B Hair And Beauty

Welcome to the dry hair season.  Sorry, I meant welcome to the beautiful winter!  Well, winter is simply stunning, but when it comes to our hair, we need to consider some extra protection measures.

Cold winter air as well as the dry indoor air can affect our hair.  Since we cannot do anything about the climate, we can opt for few simple solutions.  For example, try to edge your hair.  Don’t cut it shorter, just remove the dry edges.  Stylists recommend edging the hair more often during the cold season, even once a month.

Hair balm is a necessity, especially if you use a blow dryer or a hair straightener immediately after washing.  In wintertime you can choose a hair balm that does not require rinsing, it is very effective and protects the hair against the temperature variations.

Remember to use a hair mask at least once a week: it is nourishing, it keeps the hair smooth and shiny and it makes it more resistant to the cold weather.

And here is one tip that works every time on your overall health (and hair, of course): eat healthily. Do not forget about the 1.5 litre of water per day for proper hydration of the skin and hair.  A shiny, healthy-looking head of hair makes a great first impression; just make sure you keep it that way until the winter is over!  20% off hair masques this week when booking your hair cuts, colours or relaxers.

Women just love to be in the trends when it comes to their hair…  However, if you want to look good next to your partner, he also needs to have a trendy haircut.  Why don’t you spend some time together and find out what are the best haircuts recommended by stylists for 2012?

Most women think that men are not really concerned about their haircut, but I’ve noticed that in the past years, their demands and style have reach higher standards. While many men prefer to solve the haircut problem by purchasing a haircut machine, others opt for more elaborated styles.  This year we have witnessed a tendency towards rock glam, with women hairstyles featuring soft, rebel locks and high volume hairstyles. Well, the same principle applies for men, especially when it comes to the Brit-rock haircut.  Choosing this type of haircut will surely give you a wild, rebel look and it seems like this will be the hottest choice for 2012 as well.

The Brit-rock haircut is easy to do and a simple visit to the local hair salon would be enough to get you back to your good looks. To get an idea about how a Brit-rock haircut looks think about the British rock band Radiohead. There is one thing you need to do to prepare for the ultimate haircut: let the hair grow quite long. It doesn’t matter if you hair is curly or straight, this haircut goes for any type of hair.  The distinctive note of the Brit-rock haircut is the long, asymmetrical bang, combed on the side.  Although the bang needs to be styled every day, it does not require more than ten minutes and it looks very cool.

When it comes to men haircuts, you have plenty to choose from. Remember that a proper attitude counts for highlighting a modern haircut – therefore, stay cool, relaxed and in control!  Why not book your man in this week – 25% off for you both when booking together this week only…..

Cauliflower is one of the so called super foods: low in fat, high in fibre and containing several substances reported to be beneficial to heath.

Firstly cauliflower is a very good source of vitamin C and manganese, which are both powerful antioxidants. With these antioxidants, you can be certain that eating cauliflower regularly will help protect you from free radical damage and reduce your risk of diseases caused by oxidative stress, such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

In addition cauliflower also contains high amounts of vitamin K and omega-3 fatty acids, which help decrease inflammation. Cauliflower also contains calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, and trace amounts of selenium.

Normally only the head (the inner white flower) is consumed but the stalk and surrounding thick green leaves can be used in vegetable broth or discarded. Being highly nutritious, cauliflower can be eaten cooked, boiled, raw or pickled. People on a weight loss routine can use cauliflower as a substitute for potatoes, especially mashed, for its similar texture or mouth feel. However, cauliflower does not have the starch of potatoes. Add milk or lemon juice to maintain whiteness when cooking cauliflower. And try juicing it as cauliflower juice has a pleasant, milky, sweet nutty taste to it.

Nature provides us with everything we need for preserving our beauty.  If you’d like to have a spa experience in your own home here is a recipe based on natural ingredients that are not expensive and are all natural, so the risk of skin irritation is minimal. However, if you notice any irritation to the skin, discontinue use immediately.

Milk and Honey Body Scrub: In a plastic container, mix the following ingredients:

1/3 cup of salt

1 tablespoon honey

1teaspoon olive oil

1 tablespoon milk

Stand in the shower and turn the water on briefly to dampen the skin. Turn the shower off and then gently massage the scrub on your body using an upward circular motion. Once you’re finished applying the milk and honey body scrub to the skin, turn the shower on and rinse it off.

