It was probably your mother.

She was the first person who really showed you that you were beautiful. She did that by affirming and refuting what beauty meant to the people inside your world vs. the people outside of your world respectively.  

Then it was probably later on in life when you noticed that she got those same standards of beauty from her mother; whether she was running with the lessons taught to her or from them, your mother is proof that your perception of beauty was passed down to you from women before your lifetime and during it.

And after realizing these facts long ago, it is not until the last couple of years that I realized I should be grateful for the intergenerational standards of beauty that I have in my life whether I learned them in person or through faded memories.

Representation Matters

Seeing celebrity mother-daughter duos, and grandmother, mother, daughter trios, on screen has shown me first hand what the outside world sees when I stand side-by-side with my mother.  A strong tandem, with smooth brown skin, jet black hair, and extremely full lips that until recently were not a trend but something that I wanted to minimize. My mother impressed upon me the importance of maximizing them. They were ours.

I imagine the early curls featured on Tracee Ellis Ross made her feel the same way. Of course, this is before she realized that her signature curly fro was not only legendary via the recorded stage performances of her mother, Diana Ross, but also what made her unique in this world of pin-straight hair and Halle Berry pixie cuts.

That same pixie cut that Adrienne Banfield-Norris passed down to her daughter, Jada Pinkett Smith, to highlight her jawbone and piercing stare. A stare that now defines the word understanding. A stare that she’s passed onto her daughter Willow, who is wise beyond her years and wears a crown of dreads in stark contrast to her mother’s blonde straight locks.

The Irony of it All

As time goes on, we always seem to put our own twist on what is it that “our Mama gave us.” Forgetting only for a moment who the originators were for our signature walks, talks, looks and everything in between. Intergenerational beauty embodies the saying “What’s yours is mine, and what’s mine is yours,” making it hard to permanently lose sight of why we apply the makeup to our faces and the glosses to our lips in the ways that we do. Every time we get ready in the morning, subconsciously building ourselves up to step into the world, we pay a sort of homage to the women who impact everything we are going to be.

I hope we make you proud.

Happy Mother’s Day.

Photo Credit: https://naturalology.wordpress.com

The Hair Care Trend

Regardless of your genetic makeup, women all over the world are looking for the hair products that have quality ingredients and are made to either grow hair or strengthen it.

The natural hair care market is no different. You can find the word “natural” across every product in the ethnic hair care aisle because it is on trend and what sells. The natural hair customer is interested in products that aren’t only naturally derived but organic. With more and more women experiencing the woes of female pattern baldness and various other forms of alopecia, organic hair products, particularly shampoos give the customer an added sense of security. It is almost as if “natural hair products” translate to consumers as “natural remedy” or medicinal. And this is why we got to investigating!

If we think the ingredients will perform a miracle on our hair we will invest a lot of money on  different types and potentially waste our resources. This is especially true when we don’t know what we are using. Unfortunately, the ingredients label on a lot of hair care products are in code. Looking at some of the top shampoos in the natural hair care world, almost all of the ingredients are under a chemical name or compound.

And what’s even more frightening is if there is a hint next to an ingredient in parenthesis. The parenthesis means that the ingredient is only telling half of the story. Keep reading to see what we discovered when diving into the ingredient lists from favorite natural hair shampoos including JASON, Shea Moisture, and TGIN.

Photo Credit http://www.pexels.com

1. Deionized Water

Deionized water is water that has been treated to remove all of the ions or mineral salts. Treated meaning the water is exposed to electrically charged resins that attract the salts

This water is exceptionally pure and has been filtered to remove any inorganic materials. Then it is put through reverse osmosis to get rid of any contaminants. When this process is over, it goes through the process of getting rid of any charged non-organic particles to make it deionized.

Deionized water is good to have when it comes to your hair products because the damaged parts of your hair have a negative charge. If the water that you are using in your hair is not pure will contain minerals that bind to the negatively charged areas of your hair.

Those minerals will create a barrier for the products that you are using and make it impossible for the shampoo to penetrate the hair shaft.

