Increase Hair Volume with a Blow Dryer

Wet hair is pliable and can be formed into new shapes with the use of heat styling tools. When the hair is dried with heat, moisture is removed, allowing internal bonds (which are dissolved when hair is we) to re-form, resulting in a temporary set.

This volume-boosting effect will be lost when the hair is washed and will also be diminished by environmental factors, such as wind and sunlight.

Get the Right Accessories

The nozzle on a blow dryer is useful in creating volume as it directs the heat exactly where it is required, at the root. Blow drying hair without the nozzle often means the hair dries too quickly and the root hasn’t had its fair share of the heat so that it can take on the shape you desire.

It’s All About the Heat

Heat is what molds the hair into new shapes. It is critical to use a blow dryer if you want volume. Blow drying slowly, using a low-medium heat is best as it gives the hair more time to mold.

Finish by locking your handiwork in place with a shot of cool air before removing the brush.

Hair Texture: Decoded

Each person has a complex, unique genetic makeup resulting in their own individual rate of hair growth, hair size, texture, and shape.  There are, however, some general differences in the type of hair fibers for people of different ethnic descent; diverse or mixed ethnic heritage will likely produce “combination hair.”

You can alter the appearance of hair fibers through chemical and heat processes, although these changes come with the price of damage.  You cannot, however, change the type of hair your naturally produce.

No product will make your hair grow in thicker, straighter, or curlier.

Hair cross-section, chemical composition, follicle density and shape, and oil production and distribution along a hair shaft are all significant factors in the appearance and behavior of hair in its natural state.

Find out why your hair behaves the way it does.

Use Rollers to Pump Up Hair Volume

Styling rollers can vary according to size and design; the smaller the roller, the more tight a curl that will be formed, so opt for larger rollers when your goal is volume, not defined curls.

Add Texture to Your Hair

To create random depth throughout the hair, wind sections of hair onto the rollers in a reverse direction to the underlying style. Be selective in where you apply this technique.

Maximum Hair Volume

To achieve maximum volume, hold the hair at an angle of over 90 degrees to the head when winding onto rollers. This technique results in an even curl pattern from roots to tips.

Create Natural-Looking Hair Volume

To create near-natural volume, hold the hair at an angle of 90 degrees to the head when winding onto rollers. The roller will rest half on and half off the base of the section.

Add Movement to Your Hair

To create a little volume, hold the hair at an angle of under 90 degrees when winding onto rollers. This technique is called “off base” and results in a longer section at the base before the hair starts to curl. In this way, the hair will hang down more than other techniques.

eSalon: Professional Hair Color at Home

So, what are a gal’s options for coloring her hair? Many of us have shopped for hair color amid the rows and rows of boxed rinses and dyes at the local supermarket or pharmacy, but you never know what those out-of-the-box products will look like on your hair… and, bless their hearts, the people who work there aren’t exactly hair people.

And then, of course there’s the salon, where an experienced colorist prepares a color specifically for your hair type and color using professional grade dyes — superior to the one-box-colors-all shelf-dye.

The salon is ideal, but not always in the budget! These days, who’s got the extra cash to spend on expensive in-salon hair coloring?

Well, now there’s another option at your fingertips, literally.

Salon Quality Haircolor Delivered to Your Door

eSalon takes the perfect salon hair coloring experience and turns in into an innovative new online service, giving women a fabulous new option in getting professionally colored hair results. This revolutionary new service helps women achieve salon-like results without always having to shell out the expense of visiting the salon. Whether you’re changing hair color or maintaining an existing color, priced at only $22 per custom coloring application, it’s hard to resist making the switch.

Get the secret to saloon-quality hair color at home.

Cutting In: Bangs

Bangs are one of the most universally popular hair trends going, and they’re also one of the easiest to mess up. Wearing hair with bangs is a trend that has cycled in and out of style for decades.

Statement bangs hairstyles have been rocked by celebrities and style icons including Bettie Page in the 1950s, Jane Birkin in the 1960s, Debbie Harry in the 1970s, and Michelle Pheiffer in the 1980s. Today you’ll see celebs like Reese Witherspoon, Kate Moss, Liv Tyler, Katie Holmes and supermodels Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell, and Heidi Klum all sporting hair with bangs.

