Hair Care

Herbal Therapy by Shereen Fernando of Janet Fame

Shereen Fernando is the live wire behind janet salons. Having followed in her mother's footsteps, Shereen handles all of the beauty and hair care that they have to offer to clients.

Dealing entirely in natural herbal therapy, janet salons manufacture all their products locally. Their range is tastefully packed in plastic bottles and all ingredients carefully and clearly marked.

With extensive training from Women's World in Delhi and Vidal Sassoon of London amongst her other qualifications, Shereen has an air of confidence and charisma to boost her image.

Shereen's advice was mainly for chemically treated dry or damaged hair. She feels that very often women forget that the most important part of a perm or a straightening, is the after-care. And, this is when the problems begin.

The already stressed out locks lose their lustre and soon a loss of hair is noticed. That is when panic sets in. And this is where Shereen is consulted!

Shereen suggests an initial Cool Protein Treatment to arrest the immediate problem. A total of 12 Cool Protein Treatments are needed for best results.

Another popular treatment is the Henna Protein Pack. This is a 45-minute treatment, which allows the hair to absorb a henna based cream under a hood steamer. It is then washed off with nelli and almond shampoo and finally conditioned with peach and aloe.

Shereen's hair care tips

* For falling hair– a hot oil treatment with a good scalp massage to improve blood circulation.

* Hair must be cut regularly to maintain its shape and style.

* Avoid processed meats as much as possible.

* Stress is a factor for premature greying. Keep cool.

* Henna colouring can never turn grey hair into black. It will always have a brown or reddish tone

* Use a mild shampoo and conditioner after any chemical treatment.

Step-by-step cool Protein Treatment

1. Wash hair with a mild baby shampoo.

2. On wet hair, apply the arnica and fresh aloe vera pack.

3. Massage scalp for 15 minutes

4. Leave the treatment on for another 15 minutes

5. Rinse thoroughly in cold water

6. Dry in cold air

So much has been written and said about the woman's crowning glory and too little about the man's mane.

Unlike the good old days, men certainly have more choice and selection now, where their hair care and styles are concerned. They are well established on the fashion wagon with their female counterparts and flaunt themselves with style, colour and cuts.

With this trend -setter in mind, Gladys Perera and her husband Sebastian, run a salon entirely for the care of men's hair.

Scissors, located at 70, Dharmapala Mawatha, caters to all aspects of the male hair needs. Scissors provides massaging, steaming, straightening, colouring, tinting or even shaving it all off.!

Scissors has two long term experienced hairstylists handling most of the cuts and styles.

The more popular cuts for men in style are the fun cut, mushroom, funky cut and the prince cut. So if you are one of those who have had the same boring cut for the last decade, it's time to get on that fashion wagon and chop off 10 years from your looks.

TIPS FROM SCISSORS FOR THE MAN IN YOUR LIFE

* Trim hair every four weeks.

* After a wash, towel dry hair and comb immediately to maintain its style.

* Scalp or steam massage weekly if possible.

* Use a hair oil like Pantene, Neo Leaf or Neril often for a healthy head of hair.

Salon Nayana and Aroma Therapy

Aroma therapy is the new concept in hair care being introduced by Nayana Karunaratne of Salon Nayana. Essential oils from the AROMA MAGIC range from New Delhi are her newest concept in hair care being used to maintain the crowning glory.

"Aroma therapy has the ability to get absorbed through the scalp as well as through inhalation," says Nayana explaining the various oils and its uses and benefits. Cedar, Sage, Rose and other aromatic oils are mixed together and diluted with water or another form of oil to be massaged into the scalp.

After the massage, it must be left on the scalp for about 4 to 5 hours for maximum penetration to activate the blood vessels and glands.

This in turn, stimulates hair growth and also gives instant relief to the client Aroma therapy helps alleviate depression, high blood pressure, diabetes and various other aches and pains caused by stress and strain.

She believes that hair fallout and loss is primarily caused both internally and externally. Lack of proper norishment and mental wellbeing – the internal reasons– causes almost 70% of the problem. The nerve ends and blood vessels attached to the bulb of the hair can be severely damaged due to lack of proper nourishment (see chart on Sunsilk guide to hair health and nutrition)

Mental wellbeing and poor health also damage the root of the hair and/or cause the strand of hair to become brittle and break.

However, Nayana reiterates that on average, a normal person will lose from 60-80 strands of hair a day. This will give way to hair growth. A normal strand of hair has an age of 3-5 years, This goes through three stages, viz., growing period, resting period and falling period. Those individuals with extra long hair must remember that their hair is about 6 to 7 years old. Seven years of constant brushing and tugging and styling can tell a lot on hair. Extra attention must be given to constant trimming and regular conditioning.

The external problems are caused by unclean surface of the scalp, improper shampoos, lack of conditioner and other external hazards like sun, wind and perspiration.

Nayana's advice is to "look after one's hair like an expensive dress".

TIPS FROM NAYANA

*When using a hair dryer, always hold the appliance away from the head.

* Keep moving the dryer over the hair.

* Unnecessary washing of hair can cause dry scalp and dry hair. Depending on your job and the condition of your hair, wash it only when necessary.

* Shaving the scalp at birth cannot change the texture or the quantity of hair on an individual's head. That is an inborn trait, which can be maintained, but never changed.

* Alternate the use of shampoos with different brands. A good name brand is a must. A 2 in 1 shampoo is good only for healthy normal hair.

* Hair must be trimmed at least once in four weeks.

* With proper care and good health, falling hair will grow back.

* You cannot damage your hair by using styling products.

COLORS OF AUSTRALIS

"Fashion colouring is very much in vogue these days," says Champica Ratnapala the force behind Colors of Australis.

Highlights, streaks, foil tips are just a few of the magical transformations taking place at Colors of Australis. And armed with a Diploma from the Melbourne College of Hair and Beauty, Champica is the right person to consult.

However, Champica's word of advice to all adventurous clients is that whatever you may call it, it needs special care afterwards.

Tips for chemically coloured hair

* Wash hair in cool water, as warm water softens the hair cuticle and allows the colour to wash out. Cool water tightens the cuticle and allows for greater shine

* Shampoo with a specially formulated shampoo and follow with a similar conditioner of a botanical brand name. They are mild and does not strip the colour off.

* Try using heat appliances every few days on a low heat as heat damages the outside protectant layer of the cuticle.

The Sunsilk guide to hair health & nutrition{tc "The Sunsilk guide to hair health & nutrition"}

NUTRIENT SOURCE

Vitamin A Fish, green and raw vegetables like lettuce, carrots and toma- toes, milk and cheese
Vitamin B Liver, eggs, whole-wheat bread, brown rice
Vitamin C Any green vegetable like spinach, citrus fruits, baked potatoes
Vitamin D Eggs, milk and cheese
Vitamin E Lean meat, nuts and brown rice
Vitamin K Mustard, spinach and cauliflower
Iron Fish, celery, radish, carrots and poultry
Zinc Seaffood, whole-wheat bread, cereals
Protein Lean meat, liver, fish, eggs and milk,
carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, cereals

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