Signs Of Aging Hair And How To Treat It

As we get older like everything else with our body our hair changes, from dry hair to grays and worse thinning hair.  It seems when most people think of anti-aging they think of the skin. But our hair is also important.

As our hair ages, it starts to get dryer, and this is one thing that I have noticed about my hair. I have always spent tons of time on my hair, so having it look good is a must for me.  This is why I was excited when I had the chance to partner up with Kenra Professional Hair Products and try out some of their newest anti-aging hair care.

So, if you want to find out some of the most common signs of aging hair and how you can treat it continue reading.
 
Signs Your Hair Is Aging
As mentioned about as we get older our hair will start to get dryer and brittle it also begins to show evidence of volume loss and shine, elasticity, and texture change. Additionally, those evil grays become more prominent.  This is another thing that was happening to me, and this is why I went from a lifetime of being a brunette to a blond, as it is much easier to cover. And if all of that wasn’t bad enough you may start to deal with thinning hair. So what is a girl to do?

First, you need to look at a few things as aside from age as there can be some contributing factors to your aging hair.

Styling Products
One of the things to consider is the arsenal of products you are putting into your hair. If you are styling your hair with gel, mousse or similar products, it would be a good idea to wash these off your scalp and out of your hair before you lay down to rest for the night. These products can be very drying, and some of them can clog pores, which could result in hair loss.

Another thing to consider about your hair products are the products themselves.  The ingredients in your hair care products are essential, plus don’t cheap out when it comes to your hair products, as quality does make a difference. However, going to a salon can be expensive and not always convenient, but not any longer with Kenra Professional as they recently launched the New Kenra Platinum Snail Anti-Aging Collection, Kenra Shaping Spray 21 and Kenra Platinum Heat Block Hairspray 22 at Ulta Beauty.

KENRA PLATINUM SNAIL COLLECTION
The fastest growing anti-aging Korean beauty secret is Snail Essence, and now you too can apply this to your hair. The NEW Kenra Platinum Snail Anti-Aging Collection is the 1st professional hair care product infused with Snail Essence, a highly concentrated blend of proteins proven to awaken the youth in hair. And no worries, no snails were harmed in the production of this product. Hence, I was excited to try out 3 of these products, the cc cream, shampoo, and conditioner.

This luxurious paraben-free line is a 10-in-1 corrective formula that helps to restores and prolongs youth by fighting all the aging hair issues I mentioned above, totaling 10…

1. Dulling
2. Thinning
3. Breakage
4. Frizz
5. Dryness
6. Elasticity
7. Porosity
8. Scalp irritation
9. Unmanageability
10. Coarse Texture

Snail Anti-Aging Shampoo & Conditioner
Heavy shampoo’s and conditioner can contribute to weighing our hair down.  I liked that this shampoo was a sulfate-free formula that helps to provide softness and youthful movement by restoring shine and prolonging agility of the hair at any age. And the conditioner is a lighter conditioner, so it doesn’t make your hair greasy or weigh it down, which is important as I do not wash my hair every day.  The conditioner helps to restore manageability and prolongs youth by bringing moisture, radiance, and resilience to the hair.

Kenra Snail Anti-Aging CC Creme
This product is applied after you towel dry your hair and is a great detangler as well. You can use this cc cream by itself or as a foundation for the layering of your other paraben free styling products.

Kenra Platinum Heat Block Spray
Hair breakage is a significant contributor to thin hair and combine that with a hot styling tool, your hair is doomed! A quick way to prevent your hair from getting damaged is to apply a heat protector on your hair. And Kenra’s new Heat Block Spray is here to help. Enriched with bee propolis, this natural resin forms a cast around the cuticle for exceptional heat protection up to 450°F (232°C).


Kenra Shaping Spray 21
I am an 80’s girl, so I love me some hairspray, but it can be damaging to the hair because of alcohol and other harmful ingredients. But not with Kenra’s hairsprays as it is alcohol-free.

