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Hair News – Cure Split Ends with Orchid Flowers
Orchid Flowers: The “Cure” for Split EndsSplit end camouflage creme uses orchid extract to fasten frayed ends back together, lasting through 2-3 shampoos
White Sands Haircare’s interest in orchid flowers for hair treatments was inspired from findings showing this flower’s mysterious capacity for immortality, beauty, and its versatility to adjust to different environments with vibrant color. Orchid cell membranes contain a longevity molecule allowing for this eternal quality. In short, due to this molecule, as the plant cells age they will continue to act as if they were brand new.
After multiple tests, an orchid extract Bulbophyllum sp was discovered. It could mend split ends and fill holes in the fabric of each strand to instantly enhance hair health and heal damaged cuticle layers. This extract also provides hair the ability to hold moisture and control frizz which, in turn, gives a high shine.
As a split end camouflage creme, White Sands The Cure 24/7 effortlessly mends split ends, repairs damaged hair fibers, restores internal moisture, while making tresses stronger, smoother, and shinier. Also with Cellular Bridging, this innovative process stimulates hair cell renewal with micro-gels so tiny they instantly fill cuticle cracks, leaving each strand smooth andrepaired up to 7 days.
Price: $29.99 via Fine Salons & whitesandsproducts.com
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We’re Going Nuts…Brazil Nuts that Is!
Gisele, Alessandra, Adriana – they’re all Victoria’s (not so best kept) Secret, but another thing that these stunners have in common is that they hail from Brazil. Before the world turns its attention to Rio de Janiero for the 2016 Summer Olympics, discover the best that Brazil has to offer for your beauty regimen with Surya Brasil and Topganic. Utilizing ingredients straight from this South American nation, including Brazil Nut, Buriti, Acai and more, these products will have your hair and skin shining brighter than the Sao Paolo sun!
Surya Brasil
For the past 20 years, Surya Brasil has been unearthing the therapeutic performance of exotic botanical ingredients native to the Amazon region, like buriti, murumuru and cupuacu. They combine these with ancient plants and herbs, including Henna, a flowering plant, and Brahmi, a scalp-soothing botanical from India to create their best-selling natural hair colors formulations, hair care and skincare.
All Surya Brasil products are 100% vegan, natural and organic. The brand has also earned EcoCert, Cruelty-Free, Vegan and Kosher certifications.
Line Includes:
- Henna Hair Cream and Powder
- Color Fixation Hair Care
- Sapien Women Hair & Body Care
- Sapien Men Hair & Body Care
- Amazonia Preciosa Body Care
- Vegan Lip Balms
Surya Brasil is available at select Whole Foods Markets, as well as online www.suryabrasilproducts.com.
Topganic Brazilian NutOil Collection
Enriched Brazil nuts are known as one of nature’s best sources of selenium, an important mineral for healthy scalp appearance. They’re also brimming with alpha-linolenic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid that helps condition hair. They are also considered a terrific source of zinc, which combats shedding.
The Brazilian Nut Oil Collection is formulated with a boosted combination of hydrating and deep nourishing shea butter, avocado oil and Topganic’s proprietary keratin protein. This unique combination repairs the quality of hair while imparting a protective coating that lasts between washes and leaves hair shiny, bouncy and silky soft.
Collection Includes:
- Shampoo with Keratin from Brazil
- Conditioner with Keratin from Brazil
- Leave on Silk Serum with Keratin from Brazil
- Intensive Hair Mask with Keratin from Brazil
- Style & Go Moisturizing Cream with Keratin from Brazil
Topganic is available online via www.topganic.com.
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Cold Weather Hibernation
Don’t fall into the trap of sitting indoors and binging on food this winter.
Whether it’s at the gym, at home or even outdoors – be sure to spend some time exercising!
Heading to the gym?
Be sure to apply Lavanila Laboratories The Healthy Deodorant Collection. Lavanila’s Healthy Deodorant offers natural, award-winning deodorant protection. Completely free of aluminum, paraben and propylene glycol, it’s a safe, effective and luxurious way to fight odor.
