Are Steam Straighteners Worse For Your Hair?

With a quick search online about steam hair straighteners, you'll notice that there really isn't much information out there about them at all. You can find some forums of people talking about them, but nothing of real substance is brought to the table. Now, I am no hair scientistic, but I have used my steam hair straightener for 2 years straight, and prior to that, I had used a regular hair straightener for many years. Here is my experience with the Avanti Wet-Dry Digital Flat Iron.

How Does The Straightener Work?
The Avanti Wet-Dry Digital Flat Iron works just the same way as any other straightener. You select the heat that you want it to rise to, and you slowly straighten your hair in sections. The difference is that you don't have to dry your hair fully prior to using this straightener, and it works at a blow drier at the same time as straightening your hair. Steam gets released as you are straightening your hair, which pulls the moisture (from the shower) out of your hair, allowing it to dry faster while getting styled.

How Well Does The Straightener Work?
I have read some people talk about the straightener not doing its job, or that their hair gets puffy afterwards, but I have never experienced this and I have been using my Avanti Wet-Dry Digital Flat Iron for more than 2 years, but 2 years consistently. If it didn't straighten my hair, I definitely wouldn't still be using it, and I actually opt for my Avanti Wet-Dry Digital Flat Iron steam straightener than I do my regular flat iron.

Does It Damage Your Hair Excessively?
The entire concept that is sucks the moisture out of your hair has created this new explosion of rumours. Steam straighteners do steam the moisture out of your hair, but it is the moisture from the water, or in other words, from your shower. It doesn't take the moisture out of your actual hair. That can't be steamed out. So, does it dry your hair out more or damage it more than any other straightener? I don't think so, and I haven't seen a problem with my hair.

Conclusion? Well, any hair straightener isn't good for your hair, but I don't think the Avanti Wet-Dry Digital Flat Iron is any more damaging than the other options. I think it works just as amazing as regular flat irons, and I actually like it better because I don't have to blow dry my hair first, or worry about frizzing my hair if it is still wet in some spots. As long as you are taking proper care of your hair, you shouldn't have a problem with the steam hair straighteners.

Photo Credit: The Luxe Maven

The Makeup-Free Look is Anything But Makeup Free

We can all agree that when celebrities say that they are "makeup-free", they are telling us one big white lie! Their dewy glowing skin, sun-kissed cheeks and lips, and long beautiful lashes were all helped along with some really great products (don't forget the great nutrition, frequent gym sessions, and abundance of visits to the dermatologists).

But don't fret, these can all be achieved by us normal people.

Nutrition
The first step you must must must take in achieving great and healthy skin is to eat healthy. Eating healthy does not have to be painful and time consuming. There are so many delicious but easy healthy recipes available to you at the push of a few buttons on Google. 

Remember, what you consume will affect how your body functions, how it is energized, and what it ultimately looks on the surface. So to look good on the outside, make sure that you work on the inside. 

Here are a couple recipes that are easy to make but a great way to fuel your day:
Breakfast: Fruit Parfait. Mix your favorite fruits, a couple cups of low fat vanilla yogurt, and granola or alternative to granola. The high fiber and protein will keep you fueled and energized for the morning.
Lunch: Combine canned salmon with avocado, grapefruit sections, onions, beets, pistachios and Bibb lettuce. Spritz on the salad dressing or have a cup on the side to dip it in.
Dinner: Dinner meat breakfast. Heat your oven to 400F. In a skillet, cook 2 russet potatoes and 1 thinly sliced onion until tender. In a large bowl, whisk 9 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon, 10oz chopped spinach, 1 cup cheddar cheese, and 4oz thinly sliced ham. Add eggs to skillet and place skillet in oven to bake for 12 to 14 minutes. 

Food Tip: Do you need to increase your veggies but don't have the time to include in your meal? I took a hint from Panda Express and their pre cut veggies. Purchase some great fridge storage containers and pre cut your veggies for the week. Pre cutting your veggies will make prep time that much faster!

Exercise
Make sure to supplement your healthy eating with a healthy heart and strong bones and muscles. Make sure you are active 30-60 minutes a day, increase this if you have a non-active work environment. Switch it up! Walk one day, hike another, hit the weight room, take a pilates or yoga class, play some basketball or have a catch. The options are endless so find something that you enjoy doing. Need some motivation? Grab a friend! Exercising goes beyond just looking good now. It's preparing your body for a healthier state when you're older too!

