A Dream is a Wish your Hair makes!

So I am on a personal mission to grow my hair to mid-back length (approx. 2 inches past bra-strap) and I am so excited because I am shoulder length and I can actually see it growing. If everything continues to go the way it's been, I'll be at APL (armpit length) by fall/winter time. I really think by like October.

Here's my hair inspiration (Amerie - I want the color too!)

I already know that I probably won't have as much thickness as she has, but I can't wait to try to grow to this length (besides, rollersets = <3)

The only problem I've been running into is keeping the blue-black shade truer, longer. I'm taking a break from permanent color for a little while, and will probably resume at the end of the summer.

*sigh* Forgive me while I drool...


Holla!

Want smooth skin? Exfoliate

Problem skin (rough patches, uneven texture and tone, overactive oily skin, or acne-prone skin) causes you issues when it cannot slough itself as quickly as it should, and sometimes it needs a bit of help. Regular exfoliation is the best way to do this, but what kind should you use? This is a personal choice, but here are some points to consider when choosing:

• Two types of exfoliators: manual and chemical. Manual exfoliators are the most familiar to people; these are "scrubs". Chemical exfoliants utilize alpha- or beta-hydroxy acids, and gradually break up the dead skin cells.
• Manual scrubs: If your skin is resistant and doesn't irritate easily, these work well for you. Look for products that contain gentle ingredients, and particles that are smooth ("microbeads" is a popular term). Anything that irritates the skin, or causes redness, should be avoided.
• Chemical exfoliants: If your skin is sensitive, or acne-prone, this type is for you. Salicylic acid (BHA) is a good example that helps to fight a multitude of skin issues (oil control, acne, dark spots, wrinkles, and sensitive skin to name a few). If you're looking into AHAs (glycolic or lactic acid), start out slowly, and be sure to use a sunscreen with SPF 30+ (really everyone should be using sunscreen regardless of their skin!)

Bottom line: Every skin needs some kind of exfoliation, but not every skin needs the same type. In addition, not every skin needs daily exfoliation. Some skins need 1-2x weekly, others can do it every day (again, depending on the skin and the product used).

No matter the skin type, keep your regimen SIMPLE and GENTLE! If anything causes your skin discomfort, stop using it. This is especially important if you are prone to dark spots, as this can perpetuate them.

Let me know what you think, and what products work best for you!

How to Safely Straighten Hair with Heat

Hi Everyone!! For those of you who know me from the Long Hair Care Forum, you may have read my posts on how heat can be used safely. I decided to post my tips from my Journal entries here in one place...For the most part, this is just to give you an idea of what to do; what works best for you of course may vary, but the main point to remember is to just be patient and take your time. You don't want to cause any unnecessary drama when styling the hair. If it's frustrating you, then stop and choose a another styling method. When you are more calm, you can come back to this technique... I also want to add that I have modified the ideas here; I have learned quite a bit with my hair since I first wrote this... I don't recommend doing this more than 1-2x/week, b/c that's just too much general manipulation (I just don't style that much) but the techniques and products are such that you probably won't need to do anything more than this. Let me know if I wasn't clear on something. HTH Alrighty, let's get started: First, you want to start off with clean, well-conditioned hair, no exceptions. After you've rinsed out your deep conditioner, gently and lightly towel-blot the hair (you still want it fairly wet, not damp). Don't rub or do any other man-handling. Next, apply your leave-in conditioner. I love Paul Mitchell The Conditioner or Kenra Daily Provision, but I have lots of leave-ins, so it doesn't matter what you use, so long as you use one. Ok, it's technique time: Get your blowdryer (a ceramic one) and either a round brush (either boar bristle or the ball-knobby kind) or a paddle brush, and some clips. Does your dryer have speed settings, heat settings and a cold shot?? If not, get one. Your hair should be pretty wet w/a little bit of product in it at this point (b/c you used SMALL amounts). Without the concentrator nozzle (*trust me on this!!) you want to "rough dry the hair". Ok, don't let the word "rough" freak you out--you're not actually roughing up the hair. Set the dryer on low speed, but hot heat. Using your fingers and pointing the dryer down and 7-8 in. from your hair, blow dry your hair to about 80% dry. (If you don't want to do this or you aren't in a hurry you can airdry to a/b 80&). Once you've gotten to 80%, next comes your heat protectant. I apply Joico K-pak Smoothing Balm, but you can also use a Garnier serum or something like that if you don't want pricey items. Tresemme has WONDERFUL heat protectant products (comparable to Nexxus). I like the Joico one b/c it has humidity protection...In any event, use a small amount, and apply to the ends first, then to the roots (esp. if you have lots of new growth), then comb the product through to the distribute the product to the remainder of the hair. Now this is where it can get tricky and takes some practice. Set the blowdryer on low speed, medium heat. Take the small section you want to blow dry and run the round brush under it and hold the running dryer over the top (approx. 6-8 inches away) and run the brush down the length of the hair. If using a paddle brush, using the brush over the hair, starting at the roots. Anyways, continue moving the brush and dryer down the length until dry. Keep the dryer moving at all times to prevent burning the hair, and make sure not to leave the dryer blowing on the ends of the hair too long (the ends are the oldest part of the hair, and you want to focus on limiting their chances of damage). If you want a bump at the end, bend the round brush at the ends of the hair. Next use the cold shot feature on the dryer to lock in the straightness and shine (the straightness will last longer if you use the cold shot). How do you get the brush back up the roots after you got to the ends to do it again?? I place the dryer nozzle under the hair section so that it’s laying on the dryer, then place the brush back at the roots to reset my starting place. If you have a blowdryer stand, you can use that too. Go over the top of the section of hair to get the roots straighter; I prefer using a paddle brush for this reason. Here are videos of a stylist doing it: How To Blow-Dry Hair Straight How To Use A Round Brush To Curl Hair Here are more blow drying tips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6HR1KsQ7xo http://www.hairboutique.com/tips/tip100019.htm http://www.hair-styles-secrets-revea...blow%20dry.htm So once you’ve gotten all the hair dry and fairly straight, get out your serum (I like Chi Silk Infusion) and apply a dime-sized amount to each of the 4 sections you previously created. Then, starting at the nape of the first section, part out a piece of hair to start flat ironing if you want more of a finished, polished look. The flat iron should be ceramic, preferably tourmaline, and it should not be set on the highest setting it has. In fact, start with the lowest setting, and gradually turn the degree up to reached the effective temperature (if you find that the look you want is not achieved with the temp at 375 or lower, you need to practice your blowdrying and flat ironing technique some more). I have a Solia and I keep it at 250-270 around a recent touch-up, and 275-300 when I have lots of new growth. Make your sections less than ½’’ thick and get a rattail comb and put it under the section. Follow the comb down the length of the hair with the flat iron. Go slowly, but not too slow; take maybe 2-4 seconds for each pass of the iron. If you see smoke or hear a sizzle, turn the iron down! NO EXCEPTIONS. You should be able to comfortably touch the hair almost immediately after running the iron on it. Flat Iron Video: Richard Ashforth's Tip: How To Use Hair Straighteners So go over each small section once (no more than twice) with the flat iron until you finish your hair. When I finish, I like to take a little more Chi silk infusion and rub it all over the hair (focusing on the ends) for extra protection and shine. And voila!! You are done :) Hope this helps someone. Regular Heat Use threads: http://www.longhaircareforum.com/for...d.php?t=110350 http://www.longhaircareforum.com/for...d.php?t=114270 http://www.longhaircareforum.com/for...d.php?t=144439 http://www.longhaircareforum.com/for...d.php?t=129013