Organic earrings

Organic online shopping, Organic earrings. Stay fashionably green in organic earrings. Update your wardrobe with this seasons must have accessories and contribute to a greener planet. Gold is the color of the season and we are going back to nature with these fabulous pieces.




Amelia recycled earrings by Laura Elizabeth Jewelry ($80 at Nimli organic online shopping store). These beautiful gold-filled chains slides through the ear and dangles behind. They are made from real leaves and preserved in 24-karat gold. Each leaf is unique and this small Elm leaf is approximately 1 inch long.
 

 Organic handmade earrings by Nashelle Designs. The lucky cluster hoop organic earrings gives the classic hoop shape with a twist. These earrings have Red Chalcedony stones wrapped on the side to give a splash of color in the shape of flowers. They are organic and handmade from recycled materials and are fairly traded in Bend, Oregon. The length of these gorgeous organic earrings is 1.5" and they are available for organic online shopping in Nimlis store for $64.

Summer hair trends 2010 - plait by Alexander Wang

Summer hair style trends. Tousled hair braids at Alexander Wang

The messed-up side plait is a versatile hair style for summer. At the beach, the simple style keeps thick hair in check for carefree daytime glamour. At night, unravel the plait for naturally textured waves.



Get the look with organic hair products


1. Apply a texturising spray like John Masters Organics Sea Mist, Sea Salt Spray ($27.30 at Green Organics), to freshly washed hair and comb through.

2. Then rough-dry with your head upside down to remove moisture from the roots, using your fingers to maintain natural texture and inject body in your organic hair style.

3. Take a low side part and pull hair to the opposite side. Split hair into three sections, taking the outside section into the middle to create a thick plait.

5. To give the plait a more lived-in look, pull at a few of the loops slightly to loosen it up and brush your fingers up the plait to add texture.

Tame stray fly-aways with a de-frizzing balm like John Masters Organics Hair Pomade ($35.50 at Green Organics).

You can buy John Masters organic hair care at

Organics sunscreen

Why use organic sunscreen?

Why use an organic sunscreen as opposed to a normal sunscreen or sunblock? The latest research shows that many of the common ingredients in the average sunscreen are highly toxic and may cause more harm than good to our bodies when exposed to sunlight.

What are the toxic ingredients in common sunscreens?

Octyl-methoxycinnamate. Produces free radicals (single molecular oxygen) known to be toxic to cells.

Titanium dioxide. Causes DNA damage (the cells genetic material) due to superoxide radicals, active oxygen radicals and hydroxyl radicals when exposed to sunlight.

Oxybenzone. Is rapidly oxidised in the presence of light and inactivates important antioxidant systems in the skin (the skins natural protection system).

PABA. Produces free radicals in the presence of light.

Cinoxate. Causes DNA damage (sister chromatid exchanges)

So what does this all mean?

It basically means that the ingredients in common sunsreens are causing more harm to your skin than good. We apply sunscreen to our bodies to protect ourselves from the sun and the damage the UV rays can cause, but what we unknowingly get is a toxic cocktail that can more or less speed up our bodies ageing and cause severe damage to our DNA structure and skin.

Certified organic suncreen

Reflect is a water-free nourishing organics sunscreen with natural minerals that help reflect damaging ultraviolet radiation. Microfine zinc oxide offers protection from harmful rays whilst organic olive oil keeps the skin supple. Potent antioxidants including natural vitamin E, beta carotene and polygonum extract, protect the skin from premature aging and prevent damage caused by the sun. This organic sunscreen is gentle enough to use on babies, organic baby sunscreen.

How do I use Reflect Outdoor Balm organic sunscreen?

Apply generously to skin surfaces exposed to sunlight 20 minutes before exposure. Reapply every two hours. Store below 30oC / 86oF

Where can I buy organic sunscreen?

You can buy the organics sunscreen from miessence in .phy organics online store.

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What is parabens and what is the purpose of parabens in beauty products

Paraben preservatives (methyl, propyl, butyl, and ethyl)

What is the purpose of Parabens in beauty products and cosmetics?

