Thinking About Locking Your Hair?

On average, after about three years of being natural, many women start debating whether or not to lock their hair. This is because after about three years, natural hair gets to a length that seems to become a little unmanageable and many are just ready for a change. There are various locking methods ranging from neglect locks to the chemical process of using a perming solution. But two of the most common are traditional locks and Sisterlocks™. Knowing a little about the two can help you make a well informed decision about which one is right for you.

Traditional Locks

Traditional locks are done using a palm rolling method. But if the hair is three inches or under, the locks are usually installed by comb twisting the hair. On average, about 70-100 locks are installed. Traditional locks hold in place with the use of products, such as bees wax or gel. Once the locks are installed, the hair cannot be washed for approximately three months in order for the hair to lock. During this time, the scalp can be cleaned using a dry shampoo or anti-septic. Hair can take anywhere from 3 months to a year to lock, depending on your hair texture.

Sisterlocks™

Sisterlocks™ is an interlocking method that works with the hair’s natural hair pattern to create very small, versatile locks. Sisterlocks™ can be curled, flatironed, braided, etc. Basically, it can be styled like unlocked hair. On average, about 400 locks are installed. A Sisterlocks™ consultant will determine which locking pattern is best for your hair depending on your hair’s curl pattern. No product is needed to install Sisterlocks™ and the hair is virtually locked upon installation, so the hair can be washed about ten days after installation. However, it can take anywhere from a month to two years for the hair to form a solid lock, depending on the texture of your hair.

Which Method Is Better?

There really is no superior locking method. The method that is best for you all depends on what you want from the locking experience. If you prefer bigger locks, traditional locks are the better locks to install. If you want to have smaller locks with more versatile styling options, Sisterlocks™ is the better choice. Also, your budget will help determine which method is best for you. Traditional locks can cost about $65 to install, while Sisterlocks™ can cost about $500 or more. Your time investment is also a strong consideration. Traditional locks take about an hour, while Sisterlocks™ can take about twelve hours to install. With Sisterlocks™ being more expensive and taking more time, why would anyone get them? Well, unlike traditional locks, Sisterlocks™ work well for any hair texture and Sisterlocks™ can be installed in permed hair, so you don’t have to cut off your permed hair to start your Sisterlocks™. Whichever locking method you choose, be sure to consult with a hair care professional who can help you meet your hair goals.

Should You Relax Your Child's Hair?

Many African-American women choose to chemically relax their daughters’ hair. This is practice that for decades has been all too common. Before many African-American girls reach middle school, they have had a chemical relaxer. Although chemical relaxers may make the hair more manageable for parents, it is important to know the dangers and long-term damage chemical relaxers can cause to a child’s hair.

When Should You Relax a Child’s Hair?

A girl should not receive a relaxer until she has had her first period. This is because once girls begin menstruation, the hormones in their body changes and can react adversely with the relaxer. This can cause the hair to thin out or break. It is best to wait until the first period, so that the chances of negative interactions between her hormones and the relaxer are reduced. If you observe the young women that you know, you will notice that the ones who waited until high school to relax their hair usually have healthier hair then the girls who got a relaxer in elementary or middle school.

What Kind of Relaxer Should You Use?

Once your daughter has had her first period and you have decided to relaxer her hair, you should consult a hair care professional who will be able to best advise you as to what type of relaxer she should use. If your goal is to just loosen the curl to make combing through the hair more manageable, you may want to give your daughter a texturizer. This will loosen the curl, but will not completely straighten the hair. You can also use a “kiddie perm,” which is formulated for young girls, so it is gentler on the hair then standard relaxers. But I repeat, consult a hair care professional. The worst thing you can do is relaxer your daughter’s hair yourself. You will be doing her a grave injustice.

How Do You Maintain Relaxed Hair?

Condition, condition, condition. It is very important to keep your daughter’s hair conditioned. You should frequently deep condition her hair with cholesterol or a protein-based conditioner. It is also very important to handle the hair gently by shampooing gently and using wide-tooth combs. Also, avoid heat styling, such as blow drying, flat ironing or using curling irons. Heat styling can dry out the hair, causing it to become brittle and to break.

