Beauty Ideas» Hair Types

Caring for baby’s hair

Claudie Jasper — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:28:54 +0000

There’s really no way to predict what kind of hair your baby will have before it is born, or, to be honest, whether baby will have any hair at birth at all. Many children come into the world with little or no hair, while others have a nice little mop on top.
If your baby has hair, even very fine hair, it should be washed regularly. But regularly, for a newborn, does not mean daily. Baby’s skin, and therefore scalp, is sensitive, and as he or she isn’t particularly active in the first few months, there’s no need to wash their hair more than a few times a week. Don’t panic if you baby has “cradle cap”, or dry and flaky scalp, as this is common and not harmful.

Here are a few tips to follow when washing baby’s hair:

Always use a product formulated for babies. We love Klorane’s Gentle Protective shampoo. It’s easy to rinse and won’t sting baby’s eyes.
If baby has quite a bit of hair, use a soft boar bristle brush to take out any tiny tangles before wetting the hair.
Wet the hair with lukewarm water and lather the shampoo in gently. Rinse well with warm water. A good baby shampoo will rinse out quickly.
Don’t go overboard on the products. Baby’s hair doesn’t need anything more than a quality shampoo; conditioners are unnecessary. Keep those for when your child has long hair.
Always check the water temperature first and never leave baby alone in the bath, even for a few seconds; accidents happen.

Caring for Children’s Hair

Claudie Jasper — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 13:03:08 +0000

What parent hasn’t wanted to scream in frustration when trying to wash, de-tangle or merely convince their child to wash his or her hair? While some children love having their hair washed, no one like getting knots combed out or having lice medication applied.

Here are a few golden rules when it comes to caring for your little one’s hair:

Set a good example when they are still young and impressionable. Hygiene habits are most easily communicated through imitation, so if your child sees that you wash and brush your hair regularly, it’ll make a difference.
Wash your child’s hair every few days if you live in an urban area, and a bit less if you live in the country. Use conditioner only on curly or dry hair.
Wash with a gentle shampoo formulated for babies if your child is under six, and use a frequent-use shampoo as they get older.
Brush, brush, brush. The only way to avoid tangles and knots is to brush their hair every day (this applies mostly to girls, of course) using a natural bristle brush. Give one to your child as a present and encourage her to brush on her own.
Stay on the lookout for dandruff and lice. See our lice post for the most effective way to combat these nasty creatures.
If your child is seriously averse to having his or her hair washed, involve them in the process—let them squeeze out the shampoo, or do a little role reversal: let them wash your hair after you’ve done theirs.
Keep the styling products to a minimum. Children don’t need a whole battery of products; they’ll catch up when they are older!

The Beauty of Red Hair

Claudie Jasper — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:08:19 +0000

From auburn and crimson to copper, redheads are a rarity—some figures put them at between 1 and 2% of the world’s population—which is perhaps what makes them so prized. Those women sporting red locks, which are most common in Northern Europe, mainly England, Scotland and Ireland, also usually have pale, freckly sun-sensitive complexions.
While strands of red hair are the thickest—bypassing blonde, brown and black hair—they are also the least dense, so taking good care of your red tresses and watching out for hair loss is essential. Redheads should wash their hair with gentle shampoos and conditioners and apply hair masks at least once a week. Since red hair is sun-sensitive, like a redhead’s skin, it’s advisable not to expose it too much to the sun’s rays. Redheads should wear a hat whenever possible, and when swimming it would be wise to apply a UV-protection product and moisturize well afterwards.
Since all hair darkens over time, including red hair, you can easily use a home remedy to bring out your original color. Hibiscus and rosehips are both natural ways of boosting your red color. Steep several tablespoons of either hibiscus or rosehips in hot water for 10 minutes or so, and once the solution is lukewarm, pour over your hair and wrap up for about an hour. Wash out with gentle, frequent-use shampoo, such as Beauty-id’s Daily Shampoo.
If you aren’t a natural redhead but would love a fiery head of hair, consult your hair stylist to know which shade would be the most suited to your complexion, as the wrong red could have truly disastrous results!
If you are a redhead or a redhead wannabe, share your thoughts, tips or advice!

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Brunettes Have Just as Much Fun

Claudie Jasper — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:02:15 +0000

While brown hair may be considered common, hum-drum, and way less glamorous than blonde hair, it also has a wide and rich variety of shades, ranging from brownish black to light brown.
Brown hair, which is genetically dominant over blonde, is due to a higher concentration of melanin in the hair shaft, and is often matched with brown eyes and a more even, or sometimes olive skin tone. It is the second-most common hair color after black hair.
On the plus side brown hair is generally thicker than its blonde counterpart, with around 100,000 strands per head, versus 140,000, but thinner strands on a blonde head of hair.
However, as hair ages, the contrast between gray or white strands and brown hair shows up much more than in blonde hair, causing many natural brunettes to resort to coloring their hair as soon as the first gray culprits appear. For easy tips on boosting your natural hair color, visit our home remedies pages.
Brown hair also has a tendency to lack in the shine department, and be duller than other hair colors. This means that brunettes must be vigilant and keep their hair moisturized with quality conditioners—try Beauty-id’s Daily Conditioner for a boost of moisture—and protecting it from the sun. You can boost your hair’s shine factor at home by rinsing with cool water after every shampoo, which helps to close the hair cuticle and make the light reflect more. An occasional vinegar rinse is also a fine way to encourage shine, but don’t go overboard or it will dry out your hair.
If you have brown hair and want to share your natural hair remedies or just sound off on your color, feel free to share, we’d love to hear about it!

