D is for????

....DRY (& DIFFUSED)!

 It's been faaaar too long people. But hey! I've been busy. ...And I'm about to get even busier. (Gasp!) Long-term subbing job in English!!!! Yaaaaaaay. 'Kay, seat-dance done. Back to hair...


Pics: compare the two sets below to see the difference that "dry" can make ...


                   Front Wet

         Notice the uneven, crunchy, stringy effect. Characteristic to all wet hair, especially wet hair that's being passed-off as styled. (As opposed to a beachy-effect which, yes, is also styled--most of the time. But styled to make "stringy" look sexy.) 



                                                                          Front Dry

Dry curls means style will hold shape.

 

 

                     Back Wet

     Here's a close-up of not only my curl-clips (those things I've been talking about!), but also how fragile curls are when wet. It's near-impossible to maintain the definition of a wet curl when styling. Think of a snowflake. It's like crushing that pretty, lacy pattern. Tear-down-the-cheek. I've found that when I try to style wet curls (as I have sooooo many--toooo many--times in the past), my curls turn to frizz and when that happens, the general style I created does, as well. Worse! When I go to unravel that up-do, instead of curls cascading around my face and shoulders (think movies, readers!)...frizz flops and plops like bails of hay in a barn. ...Now there's an image!

             Back Dry

        Okay, it's blurry. Definitely diminishes the effect. (Photographer, I am not.) Still, what I'd like you to focus on is the difference in volume. Notice in the "wet" picture, the crown of my head has a matted effect. One could argue this is due to the curl clips, buuuut... Not so. Notice in this picture that the volume afforded the bounce of a dry curl is enough to overpower even hair clips. Again, drier is best for styling because of this. Because natural volume amasses.

Okay, now here's the real kicker .......

I DIDN'T DIFFUSE!!!

Can ya believe it!? Me neither. But this particular day, I had the time to let 'er air-dry-out, and it worked for me. BUT if you don't have that time, in if you're in a suuuuper pinch, here's a really great tip....

 

Diffusing Tip: Start on high. Finish on medium. (Or low.)

 

I know. I mentioned this waaaaay early on, and even used a cautionary tone. But that's because I never actually tried it...(Sheepish grin.) However, this morning, on yet another freeeeeeezing, snowy day with lots-ish to get done, I couldn't take it any more! HAD to get my main dry...NOW, darn it! So. Started on high. Waited for hair to reach the texture of a cold ramen, haha. (In other words, until my hair was stiff and not as wet, but NOT totally dry.) From there, I diffused on low (I have no medium setting), and used my free fingers to help separate curls and add lift to roots. Voila! Beautiful. (But no picture bc I'm 'bout to be late to work!)

 

Ciao. 

Happy Lover's Day!!!

happy lover's day ♥

And it's not just because I'm single! But. I've decided that Valentine's Day should really be called Lover's Day. (And not just for couples!) Think about it. If it were called Lover's Day, we'd all be asking What am I a lover of? in addition to exclaiming, I love you!

Well, certainly I'm a lover of love. First & foremost. But today, and everyday, I am also a lover of curls. Fat curls. Loose curls. Stubborn curls. Kinky curls. Glossy curls. Short curls. Unruly curls. Curls.

I love curls.

♥

Humidity-Heathen!

Humidity-Heathen: How I Knew ...

With one glance at my freshly rinsed mane, I just knew. I'd not yet peered outside. I'd not yet glimpsed the falling snow. I'd only watched the frizzy, stringy, stubborn strands as they unraveled from T-shirt to shoulder. Last Friday, February 4, after I awoke, after I showered, after I conditioned, after I did everything just right, I logged onto weather.com. I wanted proof that the barometer-called-my-hair measured "it" accurately. Well whatdaya know: Rochester, NY; humidity - 50%. Hah! The hair don't lie. (Hm, why don't we add that to last post's list. The Hors D'Oeuvres of Hair: If it's going to act-up, at least it tells us how to dress ... )

This photo-series, snapped the morning of said discovery, traverses my phases of styling as I prep the hair for a busy and adventuresome work-day turned work-evening turned night-out. Of course, as I snapped these photos, I had no idea any of those turns lay ahead. Just goes to show, thorough prep--preventative prep--allows you the freedom to adjust to any change in plans.