Bang Hairstyles

While universally popular, the same style of bangs will not necessarily look good on every woman; different versions of bangs hairstyles can be cut to adapt the look to be complimentary to different face shapes and hair textures. Fringe, brow-skimming bangs, sideswept bangs, and blunt bangs are some of the options for you if you’re considering making the bang commitment.

How Deep Should Bangs Be Cut?

In order to get the best bang hairstyle for you — and to ensure a healthy-looking, bold statement bang — you’ve got to commit to cutting at least two inches back into your hairline.

Bangs for Small Foreheads

If you have a small forehead — one of less than two inches from brow to hairline — you’re best suited to a very strong, heavy, deep bang which starts back two or more inches back from your hairline. These high impact bangs will create the illusion of a more proportionate forehead and create a more balanced looking face.

Bangs for Medium Foreheads

A medium forehead measures about two inches from brow to hairline. If you’ve got a two-inch forehead you have the most options of bang hairstyles.

Bangs for Large Foreheads

If you have a large forehead — generally defined as a forehead that is greater than two inches between your eyebrows and hairline — you should opt for a sideswept fringe. The sideswept bang hairstyle is flattering on pretty much every face shape, conceals the large expanse of your forehead and tricks the eye into thinking that your forehead is not quite so vast.

Get Smooth Straight Bangs

Women with curly or wavy hair may wish to use a blow dryer or straightening iron to get a smooth, blunt bang — if that’s the desired look. But even women with straight hair may have to use a heated styling tool like a blow dryer, straigtening iron, or large barrel curling iron to achieve the same crisp look.

If you’re going to be straigtening and smoothing out your bangs on a regular basis, the KeratinPerfect PerfectPass Extra-Long Titanium Speed Styleris an excellent choice for a high quality flat iron that heats evenly (up to 450 degrees F) and works super quickly, minimizing damage from heat styling. And for that shiny look of healthy hair, the PerfectPass’ high-quality titanium plates amplify shine and seal the cuticle for a smooth, glossy finish.

It is also a good idea to use a protective product when smoothing out hair with bangs using heat tools; Kiehls Heat-Protective Silk-Straightening Creamis formulated especially for wavy, frizzy, or curly hair in need of smoothing. This unique straightening cream contains a blend of natural ingredients to help straighten out hair and tame frizz without weighing hair down and is infused with extracts derived from soy beans, sesame seeds and sunflower seeds. A must-have for keeping curly or wavy hair straight, this lightweight product also locks out humidity while conditioning and protecting hair from over-drying and breakage, for an ultra-straight and silky-smooth look with unbelievable shine.

Wear Wavy Bangs

Wavy- or curly-haired women may also opt to go au naturel with a non-straight bang. Because curly hair tends to curl recoil — depending on the length and weight of hair, and the size of the curl — cutting bangs can be tricky and easily result in too-short hair. For this reason, many women with curly hair tend to wear longer or sideswept bangs hairstyles.

How to Maintain Bangs

Wearing hair with bangs requires a lot of upkeep; they need to be trimmed regularly, and often require, pinning, gelling, flattening, and straightening in order to be maintained. Crisp, blunt bangs should be trimmed by a professional to keep their solid, high impact look. Longer, sideswept, and choppy bangs or fringe can go longer between trim sessions, but also benefit from a professional’s shears.

Grow Stronger, Longer Hair

Your physical and emotional health have an impact on the quality of the hair you grow, and professional hair stylist Dorothe Charles says there are two main things you can do to grow stronger, longer hair:  eat a nutritionally balanced diet and cut the stress out of your life.

“People come to me saying, ‘I’m stressed, I work two jobs, have a marriage that’s breaking up, and I have children who are driving me crazy,’” says  Dorothe. ”They never believe that this will have an impact on their hair. It does!”

If for vanity’s sake alone, make an effort to detox and de-stress your life.

Nutrition & Vitamins to Improve Hair Growth

Vitamins for Hair Growth

Exercising, eating a balanced diet and taking multi-vitamins are all essential to helping your body to grow healthier hair. If you’re looking for a supplement designed specifically with growing stronger, longer hair in mind, check out Philip Kingsley PK4 Hair Dietry Supplement, fortified with amino acidsAmino acids are the building blocks of the protein that hair is made up of, called Keratin. PK4 Hair enhances the production of Keratin. that are particularly beneficial to hair.

