Pritibox Beauty Blog: hair

Best Makeup for the Rainy Season

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Monday, July 04, 2016
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Cornrows hairstyle: The 2016 hairstyle trend leader

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Monday, April 25, 2016
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Tip: How to massage oil into hair to stimulate growth and shine

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Saturday, September 26, 2015
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Hair: Myths and Facts about African-Ethnic Hair

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When it comes to training for a career in the hair care and styling field, we think in terms of Caucasian (or European) hair and “Ethnic” hair. We are taught to recognize the traits of the hair found among the various races: those people of Asian descent, of Indian descent, and of African descent. Learning to identify these traits helps to see how the various stereotypes are formed, but it is the practice of actually working with hair of various ethnic types that helps you see that the stereotypes are often false.

Having grown up hearing a wide variety of these stereotypes, it was educational for me to learn just how many of the things I had heard are completely false. Here are some examples:

“African hair feels harsh and scratchy.”

Ok, so I actually learned this was false early on. In grade school I sat behind an African-American girl who wore her hair in thick twists. One day, after asking, she let me touch her hair and I discovered that it was very soft. It was only the tightly-kinked wave pattern that made it appear that it would feel rougher.

Visual appearances can often be misleading. Hair that is very kinky can look damaged, which is why we gauge the health of the hair by feel. Personally, I think the reason kinky hair became closely associated with damaged hair is a result of the “home perm” revolution of the 70’s. There were so many badly-done perms and cases of damaged hair that ended up kinked and frizzy, that kinky hair caused people to be reminded of a badly done perm.

“Unless it is processed, African hair will be kinky and bushy.”

This is completely untrue. African hair can be found in a wide range of wave patterns. I have met women and men of African descent whose hair covers a range of wave patterns, from almost straight, to smooth, tight coils. Yes, there are a larger percentage of kinky wave patterns found among African hair, but even the kinky hair varies from individual to individual.

It is only societal pressure that has led women and men of African descent to resort to chemical relaxing processes to make their hair smoother, and more like the popular images of beauty; that, and the desire to have more options for styling the hair.

“African hair is oilier/greasier than European hair. This is evidenced by the fact that water beads up on their hair.”

This is also untrue. African hair actually tends to be no more or less oily than any other ethnic group’s hair. The reason that water tends to bead up on African hair is that the hair tends to have a more compact cuticle layer, which makes the hair resistant to moisture. Water and other liquids cannot penetrate the cuticle layer as easily, and therefore simply sits on the surface of the hair. This also means that resistant hair holds moisture better and is usually in better condition.

The compact cuticle also means the hair looks shinier than hair with less compact cuticle layers. The shine can be enhanced by the oils produced by the scalp, which leads to overly-shiny or oily-looking hair, since the oil will be less likely to penetrate the hair shaft.

When the hair is processed, the cuticle layer is raised, and the hair becomes more porous. The processed hair absorbs water and other liquids more easily, but also disperses them more readily as well. This is why processed hair can often become dry, brittle and rough-feeling.

“African hair is harder to style than other hair types.”

This is not only untrue, but in my experience, is completely the opposite of the truth. When it is healthy and in good condition African hair responds beautifully to a variety of styling techniques. Natural African hair can be braided into intricate designs and patterns and the wave pattern of the hair allows the braids to hold tightly and stay neat and orderly. African hair can also hold a curl beautifully. I have created curly hairstyles with African hair using both wet roller sets and a Marcel iron. The ease with which the hair curls, and the clean, defined look of the curls, makes for some truly beautiful styles.

African hair is especially terrific for styling up-styles. The amount of body and the ease of styling allow the hair to be used to create ornate hair designs with beautiful results. In fact, other hair types usually need to be treated with a significant amount of hair product in order to get the needed texture to create the kinds of hairstyles that are easily designed with African hair.

The bottom line for me is that the stereotypes and myths that have been perpetuated regarding African hair are not only frustrating, but often have mean-spirited origins. After learning the truth first-hand, I would in many cases prefer to work with African hair than any other ethnic hair type.

Hairfinder.com

Monday, September 21, 2015
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What Your Hair Says About You and How You Treat Your Body

fashion/style

Your hair tells a story about you. Sometimes unhealthy hair looking is exactly that unhealthy. Color treatments, blow drying, over washing, they all give hair a tired and dry appearance. If you practice good hair hygiene and still your strands are lifeless, frizzy or missing, the problem may go deeper.

