by Valerie Valdez
Healthy hair has a lifetime up to 6 years but that depends on how you care for it. Keratin is the main component in hair, and it is also responsible for the elasticity of human fingernails.
Our hair grows about half of an inch per month and although it is strong, a single strand of hair is only as thick as a single piece of paper.
Hairstyles for Men
Everything old is new again and hairstyles for men in 2015 are no exception. Retro styles from the ’50s and ’60s are still trendy. By carefully selecting the right hair style can get your New Year off to a great start. The popular “Mad Men” 1960s style made famous by the TV program is the side comb over. It’s sleek and sexy but this hairstyle is not a good choice for men with thinning hair.
Since you do need to slick back your hair for this look, choose an updated styling product that works well but is not greasy like the old hair creams. Think Elvis and you have the pompadour that has not ceased after decades. In this updated version of the up-do, the hair at the back and sides are cut short.
Apart from this, the hair is tapered around the edges with a clean neckline to give the guy the classic masculine look. A Caesar cut features a similar profile with slicked back undercut, but it requires lesser effort. This haircut is done by cutting your hair evenly on the sides and top at a short length. Guys especially love the Caesar cut because it is easy and inexpensive to maintain.
The Sleek hairstyles for men is best for men with dry, frizzy, and damaged hair. By simply using shampoo, detangler, or detangler spray and leave-in conditioner, you can already have a smooth, shiny hair. But this hairstyle is not advisable for men with balding hair. An extremely versatile hairstyle is the Undercut in which the sides are shaved and the hair is long in the front. It flatters most face shapes.
This hairstyle has so many styling options from edgy to toned down and from rugged to business casual. Spiked hair never gets old and has been a popular hairstyle for men, and even women, from ages 8 to 80. To keep the spiked look hip in 2015, add undercut sides, or you slick it back or across your head.
Many of the classic hairstyles are the result of what each hair type does naturally. A professional barber can look at your hair, the shape of your head and face, and recommend a look that works for you. So, update your best trendy hairstyle this year.
How to Keep Your Hair From Thinning
African-American hair has a unique look and texture but it is also fragile and is prone to damage. Thinning hair is a problem for about 50-percent of African-American women and men, but some simple tips can minimize hair problems so your hair stays healthy and beautiful.
First, don’t wash your hair too often. Once a week or every other week is enough and this will help prevent build-up of hair care products, which can dry out the hair. When shampooing, concentrate on cleaning the scalp, rather than the entire length of the hair since washing only your hair can create dull, flyaway hair.
Secondly, use a conditioner every time you wash to keep your hair from thinning.
It is especially important to coat the ends of the hair, because the ends are the oldest and most fragile part of the hair. However, using a conditioner on the scalp or the length of the hair can make the strands look limp. Also, once a month use a hot oil treatment to add moisture and elasticity to your hair. Another good tip is to take care when using relaxers and always go to a professional hair stylist to ensure that the relaxer is applied safely.
Touch-ups should only be done every two to three months and only to newly grown hair. Never apply relaxer to hair that has already been relaxed. Remember to use ceramic combs or irons to press the hair, but no more than once a week and to avoid heat damage, use the lowest possible temperature. A higher temperature is only necessary for thicker, coarser hair. Make certain braids, cornrows or weaves are not wound too tight.
If it hurts while your hair is being styled, ask the stylist to stop and redo it because pain means hair damage.
Lastly, see a professional stylist or barber for hair cuts and to catch any problems early for the best treatment. When you incorporate these tips into your hair care regimen, you will help ensure a lifetime of strong, lovely and healthy hair.
With annual sales of more than $1.4 billion dollars, according to The Statistics Portal, shampoo is the leading hair care product sold in the U.S. Yet, most users are unaware of a shampoo’s multiple ingredients and what they do individually and collectively for your hair.
All shampoo brands perform the same basic function which is to remove oil, dirt and environmental contaminants while still making your hair manageable. Reading a shampoo label may seem like taking a chemistry quiz, but the ingredients all serve the same purpose – to make your hair and scalp healthier and look great. These are the most common ingredients found in shampoo. Sodium laureth sulfate is derived from coconut oils and is used to soften water and create a lather.
Used as a thickening agent, Ammonium chloride helps make hair fuller and Polysorbate solubilize or causes essential oils and fragrances to spread throughout and penetrate into your hair. Citric acid is a natural preservative that adjusts the pH level in shampoo to approximately 5.5. This is the normal range that allows hair to feel smooth and look shiny.
The most common ingredient for dandruff control is Zinc Pyrithione which slows cell regeneration on the scalp. Panthenol (B5) penetrates the hair shaft causing it to swell and thicken. Plant-based or Bontanical ingredients, such as lavender and aloe among others, aid in hair care. For example, rosemary helps with greasy scalp and chamomile lightens hair color.
Fruit sugars hydrate the hair by drawing water from the air to keep it moist. For people who dislike using a lot of chemicals, or have an allergic reaction to them, organic and natural shampoos can be a suitable alternative. These shampoos often use tea tree oil, essential oils and extracts. Also, many people suffer from eczema on their hands and their heads and some find relief from wheat-free or gluten-free soaps and shampoos, which are becoming more popular.
