the GUEST WRITER Experiment

SOMETHING TO ADD A LITTLE JUICE TO THE SITE

I  ASKED NIK, ONE OF THE MANAGERS OF OUR GROUP, TO DO SOME GUEST

WRITING ON KILLER STRANDS  -  -  ONCE A WEEK SHE WILL BE WRITING A POST

ON HAIR FROM A DIFFERENT POV THAN MINE -  -  -  -  -  - HERS !

SOMETHING THAT COULD BE REALLY GOOD FOR EVERYONE - EVEN ME !

I'M STILL GOING TO BE WRITING MY ODD / BIZARRLY  WRITTEN POSTS 1 - 2 TIMES

  PER WEEK  - - -  SO DON'T  THINK YOU ARE GETTING RID OF ME

YOU'RE   NOT

I HAVE ALWAYS FELT AN ADDED POINT OF VIEW IS NEVER A BAD THING.

WITH THAT. . . . WELCOME NIK FOR HER VERY FIRST POST...........

You CAN color your own hair !

You know you want to color your hair. You know this blog is filled with great information on HOW to color your hair. So why haven’t you?

Maybe you are afraid of making a mistake, like I was… Today I want you to know you can color, dye, touch up your locks yourself.

Why are you still living with ugly roots, BAD color, or gray? You want to look better… and you can. Knowledge is power… this blog will help teach you the secrets

Step one: Get your hair in shape! You need to make sure your hair is ready and able to take color. Would you expect a damaged or dirty wall to hold paint flawlessly? No… so don’t color your hair without preparation and expect great results. (check out the links to the right for Hair color 101 lessons).

Step two: Do your research. Don’t let your panic drive you into being a “color cowboy…” Rushing into it, putting on the wrong thing for the wrong length of time… will only reinforce the idea that you can’t “do it yourself.” And, possibly, mean that you spend more time and more money, “undoing” the mess you just made!

Next time, we’ll talk about ways to “tread water” and buy a little time while you get ready… think about that sick feeling in the pit of your stomach when you see that bozo orange hair… or zebra stripes…. and take a deep breath. You CAN do this – but you need to do it right.

Step three: Make your list, and check it twice! After you decide what look you want, figure out what you need to buy. Disclaimer: I recommend getting the color consult and products from our own Killer Chemist, so you have truly professional products and your necessary supplies; but at LEAST read the “Parting and Sectioning,” patch test info plus the “Molly Tint-back” one & two, so that you understand how to prepare for, apply, and treat after the color.

Step four: Buy the professional product. This is NOT the place to skimp. Why spend hours preparing, and applying, product that you will be seeing for weeks – and try to save a few dollars… and get a substandard result? And check out the extra tips to help you get the maximum shine with your color, including using Gleam…


Step five: When you are ready… just do it. Don’t let fear keep you from making a wonderful change for the better.


I look forward to hearing your experiences…


Nik, guest blogger

The "LIVE" candle : have someone in your life you want to LIVE ? ?

Found:  small, cute, quaint line of natural products

 

With October being national Breast Cancer awareness month, there are literally hundreds of products that are PINK, and in your face . . . this one isn't pink but it stood out to me more than any of them. A woman named HollyBeth began a small line of natural - earth grown - organic products that was akin to her grandmother and the days she spent with her as a child. The story and as always 'the ingredients'  is what got me.

HOLLYBETH's mother also was fighting the disease - she told her she was going to name a candle after her, her mother said, "then name it LIVE because that's what I plan on doing" the candles and all the products are made from eco friendly ingredients of course. There were a couple years of my career where I made all soy candles so I know they are the very best for the environment, your lungs, your home and the scent throw has finally been mastered. No its not a super strong scent throw like the petroleum based counterparts, that will knock you out when you walk in the door - - but YOU don't WANT that either, its bad for the home and body parts I promise you!  There are a lot of people now a days that are very offended by strong scents, I feel for valid reasons. But most of the small studies I have done in this arena have shown me that the part of the scent that is offensive to most is the Phthalates (another ester !) - so if the company in question is scenting with essential oils and not fragrance oils with phthalates most are OK.

