Personal Care & Style Articles

Cheat Sheet / Updated 12-01-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio If you want to cut hair, you'll need a few tools to get started. Once you feel comfortable with haircutting, these tips will help you gain the trust of children, your family and friends; give touch-ups to prolong the life of a style; and approach new styles with confidence.

Article / Updated 11-15-2022

Listen to the article:Download audio There are so many reasons we can feel negatively about our hair. People with natural, curly hair have not been seen as a thing of beauty for so long. Black women, especially, have been conditioned and treated like they are unattractive for having natural hair, and some women have internalized this hatred and adjusted their hair accordingly. A client of mine recently pointed out how she and her close friends often feel great pressure to process and straighten their hair due to their experience with men and dating and other negative influences within the community. So many men have been conditioned to want and be attracted to a particular representation of beauty because of the relentless standards set by the media. We have seen straight hair put out as the normal, acceptable standard for so long that it’s shaped entire generations. This, too, is trauma. Time to heal and embrace your natural beauty Unhealthy beauty standards have been ingrained in Western culture by systems underpinned by totally toxic ideas. But the time has come to heal. You need to reclaim your power and your beauty, and move beyond self-hatred. Refuse to buy into the toxicity. Refuse the negativity and trauma. I encourage you to be honest about who you are and only surround yourself with people who see you, support you, and celebrate you. This is your moment. This is the natural and curly haired community’s moment to step into the spotlight. Okay, look — I don’t want to spend time and energy on what the natural and curly hair community has or doesn’t have. I’m here to focus on building our community up, to help lift us up. That’s how we celebrate ourselves. Stigma against curly hair But the truth is the truth. Those of us who have natural hair already know it. But maybe you’re someone who doesn’t have textured hair and you’re reading this to understand a loved one. If you don’t already know, people who have natural and curly hair regularly face discrimination, misunderstandings, and misconceptions about their hair, all based in centuries-old racism that plays out in media, workplaces, and schools, among other institutions. Unfortunately, you can find so many examples of the systemic discrimination that Black and Afro-Latinidad people who have natural hair face. One national news story that absolutely enraged me when I saw it back in 2019 still stays with me today. Before his wrestling match, a 16-year-old high school student in New Jersey was told by officials that his hair covering didn’t meet “regulation standards.” They presented him with an ultimatum: cut his dreads or forfeit the match. Without so much as a word from his coach, the athletic director, or any other staff member from his school, he faced the decision alone. And there, in front of a whole gymnasium of his peers and members of the community, an official cut off his dreadlocks. He went on to win the wrestling match that day, but the humiliation of having his hair carelessly cut off due to policies that do not represent everyone equally may never fade. This student’s natural state of being was deemed unacceptable and deserving of immediate destruction. And this scenario, in some form or another, plays out in schools and workplaces across the country, literally every day. How dare they perpetuate this level of hatred and trauma on children — and adults! The natural and curly hair community faces unfair treatment and downright stupidity from some people and systems. Because these prejudices are so deeply ingrained, society, as a whole, can find even recognizing them difficult, let alone combating them. But I’m not going to stop trying. I’m here to do my part to stop the stigma, by building the natural and curly hair community up; by saying enough to the discrimination from others and the way we internalize it ourselves. It’s time to stop. And it’s time to heal. And that means everyone. Parents and guardians of kids with textured hair If you’re a parent of a textured-haired child, you need to know the reality of prejudices and racism, and then smash this stigma for your child (or other loved one). Natural and curly hair is beautiful and glorious. From the moment your child who has textured hair is born (or the moment you become their guardian), celebrate their beautiful hair at every turn. And if you have natural hair — or you want to wear your hair in its natural state but are fighting against these negative forces — then I’m here to tell you something: They might be powerful, but you are more powerful!

