Fashion and Hair Style Category

For a gradual change in hair color, hair lighteners work excellent and are easy to use. Lighteners are the most natural way to add dimension to your hair color, without putting in an extreme amount of effort. In addition to this, lighteners are ideal for someone with dirty blonde-to-light brown hair; plus people with darker hair can benefit from hair lighteners too.

Now some might say that people can just visit a salon or buy a cheap hair dye kit. However, salon visits are expensive, and the chemicals in cheap at-home dye is extremely harsh on your hair. So if at-home dye kits and salon visits don’t appeal to you, perhaps some store-bought or do-it yourself hair lighteners will do the trick! That being said, here are some of the most common hair lighteners.

Hair Lightening Methods

Sun

The most basic, natural hair lightener is the sun. You have probably noticed how your hair is lighter during the summer months after being outside, sun bathing and/or swimming. This is because it’s the opposite of your skin since your hair gets lighter instead of getting darker.

All you need to do is lay out in the sun with your hair fanned-out above your head to soak up the rays. Don’t forget to wear sunblock on your skin, and if you have ever experienced sunburn on the scalp, try investing in an oil-free sunblock to apply to your scalp. Assuming you’re planning on swimming or exercising, reapply the sun block frequently throughout the day.

If your hair is dark, try swimming in a pool treated with chlorine before sunbathing to speed up the natural lightening process. You can also try swimming in an ocean, lake, pond, or any other body of water to have the same effect over a slightly longer amount of time.

Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide can be used as a bleaching agent, as well as a hair lightener, and has been used for many years. It’s not the chosen method for everyone, but it isn’t as harsh as a do-it-yourself box of hair dye, or costly like a visit to the salon (Salon vs. At-Home Hair Color). If you’re inexperienced in bleaching hair with hydrogen peroxide, there are peroxide-based bleaching kits at local beauty stores that include directions for you to follow.

Before spraying a bottle of peroxide onto your hair, do a strand test on a small section of hair located on the back of your head. It’s important to perform a strand test 24 hours before bleaching the rest of your hair to avoid allergic reactions, and to also know how long to let the peroxide process on your hair. Always use hydrogen peroxide in well-ventilated rooms, and the same goes for every other hair coloring treatment. Also, never use any kind of home cleaning bleach product on your hair because it could severely damage your skin and hair.

Tea

The women of the world have been working hard on unique ways to change their hair color and enhance their natural beauty. A product of this effort includes tea, which is amazing because it can be used to lighten dark hair, as well as darken blonde hair. To use it, all you need is the average, run-of-the-mill tea that you drink. Steep your hot tea and allow it to cool; then apply it to your hair with a sprits bottle, and allow your hair to dry under natural sunlight. Be sure that your hair has been shampooed and conditioned prior to using the tea.

Lemon

Using lemon is the most common way to lighten hair naturally at home. Lemon juice needs to be diluted with water before it is applied to hair because it’s very acidic, which causes hair to become dry and brittle. Also, it has been known to cause some women’s hair to appear gray when not diluted enough. For a safe way to achieve a naturally lightened hair color, add one tablespoon of lemon juice to one gallon of water. You can either use this solution as a standard rinse, or combine with other ingredients for more effective results.

If you choose to use the diluted lemon juice solution alone to lighten your hair, rinse your hair with the solution once a day; you will gradually see a change in your hair’s color. Once you’ve noticed your hair becoming lighter, reduce the amount of lemon juice in the water.

Lemon Juice Concentrated

For a more abrasive approach to lightening hair, use concentrated lemon juice contained in a spray bottle. Whenever you go swimming outdoors, make sure to have your spray bottle full of concentrated lemon juice handy, and spray your hair every time you step out of the water, then let your hair dry. Once your hair is dry, get back in the water and repeat the process as many times as you want. Just remember that lemon juice is acidic, and can cause hair to become dry and brittle.

Lemon Juice and Olive Oil

You can throw in some nutrients while lightening your hair when you add some olive oil to lemon juice. This way, you will be fighting off damage at the same time you are lightening your hair.

Chamomile Tea and Lemon

Use Lemon juice in combination with chamomile tea for a bleaching effect. Use the two ingredients together as a rinse for best results.