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GLOSSARY ALERT { new addition I'm trying}

Essential Oils:   An essential oil is a concentrated, hydrophobic liquid containing aroma compounds from plants. They are also known as volatile or ethereal oils, or simply as the "oil of" the plant material from which they were extracted, such as oil of clove. An oil is "essential" in the sense that it carries a distinctive scent, or essence, of the plant. Essential oils do not as a group need to have any specific chemical properties in common, beyond displaying its fragrances. This is the 'natural' choice as it is drawn directly from its source. Lavender in an essential oil is pounds and pounds of dried Lavender leaves squashed down and extracted from. Where in a fragrance oil the "lavender scent" is manufactured from something most likely having nothing to even do with a Lavender plant.                                 

Fragrance Oils:  also known as aroma oils, aromatic oils, and flavor oils, are blended synthetic aroma compounds that are diluted with a carrier like propylene glycol, vegetable oil or mineral oil. This is the most common form used in perfumes and most intricate layered fragrances. Although they are getting a lot more flak lately because of the chemical compounds that are used to make these, most of the time "stronger" and much more complicated scents. 

 

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This is just the most darling line of products . . http://www.hollybeth.net  I've requested samples to give you my normal review . . . that will be shortcoming - - -

hopefully ;-)  Killer Chemist

Hair Glossary - Shampoo section - #1

Cosmetology Science Terms - ongoing

 

Something I should have started a while ago . . . better late than not at all! An ongoing glossary of terms that I use frequently and you should know. Many hate learning new words but I suspect if they are words related to hair I will have more enthusiasts. So, please start collecting them and I will add to it once or twice every week . . .that way when I go into a post there will be a TOTAL HAIR GLOSSARY where you can look up terms I am using so you can make sense of what I hope is some profound statement and expression on that lovely mop on top of your head. If you have questions about any of them, please ask in the Comments section so I can clarify. Enjoy!

• acid........solution that has a pH below 7.0, tastes sour,turns litmus paper from blue to red
• acid balanced shampoo.. .shampoo that is balanced to the pH of skin and hair (4.5 to 5.5)
• alcohol.........readily evaporating, colorless liquid obtained by the fermentation of starch, sugar and other carbs
• alkali............solution that has pH above 7.0, tastes bitter & turns litmus paper from red to blue
• alkanolamines.......substances used to neutralize acids or raise the pH of many hair products; often used in place of ammonia
• anion.......ion with a negative electrical charge
• balancing shampoos..... shampoos that wash away excess oiliness from oily hair and scalp, while keeping the hair from drying out
• cation.....ion with a positive electrical charge
• clarifying shampoos.......................shampoos containing an acidic ingredient such as citric acid to cut through product build-up that can flatten hair; increase shine
• conditioning/moisturizing shampoos........shampoos designed to make the hair smooth & shiny, avoid damage to chemically treated hair, & improve manageability for dry and very dry hair. Look for an oil added to the formula to add moisture
• dry shampoo.. ...shampoo that cleanses hair without the use of soap & water....work excellent for adding body to lifeless and thin hair. The new ones are excellent, worth a try... especially if you have oily + super-oily hair as well as looking to add Volume to blah hair.
• hard water.....water containing certain minerals that lessen the ability of soap or shampoo to lather readily, this would not be the water you want to enhance your hair. There are water treatments, and filters for your showers to 'counter' this
• humectants...... substances that absorb moisture or promote the retention of moisture, such as glycerin, which helps when dry hair is a factor.
• medicated shampoos..... shampoos containing special chemicals and/or drugs for reducing excessive dandruff or relieving other scalp conditions
• soft water............rainwater or chemically softened water that lathers easily with soap or shampoo. The most wonderful perfect choice of water to make your hair look its best