DISCLAIMER - This photo-shoot does NOT show hair as it looked in its post-rinsed, wet state. Error on my part! Also, it does not show hair as it holds-up throughout the day. (Zero time for follow-up shots.) But you can take my extremely honest word for it when I say that this hair, despite the 50% humidity, held-up through everything spontaneity could heave: even into the after-party when Old Toad finally gave us the post-2am boot. (Cute and extreeemely authentic British Pub in Rochester's East End. Gotta' say, I'm more an Ire-phile--as opposed to Anglophile, for sure!--and this place is still pretty cool.)

Humidity-Heathen: How I Handled

 1. Diffusion-Fusion: This pictures shows how my hair looks down, no clips or bobbies, post-product and diffusing. Not bad, huh? Well first of all, the camera loves my hair. Always, my strands look glossier and therefore healthier (or better moisturized) than they do in real-time. (Maybe it's the flash?) I mean, don't get me wrong: Photogenic hair??? Yes please! I'm just saying that in real-time, my curls looked a lot more frazzled and frayed--a lot drier--than they do here.

From Behind

 Frizz & Frazz

For instance, look at the front-shot <-- and notice the upper-right corner where my bangs lie atop my crown. (You can also see from behind, if you look to the top-left --> in the back-shot.) This is a major point of frizz and frazz. You will see the same signs-of-humidity-damage flanking the left side of my strands in both pictures. (Time-Out: This is how photoshop inept I am ... I couldn't even figure out how to draw circles around said areas and use arrows to point them out, eek!!!) Here, humidity has already damaged the top layer of my hair. As I prep for the day, these blatant signs of humidity-damage are telling. If already, some of the most pampered (because both areas receive tons of styling attention) and public (what people see first) areas of my hair have fallen asunder, it's a omen that the rest of my hair will also fall to the Humidity-Heathen.

Triangle!!!

2. Slay-it-with-Style: In these pictures, you can see how my curls fare post-styling. In the front-shot, while curls look coherent (they have a definite shape and outline), they lack overall shape and generate needless frizz. Exhibit A: The "triangle effect." (Again, photoshop drawings on this pic would be nice!) The number one way to fight Christmas-Tree-Look is to pull hair back at the ears, thereby creating volume on top and a sleek profile along the sides. Here, I've done just that. But the Humidity-Heathen, with all of his his hair-ruining prowess, undid even that.

Hair, There, and Everywhair!

This back-shot shows, again, well-defined curls. (It's the diffusing!!! And the cut. ... Mostly, the cut.) But uugggghhhhh! Check out that lack of symmetry. Seriously, what is going on at the left-top and bottom-center??? If I haaaad to wear my hair this way, because someone forced me to wear it down, I could. I would. It'd be O.K. But .... I know hair. And I know me. And I know that even during a simply scheduled day, these curls could not hold-up to the Heathen. Uh-uh.

3. Up-do Him! 

Cutesy Bun

Bye-Bye Humidity-Heathen!

Okay, there's still some frizz. Granted. (<-- See above ears!) But I have to tell you, my first line of defense on a busy, humid day, is always an up-do. That doesn't mean that if you are going-out, maybe for an evening, and it's summertime and it's hot and you're sweaty, that you can't pull-off a down look. You can. But ya need time. ... And Oribe Impermeable. Here, I had neither. For the sake of longevity, I did the up-do. And I liked it! Look at the cuteness bubbling-out of that back-bun. J'adore!

Results: Hair Won. Humidity Lost. 

And I had a lot of fun, while feeling beautiful (despite a seriously long, unforeseen, 8-10:30 work day). Humph! Take that Humidity-Heathen!!! (Picture me with crinkled nose and tongue sticking-out.)

Thanks for reading!!!

Hors D'Oeuvres

Baaah - I have tons of pics (for me, anyway) and no time to post 'em.  ... Consider this one an app. to the main course!

Curly Hair Hors D'Oeuvres -

We all know that those fancy, tiny, tasty bits before the entrée are the best part of any real party. Dang, sometimes they're the only meal served at parties! Swanky ones anyway. Or as long as we're doing the French theme: Swanky soirée-s anyway.

Well, here I am to list for you the hors d'oeuvres of curly hair. That's right: the tiny, cutesy tidbits that make curly hair delectable, different, exciting. That make curly hair delicious. Bon Appétit!

