Stragglers

The way you wear your hair tells the world a lot about you. Just like the clothing, jewelry or shoes that you choose, you can make a statement, or not, just by the way you wear your hair. Long, short, straight, curly, kinky, nappy, bleached, coloured – how you choose to wear your hair is a beautiful reflection of who you are.

Some prefer the siren glam of long flowing hair. Others prefer the chic look of a cropped ‘do. Sensually curly or sophisticatedly straight, beautiful hair is healthy hair. 

You would find that it is very difficult for hair with damaged hair ends to maintain a style. It is dry, frizzy and generally screams “HELP”. Short healthy hair is more attractive than long dry, damaged hair. 

Split ends 

Hair that is naturally curly, naturally long, chemically processed, bleached, relaxed or permed, or heat-styled by the use of blow-driers, flatirons, curling irons or pressing combs for example are at a higher risk of the dreaded split end attack.

-Naturally curly hair has a tendency to be drier than other types of hair and needs to be replenished of both water and oils regularly.

- The longer you grow your natural hair, the more the ends of your hair are put under stress. Environmental stressors include the sun, wind, salt water (beach), chlorinated water (pools) and pollution.  Daily stressors include daily wear and tear  of combing, brushing, shampooing and heat styling. Certain hair products, especially those that contain alcohol for example some types of hair sprays, also contribute to split ends. 

- A healthy cuticle gives hair it’s natural brilliance and shine. During chemical hair processes like perming, relaxing and hair colouring the structure of the hair shaft is changed. The cuticle, or the outer casing of the hair, is altered, which translates into some degree of damage.

In split ends, the hair shaft, an individual strand of hair, is split in at least two. This damage is irreversible, i.e. it cannot be repaired. Conditioners, flat irons, pomades and other innovative hair styling products/ tools can help decrease the dry frizziness associated with split ends by allowing the damaged cuticle of the hair to lay flat, but they do not repair these damaged ends. As soon as the product is washed out, or the hair is wet again, in the case of flatirons and other heat styling tools, the damaged, dry, frizzy ends will return. 

The only solution to split ends so to cut them off. 
This may be painful for some, but the good thing is that the hair:
1. Will grow back.
2. Ends will be healthy
3. Will behave/ be more manageable
4. Will hold styles longer
5. Will style better. 

To help keep split ends at bay moving forward:

- Avoid daily shampooing
Even with the use of a gentle daily shampoo, hair is stripped of hydration and oils. Shampoo every other day or every three days if your lifestyle allows it. Or, if your hair is dry, consider shampooing every other day, and just using a conditioner between shampoos.

- Moisturize hair ends
If your hair is dry, use a moisturizing conditioner after shampooing and deep condition hair ends at least once a month.

- Avoid daily heat styling
If you find yourself having to do this, consider talking with your stylist to get a ‘do that is more compatible with your hair type, texture and lifestyle.

- Avoid over processing hair
Wait the recommended time between your chosen chemical process to maintain the integrity of the hair shaft. Avoid relaxing/ perming and bleaching hair on the same day. These processes need to be at least a week, but preferably two weeks, apart. There are some types of rinses, glosses and semi-permanent colour that can be done more safely just after having done relaxer/ perm. However, these aren’t usually capable of lifting hair colour (making hair colour lighter)

- Trim ends every 6 weeks 
Or when you get your relaxer/ perm/ colour. Whichever comes first. 

Let’s prune those barbed hedges shall we?

Supernova

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Holy Concealer Batman!

Using concealer is an optional step. If you choose to use concealer select one in the same way that you would a foundation – one that matches your skin tone and undertone exactly. Using too light a tone will prompt the uncontrolled “Holy Concealer Batman” response from your peers; too dark and you will look like a raccoon.

Concealers come in liquid or cream formulations. The creamier the consistency, the more coverage imparted by the concealer i.e. the better it conceals. These formulations also spreads easier and wears longer.

It is commonly used over foundation to cover imperfections or, for more advanced makeup applications, it may be used under foundation for contouring. 

