Hair care, hair dye and hair accessories, tips and products

Hair dye

Key tips for dyeing hair at home:

There are two very important tests that you must perform with each and every hair coloring product you use: the allergy test and the strand test.

The allergy test will make sure that you don't get a rash all over your scalp after you apply your hair dye colors. dye your hair. Perform the allergy test at least two days before you dye your hair. If nothing terrible happens, you're good to go.

The strand test is exactly what it sounds like, and you can do it either while performing the allergy test or you can do it the day you dye your hair. With the teaspoon of dye (and a gloved hand), choose a hair strand, and completely saturate it with the dye. Leave it in for the amount of time you'll leave the dye on the rest of your head later, and then wash hair. Check out the strand.

Before you get started with your whole head, make sure you get everything together that you need before you apply your hair dye colors. You'll need:

Rubber gloves.
A comb.
Old clothes.
An old towel
A large plastic bag and hair clip.
A timer.

READ THE DIRECTIONS ON THE BOX AT LEAST TWICE BEFORE YOU BEGIN. Different products have very different instructions. For example, some require your hair to be dry, and others wet.

You will probably need to mix some bottles together (or shake up one bottle) follow the instructions exactly as they are written.

work the dye from the roots out, making sure your hair is eventually completely and evenly saturated.
You might want to use a comb to help you spread the hair color dyes through your hair and to smooth out the clumps
Put the plastic bag over your hair. Twist the bag tightly, and secure it with a hair clip. The heat will help the chemicals react better.
Set your timer for the amount of time stated in the instructions.
Relax
When the timer rings, and follow the directions in the box.

Never try to dye your eyebrows or eyelashes. The FDA prohibits salons from doing it, as it can cause inflammations around the eyes, and even blindness, so certainly don't try it on your own.

Wedding hairstyles

Summer is fast approaching in the Northern hemisphere and thoughts turn to weddings.

One of the most important elements of your wedding day is your hairstyle. And to ensure that you get the best results for your wedding hairstyle, here are a few simple tips.

Start With A Picture

Having a picture of the style that you want is the easiest way to guarantee that you communicate to your stylist what kind of bridal hairstyle it is that you are after and that you get exactly the style that you want.

Plan Around Your Accessories

Planning your hairstyle to complement your accessories (such as an upstyle to show off your necklace and earrings) is the perfect way to add elegance to your style.

Incorporate Your Wedding Flowers Into Your Style

Placing flowers in your hair is a popular and classic wedding hairstyle tip. Talk to your stylist about colors, to ensure your hair color enhances and complements the shade of your flowers.

Have A Full Consultation In Advance

Talk to your stylist about what hairstyles your hair type and texture can pull off and what you can/may need to do (extensions, etc) to achieve the hairstyle that you want.

Don't Forget You Have A Back And Side To Your Head

It's not just your front section on show, the back and sides of your style needs to be just as psuitable. At a wedding, it is the back of your head guests will see during the ceremony.

Don't Be Afraid To Say What You Do And Don't Like

When planning your hairstyle with your stylist, don't be afraid to tell them if you don't like the style they've suggested or the way something is done. This is your day, don't be pushed into something you don't want as your hairstyle should look exactly how you want it to. If your stylist does, however, have some good advice, it's worth taking on board.

Ensure It's Weather Proof

The unpredictability of the weather needs to be accommodated. There is no greater disappointment than having your hair styled into your perfect look only to have it fall flat due to the weather. Avoid problems by selecting a style suitable for the location and season that your wedding takes place.

Match The Theme

An elegant wedding deserves elegant hair, while a casual affair will suit a casual hairstyle such as chic, glossy curls.

Try Your Hair With Your Dress

Have your hair styled to something similar to your final planned look, as the best way to see if your bridal style will suit you and your wedding dress is when having your dress fitting. This way you can see if your hair is the perfect match for your dress.

A perfect tool to start you off, with suitable wedding day hairstyles with, is available from hairstyler.com

Hair care

10 basic hair care tips:

1) Never start styling your hair when it's dripping wet. Leave it to dry naturally, and when it's just damp finish styling.

2) Moisturise your scalp: Winter often causes dry, flaky scalps and you may notice dandruff when you've never had it before.

3) Don't over-wash your hair: Your hair needs natural oils to stay healthy. The more you wash it, the faster your scalp will try to replace it.

4) Keep ends trimmed: Trimming doesn't make your hair grow faster. Lopping off a centimetre every month will stop splits from spreading up the hair shaft, making your hair look fuller and shinier. Trimming your fringe or bits around your face in between haircuts will also make your hair look tidier and better groomed.

5) Safe Dyeing: If you are going to dye your hair yourself, limit chemical contact with your skin as much as possible. To prevent the dye from settling spread a thick layer of Vaseline around your hairline, over your ears and down the back of your neck where the dye is most likely to meet your skin.

6) Stay natural: Ever noticed how adverts for hair products announce that hair will 'look' really healthy, but not necessarily be healthy? Go natural and avoid chemicals as much as possible.

7) Increase blood flow: Stimulate your scalp by massaging it and increasing your circulation. Each follicle has an individual source of blood and will grow better if stimulated.

8) Avoid hat hair: Wearing hats in winter often leaves hair limp, with a large proportion standing up due to static. Before you put your hat on, part your hair into different sections - this will lift up and keep volume.

9) Feed your hair from within: Both hair and nails are made from a protein called keratin, and a tell-tale sign that your hair is unhealthy is if you have ridged or pitted nails. Eating one portion of food rich in beta carotene every day will give a noticeable improvement to your hair. Liver, spinach and oily fish like salmon, trout and mackerel contain omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce dandruff and itchy scalps, as well as eczema and psoriasis.

10) Treat your tresses kindly: Simple though it sounds, handling your hair with care will avoid long-term problems. Leave your hair down as often as possible so its weight is evenly distributed.