 ~ Hors D'Oeuvres ~

1. We do not shampoo everyday! (Sometimes not for many days.) Our hair still looks healthy!!!
2. Natural body: Big deal. (So big, consider this #2a-2z.)
3. Messy-Tousled-Beach-Look: Done.
4. Straight hair in a snap. (With the right tools ... someday we'll discuss!)
5. Unique.
6. Unleashes your inner-wild.
7. Sheets-to-Streets Style in an instant! (... Most days.)
8. Shape & Curl in Minutes (even if it's 45). Others need chemicals or rollers or both! ... Or worse.
9. Serious & Sexy.
10. '40's Glam, '50's Poise--almost any other hairstyle, from any time period ever.
11. Instant personality.
12. Staying power, with minimal spray. (Ask any straight-haired friend how big this is.)
13. High Fashion.
14. Fun.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hope you like the recipe. Let me know what else too add!!! 

xoxo

Countering Low with High ... Humidity That Is!

It really does feel like a gamble, when dealing with high-humidity-hair. Humph.

Before beginning, I'd like to note 2 main differences between low-humidity hair and high, other than the simple fact that, well, one is waaaaay easier than the other. On that note:

1. You'll notice that I have only one category for high-humidity as opposed to the multiple for low. "Frizzy & Stringy." That's right. Even upon exiting the shower, you're hair will tell you that it's humid by donning a frizzy and stringy exterior. As you progress throughout your wash-cycle, your hair will only assume variations of the above 2 textures. Below is 1 long guide that you can apply to all of those variations.

2. There are a bunch of hidden tips in this post. At the end, I will try to summarize!

Enjoy...


High-Humidity Hair -
Put away the garlic and crucifixes... There are ways to style during even the most horrifying of days.

Frizzy & Stringy - higher-humidity, after your first wash or rinse or non-rinse...

Definition: Oh man. I hate when this happens. It's usually around 6:30am, when I wake-up late but haaaave to wash my hair, and before I have a chance to glance outside, let alone fully open my eyes. There it is: Humidity. Personified by my hair. (If that's possible). Ugh, it is the worst!

For one, I've done everything right. Foundational (great cut and maintenance). Shampoo & Bb Super Rich. Leave-in. T-shirt Dry. Everything! I cannot fully describe the knot that I swallow as I untie my T-shirt towel to see a "fresh-palette" of frizzy and stringy. What happened to sleek and glossy??? I ask indignantly. I know they're there, somewhere!!! Humph, the worst.


Styling: I'll be honest. I haven't yet perfected the art of styling humidity-drenched-tresses. Straight-up, my number 1 defense is actually "set-it" techniques, which come last. Namely: diffusing and setting with an anti-humidity spray. (Oribe's Impermeable!!!! Even in winter. Yes - it can be humid in the winter!). Here, my point is to stress that even if throughout styling, your strands look ragged and haggard (... they might), do not lose hope. Diffusing will make it work.

1. leave-in: Because I typically don't know that it's humid until I unravel and free the curls that be ... I typically follow the same routine. Dab of conditioner directly following my shower.

However, on particularly humid days (aka very frizzy, stringy strands), I might spritz 'er down with a bit more water and add either more conditioner or a different leave-in. Currently, I use Neutrogena Triple Moisture for back-up. (It's thick, so a bit will go a long way, especially in already damp hair.)

2. style-it: Coat those strands with some gel. I emphasize gel because here, as I've found with my hair in the past, mousse is not dense enough to weigh down the follicle. In fact, I've found that in higher-humidity weather in general, mousse sometimes dries-out hair faster than gel. Important distinction: "to dry-out" and "to dry" and "to have low-moisture content" all differ drastically. Quickly -

To dry-out: means to extract needed-moisture from the follicle and cuticle when, in fact, this moisture is what prevents frizz. "To dry-out" is never good.
To dry: simply means to use a heat source (be it natural sunlight or added electricity) to remove excess moisture that lays atop the hair follicle
To have low-moisture content: means to balance absorbed moisture (to maintain follicle smoothness) with excess moisture (brought on by humidity). This is always good.