Article / Updated 11-08-2022

The most basic way to take care of your curly and textured hair is to wash it, but you need to know a lot about how to handle your hair when it’s wet and, quite frankly, the most vulnerable. If you’re like most people, you probably have a love-hate relationship with your beautiful kinks, coils, and curls: especially on wash day. Each week, you procrastinate as much as possible by co-washing or using your favorite style-refresher products to go as long as you can between washes. Am I right? I know it’s not that you don’t want clean hair. It’s all the sectioning, detangling, pre-washing (if needed), shampooing and conditioning, setting, drying, and finally styling. It’s exhausting. Trust me, I get it. Here’s the trick, though: Creating a routine and sticking to it can make wash day less of a chore and more of a delightful experience. Wash days should be experimental and fun — and hopefully something to look forward to. If you’ve lost the joy in your wash day (or never had it), I’m here to help. In this article, I go over how often to wash your hair, how and when to detangle, the joys of co-washing, and (most importantly) how to properly shampoo and condition, along with other tips you can use for wash day. Set your wash day Of course, your wash-day schedule all depends on your specific hair type and texture, but as a professional, I generally recommend that folks wash their hair at least once per week. You can go longer between washes, but don’t go any longer than two weeks. If you have finer hair or extra buildup, you can try washing your hair twice a week. Choose whatever schedule works best for your needs. Just keep in mind that to have a successful wash day, you need to do all the steps I outline in this article — and do them in order! Make sure you have time for detangling, shampooing, conditioning, and any drying or additional styling at the end. So, choose a day in which you have at least a couple of free hours. You can’t rush good hair care! If you have especially coarse, dry, or damaged hair, you can use another technique called co-washing, where you use conditioner in place of shampoo. Ow! Detangling your hair The first step of any wash day is detangling. For some people, detangling their hair can be the most tedious and time-consuming process of a wash day. But fear not! I’ve got you covered from root to tip. The detangling process is different from person to person, but here’s some guidance that can help you minimize excessive snagging and breakage. First and foremost, set aside enough time. Detangling can take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes. I know, I know. You might be tempted to skip this step, but don’t. If you wash your hair without thoroughly combing and detangling your hair first, you can make your tangles worse by matting them when you add shampoo and excessive water during the wash step. I don’t recommend detangling dry hair because it’s less flexible than wet, and you can end up damaging your hair’s cuticle. However, if you choose to detangle your hair dry, do not rush! Go very slowly! It’s important to be extra gentle to avoid snapping strands or damaging that cuticle. And if you have extra thick or coarse hair, you’re going to have to dig deep and be extra patient. When you’re preparing to detangle your hair, you can make the process go more smoothly if you have the right tools on hand. Get yourself: A rat tail comb A wide-tooth comb Your favorite detangling product to add some slip (lubrication that reduces friction, making it easier to move combs or fingers through your hair) to your hair strands A few clips or ties Now that you have the right tools at the ready, follow these steps to detangle your hair: Use a rat tail comb to section your hair into at least four to eight sections, depending on how thick and dense your hair is. You can use hair clips, hair ties, or loose plaits (braids) to keep the sections separate. Working in small sections makes your hair more manageable and ensures that you’re thoroughly removing all the knots. Pre-sectioning can help give you more control over your mane and set you up to properly detangle. I’ve been a professional hairstylist for over 20 years, and still to this day, one of my most useful styling practices is pre-sectioning. Add a softening agent to your hair, such as a detangling or leave-in conditioner. Keeping your curls hydrated while detangling creates important slippage. If your hair is extra tangled, try finger detangling first. After sectioning and moistening your hair, start at the ends of one section. Slowly separate the hair in that section with your hands, removing shed hair, tangles, and knots while you go. Take your time. If you rush and try to yank or pull, you could damage or break your hair further.Also, if your hair isn’t very tangled at all, you may be able to get away with just finger detangling and don’t need to continue on to the rest of these steps! Comb the hair out with a wide-tooth comb or a detangling brush, one section at a time. Start at the ends and work out any knots while you travel up to the roots. This process prevents unnecessary tugging and pulling at the roots, which causes more damage. Use a plastic cap to cover the sections that you haven’t detangled yet. This cap helps stop your hair from drying up. With curly hair, you need to create as little friction as possible, so detangle your hair only on wash day, as long as you can keep it in good condition between washes. In other words, detangle only once every one or two weeks. You may find the need to finger detangle a little more often between wash days if you’re styling has interrupted your curls, or you forgot to sleep in your bonnet, or something like that. Sleeping in a silk or satin head covering or on silk or satin pillowcases can help minimize friction and maintain your curls between wash days.

