Men's Hairstyles

Kings of Leon

 

Orlando Bloom

Wedding - 20 November

Photography: Kellend Photography

Hair: Catherine Faull

 

Wedding - 13 November

Photography : Abigail K photography

Hair: Catherine Faull
Make Up: Lyndal Fitzgerald 

African Organics - Hair & Body Range

Review of African Organics Hair and Body Range

African Organics Range
Source: Phytotradeafrica.com

I've been using their shampoo for 4 months now and I'm very happy with the product, so much so that I will most likely never use another type of shampoo again. I found it to be incredibly gentle and left my hair feeling cleansed without stripping my scalp entirely of moisture.

African Organics conforms to both BDIH (Germany) and Ecocert France standards for 100% natural products and doesn't contain synthetic preservatives, petrochemicals or synthetic fragrances. Their ingredients are 100% African and rapidly biodegradable. This means that the products are not only good for you but good for the environment and good for the African economy.

The range consists of shampoo, conditioner, 2-in-1, body wash and body lotion and all their products are low priced and affordable.

They are also endorsed by Beauty Without Cruelty and are not tested on animals (African Organics won't even buy from suppliers who do).

The Ingredients

African Organics can be used confidently by those with sensitive skins as they do not contain any harsh chemicals and they are pH balanced for your skin and hair.

Extracts of Coconut (Cocamidopropyl Betaine - NOT Sodium Lauryl Sulphate!) are used to cleanse and nourish your hair and scalp, and provide a lathering base for the shampoo and body wash.

Rosemary extract is known to stimulate a healthy scalp and healthy hair growth.

Aloe Ferox is great for healing skin and scalp troubles. You could say it has regenerative properties and is also soothing for irritated and sensitive scalps. Aloe is used to help reduce excessive hair loss and normalizes the scalp. For the hair itself it is a good natural conditioner.

Some of the other fantastic African ingredients include:
Spearmint Leaf Oil, Baobab Fruit extract, Rooibos extract, Buchu extract, Sunflower seed oil, Jojoba oil, Vitamin E, Hydrolyzed Wheat Protein, Honeybush Leaf Extract, Marula Oil and Sesame Seed Oil, all of which is really good for you and your hair.

A Synthetic Cosmetic Ingredient to Avoid

While we are on the topic of organic shampoo, the number one ingredient to avoid is Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (or Sodium Laureth Sulfate or SLS). It is also frequently the most prominent ingredient in cleansing products.

According to Organic Consumers,"This synthetic substance is used in shampoos for its detergent and foam-building abilities. It causes eye irritations, skin rashes, hair loss, scalp scurf similar to dandruff, and allergic reactions."

I've been told that SLS is used by Dermatologists to sensitize the skin before testing for allergies and so we can infer that it is a irritant for most people's skin.

It's no surprise then that people who frequently expose their skin to products containing SLS develop Dermatitis and other skin troubles as the skin's protective moisture barrier is weakened.

It is most probably the main reason why small children and pets should not be cleansed with adult shampoo, EVER. The question is, do we really need this ingredient ourselves? Go check your current shampoo now. It's probably right there next to Aqua.

For this reason you wouldn't wash your face with shampoo and yet I'll tell you something amazing, I have been washing my face with African Organics shampoo and it feels so nice and cleansing without leaving it tight and dry and no residue either. I've only done this because I know and trust that the ingredients are top quality and it's been the ultimate test that this shampoo and this brand is GOOD for your skin.

I hope you can make a better and more informed decision about shampoo from now on. Take Care :)

Collection of Fashion Hairstyles

Here's a link to my  random tumblr collection of fashion styles and other attractive hairstyles:

http://littlekittycut.tumblr.com/archive

(Ladies styles only)

xoxo

Casual Summer Upstyles II

Frizz the Shizniz

 Copenhagen on Top

Outback & Casual

For more styles, please visit my tumblr collection at http://littlekittycut.tumblr.com/

For the Love of Blonde

You know you're “blonde at heart” when it doesn't matter what colour you dye your hair you always know you'll go back to blonde again...

There is just something enchanting about blonde - something captivating. So let's take a closer look at this eye-catching colour... even brunettes want a taste of it!

Blonde Ambition

Source: Kim Gray

SOME TIPS BEFORE GOING BLONDE/R
(1) Use your natural base colour as a guideline
           Is it ash, golden, reddish, light brown or darker? Try to stay within 2 to 3 shades of your natural shade and tone for the best results. On the other hand, you could try contrasting colours or colours which complement each other like shades of toffee with creamy highlights.
(2) Your skin tone & features
           Does your skin look warm or cool? Will the new colour match your eye colour, eyebrows and current make-up? Sometimes we need to change our make up routine to keep in sync with a new colour. Some blondes look soft and need simple, clear make up while others need warmer make up with a little blush, and yet others look great with strong bold make up to contrast with the pale hair.
(3) Take special care
           Below are some hints about avoiding potential disasters with blonde hair. Also lots of inspiration for the latest trends and how to achieve these results.
Once you've achieved your desired colour, remember to look after your hair with special care.

