Kool-Aid Hair Dye by Erin

Today we have a guest blogger, everyone meet Erin! Erin is a junior in high school and a writer for Mod Style Lounge where she loves blogging about clothes and modesty. To learn more about her, go check out her bio, http://modstylelounge.blogspot.com/p/erin.html.

The Trend...

A trend that I have seen since this past summer is colorful streaks in your hair, or fun colorful tips. I always wanted to try it, but I would be nervous about going and getting it dyed somewhere, and not liking it. So I've seen the idea of dying your hair with Kool-Aid online and thought it looked like a great alternative. Depending on your hair type, it is very temporary, but I've heard that it can last anywhere from a couple washes to several months. Using Kool-Aid (or I've also heard that you can use a jello mix) is an easy way to add fun pop of color to your hair without committing to a long term dye. *Please be sure your parents are ok with this before you try it though!* You can do streaks in your hair, the tips of your hair, or even do your whole head and add a colorful tint to your natural color. Kool-Aid dye works best on light colored hair. If your hair is darker, and you really want to try this, you would need to bleach the section of hair first.

I did some quick research online, and it received mostly positive reviews. But like always there are people who post warnings and negatives they discovered when they tried it. A few common complaints were that if you use red Kool-Aid it can last too long...Some say that this washes out too quickly while others say they couldn't get theirs out and that they had to grow it out. I'd do some checking before you try it, even if it is a simple and temporary method.

Good tutorials on how to die your hair are very easy to find. I think this post was my favorite though. It explains different methods of using the Kool-Aid dye, gives instructions, and includes a video.

My Little Experiment...

I decided I'd give this a try today and picked up some purple (SUGAR FREE!) Kool-Aid packets at the store. When I was ready, I pulled out a small strip of my hair and ponytailed the rest on the opposite side. It's important that you keep all hair back except that hair you're wanting to dye. The tutorial will tell you this, but I boiled 2 cups of water and when the water had cooled a tad I added the 2 packets. When mixed dipped the hair into the bowl and kept my head there for about 5 minutes. I started with really thin pieces and added more when I liked the results. I took a napkin and dried the excess Kool-Aid and then blow dryed the section of hair. Although the results were more subtle than I was expecting, I was very pleased with it. I am a dirty blond and the color looks like a dark auburn/plumb. I will be definitely be trying this again, and maybe I will use a different method next time (like painting the hair and then wrapping with foil). I've included a picture, the quality isn't terribly great but you should be able to get an idea of how it looks. 

If you try this, or have done it before, let me know how it works for you! I'm curious how the results differ with different hair types, methods, and colors. Have fun ~Erin

Thanks so much for letting me use your post, Erin! Make sure you guys go check out her posts on Mod Style Lounge, and have a great weekend! 

source of first photo: The Beauty Department

Hair Chalk

     Hair chalk has become more popular recently because it’s temporary and easy to apply.  Hair chalk is chalk that you buy specifically for your hair, or chalk pastels that you buy from an art store. 

     A few weeks ago I was at my friend’s house, and she had some hair chalk, and we decided to try it out.  The brand she had was Beyond the Zone, and she had two different colors, pink and purple.   The package it was in didn’t have any instructions so we just took sections of our hair and rubbed the chalk on.  

     The chalk was pretty messy to put on; it got all over our hands, clothes, and all over the bathroom.  It didn’t really stay on our hair very well, either.  The chalk didn’t show up in my hair very well since I have dark hair.  My friend (Jessica) has blonde hair, so it showed up pretty well on her.  We washed our hair before we went to bed because it would have rubbed off everywhere in our sleep.  It washed out just fine, but the chalk left our hair really dry.  The color came out of my clothes, too, for the most part with the help of stain remover.

     Since my hair was so dry, I decided to do a hot oil treatment on my hair the next night; afterwards my hair was pretty much back to normal.  I noticed when I was washing my hair after doing the treatment that some purple was coming out, so if you use hair chalk, make sure you get it all out.

     The Beauty Department has a really good article that gives you tips and techniques to use when using hair chalk.   Chalk It Up

     Even though it didn’t turn out very well when Jessica and I did it, I really want to try it again and apply it like The Beauty Department suggests. 