Article / Updated 11-08-2022

Hair types are separated into four categories, and then into three subcategories: Types 1 through 4, and then A, B, or C for each number. For each type (and subtype), I describe the characteristics so that you can pick the type that seems most like yours. I’m focusing on hair types 2c to 4c, which are shown in the chart below. Curls come in all shapes and sizes, and you might even have more than one hair type on your head, so don’t be surprised if you recognize yourself in more than one description. However, most people typically have a dominant hair type, so if your multitextured hair is confusing to you, just focus on the most dominant one (the one you have the most of). Type 2 Type 2 falls somewhere between straight and curly hair. It’s normally flat at the root of the hair follicle. Most people think of Type 2 hair as wavy, and it ranges from gently tousled textures to S-shape defined waves. You can have fine to coarse Type 2 hair, but it’s typically fine. Here are the three kinds of Type 2 hair: 2a: Loose, stretched S-shaped waves 2b: More distinct S-shaped waves 2c: The most defined S-shaped waves that can form loose ringlets and spirals (see the image below) Of the three Type 2 subcategories, 2c is the closest to curly hair types, so I want to give you a detailed description of 2c. Type 2c hair can require a lot of maintenance. Here are a few good habits to help keep your tresses happy and healthy: Use a clarifying and volumizing shampoo on wash day. Depending on how oily and weighed down your hair gets, you might want to shampoo twice a week. Use a lightweight conditioner, and focus your application of it towards the ends of your hair. Heavy conditioners can cause your hair to fall flat and limp. Alternatively, you can go with a light leave-in conditioner. Try products that add moisture and volume/thickness. Volumizing and thickening products help thicken your fine hair without weighing it down. Air-dry your hair until it’s about 75 percent dry before you style it. Wet hair is very fragile and can easily break while you pull and stretch it. If you use a diffuser, be sure to dry your hair with your head upside down to create volume at the roots. Schedule regular hair trims. Get a trim every six to nine weeks. Because fine hair is so fragile, it tends to split more often. Regular trims prevent your split ends from traveling up the hair shaft. Try to limit heat styling. Fine hair is vulnerable to breakage. Because heat styling can accelerate breakage, I don’t advise it. Don’t overuse your styling product. Apply your favorite products sparingly. With fine hair, a little goes a long way. Choose mid- to shoulder-length hair cuts that use textured layers. Long, fine hair can stretch your curls out, causing your hair to appear much thinner than it actually is. The ends are the oldest part of your strands, so when you leave them on, they are less full. Keeping a shorter hair cut keeps it looking fuller because the hair closest to the root is the newest and thickest. Apply protein treatments monthly. Most hair types can benefit from protein treatments. It makes the hair stronger and adds a layer of protection for fragile hair. Type 3 Type 3 hair is S-shaped curly hair that ranges from springy, tight corkscrew curls to loose, bouncy curls with more volume at the roots (see the image below). Type 3 hair has some shine, but if you don’t give it enough hydration, these curls can have issues with frizz and curl definition (which is how well and clearly you can see the shape and pattern of each curl individually). Type 3 hair can be fine to coarse, but it’s typically medium-textured. Here are the three kinds of Type 3 hair: 3a: Big, loose, well-defined spiral curls 3b: Bouncy, tighter ringlets and spiral-shaped