Apple Cider Or White: Vinegar Rinses Are Good For Healthy Hair

Maybe your grandmother or great-grandmother used to do vinegar rinses after shampooing the hair.

With so many hair conditioning treatments out there today, you probably haven't tried a cold blast of vinegar in the shower. And if you have, then you might know what it's like when the sting of vinegar hits your eyes accidentally.

Oh....the burn!

And yes, vinegar STINKS, but when you rinse the hair, the strong odor leaves the building, and you are left with a super clean scalp, no itchiness, and healthy, shiny strands of hair, free of the gunk and build-up from tons of styling product usage.

Apple cider vinegar appears to be most popular for rinsing hair following a shampoo. Users says it gives locks lots of body and bounce. And some swear, that a vinegar rinse helps hair GROW faster!

We prefer a white vinegar rinse, because we have learned that it also helps keep hair dye in longer. Yes, it DOES work, not perfectly, but better than not doing the rinse.

And it's so easy to do:

1.One-to-one ratio. That's the perfect vinegar cocktail to use after shampooing hair. Blend water and apple cider vinegar into a spray bottle. Apply to wet hair and rinse. The vinegar de-tangles hair nicely, too and closes the hair cuticle for bigger shine.

Do a vinegar rinse about once or twice a week.

Vinegar will balance the pH level in your scalp and effectively unclog the hair follicles.

To lock in hair color a little longer, do this:

1. AFTER coloring---Rinse out your newly-colored hair with lukewarm water until the water runs clear. Then mix equal amounts of white vinegar and water in a cup (about half a cup of each) and pour over your hair. Rinse thoroughly with cool-ish water.

This raises the pH level of the hair color and gives it more staying power.

Either way, give your tired hair a invigorating vinegar rinse. If that doesn't wake you up, we don't know what will.

Liv Tyler Tapped To Be New UK Pro-V Pantene Ambassador

Pantene. It's a brand that's been around for quite a long time, and with good reason---it's a wonderful hair care line. And we are so happy for actress Liv Tyler , who will begin appearing in television and print ads for Pantene in the U.K. come November 1st.

The brand is a launching a brand new ‘Repair and Protect’ collection for normal to thick hair.

Liv Tyler has gorgeous brunette locks, just like her daddy, rock icon and American Idol judge, Steven Tyler.

"I'm really excited about working with Pantene on this new project, especially as I did a Pantene ad back in 1996 when I was 19. I've tried lots of different hair care brands over the years, but Pantene is my favorite as it always leaves my hair looking and feeling really healthy."- Liv

Our Pantene favorites on this side of the pond include:

1. Pro-V-Fine Hair Solutions Shampoo, Flat to Volume ($6.99, at drugstores). Amazing body-building shampoo. Beefs up skinny strands. Smells so good!

2. Pro-V Fine Hair Style Root Lifter Spray Gel ($3.99, at drugstores). We preferred the original formula last year. Pantene changed it, but we still adore this volumizing spray gel. A lightweight spray made with special polymers that create big hair and shine.

Target Budget Buy: Open Cardigan Hot Sweater For Fall 2011

Take a look at your clothing catalogues....Boston Proper, Victoria's Secret, Banana Republic, etc. Inside those pages you will find lots of open cardigan sweaters.

And the prices can vary---from a $50 to several $$hundred more. But we found a super cute Open Cable Cardigan by Merona at your local Target store. And just $25on SALE. Your choice of color in Grey. Black. Tan. Or Cream. All classic neutrals that never go out of style, and match up beautifully with any color in the spectrum.

The Merona Open Cable Cardigan is nice and cozy for those brisk Autumn days and nights.

Sizing: Women Sizing with a Classic Fit
Knit Type: 2 x 2 Rib, Cable
Material: 53 % Cotton, 40 % Rayon, 7 % Nylon
Neckline Style: Open Neckline , Shawl Collar
Sleeve Style: Long Sleeves , Finished Cuffs
Garment Length: Below Waist
Hem Style: Finished Hems
Care and Cleaning: Machine Wash

We think this is a great fashion budget buy from Target, and looks just as stylish as the more expensive open cardigans you see in your favorite catalogues.

BeautyTipToday Crowns Queen Helene Cocoa Butter Winner

We can't help it, we are ADDICTED to cocoa butter!

We love the smell of it, but most importantly, we can't believe how super soft it makes our skin.

Our hands used to look so dry and rough, especially during the very cold winter months. And that's when we started making cocoa butter an important part of our daily beauty routine.

And Beauty Tip Today is excited to crown the Cocoa Butter Winner:

Queen Helene.

This brand of effective moisturizer has been around for a very long time---80 years to be exact. The good news--Queen Helene is cheap, can be bought at your local drugstore, and works as well, if not better, than the very expensive cocoa butters out there.

