The Bun but Messier, Sexier and Easier

The bun is Hollywood’s go to hairstyle and it has been re invented into so many Avatars that we see it in the runway too

High, low, side or centre. However its worn, this season the celebrities are proving the only way is up!

This video tells you how to rock this with the help of a single accessory, the style maker ! and also shows you 4 styles to wear it in ! You can do this even without the style maker but it sure does add some oomph. I love it so much and with spring coming it is the perfect time to get it !

Had to share this, hope you are inspired.

The Perfect Blow Dry

Getting the perfect blow out from a salon is time-consuming enough, so attempting it at home can be even more tedious. So here are some pointers for a lasting and sleek blow out.

Things You will Need:

1. A detangler or hair mist

2. Volumising Mouse/spray or gel (modify according to your hair type)

3. A Paddle Brush or Round Brush

4. A blow dryer with a Nozzle and a diffuser

5. Hair Clips

6. Hair protectant serum or spray

7. Shine spray or setting spray.

Step 1.

After your shower, spritz your hair with the serum or spray and lightly rough dry your hair in warm setting for a few minutes. PS: I like to air dry it for as long 5 or 10 minutes while I put on moisturizer or anything else, less heat is always good.

Step 2.

When your hair is still damp but not wet use the styling mousse. Chose as per your hair type. I have thin hair so I go for a volumising mousse or Bumble and Bumble Thickening spray. Thick hair can use wax or pomade but otherwise use lighter products.

Step 3.

Divide hair into sections and clip it away. I like to do the front sections of the hair first as it tends to dry out faster. Use a round brush and hold the hair straight,the key to get a frizz free blow out is to point the nozzle of the dryer downwards. If you want a more wavy look, you could use the diffuser instead of a nozzle. Rotate the brush underneath the ends as you dry — this will leave them looking smooth, not brittle. The more you pull with your brush as you dry, the longer your blowout will last.

Repeat for the remaining sections of hair starting from the bottom.

If you like to add a slight curl or wave at the ends of your hair, use the round brush to curl hair into the shape and angle of your choice and dry each part until thoroughly dry.

Set with a finishing spray or shine spray !

Some Important Tips:

Fringe Finesse:

For an unruly fringe not sitting correctly due to a cowlick, blow dry fringe in the opposite direction. This will give root lift and settle the cowlick and allow hair to be more settled when placed back in its normal position.

Beat the Frizz:

To avoid frizzy hair always blow dry down and never up. By blow-drying down you will smooth all the cuticles the one way avoiding fuzz.

Detangle First:

Use a wide tooth comb and comb it through first before you start actually drying your hair. Directly using the brush on wet hair can pull and break hair too.

Keep the Dryer on Warm settings:

Drying hair on warm setting and drying will cause less damage in the long run than in hot setting. When you are almost done drying a section switch to cold setting and this will freeze the style.

Hope you enjoyed the post ! What are your tricks to a lasting blow out ?

Apple Cider Vinegar

The holiday season’s means family reunions and well loads of parties ! And who does not like to be perfectly coiffed for every function. Meaning styling products, blow dryers, and pomade! Dont let me fright you off, go right ahead to your styling appointment because I have a perfect solution that actually works.

Apple Cider Vinegar rinse:

Apple Cider vinegar will help regulate the PH balance of your scalp,  reduce build-up of products and helps fight dandruff. So when you know you are using a lot of products it is great to cleanse your scalp every 15 days with a rinse. Also, it is safe to use for chemically treated hair and leaves your hair squeaky clean. It is basically a detox for your hair.

The Basic Recipe:

Take 1/2 cup  Apple Cider Vinegar with 2 cups water and rinse through your hair. Let sit for 20-30 minutes, then rinse with warm water.  Or just use it as a final rinse after shampooing.

Make it better:

For dandruff and flaky scalp, adding 2 drops of tea tree oil to your bi weekly rinse will help sooth irritated scalp and fights dandruff.