Concealers are used over foundations to cover: 
- fine lines
- redness
- breakouts
- under eye circles
- hyper-pigmentation (darker skin tone)

Application

- Apply with lip brush for smaller areas like over pimples and small blemishes, or with a flat brush, similar to the foundation brush but smaller, for larger areas.

- Even application by patting gently with a cosmetic sponge or finger. 

Advanced application

For more advanced applications,  concealers are used for makeup contouring, to even irregular lip shapes, and for camouflage reasons. 

Used under foundation, concealers may highlight or shadow an area of the face like the cheeks, to create a contoured look. Here, a concealer in a shade lighter than your skin tone is used on the cheek bone area to make cheek bones more prominent.

Alternatively, in shadowing i.e. applying concealer in one shade darker than your skin tone just under your cheek bones will create a more sculptured look. 

Highlighting and shadowing can also be achieved using foundation, and eye-shadows in the same way.

The key is, just as with clothing, lighter colours makes the area appear more prominent thereby attracting attention to the area , whereas darker colours repress an area making it appear less noticeable or slimmer. 

Face proportion issues can also be corrected with shadowing and highlighting.

Happy concealing!

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Supernova

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Mood busters: Brillo pads

The mood is set.

It’s Friday. Sally’s been sexting that guy for a couple days now and by golly yes, she’s gonna get some this weekend, whole weekend. She caught up on her laundry. *Sniff* Ahhhhh…” Crisp Linen” . She put aside that extra lacy number, the one that comes attached to the thigh-high fishnet stockings, parachuete style.

She cranks up the music and starts the two hour long mission that it takes to get herself together. She scrubs, bushwacks, tweezes, paints, flatirons, shimmerizes and glamourizes. Looking at herself in the mirror, she nods in agreement and strikes her fiercest ‘smize’ cause hot damn, as the David Guetta mix that’s blaring through her speakers raves, she’s a Sexy B!tch. She slips into her FMPs, walks through mists of some celebrity inspired cologne, clutch in one hand, BlackBerry and keys in the other, and she’s out the dizzoor. Money don’t matter tonight, no sir, Mama’s gonna get her some.

The night goes as exactly as she planned it, just call her the Master Creator. The fine piece of man meat is back at her apartment and it’s getting hot and steamy fast. Blame it on the blubbly. Clothes are stripped off and things get touchy feely. She thinks to herself “YYYYEEEEESSSSSSSSS!” hardly believing that it’s all coming together. 

That is until ” RRIIIIIIIIIIIIIPP”.  Her fishnets are scoured by brillo pads and she starts to bleed. 

Oh.My. God. Ugh. Crusty foot bottoms. Total mood buster. Oh, and ashy skin. 

Fellas, might I suggest some ‘M.E.‘ time.

‘Moisturize & Exfoliate’

All skin needs to be exfoliated and moisturized. The skin on your face as well as the skin on your body.

- A simple hand towel (changed at least once a week) or some body gloves with your shower gel used everyday will take care of body exfoliation.

- A simple foot file will take care of exfoliation on the soles of the feet 

- And a lotion/ cream/ oil (depending on how dry your skin is) will do it for sexy, healthy, nourished skin from neck to toe.

Yes, it is an extra step, but not only is there no algebra involved, noone in the pharmacy is going to look at you funny, so it can totally be done.

And guess what? BOTH of these issues can be rectified in the shower. No-one has to know that you are paying attention to yourself. How lucky are you! You can do it whenever you shower, no matter how many times you shower for the week, no-one’s judging.

So lets get started shall we?

1. First hit that pharmacy and get yourself some lotion and a foot file.
Every pharmacy has them in any colour and size that you can imagine. Pick whichever appeals to you. The ones with the handles are easiest to use.

2. Put them both in your shower stall

3. Exfoliate your heels
In the shower after you lather up, grab that spanking new foot file and take a good go at your heels with it.  

I suggest doing this after you have done the soapy soap so that your feet will get some time to soak and soften up before you go in for the kill.

There may be some ‘stuff’ well to work through, but easy truckin’…one day at a time. If you do a little every day, your job will be easier as there will be no build up. But I understand that you are super busy and this may be a stretch so  at least aim for twice a week, once the weekend and another sometime during the week. 

