Malibu Wellness Anywhere!

     The Malibu product line has been around for quite some time.  Malibu is primarily known for the Swimmers Wellness Shampoo & Conditioner system which most people know is a deep clarifier to rid the hair of excess waste due to chlorine, product and daily oil buildup.  Malibu is not only known for the "Swimmers Shampoo", but also for numerous other products that have saved many people from issues ranging from Scalp to Hard Water as well as sensitive or problematic skin issues.  The following products I have worked with and love and here are a few reasons why..

                                                             Swimmers Wellness

Not only for those who swim both competitively, non-competitively or for exercise, Swimmers Wellness rids the hair of everything including product buildup.  It is a product that can be used when it is needed most but is recommended for clarifying the hair  everytime it is brought into contact with chlorine.  Also to be used as needed for those who wish to rid the hair of build-up or for oil-prone scalps.  

Blondes Wellness

Same idea and directions as the above, but for blondes.  Whether you have pieces, streaks or full-blown blonde hair (naturally or artificially), you run the risk of dulling your gold or white perfection instantaneously.  Since blonde hair can be delicate and susceptible to everything and anything at times, it is imperative to give back to your locks the shine and brilliance needed for them to radiate.  

Hard Water Wellness

Think your locks are the best they can be, both in condition and color?  When you think of copper, what color comes to mind?  You would be surprised to know what lurks in the water coming through your shower head and how it can impact hair condition and color.  Not only have I experienced this numerous times on clients but also first hand.  One of my clients came to me with blonde-hair turned orange due to well water buildup in her shower head.  When I saw her distress, I turned to the Hard Water Treatment.  Within a few shampoos and sitting with the Hard Water Crystals applied for about 5 minutes, her hair returned to her blonde-beauty and it was easy to trust in Malibu's products.  The Hard Water Wellness is essential for anyone who might live in a well water area, does not own a water filtration/purifing system for their shower head or even those who have buildup or discolored locks due to iron and copper coming in through faucets/showers.  Weekly shampoo and conditioning treatments should be a necessity if you believe you have an issue with any of the above.

     As for the packets included with the Shampoo and Conditioner Kits; these specialized crystals take your hair to the next level of clean and pure.  If your hair takes a turn for the worse, these 100% Vegan, paraben, preservative, gluten and fragrance free packets are your best choice in returning your hair to tip-top shape.  

     These are just a few of the products made by Malibu.  If anyone has any questions pertaining to the products above or any products made by Malibu, feel free to contact me.  

Thanks!

Erica

  

Straightening it all out..

     So it's been awhile since I have been on here, blogging about hair, products, etc...  You could say I have been busy; three jobs and days off that vary, make it very hard to sit down and publish the way I used to.  My lifestyle has become, against my will, a "push aside the little things till I get a chance to come back to them" kinda deal.  And yes, I have been working very hard to find even the smallest ounce of time to get back to what I love..Writing and sharing my knowledge of Hair to all my clients as well as those who are just interested in learning about hair and how our day to day lifestyles have such an impact on the health and strength of our shiny locks.

     My intention when I started this blog was ambitious at the time..  Write as many articles in a week as possible pertaining to Haircare and how we all differ when it comes to the growth and condition of hair.  Lately, I have been amped up to get back into writing, especially here.  Also, recently I have had numerous clients with hair issues and it has made me take a closer look into what might be causing these issues.

     Any blondes; be they a client, friend, whomever, knows how I feel about bleach.  Even on the healthiest hair, bleach can easily turn shiny locks to damaged tresses. Past my rant of begging almost all my clients, on behalf of their hair integrity, not to use bleach, some beg of it in return, to get the wonderful bright white hue they see so often either on tv or in everyday life.  When this does occur, I do the no brainer.. Don't foil what's already been foiled. If its light enough, LEAVE IT ALONE!
At least leaving the mid-shaft to ends of the hair out allows the only portion of the hair being foiled the new growth.

     Now, I'm sure your wondering why I went into detail on the above..  To sum it up, I see too many clients coming to me asking what I can do to "fix" what has already been done in the past. That, along with breakage anywhere and everywhere.  It now becomes my job to help guide them in the right direction to hair perfection.

     When you think about your normal daily routines, what comes to mind?  Wash hair..blow dry..straighten/curl..etc..  How about what you eat?  Daily vitamins? Stress? Sleep? Age?  Yes, all these things are just a portion of what might be causing your hair integrity to suffer.  Through treatments, both with myself and at home, it will take time but my intent is to help them recoup step by step what may have been lost.

     My love for Hair and everything that surrounds it doesn't start and stop with one visit.  My professional opinion and guidance is with my friends and clients at all times.  As is it with most everyone who knows me.  My blog is always open to those who have questions or just need some hair advice.

And as usual.. Comments more than welcome and much appreciated!

Doei! (Dutch word for Bye!)
Erica

Tangles? I think knot!