curls that have a lot of volume 3c: Even tighter, corkscrew curls on the verge of Type 4 curls Type 3c hair can experience shrinkage, where your hair strands appear shorter when they’re wet. Type 3 hair is less fragile than Type 2, but you still need to nurture it properly. Here are some good habits to keep them curls poppin’: Detangle every wash day. Type 3 hair can be prone to matting if you don’t detangle it before shampooing. Need me to walk you through that process? Use traditional shampoos and conditioners once a week. Type 3 hair tends to need more styling products than Type 2, so shampooing weekly prevents buildup. Also, your curls yearn for moisture. Conditioning weekly keeps your moisture balance consistent. Schedule regular hair trims. Get a trim every six to nine weeks. Switch to deep conditioners or a hair mask every other wash day. You can apply these products in addition to or instead of your traditional conditioner. Deep conditioners and hair masks penetrate deeper into your hair’s cuticle and help prevent frizz, enhance curl definition, hydrate the hair, and restore your curls. Add slip with leave-in conditioners. Leave-in conditioners give your curls slip (that means they reduce friction and allow curls to move freely). They also add moisture, making your hair more manageable and easier to detangle. Use oils or oil-based styling products. When it comes to moisturizing natural hair, water is the holy grail. Oils and oil-based products help seal and trap moisture in your hair. Type 4 Type 4 hair has S-shaped or zigzag curls that are very tightly coiled (see the images below). These curls are normally described as coily and kinky. Type 4c hair can shrink more than 50 percent of its actual length when wet. Because we’re all uniquely made, 4c hair can have fine to coarse texture. But the most common 4c texture is coarse and may have noticeable curls with less definition. Here are the three kinds of Type 4 hair: 4a: Tightly coiled S-shaped curls that begin at the scalp and continue throughout the shaft to the ends 4b: More tightly curled than 4a hair, with more of a zigzag curl pattern 4c: Super tight zigzag curl patterns with less curl definition Good habits for Type 4 hair are similar to the habits for Type 3 hair, but Type 4 comes with a few tweaks and extra tips: Detangle first, as always. Detangling is important for all wash day routines. Make sure you detangle your hair to keep it healthy and unmatted. Weekly, first detangling your hair, then use a moisturizing shampoo or shampoos formulated for coarse hair. Some shampoos for coarse hair may be listed as sulfate-free. Every wash day, use a deep conditioner or hair mask. You can use this deep conditioner either with or instead of your regular conditioner. Incorporate steam treatments biweekly with your conditioner, deep conditioner, or hair mask. Steam treatments can moisturize and hydrate all types, but it really helps coarse hair get the extra hydration that it needs. Limit using alcohol-based products. Although these products help tame your hair, they can strip hair of moisture. Instead of alcohol-based products, use oils and creams that help seal moisturize and hydrate. Use a detangling brush while your hair is wet. Detangling brushes help remove knots, which keeps your hair from breaking and becoming damaged. Schedule regular trims. Coarse hair can be prone to split ends because of its tendency to be dry. I recommend getting regular trims every eight to ten weeks. Try co-washing biweekly. Co-washing may or may not work for you, but it doesn’t hurt to give it a try. Sleep with a silk or satin head covering or pillowcase, which protect all hair types. These fabrics reduce friction, frizz, flyaways, and breakage, so you can more easily maintain your curls.

