Search Results: YouBeauty

By YouBeauty · Published July 11, 2013

Curly to Straight Challenge

By YouBeauty · Published June 4, 2013

You’re probably well-versed in the perils of having too much salt in your diet. But what about in your beauty products? It seems that for every crop of creams, scrubs and lotions that proudly include the ingredient—along with promises to soothe, smooth and moisturize your skin—there’s an equally large selection that loudly proclaim their salt-free status. So is it a little salt in your beauty arsenal something to seek out or avoid? It all depends on what beauty issue you’re trying to address.

Salt in Your Hair: Pros and Cons

There’s no doubt that salt can dehydrate your hair. Just picture how your strands after a beach vacay—chances are, your hair feels a bit brittle and lackluster. “Ordinary sea salt—which is the same as the salt you have in your kitchen cupboard—is made up mostly of sodium chloride, and that can be drying,” explains Macrene Alexiades-Armenakas, M.D., Assistant Clinical Professor, Yale University School of Medicine.

QUIZ: Is Your Body Skin Healthy?

And yet, you’ll find sodium chloride listed on the ingredients label of many hair products, where it’s actually used to add thickness to the liquid. The amounts probably aren’t enough to do any serious harm. But if you have a curl-relaxing keratin treatment (also known as a Brazilian Blowout”>, you do need to carefully avoid using salt on your hair—it’ll break down the keratin and wreck the results of your treatment. Many natural hair care lines are already salt-free (like Alterna and Pureology”> and others have been created specifically for the keratin-treatment market (like Rusk Deepshine Smooth Keratin Care”>.

For the same reason it can dry out strands, salt can also be a fantastic treatment for oily scalp and dandruff. Julie Ebner, owner of JuJu Salon & Organics in Philadelphia, recommends completing this DIY salt treatment on your scalp weekly.

DIY Salt Treatment

1. Mix a tablespoon of salt into a handful of shampoo
2. Massage well into scalp
3. Rinse thoroughly and follow with regular shampoo and conditioner.

“The salt will help absorb excess oil, unclog follicles stopped up with sebum and product gunk and reduce the inflammation associated with dandruff and psoriasis on the scalp,” explains Ebner.

Ordinarily, sea salt can leach moisture out of your skin, just as it does from your hair. But it’s a wonderful exfoliant. “In its raw, crystal form, salt stimulates skin renewal and boosts radiance,” says Idit Gandelman, Global Head of Training at Ahava (a skincare company based on Dead Sea minerals”>. A handful of coarsely ground salt, mixed with a skin-nourishing oil can slough off dead skin cells, while the oil replenishes moisture.

MORE: Weather-Related Hair Emergencies—Solved

If you’re looking for salty skincare that’s also going to moisturize, search labels for products containing Dead Sea salts. “The Dead Sea has a much lower concentration of sodium chloride than normal sea water, and its salts contain a mix of other important minerals, including magnesium, potassium, calcium chloride and bromides,” says Ava Shamban, M.D., assistant clinical professor of dermatology at UCLA. “Using these salts on the skin replenishes minerals that are critical to our skin metabolism.” Mineral-dense Dead Sea salts are also unique in their ability to bring water into the skin—and hold it there—which is what you want if you’re combating fine lines and wrinkles. “The minerals activate an ‘osmotic pump,’ that attracts water and nutrients from the lower layers of the skin up to the outer skin layer, where moisture is needed most,” says Gandelman.

The minerals in salt are also anti-inflammatory, making it a good choice for soothing eczema, psoriasis and even acne. That’s what Alison Carton, founder of the salt-infused anti-acne line Clarisea, found while spending a summer at the beach. “I swam in the ocean every day and my stubborn acne finally started to clear up,” she remembers. So she started experimenting with salt mixtures, finally hitting on the combination mineral-rich Himalayan pink sea salt with sodium chloride-heavy Pacific Ocean salt to dry out her oily acne prone skin just enough and help clear away acne-causing bacteria. “The right percentage of each really cleared up acne without irritating my sensitive skin,” she says.

MORE: How To Do An At-Home Skin Peel

The bottom line: You’ve just got to know when to pass the salt…and when to just pass on it.

By YouBeauty · Published May 24, 2013

Maybe your hair has always been on the thin side. Or maybe it’s lost its fullness as you’ve gotten older. (Yes, hair ages, too. Sigh.”> Either way, there’s only so much that backcombing and volumizers can do. More and more, women are turning to hair supplements to give their roots a boost from the inside. Some experts recommend certain vitamins and targeted oral treatments supported by promising research and positive real-world results.

Supplements for Hair Growth

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Viviscal

This Scandinavian supplement contains silica (horsetail plant extract”>, vitamin C and a fish protein, and is one of the only ones that Doris Day, M.D., a celebrity dermatologist in New York City, recommends to her patients. “I’ve observed it help with hair thickness and regrowth, especially around the temple area,” she says. You take it twice a day for the first three months and then once a day after that.

David Babaii, a celebrity hair stylist, is a fan of the product, too, and often recommends it to his high-profile clients. He first noticed that it worked after seeing promising results on a client. “Within a month, I noticed growth of new hair and after six months, her hair was even thicker than before she started taking it,” says Babaii, who started taking the supplements himself after a major surgery caused his hair to thin out.

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Biotin

Some research suggests that biotin (part of the B complex vitamins”> may improve brittle nails and thinning hair. Many experts recommend a biotin supplement for hair health because it’s water-soluble (meaning your body excretes what it doesn’t need”> and doesn’t have any side effects. In other words: Why not? “I have some very happy patients taking biotin right now,” says Day. “Even though the data is mixed, there’s at least enough to support trying it out.”

 

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Vitamin D

The sunshine vitamin is important for a number of body functions (like aiding in calcium absorption”>, but experts are exploring the role it may play in hair health as well. “The vitamin D receptor helps regulate your hair cycle,” says Paradi Mirmirani, M.D., a dermatologist at the Permanente Medical Group in Vallejo, California, who recommends a supplement to her patients if their levels are low.  (Your doc can give you a quick blood test to assess”>.

Experts aren’t sure exactly how the level of vitamin D in your body directly influences your hair growth, but many still think it’s a good idea to take vitamin D to ensure that your body has what it needs to sprout healthy, strong strands. “It’s very hard to get enough vitamin D through natural exposure if you apply sunscreen daily, so I often suggest a supplement just to be safe,” Day agrees.

MORE: The Best Way to Get Your Daily “D”

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Saw Palmetto Extract

This herbal remedy is processed from fruit of the American dwarf pine tree and may have some benefit for your hair, says Mirmirani. A small study found that 60 percent of patients who took a saw palmetto extract supplement said that their hair growth improved compared to just 10 percent of people taking a placebo.

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Vitamin A

This antioxidant is often used in general hair, skin and nail supplement formulas because it is involved in skin regeneration, and is included in multivitamins for its benefits to vision and immunity. While it’s important to get enough vitamin A, too much can be dangerous. It is fat-soluble, which means that whatever your body doesn’t use each day builds up in your tissues. Going over the recommended daily intake can be harmful to your liver, cause fatigue and nausea as well as—ironically—hair loss. Make sure you read your vitamin labels and avoid taking multiple doses so you don’t over do it.

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Healthy Diet

At the end of the day, no supplement can beat getting what you need the natural way. “Eating a healthy diet filled with wholesome foods is your best bet for gorgeous hair,” says Katherine Brooking, R.D., co-founder of appforhealth.com.