**Warning!: Please note. I am not a hair stylist nor a hair-care professional. Hell, I haven't even done formal research on this. The above distinctions are from what I've observed and are deducted based upon my own experiences with my own hair. Please do not take them as scientific or even aesthetic maxim.** Moving on ...

In short, use gel. Coat the strands, perhaps more than you would with a low-humidity scrunch. From here, oscillate between scrunching at the roots, to provide lift, and twirling at the base, to add shape. Believe me. It might not look pretty. It might look flat and string and ugly and hopeless. It's not.

3. set-it: Diffuse. You might even need to alternate between adding water (via faucet to finger-tips or spray bottle to hair) and adding heat. Does this slow down the process? Yes. Does this make sense? Yes. I like to think of the clay-analogy. Don't potters continually, though gradually and in a controlled manner, add water to the clay of which they form, in order for it to ultimately dry? Yes. Remind you of curls? It does, me. Sometimes, while diffusing, you need to add moisture, in a controlled manner/environment, to shape the curl the way you see fit. I promise that as you keep with it, you will begin to see the formation of shapely, defined curls. After this: spray. Spray each layer of hair with anti-humidity spray. This will coat each curl with to shield them from lingering moisture, and it lends a flexible hold (if you buy a good spray)!

The only other tip I can give is this: Silicone. Silicone products are widely used in the curly-hair industry. Check-out any John Freida. You will see that this is true. While some critics shun silicone, for its propensity to accumulate onto the hair follicle thereby drying-it-out in the long run, others extol it. Truly, it builds a protective barrier against unwanted moisture while maintaining and adding shine. In my experiences, and based upon advice from my hair stylist, silicone is great if you care for your hair regularly.

That is: shampoo thoroughly, but not overly (2-3 xs/week even with exercise!); maintain moisture within the cuticle via regular conditioning and leave-in treatments; lovelovelove your hair. Also, if you find extra build-up on your hair while shampooing, ABSTAIN from using a clarifying shampoo. This can strip your hair of its natural conditioning agents. Instead, double shampoo with your normal product. In fact this morning, when I felt residual build-up on my strands after the first shampoo, I did just that. A second shamp. It will cleanse and hydrate.

Back to the silicone. After applying so much product and diffusing ad nauseum (b/c it might feel that way), your strands will look shapely and defined. But they might also look super dry. Desert-like. A high-quality anit-humidity spry like Oribe's will add the luster you're looking for, and so an additional silicone product isn't necessary. However, if you're out or if you're not using it, I've found that any available drug-store hair serum--(check the ingredients: I bet one of the first is silicone!)--will provide a similar sheen after a few pumps placed from fingertips to roots to tips.

Whew! Hot, Hazy, & Humid is Hard Work! Here are some Tips to make it more manageable...

High-Humidity Hair Tips:

1. Know your Terms: Understand the difference between "to dry-out," "to dry," and "to have low-moisture content"
2. Have Hope: Stick with your styling even if frizzy and stringy look imminent. The real definition will come with diffusing.
3. More Gellies: Gel is denser than mousse, so I've found that gel adds more defining weight to my curl as I style through the frizz and the fray. Whichever you use, use more than you think necessary.
4. H to the Frizzo: As in H20 + Frizz ... Anyhow: it's the opposite! You might need to add spritzes of water, in controlled amounts, as you style your curls, and even as you diffuse, to counteract the frizz. It will take longer to style and set, but it will also give you greater control.
5. Silicone Valley: You've all heard me tout the incredible, miraculous Oribe Impermeable. Best anti-humidity spry going. Seriously. Spray this on strands--all over strands--to add shine (and a distinctly delicious fragrance) and to hold your curls. However, if you've run-out or you have-not, buy a hair serum. Pump a few dollops onto your finger tips and massage throughout curls to obtain a similar effect.
6. Clearly Don't Clarify: Actually, it's not so clear. When using all of this product, especially with curls which require at least a leave-in at best, one might assume the a clarifying shampoo is curls-best-friend, or mother, or something. ... It's not. However, especially with the use of silicone products, residue will build. Instead of using a clarifying shampoo, which can strip hair of its natural moisturizing agents, double your current shampoo. That's right. When you find residue lingering on your tresses after the first shampoo, give 'er another. That'll do.
7. High Low New Combo: Omg! I've never divulged about diffusing. How silly of me. When I say high, I mean use the highest heat possible, especially in cooler temps. This will ensure that your hair actually dries sometime that day. When I say low, I mean use the lowest setting possible for blow-intensity. (Wow, I'm really lacking on the terminology here.) For instance, my blow-drier has 2 intensity settings: high and low. I use low. If yours has 3, ie. a medium, decide which is best for you. However, I've found (and my stylist has concurred) that the high-intensity setting often causes more frizz than fab. So there it is: high & low.