Cheat Sheet / Updated 10-17-2022

Natural and Curly Hair For Dummies gives you great guidance on how to keep your natural and curly hair healthy and looking great — from the ins and outs of washing and conditioning, to styling for fashion or protection, and even taking care of your child’s textured hair. This handy cheat sheet contains quick info that you can use on the fly, whether at home, shopping for natural hair products, or at the salon.

Video / Updated 03-09-2018

If you really want to make an impression, it's important to know how to tie a tie. Whether it's a job interview or a first date, a perfectly knotted tie can make all the difference. Watch this video for step-by-step instructions illustrating the easiest way to tie your own tie. With a few simple moves, you'll learn how to tie a tie and be dressed to impress!

Article / Updated 06-01-2017

Several types of lice can infest your home; having an outbreak or full-blown lice infestation can be unpleasant. But with a little time, diligence, and an anti-lice arsenal, you can get rid of all types of lice within one to two weeks. Follow these five easy steps to get rid of lice once and for all. Determine the type of lice that have targeted you, your home, or your pets. Choose a treatment that will be most effective. Wash all linens and clothing during the lice extermination period. Avoid cross contamination of lice-infested areas and vacuum thoroughly. Apply a second wave of treatment and repeat Steps 3 and 4 as needed. Keep in mind infestations are most common in areas where people or pets are in close contact with each other. For example: kennels, schoolyards, and offices. Clearly you and members of your household can't avoid all areas where an infestation can occur, but it isn't the end of the world either. On average as many as 12 million people are infected with lice worldwide every year and cleanliness has nothing to do with whom the lice decide to target. Types of lice that affect people Only three types of lice affect humans directly: body lice, head lice, and pubic lice. Body lice — similar in shape to head lice, body lice live in and cement their eggs in the seams of clothing, they feed less often than other lice, and are generally larger in size. Head lice — located primarily on the head/scalp, they cement their eggs, also known as nits, to the hair shafts and feed on blood at the base of the hair follicle. Pubic lice — distinctly different from head and body lice, pubic lice are typically only found in the pubic and perianal areas of the body. Sometimes found in eyebrows and eyelashes, pubic lice, also known as crab lice, are shaped just like their title suggests — small crabs. Several types of pet lice also exist. They look similar to head and body lice but are usually found only on household pets like dogs and cats and are pet specific. Don't be alarmed. While all lice need blood to survive, they can feed only on the blood of their host species. This means if one of your pets is infected with lice, it will not transfer to you or any other member of your household. Lice treatment Once you have determined the type of lice that need eradicated from your environment, you are ready to choose the method of treatment that will work best for your situation. Getting rid of body lice Removing body lice from your home is easy because body lice don't actually live on the body but on clothing and fabrics. Shower regularly and thoroughly with soap and water. Apply lotions or creams to help with itch. Throw away infested clothing. Because body louse eggs survive one month and are laid in the seams and cracks of fabrics, some fabrics may need cleaned several times or simply thrown in the trash. When in doubt, throw it out! If you are experiencing symptoms of body lice but have not found any louse or nits in the seams of any of your clothing, then Streptomyces scabies might be the culprit. Contact your physician for further advice or assistance. Streptomyces scabies, also known as just plain scabies, is a microscopic skin mite that will invade your skin by burrowing and laying its eggs under several layers of your epidermis. Symptoms of lice and scabies are so similar that often a misdiagnosis can occur. Getting rid of head lice Although chemicals and medicated soaps or ointments are the most effective way to treat an outbreak, you can combat lice and their nits naturally. Removing head lice can be done in many ways and is usually most effective if you combine several of the following methods: Use a shampoo with pediculicide. Use ointment or mouse containing piperonyl butoxite. Remove lice and nits with a nit comb. Try an oil treatment (usually coconut oil.) Use apple cider vinegar in conjunction with the nit comb. Apply essential oils. Consider hair removal. Always apply medications according to the instructions on the tube or bottle. If you experience symptoms of head lice, but no lice or nits are present, then Trombiculidae chiggers may be the culprit. Contact your physician for further advice or assistance. Chiggers, like scabies, are small mites that specifically target the scalp regions of their victims. These mites don't burrow but instead inject enzymes to damage human tissue. The larvae then feed on the damaged tissue. The damaged tissues also harden around the injection area creating a feeding tube for easy access to food. Getting rid of pubic lice Pubic lice or crab lice is typically transferred from one person to another via sexual contact. Besides the genital area, crab lice can live in other areas of the body with coarse hair — for example: eyebrows, ears, and armpits — and can be contracted from these areas but this occurrence is less common. Removing crab lice is nearly the same process as removing head lice: Remove the lice and nits with a nit comb. Apply medicated shampoos and ointments. Shave or wax affected areas. Try an oil, vinegar, or salt treatment. Only use Lindane shampoo as a last resort. Lindane shampoo contains pesticides that act as a nerve agent. If you leave the shampoo in your hair for more than 4 minutes, more lindane may absorb into your skin than recommended. Studies have linked lindane to strokes, seizures, and other nerve damage. If you experience itching and burning associated with crab lice but do not see any of the lice or nits, then you may have a more serious sexually transmitted disease (STD.) Contact your physician for further advice or assistance. Getting rid of pet lice It's no big surprise that getting rid of pet lice is a similar process: Purchase over-the-counter lice medications like shampoos and ointments. Use a collar treated to kill lice. Try rubbing coconut or essential oils into your pet's fur. Bathe your pets regularly. Trim or shave your pet's hair. Comb