“Certain vitamins, like B6, B12 and folate, help with the creation of red blood cells, which in turn carry oxygen and nutrients to the body’s cells and can help the scalp and growing hair,” she says. Iron (from lean beef, turkey, chicken, pork, shrimp, egg yolks and beans”> helps those red blood cells do their job.

You can get your B12 from shellfish, salmon, and low-fat and fat-free dairy. Whole grains, lean protein, beans, nuts, lentils and leafy greens are great sources of vitamin B6.  For folate, go for lentils, soybeans and many leafy greens. And don’t forget to eat enough protein. This macronutrient is important for cell growth and also provides structure for the hair.

Just remember

You can’t replace a bad diet with supplements. So it’s better to use a combo approach. Focus on improving your diet and talk to your doctor or dermatologist about vitamins and supplements that may be right for you.

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By YouBeauty · Published May 17, 2013

From styling treatments to straightening complexes and deep conditioners, it seems the great keratin tide has swept over every hair product category on the market today.

With the protein appearing in such a diverse range of items, it can be confusing to decipher what exactly it is that keratin does, and for which hair type it’s best suited. For instance, are keratin-branded hair care products just for those who have had keratin-containing treatments? And some consumers are even concerned about the ingredient’s safety, since it’s found in countless straightener formulas containing controversial actives, like formaldehyde, that can damage hair.

MORE: BB Cream For… Your Hair?

Experts say that you can relax: Keratin has been around for a long time, and its function is only one of protection. “Keratin reinforces your hair,” YouBeauty Cosmetic Chemistry Expert Ni’Kita Wilson. “It’s a protein that forms a film on hair strands, creating a scaffolding-like structure that’s suitable for all hair types,” she adds.

So whether fine, thick, normal or chemically-treated, your hair can benefit from the temporary barrier keratin creates between strands and your environment. It’s the other ingredients in the formula that determine whether or not a product will work best for you.

MORE: Get The Facts About Color-Safe Shampoo

At the drugstore, keratin is taking center stage in a spate of new launches. Pantene Advanced Keratin Repair Split End Fuser and 60 Second Therapy Ampoules (each $14.99″> are both highly concentrated treatments that focus on frayed strands and dryness. Tresemmé has incorporated the protein into its Keratin Smooth Shampoo, Smoothing Serum and Heat Protection Spray ($5-$10″> to specifically target damage-induced frizz for a sleeker finish.

In prestige boutiques, keratin is joining more elegant ingredients. AG Reconstruct Intense Anti-Breakage Mask ($24″> blends silk proteins and shea butter with keratin and panthenol to intensely hydrate hair in need of reconstruction. KeratinPerfect 30-Day Brazilian Hair Smoothing System Essentials Collection ($95″> houses two shampoos, a conditioner, smoothing treatments and a daily spray that fuses the protein to rough spots where natural keratin has been depleted for a faster blowdry and style. Meanwhile, Phyto has cleverly added hydrolyzed keratin to Phytovolume Actif Maximizing Volume Spray ($28″> for fine, limp hair to physically build girth and texture around strands.

QUIZ: How Healthy Does Your Hair Look?

Keratin is one trend that doesn’t seem to be fading anytime soon—but count this as one of the rare crazes that’s totally worth the hype.

By YouBeauty · Published April 26, 2013

Good old-fashioned H₂0 is one of your body’s most basic and vital needs. “It’s in our cells and in our blood and in all of the tissues in-between,” says Barbara Rolls, Ph.D., professor of Nutritional Sciences at Pennsylvania State University and a thirst expert.

Proper hydration helps our digestive system run smoothly, keeps our cells young and helps our immune system fight infection. So it would make sense that the more you guzzle, the healthier you’ll be, inside and out, right? Not exactly, says Rolls. “For most of us, fluid balance is not a problem.” In other words, you’re getting enough water already, sans that fancy water bottle glued to your hand. It’s time to get real about water—read on to get the facts, not fiction.

Define…Water

Experts stress that we need to broaden what we think of as water.  “Many people think that the only way to hydrate is with plain drinking water, but that’s just not true,” says Keith Ayoob, R.D., associate clinical professor of pediatrics at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York.

Currently, the National Institute of Medicine recommends that women get 2.7 liters (about nine cups”> of water per day. But the suggested sources go beyond glasses of clear water. All beverages, including water, as well as moisture in foods like fruit, vegetables, lean meat and soups count.

“When you think about it, both coffee and soup—even soda—are mostly water,” says Ayoob. “Any type of fluid goes toward your daily quota.”

8×8 Reality

But what about the 8 x 8 rule (drink eight glasses of eight ounces of plain water per day, on top of everything else”>? There’s no scientific evidence backing that recommendation.

A Dartmouth physiologist named Heinz Valtin conducted a comprehensive search for the origin of this widely repeated statement and published his findings in the American Journal of Physiology in 2002.

Not only did he conclude that there was no evidence to suggest that healthy adults needed to drink large amounts of water, but he also found a possible reason for the long purported myth: a misinterpreted National Resource Council suggestion from 1945.

The original text stated: “A suitable allowance of water for adults is 2.5 liters daily in most circumstances. An ordinary standard for diverse persons is one milliliter for each calorie of food. Most of this quantity is contained in prepared foods.”

He suggested that the last sentence was possibly ignored and the statement as a whole interpreted as you must drink eight glasses (2.5 liters”> of water each day.

Thirst ≠ Dehydration

Contrary to the popular myth, just because you’re thirsty doesn’t mean you’re already dehydrated. Dehydration occurs when the body loses more fluid than it takes in, but many people feel thirsty before they reach this deficit, says Rolls.

Two possible reasons for this disconnect: dry mouth and salty foods (more water is needed to dilute salt in the blood, so your thirst center sends an alert possibly causing you to feel thirsty”>. One small study followed young men around for a day, recording hydration markers in the blood and when they felt thirsty.  Researchers found that the men felt thirsty before any actual fluid deficits occurred in their bodies.

Drinking Gallons of Water Won’t Hydrate Your Skin. At All.

The amount of water you drink plays zero role in your skin’s appearance, says Amy Wechsler, MD, and YouBeauty Dermatology Advisor. Although it sounds like an easy fix, it won’t help combat dry skin or clear up your acne. Bummer!

The liquid water you consume passes through you (via urine”> and has no effect on outward body surfaces. A report from the British Nutrition Foundation confirmed this myth as well, concluding that there was very little evidence connecting any amount of water consumption to skin appearance.

Eating Your Water May Be The Key to Long-Lasting Beauty…

Some foods, like watermelons and cucumbers, are more than 90 percent water. Howard Murad, M.D. and author of “The Water Secret” believes that these water-heavy foods play a very important role in keeping you young and vibrant.

“Over the years, our cells naturally lose water and deteriorate, making it hard for our bodies to protect against the free radical damage that leads to aging,” says Murad. So, how does he suggest you replenish your water tank for optimal wellness? Don’t run to refill your water bottle.

“Water-packed foods, like colorful fruits and vegetables, are also filled with nutrients, which help your body hold onto the water long enough to put it to good use.”

…And Weight Loss!

Water-rich foods are also the star of Dr. Rolls’ book, “The Volumetrics Weight Control Plan,” but under a weight loss lens. “Water is the magic ingredient,” she says. “When it’s bound into solid food, you can eat a much bigger portion for the same amount of calories.”

In one of Rolls’ studies, published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, participants who ate a chicken rice soup were more satiated and consumed fewer calories at a later meal than those who ate a chicken rice casserole with a separate glass of water.