Lemon Juice and Conditioner

If you have 20-30 minutes to spare, use hair conditioner to dilute lemon juice, and apply the solution to your hair using a comb or brush. Let it process on your hair for 20 or so minutes, and then shampoo as normal. Do this a few times to get natural-looking, lighter hair.

Rhubarb

Rhubarb isn’t just for pie anymore! Use it to lighten your hair by taking a 0.5 cup of freshly chopped rhubarb, and mix it with 2 cups of boiling hot water. Let the mixture cool and strain it into a container; then use this as a rinse on your hair.

Once you’ve lightened your hair, it’s important to use color-treated-specific products to maintain the health of your hair.

Getting ready for summer is exciting – it gives you a chance to start bringing some fun new items into your wardrobe. But hitting the beach isn’t just about bikinis. To really add flair to your look and stand out, you’ll want to add some jewelry to the mix. One great place to get ideas for good jewelry pieces for the summer is the Sports Illustrated 2011 Swimsuit Edition. Here are some of the best pieces featured this year – these are excellent ingredients for an eye-catching look this summer.

Ettika Braided Satin Cord Bracelet

Ettika’s braided satin cord bracelets are excellent for matching with brightly colored clothes or bikinis, making them perfect for summer time. The neon multicolored bracelets help you create an overall fun and spontaneous style. These bracelets are excellent for drawing attention without being overstated. You can also choose the charm that best suits your personality – this makes the bracelets a great talking point when people comment on them. Charms include crosses, hearts, skulls, feathers and wishbones, giving the bracelets a great versatility of meaning depending on the choice you make.

Dogeared 100 Good Wishes Necklace

If you’re planning to spend as much time as possible on the beach this summer, a 100 Good Wishes necklace makes the perfect statement. Dogeared jewelry is down to earth and hand made with a natural feel that works well for a beach lover. The necklace consists of 100 little beads on a thin chain, each representing a wish. This is appropriate both as a gift to yourself, to allow your summer to bring all the positive experiences you hope for. It also works well as a gift to a close friend. It’s a great way of expressing to someone that you appreciate them and want the best for them in life.

Summer is a time for personal growth and development – it’s a time to party, meet new people and move forward in life while enjoying yourself. This is the positive, life-affirming attitude reflected in the 100 Good Wishes necklace.

Dogeared Not-to-Worry Wood Bead Bracelets

These simple and elegant bracelets are perfect for stacking and are ideal if you like heavier, thicker bracelets. There are a handful of colors to choose from, so you can combine them as you like to mix and match with your wardrobe. Like the 100 Good Wishes necklace, the not-to-worry wood bead bracelets are all about giving off an aura of positivity, fun and love.

If you take a “don’t worry, be happy” approach to summer and to life in general, a not-to-worry bead bracelets is an essential jewelry item to express your personality and attitude. While other people are sweating the small things in life, your bracelets will remind you not to take anything too seriously and to take any problems that may arise in your stride. Like the 100 Good Wishes necklace, stacked bead bracelets are also a great look for the beach.

Expressing Your Summer Personality

Jewelry can say a lot about you, even more so than clothes in some cases. Every piece of jewelry has a meaning or a story behind it. People often overlook the role jewelry can play in meeting new people – often it’s jewelry that catches a stranger’s eye and sparks a conversation that can lead to a new friendship or summer romance.

The featuring of these jewelry pieces in such a huge publication as Sports Illustrated shows that understated, handmade jewelry is the way to go this season. Get your hands on your own Ettika jewelry pieces from ZeeBerry today.

Going short is becoming popular these days, but once you’ve chopped all of your hair off, what do you do with it? If you have the basic hair tools like a straightener, a curling iron, a blow-dryer, mousse, hairspray and anti-frizz serum, you’re off to a good start already. But even with the right tools, it can be challenging to pull off a short hair style no matter how easy the women on TV make it look. Since you don’t have a team of stylists following you around, you need to take matters into your own hands. This being said, here are some hair styling tips use can use when styling your short hair.

