zielo

viernes, 27 de abril de 2018

How to Refresh Textured Curls Without Drenching Them in Water

My hair journey is laden with plenty of benchmark moments, including a big chop and platinum-blonde dye job. But none have been more challenging than waiting for my hair to grow out and in the process, avoid over-manipulating my curls to the point of damage. The common misconception with super-short hair—textured or otherwise—is that cutting length somehow makes a day-to-day routine easier.

But if the past year has taught me anything, it’s that developing healthy hair habits takes discipline, time, and plenty of trial and error. One of the biggest challenges that I and many other naturalistas face is figuring out how the heck to keep those fresh, day-one curls and coils intact without having to dunk our heads under the sink or shower every day.

MORE: 10 Absolute Best Sephora Products for Textured Hair

Steam Is Your Friend

The wet look is appealing, and for me, addictive, but since water (especially the hot kind) opens up the hair shaft, leaving it more susceptible to damage, that type of day-to-day moisture isn’t ideal. However, that doesn’t mean your hair needs to be completely shielded from water in between washes. According to celebrity hairstylist Larry Sims, whose clients include Gabrielle Union and Zendaya, the steam produced from it is actually a big help.

“I always recommend a taking a hot, steamy shower to add moisture to your curls without getting them wet. It’s always good to use a curl-defining product to enhance the natural pattern,” he says. Product options abound—including this list of our favorites—but Sims’s go-to is the Smooth ’N Shine Defining Mousse. Whether you’re using this or something else, he recommends applying a quarter-size amount—give or take depending on your length—and working from root to tip, scrunching the hair with your hand and not a brush.

MORE: How to Spiral Curls on Natural Hair, According to YouTube

Diffuse with Caution

From there, “you can air dry naturally or use a diffuser to achieve more voluminous curls.” A diffuser is an attachment for a blow-dryer that helps disperse air more evenly over a large area, thus minimizing the intensity of heat that can disturb and destroy the curl pattern.

Regardless of the shape you use (the most common ones are flat), they should be used while the dryer is on a low heat setting and in constant movement. Again, keeping it concentrated in one area for a long time can lead to more frizz and a weak curl pattern. And if you’re doing this at night, stretch out the life of your curls even more by keeping them tucked under a satin bonnet or atop a silk/satin pillowcase to prevent them from fraying. Also, be wary of product build-up over time. In between styling, keep your scalp and strands refreshed with a clarifier, like apple cider vinegar, or simply stick to a clarifying shampoo on wash day.

All in all, the combination of a dependable curl definer, steam, and diffusion generally gets the job done. But ultimately, you’ll need a routine that’s as unique as your curl pattern and that may include observing what others with hair like yours are doing. Ahead are the curl-defining routines of three popular bloggers with varying textures. Take notes and pay attention; you may spot a technique or product worth trying.

MORE: What Is Clarifying Shampoo: Everything You Need to Know

Here, blogger KandidKinks refreshes her type-4 curls using a combo of cream and oil products.

Although blogger LuhSetty starts this tutorial with wet hair, it still provides a detailed step-by-step for those new to using diffusers. This same technique can be used on dry hair that’s been exposed to steam and a defining product.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXZAhYQIskU

And if you like using gel, blogger happycurlhappygirl demonstrates a water-free routine using EcoStyle and flaxseed oil.

Halsey Calls Out the Hospitality Industry for Neglecting the Hair-Care Needs of PoC

With brands like Fenty and Jouer having upwards of 50 foundation shades and providing matching shade charts, it’s easy to be whisked away into a world where the beauty industry is finally taking diversity seriously. And as much as we want to believe it is, Halsey is here to remind you that the scales still aren’t anywhere close to even when it concerns hair-care options.

This week, the “Bad At Love” singer took to Twitter to call out the hospitality industry for failing to provide hotel toiletries that are cognizant of all hair textures.

https://twitter.com/halsey/status/989680930926166016

MORE: Why I’m Still Skeptical of the Diversity Movement as a Black Beauty Editor

Although it might seem menial or trivial, Halsey— a biracial woman— makes a valid point. The beauty industry has routinely catered to white beauty standards, which means in every industry where beauty plays a role, PoC are not being served properly or even taken into account.