Parabens are used as inhibitors of microbial growth and to extend shelf life of beauty products. Basically it is a preservative that is used to protect the products from going rancid. It is widely used even though they are known to be toxic and have caused many allergic reactions and skin rashes. Parabens are highly toxic and have been linked to cancer as a potential carcinogen. It is a cheap synthetic chemical and can therefore keep the cost of the product lower, this is one of many reasons organic products cost more.

A product containing parabens is highly toxic if swallowed or inhaled and can cause irritation to skin, eyes and respiratory tract. It can also cause allergic skin reactions such as redness, itching, and pain.

What products contain parabens?

Parabens can be found in shampoos, commercial moisturizers, shaving gels, personal lubricants, topical/parenteral pharmaceuticals, spray tanning solution and toothpaste.

Can Parabens cause cancer?

Scientific research have found Parabens to be a possible carcinogen. One scientific study reports that Parabens were found in samples of breast tumors. The same study also fueled the belief that Parabens and other synthetic chemicals in underarm deodorants and other cosmetics may migrate into breast tissue and contribute to the development of tumors due to it's ability to mimic the female hormone oestrogen.

How to avoid Parabens?

Stay safe using only natural certified organic paraben free skin care and cosmetics. Always read the labels and look out for the words Paraben, Methyl, Propyl, Butyl, and Ethyl.

Use of plant & essential oils instead of Parabens

Some plant and essential oils, heral extracts and vitamins are natural preservatives and can replace parabens, however, they are more expensive which is the reason why you might pay more for a paraben free product.

Use safe organic cosmetics, hair care and beauty products for your health and environment like the misessence certified organic beauty care products..


Source:

Dangerous Beauty by Toni Brown and Peter Dingle

Wikipedia

Organic online shopping

Find your best organic online shopping in America right here!

Nimli is the ultimate online fashion shopping spot and stocks everything you need to become a green, organic and natural fashionista. This week they have 50% off Doie, natural American made fashion.



For great organic beauty online shopping visit Skinbotanicas organic US online store to shop organic skin care, cosmetics and organic hair care.

Right now you will receive a free travel kit from Kaeline when you spend $40 or more on organic Kaeline products.

Organic fashion

Natural fashion, organic fashion labels. Isn't this the cutest thing you've ever seen! A handwoven colorblock clutch by Mad Imports available in two different color combinations. It is naturally handmade of sustainable materials. The beautiful clutch is also fairly traded which means that everyone in the process from harvesting the material to creating the clutch are paid a fair price for their labour.

Available at Nimlis natural, organic and green lifestyle online store for $85.

 

Natural organic skin care

Eco friendly, natural and organic skincare for timeless beauty and style. A rich natural organic moisturizing face cream by miessence with significant and lasting effects on hydration and softness. 

Naturally safe and no synthetic chemicals to care for your skin. Formulated with plant phospholipids, organic herbs, organic fruit and seed oils and butters, and organic flower extracts to nourish and revitalize the complexion. The eco friendly face cream also contains nourishing organic avocado, rosehip seed oil, gotu kola, horsetail and nettle with the beautiful aroma of organic Roman chamomile and Rose essential oils. 

Certified organic to international food standards with Australian Certified Organic, the products does not arrive in packaging to minimize the impact on our planet and the bottles are completely recyclable. The shipping as well as the company including production is carbon neutral.

To shop for your perfect certified organic miessence moisturizer visit the miessence shop

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Toxic ingredients in cosmetics - Paraben

Paraben free cosmetics. Find out the purpose of using parabens in cosmetics and beauty products in this great article at myphyorganics.com

Find a natural hair salon

Natural beauty hair styles. Are you looking for a natural hair salon using only natural and organic treatments, hair colour, bleach and hair care products? Finding a hair salon using and stocking only natural products for your hairstyle can be difficult but not impossible. In this article you will find tips on how to locate your best organic salon.

The mainstream and more visible salons will most commonly use the larger brands such as Wella, Goldwell and Schwarzkopf to name a few and none of these companies are taking any noticeable steps towards a sustainable business operation or creating hair care products, color and other treatments that are better and healthier for you and the environment.

Online directory for natural hair and beauty salons

Here are a few online directories to help you find your best earth friendly natural hair and beauty salon for your best hair style.

The Green Pages is an Australian organic directory where you can find a listing of natural hair and beauty salons all over Australia.

Ecovian is an American listing of salons including natural nail salons and day spas.