Makeup
Now to the actual faux makeup free look. You're going to need 3 items:

• Tinted moisturizer
• Multi purpose Tint
• Mascara

A tinted moisturizer will give you light coverage, still providing a nice dewy complexion without the heavy foundation. Use a multi-purpose tint to create a nice and natural sun kissed blush on your cheeks, on the ridge of your nose, and above your brow. Finally, apply some mascara to make your eyes pop!

and viola! The makeup-free look that takes a little bit of time, investment, and of course a little makeup magic. But again, all these work together to make a healthier you for now and for the future.

3 Steps To Finding The Perfect Anti Aging Skincare Products

I see that you've stumbled upon the internet to do a marvelous search for anti aging skin care that has led you here. Well, rest be assured because you have definitely come to the right place to get all the inside nitty gritty on anti aging skin care from causes of aging skin, to preventions, procedures and treatments. Often times, people seem to go right to the shelves of their local drugstore to gather all the products that read "anti-aging skin care", but rarely do they take the time to do the research needed for them to thoroughly understand skin aging, it's symptoms, signs and most importantly, anti-aging skin care that will be foolproof for them.

On the bright side, you're at least one step ahead of the majority of people because you're here with me, doing your research! Brownie points! So, are you curious to know what you have readily available to you that will help you with your anti-aging skin care decisions? Let’s take a look at the three things that you certainly need to consider when finding anti-aging skin care that will have you thriving like you were in your teens!

Consider Your Causes

In order to find the proper skincare products for your skin, you must first determine what it has been subjected to. There are a variety of possibilities, and the most common ones are both internal and external causes. Internal causes of skin aging consists of genetics and illnesses, while popular external causes consist of sunbathing, smoking, pollution etc. Once you have determined what has harmed your skin, you will then be able to find a product that will care for your skin properly.


Check Out The Ingredients

With an abundance of ingredients that are used  in cosmetics, you should definitely take the time to educate yourself on the good, the bad and the best. Natural ingredients are always a fabulous options, and with nut oils taking over the industry with a storm, you should definitely explore those options. Always know the exact ingredients that you should be avoided.


Determine Your Needs

Determine what you want from your anti aging skincare products. Are you looking for wrinkle preventative lotions, or lotion that will smooth out winkles. Are you looking for a skincare regime that will prevent and repair, or just need a firming lotion to rub on your trouble areas. Knowing exactly what you need from your skincare products will allow you to find affordable options, as you won't be purchasing items that you don't need.

Anti-aging skin care products are endless. These 3 tips will definitely help you battle the long list of products that fill the aisles, and will bring you closer to finding the exact anti aging skincare product that you need and deserve.

Photo Credit: http://skinalive.in/blog/?p=192

Sonia Kashuk Launches Spring 2014 Collection at Target

Since the makeup line's beginnings, Sonia Kashuk has fulfilled her goal of providing department store quality products to the mass market and another year that sees her success. Kashuk's Spring 2014 Collection, released this month, introduces "new formulas for flawless skin, luxe metallic shadows and bold bright for lips and cheeks for an easy take on summer beauty." 

About Sonia Kashuk

A Midwest native, Sonia arrived in New York and discovered the world of fashion. Her experience as a makeup artist, boasting capabilities of transforming any face into a richly photogenic canvas, quickly established her reputation. This was her bridge to becoming an accomplished designer. She has a personal hand when creating performance-based makeup formulas-blended from the highest quality ingredients to the high-end packaging that showcases her upscale but pocket friendly products.

Sonia Kashuk signed a deal with Target in 1998, creating a strong and creative partnership to "break new ground in retail". Her goal: to provide quality products outside the department stores, available to the mass market. 

Even today, Sonia continues to take an active hand in hunting for the best material; exploring textures, shapes and colors; and relentlessly working until her unique vision is achieved and the products are created with the highest standards. With Sonia Kashuk, luxury meets fun, glamour meets accessible, beauty is reality.

Spring 2014 Collection

New Makeup Introductions: Sonia Kashuk's 2014 Spring collection introduces several new makeup products:

• NEW Chic Luminosity Glow Powder: Captures light for a smoother-looking complexion and lit-from-within glow. Awakens and refreshens the skin for a bright, naturally polished finish.
• NEW Undetectable Loose Powder: Setting powder that absorbs excess oil and diffuses light to soften fine lines and imperfections.
• NEW Undetectable Pressed Powder: A weightless, microfine pressed translucent powder.
• NEW Dewy Luxe Lip & Cheek Balm: A multi-tasking balm that impart sheer but brilliant color to lips and cheeks.
• NEW Liquid Line Precision Marker: An easy-to-apply liquid eyeliner.
• NEW Pearlescene Longwear Creme Shadow: Luxe, long wearing cream metallic shadows with light diffusing and moisturizing properties.
• NEW Brush Couture Brushes: Sonia Kashuk introduces two different brush sets: brush couture five-piece brush set, which includes five quality brushes (powder/blusher brush, foundation brush, large shader brush, crease brush and pointed eye liner brush) with snake-inspired print  and brush couture four-piece brush set, which include four quality travel brushes (dense blusher brush, angled duo fiber crease brush, eye shadow brush, and smudge brush) with chic gingham print. A brush couture kabuki brush is also now available.