Stop Overdoing The Do
Don’t Wash Your Hair Everyday 
Keeping your hair clean is important, but washing it too often can thin your hair.  The longer you can go without washing your hair the better!

Don’t Brush Your Hair While It Is Wet  
If your hair is wet, keep the brush away. Instead, use a t-shirt to dry your hair, and let it air dry prior to brushing. When wet, the follicles of your hair lose some of their strength and are more easily damaged. Your hair will be more likely to fall out prematurely if you are in the habit of brushing it while it is still wet.

Don't Over Dry
Blowing drying your hair all the time can cause your hair to become brittle and flat.  Partially air drying your hair will allow your hair to be stronger. Overexposure to heat on your hair can make your hair look dull, as the heat from the dryer causes the cuticles to open, which can lead to frizz and breakage.  A tip to save on drying time, don’t apply conditioner to your entire hair, only apply to the ends of your hair.

Diet
In addition to having quality products, one of the simplest ways to keep your hair healthy and strong is through your diet. Eat foods that have a lot of vitamin A and E. These help with hair. Your hair can regain its strength by also supplementing your diet with olive oil, fish, and walnuts.

Additionally, certain vitamins, minerals, and healthful fats are necessary for healthy hair. Some that you want to include are vitamins C and E, and the minerals biotin and zinc.

Thinning Hair
Thinning hair sucks ass, but I did read somewhere that you can help to prevent hair loss by adding capsicum from spicy foods in your diet as they are supposed to help increase circulation.  A known spice that contains capsicum is cayenne pepper, and from what I have heard it could stimulate some hair growth, and contribute to strengthening hair follicles. I do know that cayenne peppers also have a lot of vitamin A, and that is useful for reducing any hair problems as well as maintaining general health.

Foods that are high in protein can also slow the process of hair loss. Eating the right amount of healthy protein will bring about much needed keratin for your hair. When you have plenty of keratin in your body, the hair will be strong and healthy.

Bottom line, your hair is like a record of what you've put into your body. So while you can't actually nourish your existing strands with nutrition, remember that your hair is replacing itself all the time, so eventually using the correct products along with a healthy diet will help to renew your aging hair back to life. 

Want some try some anti-aging products for your hair? Well now you can, as all product mentioned are available at Ulta Beauty!

For more information on the products visit Kenra Professional's website

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Bye, Bye Under Eye Wrinkles With VIIcode T2 Oxygen Eye Cream Fit For A Queen

"Mirror, Mirror On The Wall, Who's The Fairest Of Them All?"

Everyone loves to be pampered and treated like royalty. But what if this luxury could also apply towards your aging skin? Sound good? It’s better than good with VIIcode T2 Oxygen Eye Cream.

Beauties, you’ve heard me say it time and time again, getting older has both its ups and downs.   And although some may say that “wrinkles indicate where smiles have been”. Or “I’ve got designer bags under my eyes” … While those quotes are cute to read, there is nothing cute about tired, aging eyes!

So, if you want to see how you can help to bag some of those under eye issues, continue reading!

For this post, I have partnered up with VIIcode.  This company has been around for centuries!  Starting with Byrne Victor, who believed “every woman (including Queen Josephine, wife of Napoleon), could be the most beautiful in her way.”  This eye cream was invented for the queen more than 255 years ago, and now we too can experience this royal luxury.

Who would have known that the issue of aging around the eyes has been a concern for that long?  But if you think about it, all the factors that can contribute to this aging skin like heredity, pigmentation irregularities, environmental factors, fluid retention, or mother nature’s clock hasn’t really changed.  Hence, anti-aging eye creams are one of the most sought out products on the market, and therefore I was excited to try out this under eye cream for myself.


About VIIcode T2 Oxygen Eye Cream

Now before I get into the product I thought the packaging was cute as it reminded me of a satchel of gold for the king, oops, I mean the QUEEN, don’t you think?

