What Are the Benefits of Lemons in Hair Care?

 

Lemons offer numerous benefits to your hair for health and styling purposes. Go au natural by using lemons instead of chemical treatments from the store. You’ll save a bundle, and the recipes for your lemon hair treatments will hardly take any time to make.

Cleansing

Lemon juice makes an effective hair rinse, reducing oil and getting rid of harmful chemicals and buildup. It will even help you get chlorine out of your hair, returning your hair to its normal color. Mix 1/2 cup of baking soda with the juice from one lemon, then work it into your hair right away. Baking soda also cleanses residue from hair gently, so this combo is sure to get out the gunk, such as built-up styling product. Rinse your hair afterward. Your hair will look shinier and healthier. If you have dry hair, though, avoid using lemon juice often so that it doesn’t zap all its natural oils.

Dandruff Relief

To get rid of pesky dandruff, juice one lemon and work half the juice into your scalp, says Patty Moosbrugger in “Lemon Magic.” Then blend the other half into 2 cups of water. After shampooing and rinsing your hair, work in the lemon rinse, then rinse it out. Use this mixture every other day until your dandruff disappears.

Highlighting

Lemons can help you highlight your hair, giving you a natural, sun-lightened look. Get a jump start on summer with this quick fix. Of course, it works best for hair that’s already on the lighter side. Mix 1/4 cup of lemon juice with 3/4 cup of water, spritz the mixture on dry hair, and leave it on for two hours. Spend half an hour in the sun before rinsing the mixture off and condition well both before and after the treatment.

Hair Spray

Lemon juice makes an effective, natural hairspray as well. Store-bought hairsprays may irritate skin and aggravate acne, plus you don’t want to inhale them by accident. Lemon hairspray is eco-friendly, too. Chop up the lemon into wedges, then boil the wedges in 2 cups of water until about half the water has evaporated. After it cools, pour it into a spray bottle, and voila — hairspray! Keep it in your fridge, and it will last about a week. A tablespoon of rubbing alcohol makes it last longer.

Most Efficient Low-Wattage Hair Dryer

 

You might not realize it, but your hair dryer uses a lot of electricity. In fact, the government’s Energy Savers website lists hair dryers as using between 1,200 and 1,875 watts — that’s more than a microwave oven uses. Save money on your electricity bill by picking an efficient low-wattage hair dryer for your daily routine. You’ll be doing your hair a favor.

What Does It Matter?

Calculations show that using a 2,000-watt salon hair dryer for 20 hours a month costs $3.12. While it might not seem like much, that’s almost $40 for a year. Wouldn’t you rather treat yourself to a manicure with the money you could save? Also, the higher the wattage on a hair dryer, the stronger the heat and the more damaging it is to your hair. Efficient, low-wattage blow dryers do the job without frying your strands.

Travel Hair Dryers

Generally around 1,000 watts, travel hair dryers are more energy-efficient than full-size blow dryers. While you might need an extra 10 minutes to get thick hair completely dry with a travel dryer, one of these hair dryers has benefits: You can pop a small, folding travel hair dryer into your purse when you’re headed to the office or the gym. In the ladies’ room, lift your hair and aim it at the roots for an instant volume pick-me-up before dinner or drinks.

Ceramic Heat Dryers

Avoid blow dryers with plastic or metal heating elements, which heat your strands so much that water literally boils off — not a gentle routine, especially if you blow-dry your hair daily. Ceramic hair dryers emit negative ions, which seal in shine and keep the follicles smooth. If there’s an ionic switch, keep it off when you’re blow-drying your roots (for volume), then turn it on when you dry the top layers. Ceramic elements diffuse a more even level of heat, which helps prevent burning and ensures that all sections are bone dry.

Hair Dryer Tips & Tricks

To cut down on blow-drying time, towel-dry your hair properly so that it’s damp, never soaking. If your hair is very thick, or longer than your jawline, section it off into four equal parts. Always use heat-protecting products since even a low-wattage hair dryer will damage your hair if you use it on a daily basis. If your hair is already prone to frizz, buy a hair dryer with a cool setting — cold air keeps hair shinier and is more gentle than hot or warm air.

How Can I Get Thick Eyebrows With Makeup?