Both meals contained the exact same ingredients; the only difference being the water placement. Another bonus benefit to eating more hydrating foods: Water hangs out in really healthy foods that many of us aren’t getting enough of, like lean proteins, high fiber foods and fish, says Rolls.

When You DO Need More Agua

Although you may be rethinking those constant trips to the water cooler with your BPA-free reusable bottle, rest assured, there are times you need to increase your intake.

If you live in a hot, dry climate, are visiting a higher altitude than you’re used to or exercising outside in hot temperatures, you’ll need to get more than the recommended amount of water in your system, says Kristin Kirkpatrick, MS, RD, wellness manager for the Cleveland Clinic’s Lifestyle 180 Program and YouBeauty Nutrition Advisor.

Also, the pressurized air in an airplane cabin consists of only 5 to 10 percent humidity (which can cause dry mouth and a scratchy throat”> so you should always accept a non-alcoholic offer from the drink cart to replenish your fluids, says Ayoob. Your best options are water, any clear soft drink (they typically don’t contain caffeine“> or club soda with a little cranberry juice.

Kirkpatrick points out that you don’t know how often the cart will come around, and those dinky little cups don’t hold enough water to replenish your fluids, so her airplane strategy is this: “The minute you get past security, buy an enormous bottle of water. Bring it onboard with you and take a sip every 15 to 20 minutes.”

Bottom line:

Water is an amazing substance and it’s seriously everywhere—in our bodies, beverages and foods. Just follow your thirst mechanism (don’t stress about forcing down pints of plain water each day!”> and up your water-rich food intake for optimal beauty and health.

Now that you know how much water to drink, find out how many calories you really need.

By YouBeauty · Published April 18, 2013

Goat’s Milk

Like many a smart working woman in Kingston, Jamaica, the hustling-bustling capital city, Michelle Yap-McKay pooh-poohed goats’ milk, dismissing it as a common beverage consumed only by the people living in the rural parts of the country where goats roamed free. Even if the grannies and aunties of the villages touted goats’ milk as an elixir for tight, glowing skin and overall good health, it was definitely not on Yap-McKay’s list.

But then one day, the rigors of the corporate world caught up with her.

“I was getting physically exhausted and sicker spiritually, and I didn’t know what to do,” she says. An herbalist recommended she drink goats’ milk, and very quickly, Yap-McKay realized her grandmother had always been right.

MORE: Nordic Secrets For Natural Beauty

“My skin was softer, clearer, like the layers of old skin had been peeled off and my baby skin was coming out,” she says. In addition to drinking it, Yap-McKay—who also credits goats’ milk for the improvement in her overall well-being—discovered that the fat in it contains high amounts of alpha hydroxy acids (AHA”>, in particular lactic acid, which sloughs off dead cells when applied topically, “in order to reveal absolutely new skin underneath and lighten and brighten the complexion.” Goats’ milk is also packed with vitamin A, which repairs damaged skin tissue, she says, and minerals such as selenium, which can guard against the effects of the sun.

Today, Yap-McKay is a self-confessed goats’ milk convert and the creator of Ital Blends, a brand of soaps and skincare products that seek to leverage the many benefits of goats’ milk and further enhance its properties by blending the milk with a range of different kinds of plants and herbs that are found in the cool Blue Mountains region of Jamaica where she now lives.

Tropical Plants

She is also one of a small but growing number of Caribbean beauticians, scientists and entrepreneurs who are pioneering a movement to bring back the many natural treasures that the region abounds with and shed light on the cornucopia of plants, leaves, fruits and flowers of the islands that, although a staple part of health and wellness in the past, have been overshadowed in the region’s recent history.

MORE: Three Must-Have Caribbean Beauty Brands

The islands of the Caribbean weren’t always the resort-laden, tourist havens that they are today. These islands have literally been built up from nothing, and for years, their residents just had to make do with whatever was around them. The list is long, and includes the likes of aloe, sorrel (a variant of the hibiscus flower”>, papaya, prickly pear cactus, licorice and castor oil seeds, to name a few. These and many others can be found throughout the Caribbean, and in the past were used as health, beauty and nutrition staples by generations of island residents simply because, like the sea that surrounds them, they were just there.

Through the years, poverty, economic duress and distance from the mainland have all posed multiple challenges to development in the Caribbean, but so too has the weather, in particular the blinding heat of the tropical sun. It’s almost a blessing that nature has been so bountiful and that plants like the miraculous aloe, whose leaves contain a gel that is simply bursting with nutrients, enzymes, vitamins, amino acids and minerals, and which calms and cools the skin and protects it against the sun, should abound in the Caribbean. The succulent inner layer of the aloe leaf, which Caribbean folk cut out and consume either as juice or as is, is also full of polysaccharides that help enhance the immune system by enabling cells to weed out the toxins and retain nutrients.

MORE: 7 Habits That’ll Give You Great Skin

Beauty Benefits

Generations of Caribbean men and women have also used aloe for smoothening out their hair. They have fashioned softening and hydrating face packs out of the papaya fruit, which contains, among other ingredients, lycopene (which protects the skin against UV damage”>, lutein and enzymes that soothe the skin, and used the leaves of the quaco-bush in lieu of soap for its cleansing properties and as a cure for the common cold.

Aching and sore feet have been relieved with Pepper Elder leaves, which have cooling properties similar to menthol, and the prickly pear cactus, a relative of aloe that contains a rare form of antioxidant known to lower blood sugar levels, has also been used to scrub out sand from between toes and fingers, since it contains lignin that when released, takes on a soap-like consistency.

Skin Lightening

But as much as bush medicine and natural health and beauty remedies played an important role in the Caribbean’s history, that same history has also shaped and conditioned beauty ideals. The historical inevitabilities of slavery and colonialism in particular have left their indelible mark on the region, so that today, the most coveted facet of beauty is, ironically, the least attainable: light skin.

MORE: The Best Natural Skincare Products

“The color and the fear of being darker than you are is something that I am sad to say I grew up with, and it is still a top concern in the Caribbean, but not so much from a health angle,” says Patrice Yursik, aka Afrobella, a widely known blogger (she’s on Ebony’s Power 100 list, alongside the likes of Jay-Z, Oprah and the Obamas”> who celebrates the natural beauty of black women. “I mean, it’s never presented as ‘you should stay out of the sun because you may get skin cancer,’ but ‘because you will get darker,’ so it’s all about skin bleaching instead of sunscreen.”

Indeed, the widespread usage of skin whitening creams is a huge problem on many islands, particularly Jamaica, where skin bleaching has reached such alarming levels that even the poor are spending fortunes they don’t have on commercial products that claim to lighten the skin, some of which may be loaded with noxious chemicals.

That aside, the prolonged usage of commercial skin lighteners and whitening creams is in and of itself dangerous and extremely detrimental to the skin in the long run, says Cheryl Bowles, a former chief chemist for Nestle and the founder of the Cher-Mere line of natural skincare and beauty. Dark skin produces melanin and this makes it naturally prone to dark spots and hyperpigmentation, she says, both of which become exacerbated by the usage of bleaching creams, particularly in a hot and sunny climate.

MORE: Surprising Causes of Hyperpigmentation

Like Yap-McKay, Bowles is also looking to bring more women and men in the Caribbean full circle back to where things began, by focusing her line of skincare products and soaps on the idea of overall well-being. Bowles, who now runs spas in her native Trinidad & Tobago and in Barbados, and who is looking to open outlets in Canada and the United States, is bringing her scientific knowledge and experience back home and works closely with the University of the West Indies to study the Caribbean’s many natural plants and flowers to lend scientific backing to traditional beliefs in their properties.

