Summer is officially here and it seems like every day is hotter and more humid than the last.  Everyone is breaking out their sunscreen and big hats to protect their skin, but what do you do for your hair?  Anyone who’s ever tried to keep a style to their hair in heat like this knows that it’s very difficult, and for those with curly hair, it’s next to impossible.  Well today we’re going to be giving you a few tips and tricks that you can use to try to keep a great style even on these ultra humid days.

First, it’s important to keep your hair clean and conditioned.  There’s nothing harder than trying to add a style to a head of dry, unhealthy hair.  So make sure you use a good shampoo a few times a week and make sure you use a quality conditioner.  This will keep your hair healthy and it will be able to hold whatever style you decide to use.

Next, if you’re going to straighten your hair, be gentle with it.  You can really do damage if you over straighten it.  Get yourself a good straightener, one that won’t dry your hair out or fry it.  If you want, you can even use a hair straightening product in the shower, like a good relaxer.  This will help you straighten your hair.  Once you’ve got it straightened, use a hairspray, like Finalè Spray, to maintain the hold and style that you want.  These anti-humidity sprays will fight your hair’s natural tendency to curl and frizz in the heat and humidity.

It’s not easy to keep a style in these days of summer, but it is possible.  Just remember that healthy hair is easier to manage than damaged hair, so keep your hair clean and maintained.  Don’t overuse any products, though, because even something that is good for your hair can turn bad if used too often.  Don’t fry your hair by straightening it too often.  Take a day off every once in a while to let your hair heal.  And use a good hairspray or serum to keep your hair’s style on those hot days.  And it may not be about hair, but don’t forget your sunscreen when you’re outside.  The heat can hurt your skin too.

Everyone knows that they need to take care of their skin, but not everyone knows the proper way to do it.   Many people, in the process of trying to keep their skin healthy, actually do damage to their cells and pores.  Skin care is a simple process, if you know the proper way to do it.

The first thing you should know is the right way to wash your face.  You should wash your face only once a day.  If you do it more often, you run the risk of drying your skin out.  So wash your face before bed at night in order to keep your skin moist and healthy.  Also, don’t use bar soap to wash your face.  Bar soap is fine for lathering up in the shower, but it does a real number on your face.  Find out what skin type you have, and buy a cleanser that matches it.  And again, use it once a day.

Next, you exfoliate your skin about once a week.  Exfoliation will remove the top layer of dead skin cells that make your face look dull.  By removing them, you’ll have a healthier glow.  Use facial scrubs weekly to keep your skin fresh and smooth.  Again, know your skin type.  If you have allergies or sensitive skin, choose a scrub that won’t exacerbate your condition.  A weekly exfoliation routine will go far to keeping your skin looking young and healthy.

Finally, use a good moisturizing cream.  A good moisturizer will keep your skin soft and healthy.  Pay close attention to how your skin feels.  If it feels dry or tight, then you need to moisturize.  Each skin type is different when it comes to moisturizing, so just be aware.  There is no real rule of thumb for how often to moisturize.  You skin will tell you when it needs some extra moisture.  Be careful not to over moisturize, though.  Too much can clog the pores and lead to blackheads and acne.

Skin care is important.  Following the tips we’ve laid out is a great way to keep your skin healthy and young-looking for years to come.  Just remember: Your skin will let you know if what you’re doing is working.  Keep a strict regimen, but if your skin starts to dry out or you break out or if it just doesn’t feel right, adjust your technique.  And don’t forget to always use sunscreen.  The sun can do more damage than any other element ever could.

We all enjoy the occasional dip in the swimming pool, and since summer is heating up, it is important to make sure you’re protected from all the chlorine in the water. After a long swim, your hair will become dry and brittle, and will be more susceptible to split ends and breaks. With a few easy steps, you can make sure to get through the summer with healthy, beautiful hair.

1.  One of the easier steps to prevent damaged hair from a swimming pool is to rinse it with fresh water before diving in. This will allow the hair to soak up as much clean water first, so less chlorinated water can damage the hair.

2.  The next step you can take in preventing damaged hair in the pool is by wearing a swim cap. These may not be the most attractive things to wear, but your hair will be much better protected by it. You can also take it one step further by applying conditioner to your hair before putting the cap on, to ensure that it doesn’t dry out.

3.  In General, healthy hair practices like keeping the coloring, perming and blow drying to a minimum will go a long way in preventing damage from chlorine too. If your hair is already damaged before you start swimming, it will just add to the amount of damage.

4.  When the day comes to an end and it is time to wash up, using a clarifying shampoo is the best way to treat chlorinated hair. By binding in moisture, the shampoo will reduce dryness caused by the chemicals in the water.

Summary: There are a few key tricks to remember in order to keep your hair safe in the swimming pool. By protecting it and keeping it from drying out, your hair will be healthy and beautiful after using La Finesse Clarifi` Shampoo. For a limited time, buy one Clarifi` Shampoo and get one free! http://llinternational.net/haircare.html

Would you like to flaunt a glowing radiant skin?  We all possess a secret wish for looking attractive and present the best of ourselves.  However, what if we become beautiful following some easy steps without compromising the essence of what makes us uniquely attractive.  This can only be achieved with the proper knowledge by following a regular skin care regime and the best cleansing practices.  Every woman has this latent wish for looking uniquely beautiful.  Daily skincare plays a great role in this.  