Once you have committed to putting a relaxer in your daughter’s hair, it is important to keep up with caring for her hair by keeping a regular 6-8 week schedule of reapplications, conditioning the hair, and keeping the ends trimmed. Although the relaxer may make the hair easier to handle, it requires a lot more maintenance than natural hair. It will be vital to her hair health to follow all of the proper procedures and to work along with a hair care professional. Before you put a relaxer in your daughter’s hair, take the time to think about all the pros and cons of such a permanent and potentially damaging process. Many young girls end up losing a lot of their hair before they reach high school because they received a relaxer too young or because the relaxer was not properly maintained. No girl wants to start high school with thin, dry, broken hair. So moms, think before you relax.

Acrylic, Gel, or Wrap Nails: And the Winner is…

Many women opt for wearing artificial or fake nails. Fake nails give the hands a nicely manicured and feminine look. They also allow nail polish to last much longer than when applied to natural nails. When choosing which type of fake nails would be right for you, consider the following:
Long Lasting Acrylic Nails

The most popularly used fake nails are the acrylic nails. They are known to be durable and long lasting. Acrylic nails are produced with the blend of two elements that are the monomer and the polymer and the blend is further applied with an acrylic brush over the natural fingernails for convenient results since after the application, you just need to let the mixture dry down, forming into an elongated shape or into any other shape as well. It is important to take care of fake acrylic nails properly to avoid any infections. Water under the nails can lead to fungus, which can turn you natural nails a greenish-brownish color. Acrylic must be reapplied to the new growth area every two weeks to avoid water from getting under the nail.
Clear and Glossy Gel Nails

Gel nails are natural looking fake nails that have a clear and glossy surface. The gel nails, similar to acrylic nails, are created with a mixture of polymer and monomer that is applied on the nails and is formed under the UV light. Non-UV gel nails where there is a gel activator that is applied on the nails have become more popular in recent times. Gels nails may give your nails a natural look, yet are not quite as durable as acrylic nails. However, they have a cleaner and less bulky look compared to acrylic nails. Gel nails are great for women who like to wear their nails short.
Natural Looking Wrap Nails

Wrap nails are found in linen, fibre and silk. These are the most natural looking fake nails and also one the softest. The materials they are made of like fibre, silk and linen give them a soft, flexible touch. The wrap nails are cut according to the required shape and are glued over the natural nails. These are primarily used for the strengthening of the natural nail tips. Also, they don’t not require as much maintenance like acrylic or gel nails and therefore, are popular amongst many women.
So which fake nail is superior? Well that depends on what you want. If you want the most natural look, wrap nails are the best choice. But if you want something that is very durable and long lasting, acrylic would be the better option. Gel is a happy medium between long lasting and natural appearance, so this could be the right choice for you. But whatever you choose, be sure to take care of your nails by keeping them regularly maintained by your nail care professional to avoid damage and fungus to your natural nail underneath. Stay manicured, and stay pretty.

To Color Or Not to Color: That Is The Question

Every now and then we all want a change. Women often turn to their hair first in deciding what to change. Some of us cut it, or add extension, or decide to color it because we've been told that blondes have more fun. But coloring can have lasting effects on your hair, so while going blonde might be fun, it may also be damaging. There are three main ways to change your hair color, which can temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent.

Temporary Color
Temporary coloring products usually comes in the form of rinses, gels, mousses and sprays and majority of these products do not penetrate or modify the structure of the hair shaft. Temporary hair coloring products usually work similar to surface paint as the molecules usually stay on the outer surface of your hair. Depending on the type of temporary color, temporary color will wash out immediately with a single shampoo or after a couple of washes. If you just want to experiment with a different hair color, temporary hair color might be the safest and least harmful way to go about it. However, if you have dark hair, don't expect to be able to go blonde by using temporary color.
Semi Permanent Color
Semi Permanent color is a harsher but less invasive way to change your hair color. Instead of staying on the surface of your hair, semi permanent dyes contain smaller molecules which will penetrate through your hair shaft and stay there for a longer period of time. Usually it will take around six to ten shampoos to get the color out. Semi permanents usually do not require the use of oxidization agents, which is safer for the hair, but like temporary color, this also means that the color is less likely to show up on dark colored hair.