     Growing up a girl can be tough especially having long natural hair that gets tangled very easily.  I've seen clients who have beautiful hair, run a comb through from scalp to ends pulling out clumps just to get it done.  Not a good idea for your head, your hair and you.

     Coming from a girl who had long, thin and tangled hair growing up, I used Johnson & Johnsons No More Tears Detangler religiously.  In my Cosmetology years I've found a few products that are more nourishing,  work for all hair types and provide both color and thermal protection against everyday blow drying and flat ironing.  They smell good too!

     The following products below are the best I've used, most inexpensive and follow the guidelines I've listed above.  It's a 10 can be found at any authorized Salon or beauty warehouse while the Aquage is only sold to Independent Salons, no chains or retailers.


                 It's a 10 Miracle Leave-in-Treatment  
   

  
                  
                       Aquage Hydrating Mist      
               



     There are many products that can leave the hair feeling nourished and untangled without leaving residue.  If your concerned about a product feeling greasy or heavy in your hair, take these steps to avoid that from happening.

• Don't spray at your root area.  Work your way from the ends, where it's needed the most, on up.  

• Make sure it's dispersed over your entire head and not just in one place.  If you have a naturally oily scalp it will be noticeable very quickly.

• Always comb the products through your hair to disperse evenly.  

Living Proof Full Thickening Mousse

It all starts with a sample...

     So many people spend dollars upon dollars trying to find the perfect volumizing foam, thickening spray or plumping mousse to change their flat-lifeless hair into a full-beautiful masterpiece.  Most of the time, you end up being dissapointed and out a weeks worth of Starbucks money.  Or at least I have in the past..
     Staring once again at another thickening mousse, trying to convince myself not to purchase it due to all the times I have been let down in the past, I picked up the can and decided to go for it.  I was in luck too, because I had a handful of clients scheduled that day who had fine, thin hair and was eager to test out this new product and see the results.
     My first client was my best friend who didn't so much care about the blow-dry and style as much as the color we had planned on doing.  Well needless to say she loved the color but the volume from her finish was hotter than the red foils we had placed throughout her head.  I was very impressed with the level of volume we were able to achieve with her hair length using this product.  It left no residue or build-up and was very easy to blow-dry through; never getting stuck or tangled in a brush.
      Later that day I used it again on another client who had a little shorter than shoulder-length hair.  She had fine and extremely limp hair.  The outcome you ask?  Full!  Living proof of what a real mousse should be doing.
     Living proof offers a whole line of different texture products depending on what hair type you have.  I have been using the Full shampoo, conditioner and thickening mousse trio while on vacation and have really noticed an increase in plumpness when using all their products together.
     Also, I should mention their Thickening Mousse was selected for Allure Magazines 2010 Breakthrough Award for their advancement in beauty technology.  Hopefully you will consider this product next time you are standing in front of aisles of volumizing mousses, trying to figure out which one might benefit your needs the most.

  

Aquage Beyond Body Thermal Spray

     A product that I have recently started using on some of my clients is the Aquage Beyond Body Thermal Spray.  It works really well for thick/course and unmanageable hair.  It creates a silky-smooth texture when used with any type of thermal styling device providing the hair with shine and luster.
      I have used this product mainly when I have a client who wants to transform their thick or frizzy hair into a straight sleek look without making the hair feel heavy and weighed down with too much product.  I highly recommend using this if you have a client who schedules an up-do or is looking for a curly style to last more than a few hours.  It will provide an advance hold for the style you are looking to achieve while protecting the hair cuticle from any heat damage your styling device may cause.
     The one thing I always stand by when using a flat-iron to style is using a thermal hair protectant while directing the hair, not flattening it.  I have noticed with this Aquage product how smooth it will glide through the hair when using a flat-iron.  When you spray each section before directing it,  hair will look dull and un-conditioned.  Once the heat hits the product, it takes on the appearance of a glaze, reflecting the light and making it appear shiny and extremely healthy.

Hopefully you will find this review helpful if you are looking to try a new product for your hair texture!  If you have any questions where to purchase or read more about the benefits of the Aquage line, feel free to contact me via my blog.  

Happy Styling! 

Hair today, gone Tomorrow!

     On average, people lose around 100 hairs from their head each day.  Some people may experience more than others due to stress, postpartum alopecia (loss of hair after childbirth), genetics or even a lack of nutrients from a poor or unbalanced diet.  And thats just naming a few.  Now, if you find yourself experiencing hair loss more frequently or have clumps of hair repetitively being lost in combing, shampooing or styling, the goal is to figure out what needs to be done in order to keep what you have so you don't end up pulling out anymore!
  
     Sometimes it can be as simple as a visit to your physician to figure out what changes have been made inadvertently causing this sudden onset.  Other times, your stylist may have the information needed to stop and prevent any further hair loss.
  
