Smart solutions for dry, brittle hair

HI, REGINA!

I use conditioner, but my hair still feels brittle and dry afterwards. What’s going on?                                                      

ALLIE

Is your hair colored? Because coloring — especially when there is bleach involved — sucks the life out of hair. (And hair is already dead to begin with!) I just got a dye job fairly recently, too, and my hair’s texture now is a lot drier and more damaged than it was when it was still virgin black, so I’m taking extra good care of it with the right products. If your hair is colored, too, you should be using hair products specifically designed for colored hair. They’re typically made with gentler ingredients so that they don’t strip color, and most of the time, they have components that help nourish dry, damaged hair. They also don’t include ingredients (like sulfates) that fade your color. I’m currently going through Pureology’s Pure Volume shampoo and conditioner; the brand’s specifically designed to maintain colored hair.

If your hair’s not colored, do you heat-style a lot? You need to be using a heat- and/or UV-protecting product if you frequently use a flat iron or curling iron. (Tresemmé’s Keratin line has a shine spray that incorporates heat/UV protection.) If you blow-dry daily, don’t blow-dry straight out of the shower. Towel-dry first, then air-dry, and only when it’s just a little damp and mostly dry should you hit it with the blow dryer. This minimizes heat damage, too.

Also, are you using your conditioner properly? After shampooing, gently squeeze out as much water as you can from your hair before applying the conditioner because the more water there is in your hair, the less conditioner gets absorbed. Then leave it in for at least two minutes, maybe more if you think you need it. (And it sounds like you do!) Also, make sure the conditioner you’re using targets your specific hair issue; they’re not all made the same. If that is still not enough, consider using a hair mask once or twice a week. They are similar to conditioners, but are richer in formulation and therefore more nourishing. I would also suggest applying a pump or two of nourishing hair oil (argan’s always a good choice) through your hair with your fingers for a little added hydration, nourishment, and shine.         

REGINA

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Brush up on the super-sleek ponytail

HI, RISSA,

I admire the way you do your very sleek ponytail. Can you share what product you use and how you manage to do it clean and neat?

@MRS_RTLY

 Thank you for the compliment! I’ve been using the same thing for the past five years. To keep the hair ultra-clean and neat, I use Bench Fix hair gel (available at all Bench and Bench Fix salons nationwide). Among all hair gels, this has been my absolute favorite. It’s affordable, provides invisible hold without the heaviness, and never flakes even when you brush your hair out. I just put a dollop into my palms, rub them together then smooth the product over my hair.

I also brush my hair with Acca Kappa’s pneumatic brush with wild boar and nylon bristles to create that sleek look and brush every strand in place. My first brush lasted me around five years. I bought a new one again at Beauty Bar. Another reason I love this brush over plastic brushes is because the natural bristles help redistribute oils throughout the hair as you brush, making it shinier. This Acca Kappa brush is also anti-static. Get the travel-sized one so it’s easier to hold and handle while brushing your hair into a super-sleek hairdo.

RISSA

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How to contour like a makeup artist

DEAR LUCY,

I love how a professional makeup artist applies my makeup. Even if I could manage to do simple eye makeup, I am at a loss when it comes to contouring.  I know how to use blush; usually I just dab some on the apples of my cheeks like I have been told a hundred times, but in this age of IG posts and Twitter, my face just looks flat.  How do I start learning how to contour?  Can I use blush to achieve these results?  What shade?

MONICA

I know exactly what you mean.  There was a time when I thought that for as long as you do the eyes well, half the job is done.  Not!  It is the contouring that professional makeup artists do that gives their talent/skill a premium.  The usual complaints are that cheeks are too full, the nose not sharp enough, a jawline that seems to disappear into the neck, etc. 

Enter Happy Skin Feeling Sculptacular Face Contour Kit.  I, too, am still learning from the pros, but I find my attempts at contouring less intimidating now.  To simplify, it really just is about light and shadow.  This is where this kit becomes such a godsend — there is a diagram on the packaging that is very simple to follow and understand.  Depending on what look you are trying to achieve — more chiseled cheeks, a sharper nose, a less-wide forehead — this kit will help you achieve it. 

Do not be intimidated by the seemingly darkish-brown color, the color pigment is light, blendable and buildable and you need not worry about skin looking streaky or muddy at all.  Experiment, play with the techniques and before you know it, you will be well on your way to applying makeup that looks really sleek and polished.  It is also such fun to see how a little palette like this can go such a long way in terms of creating a look that is decidedly more sophisticated.

I would not suggest using blush for contouring unless you have one in a neutral color; at the very least maybe a bronzer will suffice, although I doubt it will achieve exemplary results.  The makeup artists I have worked with tend to use powder foundation in a color many shades darker than my own skin tone.  That has become my basis.  If you have brown powder I guess you can use it, but I highly suggest getting Happy Skin’s Feeling Sculptacular Face Contour Kit.  It is a keeper, like having a makeup artist’s trade secret at your fingertips.

LUCY