
to be able to get big bouncy waves & curls no matter what I do.
I use a big round boar bristle brush when I blow dry. Then I
use either a 2" wide barrel curling iron or I use the biggest hot
rollers I can find. I still have wimpy waves and curls that
drop almost as fast as I create them.
Can you help me with tips on how to use my hot rollers or hot
iron more effectively? I want lush waves and curls like all
the celebrities have right now.
Joannie
Answer
Dear Joannie,
Keep in mind that the celebs you see prancing down various Red
Carpets with big bouncy curls and lush waves probably spent a lot of
prep time at the hands of their favorite celebrity hairdressers.
However, if you have a natural bend to your hair, you should be
able to create long lasting big curls and luscious waves.
Celebrity hairdresser
Robert Hallowell (Geena Davis,
Jennifer Love Hewitt, Mary Louise Parker) shared some of his
favorite wave and big curl creating tips.
1. Wash hair with a suite (shampoo, conditioners) of
products designed for your hair's type and texture. Do not
over soften hair with excess conditioning when the goal is to create
long lasting texture.
2. Prep damp hair completely with the proper texture
enhancing products. Depending on your hair type, texture and
condition, this can range from
gels to
creams or
mousse products. If hair is
damaged, always use a heat protection product in conjunction with
setting products.
If lots of volume is desired, spray roots with a volume enhancing
product like
Robert's Super Volumizing Tonic or
PhytoVolume Actif.
3. Separate damp strands into 2 inch sections. Use a
boar's bristle large round brush and work on each individual section
of hair at a time.
4. After each section if 100% dry, form a big curl and pin
into place against your scalp while you dry the rest of your hair.
When you are finished, you should have a head full of big curls
pinned to your scalp.
5. Spray the entire head completely with a
light,
medium,
firm or
extra firm hold hairspray depending
on how soft you want the curls and how long you wish them to last.
6. Transfer the curls one by one onto either a wide barrel
curling iron or large hot rollers.
If you have plenty of time before your need to go out, transfer the
curls to Velcro rollers and let curls set for a few hours on the
Velcro rollers.
7. If you opt for the hot curling iron, use one with a 1
1/2 or 2" diameter barrel. Unpin each individual curl then
roll around the outside of the iron. Hold in place for a few
seconds then repin the new curl in place to cool.
Follow the same steps with hot rollers. It is important to
remember that when you finish curling each individual section of
hair that pin it back against the scalp to let it cool completely.
8. Before leaving the house for your day or special event,
spritz pinned curls (or curls removed from the Velcro rollers)
completely with a
light,
medium,
firm or
extra firm hold hairspray.
9. Unpin each of the curls and use fingers to shatter and
finger pick into desired pattern of big curls and waves.
If you prefer a loose curl or wave, bend over at the waist and
brush out the curls with a boar's head bristle flat brush.
Finish with a few drops of shine spray dropped into the palms of
your hands and then lightly brushed over the top of the strands.
Best wishes,
Karen
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