     Here’s a video showing you how to apply hair chalk.

     Adding color to your hair whether it’s Kool-Aid or chalk is really popular right now because it’s super cute and colorful.  What do you think of the trend?  Have you tried it? 

     Make sure to check back next week for a post about another hair trend, Kool-Aid. 

Becca xoxo

Shampoo, Anyone?

So here's the deal. I'm almost completely out of shampoo. I'm currently using Biolage Hydratherapie shampoo; I won't be repurchasing because it's more than I want to spend right now. Which means I'm looking for a new shampoo.

I need something that cleans my scalp well, but isn't drying for the rest of my hair, since my hair can be on the dry side. I preferably want one I can buy from a drugstore, that's $10 or less. I'm thinking about trying a sulfate-free shampoo, but I don't know of any. Comment and let me know what you use, and give me some suggestions if you have any. :)

Becca xoxo

CHI Digital Review

     I got my CHI Digital over a year ago, and I still love it to this day!  I haven’t had any kind of problems with it.  When I first got it, it was the only digital one available where you could change the temperature, now they have quite a few.  My CHI has 1 inch plates.  It was made in the USA and it had a two year warranty.

     I got my CHI on sale at Trade Secret for $99.  On the box the original price was $159.95, so if you are wanting a CHI (or any straightener for that matter) make sure you shop around before buying one.  JCPenney has a pretty good selection of CHIs and they are usually on sale for around $115.  The CHIs they were selling came with different things, like pouches for the straighteners or bottles of CHI Silk Infusion.  My CHI didn’t come with anything, but when I opened it up there was a card you could send in to get a free bottle of CHI Silk Infusion.  Unfortunately I never received it. 

     If you buy a CHI, make sure that you buy it at an authorized store, or the warranty won’t be eligible.  The authorized stores are JCPenney, Fantastic Sams, Beautyfirst, Purebeauty, Ulta, Beauty Brands, Trade Secret/ Beauty Express, and Regis Salons.  Here is the company website; http://www.farouk.com/.

     Heating it only takes about 40 seconds to get to the hottest setting; which is 200 degrees Celsius.  The lowest temperature is 80 degrees Celsius.  I do adjust the temperature a lot so it’s nice to be able to.  On all of my other straighteners, it only had a little dial to adjust the temperature, and it never told you when it was heated up. 

     The model of the straightener is a lot nicer than my other straighteners that I’ve had.  My other straighteners didn’t open and close as easily as this one and the other ones felt like you were pulling on your hair when you were using it, especially when you were curling your hair.  This one just glides nicely.  The ceramic plates are really nice.  The other straighteners I had before weren’t professional straighteners, so it’s understandable that they didn’t work as well.  I noticed right away after using it for the first time that my hair was a lot straighter after I straightened it.  It also works really well to do curls.  It also doesn’t make my hair feel dry; it makes it feel soft and silky.  

     I really like my CHI, and I recommend it anyone who is looking for a good straightener.  

*The picture isn't of my exact straightener, but it is similar.

Q & A About Hair

Becca: Is it true that the more you do stuff with your hair (like braids, straightening, etc) the more likely you are to get split ends or cause breakage and even more likely if your hair is wet?

Sarah: Yes, definitely. Wet hair is much more fragile than dry hair. Putting your hair in a ponytail can easily cause you hair to break because the hair expands as it dries and the ponytail holder cause stress to the strand, possibly causing it to break off. The same goes for tight braids. Not using a heat protection product on your hair when blow drying or using mechanical heat (like flat ironing or curling) can actually cause it to melt from the inside, even if you can’t tell from the outside. NEVER use mechanical heat on wet hair!

Becca: Is there any ways that you can make your hair grow faster by eating certain things, or using certain things?

Sarah: Hair is made primarily of a unique protein structure, so protein will help keep your hair healthy, and healthy hair grows faster. A protein rich diet is healthy for you and your hair! You can also ask your hairdresser for a scalp massage the next time you come in to stimulate your hair and scalp. A scalp massage is also great for this time of year when your hair and scalp dry out from the weather outside and dryness indoors because it stimulates the scalp’s natural oils.