Hair Fortifying Foods

In addition to other health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids and B-vitamins, Dorothe suggests that people should eat foods rich in these nutrients to grow fortified hair. Specifically, she advises people to a healthy dose of nuts, fish, and green vegetables, “”I find a lot of people don’t eat enough fish or nuts. They have misconceptions about nuts and avocados being too fatty — those are the good fats that we need!”

Also, she prescribes whole wheat and other foods rich in fiber because they help the body flush out toxins, which can manifest themselves in unhealthy hair.

Can You Make Your Hair Grow Faster?

Human hair grows at an average rate of about half a millimeter per day, or about half an inch every month. Your hair will grow at its own constant rate, which varies for everyone, since genetically everyone is different.

“Some people produce growth, but it ends up breaking, so it seems like their hair is not growing at all,” Dorothe explains. “In terms of patch breakage, most of the time I see hair breaking off in the back of the scalp, the temples, the center, or even at the hairline. That’s from producing poor quality growth due to stress and a lack of nourishment in your body.”

Prevent Hair Breakage

If you are stressed or malnourished, you will grow hair that is more delicate, brittle and dry. When it comes to general styling care, people with chemically processed, texturized or relaxed hair should avoid tying their hair back in an oh-so-easy ponytail, as the tension and stress induces hair breakage. Wrapping shorter styles at night keeps hair smooth and straight, thus reducing the amount of (damaging) heat styling necessary, while also lessening the likelihood of tangles and other wear and tear.

Exercise & Scalp Stimulation Help Make Hair Strong

As with the rest of our bodies, our scalps also need a good workout. This can be achieved along with regular forms of exercise which increase your overall blood circulation, thus delivering extra blood and nourishment to the scalp as well.

“Stimulation is the key to adding a bit more to your natural rate of growth. Stimulating your scalp by brushing very often, massaging and rotating your scalp in circular motions.” Dorothe admits the increased growth will not be drastic, but it adds up over time.

John Masters Organics Deep Scalp Follicle Treatment & Volumizer for Thinning Hair is a leave-in solution that promotes healthy hair growth by improving the condition of your scalp.  This unique combination of organic herbs and essential oils work to improve nutrient intake, stimulate scalp circulation, and balance sebum production for optimal scalp and hair growth.

Keeping Your Hair Trimmed Trims Stress

Ever feel as though your hair dresser just loves the sound of his or her scissors snipping away at your hair? They’re just trying to rid you of excess stress, really!

“The constant, ongoing battle I have with clients is about trimming. I am really doing it for the clients; there’s really no self-interest involved. I’m trying to do something positive for them.

“As far as trims are concerned, this is how it works: Once it gets to a certain age, our hair seems like it gets brittle and dry, and starts to split. If you have four year-old hair on your head that’s never been trimmed, at least six months of that has to go. The older the hair, the more tarnished it is.”

People should place emphasis on moisturizing and protecting their ends from damage. Specially formulated to repair damaged ends, Phytokeratine reparative serum for split ends acts like a capillary bandage for your hair, and helps repair the internal structure of weakened, damaged hair.

In addition to treating the ends with moisture, Dorothe insists that trimming away dead, straggly ends is essential, “That’s why your diet and health are so important, because if four years ago you had a traumatic experience, it’s all up in your hair!”

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Shiny-licious Hair Treatments

Keep your locks shiny and soft with hair treatments that lock in moisture and protect your hair from heat styling and chemical damage.

Along-side warm weather come the beaming sun, ocean breezes, salt water, chlorinated pools and the harsh elements of the outdoors. Our winter-worn spirits may appreciate the surge of sun, but our hair is begging for a means of protection.

Hand your tresses a shield and a sword with these hair-saving tips:

Salon Treatments for Healthy Hair

Add Moisture & Seal the Hair Cuticle

Your hair shaft has cuticle layersThe cuticle is the outermost layer of the hair, made of a layer of transparent, scale-like, overlapping cells which protect the inner layers of the hair shaft. Much of the shine that makes healthy hair so attractive is due to an undamaged cuticle, where the scales lie very flat, have smooth edges, and overlap one another, forming a tight sheath around the interior of the hair shaft. that need to lay flat to appear shiny and smooth. The sun and heating tools lift those layers, causing more damage and less shine, says Jocelyn Melanson, hair studio manager and stylist at Spirit Spa in Halifax.