6 Tips for Styling Short Hair

Choose the Right Shape

The first thing to think about when getting a short hair style is the shape you want to have. There are a variety of short hair styles to choose from, and you should talk to a stylist about what would look good on you before taking the scissors to your strands. Take into consideration your face shape, face size, and hair type to avoid getting a hair style that is totally wrong for you.

For example:
You shouldn’t get a pixie cut if you have a long face because you’ll look too much like a boy! And remember: unlike a new blow-dryer, you can’t return the haircut you’ve purchased.

Body and Lift

The blow-dryer is one of the most versatile tools for adding body and lift to short hair, but not everyone knows how to use it. Just by using a round brush in combination with a blow-dryer, you are able to achieve more body and lift. A round thermal brush will give you the same look, but is sometimes troublesome if you get it stuck in your hair.

Use products designed to give more body, in combination with your blow-dryer and fingers to create a messy, but classy just-woke-up look.

Volume and Texture

For more volume and texture, dry your hair; when it is about half-dry, apply a dime-sized amount of styling gel, balm, or mousse to your hair. Work the product through starting underneath the hair, and begin blow drying using your fingers to tousle, lift, and tease your hair (or use a finger diffuser attachment on your dryer).

To get more fullness, section off small parts of your hair and blow dry your hair working from the tips up to the roots. To make the style more put-together, try using a curling iron to touch up the tips, and then add styling paste to add texture.

Smooth and Shiny

To get a smooth and shiny short-haired look, begin by using a towel to dry your hair as much as possible. The closer your hair gets to being dry, the closer it gets to its natural form. Plus, you will avoid stressing and damaging your hair by removing the bulk of the moisture, and you’ll save time by drying it too.

Once you’ve taken the extra moisture off, apply a styling product evenly throughout the hair, and begin sectioning your hair off with clips.

Clip the top layers so that you can start blow drying the under layers. Aim the dryer downward starting from the roots, and moving toward the tips using a bristle paddle brush; this will give you the smooth finish you want. Be sure that your hair is fully dry before starting on another layer of hair because if the hair isn’t dry, it will go back to its natural form.

Complete the style with a shine spray to take care of any frizz, and avoid brushing your hair once you’ve finished styling.

Hot Rollers and Curls

Dry hair thoroughly before using heated rollers; along with this, most stylists will suggest using hot rollers when hair hasn’t been washed recently. Cover your hair in hairspray before dividing it into even sections using a fine-toothed comb.

Start at the crown of your head, then work your way down the back, and finally to the sides. Comb the first section of your hair; then spray again before rolling it onto a roller.

You will get the best results by using sections that are smaller than the roller being used. Using a section of hair that is too big will lessen the tension, and make the curl less likely to hold. To help the hair stay in place, put a piece of paper between your hair and the roller, then roll your hair around the roller, and pull the ends until you don’t see the ends; this eliminates those annoying fish hooks.

Try twisting your hair before putting it on the rollers because this gives you more of a spiral curl than a bouncy curl.

Coloring Your Short Hair

Coloring your short hair is another big decision, and there are several things to take into account here like the color of your skin. When using skin tone to measure hair color, people divide skin tones into two sections: warm and cool.

Warm skin tones are olive, brown, or gold in color. Someone with a warm skin tone should avoid using cooler hair colors like black or dark brown because the contrast can sometimes be too harsh. People with cooler skin tones include those with blue-white, rose, or pale skin. Cool skin tones who use warm hair colors like red or light brown will also have harsh contrast.

If you decide to dye your hair or get highlights, it looks best when you go a shade or two darker (or lighter) than your natural hair color, so that you don’t have unattractive contrast.

In any case, short hair can be just as versatile and sexy as long hair, so don’t be afraid to change your hair length, color, and shape. You can play-up your new look by changing makeup and accessories to draw more attention to your face.

The best part of having short hair is being able to show off your neck, shoulders, and ears. So put some body shimmer lotion on your shoulders to highlight them, wear some big earrings, and wear a shirt that will show off your neck.

Finding your own fashion style is as much an exercise in self-discovery as it is in choosing patterns and prints. Our clothes speak so much about us, and whether we like it or not, there is quite a bit of truth to the old saying that ‘the clothes make the man (or woman)’. In a sense, what we wear conveys something about us to the world around us; it becomes a ‘visible bio’ for onlookers, and can give people clues about our personalities, preferences, and inhibitions (or lack thereof) as it relates to self-expression.

