Natural skin care and hair care tips

I was a hair stylist and make-up artist in the entertainment industry for many years. You would think that a model or actress would want to pay close attention when a professional stylist would offer tips to improve their appearance. Well, in so many cases, my experience was the opposite. Many of them had an arrogance about them, where they just didn't think anyone could possibly know more than they did. I suppose it was partly because these women were beautiful, and had been told so their entire lives. They figured whatever they were doing must have been working, so why change?

Well, it's hard to tell a woman of 22 that she is not going to always look 22. So, she has to find out the hard way, when years of mistreatment of both hair and skin eventually takes it's toll. In this article, I want to talk about some of the things you can do now to help keep your hair healthy as you get older.

So many women believe that washing their hair daily is good for the scalp and hair. This is wrong. Many shampoos and conditioners strip the natural oils that give body to the hair. It is really not necessary to wash your hair more than twice a week, and if you use a quality natural shampoo and conditioner, the natural oils in those products will keep your hair looking shiny and healthy.

One of the reasons why you might notice that your hair is so hard to work with right after shampooing is because the shampoo strips the natural oils that give body to the hair. In fact, one of the most frustrating things I would encounter with some of the models and actresses is, after they were told not to shampoo the day of filming or a photo shoot, they would do it anyway, thinking it was going to make them look better. We had trouble styling it, and sometimes we would have to cancel the shoot for the day and replace them with another model, because their hair was just impossible to work with.

Blow dryers are hard on the hair cuticle, so if you must use a blow dryer, at least turn down the heat on it. If you have trouble with "flyaway" hair, use a moisturizing shampoo like the one we have at Chalet. Also, stay away from styling products that contain alcohol.

Believe it or not, crash diets can have a negative effect on the health of your hair. The hair is made up of protein, and by starving the body, you also deprive the hair follicles of vital nutrients. Eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to control your weight, and stay away from crash diets.

Your hair is made up of as much as 16% water, and when the hair dries out, it loses it's elasticity. It is this elasticity that gives your hair body. This moisture content is also important in attracting the natural oils in a good quality conditioner. Without this moisture, the hair will eventually become brittle and break. So, go easy on the heat tongs and blow dryers, and use a quality deep conditioner once or twice a week. Also, never use heat tongs or hot rollers on damp hair.

Christin Coulter has been in the beauty industry for 25 years. You can read more tips and find natural products at Chalet Skin Care