Check it out and let us know what you think about Miss Kashuk's Spring 2014 collection. 

Factors That Increase Hair Loss in Females

As a female, we often focus on things to make our hair more beautiful through style, cut, dry, and dye. However, we very rarely touch the subject about hair loss and the chances are that we avoid this subject because no female every wants to think bout the idea that we could actually experience hair loss. It's a treacherous idea, isn't it? While I don't want ot scare you, I do want to do just that all at the exact time. Scaring you into the truth about hair loss may encourage you to take better care of your hair moving forward. Here are the things that increase your risk of experiencing hair loss.

Genetics 

This is definitely one of the biggest factors of hair loss. If one or both of your parents have hair loss, you have a high chance of experiencing it as well. This risk factor is called 'inherited tendency' and basically falls on your parents and what is going on with them. Blame it on the 'rents!


Disease or Illness

While hair loss is almost always unfortunate, experiencing it as a result of a disease or illness.  Such diseases and illnesses that can cause hair loss include; ringworm of the scalp, thyroid diseases such and lupus. In addition, there are a variety of treatments and medications, such as chemo for cancer, that can result in hair loss as well.

Age

Oh, age. As if it doesn't ruin enough for you already, right? I know - it's not a very optimistic way to think. Unfortunately, it is the reality. The older you get, the more hair loss you experience. How much is determined by the other factors that have been mentioned in this article. Hair loss has typically already began by the age of 50. Again, this also depends on the other elements mentioned.

Hair Care and Styling

This is one factor for hair loss that you actually have control over. All of the other ones, you can't control. This one - you can. The way you care for your hair and style it will drastically change the way that your hair feels, looks and maintains over the years. Take a look at your regular hair care routine. Do you use generic shampoos and conditioners that have no added value? Hair irons? Do you blow dry your hair on a daily basis? These are all elements that will significantly increase your risk of experiencing hair loss, which is why it is so important to properly care for your hair from the getgo.

While there are 3 factors for hair loss that you can't control, the one that you do have control over is a big one and will significantly play a part in the way that your hair ages with you over the years. Always steer clear of harmful ingredients, and decrease the damage you subject it to.

Photo Credit: http://thehairspecialist.com/2013/10/baldness-linked-to-increased-risk-of-coronary-heart-diseaselincoln-nebraska/

The Body Kicking Workout: Ballet Barre Pilates

Whenever I go on a business trip, I try to increase my activity to offset the amount of take-out that I have to eat. While the gym will always do the trick-that is if you can find your own motivation and create a workout that will actually work out your body-I try to find work out classes or businesses that are popular with the locals.

On my last trip, I decided to try a Ballet Barre: Xtend class. Before this trip, I'd always heard about Ballet Barre and how it was great for your legs; But as a former dancer, my legs are already strong so I shrugged it off until this trip. Boy was I wrong! This class kicked my butt, head to toe, and it felt great! But before I get into the details, let's take a look at what Ballet Barre Pilates is all about.

Ballet barre pilates. The creator of Xtend Barre, Andrea Rogers, intended for the "barre workouts" to sculpt a long, lean dancer-like physique. Each studio varies but the core of barre workouts remains the same throughout: exercises done at a ballet barre (or a back of a chair or any supporting structure) that combine elements of ballet, pilates, and yoga. Rather than using weights, barre exercises rely primarily on your own body weight and each and every move challenges your core stability and balance.

Why ballet barre? Ballet Barre has been endorsed by celebrities such as Madonna and Kelly Ripa due to the amazing results that these workouts provide. Those who participate in these classes regularly often find that their bodies become more slim and chiseled. The music and positive energy in the classes are definitely an added and uplifting benefit. Plus why not enjoy what you're doing while reaping the benefits of a healthy physique and a happy mind?