The luxurious royal formulation of VIIcode T2 Oxygen eye cream is designed to provide constant care for your eyes. During the day, it helps to protect our skin against environmental factors like air pollution, UV light, etc. At night, it works to help reverse the signs of aging by repairing the damaged cells and rejuvenating our undereye skin.

This eye cream is a non-greasy formula which is great as some creams end up in your eye which is not pleasant. What’s more? Are the ingredients that are in the cream. It is alcohol-free and safe to use with every skin type, plus it features…

• Extracts of evening primrose to help boost blood circulation and smooth out those fine lines around the eyes.
• Avocado & Elderberry which are excellent antioxidants.
• Chamomilla Recutita to help with reducing dry, flaky skin while restoring suppleness.

How To Use
With the cream comes an applicator, which I was pleasantly surprised as with most skincare products we end up wasting the product on your finger, but not with this.

Not only does this crescent moon shaped spatula act as an applicator it also is used to activate (prep) the under eye before application. Simply close your eye, and softly massage your under-eye area with the crescent activate tool to smooth and refresh. Then scoop out some eye cream (a tiny about goes a long way) and apply the cream under the eye area with the applicator.

IMPORTANT: Keep in mind that the skin surrounding your eye is very delicate and thin. Hence, you do not want to be pulling and tugging on the skin when applying this or any eye treatment product.

To use, tap a pea-sized dab of cream underneath each eye using the crescent applicator. You do not want to press too hard as you can cause wrinkling if you pull too hard. If you decide not to use the applicator, apply with your ring finger. Using this finger is best as your others are too strong and the tugging as mentioned can lead to premature aging.

My Concluding Thoughts
As you know, I only share products with you that I like. I had used VIIcodes products before and liked them, so I was happy to try this eyecream. This cream is great at protecting the delicate folds near my eyes (notice I did not say wrinkles) from dehydration. Also, the Chamomilla Recutita ingredients are great at removing some of the dead layers of skin cells.  Unfortunately, exfoliating the under-eye area is not an easy thing to do safely, so this cream helped with revealing younger refreshed skin from beneath.

The jar of cream is smaller than I would like as this is something that can be used both day and in the evening, but I guess it makes great for travel.

Lastly, in addition to using a skincare product for maintenance and correction, I always say prevention is the best anti-aging device, so please remember to use an SPF and wear sunglasses to protect your eyes from the harmful rays of the sun. Oh, and make sure to drink plenty of water!

Until next time!

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Get Younger Looking Skin By Shaving Your Face With The Dermaplaning Sonicsmooth By Michael Todd Beauty

This is my second post on facial shaving, and why women should shave their face, yes I said shave.  In case you missed my first post in this series click here.  But as promised I am going to be discussing a more advanced approach to facial shaving which is dermaplaning. And the best part is that you can do this in the comfort of your own home with the Sonicsmooth by Michael Todd Beauty.

Now before I get into the Michael Todd Beauty dermaplaning device, I wanted to briefly explain the difference between dermaplaning and shaving with a razor.  While both are an excellent way to remove vellus hair (peach fuzz), as well as acting as an exfoliative treatment, dermaplaning offers a deeper more targeted exfoliation. Which in turn leads to a brighten skin tone while softening the appearance of wrinkles and much more, just what a woman in her 40’s is looking for!

So, if you want to find out why you need to add dermaplaning to your skincare routine continue reading.

Michael Todd Beauty is always stepping it up when it comes to skincare devices, and their newest product the SONICSMOOTH Sonic Dermaplaning System isn’t any different. As not only is this a dermaplaning device but it also uses sonic technology to remove dead skin cells and fine facial hair expertly, now how great is that?

I'm Still Confused, What The Heck Is Dermaplaning???
As mentioned briefly above dermaplaning is a skincare method that physically removes unwanted facial hair while removing dead skin cells for a smoother and more radiant complexion. Some of you may have had this type of treatment done professionally, which requires the use of a scalpel and a trained practitioner and  IT is costly.