The tweet didn’t go over without pushback, but Halsey wouldn’t let uninformed followers win this one. Responding to the naysayers, she wrote, “Who knew me acknowledging that white hair care products are the national standard (while POC are confined to a tiny aisle) would piss so many people off not sorry.” And there the truth lies. As a white woman, I can walk into a store and blindly grab for something that will suit my hair, while PoC have to seek out a specific, small location to find what they need— if, indeed, there even is a selection.

https://twitter.com/halsey/status/989853291591811072

MORE: Target’s Best-Kept Secret Is This Black-Owned, Hip-Hop-Inspired Hair Brand

But as Halsey points out, the problem is larger than grocery stores and convenience markets. It’s how an entire industry (or dare we say society) ignores the needs of PoC. Although Halsey herself didn’t give a solution, many commenters took it upon themselves to provide a fix. While some found the solution to reside in the hands of the traveler and buy their own toiletries, Halsey quickly noted how that isn’t always possible.

https://twitter.com/halsey/status/989684220971765760

On a more practical and beneficial note, some suggested a “pick your toiletry pack” option which would mean the hotel would provide products based on what you decide prior to entering the room.

https://twitter.com/hella_kell/status/989693114716585984 https://twitter.com/AppleWood1957/status/989737585462267910

Although it’s not a perfect solution, it is a step in the right direction. Earlier today, the 23-year-old shut down any rebuttal with her final tweet on the subject.

https://twitter.com/halsey/status/989854625242038272

MORE: Zendaya Is Tired of Being ‘Hollywood’s Acceptable Version of a Black Girl’

As much as people want to say toiletries suck for everyone and no one uses them, the fact that they only serve white people, or people with non-textured hair, is the problem at hand. Halsey has brought up a poignant topic that needs to be addressed. Hopefully hair-care is next on the docket for beauty diversity.

15 Celebrities Who Have Embraced Their Beautiful Facial Birthmarks

Whether it’s a mole on your cheek or a café-au-lait spot on your forehead, most of us with birthmarks have had a love-hate relationship with them our entire lives. On one hand, birthmarks, especially when they’re on your face, make you easy prey for bullies when you’re younger. On the other, they give you a sense of individuality and specialness, something that celebrities such as Natalie Portman, Angelina Jolie, and Eva Mendes know well.

MORE: What Celebrities Look Like With and Without Makeup

Like Tyra Banks says, perfect is boring, and birthmarks, big or small, are a key part of your natural beauty and what makes your appearance yours. To inspire you to accept your “imperfections,” we’re looking at celebrities who have embraced their facial birthmarks and have no fear in rocking their moles, spots, and patches on the red carpet and on the big screen. See the beautiful marks they were born with ahead.

Mila Kunis’ New Haircut is Exactly What We Need for Spring

Spring is here and for some, that means it’s time for a hair change. Even if it’s not dramatic, a little extra something can make a big difference and right now, we’re taking notes from Mila Kunis. While her latest trim and styling doesn’t radically change her look, it does add new life to her already gorgeous head of hair.

On Thursday night, the “Bad Moms” actress revealed her upgraded ‘do at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. And although her hairstylist, Chad Wood, didn’t change much from her previous look, he did relieve her of dead ends and enhanced the A-Line feature. By chopping a little off, the hair becomes lighter, alive, and ready to be shown off.

Source: Instagram

MORE: Brie Larson’s Hairstylist Has a Brilliantly Original Hack for Taming Flyaways

We’re vibing with the S-wave shape of her bob, too, which can easily be achieved with a flat iron, and kept intact with a smoothing styler.

Kim Kardashian Responds to Designer Who Accused Her of Copying Her Perfume Design

After a week of teasers, Kim Kardashian revealed the bottle for KKW Fragrance’s newest perfume, KKW Body, on Thursday. The perfume bottle, which was made out of a mold of the 37-year-old’s body, was a first in the beauty industry, but everyone was convinced of Kim’s achievement. Soon after the reveal, the KKW Beauty founder star was flooded with accusations, claiming that she copied Jean Paul Gaultier‘s 1993 perfume, Classique. One of the accusers? Mr. Gaultier himself.

Source: Instagram

Hours after Kim’s reveal, the fashion designer took to his Instagram to post a picture of his iconic perfume, which also features a woman’s body without arms, legs, and a head. “Keeping up with the fragrance’s news! #Classique#JeanPaulGaultier,” he captioned the Instagram, throwing shade at the “Keeping Up with the Kardashians” star’s suspiciously similar design.