Consequently, it would not benefit your hair in all of the ways described on the bottle.

Photo Credit http://www.istockphoto.com

2. African Butyrospermum Parkii (Shea Butter)

Butyrospermum Parkii is a vegetable fat that comes from the African shea tree.

This product is traditionally used to condition the skin, but it also forms a barrier to trap water in and retain moisture. This is preferred over a lot of other fatty oils because it doesn’t turn into soap when alkali comes into play. Instead, it stays a moisturizer and keeps its original properties.

However, it still able to keep bacteria out and stops any types of irritation while still regenerating the skin and acting as an anti-inflammatory. Shea butter contains cinnamic acid esters which act as  anti-inflammatories, reducing swelling and redness and are therefore useful for the scalp. This is advantageous because scalp inflammation is one of the root causes behind alopecia.

Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/search/coconut%20oil/

3. Decyl Glucoside (Coconut Oil)

Decyl Glucoside is a natural, non-ionic surfactant. It is used to give your product a foaming or lathering property.

A surfactant is necessary because it helps to lessen the surface tension between water and dirt or grease. If you have it in your product one side of the surfactant will attach onto water while the other side will attach onto the dirt and break it up so that you can wash it away

.Decyl Glucoside is considered natural because it can come from corn or coconut. It is also biodegradable and it does not dry out the skin, making it ideal for your hair when it needs to go through a gentle cleansing.

Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/search/vitamin%20B/

Panthenol is A derivative of Vitamin B. When it comes to hair you know that anything in relation to vitamin B helps brittle hair fight against breakage.

Whenever you wash your hair with a product that has panthenol inside of it, the panthenol penetrates the hair shaft and promotes moisture retention. Note, if you have hair that naturally holds moisture and has good elasticity ou could experience build up around your roots.

Meaning, Panthenol can make your hair greasy, but panthenol is water soluble so that you can wash it out.

Photo Credit: https://www.pexels.com/caffeine

5. Caffeine

Caffeine in your shampoo is beneficial to those who are experiencing extreme shedding and hair loss in the form of a receding hairline or thinning at the crown of the head.

Caffeine is a  DHT blocker. DHT or dihydrotestosterone is thought to cause hair follicles to miniaturize and forms from testosterone. Miniaturization happens when DHT binds to receptors in your hair follicles and causes them to shrink, weaken, and die.   

Now before you go order your next cup of coffee, realize that for your scalp to get the benefits it needs you would have to drink over 600 cups of coffee. So, to avoid your heart stopping on that last sip you should try to find a shampoo with caffeine already in it. Topical applications of caffeine are the best way to block the DHT and stop the miniaturization of hair follicles.

Knowledge Is Power

We didn’t cover everything in a lot of “natural” shampoos, but these five ingredients are ones you should know when researching the next shampoo brand you are looking to use.

 Don’t let the long names of different chemical compounds intimidate you. We challenge you to look at the back of your shampoo label and learn about what is impacting your hair! Educate yourself on what is really helping you to retain not only length but healthy hair strands.

Once you know what is benefiting you, get more of that and avoid what you don’t need. These things may be what is irritating your scalp and stopping you from having a healthy head of hair.

What are some of the ingredients on the back of your shampoo bottle? Drop ingredients and definitions in the comments below!

The perfect set of eyelashes will always draw attention to your face. Whether you are flaunting a face full of makeup or rocking it “au natural,” lashes highlight the area around your eyes and force the world to focus in on the windows to the soul.

And It seems like the beauty industry has taken notice. Long gone are the days of coating your droopy lashes with a coat of mascara. That’s no longer cutting it. This day and age lash strips, clusters, individual extensions, and more recently lash lifts are the most popular ways to enhance your natural set of lashes and sometimes even add a little more to them.

Keep reading to learn more about the latest trend to sweep the beauty industry and determine if the procedure is right for you.

Photo Credit: https://www.snopes.com

Lash Extensions & Lash Strips

We manipulate our lashes constantly. To create the right look, we will lengthen, lift, and thicken our lashes to achieve one result: lashes that will cause shock, awe, and fanfare! And in the current fashion and beauty space, it looks like more and more women are turning to the lash lift because of its glamorous yet low maintenance results.

