Permanent Color Damages Hair And Yet 75% Of Us Keep Dyeing

Maybe you don't care about the science behind coloring your hair. But when you take a look at the damage that permanent dye can leave behind, well, it's smart to examine the chemistry that's involved.

If 75% of women color their locks, that's a huge number. And most of us, come away with some kind of damage, be it dry, dull tresses, split ends, brassy strands, hair loss, and so on.

We dye our hair with permanent color, because we are a victim of early graying, so we've been touching up our roots forever. And although we have what we call almost Kardashian-colored hair, we can STILL see damage on very dark hair.

Whether you color at-home or visit a professional salon, your mane will suffer the consequences, and yet, we all keep dyeing.

Let's look at permanent color:

1. Peroxide and ammonia are present in permanent color. Ammonia goes first, by allowing the cuticle of the hair shaft to open, to accept the dye. Peroxide acts as the oxidizing agent, removing the pre-existing color, and allowing the new color to bond to the hair cortex.

2. Conditioner is applied after rinsing out the dye, to close the cuticle, and seal in the new color.

3. Lightening. That's another chapter in the hair coloring process, and even more complicated. When you want to really lighten up several levels, you turn to bleaching. Hydrogen peroxide is usually involved as one of the most common lightening agents. Peroxide blended in an alkaline solution allows the hair shaft to open and then react with the melanin in the hair for the blonde shade one is trying to achieve.

Simply put, permanent coloring and bleaching do a number on the hair. The cuticle is roughed up. Strands are weaker. And locks are drier.

Your hair needs more TLC. That means frequent trimmings. Lots of conditioner. And less reliance on damaging hair tools like blow-dryers, flat-irons, hot rollers, etc.

If you can't afford a trip to the salon for frequent coloring or lightening, you can try a special at-home hair color kit by Robert Craig. Allure Magazine has named him, "one of the country’s top hair color artists."

It's called, Color by Robert Craig ($12, a box). And his PERMANENT dyes DO NOT change the internal structure of the hair like peroxide dyes do.

And it’s simple. Mix Color by Robert Craig with tap water. Shake. And you get a no-mess mousse, that is easy to apply. Zap your grays-- choose from 21 luscious shades---Golden Blonde, Medium Mahogany, Chocolate Brown, or Jet Black. These are just a few radiant shades offered by Color by Robert Craig. There are 21 inter-mixable shades available. His color will not lighten your hair, but he also sells an ‘Ultra Blonde Highlight Kit.’ It contains a very gentle approach to highlighting with ‘off-the-scalp’ blonding. It’s great for bleaching, highlighting, frosting, and streaking. What’s even more comforting, you can color, even if your hair is permed or chemically treated.

It's worth checking out. Details here.

Don't Fear The Foundation Brush: It's A Good Thing

Are you afraid of the foundation brush?!

You are not alone. We would like to estimate, that most women are probably fearful of using a makeup tool they've never tried, or a makeup product or makeup technique they've never approached.

And this time, we're looking at the foundation brush.

Oh yeah, there is such a thing. For us, we've been a liquid foundation wearer all these years, and routinely, we have put on our base each morning with our fingers and then smoothed over with a makeup sponge.

But when it comes to flawless application, makeup brushes can really do the trick, especially for foundation. The bristles are short and dense for easy buffing.

You can use the foundation brush in a couple of ways. You can either dot your forehead, chin, cheeks and nose with foundation using your fingers first, and THEN, using the brush.

OR....You can dip the brush into the bottle of liquid makeup and THEN apply right to the face.

Either way is fine. Start at the center of your face and move outward. Use the foundation brush with short, circular strokes, around your face, as you blend and buff the foundation into your skin for a smooth, even finish.

Here are 3 Great Foundation Brushes we like:

1. Mac 187 Duo Fibre Brush ($42, at macys).

2. Black Up Foundation Brush ($32, at blackupcosmetics).

3. Sephora Collection Pro Foundation Airbrush #55 ($34, at Sephora).

Just a little reminder: When you use any kind of makeup brush, you must be mindful to wash it 1X a week. Use baby shampoo to gently get rid of grime and bacteria. Dry the brush flat on a paper towel and store the brush upright in an open container.

Dry Spray Shampoo Comes In Handy During Real Crisis

We briefly mentioned yesterday, about New England getting socked hard in the weather department, following a rare and historic October Nor'easter.

About 70% of our city, alone, remains without power.

When a weather-related crisis hits, and you're left with no electricity and in some cases, no water, well, you've got to be extra clever in your beauty routine.

Today, we are looking at one rescue me hair product by John Frieda, one of our all-time favorite hair geniuses.

This blue spray can should be in every gal's beauty cabinet:

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Anytime Volume Refresher ($5.59, at drugstore.com ). It's a super dry spray shampoo. You don't need to wash your hair. You don't need a blow dryer, either. Simply spray onto roots, let dry, and fluff up with fingers. You get instant volume for your flat, oily, lackluster locks. And your hair smells delightful.

There are tons of dry shampoos out there. And most come with a white powdery base that seems to never fully disappear, even when you try brushing it out. With the Luxurious Volume Anytime Volume Refresher, all you need are about 4 quick blasts at the roots, and you're good to go.

You will get back the volume and your mane will look fresh and full, plus, you didn't have to go through the lengthy process of shampooing and blow-drying.