Source: Instagram

MORE: The Kardashian-Jenners’ 20 Most Breathtaking Makeup-Free Selfies

Likewise, hundreds of fans also noticed the similarity and called out Kim for plagiarizing Gaultier’s idea. Many cited other incidences of plagiarism by the Kardashian-Jenners, such as Kylie Jenner‘s camo streetwear line and Khloé Kardashian‘s bedazzled bodysuit, as evidence that the family has a history of stealing.

https://twitter.com/tinnkky/status/989193748591587328 https://twitter.com/NolaMarianna/status/988898783776817152 https://twitter.com/DanHindmarsh16/status/989595151721992193

MORE: 47 Nostalgic Throwback Pictures of the Kardashians Before They Were Famous

However, Kim isn’t taking the accusations lying down. In an interview with Cosmopolitan, the E! personality hit back at her accusers, explaining that her perfume bottle was inspired by statues and sculptures—not Gaultier’s perfume. Though she admitted that she loves Gaultier’s bottle, she denied claims that KKW Fragrance’s perfume was based on it.

“Sculptures were my inspiration, but I love that bottle,” she said. “It’s iconic and celebrates the woman’s body, but my inspiration was a statue. I wanted [mine] to be really personal with my exact mold, but I’ve always loved the Gaultier bottles.”

The middle Kardashian sister also revealed that she will make a life-sized sculpture from her perfume’s mold, which she will display somewhere in her house. “We were making a mold of my body for the fragrance, but we were also making it to make a big sculpture,” she said.

Source: Instagram

As for if Kim is guilty of plagiarism, it’s a “he said, she said” situation right now. Fans and Gaultier are confident that Kim plagiarized, while Kim denies it. Oy, where is the beauty police when you need them.

Every Celebrity Baby Who Has Been Born in 2018 Thus Far

As many of you know, babies are a big deal in Hollywood. They represent the next class of celebrities, especially if they have two famous parents. (Just look at astronomically famous kids like Blue Ivy Carter or Luna Stephens.) That’s why it seems like the world stops when a celebrity baby is born. And when it’s twins? Well, need we remind you of the Beyoncé baby apocalypse of 2017?

MORE: Every Celebrity Who Announced Their Pregnancy in 2018 Thus Far

To keep track of who’s joining the next A-list class, we’re keeping a running list of celebrity couples who welcomed newborns in 2018. For some celebrities, this newborn will join a big clan of siblings. For other celebrity couples, this baby will be their first. Whatever their story is, we’re still excited to see a new pint-size face in Hollywood. Check out every celebrity baby who has been born in 2018 thus far.

7 Clinical-Strength Deodorants for Fighting Body Odor This Spring and Summer

Body odor is impossible to avoid. We all experience it to varying degrees, but come summer, some of us need a little extra help warding off sweat … and an all-natural solution won’t do it.

“Aluminum-based compounds are the most commonly used antiperspirant ingredient because they plug sweat glands, thereby significantly reducing the amount of sweat that is secreted onto the skin, says New York City-based dermatologist and founder of SmarterSkin Dermatology, Dr. Sejal Shah. “The most widely used aluminum compound is aluminum zirconium tetrachlorohydrex gly. Aluminum chloride is usually found in prescription antiperspirants, but is also found in Certain Dri which is OTC. Typically, the strength of the active ingredients is higher in the clinical-strength formulations.”

MORE: Why Nicole Richie Swears by a Strict Body-Care Routine

Fun fact: deodorant and antiperspirant are actually two different things. While the former simply masks odor, the latter is what keeps sweat from excreting. That’s why the biggest body odor brands sell products deodorants that contain antiperspirants; the combination of the two provides the most effective results.

At the same time, the side effects of aluminum have been disputed for years. Some say that although it aids in blocking pores and subsequently odor, it’s absorbed by the skin and may be linked to cancer. Countless studies have been done in recent years, but the general conclusion is that it’s more fiction than fact.

According to researchers at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a part of the National Institutes of Health, there isn’t “any conclusive evidence linking the use of underarm antiperspirants or deodorants and the subsequent development of breast cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which regulates food, cosmetics, medicines, and medical devices, also does not have any evidence or research data that ingredients in underarm antiperspirants or deodorants cause cancer.”

MORE: The Best Under-$20 Face Masks for Silky, Smooth Skin

Dr. Shah also corroborates these findings. “Some research suggests that aluminum can interfere with estrogen receptors and estrogen can promote the growth of breast cancer, which is where this idea stems from. However, these studies were performed in-vitro and there is no evidence that it happens in a person,” she says.

“Further, a significant amount of aluminum is unlikely to be absorbed through the skin. One study found that the amount of aluminum absorbed through skin after applying aluminum-containing antiperspirants was much less than what would be absorbed from the foods one eats during the same time. To date, there really isn’t any strong scientific data that supports the claim.”

So if your standard deodorant isn’t cutting it, and you need something a little stronger to protect against perspiration and odor, worry not. Give one of these heavy-duty, clinical-strength deodorants a try for those days when you need a little extra help keeping fresh.