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Archive for August, 2011

What to Look for in a Hair Straightener

Posted by Kenny On August - 22 - 2011

Hair straighteners are now one of the best tools that women use these days. With hair straighteners, women do not need to go to salons just to have their curly hairs straightened. The problem however is that some hair straighteners produce results that are very unlikely. These results include hair breakage and fly-aways. The problem is that a lot of companies have claimed that they own the best hair straighteners in the market, and the customers just believe directly in their ads without even thinking the things that they have to consider. Some of the very important points are:

  • Iron plates. The iron plates are the most important features that a customer should consider as the plates are the ones that go in contact directly with the hairs. Some plates that hair straighteners have are very damaging that’s why they cost a lot cheaper. The iron plates to choose from include titanium plates, ceramic plates, aluminum plates, and teflon plates. The highly recommended plates are titanium and ceramic. This is because the heat produced in these kind of plates are even. On the other hand, the not so good options are aluminum and teflon plates because the heat is unevenly produced.
  • Technology. The technology being referred to are the features that hair straighteners have. One of the best products known for good features is the Chi hair straightener. It has good floating plates, a long and swivel chord, and an evenly produced heat. These are some of the features that customers should look for in a hair straightener. Although the price may be higher, at least the results are satisfying.
  • Temperature setting. Another important factor that customers should look into is the temperature setting capability. Remember that too much heat can result to hair damage, thus it has to be controlled. Especially for fine hairs, less heat is only needed in order for the results to be perfect. And for thicker hairs, a higher temperature is required.

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What Defines The Best Hair Straighteners On Today’s Market

Posted by Kenny On August - 20 - 2011

It is a fact that there are already a lot of brands claiming that they have the best hair straighteners on the market. The problem is, are they really worthy to be called the best? Maybe a lot have already claimed excellence, but only a few have proven to be really excellent. As a woman, it is always best to choose the best products for your hair as it affects how you would look. Therefore, you should be wise in choosing the right hair straightener for you. There are some products that are just so damaging, so always be careful. Before choosing a hair straightener, consider the following tips:

Temperature control. In hair straightening, temperature control is very important. Firstly, different hair types require different temperature level. If your hairs are fragile, then it is expected that the temperature level should be set to a certain temperature, or else your hairs will be damaged. However, if your hairs are thick and coarse, then a higher temperature is also required. The average heat requirements (in terms of oF) are as follows:

  • For fragile hair – 200 to 250
  • For fine hairs – 260 to 290
  • For normal hairs – 300 to 330
  • For wavy hairs – 340 to 380
  • For thick and coarse hairs – 390 to 440
  • For hairs with keratin treatments – 450

Heat consistency. Just like the Remington hair straightener, other products should also have the capability to produce even and consistent heat. As such, the hairs will not be damaged due to sudden change in the produced heat.

Heating time. Heating time simply means the length of time a hair straightener takes to produce sufficient heat for straightening. A good hair straightener should heat up in nor more than 1 minute. This feature has to be considered since coarse hairs are expected to absorb more heat than fine hairs. As a result, the device has to heat up again in order to produce a good straightening result.

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Japanese Hair Straightening – The Pros and Cons

Posted by Kenny On August - 17 - 2011

If you're looking for a permanent solution to your frizzy hair woes and have been looking into chemical straightening, you've probably come across one of the newer systems around - the Japanese straightening system, also known as thermal reconditioning. There are glowing reviews a-plenty to be found on the internet, and with claims that it can actually improve the condition of your hair alongside straightening it, who could resist? So, miracle beauty treatment or too good to be true?

How does the Japanese hair straightening system work?
This type of permanent hair straightening uses chemicals that basically alter the structure of the hair to leave it beautifully straight. Firstly an alkaline chemical solution is applied to the hair to break down the disulfide bonds within the hair that cause the kinks and curls - in the case of Japanese systems, the active chemical is Ammonium thioglycolate (thio) which is one of the gentlest of these 'relaxer' chemicals.

The additional step with Japanese systems is that once the bonds are broken, the hair is straightened section by section with hair irons and weighted boards are sometimes used to stretch out the hair to leave it perfectly straight. It's only then that a neutralising solution is applied to the hair to set it permanently in its new straight form.

This process isn't recommended for delicate Afro or previously chemically treated hair, as the risk of damage and breakage is a lot higher. A well trained stylist will check on the condition of your hair before carrying out the treatment and adapt the chemicals and method used accordingly to minimise the chances of damage.

So what are the pros?

  • Japanese straightening leaves hair poker straight and as the method smooths and flattens the cuticle of the hair, it should be lovely and shiny looking, making it an absolute godsend for anyone with curly unmanageable hair. That said, you should be wary of claims that it improves the actual texture of your hair - a smoother cuticle makes hair appear shiny and healthy but this doesn't mean that it isn't damaged or weakened.
  • With super straight hair, blow drying and styling time will be cut down massively. No more daily straightening - fantastic!
  • The treatment will last until your hair regrowth starts to show, so you should only need to have it done a few times a year to keep up the straight look.