Happy Styling Ladies and Lads! (Ya never know...).

<3

...Snowy Day??? Style-A-Way!

What a day already!

First, Rochester was supposed to get this huuuuuuge blizzard. Blizzard of the Century. Such a huge blizzard, that Diary Queen couldn't compete. Or Sonic. So that means, for the first time that I've ever seen--including the ice storm of March '03 (when senioritis officially kicked-in)--ALL of the school districts in Rochester and our surrounding suburbs and the outlaying schools, ALL of them, canceled today's school day, yesterday. Yesterday! Crazy. And Funny. Because had they waited ... they wouldn't have canceled. So belly-laughing hilarious and yet, ironically sad. As in: there will never be another snow day as long as we live, ever. I'm calling it.

Second, I didn't even want a snow day! I was supposed to sub today. That's money in the bank ... (Which we'll get to.) Worse! I was supposed to sub Friday, only if there was no snow day today, ya know what I mean? Oh money. Moneymoneymoney. It laughs at me. Speaking of which...

Third, do not let cute bank tellers flirt with you while they are depositing your check! They might get distracted and, woops!, deposit your cash into the wrong account. Lucky for this person's account who got my cash ... judging from my receipt, it looks like they needed it. Lesson 2 for the day: always check your receipt! I knew that balance looked funny. Moreso, check the account number ... which, when I look at it now, doesn't look like mine. Hm, lesson learned: Beware of flirtatious teller. Not worth it!

Okay, onto the real stuff. My apologies for not having posted in forever. Also, for not having found old pics for post #2...or for taking new pics...or for making tutorials! (Hope we got some imaginative readers.) In the meantime, thanks for bearing with!

Since last post, I've wanted to discuss alternate routes to the scrunch. Because let's face-it, sometimes your curls won't be having-it. Below is a list of hair textures and the names that I've designated for the styling that can go with. Again: pictures would be fabulous. Noted.

Today I am focusing on low-humidity hair. Next post: high.

Low-Humidity Hair -
If only every day were so simple, so--ironically--straight-forwardly, simple!

Fresh & Bouncy - low-humidity, after your first wash (shampoo) or rinse (condition)
 Definition: When I'm at "Fresh & Bouncy," I always feel at-home. It's my cleanest palette from which can create anything. By that, I mean anything--style, look, you name it!--for the rest of the wash-cycle. For me, "Fresh" means I've just shampooed and conditioned, or have conditioned within 1 day of that, and "Bouncy": that my curls look thick, glossy, and smooth when wet. You'll know you're at "Fresh & Bouncy" when you feel like a sea-goddess emerging from her underwater kingdom beneath the... Oops! Side-tracked ...

Styling: Classic scrunch. Those smooth, happy follicles will need a healthy coating of product (gel or mousse) to maintain that texture. Those thick, glossy curls will need some lift and separation so they can go fourth and multiply. Again, I recommend product and styling in this order:

1. leave-in : finger comb throughout
2. style-it : scrunch mousse or gel throughout, after a healthy coating to each strand
3. set-it : pull back with curl-clips to dry evenly, diffuse it, and use an anti-humidity spray post-drying if you feel inspired. (Especially if it smells extra delic!)

Vintage & Stiff - low-humidity, after a few rinses
Definition: After a few rinses in my wash-cycle, I'll observe a noticeable product build-up on my strands. The major difference is that instead of defined, glossy curls as exhibited in the "Fresh & Bouncy," I will have less-defined, straighter looking locks. Looks equally as nice. But don't let it deceive! These strands are the Sirens-of-Curls, calling you with their promises of straight and lush. Lies! All lies! Just because your hair looks like it wants to be straight, does not mean that it will. It will not. Be not seduced. Instead ...

Styling: Twirl. You must do the twirl. At this point in their cycle, or odyssey..., your semi-tired, almost worn-out strands need lots-o-love. That means less on the product, more on the curl.