Typical ballet barre classes: What to expect. Typically, a ballet barre class is a large open space with mirrors and barres on the walls. Traditionally, people do not wear shoes or socks, though "grippy" socks are often used. Props include playground balls, 1-3 lb hand weights, stretch bands, and yoga straps.

Classes are typically 60 minutes long, primarily focusing on the lower body (you'll be hurting tomorrow and the days to follow!!!) however you will definitely feel the burn in your arms and core. Exercises focus on highly targeted, small movements to tone your muscles without adding bulk: traditionally about an inch radius from the starting point.Ballet Barre classes also incorporate some form of cardio though the intensity ranges from teacher to teacher.

Go try a class: Typically the first class is free. The great thing about ballet barre is that you do not need any dancing experience to attend these classes. The whole class is instructor led and a good instructor will be sure to call out what muscles should be "firing" and will correct you if you are doing something that may hurt you or that can improve our form.

And remember, if you are leaving that class with your legs and arms shaky, you've had a great work out! I'll be going to my third class this Saturday! Wish me luck.

Trimming Your Hair Makes It Longer, Healthier and Much More Fabulous

The one reason you probably don't trim your hair as regularly as you should is because you want to grow it as long as possible. Every single girl has run into this dilemma more than once - that's for sure. Realistically, we our supposed to get our hair trimmed approximately once every 6 weeks. That sounds way too damn often, doesn't it? You're probably thinking how in the world is your hair ever supposed to get longer if you are constantly chopping off the ends. However, the truth might surprise you!

The Truth About Trimming
Trimming your hair regularly will actually make your hair grow longer. Now, I know. This sounds like an oxymoron, but cutting off the dead, dry ends will take the weight off of your locks and will encourage regrowth much quicker and healthier that if you chose not to get rid of those nasty, brittle ends. There is no reason as to why you should keep those split ends any longer. It's not making your hair grow, and it is actually encouraging the exact opposite.

How Much to Chop
While it definitely depends on how damaged your hair is, and how much you are willing to part with, it is recommended to trim approximately a half of an inch to a full inch off of your hair every 6 weeks. At the beginning, you may find yourself wanting to make a more dramatic trim - especially if it has been a long time since you took care of those ends. The more dead that you can get off, the better. If I have been lacking on my hair-trimming ways, when I finally get back on the train, i usually cut off an inch or two to start with. I know - it's a tough decision, but my hair (as will yours) looks much more fabulous getting rid of those ends. Then moving forward, I trim either a half or a full inch every 6 weeks until I get my hair restyled.

The Look Of Health
Of course, you are trying to grow your hair as long as it will possibly go, but I can not tell you enough how great your hair will feel once you have taken those nasty, brittle, dry, frizzy ends off. Your entire hair will look much more fabulous and it'll feel even better. That's also not to mention that an inch really isn't that large of a chop when you think about it. It might look like a lot of hair on the floor at the salon, but don't panic. It will make your hair appear longer because the frizzies weren't doing much for you length wise anyway, right?

Moral of the story? Trim your hair every 6 weeks. It will make your hair grow longer, so you can no longer use that as an excuse. Keep your hair healthy, and you'll love it much more!

Photo Credit: http://idiva.com/news-style-beauty/seal-em-up-banish-your-split-ends/22780

Voluminous Hair



        Hello, I hope you are all doing well this Friday. In today’s blog I want give you ladies some tips on how to obtain hair volume. I personally think volume does a lot of things for the hair; it makes it look natural, healthy, and beautiful. There are several ways to maintain and earn hair volume. Here are just a few ideas you can try out.

 

Blow Dryer: Okay, believe it or not, if you use a blow drier to straighten your hair you will earn a great amount of volume. All you need is a round brush, and they the blow drier. And all you need to do with the brush is loops, in other words, let the brush be your guide. At the end, if your sideburns are not as straight as you would want them to be, use the straightener.

Shampoo: If you are prone to having dull, and flat hair, buy something that is going to help you gain body and volume. Use shampoo that helps increase volume; also make sure the shampoo is sulpher free.

When Curling: I find that many times when women curl their hair the top part of their head is flat, while the rest is filled with volume. You’re probably wondering what I suggest. Well for starters I will say use the old fashion curls are the top, and use the heating rollers at the bottom. However, teasing the hair would work well too. It’s important, however, to make sure not to tease the hair so often because in actuality teasing the hair causes a lot of damage.

Products: in order to maintain a look, make sure to use all the right products. After having obtained hair volume use hairspray volume to hold the hair is place. Before styling, you may also want to use volumizing cream before styling.

