To Air or Not to Air Dry

If you often blow dry and use styling tools like flat irons, curling irons or hot rollers your hair is probably ready for a break. All that heat and processing can leave your hair dry, brittle and much damaged. Give your hair a much needed break and let it air dry naturally. Think of it as a vacation for your hair.


The first step for air drying is to use hair products designed for air drying instead of blow drying; a good absorbent towel is a must. An absorbent towel will absorb excess moisture and speed up dry time. Use the absorbent towel to remove excess moisture then gently blot your hair dry. Do not rub your hair. Rubbing will damage the strands and cause frizzy hair and split ends. You want to keep the hair shafts as smooth as possible. Use a good leave in conditioner that will keep your hair from becoming frizzy. If your hair tends to become flat or too frizzy from air drying you can increase volume by finger combing your hair or by pulling it back with big clips. pull your sides back in two large clips to add volume while it is drying. Once it is dry pull out the clips and show off your natural volume and waves.


Use products suitable for the texture of your hair. Fine hair works best with mousses and sprays, whereas curly and wavy hair responds best to gels and creams. Find a great product suitable for your hair type that also helps combat frizz, this will help keep your hair under control while air drying. After you find products that work well for your hair and you get the hang or air drying you will love it. Air drying is a vacation for your hair and a styling option for you. It gives you a chance to try a different style and it gives your hair a break from over processing.


We recommend using Redken's Outshine 01 Anti-Frizz Polishing Milk which is an anti frizz Polishing Milk with shea butter provides vibrant shine, control and smoothness.

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"
Suzanna

SEXY HEALTHY HAIR

Now that winter is officially closing in on us and the hours of daylight are slowly starting to dwindle, it is time to take a step back and examine our hair. Yes, that’s right, after months of soaking up the summer sun our hair deserves a break from all the harsh elements.

Fashion With Fifi had an appointment with Ben Stewart, Color Director at the Cutler Salon, this past Wednesday and learned that treating damaged hair at the end of the season is just as important as pulling those winter woolens out of the closet.

The salon, located at 47 West 57^th Street on the second floor, is a sleek, contemporary studio that specializes in Redken hair products and offers an array of services from cut, color, and styling to texturing services that include curl reducers, permanent waves, and their special Redken Chemistry System.

The Redken Chemistry is a deep conditioning treatment intended to repair damaged hair. Each treatment is specialized and tailored to suit each client’s needs, whether she needs color protection, moisture, strength, softness, etc.

Fashion With Fifi received a complimentary Damage Repair Masque, a treatment intended to restore strength and shine to dull, damaged hair. (See the after-photo to the right!) This treatment is normally priced at $70, but Stewart recommends using Redken’s Extreme Rescue Force conditioning treatment at home between salon visits to keep hair healthy. The leave-in treatment should be applied to shampooed, towel-dried hair for no longer than 15 minutes and it will leave hair stronger, shinier, and more manageable

The Cutler salon also offers an Anti-fade Chemistry Treatment and an Ultra Chemistry treatment, each for $60 and uniquely tailored to each client’s specific hair needs. However, if you are getting another hair service at the salon, these Chemistry services are available for just $25 extra!

Ben Stewart, who has been working at the Cutler Salon for 10 years, says there are three main culprits that weaken women’s hair: exposure to the heat and UV rays from the sun, washing hair in really hot water, and over-use of heat products.

“Using heat products can damage colored hair and even virgin hair,” warns Stewart.

Stewart recommends the Treatment Protectant Spray from the Cutler product line. The spray, which is packed with heat-activated polymers, can be used on hair before using heat products or at the beach to filter out UV rays.

But perhaps Stewart’s most important advice pertains to our obsessive shampooing routines. “American women’s biggest mistake is that they wash their hair every day,” he says.

Shampooing hair every day strips it of its natural oils and makes hair much drier and more susceptible to damage and breakage. Breaking free of this routine will allow the oils to saturate hair and make it much healthier. Stewart suggests washing hair with luke-warm water every other day for two weeks to help balance out the hair and allow the natural oils to disperse.

“Ideally, you should only have to wash your hair every two or three days,” says Stewart.

Although breaking this hair care routine can be tough, it seems like a simple challenge: shave more time off the morning routine and get healthier hair. Now that’s a challenge we can all try!

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

Erin Simpson

Hair Solutions: Remedies for Dry Hair

Are you suffering from dry, damaged hair? If so, you may want to reconsider braiding, coloring, excessive blow-drying, swimming and overshampooing your dry hair.


Those suffering from dry, damaged hair will be amazed at the benefits of good basic hair care on a regular basis.



There are specialized shampoos, conditioners and treatment products, which can ideally care for your dry, damaged or chemically treated hair. Basic hair care includes Korres Sunflower Extract and Vitamin F Shampoo to cleanse and Korres Silk Milk Conditioner for colored and chemically treated hair to condition. No question about it, daily environmental stress and exposure can harm and effect even the healthiest strands. Daily use of Korres Yogurt Cooling Gel can assist in protecting your hair from UV damage. Once a week, treat your hair to nourishing vitamins and conditioners with Korres Shea Butter & Vitamins Nourishing & Hydrating Hair Mask.



Another option would be to use PureStrength Three-C System for Extremely Dry, Damaged Hair. Dry, damaged hair is often a result of over-processing with harsh chemical treatments that leave hair looking dull, lifeless and very dry. This trio of hair care products instantly targets damaged cuticles leaving hair visibly stronger, hydrated and more manageable. If you find that your ends are a bit fuzzy, use Korres Rice Proteins Hair Tip Serum to smooth them down without worry of a heavy silicone residue.

Here are some at home remedies you can use to help moisturize and repair your dry, damaged hair:

Bananas: Using two mashed bananas and half beaten curd, apply this paste to your hair and scalp, and leave in for 15 minutes. You’ll feel the difference immediately.

Olive Oil: Putting olive oil onto the hair in sections and covering your hair with a cap will help add moisture to the hair.

Mayonnaise: They say that mayonnaise makes an excellent conditioner for your hair.

Liquid Fabric Softener: By using only a small drop of liquid fabric softener, you can detangle your hair and soften it.

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

- Suzanna

Beauty Solutions: Garnier Fructis Hair

Have chemicals just about ruined your hair and now you're in need of serious repair? your Every woman wants to achieve the ultimate hair high, and Garnier is the way to go regardless of your hair type. Whether or not you're in the market for a new shampoo, conditioner, or hair care product, Garnier will show you how to achieve beautiful hair. Here are some hair must haves you should consider picking up (all under $5) and get $3.50 off any $10 Purchase at Ulta.com - use code 26658 at checkout:

Sleek & Shine Leave-In Serum

Smoothing Milk

Fortifying Shampoo for Normal Hair

Fortifying Cream Conditioner Long & Strong

"Fashion Is Foremost Inspiration"

- Suzanna