your pet's fur thoroughly with a fine-toothed comb. While you are treating the infected pet, if at all possible, leave them outside. This will ensure that when the treatment is finished, they will not recontaminate themselves from eggs left in the house. Take your pet to the veterinarian if the lice do not go away after you've tried treatment. Lice cleanup With all lice outbreaks, it is important that you wash all fabrics with which the infected person or pet came into contact. Because lice like to lay eggs pretty hastily, multiple outbreaks are possible if you aren't vigilant about removing them quickly and completely. Vacuum your whole house thoroughly and use a steam cleaner if possible. When cleaning fabrics like linens, bedding, clothing, and curtains, use the hottest water your washing machine can output combined with a harsh detergent like color-safe bleach. Use spray disinfectants on fabrics you can't clean and inspect for eggs or signs of life. Louse are sensitive to high temperatures and chemicals and typically only can live 24 hours without a food source. Their nits, on the other hand, can survive 10 days before they hatch, and the whole process starts all over again.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Although you see a lot of media and marketing hype about wellness these days, you never really hear anything about what a detrimental lifestyle can do to hair. Hair damage may not seem like such a big deal because hair doesn't become overweight or suffer from a fatal disease. Yet, when hair is damaged, every day can be a bad hair day — something that most people find depressing. Avoid habits that cause damage Some lifestyle habits can prove to be deadly to hair: Frolicking under UV rays: No matter whether you're at the beach, by the pool, or at your local tanning salon, UV rays fade color and cause dryness and brittleness to the point that the only practical solution is to cut off the damage with your scissors. Sun streaks in the hair, by the way, are a sure sign of sun damage. To solve this dilemma, suggest to all your sun gods and goddesses that they wear hats, use hair products containing antioxidant or sunscreen ingredients, and do deep conditioners — those that are recommended remain on the hair five minutes or longer — as frequently as once a week. Compromising the health of hair by taking too many shortcuts: Overly committed people who don't have time to do things right often become their hair's worst enemy. They often take shortcuts, such as blasting the hair with hot air to make it dry more quickly, roughly combing through the hair while it's still tangled, and not conditioning properly for the sake of saving a little time. To speed up the styling process without doing more damage, encourage busy folks to wrap their head in a towel while applying their makeup, shaving, brushing their teeth, and so on to remove at least 50 percent of the water before even going near their hair with a blow-dryer. Never wrap a towel around the head too tight, as this stretches the hair and causes damage. Cruising the coast in a convertible sans scarf: Not only does this activity expose the hair to too much warm air and sun, the wind literally beats it up, creating roughness and split ends — the forked tips that develop on the ends of the hair. You can prevent this type of damage simply by wearing a hat or a full scarf, and, if the hair's long enough, by securing it in a bun to protect the fragile ends from whipping about. If a helmet's involved, always put a scarf on the hair first to prevent the lining from tearing the hair. Being a chemical junkie: The too-frequent use of hair color, hair bleach, relaxers, and permanent wave solutions is extremely detrimental to the hair. In short, chemical junkies literally burn — sometimes even melt — their hair. The first signs of chemical abuse are extremely dry, dull hair. If chemical abuse continues, this leads to a noticeably rough hair texture, quick-fading color, the inability to hold a style, and breakage. Much of this damage can be avoided by refraining from dramatically changing hair colors every month — going from red to blonde, for instance, requires extra stripping of the hair — and never overlapping hair chemicals when doing touch-ups (treating the new growth at the roots). Letting the hair grow out at least 1/2-inch before retouching the hair color makes it easier to avoid overlapping applications. This same advice applies to chemical relaxers. As for permanent waves, overlapping perms is tough on hair. People should space permanent wave applications three months apart for very short hair; every six months for hair that's still above the shoulders; and as infrequently as once a year for hair that drapes barely past the shoulders. Fortunately, with today's smoother styles and better product formulas, most people don't need a permanent wave for their hair to look absolutely fabulous. Restless sleeping: A little bit of tossing and turning is okay, but when restless sleeping becomes a way of life, the hair can become worn to the point that it looks like a frayed rope. The solution is simple: While you're waiting for your nerves to settle down, rest your head on a satin pillowcase, allowing the hair to glide easily across the fabric. Screen for hair health Creating a custom haircare plan means nipping problems in the bud — the onset of split ends, for instance, or the first signs of dryness — while working to correct past transgressions that are showing up in the hair. These sins are particularly apparent on longer hair because it hangs around for years rather than months. A haircare plan should include the following A five-minute hair assessment to check for dryness, brittleness, breakage, and fading hair color. A talk about tools: Tell the person which ones to use to get the job done without harming the hair and when those tools need to be thrown away. Shampoo and conditioner recommendations: What products do individuals need to use in order to promote optimum health of their hair. Lifestyle recommendations: Discuss hair sunscreens and give advice about protecting the hair against wind, heat, sun, chlorine, salt water, and other harsh elements. A treatment schedule: The person may need treatments weekly, bi-monthly, or monthly, depending on the extent of damage and the length of the hair. Re-evaluate the hair and the people's lifestyles every time you cut their hair: You may find they have been doing more swimming and hiking during the spring and summer. They may have taken up skydiving, or bicycling, or developed a restless sleep pattern due to stress. These things need to be addressed as they pop up, because they can affect the health of the hair.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