Both trendsetters and trend followers have started to experiment with lash extensions. And after gaining a lot of traction over the past few years, this beauty craze is not losing steam. The addicting service adds everything you need to your natural eyelash without the glue or self-torture involved in the lash strip application process. The natural look of lash extensions is the real draw because they are attached to the root of your natural lash and look like they are coming straight out of your eyelid.Unfortunately, the lash extension shedding process is a rude awakening for most. Regardless of the beautiful results you experience after the service, the literal fall out is not pretty. The faux inserts can start to fall out in clumps weeks after the application, serving as a reminder that it is time for a refill. Not to mention, as the extensions begin to shed, you may struggle with uneven lashes and several false alarms of a tarantula infestation (trust me I know)!

Lash extensions also seem to hurt your real lashes. Your natural lashes that don’t shed with the extensions are always short and stubby with little to no movement, leaving you dependent upon fillers to look semi-decent in public.

Besides the issues that lash extensions have plagued us with, there are times that lash strips seem no better. For hours I have tried to stand in the mirror and master the art of trimming lash strips; from fitting them across my upper eyelid to pasting one side down only for the other to pop right back up. Honestly, I know I have not been the only one to throw my hands up and retreat from a lash battle. And I will not be shamed! I’ve even adopted the tactic of creating clusters to glue pieces of lashes in between my own because the large lash strip would not blend correctly.

Photo Credit: https://www.allaboutvision.com/cosmetic/eyelash-extensions.htm

What is a Lash Lift?

After detailing the issues with the more popular lash lengthening techniques, reading up on the lash lift service should be a welcoming alternative. The lash lift’s primary purpose is to leave your natural grown lashes with a  semi-permanent lift and a curl similar to that of lash extensions or a lash strip. Its key ingredient? A perming solution.

Don’t panic.

This is not the same perming solution that you use on your hair or even the same chemical compound that  used for previous lash lifting techniques of the early 2000s. Those harsh lash perming solutions from the 2000s are banned in certain states, and the FDA has specific solutions that it warns against altogether.

The current lash lift procedure typically involves the use of Keratin lash lift solution. It is composed of natural ingredients including water, keratin, collagen extract, elastin, silk protein, amino acid, raw vitamin B, liquid biotin, coconut oil, Vitamin B6, zinc, and folic acid. This solution is being applied to your natural lashes to give you the natural glam look that celebrities like Karrueche Tran post and kill on IG.

The Lash Artist

Like most services that involve a chemical substance, you should only get your lashes lifted by a trained professional. These professionals are typically found at a lash bar, beauty spa, or salon. Lash lifts can result in breakage or fry from the root. Remember, you are applying a chemical to your lashes, and the chemical’s goal is to curl the lashes from the base of your lash which is dangerously close to your eye. You would not want an uncertified technician to get any residue in your eyes or permanently damage your lashes.

How Much Does a Lash Lift Cost?

The price of a lash lift can range from $75 to $150 depending on the brand your lash lift provider uses and where you are; if you plan on coupling the life with a tint that is an additional expense. However, because lash extensions can run you around $200 the lash lift service is less expensive than those mentioned above, and it can last anywhere from 6 to 8 weeks which is about the same amount of time that the typical lash extension lasts.

Depending on your lash cycle most service providers will suggest that you come in after the 8th week to get a touch-up. Even though your permed lashes are treated to be lifted and curled, remember as your lashes shed the new lashes will come in straight and will need the same treatment to curl and lift.

 

A Walk Through the Entire Lash Lift Process:

 

 

1) Preparation

Most beauty procedures generally require some type of prep. A lash lift is no different. About three days before your lash lift it is recommended that you stop wearing makeup like waterproof mascara and refrain from using a curler on your lashes.

Keep in mind that your lashes have to be dry and not irritated before the solution is applied. It is easier for your lashes to take to the perming solution when you skip the makeup. Other than that there are no major steps that you need to take to prepare for your lash lift session, just show up!