Take sorrel, for instance. The bright red flower is made into a juice that’s drunk at Christmas time throughout the Caribbean, “but our studies have shown us that it is packed with antioxidants and with vitamin C and E that are vital for good skin, so even if our grandmothers did not have the scientific rationale, they knew from intuition and a sense of nature,” she says. Bowles is also studying the properties of bois-bande, a tree species from St. Lucia whose bark was traditionally consumed for its aphrodisiacal properties, but also has very strong astringent properties (she’s integrated it into a line of aftershaves for men”>; and licorice, which contains glabridin, an element that suppresses the formation of melanin and therefore lends itself well to the skin lightening many Caribbean women desire.

Thanks to product lines like Cher-Mere, a new generation in the Caribbean is slowly but surely coming back to their roots, Yursik says. But the benefits of the herbs and plants of the region are universal, since the power of nature always transcends boundaries.

MORE: Natural Beauty Oils From Around the World

By YouBeauty · Published April 9, 2013

We hear it daily here at NaturallyCurly: the number one reason women love their curls is hands down the versatility. The option to wear our curls tight or loose, in an afro or a twist out, curly or straight. Yes we said straight. If your heart so desires, we support the decision to wear your hair straight too, just make sure you are choosing a method that is safe for you and your strands.

Chemical hair straightening treatments, such as the Japanese (which permanently straightens”> and Brazilian (which eradicates frizz and loosens curls for up to six months”> treatments, haven taken a lot of heat because they rely on ingredients such as sodium hydroxide (called lye”>—a corrosive active ingredient also found in many household detergents—and formaldehyde. The former rearranges the DNA makeup and pH levels of natural kinks while the latter helps bind keratin (a naturally-occurring protein”> to hair. Both have been linked to cancer and lung damage. And, over the long run, continually relaxing hair with these methods can even lead to alopecia, a condition in which hair follicles become damaged beyond repair and fall out, never to grow back.

“Disulfide bonds are the strongest bonds in hair,” says Melissa Harvey, a New York-based consulting trichologist (hair scientist”> with hair growth company Bio Follicle. “They can only be broken by a radical chemical swell.”

MORE: Formaldehyde-Free Straightening Treatments

Since the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA”> issued a hazard warning in 2011 for salon employees and owners performing these types of straightening treatments, product manufacturers have raced back to their labs in search of newer, healthier straightening formulas. Zerran RealLisse uses a completely edible—yes, edible!—combination of wheat, corn and oat proteins to smooth hair for two to four months. Though the professional system is used in high-end salons including the Fred Segal Salon in Santa Monica, C.A, the company has also created a line of shampoos and conditioners with similar ingredients to help clients maintain their straight strands right at home. Farouk Systems’ Chi Enviro American Smoothing Treatment is another pro-straightening alternative that propels proven strengthening ingredients including amino acids, proteins, silk fibers and pearl into the hair’s cuticle to rearrange unruly hair strands for as long as four months. And the Anevolve Control Zero Straightening System, which grows out after one to four months, relies on sodium sulfite (a food-grade preservative”> instead of formaldehyde to break down the natural bonds in curls.

MORE: FDA Deems Brazilian Blowout Hazardous

By YouBeauty · Published April 5, 2013

What is a BB Cream?

Just when you thought the BB cream craze had reached its height, the popular flaw-blurring technology has now jumped the aisle into hair care. But what does that mean for your strands?

By combining treatment and styling ingredients together in one product in the same way that facial BB creams combine skincare with makeup, you can tackle hair health and texture quickly, thanks to bottles packed with multiple benefits.

“It’s similar to what stylists term ‘cocktailing’ different products together in order to apply one customized balm,” says San Diego stylist and salon owner Jet Rhys. However, some of the more sophisticated ingredients in these new high-tech balms are now coming straight from skincare.

MORE: BB Cream—The Skincare Product That Does It All

BB Cream Products

KeratinPerfect Hair BB 3-in-1 Multi Action Hair Beauty Balm ($28″> contains apple stem cell extract to fight hair aging; nano-keratin proteins to strengthen; and oils of argan, apricot kernel and almond to moisturize and add gloss. Alterna Caviar Anti-Aging Blonde Beauty Balm ($28″> uses vitamin C, lemon, chamomile and honey to hydrate and add body, shine and brilliance to buttery hair colors. The line’s proprietary caviar extract infuses Omega-3 fatty acids into hair to boost elasticity. No word yet on a brunette or redhead version.

Other products are claiming a grand-slam list of benefits, of which 10 seems to be the magic number.

Pantene says when creating the Ultimate 10 BB Crème ($5″>, the company “looked to the skincare benefits of the BB cream and optimized the right level of ingredients for a product that not only feels good on the hair, but also delivers a flawless finish.” Try this balm for repair, heat protection, frizz control, shine, softening and fly-away-taming benefits, among others.

MORE: Are CC Creams Actually Different From BB Creams?

And It’s A 10 Hair Care just introduced the leave-in Miracle Silk Smoothing Balm ($20″>, which claims 10 benefits including straightening, cutting down on drying time, detangling, prolonging your blowout and weightless hair hold, all in one fell swoop.

Some may say the BB hair creams are just marketing jazz, but we’re all for anything that saves time, money and space on our ever-crowded bathroom counter.

By YouBeauty · Published April 2, 2013

Any woman who colors her hair knows that it often feels like a full-time job.

Whether you’re adding highlights in your 20s or channeling your inner red head in your 30s, the every-six-week appointments needed for hair color maintenance are a serious responsibility, and cost a pretty penny to boot.

Things get even trickier as your hair starts to gray—which happens sooner for some than others. Silver strands can take hold anywhere from our 20s to our 60s—and your chance of going gray increases 10-20 percent every decade after 30 years, according to the Library of Congress.

If you choose to continue coloring, you’ll probably find that you have to hit the salon or the drug store even more often to keep ahead of those grays.

Embracing Natural Color

While color is always an option, we love seeing women who embrace their naturally graying hair.  It’s a movement that’s gained traction over that past few years, as more high profile women are embracing their silver streaks. Think: Helen Mirren, Jamie Lee Curtis, Meryl Streep (in “The Devil Wears Prada””> and Blythe Danner.

The only problem with embracing your gorgeous grays? The process of getting there—growing out your hair color from partially gray to totally gray. As your hair grows out and changes color, you’ll be confronted with two-tone hair that’s half gray, half colored.

MORE: The Science Behind Going Gray

We asked celebrity hair colorist Rita Hazan—she of Jennifer Lopez and Katy Perry fame—for some advice about how to make the transition easier, and, uh, more attractive.

Good news: Hazan says avoiding two-tone hair is tough, but not impossible. “There’s a technique I use which is helpful: Stop coloring everything else besides the hairline and the part. It will take a long time for the back to grow out and when you start growing out the top, use my Root Concealer to blend in your color.” You can ask your colorist to try this same technique and apply it at home if you do your own color.

Try a Glaze

Gray strands also change your overall hair texture—it typically becomes coarser. Combat this with heavier conditioning products, and add an anti-frizz serum to your routine. Gray is also prone to yellowing or brassiness. Try a DIY hair gloss like Rita Hazan Foaming Gloss or Frederic Fekkai Salon Glaze, or ask your colorist for an in-salon gloss to combat it.