Dry shampoos are no secret to the professional stylists out there. Many use these spray shampoos to give their model/actress clients a lot of body and grip. You get instant, buildable texture with a great dry shampoo.

There are days, you just can't get the time to shampoo and blow-dry. And whether it's because of a weather-related crisis and your power has been lost, or you're just to busy to do your hair, give this latest John Frieda product a try.

You can even carry a can of it in your handbag. And you can apply it on the go, in a rush, anywhere.

Big Bad Storm: No Beauty Tip Today

We hope everyone is safe, following one of the nastiest, and for New England, an historic Nor'easter in the month of October.

Too much snow, too many broken tree limbs, and too many downed wires ate up most of our time today.

We hope to bring you more Beauty Tip Today tomorrow.

Thank you.

Cold Dry Days Ahead Make Skin Thirsty For New Anti-Aging Cream

The new skin care kid-on-the-block is red-hot, because it claims, like every anti-aging product out there, that its formula REALLY does work.

Say hello to SkinCubed and its high-performance 3-product line.

SkinCubed is a peptide-based anti-wrinkle cream that swears its clinical trials showed it was more effective than prescription skin care treatments.

Okay, now you have our interest piqued. We get wary of companies that boast about beating strong, Retin-A prescription creams and the like. Why? Because prescription skin care formulas are the BEST thing out there at the moment. These treatment are powerful, that is why they cannot be bought over-the-counter.

SkinCubed has become the little darling of many beauty and high fashion magazines with their one-page glossy advertisements, similar to the carefully controlled image of the StriVectin skin care line.

Is SkinCubed REALLY effective?

According to the clinical trials conducted in England at Manchester University, SkinCubed cream was effective at erasing sun damage and decreasing wrinkle depth.

Well, we haven't studied the research, but if that is true, then that's terrific.

SkinCubed says its products provide very good hydration for the skin. Hmmm....hydration. That to us, means that SkinCubed is a very good moisturizer, something everyone's complexion needs during the harsh, cold, dry fall and winter days ahead. But how does SkinCubed restore damaged skin and spur on collagen production?

We're not sure.

The 3-line collection includes:
Clinical Age-Defying Creme ($110)
Instant-Eye Repair Formula ($150)
Instant-Lift Peptide Formula ($150).

SkinCubed cannot be purchased in a store. But you can buy it at SkinCubed.com.

We will be waiting to hear more information on SkinCubed.

Are You A Boob To Want Botox Injected Into Breasts For Firmer Smoother Cleavage?

Botox.

What can we say? It's the most popular, cosmetic injectable around. And most of us know about Botox's brilliance at keeping crow's feet and those nasty 'eleven lines' between the brows at bay.

But hold on, ladies! Botox is also on the rise for zapping that crinkly cleavage and lifting a sagging bosom!

Have we gone too far? Are several shots in the boobs worth a temporary decollete lift? Is it safe?

Yes, it is safe, just like the injectable is for the face and neck. And some women just hate the damage the sun and general aging have done to their cleavage. Remember--the skin there is dry, thin with less elasticity.

Why should we worry about the skin of the decollete region and the bosom? By the way, the decollete is actually the upper part of a woman's chest, below the neck.

Just look at what model Cindy Crawford says:

...."In L.A., there are 65-year-old women walking around in Juicy sweatpants, and from the back, you'd think they were 20. But when you see their hands or their neck, you know. When I put moisturizer on my face, I use a little extra so that I have enough to cover my hands. Most people don't start caring about the décolleté until it's too late, but I'm religious about it."

Botox injected into the breast will react like Botox injected into the face. It takes a few days for the cosmetic injectable to take effect, and the results of smoother, firmer skin will last between 3 and 4 months.

Botoxed breasts have been popular in the U.K. for several years now, but here in the U.S., the procedure seems to be picking up steam.

We found this little nugget in the British DailyMail.com.

..."The patient is given around 12 injections of Botox into the pectoralis minor chest muscle.
The freezing of this muscle causes other muscles in the back to strengthen, and the bust to lift.
Wrinkles, caused by ageing, or just too much sun, are also smoothed. But the technique has its limits - breasts are not made fuller."

We're sure we will be seeing much more about Bosom Botox in the coming months.

Braun Hair Brush Battery Operated To Smooth Frizzies Split Ends

Would you pay $65 for a hair brush? How about one that is battery-operated and gives you back smooth, frizz-free, split-end-free hair?!

Braun has launched an ad campaign called, Free Your Head!. And the company is hoping you do just that, by buying the new Satin Hair Active Ion Brush (now at QVC and Ulta, too). Also here at Braun.com.

With the touch of a button you can instantly zap away static and boost mega-watt-shine. You've heard of Active Ion Technology, well, this little hair brush gadget contains this advanced healthy hair feature. And the Braun Satin Brush with its seamless bristles won't tug on delicate hair strands. In fact, the brush is gentle, so when you slide on the switch,the Active Ion light shines and the ion jet releases a rich stream of ions that bathe your locks in moisture-filled halo.

Say bye-bye to your flat-iron, ladies. This high-tech hair brush delivers frizz-free, smooth hair. And it's portable, and not very bulky, measuring about 8" long and 2" wide.

Who needs a bad hair day? No one, frankly. We're just happy that there is great science behind something as simple as a hair brush. How far we've come.