Fortunately, you don’t have to spend a fortune on hair masques that will help repair your hair and restore its natural shine and beauty. Hair masques can be made on your own, at home, with ingredients straight from the refrigerator.

First, determine what you want the hair masque to do for your hair. If you want to condition it for example, you’ll need richer ingredients such as eggs and oil. For cleansing, you’ll need lighter properties such as vinegar and water. Here are a few quick and easy masques that you can whip up at home:

Hair Conditioner

1 teaspoon baby oil

1 egg yolk

1 cup water

Beat the egg, mix in the oil and beat the egg again. When the mixture is frothy, add water and massage into the scalp. Rinse well.

Hair Build-Up Removal

1/4 cup vinegar

1 cup water

Use this as a final rinse after washing and conditioning the hair.

There are many recipes you’ll find, and the ones that condition the hair will use moisturizing ingredients such as egg yolks, avocados, coconut milk and mayo. Mixtures that remove build-up will use baking soda, vinegar, lemon juice and ciders. Not one works better than another; instead you’ll have to find the right concoction for your own hair.

Overall, these homemade masques are a great way to care for your hair, cut down on the cost of buying expensive products and allow you to experiment with different ingredients.

Image Source: beaut.ie

Hair extensions are the latest fads in giving our hair a little extra personality. We add hair extensions to give us some additional length or to cover up a not so great hair cut. But hair extensions like our own hair must be cared for and maintained, so they will always look their best. This post is going to give you a few tips to keep your hair extensions in optimum condition.

• Before washing, be sure to brush and remove all knots and tangles. Washing prior to detangling will make the knots and tangles worse. Make sure to use a good shampoo; the dollar store brand is not a good idea. Wet hair slowly in a downward motion. Do not comb or brush extensions when wet.
• Use a soft bristle brush when brushing, and brush from the ends. Brush your hair no more than 3 times a day.
• Moisturizing your locks is important as well. Hair extensions tends to absorb moisture from your natural hair. So using a leave-in moisturizing conditioner is a plus. Be sure to use products that are agreeable with hair extensions or you will end up with a greasy head.
• Avoid heat as much as possible. They will last longer.
• When going to bed it may be beneficial to wrap your hair. And if you washed your hair, be sure it’s completely dry when you go to bed, to prevent tangling.
• Do not color, perm, or cut hair with extensions without being in the presence of a licensed beautician.
• Always swim with a cap on. This includes visits to the jacuzzi as well.

These are few tips on maintaining your hair extensions so you can keep them looking their best. No one wants to walk around with a nest on their head. But if you do not maintain and take care of your extensions that exactly what you will end up with!

Source: Buzzle

Sometimes we do not feel like messing with our own hair. In times like this we may use wigs. How do we take care of them so they always look their best? This post will give you some simple steps for basic wig care.

The first tip is beware, too much washing can damage your wig. However, the wig is still no different than real hair; it needs to be washed some. Wigs should be washed by hand in a sink. Use a small amount of shampoo, and be sure to use cool water. Allow the wig to soak a little, then gently comb through. You can then rinse and apply conditioner. Comb (NO BRUSHES EVER!) the conditioner through and rinse again. Then let it air dry. You are under no circumstances to use heat. So do not use hot water or any kind of blow dryer, or you risk the wig losing its shape or simply destroying it altogether. If it is necessary to use hair care tools to restyle, be sure to lose the lowest settings. Hair dryers should be set on cool.

When storing your wig, you need a wig stand. Do not just toss it in a dresser somewhere. It needs to be on a wig stand so it does not tangle or lose its shape or style. Keep it away from overly hot areas and any place that is prone to excess dust.

When wearing your wigs, do not brush the hair. You need to use a wide tooth comb or your fingers to get the desired effects.

Above is a video that will elaborate on what I have shared with you in this post.

Source: Ehow

Blow dry for body!

Quite often, you can get the style you seek by using nothing more than a blow dryer and a brush. Blow dryers aren’t just for drying your hair. You can use them to set your hair up for a styling session or you can use them to create the entire look. All it takes is a bit of patience and skill to have your hair looking like it was professionally styled, even though you never left the house!

Disperse your hair products thouroughly. If you use gel or shine spray on your hair, make sure to put this in before you start drying your hair. Disperse it evenly through your hair to avoid any hard, shiny or unseemly looking spots. Try to use products that are meant to help reduce the effects of heat styled hair so that you can minimize any damage to your locks.

Develop body before style. If you want to give your hair some body, try working on the roots first. Hold the hair away from the head and blow dry the roots using a continuous motion. Never let the dryer stay on one spot of your hair for too long.

Get creative with your shaping. You can use round brushes or even your finger to create curls or waves with your blow dryer. Wrap the lock around your finger or brush and dry it using continuous motion. The finger technique has the added benefit of letting you know when the dryer has been in one place too long. If your finger is getting too warm, so is your hair!

Photo Credit: TheRitters

Catch the curl!