Light, Bright Blonde with Pale Tips

Blake Lively rocking a classic natural-looking blonde

Source: Twolia

Golden Blonde
A warmer blonde looks great on warmer skins tones


Source: Hair On The Brain

Source: AAA Fashion

Pic Source: Hair Products Pro

HOW TO AVOID BRASSY HAIR
Although strawberry blondes and auburn can be lovely, brassy blondes might not look so great.
(1) First prize is to get a professional to do your hair colour in the first place.
(2) Second prize is to remember that your hair might hold a lot of orange pigment and this may take a while to lift. Only remove the hair colouring once all the brassy colours have lifted. Brassy hair usually indicates a lack of patience or a fear of over-processing the hair. To be honest it is best to get it right the first time than to keep trying to correct a colour, but like I said there's always second prize :)

Two-tone Blonde
Jessica Simpson showing two different types of blonde hair in one.
Pic Source: AAA Fashion

 To imitate this style be sure to make it obvious that you meant it and it isn't just a mistake. Ensure that both shades of blonde are crisp and definite.

And remember that because this is such an obviously unnatural colour, you'll need to take extra care to treat  and protect the ends of your hair from damage and split ends which are emphasized with this combination.

A glimpse of brunette

Fearne Cotton shows how dark brunette roots and underneath panels give contrast to blonde hair.


Pic source: Monsters and Critics

CARING FOR BLONDE HAIR
1) Shampoo for blondes: Different types do different things. Some will tone out coppers tone, others will tone out yellow and others are specially formulated to make the hair look as white as possible. If you buy one of these be careful that you get the right one for you as some of them can leave a blue or purple tinge in your hair if used incorrectly.
2) Treatments: Blonde hair can be thinner, dryer and more prone to damage so treatments target these problems and help to restore the hair's strength and moisture. Some are even designed to target damage through ionic technology because highlighted and damaged hair has a positive charge whereas healthy hair has a negative charge.
3) Remember that the sun can lighten your hair even further and this can be damaging to your hair and change the colour, not necessarily in a good way.
4) Blonde hair is often more fine than most. If you have naturally fine hair be very careful not to over-process the hair colour and make sure you always protect the hair from heat damage by using a silicone serum when styling.

Grown-Out Hair
Source:
The Diet Junkie

A Summer look for brunettes:
Add highlighted sections and ends to give a sun-kissed / grown-out feel.










Visible Roots

At stylelist.com, this article reports on the trend towards visible roots: http://www.stylelist.com/2010/06/04/visible-roots-a-growing-trend/














Shaggy Blonde
The beach lovers dream....

Source: AAA Fashion
Very Pale Blonde

Source: Hair Products Pro

Scene Hair

 Source: FashionInorOut.blogspot.com

Snow White

This hair actually has a slight blue tinge - my guess is that might have been an over-compensation.... ;)
Pic Source: Photobucket

HOW TO AVOID GREEN HAIR
(1) Protect your hair from chlorinated water.
..and if all else fails wash your hair with tomato sauce / ketchup :)
(2) Don't try to add a brown hair tint straight on to very pale blonde hair as it will come out khaki.
The hair needs to be pre-pigmented with a red pigment by a professional before you colour your hair darker.
Essentially, green hair only happens when you don't have enough red pigment in your hair so that's why it's only a concern for blondes.

Covering Grey

If you want to keep a youthful blonde as you go grey then this base colour that Scarlett Johansen has is a beautiful one to use to cover greys before touching up your highlights.

Pic source: Makeup Trends And Style Blog







LASTLY, TRY TO AVOID THESE SINS AS FAR AS POSSIBLE
(1) Highlighted hair is more prone to heat damage. Rather let your hair colour process for longer without too much heat than blast the hair when processing. A professional should know best how to care for your hair when colouring but don't trust anyone who's in a hurry and has a careless attitude towards you.
(2) There is a definitely a perfect amount of time for every hair colour to process. For blonde hair this is much more variable than for other hair colours. Different hair types respond differently and while some hair is quick to process, other hair takes longer than average. Over-processing (too much time) and under-processing (too little time) are both disastrous.
(3) Hair colour for blondes also comes in different strengths and this will affect how fast the colour will work and it is best handled by a professional who will know what this means for your colour and the condition of your hair.
(4) If your natural colour is darker than a blonde or light brown level, it will probably be more complicated to create a good result and would best be left to professional hands :)
(5) Always use heat-protection products when using heat-styling on blonde hair. For example, silicone serum is known to provide a protective film on the hair and aid gloss, shine and styling for straight or curly hair. It can be applied to wet or dry hair.

For more trend ideas for blonde styles this season check out Hairstylezine.
And with that I will love and leave you. Happy blonding! Mwa x

Casual Summer Upstyles I

Care-free & Go-with-the-flow

According to the Hairdresser's Journal (UK), "This season's hair should be left a little undone, for a fun, non-fussy finish.... looped quiffs.. left to flop over one eye in a rough bow shape - it's young, it's cool, and it can be customised to make it your own."