The Organic Style Directory eco friendly salon directory includes USA and Australia.

Many of the best natural and organic product companies are still fairly small and may not have the budget to spend on large marketing campaigns as Wella and Schwarzkopf and thus remains unknown to the general public and many beauty salons. This really is a shame in todays eco conscious society but by you committing to make a conscious choice of what products you use you are promoting the organic beauty industry and in the long run you are creating a better planet for us all.

How to find a natural hair salon

If you can't find an organic hair salon in any of the listings above or anywhere else you have been searching contact the distributors of organic products. You can usually find their contact details on their website and simply send them an email telling them where you live and ask them if you can find their products around there. Even if they don't have them around your email might be the trigger that gets a sales representative taking a trip there to expand their market.

"The wings of a butterfly..."

List of organic and natural in salon hair treatments, color, bleach and perm



Jeval Hair Color is an low ammonia colour system.


Organic Color Systems is ammonia, paraben, and SLS free and contains no thioglycolates or plastic.

Original & Mineral is still only available in Australia and Hongkong and is ammonia free.

Yo. Coloring is an Italian hair colour by Kemon and is ammonia and PPD free using yoghurt as an active ingredient to nourish and strengthen the hair.

List of natural and organic hair color for home use 

If you are an enthusiastic green at home do it yourself colorist the following brands are well known throughout the world and can usually be found in organic and health shops as well as in many organic and natural online stores.


Sante

Logona

Tints of Nature

Toxic ingredient - Ammonia in hair color

 

What is the purpose of ammonia in hair colour?

The purpose of ammonia in hair dye is to help open up the cuticle layer of the hair to allow the color molecules to penetrate the hair. It also serves as an activator to peroxide in the colour developer and helps to form the color in the hair. Some formulas replace the ammonia with other alkalines to fulfil the same function.

What is ammonia?

Ammonia occurs naturally and is produced by human activity. It is an important source of nitrogen which is needed by plants and animals. Bacteria found in the intestines can produce ammonia.
Ammonia is a colorless gas with a very distinct odor. This odor is familiar to many people because ammonia is used in smelling salts, many household and industrial cleaners, and window-cleaning products.

Ammonia gas can be dissolved in water. This kind of ammonia is called liquid ammonia or aqueous ammonia. Once exposed to open air, liquid ammonia quickly turns into a gas.
Ammonia is applied directly into soil on farm fields, and is used to make fertilizers for farm crops, lawns, and plants. Many household and industrial cleaners contain ammonia.
It is on the CERCLA priority list of hazardous substances.

How can ammonia affect my health?

No health effects have been found in humans exposed to typical environmental concentrations of ammonia. However, exposure to higher levels of ammonia in the air may be irritating to your skin, eyes, throat, and lungs and cause coughing and burns. Lung damage and death may occur after exposure to very high concentrations of ammonia. Some people with asthma may be more sensitive to breathing ammonia than others.

Swallowing concentrated solutions of ammonia can cause burns in your mouth, throat, and stomach. Splashing ammonia into your eyes can cause burns and even blindness.

Ammonia is believed to be one of the main chemicals to cause respiratory disorders in hairdressers.

Source : ATSDR
Photo: Culture Mag

Some girls wander by mistake

Photography Andrew KuyKendall
Makeup/Hair Devin Joplin
Fashion Styling Ton Aguilar
Model Kara @ Basic Models 

Sydney fashion

Today I bought a pair of loose fitting zebra printed harem pants, something I thought I'd never ever look at but they are to die for. Everything I wore at the age of 13 now seems to walk around the streets of Sydney and I love it! Denim shirts, floral printed dresses and natural hair. Even the music seems to be back. At least at Fitness First where the latest Ministry of Sound club hits are mixed with Ace of Base and Belinda Carlisle.

"All that she wants, is another baby, wohoo"

The gym fashion at my local Fitness First is a story of it's own though. Being located in the heart of the gay community in Sydney there are ever so many hot boys in short shorts and tight tops more well groomed than any superstar on the red carpet. Not that they pay me any attention but watching them checking themselves out is very amusing!