1. leave-in: like normal
2. style-it: use your fingers to really comb gel throughout hair. Also, use about half as much as you would if scrunching (so 1.5 dollops instead of 3, if it were me!). The finger-combing will help to separate strands that, otherwise seem chemically-bonded, without adding excess frizz. The 1/2 sized product compensates for that which, though water-soluble, hasn't completely dissolved in past-rinses.
3. twirl-it: take your fingers (probably the index); gently gather strand-by-strand, layer-by-layer (starting at your crown, working back); and twirl. Loop the strand at the root, loosely twirl it round-your finger, and begin to watch definition form. Twirl some toward the back of your head, and others toward the front: mixing-up the direction will lend a more natural look.

Thought it was gloss. It's concealer!

Do not spend hours, or even half-hours, twirling every single strand of your hair. First, you'll end up looking like an Irish Dancer. (Oh, hey, I do have some pics!) Also, you save time. Really, if you get a few choice ones in each layer (maybe 8 on the top and middle layers, and 4 at nape of the neck), you're good. Really, what you're doing is adding lift, separation, and definition to a few curls. The rest of that lift, separation, and definition comes with diffusing.



4. set-it: Diffuse! Definitely. To set the work you've just massaged into your hair (for lack of a better verb), you need to. This will secure the lift, separation, definition and add body that might otherwise was missed from not having scrunched. Diffuse!

Finally - I've noticed that in the past, when I have tried to scrunch this texture, I have created super-stiff, uber-processed '80's-looking-perm-hair. ...Good to know for Halloween, right.


Vintage Ribbons - low-humidity, after no rinse
Definition: As I've noted in past posts, sometimes, when I haven't rinsed my hair during a wash-cycle, the mixture of natural oil with the lack of added-moisture makes my hair to look like ribbons. Two-day old ribbons on a forgotten-gift (if that helps the visual), but ribbons nonetheless.

Styling: There's 2 approaches. If you want to stay in-the-dry, use some heat. This will create a more effortlessly-styled look. (It's all about paradox). If you want to stay more natural, use some wet and some heat (to your liking). We'll call the former A and the latter, B.

A - Heat, Effortlessly-Styled

1. leave-in : none (you got natural oil workin')
2. style-it : .5" curling iron, high heat. For extra protection and a sleeker look, use a heat-protection spry like CHI Shine Infusion. But really, all of that old product and natural oil already protects your hair. The choice is yours. However, if you want a super-styled-stay-all-night look, definitely use hairspray. Before curling each strand, lightly coat with a layer of spray. Your curled-curls will last all nigth.

Product aside, let's talk technique. Similar to the twirl, I do not curl every strand. We're not going for the Shirley Temple here. Instead, choose a few choice selections--certainly the bangs!, framing around the face, hit each layer on each side, and more-than-you'd-think from each layer in the back. Stick with those. Next, take the iron and curl. If the curl doesn't come out perfect, no problem! At this point, you're going for a mixed-medium of curls. Think a fruit display of tomatoes. Don't Heirlooms look so much more appetizing mixed large with small, size with shape? ...That's not to say that your head's going to look like a portrait of tomatoes ... But it is to say that you are going to look fresh and delicious! Fabulous. So mix-it-up. Experiment. Have fun. In the end, you might end up doing an up-do, like a messy side bun, or some half-up-half-down number. Whatever works. Either way, you'll look great. Effortlessly styled.

B - Hot 'n' Cold, Wet 'n' Hot
1. leave-in: spritz some water; maybe add some leave-in for workability. Less than you think!
2. style-it: Combo the scrunch with the twirl. You'll want to scrunch the roots to lift them from the crown. Twirl the strands to give them more bounce. In terms of product: 99% of the time, no. You won't need it. Your curls already have residual product from prior styling. The water should be enough to activate. However, you have to use your judgment, always. ...Do what feels right.
3. set-it: Air dry should be okay. For one, your hair, as a base, is already dry, and therefore more likely to drink-up any added-moisture. For two, you don't have much added-moisture! Unless your hair really needs some definition, let it air-dry.

(Speaking of which, always always always, if you need more definition: diffuse! It always helps in a pinch.)

Next post ... High Humidity.

Bye!