Make it a mask:

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 1 half Banana
• 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

Mash it well and use at as a mask on clean hair, cover with a shower cap and leave for 30 minutes. Repeat every 15 days.

Clip it on Hair !

Growing out your hair and tired of having the remains of a hair style you used to have? As thankful as you are for all that baby hair sometimes you wish you could do a little more than just a pony tail with lot of bobby pins to secure the little fly away’s? I would say keep at it and don’t give up if longer hair is what you really want ! But in the meanwhile ever thought of Clip On hair extensions? I am not talking about weaves or cold fusion or anything that is too drastic, just simple clip on’s that can lift your hair on those vacations where you want that perfect pictures.

I stumbled upon the world of Hair extensions and I quickly reached the conclusion that the permanent methods of extensions are expensive and potentially damaging. Did not want to take the risk of weaving, cold or heat fusion ! So I decided to give Clip-On Hair Extensions a try! And I am glad I did.

 Many people agree that these are the easiest to use with minimum damage. There are plenty of styles you can create by using variety of clip on’s. For starters I suggest determining the purpose of using a Clip-on.

1. To add volume to your Hair
Look for color, length and texture closest to your own hair. I prefer Italian or Indian Remy Natural Hair. They are fine and merge well into your own hair adding volume. Look for Hair kits that offer different width of clips.You can control the level of drama you want by choosing different lengths or layers of the hair or even ask your stylist to highlight the clip on’s to give you the benefits of highlights without the chemicals.

2. To add length and or waves
If you are ready to experiment you can get Wavy extension pieces and add it strategically to your own hair to create fullness and waves without damaging your own hair, Or opt to curl the  straight hair clip on and add it to your own ! You can color, curl, straighten, wash and condition the natural hair you buy.

3. Bangs and fringes:
Want some drama for an up d hairstyle? Get Pre-designed fringes/bangs and add it to your hair style for instant charm.

You can do anything You want with it

They are fun and really lets you be creative with your appearance. What I love is that I can go from straight to wavy with minimum damage to my own hair. Also, clip-on hair extensions are so easy and require minimum attention from you ! Depending on how often you use it, you can wash and condition it using products you use on your own hair. Don’t need to worry about using the Styling Irons on it either ! Just make sure you comb it using a wide tooth-comb and detangle it after use ! After heavy use of Hair sprays it is advisable to cleanse it the next day.

Have a look at the one I bought here.

A word of caution, Clip on Hair extensions are not meant for daily use or to replace a wig if you use one, it mainly for use like a styling aid. Keeping that in mind will help to ensure you own hair is damage free always.

Hair Mask that I am loving

I am always experimenting with what is going to make my hair have more volume and shine, so I tried this mask and really loved the result better than any of the volumising conditioners I have been using ! It was messy and smelly but after I washed it out, my hair felt thicker and shinier ! Loved the result so much !

Ingredients:

1. 1 Egg White

2. 2 Tablespoon Yoghurt

3. 1 Tablespoon Honey

4.  2 Tablespoon Olive Oil

5. A squeeze of lemon (for oily hair/optional)

Mix all the ingredients well and apply on your hair, cover with a shower cap. Wash off after an hour and enjoy your hair that actually feels stronger. Dont forget to do this every week for a while for maximum results !

Dont forget to subscribe and leave your comments of what you think of this mask ! Would you try it?

Hair Essentials

Growing out your hair can be such a tedious task requiring more share of patience than you can possibly have to offer ! and as happy as you are about longer hair, baby hairs that just wont sit in any hairstyle is such a bother ! To keep a semblance of normality, I have taken to spraying my hair with a finishing spray from Bumble and Bumble Hair spray which keeps the baby hair from going all over.

Contrary to what I used to do before I also have the need to blow dry maybe once a week (like your saturday’s) . My hair right now in neither long nor short, kind of in between stage ! So cutting off styling totally is not an option ! As much as I am complaining about all this I am sure that I want to keep at it for at least another 10 months !