Natural Organic Cosmetics - Miessence Translucent Foundation

This is my best favorite foundation ever. A soft silky natural organic foundation that evens out the skin and creates a vibrant healthy glow. The look is natural and perfect and the feeling is soft. Apply with a brush for a natural transparent look or use a sponge for more coverage.

To find the perfect color to suit your skin have a look at phyorganics.com

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Shop organic clothes - EDUN

Organic natural eco clothing.

EDUN is a socially conscious clothing company launched in Spring 2005 by Ali Hewson and Bono. The company's mission is to create beautiful clothing, while fostering sustainable employment in developing areas of the world.

In March 2007, EDUN launched the EDUN LIVE brand of blank tee shirts. The EDUN LIVE range enables EDUN to drive trade into Africa through high-volume sales direct to the wholesale market. The tees are 100% African produced, from the fields where the cotton is picked, to the factory where the final garment is sewn.

http://www.edunonline.com

Toni & Guy - Vortex global collection launch 2009

For more pictures, photos, images see my photobucket, or watch the video on YouTube.

Toni & Guy Vortex. Global Collection Launch 2009 at Big Top Luna Park Sydney Australia.

Toni & Guy Global Collection Launch

It's on tonight! How exciting!

I'm off to get inspired and hopefully get some cool shots. Pay me a visit tomorrow to see what it was like.

New videos on YouTube

New videos on YouTube. Watch and rate and you'll make me the happiest girl in Sydney!

www.youtube.com/hushmyhair

Nicholas French

Hairdresser Nicholas French - Matrix Craft Global Academy
Photography Babak
Makeup Merrell Hollis

Love my shoes!

 

Shoes. The brand is Bronx. Go shopping!

Work, work, work

Working from home really is fantastic! Today I went to the post office with some organic products I sold on ebay, had a cup of tea with my laptop in Surry Hills, sat in the sunshine and watched all the cool people walk past. They really know how to dress around here! I'll bring my camera next time for some paparazzi snaps.

Audrey Hepburn - Style icon

 

Audrey Hepburn hair, Audrey Hepburn style icon.

Certified organic miessence clarifying hair rinse.

Natural organic eco hair. Cleansing and purifying for normal/oily hair. A shampoo for oilier hair types, or for when you have been using a few too many styling products. If you use a lot of styling products use this shampoo every 4-5 time you wash your hair to give it a deep clean and be revitalised by the invigorating aroma of organic lemon myrtle.

This natural shampoo is also great if you are transitioning to organic hair products. As you may experience a hair detox for the first few weeks if you've been using hair care with silicone derivatives this eco shampoo will assist your hair in the process of detoxing. Your hair may feel knottier and dryer than usual during the detox phase, but it will definitely improve. Clarifying Hair Rinse may assist with stripping your hair of chemical residue and Protect B5 Hair Repair will help to detangle and smooth your hair.


Find it online at www.phyorganis.com

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How to cut a fringe

How to cut a fringe like Nicole Richie. www.youtube.com/jenthestylist

How to cut a fringe/bangs. How to cut a fringe myself. Cut bangs yourself, cut your own fringe, cut my own fringe.

Jane Birkin - Style icon

 

Jane Birkin style icon, Jane Birkin hair, Jane Birkin fringe.

Organic hair salons

Organic hair salons are hard to come by these days. A chemical free place with healthy hairdressers and non toxic products. Working with the strong chemicals in a hairsalon has proven to give many stylists asthma and allergies and can even cause birth defects in babies. I think we should all consider what we are actually using and start questioning the producers of the products and maybe abandon those who refuse to listen. If a large part of the salons would turn to greener alternatives I am very sure that the big companies would start looking their way. The consumers lead the market and as long as we purchase the harmful products they will continue to produce them.

The same goes for clients. Refuse the chemical treatments unless you can find an organic alternative and only purchase certified organic products. Be careful when shopping and look for certification labels as many products today say they are natural and organic but really aren't. Look at the content of the product. A good rule is if you can't read it, you should probably not use it.

Let's all turn our back to the harmful chemicals and treat our bodies with the respect they deserve, and work towards a better environment.

Please spread this message to whomever you can, together we can create change! 
  
I would love to hear your ideas and stories on the subject so please share them with me. 
Email jen@hushosophy.com

Elegantly Wasted by Caterina DiBiase

 

Photo by Steven Chee

Detox update.