Hazan also suggests getting a chic haircut and wearing enough makeup to compensate for the lack of color in your hair. “This way you won’t look washed out, but chic and youthful.”

GALLERY: Stars Who Went Gray

Just think of the money (and time!”> you’ll save.

We highly recommend using it on a sexy beach vacation—just remember to pack a hat!

By YouBeauty · Published March 25, 2013

Ammonia in Hair Color

Professional, permanent coloring products and their DIY counterparts often rely on ammonia, a noxious chemical compound that opens the hair cuticle so that the new, desired shade can penetrate thoroughly. While effective, its harsh nature sometimes causes irritation and a burning sensation that makes a color appointment seem like torture to some. But even if you’re not prone to allergic reactions, the tinting process is still a major cause of dull, frizzy strands. “Ammonia can weaken hair and make it dull by stripping the outer layer of each shaft,” says Elizabeth Tanzi, M.D, a Washington, D.C., dermatologist.

To soften the blow, L’Oréal Professionnel debuted INOA (which stands for Innovation No Ammonia”> in 2011. It was a game-changing alternative to traditional coloring products, thanks to its use of an odorless chemical, monoethanolamine (or MEA”>, to open the hair shaft. While groundbreaking, the gentler version had certain limitations—being able to darken strands only one shade, not to lighten or conceal grays. Since then, L’Oréal chemists have discovered a way to boost the efficacy of MEA, giving ammonia-averse consumers more options and a wider color palette. This new technology, appearing for the first time in an at-home color, is in Garnier (which is owned by L’Oréal”> Olia at-home color line. It incorporates MEA and an oil gel (dubbed Oleogel”> that coats and conditions the outer layer of hair strands to preserve strength.

MORE: A Healthier Way to Highlight

Monoethanolamine (MEA”>

According to the company, Olia—which includes 24 shades and is infused with fragrant, flower-based oils—can lift color up to three levels. “It’s an exciting option that delivers softer, shinier, healthier-looking hair,” says Kyle White, a New York-based celebrity colorist with Garnier who has used the line on his clients. “Think of it this way: If ammonia is sugar, MEA is Stevia.”

In addition to ammonia, some companies have also eliminated PPD (also known as PTD”>—petroleum-derived dyes commonly used in hair color pigments that can cause severe allergic reactions—from their formulas. Instead, they use plant- or vegetable-based versions to tint hair. Though less effective (the pigment, more like a rinse, lasts only six or seven shampoos, as opposed to four to six weeks with a semi-permanent dye”>, they are a health-conscious option for men and women simply looking to mask grays. Aubrey Organics Color Me Natural is one such brand that conceals silvery roots on dark brown strands. Lush Henna Hair Dyes come in four shades to gently cover grays sprouting on redheads and brunettes while conditioning and imparting shine. “Plant-based dyes are healthier for the hair,” says Melissa Harvey, a New York-based consulting trichologist (hair scientist”> with hair growth company Bio Follicle. “But since they go deeper into the cuticle with each application, it does make it difficult for anyone looking to go lighter.”

By YouBeauty · Published March 18, 2013

If you’re new to the no ‘poo haircare method, or you just don’t have time to wash, condition, deep condition, and leave-in condition your hair, then you might be looking for a boost of encouragement to get you through the day. “Much like Little House on the Prairie, Sunday night is hair washing night,” YouBeauty senior editor, Courtney Dunlop, recently bemoaned on Twitter.

MORE: All About the No Shampoo Method

“Dry shampoo beats the old-time trick of using baby powder because aerosols and nozzles better direct application,” says San Diego celebrity stylist and salon owner, Jet Rhys.

QUIZ: How Healthy Is Your Hair, Really?

Options range the gamut with budget versions that include oil-absorbing particles and basic scents while pricier picks employ micronized powders for greater volume and extras like tea tree oil to prevent dandruff. Higher end options also offer elegant fragrance blends that mimic shampoo-fresh hair, adds Rhys.

To apply dry shampoo, bend forward and work in sections holding the spray several inches from hair and directing the nozzle towards the scalp. Next massage roots with fingertips to build volume and to spread the formula through strands, instructs Rhys.

However you use it, dry shampoo is one of those hero products that you’ll likely wonder how you ever did without. Check out the best picks of the crop in the gallery.

Top Dry Shampoos

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Best Volume

Sachajuan Volume Powder, $32

Dirt and oils that accumulate on the scalp between shampoos can leave hair limp and lifeless. This powder-based aerosol spray builds volume at the roots and dries with a matte finish. Spray four inches from scalp and shake excess powder out.

MORE: The Dish on Dry Shampoos

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Best Overall

René Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo, $8

Among dry shampoo aficionados, René Furterer remains a perpetual cult favorite. Rice and cornstarch powders freshen the scalp while clay and silica absorb oil and dirt. Even better, it doesn’t leave a white residue behind. Essential oils of peppermint, caraway and basil invigorate and scent the scalp.

MORE: We Try the Hottest Hair Oils 

 

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Best For Colored Hair

Kenra Platinum Dry Shampoo, $15

If you spend big bucks on maintaining your color, invest in a dry shampoo that offers UV protection against fading. Kenra’s version includes rice starch to absorb grease and impurities, and a mango melon fragrance to refresh hair.

MORE: The Best Hair Color for Your Skin 

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Best For Texture

Oribe Hair Care Dry Texturizing Spray, $39

Sexy hair is touchable—so über-stylist Oribe designed his texturizing spray with movement in mind. Patented polymers absorb oil to build body, while extracts of sunflower seed, ginger root, mango kiwi and passionflower add shine and manageability. It’s also a great texturizer to give strands a piecey look and hold them in place for updo styling.

MORE: DIY Sea Salt for Beachy Waves

 

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Best For Dark Hair

Alterna Bamboo Style Cleanse Extend Translucent Dry Shampoo, $26

Powders and sprays can speckle dark tresses with dandruff-looking patches of white flakes. Alterna’s translucent formula sprays on completely clear, no matter the hair color. The fresh green fragrance of bamboo leaf, water lily and musk adds a veil of scent that exudes cleanliness.

MORE: The Secret to Natural-Looking Color

 

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Best For Fine Hair

Pure NV BKT Rescue Dry Shampoo, $25

Dry shampoo particles can weigh baby fine hair down. This keratin-infused formula uses finely ground minerals and natural wax dissolvers to cleanse and hydrate weightlessly. Hold can 10 inches away and mist lightly all over hair, then brush out. A quick, once-over finishing shot of the blow dryer adds extra perk to fine strands.

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Best To Cover Grays

Bumble and Bumble Hair Powder, $19-$35 each

Bumble and Bumble’s iconic hair powder comes in full coverage shades that mask gray roots. Since the formula requires a slightly oily surface to adhere, use a light application of pomade or wax at the root if applying on freshly washed and dried hair. (And if your hair is dirty, you’re good to go!”> Hold can 10 inches from hair and spray as needed, allow to dry, and shake out any excess with fingers. Use a towel to cover shoulders if your hair is dark or if you’re wearing light clothing.

MORE: DIY Sea Salt for Beachy Waves

 

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Best For Travel

Stila Hair Refresher, $28

For gals on the go, nothing beats the portability of a traditional powder; there’s no worrying about carry-on size limitations or an aerosol going off unexpectedly. Stila’s version comes in two scents: a vanilla-amber Crème Bouquet or green tea-touched Jade Blossom.