Bottom line, dermaplaning takes face shaving to a whole new level, and because of the popularity and demand of this anti-aging procedure, Michael Todd Beauty decided to offer us skincare lovers the chance to do this at home with their Sonicsmooth, the world's true first sonic dermaplaning system. Now no worries there is no scalpel involved, but this at home treatment does provide some of the many benefits that you could get at your aesthetician's office with the added benefit of Sonic Technology. Michael Todd Beauty is known for their sonic skincare products, so it only made sense to harness the power of sonic technology in conjunction with expertly designed safety blades to create a dermaplaning device that ups your anti-aging skincare game, while kissing your peach fuzz goodbye!

Benefits Of Dermaplaning With The Michael Todd Beauty Sonicsmooth
Aside from offering fantastic exfoliation while removing your peach fuzz, dermaplaning with the sonicsmooth really brightens up your skin, giving you a glowing, dewy look.

Additionally it…

• Stimulates your skin to produce new skin cells and collagen (whenever there’s trauma to the skin, collagen is stimulated to help cell renewal).
• Softens the appearance of fine lines by removing the layer of dead skin which contained them.
• Helps the active ingredients in your skincare products to penetrate deeper into the skin, making them more effective.
• Can help with smoothing out acne scars.
• Removes the excessive “face fuzz” that can trap oil and dirt which can lead to other skin issues.
• And your makeup application is FLAWLESS!

Will My Hair Grow Back Thicker
No need to hide as this will not happen, it is not possible. I know I was surprised myself, but my aesthetician explained to me why contrary to belief, that your hair can not grow back thicker.  You see there are two types of hair that grow on our body. Vellus hair, which is the peach fuzz on your face will grow back the same as it was before you remove it. Therefore, you will not have dark, coarse facial hair grow back after dermaplaning.

How Often Do I Dermaplane
This pain-free method can be done once a week. The Sonicsmooth system comes with a 2 Month Supply of Safety Edges- Stainless steel surgical grade blades encased in a protective case, which is very convenient.

How To Use The Michael Todd Beauty Sonicsmooth

Step 1
Prep The Skin: It is vital that skin is first prepped with a de-greasing cleansing product to completely remove all surface oils from the skin to ensure optimum results.  Michael Todd's Honey and Oat Cleanser is an ideal skin prep and comes with the set. It is best to perform a sonicsmooth treatment at a time where you will not be applying makeup directly afterward.

Step 2
Dermaplane The Skin: Hold the skin taut with one hand, and with the sonicsmooth blade in other hand at a 45-degree angle, apply it against the skin and shave. I like to do it in sections, starting at my forehead, to my checks, and moving my way down.  You can even shave your neck, as none of us want turkey neck as we get older.

You can shave in any direction, however I try to go in an upward direction and around the mouth area outwards. Also, make sure you are careful and paying attention as you don’t want to accidentally shave off some eyebrow hairs or get too close to your hairline, so do this in front of a mirror.

Step 3
Rinse off and apply your sonicsmooth soothe onto your baby soft skin.

Step 4
Apply your regular skincare products, starting with the ones with the active ingredients first.

So there you have it beauties one of my best anti-aging tips to getting younger looking skin by dermaplaning your face with a Sonicsmooth By Michael Todd Beauty.

Want younger looking skin now? Then go to Ulta Beauty as they have just released the Sonicsmooth on line or visit Michael Todd Beauty and get your dermaplaning system today!

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Beauty Blogger BS, Why People Really Wear Makeup

I am writing this post out of frustrations of narrow-minded thinking when it comes to beauty, makeup, bloggers, etc.  If you follow my blog regularly, you will notice I only share positive.  I only talk about products I like and rarely share negative reviews. Not because I do not want people to know, I am trying to hide something, or I am being paid to say something. But, because I feel that most reviews are opinions, not facts and I do not want to impact a product's success with my negative thoughts as they are just my opinions NOT FACTS. In most cases if I do not like something I kept it to myself and if the product was sent to me for a review and if I did not like it, I offer to send it back.