Ask your stylist for hair-type appropriate products for sealing the cuticle and adding the right kind of moisture. A sealed cuticle will let light reflect off each strand and will give your hair a silky and smooth finish.

Get a Gloss Treatment

Visit your salon every six to eight weeks for a gloss treatment that will coat and protect your hair, and help in preventing any existing color from fading. Melanson says this semi-permanent clear color will close the hair shaft because it sits on its cuticle, acting as a transparent shield.

Have Your Hair Trimmed Regularly

While you’re in for your gloss treatment, ask the stylist for a trim that will keep your ends fresh and reduce damage.

Prevent Hair Damage with Hair Treatments at Home

Hit the Beach, With Care

Beachy elements like the salty sea and blazing sun are tough on your hair. To protect your mane from drying out, apply a leave-in conditioner to your wet hair, don’t dry it, and pull your locks back in a sexy ponytail. We love using Bumble and Bumble Leave In Conditioner ($21); it’s lightweight, won’t leave your hair feeling heavy, and also works as a super detangler.

Fend off Frizz & Fuzz with Anti-Humidity Products

You style your hair to utter perfection, walk out into the muggy summer weather and whamo — frizz attack! Stock up on anti-humidity products to lock in your look so excess moisture in the air won’t frizz out your flawless style. Melanson suggests KMS Flat Out Anti Humidity Spray ($20), for sealing in finished looks.

Get the Right Conditioner for Your Hair

If you’re plagued with oily, clumpy hair, assess your conditioning routine. A quick fix to oily hair is only applying the product from the middle to the ends of your hair — avoid the root, where overactive sebaceous glands are gunking up your hair.

Feeling crafty? Make your own home made hair treatments.

Summer Hair Survival Guide

Keeping your hair healthy and well moisturized is key to preventing summer hair damage.

When the temperature rises, the great outdoors calls. All of a sudden — after months of cold dry air, wind and snow — your hair is exposed to a new range of harsh elements including the sun, salt and chlorine. These hair treatments can protect your hair from damage and keep your locks looking beautiful all summer long:

• Use a Leave-In Conditioner
• Pre-protect Your Hair Before Swimming
• Remove Salt and Chlorine After Swimming
• Protect from UV Damage
• Must-Have Products for Swimmers

Treat Your Hair to a Moisture Surge

Shield your hair from sun damage by using a shampoo and conditioner with UV protection. Use a leave-in conditioner weekly to give your hair an extra moisture surge and throw your hair in a braid after applying the leave-in product for deeper penetration.

Protect Your Hair from Chlorine Damage

Before exposing your hair to harsh chemicals like chlorine or salt saturate your hair with tap water and comb through a conditioner. This will provide your hair with a protective barrier, and make it easier to rinse out chemicals.

Wash Out Chlorine and Salt Immediately After Swimming

Clean and condition your hair after swimming. As soon as you can get to a shower rinse out those damaging chemicals. Chlorine and salt tend to cling to your hair, and are difficult to shampoo out. When you hit the showers use a hot oil treatment for one minute before you shampoo, this will effectively clean most of the chlorine out of your hair.

Protect Your Hair from the Sun’s UV Rays

Fend off UV with styling products. You’ve made it a habit to use sun block on your skin, make sure to treat your locks to the same protection. During the summer include UV hair-care products in your regular regime.

Must-Have Products for Swimmers

Philip Kingsley Swimcap

Beach babes and pool swimmers should check out the brand new product developed by Philip Kingsley at the request of the US Olympic Synchronized Swim Team called Philip Kingsley Swimcap ($18); this deep conditioning pre- and post-swim cream guards against discoloration and damage caused by weathering from sun, chlorine, salt water and wind. Get the same protection as wearing a swimcap, but look so much cooler.

Alberto VO5 Hot Oil Treatment

Another tool to add to your summer hair saving toolkit is Alberto VO5 Hot Oil Shower Works($6) no extra heating required! This great little pick-me-up for hair comes with a UV shield designed to protect colored hair, but it will also work to protect your hair’s natural color and shine. Using it once a week will help to maintain healthy hair all summer long.

Find a Fabulous Hat

Cover up with style, poolside, by wearing a flouncy hat or scarf to protect your hair from the elements while looking fabulous!