Hairbrushes come in thousands of styles, materials, and designs. A low-end plastic brush costs as little as $1 and a hand-tied boar brush as much as $100. The average price for a decent brush is from $5 to $15. Knowing what brushes to buy begins with understanding the difference in bristles (boar, nylon, porcupine, and metal) as well as the four basic categories of brushes (vented, cushioned, round, and classic). Other than that, choosing a particular design really depends on your style of doing hair. Types of bristles A number of bristle patterns are available and they're used for different purposes, as shown in Table 1. Each one is designed to create different styles or to care for specific types of hair. Knowing their basic purposes helps you buy brushes that work for, instead of against, your hairstyling efforts. Table 1: Brush Bristles and Their Life's Work Bristle Type Its Purpose Best On Boar This bristle is the actual hair of a boar (hog). Boar bristles are considered ideal because they close the cuticle layer — the outside armor of your hair — and create shiny hair. Because boar bristles tend to be weak, manufacturers usually mix them with nylon bristles, so they don't collapse while you're brushing through the hair. Boar bristles are natural, soft, flexible bristles that gently brush the hair and are suitable for use on children. Manufacturers often combine boar with nylon bristles to create a stronger styling ability. Nylon This name represents a catchall category for all types of bristles made of plastic, nylon, rubber, or similar materials. Nylon bristles can be soft and flexible or stiff and firm. Nylon bristles offer little to maximum control, depending on how closely the bristles are placed and how flexible the material. As a rule, the stiffer and more closely spaced the bristle, the more control you have over the hair. Porcupine Before you imagine quills running through your hair, calm down. Porcupine is a term used for a tufted bristle — multiple bristles grouped together — that usually includes a combination of boar and nylon bristles. It's gentle, but it exerts a good hold on the hair. This design is excellent for controlling fine hair, as well as for thoroughly brushing thick hair right down to the scalp. Metal Unless you're styling a wig, stay away from this category of bristles. Metal bristles — even with soft plastic tips — are too inflexible to safely use on human hair. Not recommended for anything but wigs and hairpieces. Adding some style Trying to keep track of all the different styles of brushes can drive a perfectly sane person crazy, so you only need to be familiar with four basic categories: classic styling, cushioned, round, and vented. To be able to style any hair that comes your way, you should have at least one brush from each category. The following sections show you which brush or brushes you need for specific hairstyles. Vented brush This brush is an old-style sensation that made Farrah Fawcett's wings take flight. The brush has widely spaced, flexible bristles. Openings in the head (where the bristles are attached) allow for good airflow. Today, vented brushes are primarily used for drying hair because they offer superior airflow, making short work of moisture. Vented brushes maintain natural movement because their bristles never force the hair into a specific shape. The ends of the sparsely spaced bristles have tiny, protective balls to guard against hair damage. Frequently check the tips of all your vented brushes. If even one ball is missing, the brush needs to be replaced because the exposed bristles can damage the hair. Cushioned brush This category of brushes includes the oval-shaped cushioned brush (padded head where the bristles are attached) for simply brushing out the hair and the flat paddle brush with an air cushion that's used exclusively for long hair. The latter is an invaluable tool, by the way, because the cushion and bristles are designed to collapse anytime they meet resistance; hence, they prevent long hair from being stretched, split, or broken. Round brush Many round brushes have wooden or plastic handles with a variety of grips that ensure good traction and fit your hand. Round brushes look exactly as named: They have a round, metal barrel for more defined movement. Use a round brush any time you want the hair to have some bend or curl, but not as much as curling irons or hot rollers would provide. Shop this category of brushes carefully because many have heavy heads that put stress on your wrist while you blow-dry the hair. My absolute favorites are called thermal round stylers — round brushes with vented cores made of aluminum. The metal barrel fills with hot air from the blow dryer, while the vented holes create plenty of air circulation. This design enables you to dry the hair in half the time and create a crisper hair shape. The one caution is to keep the blow dryer moving and check your handiwork frequently to avoid over-drying, or possibly damaging the hair. Classic styling Classic styling brushes have a half-rounded head. They traditionally have five, seven, or nine rows of stiff nylon bristles — seven being the most popular. This style is referred to as a half round brush because the head of the brush has a rubberized, slightly rounded shape to create a slight bend in the hair. The classic styling brush is the tool of choice when creating smooth, sleek, precise hairstyles that aren't stick-straight. Women often prefer to use a seven-row styling brush because it is lighter, smaller, and easier to handle when blow-drying hair. On the other hand, many men love to manhandle the hair by using a larger, nine-row brush that is wider, heavier, and styles a larger section of hair at one time.