How to detox for a healthy lifestyle. I am still alive and kicking. A blister in my mouth, feeling hungover every morning and a bit fatigued, that's a small price to pay for becoming a healthy beauty if you ask me.

Check out www.myphyorganics.com to find out more about the detox I'm doing.

Why professional hair color?

How to color your hair. When it comes to color you are worth investing in. A professional hair salon color service starts with a consultation to determine the best color to suit your hair, your look and your lifestyle. Just picking the box with a picture of a pretty girl wearing the color you desire does not promise you much.

Each hair is different and will adapt to color in a different way. A trained professional have years of experience and is trained in the science of hair and the techniques to achieve the best appearance and physical condition of the hair.

It definitely is a worthwhile investment in yourself and your fabulous look to go to a professional hair salon and get pampered.

Summer runway trends

Seafolly



Sass & Bide



Redken



Sydney Fashion Festival

Toni & Guy - Vortex global collection launch 2009

Toni & Guy hair global collection launch 9 November 2009 at Big Top Luna Park, Sydney.

Today I strapped the heels on and went to town to get my precious tickets!

Return to this site after the 9/11 for an update!

Organic shampoo for dry hair

 Certified organic hair care. Favourite product or not. Everything with harmful chemicals went in the bin and out the door. My new fabulous green clean bathroom is now filled with natural organic products and here is a new favourite. 


The organic desert flower shampoo is very mild and contains yucca juice and polyglucose to gently cleanse the hair while panthenol moisturises. Organic avocado oil restores lustre and hydrates dry and damaged ends, and organic herbs add sheen and body.


When I first started using the shampoo my hair got really tousled up which is normal. This happens as the hair is detoxing and needs to get rid of all the synthetic chemicals previously added. After a few washes my hair is now looking silky and smooth and my scalp feels better than ever.


To help detangle and strengthen my locks I always use the miessence hair repair which also rebuilds the hairs elasticity. 

To shop natural and organic hair care click here.

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New Event - Wealth Propulsion

A brand new Chris Howard Event is taking place in Sydney on Nov. 27-29.

Wealth Propulsion is all about wealth, and we are not only talking money here are we? True wealth comes from who you are, what you become.

Click the link below to find out more about the event.

http://www.wealthpropulsion.com.au/?af=CLA1056225

New Romantics

Photography: Rory Fink @ Mari Vendrame
Hair: Ashleigh Croker for Raw Anthony Nader using kms California
Makeup: Felicia Yong  Styling: Aaron Fitton  Jewellery by Ayla





 

Chemicals in beauty products

What are the chemicals and toxins we expose ourselves to daily doing to our bodies? Many of the beauty products such as hair, skin and body care and cosmetics as well as the food we eat contain well known carcinogens and are highly toxic. The daily dosage is fairly small but we still don’t know about the awaiting accumulative effects.

Extracts from Dangerous beauty, cosmetics and personal care by Peter Dingle & Toni Brown.
This book is an eye opening experience to what we are actually exposing ourselves on a daily basis.

"Slow poisoning (accumulation)

Slow or chronic posioning can occur in two main ways. The most obvious way is by the slow accumulation of chemicals in the body. And this is quite possible with shampoos. Although the body has an excretory system to metabolize and filter out unwanted toxins, the rate at which the body absorbs them is often faster than the rate at which they can be excreted. Accumulation continues until the concentrations in the blood are high enough to toxicity and severe injury."

 "The areas of greatest absorption are the scalp and other areas of body hair (because of the greater number and size of hair follicles), and areas of the body where the skin is thinner, such as the forehead, the insides of arms and thighs, the eyelids and eye area, the breasts and abdomen."

"Long term toxic effects of personal care products include blood and organ damage, damage to embryonic tissues and DNA, oestrogenicity, and carcinogenic effects."

Take care of yourself and learn more about what the products you use every day contain and the possible dangers of using them.

To buy the book click here.

Care for your extensions

Look good in the best home made hair extensions. Long lasting result with proper care.

The first thought that comes to mind for most people when they think about taking proper care of hair extensions is how it is extremely difficult. This, however, is not the case. Taking proper care of your hair extensions is actually quite easy. There are a few easy things that you can do that will keep your hair extensions looking great for a long time.