First half down

4. Lotion skin before leaving the shower.

After you turn off the shower and before you get out of the stall, wrap (not rub) the towel around your torso to absorb excess moisture and then  grab the bottle of lotion and lotion up. Yes lotion up while you are still misty. The bathroom is still foggy, you have that so fresh and so clean feeling, your skin is glistening… lotion it. 

Pay special attention to your feet, heels, elbows, rear and thighs, especially in the winter months because jeans can chafe something fierce on a rocket. 

Take some time, brush your teeth, cleanse & moisturize your skin or whatever else you do in there and then lightly towel off or wrap your sexy self the way only you do and step out like you own the joint. 

Whatever you do you choose to do next with that exfoliated and moisturized piece of meat that you call yourself is totally up to you.

Aoowww.

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Sun and Skin Types

A person’s complexion and their tolerance of sunlight are measured using the Fitzpatrick Classification scale. It was developed in 1975 by Harvard Medical School dermatologist, Thomas Fitzpatrick, MD, PhD., and used by practitioners to determine how someone will respond or react to facial treatments such as successful laser, light therapy and peels and how likely they are to get skin cancer. It is important to understand that not all facial treatments are suitable for all skin types.

Fitzpatrick Classification scale

This scale is a guide and is not intended to replace the advice of your practitioner.

Sunscreen

It’s white and goopy. Some brands remind me of the beach which, in itself can be a bit of a downer… but I digress. Sun protection factor (SPF) is a number on a scale for rating the degree of protection provided by sunscreens. No sunscreen can filter out 100% UVRs so even while wearing sunscreen, it is possible for you to tan. Your chosen sunscreen should protect against both UVA and UVB rays.

Types of sunscreen

There are two types of agents used to screen the sun’s rays, physical agents and chemical agents.

Physical sunscreen agents use their opaque property to block out the sun as they sit on top of skin to prevent UVRs from entering. (think: White paste on cricketers noses). These types of sunscreens should be the LAST product applied to the skin, even after the moisturer. Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide are most common physical sunscreen agents.

The upside is that they are very effective at screening UVRs; the downside is that using it on darker skins can result in a ghastly grey complexion.

Chemical sunscreen agents penetrate layers of the skin and protect it from within and as such should be the FIRST product put on the skin after cleaning. There are a host of these agents used in sunscreen products e.g. Dixoybenzone, Oxybenzone, PABA… and new ones are created every year, many of them unpronounceable. 

The upside is that as they penetrate the skin, and thereby does not affect skin tone – a plus for darker complexions. The downside is some chemical sunscreen ingredients may irritate sensitive skin.

Lotion up!

Supernova

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Anti-Aging Tip #6

Wear Sun Screen

This should have been the first Anti-Aging tip, but I didn’t want it to get lost in the melee.

Badly damaging skin due to unprotected exposure to the sun’s UV rays is the greatest way to accelerate your skin’s aging process. 

The best anti-aging advice anyone can give is to avoid excessive sun exposure and at the very least, wear a broad spectrum sun screen that protects against both UVA and UVB rays.

Everyone should wear sunscreen daily, SPF 15 minimum. Lighter skin types, Fitzpatrick skin types (I, II and III), should wear sunscreen containing a minimum of SPF 20.

Exposure to ultraviolet radiation emitted by the sun, even in small daily doses, results in free radical action on skin that enables the destruction of natural collagen and elastin fibres in skin, causing skin to lose elasticity and tone, as well as develop wrinkles, crows feet and frown lines. 

We live in modern times. There are many types of sunscreen products in various formulations/ weights in creams, lotions and fluids.  No longer does sunscreen have to smell of bananas and coconuts, be oily, or cause acne breakouts. There are formations that incorporate sunscreen into moisturizers and foundations. Alternatively sunscreen can be worn alone or under makeup. There are sunscreens formulated for the face and others formulated for the body. The options are endless.