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Being a Natural Blonde

Claudie Jasper — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:47:53 +0000

Although a large percentage of babies and children have naturally blonde hair, it is less common to keep those golden locks as you grow older, as hair has a tendency to darken with time. Naturally blonde hair is most common in the Northern regions of the globe, such as Scandinavia, with hair types becoming darker the further south one travels.
Perhaps it’s because of its rarity that blonde is such a sought-after color—some statistics claim that less than 3% of the world’s population has naturally blonde hair—and not just because blondes (supposedly) have more fun!
Blonde hair comes in a rainbow of shades, from ash blonde’s grayish tint to strawberry blonde’s reddish hue.
So what makes hair blonde? It’s mainly down to a lower level of melanin pigment in the hair shaft, which almost always gives the hair some shade of yellow. On the down side, naturally blonde hair is thinner than other hair colors, but it makes up for that by having more of it, in other words blonde hair is denser than brown or red hair.
Blondes also have it easier as hair ages, as gray or white strands blend well with naturally blonde hair, making coloring to cover up the gray much less of a priority.
Naturally blonde hair only needs a little push from nature to keep its color. From chamomile rinses to lemon juice, there are many ways to lighten your locks without booking a visit to the hair salon. Visit our natural color recipes page to learn more about maintaining your particular shade of blonde.
If you have other novel and natural ways to boost your blonde shade, feel free to share your tips and tricks!

Get To Know Your Hair Type!

Rino Jasper — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 20:52:01 +0000

Understanding your hair needs and what products address those needs begins with knowing what kind of hair you have.

Here are six main categories:

All hair types, otherwise known as normal hair, combines the best of both worlds—not too oily and not too dry. There isn’t a golden rule when it comes to caring for normal hair, but shampooing every few days is a good idea, while conditioning three to four times weekly is also advised. Use a frequent-use shampoo.
Dry hair is signalled by split ends, easy breakage and a general lack of moisture. Don’t skimp on your haircare products—dry hair needs to be regularly moisturized and conditioned. Choose a shampoo formulated for dry, brittle hair and use a conditioner every time you shampoo. A mask or intensive moisturizing treatment is also a must, especially if you apply a lot of styling products and/or regularly blow-dry your hair.
Color-treated or permed hair is more fragile than other hair types, and demands extra care and more visits to the salon. For colored hair, choose products that can prolong and intensify your shade, while permed hair needs products that provide intense hydrating properties. Permed hair also necessitates a cut or trim every month or so.
Stressed hair has taken a beating either from the elements (sun, sea…) or from chemical processing. This exposure often results in brittle, straw-like locks that are in dire need of conditioning and care. Always use a gentle shampoo geared to revitalizing overworked hair. (Beauty-id’s Vitality Shampoo with ginseng and mandarin extracts will do wonders!) Condition your hair every time you wash, and don’t forget to put on a hair mask either weekly or bi-weekly, depending on how dry your hair is.
Combination hair means an oily scalp and dry shaft. This hair type is often attributed to over-processing. Once again, favor gentler shampoos and wash every other day. Don’t apply products that are too harsh, or “attack” the sebum—your glands will only produce more oil in protest! Towel-dry your hair rather than blow-drying. Regularly apply a mask to the dry parts of your hair.
Fine and Fragile hair hair needs a lot of loving care. Fine hair means that the strands have a smaller diameter than normal hair, but you can have lots of it. Fragile hair more often than not comes from overprocessing and/or excessive exposure to the sun or chlorine. Don’t go overboard on perms and coloring as fine hair is more susceptible to damage and has a harder time "bouncing back". Go easy on styling products as these will weigh down your hair and give you even less volume than you may naturally have.

No matter what your type, brushing daily with a natural-bristle brush does a head of hair good!

All You Need to Know About Hair Texture

Rino Jasper — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:59:11 +0000

Your hair texture doesn’t depend on whether your locks are curly, straight or frizzy. Fine, medium, coarse or thick hair exists in all these categories. So where does your hair’s texture come from? It’s all down to the actual circumference of the hair shaft—thick hair has the largest, while thin has the smallest. The circumference of the shaft comes from the actual size of the hair follicle lodged in our scalp; larger follicles produce thicker hair, while, you guessed it, small follicles make thinner hair. However, all is not lost—someone with very fine hair can have a lot of it and appear to have a truly thick mane!

You can also have different textures in the same head of hair—some can be thicker on the crown of the head and thinner along your neckline.
While we all dream of having thick, voluminous hair, the reality is that even thick hair has its drawbacks. It can be more resistant to treatments, such as coloring or perms, and more difficult to style.
Fine hair, meanwhile, is likely to be overly susceptible to processing and more easily damaged, but will hold styling products well.

No matter what your hair texture, using a quality shampoo, conditioner and mask (listen to your hair stylist’s recommendations!) and eating right will give you the healthiest head of hair possible.

For those of you who still despair about having thin hair, try this home-made hair mask* once a week to give your hair a bit more volume.

Blend 5 parts olive oil to 1 part patchouli essential oil and 1.5 parts palmarose essential oil. Apply one hour prior to shampooing.

*Courtesy of Secrets de Beauté au Naturel, Flammarion