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Best Budget Buy

Suave Professionals Keratin Infusion Dry Shampoo, $4

For generations, there weren’t many drugstore options in the dry shampoo category, though savvier technology has since made headway. Suave Professionals combines a grease-blasting aerosol spray with the shine and hydration of keratin at a bargain bin price.

 

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Editors’ Choice

Arrojo ReFINISH Dry Shampoo, $22

The Type 2 NaturallyCurly Editors chose Arrojo’s dry shampoo in the 2013 annual Editors’ Choice awards. We find that it doesn’t leave any white or powdery residue on our Type 2 wavies.

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Best for Beginners

Oscar Blandi Pronto Invisible Volumizing Dry Shampoo Spray, $15

No need to worry about applying incorrectly, just point and shoot: the nozzle design of Oscar Blandi’s dry shampoo cleverly controls product for direct contact on the scalp, where oil absorption is most needed. Lemon verbena makes for a stimulating scent and wheat proteins combine with vitamin E to strengthen strands.

MORE: Heal Hair Damage

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By YouBeauty · Published March 8, 2013

You have begged, you have pleaded, wondered what kind of voodoo magic Demi Moore is up to and finally, given up. But there’s no question that countless middle-aged women share the same lament: “Why—really, why?—won’t my hair grow any faster? And is it just me, or does it seem to get slower each year?”

Long Hair in Hollywood

In a world of Blake Livelys and Giseles (not to mention plenty of more mature leading ladies”>, it can seem like everyone is sporting insanely long locks. But keep in mind two things. One, natural, mid-back hair growth is not as common as Hollywood would have you think. While there’s no statistic measuring the overall population’s varying hair lengths, consider a Los Angeles hair expert’s very educated guess. “Oh please, it’s so rare! So many women have extensions. It’s very, very unusual to see naturally long hair. I’d roughly estimate it’s not even 10 percent of women,” says Christophe Belkacemi, a top stylist at the Serge Normant at John Frieda salon in LA.

Growth Stages

Second, the hair’s anagen phase (aka the growth stage that is crucial to achieving great lengths”> is, like everything else in the world of beauty, seemingly wasted on the young. A P&G (makers of such hair care as Pantene and Herbal Essences”> report on the hair growth cycle found the following: “As people grow older, the period of anagen shortens. For example, the hair of someone with a five-year anagen can grow to a length of 60 centimeters before it enters the shedding phase. If their anagen period drops to three years as they age, their hair will then grow only to shoulder length before it falls out or is brushed out.” Not exactly Demi territory.

MORE: The Science of Hair Growth

There’s another new, semi-depressing finding on the correlation between hair growth and aging. Biologically, researchers are finding that hair simply changes. Another in-depth study executed by P&G found that sebum (oil”> production overall but here, specifically on the scalp, decreases rapidly starting at age 45. When hair becomes less able to keep itself hydrated, it can become coarser-looking and more susceptible to breakage. Again, not exactly conducive to growth.

Care & Growth

And that leads us to the TLC factor. In the latter study, a few findings help explain why at some point, hair basically just kind of gives up in protest. First off, the actual diameter of individual hair strands lessens, which simply means your hair may look skimpier—hardly adding to the illusion of long, cascading locks. Additionally, consider a recent Unilever North America study, which spouted the following statistic: Long hair (that is 24 centimeters long, to be exact”>, will have 19,122 split ends. Lack of conditioning and breakage from brushing means your hair won’t stand a chance when it comes to length. Talk about growing pains.

Then again, the difference between you and some of the red carpet’s finest could simply be a change in your regimen. Heat styling addicts take note: Step away from the hair dryer. The less you damage strands with high temps (heat weakens cuticles”>, the more you encourage the growth of long hair—healthier tresses more easily withstand breakage. Additionally, with a slew of new heat protectant lines now on the market—Tresemmé makes a new affordable line called Platinum Strength, which contains conditioning agents meant to mimic the natural lubrication strands lose with age—even flat iron junkies have no excuse to not pre-treat hair before turning up the heat. “Any kind of nourishing base will help protect your hair,” says Belkacemi. “I recommend doing a deep conditioning mask (Serge Normant’s Meta Velour is good”> once every 10 days. You would do a mask for your face, so why not your hair?” Think of it as applying moisturizer or primer before you apply your makeup. It should be that basic.

MORE: Thinking About Bangs? Get The Perfect Fringe For Your Face

Curls More Susceptible

And curly girls take note, too, because P&G research finds your hair is even more susceptible to damage. Make sure to incorporate hyper-moisturizing conditioning products into your daily routine, and pop biotin pills, which may help fortify strands.

Of course, at the end of the day, it might be unavoidable. You may have done all you can, yet it still stands that nothing is happening past your shoulders. While extensions may start to look enticing, think twice. Besides the astronomical cost, they tend to exacerbate the problem. Says Belkacemi, “Extensions at least give you a youthful feeling, psychologically. But they are also counterproductive because they pull on the scalp and can cause thinning and breakage.”

An even simpler, cheaper and infinitely cooler solution? You can still create the illusion of length with a great cut and the right texture. Belkacemi says an all-one-length, blunt and straight style will appear longest, as opposed to layers, which chop up the silhouette and draw the eye up. And if you happen to be blessed with the ultra long hair you grew out in your youth, don’t forget to take a closer look. While we could care less about those old-fashioned notions that say women of a certain age should wear shorter styles (and we hope you feel the same way!”>, there’s no denying that when you’re dealing with majorly frayed ends thanks to years of abuse and an increased frizz factor—yes, hair also gets frizzier with age—it may mean you’d be better off with a chic, “long” bob. It’s better to rock a style that looks healthy than just long. Demi be damned: You want your lengths, no matter what the measurement, to be great.

MORE: 3 Natural Oils That Improve Hair Health

By YouBeauty · Published February 23, 2013

Hairspray: It’s a word that conjures up so many images—most of them outdated.

Consider gravity-defying styles like the beehive, pompadour, über-teased bangs, and big 80’s hair; all impossible without this sticky aerosol fixative.  Hairsprays of the past did the job of holding hair in its place—perhaps too well—making these spritzes synonymous with helmet head, hard-to-wash-out lacquers, a crunchy, gummy texture and alcohol-based formulas.

But those days are over.  There are so many tricks today’s hairsprays can do—from hold to height and humidity protection—that this ‘80s staple is back in rotation.

Is hairspray back?

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Anti-Humidity

A mix of argan oil and coconut extract to nourish strands while forming a barrier against humidity (they claim it reduces frizz by 87 percent”>. This fine mist dries instantly delivering light hold.

Nexxus Frizz Defy Frizz Protection Hair Spray; $10

 

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Unscented

This European stylist favorite made landfall on our shores four short years ago and quickly found a new legion of devotee for its residue-free lasting hold that remained soft to the touch.

New this year, an unscented version: L’Oréal Paris Elnett Satin Extra Strong Hold Unscented; $15

MORE: The Hottest Haircut for Your Face  Shape

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Color Protection

Formulated without water to protect hair color, this non-dulling, fast-drying spritz gives medium, flexible hold without any flaking. Use it as a styling or finishing product.

Pureology ColourStylist Strengthening Control Zero Dulling Hairspray; $2

MORE: The Best Hair Color for You

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Variable Hold

Some styles (beachy waves”> require movement, while others (an up-do”> need to be shellacked in place. Save money and counter space with a multi-taker that lets you dial up or dial down the intensity. Three strength settings (soft, medium and strong”> render flexible hold.