Permanent Color
Permanent color is the harshest way to color your hair. All "permanent" hair color products and lighteners contain a developer, or oxidizing agent, and an alkalizing agent (most often ammonia). To permanently change your hair color, you will have to use dye intermediates like PPD and a developer containing hydrogen peroxide for oxidization. Both of these are mixed together before application and the chemicals will cause your hair cuticle to swell so that the coloring agents can easily penetrate through. Once inside your hair shaft, the agent will break up your original color pigments known as melanin and replaces it with the new color. Permanent color is truly permanent and will not wash out, although it may fade. Permanent color can be removed by bleaching, or stripping with a color remover, but this is very damaging to the hair. To maintain hair health with permanent color, deep conditioning the hair is an absolute must.
So, if you want a quick subtle, change without damaging your hair, temporary hair color is the way to go. If you want something more drastic, permanent color would be the appropriate choice, but be sure to maintain your hair's health with conditioners. And if you want a more lasting color than temporary, but not one that will permanently strip your hair, semi permanent color would be the best option. Whichever way you choose to color your hair, be sure to have it done by a professional who can provide a proper application of the color and advise you as to the continued maintenance of the color.

Hair Removal Methods: Which One is Right For You?

We all love having hair on our heads, but hair on many of the other body parts are not as welcomed. No matter what method we use for hair removal, we all have the same goal, to get that hair gone fast and for it not to come back for a long time. But there are pros and cons to each hair removal method.
Shaving

Shaving is the most common, but also the most temporary method of hair removal. Many believe that shaving makes the hair grow back faster and thicker. But the truth is, shaving cuts the hair off at the skin surface, so the short hair shaft is more noticeable as it grows out because it has a blunt tip instead of the normal tapered tip. Shaving is the least painful hair removal method, but having to wear a bandaid because you nicked or cut yourself can really put a damper in your plans to wear a mini skirt that day. So if you choose to shave, apply moisture to the skin (i.e. body wash, shaving cream, or hair conditioner) to help the razor glide over the skin, not cut or scrape it.

Tweezing

Tweezing is also a very common, but the most time consuming hair removal method. It involves physically pulling the hair out of the follicle. With tweezing, the hair takes longer to grow back because it must grow to the surface of the skin before it is noticed. Because hair grows at different rates, some of the hair that has been physically removed may take more time to grow back in. Frequent tweezing may damage the follicle enough over time to keep it from producing more hair, which is appreciated for those unwanted lip and chin hairs. But constant tweezing of the eyebrows may prevent you from changing the shape later when you decide that you want to wear them thicker, so tweeze with caution.

Threading

Threading hair is an ancient method commonly practiced in Eastern countries, like Egypt and India, but is becoming very popular here in the West. Threading removes the entire hair follicle, lasting up to 6 weeks. A cotton thread is pulled along unwanted hair in a twisting motion, to trap hair in a mini lasso, and lifts hair right out of the follicle. Threading is much faster than tweezing, but like tweezing, over time, frequent threading can cause the hair follicle to become damaged, and stop growing hair. Threading is good for those smaller areas like the eyebrows, but not for larger areas.

Waxing

Waxing is the most effective method of hair removal for large amounts of hair at one time. Caution must be used when heating wax so as not to burn the skin. Waxing can be painful when the strip is removed from the skin, particularly in more sensitive areas. However, hair in waxed areas will not grow back for two to eight weeks. Additionally, areas that are repeatedly waxed over long periods of time often exhibit regrowth that is softer and the skin is smoother than with the other removal methods. Thus, short term pain for a long term gain.
In sum, when it comes to hair removal methods, waxing may be a little more expensive than the others, but it is also the most effective and the best for removing hair. It is less time consuming than tweezing, last long than shaving, and covers more areas than threading. Stay smooth, and stay pretty.

Steps To Take the Pause Out of Menopause

Let’s face it, women fear growing old. The prospect of wrinkles, body aches, fatigue and especially menopause adds to negative feelings about aging. Menopause is defined as the point when a woman’s ovaries stop releasing eggs. Ovulation stops, and as a result, production of the female hormones estrogen and progesterone also comes to an end. You can’t pause menopause, but you can prepare for its arrival. The signs of menopause can be both subtle and blatantly obvious and how you handle it will have a lot to do with how you’ve prepared.
Mental Preparation For Menopause

As with anything in life, being mentally prepared for challenges ahead can help you win the battle to come. Preparation for menopause includes having that important talk with your doctor and discussing the signs of menopause, treatment options and the effect it can have on you and those around you. It you know what to expect, then you will know how to react to it. Like the pre-menstruation phase, menopause can cause emotional ups and downs. So instead of actually believing that the world hates you, you will recognize that it’s just your hormones playing tricks on you and you can control those false sentiments. Instead of having that “why do I feel this way?” day, you will be able to identify exactly the cause and nip that feeling in the butt.
Physical Preparation For Menopause