Big, beautiful brows help to frame your face and give you a fresh and youthful look. Skip the thin, over-plucked brows, which can look harsh and aging, and rock something altogether more flattering. Guilty of getting a little crazy with the tweezers? Don’t worry! We’ve all been there, but you don’t need to wait for those strands to grow to work a fuller look. With the help of a few key products, thicker brows are just a couple of eyebrow pencil strokes away.

1. Grab an eyebrow pencil that closely matches the color of your brows and fill in any gaps. Use small, light stokes for an even and natural look. It may sound scary, but subtly coloring in your brows is a sure-fire way to create the illusion of fuller brows. The key to getting this right is to gradually build up the thickness. Don’t get too carried away with your pencil, though, or you’ll end up looking less fabulous and more frightful.

2. Use an eyebrow powder on your brows. Your trusty pencil can look a little harsh, so apply a brow powder over the top to soften things up and give your brows a natural finish. Sure, powder may sound like something reserved for your face, but there are many eyebrow powder palettes on the market that offer a range of shades to suit almost any brow color.

3. Use an angled brush if you want an overall darker look. Dip your brush into a dark brow powder and wiggle it between the hairs of your brows to create the illusion of thicker, darker brows.

4. Tweeze any stray hairs that fall outside of your brow line. OK, so the aim is to get thicker-looking brows, but that shouldn’t mean yours look unkempt. Even the fullest brows on the catwalk are expertly manicured to remain in good shape.

5. Apply a brow gel to help your brows stay in check. Just as when you apply gel or spray to your locks, your brows need a little extra help to stay firmly in place all day long. Don’t give the game away with telltale smudges at the end of the day. Look out for an eyebrow gel that features a mascara-like wand for easy application.

Things You’ll Need

1.Eyebrow pencil

3.Angled brush

5.Eyebrow gel

2.Eyebrow powder

4.Tweezers

Tips & Tricks

  If too much plucking has left you with a few wispy strands, invest in an eyebrow conditioning treatment to help stimulate regrowth. Apply it daily to help restore your brows back to their natural, thick best.

How Often Should You Use a Milk Facial Wash?

 

Every girl obsessed with skin care has heard of alpha-hydroxy acids, which nourish and renew your skin. What you may not know is that they’re present in milk. It’s what makes milk such an effective ingredient in the war on dry, dull skin. Use your milk facial wash correctly for the best results. Overdoing it can just worsen the dry skin you hoped to avoid.

Milk Facial Washes

Milk facial washes are one option based on a natural product for a girl looking for softer, smoother skin. Even a few tablespoons of powdered milk in your bath can help reduce hard, dry skin and bring out softer skin. More concentrated milk facials — even ones that include other ingredients — can be part of your beauty routine. If you’re buying a milk facial wash, check to be sure it’s noncomedogenic before you clean your face with it. No matter what you use, always test it on your inner arm before slathering it on your face.

Gentle Cleansers

If you’re using a normal milk facial cleaner that isn’t meant to exfoliate, take a look at the label. It will indicate how often you should use it. Like with any new product, start slow. Try it, maybe, three times per week, skipping a day between uses. If you love what it’s doing for your skin, you may be able to use it every day to cleanse and nourish your face.

Exfoliating Washes

If you’re using a milk facial wash that’s exfoliating — one with powdered milk or oatmeal, for instance — use it two times per week or less. Even gentle exfoliants slough off dead skin, which is great until you’re living with chapped cheeks that have no protection from the elements. Start with once a week and if you don’t have any problems, increase the use to two times weekly.

Tips

Pay attention to your skin; it’ll let you know if you’re using a cleanser wrong. Even if the instructions say you can use it every day, that might not be true for your body. Every girl is different and should pay attention to the signals her skin is sending. If you’re noticing an increase in dry, sore or flaky skin, cut back the numbers of times that you use the milk facial wash. If it still isn’t working, discontinue it completely. You can opt for a different brand with different ingredients that will make your skin absolutely glow.

Lemon and Honey to Even Out Skin Tone

 

Sun exposure, acne and aging can do a number on your complexion, causing discoloration and uneven skin tone. If chemicals make you cringe, try adding a less harsh, natural method to your beauty bag of tricks. Using lemon and honey to even out skin tones may help you achieve a smooth, flawless, radiant complexion.

Skin Tone Facts

The saying “soft as a baby’s bottom” has much truth going for it: During childhood, your skin tends to be smooth and even. As certain factors take their toll on your complexion, such as sun exposure, acne, aging, broken capillaries, diet and stress, dead skin cells accumulate and the pigmentation of your skin cells change. According to the website A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, more than 14 million Americans are affected by the problem. While you can’t turn back the hands of time, lemon and honey may help. Together, the duo create a natural bleach and moisturizing remedy that can even out blotchy, discolored skin.