There are a few simple tips you need to know if you’re going to use a curling iron to style your hair. Though curling your hair may look like a simple process, you can easily damage your hair if you don’t use the method to suit the needs of your particular hair. After all, you want your hair to be shiny and full of curl, not flat and fried!

Be friends with your hair products. Know the products that serve your hair best and use them wisely with your curling iron. Though you will probably want to spray you hair after you curl it so that it holds curl longer, you really make good use of your hair product if you apply it before you curl your hair. “Dirty” hair combined with the heat of the curling iron increases the amount of curl you get as well as the amount of time the curl lasts.

Keep the curling iron moving. As tempting as it is to allow the curling iron to be in one place for a long period of time, you’re actually doing damage to your hair. Instead, keep the curling iron moving to avoid damaging your hair. This is especially true of chemically treated hair that may have been colored or permed.

You get what you pay for. Not only do you want your curling iron to last, you also want it to work well. Evenly heated irons such as ceramic curling irons do a great job of creating nice, bouncy curls out of even the straightest of locks. They also heat up faster and last longer than the cheaper versions.

Photo Credit: Kathy Foust

Not sure which is better? Let’s take a look.

Characteristics of Human Hair

- Lasts for up to 1 year when treated properly

- Can be color treated

- Can be used with styling tools, including irons and blow dryers

- Versatile styling properties

- Natural look

- Ideal for special occasions such as wedding days

- Drawback: Harder to maintain; affected by rain and humidity

- Cost: $76-$400

Characteristics of Synthetic Hair

- Lasts for 1-3 months

- Easy maintenance; style is pre-set and will not be impacted by rain or humidity

- Ideal for wedding days or other special occasions

- Made to look just like real hair

- Drawback: Cannot be color-treated

- Drawback: Most cannot be used with hot styling tools, as the fibers will melt

- Cost: $50-$85

As you can see, there are some major differences between the two choices. Ultimately, it’s a personal decision that will be affected by your budget and long-term vision.

However, human hair extensions are ideal for those who plan on having extensions for a long time and want the seamless look of long hair. Synthetic choices are ideal for those who want longer hair for a special occasion and have a smaller budget to work with.

Image: myhairsextensions.com

1. Start Close to Home “Use your current color (even if it’s dyed) as a gauge when selecting your formula and never lighten or darken your hair more than two shades at one time,” says Rachel Glenn of Chicago’s Prink Salon.
2. Keep it Cool Going for a lighter look from a darker shade with a “warm” formula dye can lead to a brassy look instead. First time lighteners should look for boxes labeled ‘cool’ or ‘neutral.’
3. Grab too Much, not too Little It is common to run out of dye for many people, which leads to frustration and unevenness. Since the amount in one box is made for a person with about shoulder-length hair, those of you with thicker and longer hair should definitely buy more than one box.
4. Use Great Tools to ensure Great Results Box dyes do provide you with the tools that you do need however, these are never very good quality. Dying your hair is something for you, so make it easier and better quality by getting your own tools at a beauty supply store. i.e.- Spontex Vinyl Gloves, Color Trak Caddy Bowl and Brush
5. Test and Don’t Regret Well, usually. Do a test on a little bit of hair from root to tip underneath all of the rest to see how it will actually look against your hair color.
6. Touch up with Caution Roots with a different tone than the rest of your hair is a dead give-away that you do your own hair. Take extra caution. Having a reliable friend help or a three-way mirror will help you to get just the roots. If your whole head needs to be freshened then add dye to the rest of your hair during the last 5 minutes.
7. Love your Locks Maintaining your dyed hair will help it to keep its fresh color more vibrant. Find shampoos formulated for your color-treated hair and conditioner to use at least once a week.i.e.- Kerastase Reflection Bain Miroir Shampoo and Chroma Masque
8. Aging IS Beautiful “To cover grays, choose an allover shade that falls between your new silver strands and the color you had as a child,” says Patty Slattery, director of L’Oreal Technical Center. “This softens your face and camouflages regrowth.”
9. Cosset Your Curls Curlier hair tends to be more sensitive than straighter hair, so the dying process should be more mild. Curls usually tend to become dryer and are more porous, so it absorbs dye faster and is more susceptible to damage. To get the results you want without hurting your lovely curls, dilute your hair dye by replacing a quarter of the activator with distilled water, says Ouidad, of Manhattan’s Ouidad Salon. Continue the rest of the process as the instructions say.
10. Be Bold and Fearless “Hair color is like an accessory,” says Marcy Cona, Clairol’s color director. “Play with shades lighter, darker, or redder than you usually choose. You might make a pleasant discovery.”

Thank you, Marie Claire

Image c/o Jaincotech.com

References

1. www.essortment.com

Image c/o Associated Content

Images c/o Amphigory

Pros:

• More hair styles and options
• Some men love long hair
• Less neck sunburns
• Better for winter

Cons

• Have to keep up with it
• Can get in the way
• Very annoying on windy days or when gum is in it
• You’ll spend more money taking care of it

Image c/o Smarter.com