Article / Updated 03-26-2016

You can create more volume or fullness with even the limpest of locks by manipulating the roots of the hair. If you want the hair to be full at the crown, blow-dry the hair forward (toward the face) until it's nearly dry, and then brush it back. For longer hair or spiky hairdos, dry the root area with the head bent over and the hair hanging upside down. For shorter hair types or for slightly less volume, hold the hair straight up from the scalp or straight-out from the sides, while drying the roots. Kick it up a notch Styling aids, such as sprays, mousses, and gels, naturally enhance all these techniques. You can find endless brands and varieties of styling aids on the shelves, but the majority of them fall into three formulations: light, medium (or normal), and firm (or strong) holds. Within all three of these categories, you can also choose to use volumizing or smoothing products. All these formulations are easy to spot, by the way, because the holding factor and purpose of the product is mentioned on the front label of nearly all styling products. The natural abilities of the hair and the amount of fullness you desire determine which formula to use on the roots of the hair. If the hair is particularly limp, for example, you'd choose a medium-hold volumizing product for a moderate amount of fullness and a strong hold volumizing product for even more fullness. The trick is to concentrate the majority of the product on the root area where the most lift is needed. If you decide that a firm formula is the way to go, consider using a lighter formula on the balance of the hair to avoid a stiff finish to your style (unless, of course, stiff is the look you're going for). Following are some tips for getting the best volume and overall style with various hair types and styling aids. The styling aids really pump up the hair, and superimposing these products over amplifying shampoos and conditioners creates far better results. With fine hair textures, avoid using any type of gel at the root area because this type of product has more weight and often creates more sagging than lifting. Instead, use a styling spray or mousse. For medium hair textures, use either a light gel, lotion, styling spray, or mousse to create lift at the root area. If you want to use a gel, put a nickel-size amount of the product in the palm of one hand and rub your hands together. Use your hands to apply the slick of gel to the first inch or two of hair next to the scalp. This method allows you to spread the product more evenly throughout the root area. For coarse or curly hair textures, use a medium to strong gel to create a slight lift at the roots, and a smoother texture overall. Choosing a formula specifically made to "smooth" the hair shaft gives the best styling results. To apply the gel, put a nickel-size to quarter-size application of product in the palm of one hand and rub your hands together. Use your hands to apply the slick of gel to the first inch or two of hair next to the scalp. Next, run the remaining product residue left on your hands through the shaft and ends of the hair. By applying the gel this way, you allow the product to spread more evenly, while helping to smooth and better control the hair. If the hair is moderately dry, do what the pros do by mixing two or three drops of a leave-in conditioner with a nickel-size of gel. Mix the two products together in the palm of your hand and run it through the hair. Take it down a notch Some people can't get their hair to stand up, but others can't seem to get it to lie down. If you have to deal with hair that has too much volume, you can use certain products and techniques to make that hair behave better. First, you need to make sure that the hair is richly conditioned — including using a leave-in conditioner just prior to styling. After you take care of the condition of the hair, you can control volume by following the growth of the hair. If the hair is supposed to hang straight down from the head, for instance, blow-drying the hair in that direction helps discourage excessive lifting. And for a smoother, flatter top, blow-drying the hair in the exact direction of the style can do wonders for controlling buoyant hair. Using a classic styling brush, rather than a round or vented brush, also encourages the hair to remain close to the head. Hair that's naturally too full can be troublesome, but you can easily tame it by using good blow-drying techniques and the right products. These products help calm the excitable nature of buoyant hair, while smoothing the cuticle layer — something that's frequently open in this type of hair, making it difficult for the hair to retain moisture. Sealing the cuticle layer is particularly important for dry, damaged, or frizzy hair because these hair types don't normally lie smoothly or possess even a semblance of shine. To control overly full hair, you need the following products: Deeply moisturizing shampoos and conditioners: These two items provide a good foundation for improving the behavior of too-fluffy hair. A leave-in conditioner: This product is helpful when you use it just prior to blow-drying the hair. The brands you choose to use should add moisture, provide better control, and tame frizzies. A medium or heavy gel: A styling aid with this kind of strength helps manhandle hair that's overly full because the sheer weight of it keeps things under better control. A styling serum for curly, full, or frizzy hair: Use this excellent product to smooth the cuticle layer. Make sure to follow the application instructions on the bottle because many of these products are extremely concentrated! Some styling serums also have thermal heat protectant ingredients, which is beneficial to all hair types but particularly to those that tend to become dry. If you're using a heavy gel at the roots, apply your serum, beginning 1 inch away from the scalp to prevent over-coating the hair with product. Pomade, wax, or styling paste: Finish the hair with one of these products to give it superior control. These heavy products help calm frizzes, while encouraging the hair to lay the way it was styled. When applying pomade, put a pea-size of product in the palm of one hand and then vigorously rub your hands together. When applying this product to the hair, skip the first inch of hair next to the scalp as this can cause the root area to be excessively oily. Never use a body-enhancing product on this type of hair.