We are in love with 2 of Queen Helene's cocoa butter products:

1. Cocoa Butter Hand and Body Lotion. Just $3.49 for a 32 oz. bottle at Walgreens.
2. Cocoa Butter Creme. Only $5.79 for a 15 oz. tub at CosmeticSolutions.

So, what's in Queen Helen's cocoa butter products? A blend of cocoa butter and pure lanolin. Maybe that's the beauty magic. You can appply it to your crow's feet, stretch marks, your entire body for instant softness. It absorbs wonderfully.

Both smell divine, especially their hand and body lotion.

We did a little research on the benefits of cocoa butter. And if you having been using it, continue to do so. Cocoa butter is full of great things for your skin. We found that out at the bodyshop.com blog:

"Cocoa butter is, first and foremost, arguably one of the best natural emollients to be found. It’s a traditional moisturizer, as the EGCG blog points out, used for centuries to keep people’s skin in many nations soft and protected. And because it melts at body temperature, it is more easily and readily absorbed by the skin. Its natural, subtle chocolate scent also makes your skin smell like dessert, and who doesn’t want to smell like a cupcake?"

You're right. It's good to smell like a cupcake!

Celebrities Flipping For Fall 2011 Hair Trend: Deep Side Part

It can be edgy or elegant. Either way, the deep side part is the hair look for Fall 2011.

The center-part is easy and very Boho, and many women part their hair down the middle every day. But this time, just a couple of inches to one side can spell S-O-P-H-I-S-T-I-C-A-T-I-O-N!

And beautiful celebrities are flipping for this fab trend. Check out our photos of English model/actress Rosie Huntington-Whitely, actress Blake Lively, and actress Christina Applegate. All three ladies look tres chic with some wave and volume.

So, exactly where do you part the hair to get this style correct?

Ask a pro, like Adir Abergel. The hair expert tells Star magazine how to do the deep side part:

"The deeper, the better when it comes to parting your hair this season," says the Fekkai celebrity stylist. "A quick parting can dress up your look. Follow the highest arch of your brow---that is where your part should begin."

Sounds simple enough. And this is a nice, polished look for any length, texture and color of hair.

We give the deep side part two thumbs up!

Fingertips Take Center Stage This Fall: Hot Color CND In Dark Ruby

Designer Carolina Herrera has always put together sophisticated, elegant, lady-like shows. And from her Fall 2011 runway collection, one beauty accessory really 'nailed' the spotlight:

Striking burgundy fingertips!

And this one is making the super hot trend: CND Colour in Dark Ruby ($9).

Yes, it certainly reminds us of Vamp, the cult fave Chanel nail shade that hit the fall runway back in 1994. The dark red/black Vamp instantly became a huge hit. And we are happy to see the CH models reviving yet another rich, dark shade like CND Dark Ruby #540.

We suggest, that if you can't wait to get your hands on a bottle of Dark Ruby, do make sure you first keep your nails short, neat, and squarely-shaped. And this is key: A glossy top-coat is a must!.

At the Carolina Herrera show, a regal Crown Jewel Manicure was created by using 2 coats of Dark Ruby topped with CND's Super Shiney Top Coat to complete a polished look with fresh-faced makeup and classic chignons.

We found a bottle of CND Dark Ruby #540 on Ebay for just $5.95. Take a look.

OMG: It's 'Vampire Filler' PRP To Scare Away Wrinkles

We like to think we're pretty knowledgable about cosmetic injectables, but boy, PRP takes the cake.

In some beauty circles, it's called vampire filler. LOL...And it's been developed to frighten your fine lines and wrinkles into hiding for about 1 year.

And yes, it involves taking blood---- your own blood, and having it spun in a centrifuge to separate the platelets. Those enriched cells are then injected around your crow's feet and the dark hollows of the eyes, and into other stubborn scars and wrinkles. So, the PRP becomes a filler just like the popular fillers we all know and love---Restylane, Perlane, Sculptra, Juvederm, and so forth.

How is this possible? From the research we uncovered in the July issue of Vogue magazine, PRP or platelet-rich-plasma, has been around for a long time in the world of orthopedics. The platelet broth is used to treat problems like tendinitis or a torn ligament, by speeding up the healing with a saturation of your OWN concentrated platelets into the injured area.

And although vampire filler is still in the pioneering stages here, for it's reaction with fine lines and wrinkles, doctors are allowed to legally use PRP, off-label for cosmetic use.

If you're squeamish about giving blood, well, then maybe 'vampire beauty,' isn't for you. About 4 test tubes of blood need to be drawn from your arm.

The good news: You can't be allergic to PRP because it's from your OWN blood.

The bad news: You won't be able to see immediate changes, like you would with a pre-packaged filler. It takes some time with vampire filler to scare away wrinkles and other complexion issues.

Would you roll up your sleeve to try a little PRP to get smoother skin?

Don't laugh. We would! We'll have to check with our dermatologist to see if he's even heard of this cutting edge beauty technology.