     There are certain products out there that will stop the over-loss of hair, thicken and even help regrow hair in areas that may be thinning or have already thinned.  The one product I recommend to everyone would be Nioxin.  Nioxin has been around since 1987 and has created a huge impression on the hair industry.  Their research and development has lead them to 8 different product systems that range from color-treated hair to non-color treated hair in fine/thin or thick/course texture systems.  And thats just the start.  Not only do they have products that aid in hair loss, they also have treatments that deal with overly oily scalps as well as un-moisturized, lack-lustre hair.  Rejuvenating the hair and creating a healthy, balanced scalp seems to be Nioxin's main goal.
    
     To find out what system would help benefit you, figure out whether or not you:

1. Have color-treated or non color-treated hair.
2. Have fine/thin or thick/course texture.
3. And the type of loss your experiencing; normal to thin looking hair or noticeably thinning hair.

     Each system is numbered 1-8 based on your answers to the above.  After you have chosen the appropriate system, its time to start the process of beautiful healthy looking hair.  Most of the time you can purchase the system in a kit that includes the Cleanser (shampoo), Scalp Therapy (conditioner) and Scalp Activating Treatment (leave-in treatment).  When purchased all together they may only provide a small starter kit which could include anywhere from 4-8oz of product.  Other times they will have 33oz sizes of the Cleanser and Scalp Therapy not including the Scalp Activating Treatment.  If you plan on using Nioxin regularly and want to notice a difference I would highly recommend investing in the larger sizes; they will last much longer.  
     
     As usual, it takes a certain amount of time to notice a difference in both the thickening and possible regrowth of hair.  According to Nioxin, 9 out of 10 people perceive an increase in the thickness and overall appearance of the hair density.  Also, it can take about 6-8 weeks from the start of using Nioxin to notice any type of difference.
     
     As I mentioned above, in each kit there are 3 steps:

- Shampoo
- Condition
- Leave-in treatment



     The shampoo and conditioner are just that; work them into a nice lather and rinse after about 1 minute.  The most essential part of this whole process is to use and leave in the scalp activating treatment.  Leaving it in not only helps your scalp to absorb the ingredients needed for thickening and strengthening from the inside out but also allowing it to have time to activate the follicle by deeply cleansing and restoring your hair back to its original condition.

     Hopefully this article helped give further insight into hair loss while opening you up to other possibilites of strenghtening and maintaining the beauty of your hair.

Hot hair can also mean a hot mess!

     So, the other day I had a client in my chair who had beautiful long natural brown hair.  She was a young college student who came in to get a haircut before the holiday season.  I went about doing my normal routine; wash, blow dry then cut.  I go about doing my normal long-layered cut and notice, as I get to the front of her face, she had breakage on the left side where her bangs usually part due to a cowlick.  She told me about her daily routine and what she used to make her already straight hair even more straight.  It was none other than a flat-iron.

     My whole thought process behind this post is to educate people about the do's and do not's of flat ironing.  There are lots of women who, when using flat-irons, do not realize the risks involved when it comes to protecting their hair.  First of all, product is a must.  Now, I am not one who uses products every day nor do I push products on my clients to use, but if I find a good one I will highly recommend it.  I test out products on myself and a few close friends who don't mind a different effect every now and then.  (Definitely a perk of being a Cosmetologists friend)  Just keep in mind, not all products are intended for everyone.  Everyone has different texture and a different hair type.  Heavier products can weigh down fine/thin hair and not using enough product can cause frizz and damage on course/heavy hair.  


Here are some tips I highly recommend when using Flat Irons :


1. Always use some type of oil or thermal protectant.  My favorites are Moroccan Oil and the Aquage SeaExtend Silkening Oil Treatment which can be used on all hair types.

Fine/Thin hair - use about a half-of-a-dime size amount and work in at ends.  Keep away from scalp so it doesn't weigh hair down and become lifeless.

 
Medium hair - use a nickel size amount and work in from ends to mid-strand.  Also keep away from scalp.

Course/Thick hair - use a quarter to half dollar amount depending on the density of hair.

*You can also use any type of root amplifier in conjunction with any of these products*

2. Try not to use your flat iron as a "flat" iron.  People have this perception that irons can only flatten the hair which makes hair look flat and lifeless.  You can easily add curls, waves and lots of texture to any hair type.  Directing the hair, rather than flattening is key in creating fullness and making the hair looked pronounced, especially if you have layers.

3. The hotter the better.  Good quality irons such as CHI and FHI have thermostats built in which can reach temperatures up to 450 degrees.  What this means is it takes less time to achieve your end result.  Instead of purchasing a cheap iron that takes more than 5 strokes to get your hair in place, invest your money into a good iron that heats up quickly, stays hot and will last for years to come.  Also it will wreak less havoc on your hair in the long run.

4. Breakage!  Have you ever noticed a few pieces of hair around your face that seem to be a little fuzzy?  Doesn't matter what length or what texture you have, it can happen to anyone.  How does this happen, you ask?  The result is the flat iron being on the hair too long therefore frying the ends and hair strand.  Again, invest in a good flat iron that takes less time to use and prevents breakage like so.

Hopefully this article made you more aware of the pro's and con's of straightening irons and the affects it can have on YOUR hair!