Okay ladies, that are all have for today, I hope you all have a lovely weekend ahead of you. Have fun styling your hair.

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2014 Hair Trend: Rose Gold Hair

Are you tired of your lackluster locks? Maybe the current trend is no longer to your liking? Or are you looking to just reinvent yourself? 2014's new hair trend is here and may give you a chance to rock a whole new look. 

While it has been around for sometime, the resurgence of this hair trend was inspired by the beautiful Sienna Millar. Last year at the 2013 British Fashion Awards, Sienna Miller featured a rose gold 'do. Alex Brownswell, the inventor of this beautiful hue on Sienna Miller, calls this hair coloring a "pastel peach".

The color "pastel peach" is a tint that features warm pinkish-bronze coloring and has launched the new trend for 2014 hair coloring. Instead of focusing on bold and solid colors or highlights, why don't you try 2014's color trend that uses the new sombré technique? This technique is flattering to all hair types, textures, and lengths. 

For this look, please only look to have this done by a professional colorist that has experience with the sombré  technique. The sombré technique is a professional hair color technique that delivers seamless but gradual gradation of hair color from roots to tips (as opposed to ombré which is dark on top and then changes to lighter coloring at the tips). It is important to get this done by a professional as they can select a tint that can best blend with your skin tone and current hair color; and of course, they can apply it correctly. Remember, a few incorrectly done strands can make your whole head of hair seem like a mess with this style. 

This technique was first introduced by L'Oreal Professional. They say that "the sombré technique is a fantastic evolution from ombré. There is no drastic change from dark to light, instead we see an effortless and natural evolution of color with just the right amount of dimension, and the results are major."

If you do color your hair, remember to 

• protect the coloring with products that will prolong and protect your strands. Sulfate-free, color protectant shampoo and conditioner will help maintain the vibrance and longevity of your hair coloring. 

• Heat protectant will also protect your strands from drying out and shielding it from too much damage. 

• Continual deep conditioning will help maintain hair health and shine.

• Investment in high quality products will save you more money in the long run.

And remember, your hair is an outlet for creativity. Don't like it? Don't worry about it. It's always fun to try something new. And the great thing about hair is that it grows out and it can always be redone.

Healthy Hair Tips For Night Time

I am not even going to try to lie about the way I sleep. I wake up and my bed looks like I ran a worldwide marathon. It never really bothered me until I started to think about what all that movement was doing for my pretty locks. Oh, no! The thought of it just makes me cringe as I imagine all of my hair being yanked and curved, crinkled and friction created up against the fabrics of my sheets. I'm a heavy sleeper, so I don't even know that I am kicking around like a banshee. So, instead - I decided to do whatever I could to protect my hair prior to going to bed, so that less damage is done as I apparently act like a fool throughout the night.

These tips will help against split ends, damage and other things that can seriously ruin a good hair day!

Keep It Moisturized
Is your hair looking thirsty? This isn't a good look. Just like your skin, your hair needs to be moisturized in order for the lush, elasticity elements to be there. Properly conditioning your hair is something that you should be doing every day, but you should also be taking the time to give yourself a deep hair care therapy treatment once a week. Conditioned hair is less likely to break, which results in less damage, frizz and split ends. When it comes to nighttime, moist hair can handle the tossing and turning more than crispy, thirsty hair can. The latter will break, and moist hair will not.


Brush Before Bed
Do not underestimate the power of this simple task. Brushing your hair before you lay your head down at night will get all those tangles out, and will also deter simple knots from turning into larger ones which almost always results in breakage and split ends. That's also not to mention that detangling your hair at night will also save you some time in the morning. Well, as long as you don't sleep like I do and are all over the place. The smaller the tangles, the less the damage is. So, brush 'em out!

Stick with a Healthy Hairstyle
There has been a lot of talk surrounding what hairstyles are healthy to wear at night. If you tie your hair up, you are decreasing the amount of friction that is placed on your hair at night. So, you get less breakages and split ends. However, it is absolutely crucial to remember to keep your elastic extremely loose when tying it up before bed. This can be hard to do without having your hairstyle fall out, so I highly suggest rummaging through your old hair accessories and finding a scrunchy! At least they serve a purpose for something, right?


Satin or Silk Pillows
The smoother the fabric is on your pillow case - the better. Opt for silk or satin pillow cases to keep your hair healthy and deterring any unnecessary friction. If you don't have this option, use a silk wrap or scarf over your head. This will serve the same purpose, but if you sleep like a wild woman.

Photo Credit: http://www.prevention.com/