Unite GO365 Hairspray; $31

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Rock Solid Hold

For those times you need to keep every single hair in place, get lasting lift and eight hours of humidity protection thanks to this hair spray’s vitamin E and antioxidant-infused Spray-Strong Complex.

Redken Forceful 23 Super-Strength Finishing Spray; $15

MORE: Weather Hair Emergencies, Solved

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Volume

Add life to limp locks by targeting the roots for fullness, lift and hold.  This formula stands up to humidity, static and UV rays—sans stickiness. Ideal for fine hair.

Big Sexy Hair Spray & Play; $16.99

MORE: The Science of Spring’s Beauty Trends

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Shine

Lock in sassy styles with a hair spray that adds luminosity without buildup. Argan oil leaves hair weightless, manageable, and touchable.

Moroccanoil Luminous Hairspray Medium; $17

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Waves

Recreate a day at the beach with a texturizing spray for a tousled, sea air texture. Mist on wet hair and air-dry or diffuse for big waves and definition that lasts.

Paul Mitchell Awapuhi Wild Ginger Texturizing Sea Spray; $18

MORE: The New Wave of Curling Irons

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Green

Love the performance of hairspray but feeling guilty about aerosol’s effects on the environment? Find all-day flexible hold in a fast-drying, flake resistant formula that’s offset by renewable energy funding for a net-zero impact on the earth’s climate.

Aveda Control Force Firm Hold Hairspray; $26

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Second Day Style

Inject some oomph into slept-on styles, blot out oils and add texture with this dry shampoo and volumizing hairspray hybrid.

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Anytime Volume Refresher; $7

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Favorite for Type 2’s

Type 2 Wavies like their hold flexible and their waves touchable, which is why DevaCurl Flexible-Hold Hairspray won the Editor’s Choice award for best finishing product for Type 2 waves. If you don’t typically use hairspray, you can rest assured that you’ll avoid the usual pitfalls with this one.

DevaCurl Flexible-Hold Hairspray; $23.95

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Favorite for Type 3’s

Type 3 Curlies look no further than Hair Rules Volumizing Hair Spray. It won the Editor’s Choice award for best finishing product for Type 3 curls because of its strong hold without any of the stickiness.

 

Hair Rules Volumizing Hair Spray; $18

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How to use it

“The difference in hairsprays today is that while they may contain some of the same styling polymers, the technology has changed to deliver hold with a soft, smooth finish while preventing frizz,” says Rodney Cutler, a stylist, salon owner and Redken Brand Ambassador. In fact, many women use hairsprays solely for their humidity-repelling powers.

“How it’s applied makes the difference with any hairspray,” says celebrity stylist Jim Crawford. “Remember: Hold the can 12 inches from the head and use a light coating for better staying power and a soft, natural look.”

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By YouBeauty · Published February 15, 2013

Hair freaking out once the temperatures drop? Achieve a balance with insight from a skincare expert. (You heard right”>.

Winter Hair Tips

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What does a skin expert know about hair?

We asked Amy McMichael, M.D., chair of the Department of Dermatology at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, N.C., how to treat your hair this winter. Why a dermatologist? Because both hair and skin are made of proteins and lipids (good fats”>, which help retain moisture.

But as the bitter winter air creeps in, even the most hair-blessed of us get flyaways and static. Being weathered with age (and, weather!”> sheds lipids in the hair, leaving you with rougher, lifeless locks.

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Do hair and skin get oily at the same rate?

According to Dr. McMichael, the rate at which both hair and skin become oily may be similar, but they must be cleansed in a different way. Although an oily scalp skin usually means oily face skin, we would never recommend cleansing the face only once a week.

Facial skin is also much more sensitive than the scalp, so daily cleansing of the face must be accomplished with mild cleansers.

MORE: No Poo for Less Oily Hair

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Why is hair drier in the winter?

Heat styling, chemical straighteners and coloring agents all can strip the lipids and allow damage to the hair shaft. This is why it is important to use moisturizing shampoos and conditioners (try Pantene Daily Moisture Renewal“> that are geared towards your hair type. For those with thin hair, too-heavy moisturizers will leave the hair limp and too greasy, while too-light moisturizing products will not help enough for thick damaged hair.

MORE: Winter Hair Products for Healthy, Moisturized Curls

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How to moisturize hair without looking like a greaseball

Shampoo and conditioning products geared to hair type (thin, thick, color or chemical treated”> will help. But often, this will not be enough to coat the hair for the all the days between washing.

To help maintain a more moisturized hair shaft, daily leave-on products can be very helpful in the maintenance of smooth hair shafts, minimizing frizz, as well as minimizing the heavy weighed-down feeling that a wash-off conditioning product will cause if left on the hair.

Among other agents, products with dimethicone-coating agents work nicely to smooth the hair without leaving it greasy. However, a high concentration of dimethicone in products can cause a very oily hair shaft. (If it’s high on the ingredient list, it’s safe to assume there’s more of it!”>

MORE: Silicate & Silicone Hair Products: The Real Dirt

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Washing your hair

According to Dr. McMichael, there is no right frequency for hair washing. If your hair has a tendency to be oily, washing may need to be as frequent as daily. But this may change in the winter when humidity is low and hair washing can be more like every other day or less frequently.

What is important is to cleanse the scalp at least weekly in most cases. This will allow the scalp and hair to be cleansed of the dirt and sebum that attaches itself to the hair follicles through the week. For some women with very kinky or curly hair, hair washing frequency may be as low as every other week.

MORE: How Often Should You Wash Your Hair?

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By YouBeauty · Published February 1, 2013

“Every strand of hair has a blood supply, and reflects what’s going on in the body,” says Nancy Etcoff, Ph.D., psychologist at Harvard Medical School and author of “Survival of the Prettiest: The Science of Beauty.”

Hollywood is getting in on the extra-sexy volume with something we like to call mermaid waves. “It’s like mermaids are the new vampires!” says celebrity stylist Larry Sims, who tends to the locks of Eva Longoria and Kerry Washington. “Mermaid waves differ from beach waves in that they’re more polished and glamorous, with a distinct Hollywood feel,” he adds.

Jessica Chastain and Jennifer Lawrence just rocked them at the SAG Awards, models at the Monique Lhuillier and Moschino Spring 2013 Fashion Week shows bounded down in the catwalk in them, and Amanda Seyfried can’t get enough of them.

MORE: The Psychology of Hair

If you want to get in on the action, the good news is that you can achieve mermaid waves with or without heat. Hydrated strands are essential, so use your favorite deep conditioner in the shower, or leave-in treatment once you get out. Then apply a waving spray to microfiber towel-dried strands (we like göt2be Beach Trippin’ Salt Infusion Waving Spray, $5.99 at drugstores in February.”>

Blow-dry hair if you’d like to use heat. Then wrap small inch-wide sections around a conical curler, gently finger combing through the sections once finished to soften the style, advises Sims. Or as a natural alternative, divide hair into at least two sections and braid each one. Allow the braids to air-dry, ideally overnight. Then take out your braids, gently finger comb, and show off your slamming new waves.

MORE: Haircuts for Wavy Hair

By YouBeauty · Published January 25, 2013

Michelle Obama stepped out last week sporting sassy new bangs — the type of news that makes the beauty world squeal with delight.

Bangs are hot, hot, hot right now, and we love to see FLOTUS making a beauty trend her own. Bangs are young and fun, and Michelle (can we call you Michelle?”>, in her typical, stylish way, shows that they work just as well on the over-40 set as they do on twentysomethings.