You might have noticed that this is a common theme of many of my articles, but it’s so true… exercise, exercise, exercis! Exercise can solve a lot of our health problems if we only would put down the remote and go do it! For menopause, exercise is helpful in many ways including preventing the rapid onset of osteoporosis. Exercise can come in many forms. It can be regular walking, 3-4 sessions a week at the gym for both cardio and weight training, yoga, swimming, cycling, dancing or simply being active in a team sport. It doesn’t matter what you do, just do something to get that heart rate up and those pounds down.
Dietary Preparation For Menopause

Your diet during your 30’s is vital to handling the signs of menopause. Foods rich in calcium can help strengthening bones, which become weaker as women age. After the age of 30, a woman experiences regular bone loss and while it’s only minimal each year, it can add up to significant levels by the time you reach 50. Not only is it important to eat healthy to maintain healthy bones, but also healthy eating can help lower the risk of heart disease. Healthy eating with regular exercise can significantly lower any risk of problems settling in.
Menopause can be a challenging time in the lives of many women, but being prepared for it can make the transition easier. Life after menopause can be as healthy, independent and fulfilling as any of the younger stages of a woman’s life. While it may mean that you can no longer bare children, it also means that you don’t have to worry about that annoying monthly “friend,” which should actually be called “enemy.” So don’t let menopause put a pause on your life. Live, eat, dance, play! Enjoy the freedom that this new stage of life brings and feel younger then you ever felt before. So stay young, and stay pretty.

How to Avoid Turning the Holidays Into Heavy Days

The holiday season is quickly approaching and no matter if you celebrate Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, or Kwanzaa, one thing unites us...we all indulge in delicious holiday meals. Most people believe that the average person gains about five pounds during the holiday season. The truth is, the average weight gain is only about one pound. But this one pound tends to remain through the season and into the next season. Not only does it remain, but we also add to it as time goes on. So here are some tips on how to stay away from the dreaded holiday weight gain.

Never Party Hungry

Many of us have heard that you should not go grocery shopping hungry because it will cause you to buy more than you need. Well the same goes for holiday partying. Never go to a holiday party hungry because it will cause you to overeat. Have a healthy meal before you head out to that Christmas party that way you will be sure to have self-control when aunty brings out that juicy pineapple glazed ham.
Alcohol is Not Your Friend
Besides the fact that alcohol leads to the embarrassing acts that make for a legendary office story, alcohol is also not worth consuming during the holiday season because it has no nutritional value and add empty calories. Calories from alcohol tend to be stored as fat, so while your holiday hangover will go away the next day, the calories from the consumption won't. Stick to virgin eggnog and apple cider. If you must consume alcohol, do so in moderation.
Talk Away From the Snack Table
Talking by the snack table brings nothing but trouble. While mingling with friends, you're reaching every two seconds to grab a chip or a piece of cheese and before you know it, you've just consumed 300 calories for no good reason. So instead of talking by the snack table, grab a small plate of the goodies you want and take the conversation to the other side of the room. You are less likely to overeat if you have to walk back and you are more likely to forget about the table of snack when it is out of sight and out of reach.
Opt For Diet Drinks
Ideally you should drink water with those holiday meals in order to avoid consuming any extra calories, but if you have to have a flavored beverage, opt for diet drinks over regular soda and juice. A 12-ounce can of soda and or 8-ounce glass of juice contain about 150 calories. But diet soda contains about 2-4 calories and club soda is calories-free. So choose these options as they can save you about 450 calories a day!

Exercise, Exercise, Exercise
Not only is exercise good for your health in general, but exercise can also help prevent candied yam and turkey stuffing weight gain. Increasing your current exercise regimen during the holiday season will allow you to eat all of the candied yams your heart desires. For example, on average we eat about 500 calories more a day during the holidays. So increasing your work out regimen to burn 500 more calories than usual will allow you to have a zero calorie balance. It's simple. If you burn the extra calories you consume, you can maintain you current weight.
Many of us expect to gain weight over the holiday season, but that does not have to be the case this year. By following these simple tips, you can maintain your current weight and avoid those unwanted pounds. You don't have to treat holiday foods like they are your enemy, but know that they are definitely not your body's best friends. So consume with caution. Stay healthy, and stay pretty.