It may be cute and ‘cool’ to bake in the sun and live in tanning beds when we are young, but not so cute to have to consider replacing the lost collagen in our skin when we are older, by the use of injectable fillers or surgical procedures.

Though darker skin types are better protected against the damaging sun’s rays, they are not immune to aging.

So really, there is no excuse to not wearing it.

Playing russian roulette with your skin health is so 80′s.

For more on Sun Screens see post Sun and Skin Types

Lotion up!

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Sunkissed beauty

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Sunkissed beauty

Fall is here and the last of the brilliant summer days have long gone. For my fellow temperate climate earthlings, this is an unfortunate reality. For everyone basking in tropical paradise on permanent vacay… live it up!

The body does need sufficient amounts of UVRs in order to generate Vitamin D. A study by the University of California-San Diego School of Medicine shows that vitamin D has been found to help boost the immune system in its attempt to heal wounds (here), good stuff! Low levels of Vitamin D/ light have also been found to be associated with depression (here), not-so-good stuff. So this is not meant to address moderate sun exposure but rather sun-exposure as a sport.

What are ultraviolet rays?

The sun gives energy in the form of light waves of different lengths and intensity. The sunlight we see is called visible light. Ultraviolet radiation (UVR) is located just above visible light. UVR is divided into different energy levels from longest to shortest wavelengths: UVA, UVB and UVC. (Olay)

UVA rays can be considered as ‘Aging rays’ (Think A=Aging). They have the least energy but penetrate the most deeply into the skin. It has been reported to be the least associated with skin cancer, but if delivered in high dosages can cause skin cancer, allergic and non-allergic sun-induced eruptions, darkening and pigmentation of the skin (a skin condition of great concern for darker skins, also seen as ‘freckles’ on fair to medium complexions), and acceleration of the aging process. After chronic, long-term exposure, the skin may appear dry, scaly, spotted, wrinkled and leathery.

UVB rays can be considered to be the “Burning rays” (again think B= Burn). They are the rays most responsible for imparting what is referred to as a ‘tan’, the bronzing effect. In excess, these rays can cause sunburn and can also lead to the development of certain skin cancers and are the most potent rays to reach the earth.

Which brings us to UVC rays. These rays are of the shortest wavelength, carry the most energy and are the most damaging. Fortunately they are blocked out by the ozone layer, as there is no defence against these rays by the skin. The degradation of the ozone can of course be an issue in the future. Makes you think.

The skin and its response to ultraviolet rays

One of the fundamental properties of skin is its ability to respond to UVRs. UVRs emitted from tanning beds can be just as damaging as those emitted from the sun, or even more so as you are less likely to be concerned about the effects of the UVR when you are paying to get it. Who doesn’t want to get their money’s worth? How about that complementary extra 10 minutes at the tanning salon?…

Redness, also known as erythema is the skin’s first visible signal that the skin is in jeopardy. The first *DING DING DING* alarm. It signals to the individual that you may want to head inside now and shows that the immune system is active and that the healing process has begun. Redness is usually more visible in skin types I to III and less obvious in skin types IV to VI. In the darker skin types, however the individual may experience a warming sensation on the skin.

Tanning is the second pigmentary response to UVR rays and is really a signal from the skin saying:

 “Okay then… you wanna play it like that and ignore me, fine. I’ll have to bring out the battalion.” The alarm has been sounded; all defences are up. Skin is now in overdrive.

During tanning, the skin facilitates the development of darker skin on regions of the body exposed to UVR rays. The lighter the complexion, the more the skin has to compensate for it than it does for darker complexions, all UVRs being equal. This is because darker complexions can have up to as much protection as a sunscreen of a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) 15. Sunburns are a result of the skin being stretched beyond its capacity to repair itself.

The term ‘healthy tan’ is an oxymoron; a combination of two normally contradicting terms, which in this case is normally said in error.

Didn’t think getting bronzed ‘n sexy was so complicated huh?

Tropical paradises are lovely. There is something about the yummy-ness of feeling we get when the sun hits the body, that ‘happy’ feeling… sigh.

Moderation the key. So let us act like we know.

Sources: Olay,  SunSmart, Vitamin D, Notes.

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