Valerie Benavides from Brooks & Brooks, London, explains: "[It's] all about having loose, soft texture... you could see lots of soft, baby hair... It's cool because it's playful with an unkempt, seductive finish." 

"Forget about immaculate updos - incorporate the texture trend, for a relaxed, youthful feel," says Valerie.

Playfully Teased

Source: Hair Products Pro

Casually knotted

Source: Hair Products Pro

Knotted on top without concern for perfection or care for frizz.

Loosely braided
Mary-Kate Olsen

Sources: Shopping Lifestyle and Hair Products Pro

Soft, Delicate, Bridal braiding

Bridal Bun

Source: James White Hair

Styling For Men

The following styles are for short to medium hair that I hope will appeal to and inspire the average guy to give their hair an up-to-date edge.

So firstly, we have the clipper cut which can be varied with the lengths of the attachments used (eg. no. 1 to no.4). It's very neat, uses minimal shampoo and no hair styling products are required. Just be sure to shave neck hair and keep facial hair trimmed and not too much of a feature. It needs to be balanced with the overall look. You might also choose to wear hats more often to spice things up.

With very short hair you need to aware of what becomes a main feature: Eyebrows? Eyes? Glasses? Facial hair? Head shape? Piercings? Nose? Ears? Blemishes?

I love the way this guy's seriously short crop (above) has been styled. You need thick hair to achieve this look. The interior of the hair cut has longer choppy pieces and the fringe is cut a bit shorter. His facial features stand out with this style, like his eyebrows and eyes as well as the glasses. You could use a wax, paste, pomade or gel to create this look - anything that gives a bit of hold and definition - and be sure to give it the messy textured feel (rub your hand from side to side across the top of the head towards the face).

The above styles show different ways to wear spikey hair: a little messy, asymmetrical (off-centre), with a side fringe or a subtle faux hawk. A bit later I'll show how not to do spikes. This type of style suits most guys - fine, thinning hair or thick hair. Any number of hair styling products can be used to achieve the look.

Be careful not to overload your hair and try not to get stiff, solid-looking hair if you can help it.

Between the model (above) and Brad Pitt (right), the side-swept style looks quite fresh. It's very classic with the extreme side part and looks good with a clean-shaven face.

Brad Pitt has his fringe lifted a bit and there is extra volume in the style as a whole. Though not spiked he has managed to achieve height. For that look you would need thick hair with a slight wave.

From casual to smart, Zac Efron rocks this stylish coif. Comb the hair out in the direction you intend to style it and apply a styling putty. Add a little hairspray for extra hold without the visible product build-up. Yes, you read that correctly. Hairspray can work well for men too. Just don't tell your mates :)







Here, Brad Pitt has typicial movie-star hair which is cut into shape with neat layering and a bit of fullness left in the nape for balance. Be sure to keep this style neat just as you would another style and not leave it too long between cuts because it eventually does look messy even though it has a grown-out feel to it.

It also works well with a bit of facial hair.

Matthew Settle's wavy hair (below) suits this style; similar to the one above but with shorter layers to keep the curly bits looking neat.

If your hair tends to frizz a bit, you can use a leave-in conditioner or rub a tiny amount of cheap body cream into your hair while it's still slightly damp. Once you've styled it with your hands, do not comb it. For more low maintenance cuts for wavy hair, see Patrick Dempsey's styles here

More style ideas: A long fringe/bangs with short sides (above) or some creative shaping (below).

Penn Badgely (left) keeps his curly hair short and neat, with just a little texture on top for interest.

 

Curly hair doesn't have to be cut too short. In the pic above (left), the model's hair is probably starting to get a bit too wild, but just a bit shorter and you've got a great look, as shown by the Jonas brothers (below).

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Justin Bieber's hair is in a class of it's own :)

That first style has a bit more texture than his usual smooth sleek do so I thought I'd add that in to show the possibilities available to smooth, sleek hair.

To achieve this look you'd probably need to use a straightening iron every day and smooth with styling serum. Well that's what a girl would do :)
Guys, on the other hand, could take a high speed ride on the back of a pick-up and set the style with a balaclava! :P

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 What Not To Do

Ok, so you may think this style (above) isn't bad, right? Well... I singled this pic out for a number of reasons:
(1) You can see his scalp too much (and he doesn't even have thin hair!)
(2) It looks too stiff and structured.
(3) It's too symmetrical. And symmetrical = boring. The only time symmetrical is ok is when your hair is really really short and cropped (Go back and look at the previous styles and you'll see what I mean).

Well this ain't symmetrical and that's because the cat licked it! jokes :P




This looks like it got sucked... like a sucked mango - heehee :P

Yowzer Robert! As if vampires weren't scary enough!

LOL, peace good men and keep it styling. Au revoir :)