So, the next time you buy shampoo, read the label to have a better understanding of what ingredients it contains and the benefits they bring to your hair care treatment.
How to do a Facial for a Man
A man’s facial skin is normally thicker than a woman’s and less sensitive to ingredients in cleansers and moisturizers, but shaving is another issue. Men with heavy beards or curly hair can experience razor bumps, ingrown hairs that cause small, bumps on the skin. But with proper facial care, these problems can be a thing of the past and replaced with a clean, smooth face everyday.
Many men prefer bars over liquid cleansers, which is okay if you have normal or oily skin. But bar soap dries skin out more than liquid cleansers. If your skin is itchy or a little tight after you wash your face, then use a moisturizing bar soap with emollients such as glycerin, vitamin E oil, or olive oil or jojoba oil. If you have very oily skin, then acne may be a common problem for you. Acne is caused by excess oil production that clogs pores, causing inflammation.
Use soaps or liquid cleansers that contain salicylic acid, glycolic acid or benzyl peroxide. All three have exfoliating agents to remove the upper layers of dead skin and allow for deeper cleaning of pores. Exfoliating is also the best way to greatly reduce or completely eliminate skin bumps when shaving. Simply use a facial exfoliator 2-3 times a week to buff away the dead skin cells that your hair grows back into.
After you wash your face, massage in a grainy facial exfoliator for a minute with gentle circular motions. You will see a vast improvement in your shaving bump situation. Some soaps are laced with a moisturizer, and for some men they work fine, but if not then add a moisturizer to your daily routine. For dry skin, choose a cream, which is the thickest formulation that deeply penetrates the pores. If you have normal skin, then use a lotion, which is lighter and contains less oil.
A skin toner or gel formula is best for oily skin. By using or adding these tips to your daily skin care routine, every man can have baby-smooth skin feel that looks good and feels even better.
By Kathryn Leisinger
The OG School of Hair Design was incorporated in 1987 and currently graduates approximately 75 students a year. In 2002, Kevin Lane purchased the school and has been the owner as well as an instrumental instructor in the lives of many of the students who’ve graduated. With a goal of bringing respect back to the Barber profession, the owner and staff at OG School of Hair Design require their students to hold themselves to a higher standard and you’ll see that reflected in the attitudes and behaviors within the walls of the school. This is their standard of excellence.
Looking for a new place to try for your next hair appointment? Try OG Barber School, save some money and you might be surprised at the great job today’s Barber students do.
Beard Trim $1.00
Shave $3.00
Men’s Cut $5.00
Ladies Cut $7.00
Facial $6.00
Hair Color $12.00*
Eyebrows $3.00
Razor Bump Hair Removal $3.00
Scalp Manipulation/Treatment $6.00
Freestyle & Design Cuts $8.00 & up
*Available by appointment only
PRICES SUBJECT TO CHANGE
**TUESDAYS are Senior Citizen Day – 50% OFF ALL SERVICES
Don’t let the affordable prices fool you. The students work hard before they are allowed to work on the general public and are overseen by an instructor who manages their every move. Why are prices so affordable? Real world experience isn’t something that a student can be told about and it be the same as working on a real person. Prices are kept low to keep people coming in the door and who knows, you might find your forever stylist waiting for you at OG Barber School.
Located at 2501 S. W.S. Young Drive Suite 302 Killeen, Texas 76542, you can call (254) 526-4339 for an appointment or for more information on any of their services or to become a student yourself.
Have you ever wondered what the difference between a barber and a hairstylist is or is there even a difference?
Derived from the Latin word “barba” meaning beard, a barber is a person whose occupation is to cut hair, perform shaves and trim beards. Shaving – the art of shaving with a straight-razor can only be performed by a licensed barber. Barbers are also trained to provide facials, color and perm hair. This is quite similar to the services the hairstylist would perform.
Hairstylist or Cosmetologist, is derived from the Greek word “kosmetikos” meaning “skilled in adornment”, and is the study of the application of beauty treatments (hair cutting/hairstyling, skin care, cosmetics, manicures/pedicures and electrolysis). Manicure/Pedicure – these two services can only be performed by a licensed cosmetologist or nail technician, not a barber.
A barber is trained and well skilled in the use of clippers and while a cosmetologist is also trained to use them, she’s probably not well versed in how to use clippers. A barber can use a set of clippers with finesse and compared to a women’s hair cut that requires cut, color, highlights, style and 15 different products; most men’s haircuts require a good set of clippers and some no nonsense talk about nothing important.
For men, walking out of a hair salon isn’t the same as walking out of a barber shop. Walking out of a barber shop gives them a swagger in their step. Men get their hair cut in a barber shop; have been doing it that way since the early 1900s. Everyone can go to a hair salon but barber shops have been predominantly man places, men take their sons there and conversations aren’t about women drama but about sports or politics or jokes about nothing. Even if a woman could get her hair done there, would she want to?
Let men have that swagger in their step, the women of the world think it’s cute.