Hair Falling Out

Hair follicles go through a resting stage. Medically, this is called telogen state. A shock to your system like trauma or an illness can push your follicles into telogen and bald patches form. Crash diets and drug use are culprits, as well. When you drastically cut calories, you might find yourself losing handfuls of hair. It will grow back on its own over time.

Pulling your hair too tight can result in patches of bald, too. Today’s trend toward hair extensions is part of that problem. Leave the extra hair pieces out for awhile and let your hair grow naturally. Too much tension can damage the follicles and lead to permanent hair loss.

Brittle Stands

Brittle hair that breaks easily can mean too much time in the sun. If you have thinning hair, this leads to a sunburned scalp, too. Instead of letting your hair and scalp bake on beach day, you need hair products that contain a sunscreen for protection. That, plus a stylish hat, will keep your hair healthy while you enjoy some rays.

Lackluster Hair

What you eat affects your hair, too. To grow luscious hair, your body needs the right balance of nutrients. Protein

· Iron

· Omega-3 fatty acids

· Zinc

· Vitamin A

These essential nutrients in the right balance keep healthy hair growing. Avoid low calorie diets that leave hair dull, as well. For best results, think heart-healthy.

· Salmon and walnuts for protein

· Spinach and carrots for vitamin A

· Whole grains

· Green vegetables

· Low-fat dairy

Your heart and your hair will thank you.

There is more to beautiful, healthy hair than you might think. It has as much to do with how you treat your body as how you treat your hair.

Friday, September 18, 2015
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Hair: How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

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In our Q&A series, beauty experts address your most bewildering issues. Have a beauty-related quandary of your own? Submit your question in the comments below or via Twitter.

Q: How often should you wash your hair? I’ve heard that washing every day is bad, but my hair falls flat by day two.

A: “You really want to cleanse the scalp about three times per week,” says stylist Patrick Melville of Patrick Melville Salon. “Obviously this depends on the individual. If you tend to have a more oily scalp, you may need to cleanse once a day.”

While certain hair types need to be vigilant about keeping strands moisturized, it’s not necessarily bad to shampoo daily if you like the way it makes your hair look. Trichologist Philip Kingsley, who founded the Philip Kingsley clinics in London and New York to treat hair health issues, is a proponent of daily washing — he even explains his philosophy in this video.

Still, 1 in 3 women will skip a shower or a workout to preserve their style, according to a 2013 Dove national survey of 1,000 women. If you find that shampooing tends to leave your hair parched, you may need to switch to a different formula. Dove Nutritive Solutions Daily Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner ($3.49 each, dove.com) leaves hair soft and moisturized without a heavy residue, and contains a blend of amino acids to replenish lost proteins in damaged hair.

Of course, using too heavy of a shampoo and conditioner for your hair type every day can leave your mane greasy. “Fine-haired people typically need to shampoo every day to every three days,” says Donna Tripodi, stylist at Eva Scrivo Salon and black15in1 Brand Ambassador. “They can train their scalp to go longer with a shampoo and conditioner like black 15and1’s [$18, black15in1.com]. Because the formula is so light weight, it leaves no residue on the hair allowing you to shampoo less frequently.”

“Brushing at night with an all-natural boar brush also prolongs the style,” Tripodi says. “The bristles help to move your natural oils out of the root area and through the hair shaft. Take finer sections while brushing to ensure that you are incorporating all of your hair.”

How you cleanse your hair may actually be more important than how frequently you wash. “Always remember to just cleanse the scalp,” Melville advises. Since the scalp is where sebum is concentrated, roots get greasier than ends. Sudsing up the lengths of your hair can dry them out.

The bottom line? There’s no right answer — wash your hair as often as you feel like you need to. But if you’re having more bad hair days than good ones, it may be time to adjust your shampooing schedule.

Source: DailyMakeover

Wednesday, September 16, 2015
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Pages

Best Makeup for the Rainy Season

Cornrows hairstyle: The 2016 hairstyle trend leader

Tip: How to massage oil into hair to stimulate growth and shine

Hair: Myths and Facts about African-Ethnic Hair

“African hair feels harsh and scratchy.”

“Unless it is processed, African hair will be kinky and bushy.”

“African hair is oilier/greasier than European hair. This is evidenced by the fact that water beads up on their hair.”

“African hair is harder to style than other hair types.”

What Your Hair Says About You and How You Treat Your Body

Hair: How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

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