The first thing that you should remember to do is to wait a few days before your wash your hair after you first get your hair extensions. The reason for this is that it takes a while for the extensions to completely bond to your hair and the act of washing your hair so soon after they are put into your hair can create issues with the hold. However, once this period of time is over you can wash your hair as often as you like.

Properly washing and conditioning your hair when you have hair extensions is vital to maintaining the look that you want. Because hair extensions are not growing like natural hair, they do not produce their own oils. As a result, it is necessary to use a quality leave in conditioner to keep the hair extensions looking vibrant and beautiful. Making sure that your hair extensions are properly moisturized and conditioned will lead to long lasting hair extensions.

Just because they need to be maintained does not mean you cannot do anything with your hair extensions. In fact, it is quite the contrary. As long as your hair extensions are maintained well, you can do just about anything with them. You can style them with different products, curl them, straighten them, or do anything that you want. Hair extensions can even be dyed if desired. Dying hair extensions, however, can be tricky because hair extensions and your natural hair may take dye differently which may result in a look that is undesired.

With proper maintenance and care, hair extensions can last a very long time. Maintaining hair extensions is not as difficult as is commonly thought, but it does require some time and effort on the part of the wearer. The result of caring for your hair extensions, however, is more than worth the small investment required in order to maintain them.  With the proper care, your hair extensions will continue to look great and provide the look that you intend for an extended period of time.

To learn how to do it yourself see this fantastic guide! hair extensions diy

Hair - Leave in spray conditioner

A leave in conditioning spray for dry and tousled locks. Detangle, defrizz and moisturize with miessence hair repair, my all time favourite. A leave in conditioner and strengthening treatment. Panthenol provides long lasting moisturization, imparts lustre and conditions the hair. Organic rosehip seed oil moisturizes and softens dry, brittle ends. Organic herbals help rebuild strength and body.

As well as providing long lasting moisturization and building strength and body, Protect Hair Repair will help to detangle and smooth your hair.

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Rise

Rise

Photographer: Jeff Mikkelson @ Artistic Cube
Stylist: Newheart Ohanian @ newheartnyc.com
Stylist’s Assistant: Andrew Floyd
Makeup Artist: Agata @ agatahelena.com using MAC and Makeup Forever
Hair Stylist: Ryan Taniguchi
Model: Asa @ MC2

Free samples

For your FREE miessence body care samples email your address to organic@hushosophy.com (Australia only)

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Organic life and beauty

Natural and certified organic is the way to go to care for your health.

For great beauty products try the lovely miessence range available at .phy organics 

Everything from organic skin and body with aloe vera and shea butter, talc free baby care to household products, natural cosmetics and nutritional supplements such as berry radical, a great antioxidant to add to your healthy smoothie.

They deliver worldwide and also offer you the fantastic opportunity of becoming an independent representative. A great opportunity to grow your own organic beauty business.

Salon Sassy

Get the look you want by knowing what you want. Before going to the salon, before even booking the appointment take a big think on what you want. Look at some people, magazines, what do you like?

Let go of everything you believe about your look. Many clients have already decided that they can't do this because it makes them look fat or they can't do that 'cos it makes them look like rat.

I say. Whatever!

I believe that anybody can wear anything to some degree, this does not mean you can bring a picture and expect to look exactly the same as Jennifer Aniston when you leave. We are all different and things will need to be adjusted and adapted to each and every client.

So back to basic, what do you really want? You know don't you?

Summer trends - Sydney

A loose knot on top is the style for summer in Sydney! Match it with a long loose dress with small floralprints and flat sandals.

The colors are natural and the hair is long with a feeling of freedom, sun and the 70's. The daring fashionistas keep their hair short with trimmed sides and a long flowing fringe that can be worn to the side or upwards a'la James Dean.

The lips are painted in nude or pale red and the eyes are all natural daytime with matching glowing skin. Night time the kohl and smudge take over and makes it all drama!

The boys are pretty in big black square glasses and neat haircuts.

Hippie headbands are still the rage and a savior for bad hairdays! Plain and black daytime and glittering and shimmering with a little flower or some beads at night.