With that, today I am going to touch on a topic that I see arise a lot on YouTube and Instagram, with people making comments about you don’t need to wear makeup, you look better without, stop hiding behind your makeup, etc. I am not talking about the random opinion comments, but those spewing negativity, because of their insecurities. Reading this frustrates me so, as in my view, it is narrow-minded thinking, that people who use makeup use it ONLY to cover up something or to live up to a standard. Which nowadays is not always the case. Yes, I wear makeup, but there are times, I will go days without washing my hair or even bathing, (yes, I shared that fact) to show you it is not about acceptance.

My Truth About Makeup
I love beauty and makeup for one simple fact, the creativity it gives me to express myself. I am a creative person, by profession and in my personal life. My approach, as well as many others, is, I am artist and makeup is my medium of choice.  I view my hair, face, body, etc. as a blank canvass, and the makeup and other cosmetics products I use are the tools to apply my artistic approach, expressing my creativity, ending with a final creation or master piece. Makeup is my palette, the same as paint is to a painter. I am not wearing makeup to hide or conceal anything, but rather to express my artist point of view.  Whether it be bold or simplistic, it is my form of artist expression.

Other Reasons Why I Wear Makeup
Aside for artist expression there are other reasons that I wear makeup, fix my hair, etc.

Starting with, I wear makeup for myself. I do not give a rats ass what others think. Nothing I do in my life is to impress others as I do not care what others think. To be happy I need to be happy with myself. At the end of the day, others thoughts are only opinions and do not define me!

While there are many times I look like the below, I like to wear makeup because it makes me feel feminine and purrty. Yes, it is nice to get all dolled up every once in a while, and makeup can help make this more fun!

No Makeup

Makeup Has Evolved
Makeup like other things in life has changed. While I would agree there are some people out there that use it to hide behind or to cover up some insecurities, I believe that more so than ever that people are using makeup as I do, as a form of expression or as a statement.  I do realize that most may not consider cosmetics as a kind of art as if they did I would not see this plethora of spewed negativity.

With the popularity of Instagrammers, bloggers, and vloggers, the modern makeup culture has progressed. While you may not have to embrace this for yourself, the narrow-minded thinking about makeup and the beauty industry needs to STOP. Why not reconsider your thinking and understand that today's makeup culture is not always about hiding or a standard for beauty, but that it can also be a form of art! And most important that you love yourself with or without makeup!

Misguided Approach
Now I am not narrow-minded, understanding that some are using makeup for approval or acceptance. Unfortunately, with social media and photoshopping, our physical appearances may not always be true. Meaning overly photoshopped beauty ads and filtered selfies that can misrepresent the truth, while setting standards of unrealistic expectations, primarily to those with low self-esteem or youth that are highly impressionable.  But as I say, “It is how you deal with the cards you are dealt,” just because you see something in an ad, does not mean it is the truth, that is a standard, or that you must resemble that. Remember as I said in the beginning, it is a point of view, NOT A FACT.  Stop allowing ads and others to cultivate this into your mindset and start making decisions for yourself, coming in with the thought process that makeup is a form of art, NOT a standard of appearance!
 

Stop Your Stinking Thinking
Overall the purpose of this post is to speak up and say it is time surpass the media's marketed standards and reconsider cosmetics entirely.  More importantly, stop allowing it to be impressionable upon you as we are in control of what we accept and what we do not.  Have an optimistic approach to cosmetics, thinking of it to artistically express yourself, rather than buying into the message that it is a necessary method to alters one's appearance to fit into some crazy society of how some should look.  This crazy thinking, unfortunately, is something that we have learned over the years and it needs to stop.

Bottom line, makeup is a form of art, not something that defines someone, or standard of living that society has put upon us and we agree to accept.  Stop that stinking thinking about makeup and use it to reflect who you are!

Being Real

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