A solution to traditional deodorants and antiperspirants that can contain potentially harmful and irritating ingredients, Our health-promoting formula is packed with anti-oxidants and a proprietary beta glucan technology to not only fight odor, but nourish, strengthen, and soothe the skin ($14-$16; Lavanila.com).
When time is limited, exercise at home with certified nutritionist and yoga expert, Kimberly Snyder!
The Beauty Detox Power Yoga series is a unique and creative Vinyasa flow-style of yoga that helps to restore energy, increase vitality and effectively tone muscles. You can learn to move through the Asanas poses in a fluid, non-rushed way with your breath, while powerfully increasing your strength and agility. Balance your mind with sacred Pranayama breathing practices that help bring you back to the center of your being! ($29; www.kimberlysnyder.com)
If you’re going out for a run, make sure you apply SPF too all exposed areas – yes, even in the winter!
With Nios Shield, you can style your hair while added SPF 15 protects your scalp from harmful rays. Nios Shield Whipped Hair Gel is formulated with Moroccan argan oil, Vitamin E, and Vitamin B5 to ensure healthy hair with a medium-strong hold that’ll keep pesky flyaway hair in place. ($26; NiosShield.com)
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LOVE it: Pretty and Soft Curls with @MixedChicks
I’ve been looking for a good leave-in conditioner for my natural hair for ages now, but haven’t been able to find one that delivers. You can only imagine my excitement when I received a lovely package full of Mixed Chicks goodies in the mail a few weeks ago, AND in that package was a leave-in conditioner! Now because I haven’t had much luck with leave-in conditioners, I was a little apprehensive about how well this conditoner would work, but I’ve heard good things about Mixed Chicks products so I was more than down to try.
Sunday is ‘Hair Day’ and this is when I do my usual co-wash, deep condition and re-do my protective style. So for the last few Sundays I’ve been using the Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner before putting in my twists/flat twists. I’ve noticed that it actually takes me a shorter time to do my twists/flat twits as the conditioner softens my hair right away, and there are hardly any tangles, therefore less breakage. Score!
Defined, fluffy, shiny and healthy curls, I couldn’t ask for more!
Since using Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner, my hair is still soft, and fluffy even after taking my twists out, and one of the best things is that there is no flakiness, which is what used to get on my nerves when I used other leave-in conditioners. I’ve also noticed a significant amount in breakage. I know that we lose about a 100 strands of hair a day *gasp*, but I still don’t like to see my hair break, so I love that my hair barely breaks, if at all, before and after using the Mixed Chicks conditioner.
Pros:
- Instantly soft
- Little to no breakage, which means increased retention, therefore increased growth.
- Did I mention super soft hair????
- Defined curls
- No flakiness AT ALL!
- Increased moisture and shine.
- I live for how sleek and defined my twists look!
Radiantly rollin’ with Mixed Chicks!Big thank you to Mixed Chicks for sharing this with me, and for bringing my leave-in conditioner hunt to an end! I can’t wait to try the other goodies!
Have you tried Mixed Chicks leave-in conditioner? What are your thoughts?
Bella
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The Sunday at DUFFY SQUARE
Here’s how it works to be entered to win* in the Nexxus Show-Stopping Red Carpet Experience Sweepstakes:
Step 1: Go to Duffy Square this Sunday June 9th from 3:00 – 4:30pm EST, dressed in their best suit or cocktail dress
Step 2: Head to the Nexxus tent (NW corner of 47th and Broadway) and enter by having their photo taken on the Nexxus red carpet
Step 3: Listen for their name to be called at 5PM on the big stage at Duffy Square. If it’s called, then they plus one guest win!
Prize includes:
§ Hair styling with Nexxus Creative Director, Kevin Mancuso immediately after draw
§ Full makeup application
§ Personal limo for the evening
§ Opportunity to walk the red carpet at Radio City Music Hall
§ A pair of tickets to the Tony Awards Show then the Gala at the Plaza Hotel, immediately following
All sweepstakes entrants will receive a sample of the Nexxus Youth Renewal™ Rejuvenating Elixir**, which helps reveal younger-looking hair in just seven days***.