Since my task is not to just grow hair but also get them a little thicker, I decided to give some extra attention and modify my hair regime keeping in mind the styling I am doing ! After a lot of reading and talking, I decided to rotate my hair oils with new dose of herbals and essentials to my existing regime. Herbal and essential oils can help a lot, and doing this once a week should help !

These are my picks of essentials I would try to use

Lavender oil: It is said to be the number one essential that fights hair loss and promotes better health of the hair follicles.

Rosemary oil : Soothes the scalp, prevents dandruff or flakes and nurtures the hair follicles.

Eucalyptus oil: Helps with the Hair elasticity and makes hair stronger preventing breakage.

Basil oil: Helps increase blood circulation to the follicles, stimulates them and promotes Hair growth.

If you are interested in using this, then this is the recipe I follow:

Mix equal halves of all the essential with a proportionate half of a base oil (olive or almond). Mix well and store in a dark glass bottle. 

Use once a week (alternating with your hair mask or oils)

I like to explore and try new things once I am convinced it is good ! I encourage you to research and modify the mix of essentials with others based on your hair type ! I hope you try this and let me know !

 If you are not already following me, please do subscribe and join in !!

Healthy Hair Series : The Killers

All the TLC in the world is not going to help us, if you do all the bad things! No matter what you do to help it be more healthy on one hand, and the other end you do things to kill the health of your hair! then we are not going anywhere! So here is a look at what we should not do.

The Obvious: Stop Excessive Styling.

1. Throw the Iron away, I promise you don’t need that! It may sound impossible but when you accept your natural curls, your hair will love you back. But if you really want to always use a ceramic straightener and a heat protectant.

2. Ditch the Dye, Go natural and let the color be! But if you can’t try using a tone closer to your own color and avoid drastic changes in color. And semi permanent colors work better.

3. Blow dry, only when you have to! try cutting down to once or twice a week only after partial air drying, and use a heat protectant.

4. Goodbye to tight barrette, clips with metal and tight pony tails.

Jump into the pool but don’t forget your hair!

1. Wear the cap, I know it may not make you feel too good ! but it will help. I like to wet my hair and put in some conditioner and then wrap my hair up and wear my cap. This way when I remove it, there is less breakage and my hair cuticles are sealed so less chlorine dry’s it.

2. Always rinse your hair out, preferable use a clarifying shampoo.

3. Rinse your hair before you swim too, it is not a good idea to let your styling products stay on as it would make your hair more porous.

4. If you can gift your hair a final rinse of vinegar or apple cider vinegar (which will flush out the chlorine from your hair).

5. If swimming is random or only a weekly activity, then try not to wash your hair the previous day (as the natural oils will help protect your hair too).

6. Avoid the heat right after swimming.

7. Only a wide tooth comb for prepping your wet hair.

Show your locks the love

1. Love the sun, scarf up and use spf for hair too.

2. Brush and caress your scalp daily, the massage will rush blood flow and help the scalp health.

3. Eat right, sleep well.

4. Stay active stay healthy (with gorgeous hair).

5. Give them silk pillows to sleep on.

In the end it is about having healthy hair, and creating a routine that fosters it. Growing your hair comes next! It will take time and patience is a virtue!

Hope my hair series has helped and inspired you to show some more love to your hair too (like me). It has been lots of fun to do this series ( I will post any more tricks I use later). To make it easier, I am going to add a page for Hair and you can find all my post for hair there !( soon)

Will get ready with more series soon ! till then stay gorgeous.

As always your comments make me soooo happy!

Healthy Hair Series

So, as promised here is some information on how we can help grow our tresses. Today, we talk about Supplements and other boosters.

Supplements:

1. Biotin: 

I know this for sure because my friend used to have biotin supplements and swears she saw faster hair growth (without breakage). It still took time but the hair stopped breaking and was more healthy. So I have jumped into the bandwagon of having Biotin for Hair

2. Vitamin B6:

This is also supposed to be nourishing and helps growing hair. But if you are already taking Biotin it is best to not mix too many vitamins.

Chose one that suits your body and stick to it.