Becca: How can you tell if you have split ends?

Sarah: Think of a fraying piece of thread. You’ll see thin hairs peeling off of a strand of hair. Don’t pull the hairs apart or you’ll ruin the entire strand of hair. Split ends are a problem much deeper than just the outside. They start in the cortex (the inner layer) and work their way out to the cuticle (the protective outside). The only way to keep them healthy is to cut them off. Catch them while they’re just starting, you’ll have less to cut off. If you wait too long, you have to end up needing to cut off a few inches. Your hairdresser should then apply protein reconditioning to mend the ends and prevent them from splitting again. You can help keep them healthy by using a protein leave-in product, like TIGI’s Ego Boost.

Becca: How do you determine your hair type?

Sarah: Hair types are divided into three categories: fine, medium, and coarse. You can usually tell by touch. Coarse hair feels like wool, medium hair feels like cotton, and fine hair feels like silk. Coarse hair may be described as “wiry” and may be difficult to make completely smooth and flat. Fine hair, on the other hand, may easily have “flyaways” and tends to get weighed down if using too much heavier product.

Becca: I've heard that you can train your hair to produce less oil by washing it less, is that true? If so, is it bad to wash your hair every day?

Sarah: Using a harsh shampoo on your hair everyday can strip its natural oils and cause your sebaceous (oil) glands to produce more. The hair must always be coated with a layer of natural scalp oil in order to maintain a healthy pH. So yes, it’s possible it may be bad to wash every day, depending on your hair. But if your hair is gross and oily by the end of the day, not washing your hair will just turn you into a greaseball. If your hair is normal, it’s best to wash it every other day if possible. The dry-haired ladies can go 3-5 days without washing if they want to (though some girls say they feel disgusting if they don’t wash it for one or two days). If you wash your hair every day, just make sure your shampoo’s cleansing factor is moderate and not deep cleansing. If you’re not sure, ask your hairstylist if he or she knows (they may not know unless you bought it from them).

Becca: Should you deep condition your hair once a month? If so what should you use?

Sarah: Deep conditioning is great for if your hair is damaged or dry. Ask your hairdresser for a deep conditioning treatment and how often they recommend it for your specific hair type. Having it done at the salon would be your best option, but if you can’t do that, you could wet your hair and towel dry it, work in a generous amount of any thick-consistency conditioner, wrap your hair in a towel and leave it in for 15-20 minutes, then rinse it out.

Becca: Is a clarifying shampoo necessary?

Sarah: A clarifying shampoo removes residue, like dirt, oil, or product buildup. It usually contains sulfates, so see the next question…

Becca: Are sulfates drying and should people not use products with it in them?

Sarah: Sulfates are a deep cleansing ingredient. Sulfate shampoos are ideal for people who really need to get rid of a lot of residue in their hair and on their scalp. They are not made for everyday use. The sulfates clean deep into the hair shaft and strip the natural oils. So yes, sulfates can be drying if used too often. Since they are so intense, they tend to make colored hair fade, so it’s definitely not for people with colored hair or drier hair types, like curly or ethnic hair.

Sarah is in cosmetology school and she has her own blogs, http://modstylelounge.blogspot.com/ and http://sarahattruegold.blogspot.com/, so go check them out!  Thanks again Sarah for answering my questions!

CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray Review

Last week I finally got some heat protectant from CHI. It’s called 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray and it’s amazing! I noticed the difference as soon as I straightened my hair. Usually after you dry your hair it feels kind of dry, but after I used it my hair felt really soft! I got it at Target for about $14 and it came with two bottles of the heat protectant! Which is a really good deal because it usually is about $12-$14 for one bottle. The bottle says to use it on dry hair only, so you can’t use it when you blow dry your hair. After my hair is completely dry, I spray different sections of my hair, wait a couple minutes for it to dry and then I straighten my hair. It makes your hair look (at least mine) a little oily at first, but as soon as you straighten it, it looks normal. If you are looking for a heat protectant I definitely recommend CHI 44 Iron Guard Thermal Protection Spray!