No matter whether you are a homemaker, a corporate professional or a busy mom, we shall discuss the best facial cleansing practices that are quick and suit every woman irrespective of her lifestyle.

Most women often tend to be confused about choosing products that are available at the drug and grocery stores.  The selection of these products should be based on one’s skin type and not a price or promotion.  Thus, you can create a beauty salon at home and perform certain effective facial cleansing steps by yourself once you understand your own personal needs.

This is a quick guide for your personal use:

• Begin with washing your face thoroughly.  Make sure that the cleanser you use has natural ingredients.  Using a mild scrub is next if the product suits your skin type.  Definitely do not use an abrasive scrub it may damage your skin.  Since it is necessary to remove the dead skin, exfoliating with a gentle scrub is recommended.  The more gentle the exfoliating product, the better it is for your skin.  Abrasive scrubs have to be avoided as they may tear the tissue below the dead cells and do serious damage.

• Next, apply a toner.  Aloe mint toners should be used on delicate skin and fresheners used on more ethnic skin.  Toners and fresheners remove any residue left on the skin after cleansing and they refine the pores to increase moisture retention.

• Treatment for your particular skin type is now recommended.  Depending on your age, it could be a wrinkle remover, firming cream, a brightener, or merely an intensifying night cream.

• Moisturizers are necessary morning and nighttime.  If you are stepping out during the daytime, ensure that you use a SPF on your skin and one that is lipid free.

• Finally apply an eye cream or serum around your eyes.  While applying an eye cream or serum, only use the ring finger to gently part in the product using inward strokes under the eye.

The entire process should take you barely 3 to 5 minutes.  Remember use products in small amount, as over application is merely a waste. 

Summary: Following a proper skin care regime combined with La Finesse Skincare Products you will be able to promote a more beautiful and flawless skin. Go to www.llinternational.net for natural and vitamin based skincare products.

The great Martin Luther once famously said, “The hair is the richest ornament of women.”  Hair not only enhances beauty, it also reveals a lot about the person’s habits.  Many women spend hours attending to their face and skin and have very little time for their hair.  Hair damage in many cases is irreversible.  One of the best solutions for hair problems is to regularly cut or trim it.  This makes your hair manageable and consumes less time in taking care of it.  The three reasons why you should trim and cut it regularly are:

Control Split Ends – Split ends are the most common types of problems.  In this, the hair splits into two or more strands towards its end.  Split ends are a result of normal hair wear and tear, but can also be caused by vigorous toweling, excessive blow-drying or coloring, bleaching or over exposure to the sun.  Many people don’t attend to split ends on time.  This can lead to damaging the hair completely and reaching a point of no return.

In today’s fast and busy life, split ends have become common as people have little time to attend to their hair.  The easiest method to control split ends is by regularly trimming.  Trimming your hair every six to eight weeks will remove split ends and keep your hair healthy and growing strong.  This can however vary depending on its growth cycle.

Remove Old Color – Life demands constant change and one way to stand out among the crowd is to color your hair.  People these days are experimenting with hair color more than ever before.  From semi-permanent to permanent hair color people are trying every possible product and every possible shade.  However, one problem most users face is getting rid of the old color.

Here too trimming or cutting your hair serves as an ideal solution.  Hair grows out from the scalp and the new hair comes out in the original state.  Therefore, to get rid of the old color, all you need to do is cut or trim.

Staying Within Your Age Range – Everyone desires to look young but how many can actually achieve it?  The quality of your hair reflects your age and so taking care of your hair is of utmost importance.  Although hair loss is a natural process, excessive hair loss at a premature age can make a women look older.

Long hair looks beautiful but not everyone can manage long it.  Cutting and trimming makes it manageable and allows you to keep it healthy.  It is up to you to choose between long hair and healthy hair!  Long hair worn down can also make an older woman look even older.

Summary: Trimming and cutting your hair is one of the best ways to take care of it.  Trimming is the solution to split ends, hair loss and removing old color.  It makes the hair healthy and more manageable.

Hair must be kept clean and free from debris. If we use proper hair care products, hair can be attractive and beautiful at most ages. There are many problems, which men and women face due to hair colouring, dry or oily hair, perms, etc. A clarifying shampoo helps to remove oil from the hair, reduces dryness and increases the elasticity and strength of the hair.

 Why you should keep your hair debris free:

•  Takes Hair Colour Better – When doing your own hair colouring or using experienced hair designers your colour application will last longer and penetrate the hair shaft better when the hair is not coated. Using a shampoo that strips the coating off usually is more alkaline and therefore the debris can be removed more readily from the shaft. It is different from regular shampoos in respect to its alkalinity. Applying a clarifying shampoo once a week is sufficient. A proper clarifying shampoo will bind in moisture making the hair more shinny and smooth.

