Top 5 Gifts For Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day has always been one of my favorite days of the year, even when I wasn't married or had a boyfriend. I like the idea of one special day set aside to recognize all of the people we love in our lives. Not to mention my love of all things heart shaped. My husband and I aren't big Valentine Day gift givers. We like to do something together that we don't normally do like me cooking him dinner, taking those cliched walks on the beach at sunset, etc. I do enjoy giving small gifts of glamour to my girlfriends, my Mom and Sisters In-Law. Here are the top 5 gifts for Valentine's Day at http://www.glamourjunkie.com/ Good things come in smaller packages with smaller price tags. Happy Valentine's Day! XOXO

To Be Or Not Be -- Sulfate-Free -- That Is The Question

The buzz words in the hairdressing industry for 2009 were Brazilian Blowout and Sulfate-Free Shampoo. More and more manufacturers of hair care products are focusing on sulfates. Hair care companies are creating sulfate-free shampoos and informing the public that sulfates are bad for their hair. They claim that sulfates cause color fadage, reverse the effects of Brazilian Blowouts and other keratin straightners and degrade the bonds on hair extensions. Then, these same companies instruct clients to use THEIR products to reduce these effects.

By making claims and offering a solution, the companies are creating their own "niche" in the beauty industry. Recently, L'oreal began advertising sulfate-free shampoo to consumers to buy at drugstores. No surprise since L'oreal bought Pureology who was the beauty industry leader for sulfate-free shampoo.

Who's to say sulfates make hair color fade? What type of sulfate are they talking about? There are many different types (and qualities) of sulfates. What is a sulfate anyway?
A sulfate is a cleanser which attracts oil and debris from the scalp and hair and rinses away with water. One sulfate found in high end shampoos like Davines, is Sodium Laureth Sulfate. This sulfate is a primary cleanser and only takes a small amount to be effective. Sodium Laureth Sulfate is also a viscosity builder, a thickening agent for shampoos. Without it, your shampoo would be very watery.

Sulfate-free shampoos use secondary cleansers, not sulfates, and they have to use a higher percentage of these cleansers to clean the sclap. Often times, these secondary cleansers don't remove all of the debris on the hair and scalp, which creates product build up, dull hair and often scalp irritation. Primary and Secondary sulfates are often combined, but the small amount of the sulfate is needed to be effective. The percentage of sulfate and the combination of ALL ingredients in the shampoo is very important. The combination of water, proteins, lipids, emollients, nutrients, vitamins, anti-oxidants, amino acids and a low PH make up a good quality shampoo.

As a hair colorist of 20 years, I am always a bit leary of a company telling me I MUST use THEIR product or my client's hair won't "turn out right." Basically sulfate-free shampoos may not have sulfates but they have something "secondary" which isn't as good in quality and in return has a worse effect on the hair. Remember the popularity of all those FAT FREE cookies and chips from the late 90's? They didn't have "fat" in them but they definitely weren't making us all skinny minnies.

Brazilian Keratin Treatment -- Should You Do It?

Is your hair frizzy? Do you spend too much time blow drying your hair and still have frizzy ends? If you answered yes, you may benefit from a Brazilian Keratin Treatment. (BKT)

The BKT is a technique that is intended to get rid of frizzy hair without chemically altering the natural structure of the hair leaving it smooth and shiny. These treatments are semi-permanent so they last about 12 weeks. That's right, weeks. Commitment free because during these 12 weeks your hair slowly returns to its normal state.

The BKT is not meant to completely straighten your hair. It does relax the hair and make it easier for you to blow dry by cutting your blow dry time in half. Sounds good right? Well, there is something I should mention: these treatments contain formaldehyde. The definition in the dictionary states -- a colorless poisonous gas.
This is how the treatment goes:
1. a creamy solution containing keratin and said gas is applied to the hair
2. solution is blow dried into the hair
3. hair is flat ironed at 450* (that's HOT! check out our Beauty Resolution #2)
4. rinse hair, style to finish
It's an easy process and takes about 90 minutes. The average cost is around $350.

Many clients report uncontrollable watering eyes, burning eyes, scratchy throats and coughing during the treatments. The critical point of the process is during the ironing. That is when the formaldehyde is released into the wild! Most companies warn you and suggest wearing masks.

I am a hair color specialist for 20 years. I do all hair color techniques and the japanese straightner which is permanent. As soon as I heard about the BKT I wanted to do it on my clients. I love staying current and up to date on new techniques. But there was something in my gut that said no. I researched the different brands and they all have some amount of formaldehyde in them. I spoke to someone at Brazilian Blowout who claims their product is formaldehyde free. When I asked him what took the place of the poisonous gas he said he was not allowed to give out that info. Hmmm. I talked to many of my hairdresser friends who do the BKT's and they say the same thing: sore throat, headache and burning eyes after each treatment. This was enough for me to decide not to do them. I have severe asthma and don't want to do anything to compromise my dear lungs.

I do have several clients that have done the BKT. Some like it, some don't. The results are very different for each client. For each client, it did get rid of their frizz.

If the BKT sounds good to you, try it. I suggest you do your research and have a consultation at a reputable salon. If you like it great! If you don't your hair should be back to normal in about 12 weeks.

Resolve To Be Glamorous in 2010

Seven years ago one of my clients asked me what my New Year's resolution was going to be. I replied, I am going to have facials done on a regular basis every 6-8 weeks. She looked at me bewildered. She didn't think that was a "real" resolution. "Resolutions are about saving money, quitting smoking and getting organized" she said. Those are all great ideas but B-O-R-I-N-G!

We are all getting older not younger and it's time to take care of ourselves from hair to toes, the sooner the better. That year I stuck to my resolution for the first time ever! I still to this day have a facial every 8 weeks. My skin looks pretty good for a forty year old ex-tanning bed user. Some may think of these types of treatments as pampering but actually it's maintenance. Regular beauty treatments keep your body in tune and fresh. When it comes to your body don't listen to the old adage "if it isn't broken, don't fix it." Just the opposite! Regular maintenance on our bodies can prolong or even prevent dry skin, wrinkles, split ends, acne, brown spots,cracked heels etc. So go ahead, make a BEAUTY Resolution this year.

Beauty Resolution #1: Have a manicure and/or pedicure on a weekly basis. If your money budget or time budget doesn't allow for this, do it yourself at home. All you need is a good moisturizing lotion, nail file, cuticle oil and 20 mins. Same for your feet. If your heels are extra dry and cracked, apply a generous amount of lotion and wear socks to allow lotion to soak in.
Beauty Resolution #2: Have a monthly massage because they are not just a luxury. Massages decrease anxiety, enhance sleep quality, reduce fatique and give you more energy. Massage Envy is a great spa with affordable prices.
Beauty Resolution #3: Resolve to take extra good care of you hair this year. We put our hair through alot! We color it, straighten it, blow it out and we drag a brush through it when it's wet and tangled. The list can go on and on and on. During each salon visit, ask your hairdresser for a conditioning treatment suitable for your hair type. You should not be shampooing your hair everyday so on the days you do shampoo, take the extra 5-10 mins. to leave conditioner on your hair. This really makes a difference. Also, if you smoke, (quitting is another good resolution; wrinkle prevention) have hard water or you are outside alot, your hair needs to be detoxed. Davines makes a great detox kit that will leave your hair glistening.

These are just a few examples of Beauty Resolutions. Feel free to try one of ours or make up your own. Take a look in the mirror and see what part of you has been a bit neglected or pick your favorite feature to maintain. We guarantee you will enjoy this year's resolution and you will look even more Glamorous by 2011!