The key to bangs is making them work for your face shape and hair type. Michelle has the most universal face shape (oval”> so most bang types will look good on her, but she has a high forehead, so she chose wisely in going with longer fringe to soften the upper part of her face.

QUIZ: What’s Your Face Shape?

“Michelle Obama’s new bang is texturized, which gives a softer, piecey edge to the normal blunt style,” explains George Gonzalez of George the Salon in Chicago. “To achieve the look, ask your stylist to chip in with the tips of their shears followed by using texturizing scissors to soften the initial cut to finish.”

As for her hair type, we all know bangs on textured hair isn’t for the faint of heart. Unfortunately this look is not in the best interest of your curls coils and waves as it’ll take daily heat styling and regular trims to maintain it — but we’re pretty sure FLOTUS has people for that! 

MORE: The Best Haircuts for Every Hair Type

By YouBeauty · Published January 18, 2013

Scientist Rolanda Johnson Wilkerson, Ph.D., a hair and skin researcher at Procter & Gamble, explains hair growth and answers question on all of our minds: “Why can’t I grow my hair long?”

Hair Growth Facts

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Life Cycle

The life cycle of a single strand of hair is threefold: growing, resting, shedding.

The anagen, or growth phase, is when your hair, well, grows. This lasts between two and six years, and when it’s done, that’s as long as the hair is going to get.

In the catagen, or transitional phase, which lasts a few weeks, hair growth slows down as the hair shaft starts to lift out of the follicle.

Finally, in the telogen phase, the hair is pushed out by a new hair sprouting underneath it. Your individual hairs are all at different points in this cycle, which is why you don’t periodically go bald as new shafts push out the old! Every day, about 100 get shed out and replaced by new strands.

MORE: Curly Hair Growth Chart

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Growth rate

Each person’s hair grows at a different rate, yielding more or fewer inches in the same amount of time. One woman’s anagen phase might last three times as long as another’s, based on genetics. That math determines your ultimate hair-growth potential.

Typically, the maximum length our hair will grow is three feet, but some people’s won’t ever reach that. On the other end of the spectrum, there’s a rare genetic condition that allows people to grow their hair to the floor!

MORE: Hair Growth Cycle Myths and Facts 

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Hormones

The hair cycle is driven by hormonal fluctuations, so it may change as you enter different life stages. During pregnancy, high estrogen levels prolong the anagen stage, so hair is likely to grow both thicker and longer.

Conversely, during and after menopause, your estrogen levels drop. This can mean both slower growth and therefore shorter hair. In many cases, when a hair’s shed after the telogen phase, finer hairs will replace them causing overall thinning.

MORE: 5 Top Tips for Thinning Hair

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External factors

Most of this is beyond our control, but the way we care for our hair, our scalps and our bodies is not, and can have a huge impact on the length and health of our hair. Chemical treatments, heating and sun exposure can cause your hair to break before it’s reached its full potential.

It’s also important to make sure you’re hydrated and to eat foods with vitamins A and C — which fuel sebum production, keeping hair supple — and omega 3 fatty acids, which boost scalp health. Hair is made up of protein, so make sure you’re eating enough of that, too.

If you care for your body and hair, it can grow. Even if your personal max isn’t as long as you wish (or as long as it used to be”> good habits will keep your locks in tip-top condition.

MORE: Healthy Hair Diet for Hair Growth

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By YouBeauty · Published January 4, 2013

Natural Hair Masks

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The Broot

“Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved making my own hair masks with ingredients straight from the fruit stand,” says Samira Asemanfar, founder of Santa Monica’s new deep conditioning hair bar, The Broot. “But as I got older and life got busier, it became a hassle to actually go through the steps and then have to clean up all the mess.”

Her solution? Open a cozy hair haven — or “rehab,” as Asemanfar calls it — where clients choose from a menu of treatments whipped to order at the bar by “BrootTenders,” relax with a cup of herbal tea or coconut water and peruse soul-soothing coffee table books (no trashy, “toxic” gossip rags here”> while catching up with friends.

After masks are applied for about 15 to 20 minutes under a heater and rinsed out, clients can select to have a blow-out or simple styling, such as a braid or chignon, before walking out the door.

“We understand that women might be coloring their hair every few weeks, getting blow-outs two or three times a month and using products daily,” Asemanfar says. “Our goal is to provide a place to nourish and pamper your scalp naturally a few times a week in between to restore resilience and shine.”

Don’t live in L.A.? No worries. Check out Asemanfar’s recommendations for natural hair masks you can make right at home.

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Restructuring Mask

If strands feel brittle with split ends, try a strengthening treatment infused with banana, jojoba oil and honey to repair and hydrate.

“Banana is a natural remedy for dry, frizzy hair,” says Asemanfar. She recommends blending half of a banana with two ounces of water, then adding a quarter cup of mayonnaise, a tablespoon each of coconut, olive and jojoba oils and two tablespoons of honey. “The mask should be smooth with no large chunks of fruit,” Asemanfar says. “Strain the mixture in a strainer if necessary before applying it from roots to ends.”

Take-Out Option: The Body Shop Banana Shampoo and Banana Conditioner ($8 each”>

What you’ll need

• 1/2 banana
• 2 oz. water
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp jojoba oil
• 2 tbsp honey 

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Strengthening Mask

For overworked and processed hair, protein-rich egg is nature’s miracle. “It smoothes damaged cuticles to restore strength and shine,” Asemanfar says.

Whisk together one egg, a tablespoon each of coconut oil, olive oil and honey and two ounces of water. Add one half of a mashed banana and stir until the mask is smooth. Apply to strands for 15 minutes, then shampoo as usual.

What you’ll need

• 1 egg
• 1/2 mashed banana
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 oz. water

Take-Out Option: Organix Nourishing Coconut Milk Shampoo and Nourishing Coconut Milk Conditioner ($7 each”>

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Softening Mask

Vitamin E-dense avocado is the ultimate nourisher, and it’s already mask-like texture makes it a favorite of Asemanfar’s. In a blender, add half a ripe avocado, one egg, a tablespoon each of olive oil, coconut oil and honey, along with one ounce of water. Pulse until creamy. Apply to strands and rinse out after 20 minutes.

What you’ll need

• blender
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1 egg
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 oz. water

Take-Out Option: Burt’s Bees Avocado Butter Pre-Shampoo Hair Treatment ($9″>

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QUIZ: How Healthy is Your Hair?

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Hydrating Mask

Honey and mayonnaise work together to target dry, coarse strands and instantly make them glossy.

Mix half a ripe avocado, a quarter cup mayonnaise, one tablespoon each of coconut oil, olive oil and honey, and two ounces of water. Work the mask into your scalp to soothe dryness, then massage it in from roots to ends to maximize all-over shine.

What you’ll need

• 1/2 half ripe avocado
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp honey
• 2 oz. water

Take-Out Option: Bronner Bros Mayonnaise & Honey Crème Hair Dressing ($16″>

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MORE: We Tried It: Hair Oils

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Maintaining Mask

Mix together a mayonnaise, egg and honey mask one to two times a week to keep strands in tip-top condition. Whisk together one egg, a half cup of mayonnaise, two tablespoons of honey and one ounce of water. Apply and let it sit on strands for 15 minutes before shampooing as normal.

What you’ll need

• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 oz. water

Take-Out Option: Hollywood Beauty Mayonnaise Moisturizing Crème Oil with Egg Protein for Ends That Bend Not Break ($8″>

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