• Perms Last Longer – A perm is a way to chemically alter the cell structure of hair so that the hair shaft changes its shape and style from straight to curly and/or different wave patterns in between. Because the change is semi-permanent, it can last longer when the hair is not coated. People with overly conditioned hair or have heavy silicon build up have to perm their hair more frequently to maintain curls. Perms can last longer by shampooing hair with a clarifying shampoo.

• For More Shine – Hair is continuously exposed to a range of environmental pollutants and cosmetic products like hairsprays, mousses, and gels. The problem is escalated by the waxes and moisturizers present in certain shampoos and conditioners. This causes hair to look dull, limp and lifeless. A clarifying shampoo can help reduce this excess build up by deep cleaning the hair and removing product residues and the environmental pollutants from the core. This will help to restore the shine from dull and weighted down hair.

• Natural Look and Swing –Clarifying shampoos remove oil and debris from the hair. It reduces dryness by binding in moisture and increases elasticity and strength. It provides natural look and swing to the hair.

• Healthy Hair – Accumulated debris and chlorination can clog pores, which reduce hair health and may lead to slow hair growth or scalp problems. With a clarifying shampoo, you reduce the debris, reduce dryness and remove oil, which in turn opens the hair follicles for a healthier head of hair.

Summary: Reasons to keep hair debris free is for better hair colour, longer lasting perms, better shine, reduced split ends, natural look and swing, and healthier hair over all. Buy La Finesse Clarify Shampoo for beautiful hair. www.llinternational.net/haircare.html

After having spent 35 years working and managing my hair salons, it was very seldom that we could not resolve a hair care problem.  If you have proper hair care, your hair should be beautiful and luxurious no matter what your age or circumstance except for the rare situations.

There is a tremendous amount of information on the internet about hair care. Some of the information is technical, some general but none of it may address your particular problem. I am here to give you, also, some general information, but please feel free to contact me if you have a specific question. (lou@llinternational.net)

Many of the common problems that men and women face come from hair coloring, hair thinning, and frizzy, dry or oily hair. There are solutions for many of these situations.

When hair is over-bleached, heavily tinted or highlighted too many times, a problem will surface. Doing your own hair coloring or using inexperienced hair designers can contribute to some of the issues. Remember most of the upscale salons do have experienced hair designers, colorists, and a well-trained staff.  Also, remember, you get what you pay for.

Over-bleaching destroys the cuticle and the cortex and can disintegrate the hair shaft. Blond has always been beautiful, however, when blond is lifeless, fried, orange or frizzy it is not. Don’t over bleach or let anyone else over-bleach your hair. Every time you apply a product over another product to your hair shaft, you are over-bleaching, adding too much color or highlighting too many times. Let me know if this is happening to your hair and we can decide what to do to prevent a total disaster.

Although, hair thinning is sometimes hereditary there are many products on the market to help with thinning hair. Biotin based hair care products can help if used on a daily basis. When I started losing my hair, my doctor recommended taking zinc tablets. I still take them and once again have a fluffy, full head of hair. Talk with your doctor about eating the right foods for hair, nails, and taking biotin and zinc tablets.

Hair appliances used daily can dry out, burn and destroy the hair shaft. We always recommend not using appliances on their highest settings. Using the proper appliances and settings gives you the opportunity to have beautiful and more manageable hair.

La Finesse Hair Care Products are highly recommended for daily use. Go to www.llinternational.net for more information.

By: Lou O’Brien

To renew and refurbish my skin, I found it necessary to remove all the dead cell tissue that was just sitting on my face. I had to exfoliate daily. After having spent many years in the beauty business, I noticed that the women that exfoliated daily had a younger look and a clearer complexion.

We performed many skincare services in my salons and even with the microdermabrasion and exfoliating facials, the daily exfoliation worked the best for most skin types on a long-term basis. I believe that I couldn’t abuse my skin with heavy and deep exfoliation regularly. The more gentle the product the better since I didn’t want to tear the tissue below the dead cells. Even though skin is your largest organ and can regenerate itself, it needs to be cared for properly.

Skin normally takes twenty-eight days to renew itself and with my mature skin, it takes even longer. To hasten this ongoing process and keep my skin looking younger I have to exfoliate daily. My fine lines and wrinkles are more pronounced when the dead cells are layering the epidermal. There is also less light reflection on my face with dead cells, which tends to make me look older. I have to be careful…I want to grow old gracefully but still look good for my age.

With the exfoliating process, I noticed the color and texture of my skin was improved immediately and my pores were less likely to become clogged. I know that exfoliation can sometimes stimulate collagen within the lower layers of the skin thereby minimizing fine lines and wrinkles on my face, although I have found there is yet no scientific proof of this. Using my products that exfoliate and are not damaging is of utmost importance to me.

I decided to use natural exfoliants in my products that are gentle and have fruity extracts that encourage skin renewal. Fruity extracts for exfoliation come from lemons, oranges, sugar maple, and sugar cane. We also added humectants to these fruity extracts that encourage moisture to stay in the layers. I found from working with so many women that they think their skin is dry from lack of oils; but most often, it lacks the moisture content that it needs to be smooth and supple.

So in summary…let’s exfoliate daily!

Go towww.llinternational.net for more information