Not a lucky winner and don’t have tickets to the show? No problem! Join us in Duffy Square and enjoy:
§ Broadway Karaoke – Sing your heart out with your best Broadway performance
§ Broadway Trivia Contest – Show us your Broadway smarts for the chance to win a Nexxus product gift bag
§ Live Simulcast – Grab a seat and watch the live telecast of the Tony Awards right in the heart of Times Square
Where: Duffy Square in Times Square (between 45th and 47th Streets)
When: Sunday, June 9 from 3:00pm – 11:00pm EST
*No Purchase Necessary. Void where prohibited. Win a Nexxus Show-Stopping Red Carpet Experience is open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. & D.C. who are in attendance at the Times Square Nexxus Event in New York, NY wearing formal attire, and are 21 years of age or older. Starts 3:00:00 p.m. ET 6/9/13 & ends 4:30:00 p.m. ET 6/9/13. For the official rules, visit the Times Square Nexxus Event. Sponsored by Conopco Inc., d/b/a Unilever.
**versus non-conditioning shampoo
***while supplies last
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Kinky Update: Low Manipulation Challenge
I haven’t shared my natural hair journey on here in a while, and I recently received the sweetest message from one of our readers about how she got inspired to go natural and stay natural, after reading my posts, sooooooooooo… here goes. As many of you know I started my transition in September maybe October of 2010. I did my big chop in January of 2012, and have been fully and happily natural ever since. I read that it was wise to keep your hair in protective styles during the transitioning process and after; as this not only helps the hair from breaking, but also aides in bringing back the once lost curl pattern as a result of a relaxer. So I kept my hair in twists all the time, which got incredibly boring as I like to change my hair as often as I can (everyday). I noticed there was lots of growth for a while and then my hair seemed to stop growing and was breaking a lot, despite the bi-weekly trimming I was doing (so unnecessary by the way). I hadn’t changed my haircare regimen, I was still deep conditioning and moisturizing like a maniac so I’m not sure what was happening… then I realized I’d been doing all kinds of things with my hair. I’d coloured it red, I was switching protective styles weekly, some days I fell asleep without a satin wrap… my hair was clearly pissed off, and showing it.
Day 1 of the challenge
So 12 weeks ago, I decided it was time to stop being lazy and to go back to loving my hair. I went onto BlackGirlLongHair for some Kink-spiration (my go-to for everything natural hair), and while perusing hundreds of articles, I came across a few that stressed keeping your protective styles in for as long as possible, as this not only helped eliminate breakage, but also helped retain length.
9 days in… Fuzzy and already locking/meshing
That’s all I needed to hear, the only problem is my hair normally starts to lock/mesh after a week, and this is why I was always messing with my hair. I wanna rock a big sexy afro this summer, so I need to do all that I can to ensure that my hair is strong and healthy. So I decided to challenge myself.
First twists with Elentee Soy Organics Twist & Lock Gel
I would do a protective style and leave it in for as long as I could. Sounds easy enough right? Wrong, I couldn’t even bare to think about the boredom of rocking one hairstyle for weeks… Ugh. So long story short, I did mini-twists and lasted 9 days. Then I found this miracle gel, called Elentee Soy Organics Twist & Lock Gel, and managed to keep my twists in for 18 days!
Re-twist after 18 days!
My hair didn’t lock/mesh once, it was so easy to untwist, and there was little to no breakage! I kept those twists in till about the first week of January (WHAT!!), but was in desperate need of a change; so rather than re-do the mini twists, I went for chunky twists instead. I’ve deep conditioned three times since putting in the chunky twists, and other than re-doing the front ones to make them look neater, I haven’t touched my hair… well until today when I did a deep condition 🙂
Things I’ve discovered since my low manipulation challenge:
1. It’s definitely harder than I thought, but so rewarding when you see the progress in length, strength and overall look of my hair.
2. Elentee Soy Organics Twist & Lock Gel is a winner for girls who wanna rock mini-twists but are worried about it locking/meshing.
3. My hair is longer, stronger and thicker.
4. I will ALWAYS ALWAYS…ALWAYS twist my hair with Elentee Soy Organics Twist & Lock Gel. Always.
My hair now (with shrinkage). Happy 🙂
peace and love
Bella