Some extra TLC

1. Pequi Oil:

You surely want to use them if you love your color and want to grow your hair. This exotic fruit from brazil as an ingredient in oils restores hair and loads it with Vitamins, proteins, and minerals leaving it frizz free and color protected.

2. Moroccan Oil:

I use this now on the ends of my hair to keep it protected from heat and the climate! My main purpose to use this to keep my hair tangle free so when I brush it does not break, any extra nourishment is a perk!

3. Minioxdil ( Rogaine):

Reviews galore for minoxidil for hair growth! this is awesome if you are suffering from hair thinning, downside addictive! when you stop using the hair stops growing.

Next up, Hair Killers.

Did any body try the castor oil? or any other tricks from my previous hair post?Any difference in hair texture? 

Comments, suggestions, questions ?? ask away .

PS: If you like what you read, go ahead and subscribe. I would Love that! 

Tricks that Rapunzel must have used

Okay so now I am obsessed with wearing my hair longer, much longer than I have ever before. And as you can imagine it is so frustrating. I had to battle so many things before finally figuring out the do’s and dont’s. So I am going to share all the things I am now doing for beautiful hair series.

So first things first: Diet.

Follow this list, and  your hair will thank you for it.

1.  A healthy mix of nuts

Walnuts, Almonds, pumpkin seeds and a handful of flax seeds (these are loaded with Omega 3).

2. Fish:

Salmon and Tuna, load up with salmon every week.

3. Go Popeye:

Spinach, add them to your salads it contains Iron, Calcium and Vitamins A,C

4. Red Cabbage:

Contains lots of Vitamins and has an added flavor (than the green cabbage)

5. Yogurt

So if you can incorporate three or more of these every week in your diet, you are on your way to helping yourself to gorgeous hair. Seems doable and besides none of these are going to ruin your diet or wallet! 

I have already mentioned in a previous post, amazing hair mask, check them out here.

Next, we will talk about some supplements and DIY you could try! Stay tuned for my next post in my healthy hair series!    

The Magic of Castor Oil

To me, castor oil has been a magic oil. I remember discovering that applying castor oil for my hair helped in hair growth. And that was enough for me to Christine it Magic oil. I have very thin hair and anything that significantly contributes to its betterment is a boon.

Source: ipeter.blog.com

Here are some ways castor oil can be best used:

1. For Hair:

Massage into the scalp and hair tips, wash it off after a while or even overnight if you can beat the stickiness. Personally, I use it on my scalp and use olive oil for the rest of my hair.

How it works?

It restores the health of your scalp (cleanses and nourishes it) and so promotes fresh hair growth.

2. For eyebrows and eyelashes:

After a bad eyebrow threading session, the tail end of my eyebrow was gone and it made me look so bad! I promise applying castor oil for around two weeks showed results.

I used to apply castor oil in my eyelash too and I saw tiny lashes grow but it was not so dense or did not last long! It works as long as you use it in a fairly regular manner. To me it was a little cumbersome as castor oil is a little thick.

3. For Skin Cleansing:

Use an oil to cleanse your skin? sounds like a nightmare, but not really I hear! cleansing your skin with a small cotton ball dipped in castor oil can kill any bacteria on your face. Keep it clean and sanitized so research shows actually reduce acne. The best way to do this is by gently rubbing the cotton ball dipped in castor oil all over your face, next wipe it off with a hot wash cloth and finally wash off with your normal cleanser. This additional step of using the oil will leave your face feeling baby soft!

PS: If you have very dry skin you could mix it with a little olive oil for best results.

Be careful to use only Hexane Free castor oil which is of food grade.

I had stopped using castor oil for a while now, forgot the basics! I am planning to grow out my shoulder length hair, so I just got a brand new bottle of castor oil today and am all set to start over again.  I seriously want to see how much it helps my hair and skin. So I am taking a 12 week challenge and will review my honest views on whether or not the castor oil worked for me this time!

Let me know if you have tried castor oil?  Any other comments to aid hair growth? 

If you try this after reading about it here be sure to tell me if it worked!