The one I've been avoiding....

I'm overdue for a hair cut. I actually just made an appointment for next week:) But in the meantime, I'd rather not look like I stuck my finger in an electric socket. So, I need a quick fix to moisturize my hair and calm the frizz.

US magazine to the rescue, ahh. Actress Audrina Patridge (The Hills) said she once used a mayo hair mask, but her hair looked greasy for a week. I've heard about this remedy for a long time and, frankly, have avoided it. Mayo is reportedly also a safe remedy for lice since it doesn't subject children's scalps to harsh chemicals. But, unfortunately, it does subject them to mayonnaise. I hate mayo! I don't like it in my sandwiches and I wouldn't want it on my head. But a lot of people LOVE mayo, so I'll take one for the team.

So, as always, there's conflicting info online. Someone on Yahoo.Answers.com said it's a known fact that mayo is damaging to hair, but didn't say why. If anyone has more details on that, please let me know. But the overwhelming majority stands by the treatment. Apparently, mayo's ingredients are beneficial: vinegar (clarifies hair and helps with dandruff), olive oil moisturizes and seals hair and split ends (although Stephanie disagrees), and eggs have essential proteins that supposedly strengthen the hair follicle.

Here are the steps that came recommended by several sites:

Step 1: Apply the nasty goo from root to tip and convince yourself it's just conditioner. Yuck.

Step 2: Cover your hair with a plastic cap or grocery bag. I opted for the bag. At least this helps to conceal the smell.

Step 3: Wrap a hot, damp towel around the bag or cap for 10 minutes or so. This helps your hair absorb the moisture.

Step 4: Wash out all the goo and sigh with relief.

Bottom line: Where's the grease? I suppose my hair is softer, but I don't feel any heavy effects from the treatment....I guess that's good, right? I'm not sure if this experiment proves that mayo is a good conditioner or that my hair is made of straw and can't get enough oil. Try it at home and let me know how it works for you!

Update: It's the day after I treated my hair with mayo and now I see the grease. I don't think other people can see it. It made my dry hair normal, but I know it's there because my curls fell down and the frizz is 95% gone. This may be a good treatment afterall, especially for people with dry, frizzy hair!

Not so risky hair dye

I had a request recently to write about hair dye. Thank you for caring enough to actually write in!.....Here it goes....

A friend of a friend who does hair and make up for CBS' Craig Ferguson Show and who used to tour with Kiss, once recommended that I use Natural Instincts semi-permanent hair dye to brighten up my do. Nice way of saying my hair was fried from the sun and needed help:) Although enhancing natural beauty isn't her usual goal at work (unless you find Gene Simmons to be naturally beautiful), she knows a lot more about this stuff than I do!

I tried it a while back and loved it. My friend, Hollis, tried it and loved it. So my cousin, Natalie, was in town and volunteered her head for the latest experiment. Great news especially since we all have different hair types!

Step 1: Comb and slightly dampen hair
Step 2: Separate hair into small sections and apply dye to roots
Step 3: Add more dye throughout hair and comb it through evenly
Step 4: Realize you should have applied Vaseline to her forehead and ears. Oops. Sorry Natalie.

Step 5: Wait 10 minutes then wash it out.

Voila! Beauteous maximus!

Bottom line: This formula in particular adds shine, brilliance, and makes the coarsest hair soft. The best part is it naturally fades away over a month or two rather than growing out from the roots like permanent dye. Its a great way to try a new color without having to pay an arm and a leg or commit to monthly root fills.

The "Ins 'n outs" of big hair

Hi Ladies,

So, I got a few quick tips from my hair stylist, Stephanie Ames, who works at the IBIS Salon in Richmond. For those of you with thick, curly hair who are currently losing the "humidity hates me" battle or worse, are suffering from the 1991 "I wanna look like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman" syndrome, take Stephanie's advice and try New York's latest "In and Out" cut. I'm not aware of all the techniques involved, but I think it has to do with scoping your hair into a C shape on the sides and trimming the ends with alternating "in and out" cuts (meaning the scissors are directed toward and away from the head).

Although the cut tapers heavy ends and thins out bushy hair, which makes hair easier to straighten, it's really meant for curly hair. I'd show you my hair, but I haven't styled it today and would hate to misrepresent Stephanie's good work. So here's Sarah Jessica Parker. (This is the pic I showed to Stephanie).

And another tip from Stephanie to anyone who wants to add a pop of color to their hair, but wants to avoid the cost of filling in roots every 4 weeks. Add highlights underneath the crown of your hair so it peeks through even with your hair down, but doesn't require ongoing maintenance. Please note, this is NOT the method where you bleach the top half of your hair and dye the bottom half black....Please don't do that:)

And a special congratulations to my friend Catherine Hoose on the delivery of her baby girl, Jane:)

My first blog post!...To oil or not to oil?

Hi Ladies! Thank you for reading my first blog post-- which is just about having some girl time since we don't get to see each other enough!

OK, so here's my first home beauty experiment.

To oil or not to oil?

I once read-- probably in People magazine-- that olive oil is a great, natural way to soften hair and prevent split ends, which I have a lot of. I've also heard that it can coat your hair and lock out moisture. What to believe?

One random night-- a while ago-- my sister and I decided to pour some olive oil in a bowl and dip in our long, dry, thick & curly strands. Once our hair and scalps were covered, we pulled our hair back and let it sit for...about 15 minutes. Wash and rinse. Realized I shouldn't have used the special garlic style oil. Wash and rinse again.

Once my hair dried, I noticed it was softer, not nearly as frizzy, and had a natural-looking shine that my hair has NEVER had. My sister, on the other hand, vowed never to do this again.

Bottom line: If you have thin, oily hair, you probably should never try this. For those of you who have hair made of twine, like me, give it a try for fun. But Dove's moisturizing shampoo and conditioner works even better and doesn't make you crave bread all day long.