Sydney Fashion Festival - Maria Ardino

I had the great pleasure of attending an inspirational evening at Ardino Hair Face Body hosted by Maria Ardino, the owner of Ardino Salon, a Redken Creative Director and the Hair Director of RAFW & RSFF 2009.

The event started off with a glass of champagne and some nibbles until we all made our way upstairs. Maria and her team showed some inspirational hairdo's and shared some backstage stories from the shows. The evening was guided by questions from the audience and Marias tips on the coming trends.



The updo's were loose and 50's inspired with a lot of volume at the crown of the head and tied up with thin leather ribbons and feathers.

Maria shared many tips on how to use tools and products and the importance of using the right products for each hair.

Quick Bleach Tips

The thicker the bleach mixture is the stronger it is, however, the thicker it is the more difficult it is to apply it evenly on the hair.

If your hair is fragile, thin or damaged add some strengthening treatment to the bleach mixture, this will weaken it a bit but will also help to protect the hair during the process.

To determine when the color is right scrape some bleach off a small part of your hair and have a look.

The processing time can vary from everything to 10 minutes to 1 hour depending on the quality of your hair, be sure to check every 5 minutes for the first 20 minutes. If nothing really happens relax and leave it on for longer. If it seems to happen very slowly add more bleach.

If the bleach dries up it will not be efficient.

If the desired blonde color is too yellow do a treatment with a purple/violet product. Preferrrably a colored mousse or treatment. This neutralizes the yellow pigments and creates a softer blonde. It will fade so you will need to repeat the procedure whenever the yellow intensifies.

To intensify ash blondes use blue pigments such as a blue shampoo frequently.

A healthy hair

How to get a healthy hair. Well first of all, less chemicals, less heat. The more you dye, tint, perm, color, straighten, curl, blow dry the worse the condition your hair is in. Chemicals play with the structure of your hair, heat wears it out.

Hair is dead matter. This means that once your hair has grown out it will stay as it is. We can improve it with products or destroy it with chemicals but the most important thing is to make sure it grows out strong and endurable.

Our hair, nails and skin, our whole physical appearance is a showcase of our inside. If we eat well, exercise, don't stress too much and enjoy life we are more likely to look healthy. Not only do we feel better but we look better as a result. Glowing skin, shiny hair and a smile on our lips. If we do the complete opposite we will have dull skin, lifeless hair and most likely less smiling.

It may seem simple but that's the way things are.

First of all. Eat well, eat moderately, eat healthy, enjoy your food. Add some vitamins to your body.

Secondly. Time management. No stress is the goal and if you can manage your time you will get there. Stay in control.

Exercise. Just a little walk every now and then, some fresh air. You can hear where I'm going can't you?

It all comes down to. Whatever is going on inside shows outside so look after yourself!

Jane Birkin

Blow dry your fringe with a big round brush to create this look.

Brunettes and Color

Being a hot brunette, especially a fake one involves a lot of work. First of all the color needs a good shampoo and a good conditioner for colored hair to maintain that healthy fabulous look. When the color starts to fade she can use a shampoo and conditioner with color pigments to add that little extra to boost the fading color. When the natural color starts showing close to her scalp she needs more serious work. Of course she wants an even tone all over her hair so she tints only the roots, because if she adds color to her whole hair she will end up with black ends and brown roots. Make sense?

So she adds the color only where needed, the roots, and when the color is processed she quickly rinses her hair so that it is damp all the way through before massaging up a lather from the color. This lather and that last tiny tiny bit of color from the bottle is massaged through her hair and then combed through, then massaged again. It sits for about 5 minutes before she rinse her hair again this time using shampoo and conditioner, for colored hair of course!



Why will the ends be darker if color is added on all the hair instead of only the roots?

If you think about it as simple math. Already dark color+more color=very dark color.
What most people say now is "but my ends are all faded and needs more color" well, do they need as much color as the roots? No they don't, and if they are really faded use a waterbottle to spray the hair after half the processing time and then add color to them. This weakens the color but still allows it to process chemically and therefore touch up.

leave-in treatment

My all time favourite is Redkens Anti-Snap for extremely damaged hair. It repairs and protects at the same time. Use after every wash and leave in, it protects against heat tools and makes the hair shiny, smooth and easy to manage.

by Caterina DiBiase - Hairdresser of the year Australia 2009