When you first set out to discover your own fashion style, you may find it a bit frustrating in the beginning, because you may experience a certain amount of worry about what other people’s opinions of your clothes may be, and it can cause you to make preemptive adjustments to your clothing choices – you may not pick this sweater because your friend once remarked that she doesn’t like that particular color, or you may not pick that pair of jeans because your co-worker once said that he thought those kinds of jeans were tacky. As trivial as these things may seem, they can actually cause you to lose a little bit of your own individuality, because you’re operating more from a reactionary mode (based on other people’s opinions) versus really digging deep and finding out what you actually like. In a certain sense, it takes ‘guts’ to find your own fashion style, and you have to be willing to put yourself out there and allow yourself the freedom of expression through choosing clothes that truly reflect your preferences.

So how do you actually go about developing your own sense of fashion? Research will be a very important part of the process. Fashion magazines, television shows, and even visiting local clothing stores can provide you with all kinds of ideas. Many people look to celebrities to get a feel for the latest fashion trends, and it wouldn’t hurt to check out what the latest and greatest Hollywood A-listers are sporting just to get some ideas. There is a caveat to this, however: If all you do is simply copy what someone else is wearing, you’re not really tapping into your own sense of style; you’re instead taking all of your cues from someone else without really consulting your own preferences to see if it’s something that you actually like. It is definitely useful to look to others to gain inspiration, but the way that you interpret that inspiration makes all the difference.

Research has shown that most people tend to dress in a manner that’s comfortable to them, sometimes at the expense of staying ‘current’ or staying ‘with the times’. Examples abound of people who seem to be stuck in a past decade with their clothing choices. Interestingly enough, many people actually dress in a manner that reflects the most exciting time of their lives, even if that time was three decades ago. Dressing in those outdated clothes is a way for them to keep that part of their past ‘alive’, and their clothes actually provide a level of comfort for them, and can conjure up positive feelings of nostalgia. This is a great example of how clothing choices can be a form of self-expression, even if that expression reflects only a certain period of a person’s life.

Your own fashion style is, in many ways, linked to your self-image and your overall perception of who you are as a person. If you consider yourself to be a conservative person, then you will more than likely choose an overall fashion style that will not be too revealing or too provocative. On the other hand, if you’re an outgoing and fun-loving person who doesn’t mind ‘flaunting it if you’ve got it’, you may be a little more liberal with what you choose to wear. Even the types of materials that you choose can make a statement about your personality. Everyone knows that black leather makes a bold and somewhat jolting statement all by itself. Fabrics like wool or cashmere can convey a warm, comforting, and inviting personality. Loose and flowing materials like silk can express more of a free-spirited attitude, while outfits that are mainly made of denim can convey a more no-nonsense and tougher aspect of one’s personality.

Color is a very important factor in finding your own fashion style as well. Bold and bright colors usually denote a more open and lively personality, while someone who always wears muted and nondescript colors (such as gray) can seem to come off as cool and unaffected. Red has always been seen as a ‘power’ color, blue as a ‘cool’ color, and yellow as a ‘happy’ color. These are just some examples of how colors can communicate visual messages without us having to say one word. So when you’re developing your own style, it would be a good idea to do some research on which colors communicate which message, so that you don’t accidentally make the wrong statement, or wear something that does not reflect your true personality.

Once again, it’s all about how you choose to describe yourself to the world around you. What would you like to say by way of the clothes that you wear? What type of statement do you want to make? The old adage ‘Know thyself’ actually becomes very important in this process. It’s very difficult for you to select clothes and fashion accessories that reflect or express your personality if you’re not even certain what that personality is. A good suggestion would be to take some time and write down some of your favorite attributes about yourself. What do you like about you? What do you really think makes you unique? What type of personality best describes you? Then go out to your local department stores or check out some of your favorite online retailers and select the clothes that truly seem to ‘click’ with what you’ve written down. Whatever it is, it does you no good to be ashamed of who you really are. Who knows, you may just find true freedom of expression through fashion!