And the downsides?

  • As with any chemical process, you do risk causing significant damage to the condition of your hair. While even the best hair straightener is going to inflict its own damage with regular use, the risk is a lot higher with chemical processes. Many online reviews report that hair is brittle and dry afterward, leaving it in need of regular intensive conditioning. Different stylists and salons take different precautions too - some use specific heat protection formulas and pastes to avoid damaging delicate areas of hair, but not all salons use the same protective measures, so listen out for word of mouth recommendations.
  • The price varies from salon to salon, but it's certainly not a cheap process, so be prepared to fork out for it. If you find Japanese hair straightening on offer really cheaply, do be wary and check that the stylist is fully trained and using good quality products to carry out the process.
  • With the various stages and all of that flat ironing section by section, be prepared to spend a lot of time at the salon! It's a time consuming process - depending on how thick or long your hair is, it could take around three to six hours.

So weigh up the pros and cons - Japanese straightening can give fabulous results, but make sure you don't sacrifice the condition of your hair in the pursuit for super sleek locks.

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Summer Hair Problems!

Posted by saurabh.sahni280691 On August - 8 - 2011

Do you know what is at its peak this summer? Its the sun. And along with it brings a number of hair problems. From fuzziness to sweaty oily hairs, split ends and many more. It is difficult to avoid sun and hair problems and therefore these problems need to be prevented. And for this one need to care for their hair. Hair are porous and when the humidity is at high the cuticle absorbs the moisture and swells. This leads to spreading twisting and fuzziness in hair. Extra moisture can also cause itchy scalp. One can get rid of these problems by investing them in a nice hydrating and smoothing shampoo and conditioner. One must also stay away from using hair dryers, straighteners and other that involve heat. These products damage the cuticle of hair and adds more fuzziness.

Another very common hair problem that people usually ignore is the dryness and scalp burns.scalp is the most ignored part when it comes to styling and caring for hair. Though application of sun blocks n scalp is not an option to protect it from the harsh UV rays of the sun, but your scalp needs the same care as your skin need from the sun.



And it can be achieved even without sacrificing your style. There are a number of hair products available with SPF including leaving conditioners, the serums and many other hair products. Do not forget to apply these products on on the portion where you part your hair from. Since this is the most exposed region of your scalp, it needs extra care. You can check out the new skin protectors and hair sprays that have recently hit the market.

Exposure to sun, heat and high temperature and using heat emitting styling products renders your hair brittle and weak. It is also a cause of split ends that are difficult to repair back. In summers you should always avoid using dryers and other heat emitters for hair. The more your hair remain away from heat, the more it gets to absorb the natural and essential oils. In summers it is always advised to treat your mane with a deep conditioning mask at least one or two times in a month. According to hair experts hair needs to get trim for every four to six weeks in summers, and less often in winters. Thus you need to take extra care for your hair in summers.

Swimming is one of the most refreshing thing in summer that everybody enjoys. Pool parties become very common during summer and so do the hair problems. Yes swimming can also damage your hair. The oxidized metals in the chlorinated pools do this damage. It ruins your natural hair color. And the greenish tinted tresses are side effects of swimming. You can wear a swimming cap in the pool that protects your hair. Or you can invest some money in clarifying shampoos that contains EDTA and immediately use it after coming out of the pool.
Enjoy summer and look beautiful and keep your hair healthy and attracting.

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Types of Hair Brushes

Posted by saurabh.sahni280691 On August - 8 - 2011

What is the basic thing that you need for pampering your hair. Its your hair brush. And that is why you should never compromise with its quality and type.

There are different types of hair brushes available that one can chose from according to there hair type and ease. Round hair brushes is one of the options that you can chose. These brushes are used to give defined and curly look. If someone has short hair then they should use a smaller brush and curl the strategic pieces of their hair. And for longer hair round hair brushes can be used for curling the ends or simply straighten their hair. Larger round hair brushes are best for longer hair. Another type of hair brush is the vent hair brushes. These brushes have a very interesting feature. These brushes have a hole in the middle of the base. This hole allows air to pass through it and thus helps in drying your hair. These rushes also entangles hair with ease and comfort.



If you wish to straighten your hair, there is one more type waiting for you. Paddle hair brushes are great for straightening purposes. They smooth-ens hair along its length and gives a new sleek straight look to you. These hair brushes oppose the round hair brush types. It makes your hair lie flat and for non layered hair these brushes are the est option. For medium to long hair cushion hair brushes are also there. It is a daily using brush that can massage your scalp and give you entangled brushes.

It is very important to choose a hair brush according to your hair type and the style that you want to give them. One can use the above facts and choose a nice hair brush to look gorgeous and attractive. Brushes are one of the most important hair products that can alter your hair style but can also make your hair healthy and strong.
Using a wrong hair brush can give you heat damages, breakage and other problems.

In the end it does not matter what brush you choose unless and until, it is of good quality. Buying a cheap hair brush may allow you to save some money but it also means that they will not last long and may give you some scratches on your scalp or other problems.

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