The salt in this milk and honey body scrub recipe provides the exfoliating properties to remove dead skin from the body. The honey attracts and retains moisture. Olive oil is a natural way to soften and moisturize the skin and milk soothes and nourishes the skin. When these ingredients are combined they make an excellent scrub treatment for the body. This homemade milk and honey body scrub can be placed in and airtight container and stored in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

Someone once said: ‘Beauty comes from the inside’ and I agree. However, if we are talking about skin beauty, you can go a long way to preserving your beauty by choosing healthy foods. Three extra- effective foods are:

1. Blueberries are considered the richest source of antioxidants, the best remedy for cell damage. Antioxidants help neutralize harmful by-products of metabolism called “free radicals” that can lead to cancer and other age related diseases. Anthocyanin, which is the pigment that makes the blueberry blue, is the key antioxidant responsible for these benefits. In addition, blueberries are great source of vitamin C, E, soluble fibers and riboflavin.

2. Salmon and other types of fatty fish types contain essential fat acids (such as Omega 3) for healthy skin.  Fatty acids will keep away damaging substances but they allow nourishing elements to enter cells and produce shiny, healthy skin.

3. Green tea is an important source of antioxidants.  Recent studies have shown that green tea contains polyphenol, a compound considered ‘the fountain of youth’ since it could reactivate the dying skin cells.  It can reduce skin inflammation and the damage of sunburns and it contains vitamins C, D, K, zinc, calcium, iron and magnesium.

Promotion of the Week:

20% off Monday – Friday with selective stylists

Every once in a while, our hair deserves some spoiling treatment, after all, it is one of our most beautiful assets. However it is damaged easily by brushing, straightening or curling.  Hormonal imbalances, stress or dieting can also affect our hair. Here are three easy treatments to rejuvenate your hair for you to try.

1.Mint for clean, shiny hair

Many shampoos have mint essence in their composition.  Mint actually has very good cleaning properties and it acts like an antiseptic.  If your hair is normal or greasy, you can use the following recipe: Boil a cup of mint leaves in one litre of water for about 25 minutes.  Filter the mixture and apply it on your hair after shampooing.  Rinse the hair.

2. Olive oil for hydration

If your hair or scalp skin is dry, olive oil masks can do wonders. Recipe: Slightly warm the olive oil.  Massage the hair with it than wrap it into a towel.  Let the mask on your hair for about 20 minutes.  Rinse thoroughly.

3. Use an egg mask for volume

Recipe: one egg and 200 grams of natural yoghurt.  Mix the two ingredients and apply the mask on your hair.  Massage the scalp and let it work for few minutes.  Rinse the hair thoroughly. Try taking care of your hair using natural ingredients in between visits to your stylist.

Your skin can get even drier in winter but a massage with almond oil is all that you need. Almond oil is an excellent moisturizer and lubricant, preventing the skin from drying and keeping you free from chapped and peeling skin. Almond oil can also be used as a soothing remedy for skin allergies as well as treating minor cuts and wounds.

Do you have dark circles and under-eye bags?

Every day, before going to bed, soak a cotton ball in almond oil and dab it under the eyes. Very gently massage the area and this will improve the blood circulation.  However be careful not to get any oil in your eyes. Almond oil is perhaps the best ingredient to slow down the signs of ageing. Try gently massaging your face and neck with almond oil. As it is a rich source of Vitamin E, its regular use will reduce wrinkles and make you look younger and beautiful. Other common signs of ageing are scars, age spots and loose skin, which can all be reduced with regular almond oil massage.

Does your hair look dull?

Using the tip of your fingers gently massage the hair and scalp with almond oil. The oil will nourish the hair and increase the blood circulation in the scalp leading to luxurious, shiny and beautiful hair. Regularly massaging the hair and scalp with almond oil will help to prevent hair breakage and hair thinning. Sweet almond oil also acts as a cleansing agent keeping your scalp free from dust, pollutants and even dandruff.

I hope you had a great Christmas with family and friends and here we are in 2012 already. Happy New Year to you. Did you make some New Years Resolutions? Will you stick to them?

Here’s another you might want to add to your list to stay healthy in 2012.

Start each day with some hot water and lemon juice which has a cleansing affect on the body. Due to the digestive qualities of lemon juice, symptoms of indigestion such as heartburn, bloating and belching are relieved. By drinking lemon juice regularly, the bowels are aided in eliminating waste more efficiently thus controlling constipation and diarrhoea.

Lemons are also claimed to be useful in treating asthma, colds, coughs, sore throat, flu or influenza, heartburn, liver complaints, fevers, gout and rheumatism. Like limes, these citrus fruits are often called superfoods because they are full of vitamins. You probably know that our bodies need to be slightly alkaline, as opposed to acidic, and a lot of the foods we eat are very acidic. Even though the lemon is acidic, it is alkaline forming in the body and good for overall well being.

When life gives you lemons, add them to water and drink your way to better health.

Josie and the staff at B in the City would like to wish you and your family a very happy Christmas