Lemon and Honey Skin Toner

Lemons are an acidic fruit that can help your skin maintain its proper pH, an important factor in keeping even skin tone. Barbara Close, an herbalist based in East Hampton, New York, claims that the citric acid in lemons has bleaching properties that help to reduce age spots, fade freckles and lighten skin tone. Honey also helps bleach skin while acting as a moisturizing agent. Make a lemon and honey skin toner by combining a quarter-tsp. of honey and 2 tsp. of lemon juice to 2 tsp. of warm distilled water and 2 tsp. of witch hazel, in a clean bottle. Shake well, apply the solution with a cotton ball and allow the toner to dry on your skin.

Exfoliation Preparation

Honey not only helps prevent your skin from dryness, another factor that can contribute to uneven skin tone, but it also has antibacterial properties that can help fade age spots and acne scars. Oily, acne-prone complexions have slower rates of skin cell turnover. Lemon juice helps remove excess oil and accelerates natural exfoliation. Make a homemade exfoliator by combining 2 tbsp. of oatmeal with 2 tsp. of lemon juice and 1 tsp. of honey to make a loose paste. Apply it on your face, leave it on for five minutes, then rub it off in a circular motion with your fingertips. Rinse with warm water.

Mask Magic

Let the fantastic duo work their magic by making a lemon and honey facial mask to heal, moisturize and balance dry, discolored skin. Combine 1 tsp. of lemon juice to 1 tbsp. each of honey, mashed avocado and finely ground oatmeal. Apply it to your face and allow it to dry for 30 minutes. Rinse with warm water.

 

 

How to Brighten Your Skintone

Dull skin is such a drag, so show your complexion a little TLC with a radiance-boosting daily routine. Your three-pronged plan of attack should address hydration, texture and tone — all of which contribute to your skin’s natural radiance — plus a few makeup kit secret weapons. Remember: Healthy skin is glowing skin, and glowing skin is pretty darn irresistible.

Hydration

When your skin is well-hydrated, it looks moist and reflects light more easily, creating the “dewy glow” that every girl covets. To score that gorgeous gleam for yourself, lock in moisture with products that contain humectants such as glycerin and hyaluronic acid. Smooth on a lotion or hydrating serum twice daily after cleansing and toning. Even acne-prone skin types benefit from regular hydration. Just stick with lightweight, oil-free moisturizing formulas.

Texture

The smoother your skin, the more evenly it reflects light, making your face brighter. Dead, damaged skin cells will drain the glow right out of you, making regular exfoliation a must for radiant skin. Trade in rough physical exfoliants such as scrubs — which exfoliate unevenly and can damage delicate skin — for a weekly at-home peel. Look for a product with glycolic acid to gently dissolve the top layers of skin, revealing the fresh new bright stuff beneath.

Tone

Uneven skin tone puts a major damper on your glow. Many mademoiselles deal with some discoloration issues at one point or another, whether caused by sun exposure, acne scarring or pregnancy. Serums and spot treatments containing kojic acid, licorice extract, mulberry or soy offer natural, more gentle skin brightening. OTC retinol products can also soften darker spots and patches. For seriously stubborn discoloration, make an appointment with your dermatologist. She can prescribe heavy-duty help such as retinoids.

Live Well

There’s nothing like good clean living to brighten your skin tone. Your skin is your body’s largest organ — so no matter how much dough you shell out for expensive skin care treatments, your complexion will always reflect your overall health. A few simple upgrades to your daily diet can have a major impact on your skin’s radiance. Stock up your plate with omega fatty acids (from salmon, nuts and olive oil), vitamin C (berries and citrus) and zinc (seafood and legumes).

Fast Fixes

Sometimes the best advice is to fake until you make it. While you’re waiting to reap the rewards of your radiance-boosting skin care regimen, add a glow with a few key makeup products. Start with a layer of tinted moisturizer. Opt for a product with light-reflecting particles to brighten your skin, one that’s sheer enough to let your skin through for a natural look. Cream highlighter is your ace in the hole, ladies. Blended along the high planes of your face — think cheekbones, brows and the bridge of the nose — it helps your skin reflect loads of light.