2) Customization

The best thing about a lash lift is that you can customize how you want your eyelashes to look. Sadly lash strips give you little to no say in the look that you may want to achieve with your new lashes, and even lash extensions exude some limitations when deciding on the look you want to pull off for two months. With this new found freedom you should be completely honest with your lash artist when talking to her about your daily lash habits the more you tell her, the easier it will be to help you get the lashes you want

       -Do you wear mascara a lot? What kind is it?

       -Are you looking for lashes with volume/bulk/flare?

       -Do you like your lashes to spread out like a fan or clustered?

Do these questions have you a little intimidated? Feel free to cheat when giving your answers! An easy way to answer these questions would be to use the type of lash strips or individual lash style that you gravitate towards as a guide. Piece together different strips or clusters and us that to let your lash artist know what you’re interested in. From this conversation, your actual eye shape, and the health of your lashes overall your lash tech will know what size curl to and lift your lashes too.

For those of you interested in more length for your lashes, you may want to apply a growth serum to your lashes about a month before your appointment. The lash lift can only lift what you already have, so if you want a drastic change in length, you will have to grow your lashes out first naturally.

Photo Credit: https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&source=images&cd=&ved=2ahUKEwjHmLeElu7hAhUmheAKHW1GCogQjhx6BAgBEAM&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D9EN3vVS6VNA&psig=AOvVaw22y7QgqObu4qKG3z5aIZkP&ust=1556382287553654

3) The Procedure

The lash lift service in and of itself will only last about 1 hour. After your initial consultation and the selection of the curl size, the lash tech will start the process by cleaning your lashes (hence why you may want to already come in with a clean face and no makeup.)

After your lashes have are clean the lash technician will separate your lashes (the bottom from the top) and tape down your lower lashes. The technician will not treat lower lashes (typically).

The upper lashes are then combed out, detangled, and separated. Then a silicone shield is placed on top of your eyelid. The guard sticks to your eyelid with an adhesive that is similar to the glue used to apply lashes so if you have an allergy be sure to let your tech know so that they can plan accordingly.

Once the shield is on to your lid, the lash tech will apply another layer of adhesive to the top of the shield.

Next, the technician will comb your top lashes upward to stick to the shield. This is to get them in place to take their shape and where eye-safe perming solution is applied.

The perming solution is applied onto your lashes with a brush and stays on for about 6 to 12 minutes depending on the person. The length of time it takes for your perming solution to take effect depends on your hair type. You can use the hair on your head as a reference for the amount of perming time you will need to endure. For instance, If your hair is typically hard to curl and you have to curl it around the curling iron multiple times, you will be on the 12-minute end of the spectrum. (This is something that you should communicate to your lash tech during your consultation portion of the appointment so that they know they are in for a longer appointment.)

Sometimes the lash tech will have to remove the perming solution after the first 12 minutes and reapply for a second treatment to get your curl to form correctly. This is not abnormal.

If you are wondering what the perming solution is doing and you are a little nervous about the word “perm” let me put your mind at ease. The perming solution is a softener and helps to soften the bond of your lashes to make it moldable and ready to change its shape.

Following the perm, the lash tech will brush off the perming solution and then add the setting solution to harden the lashes. The solution restructures the bond so that your curl holds.

After the setting solution is applied, the tech will put a nourishing lotion that doubles as a keratin treatment on the lashes. The cream contains keratin, sodium PCA, aloe vera, grapeseed oil, glycerin, and a humectant to add moisture back into the lashes.

Photo Credit: https://www.ukbeautyschools.co.uk/beauty-courses/lash-lifting-course/

Lash Tinting

Depending on whether or not you wear mascara daily you may want to ask your lash tech to darken your lashes and create an illusion of more volume and length. This request is called a lash tint!

The typical lash strand starts off dark at the base and lightens to an almost see through existence as the lash gets longer. The lash tinting process involves the tech adding a dyeing solution to your lower and upper lashes to make them darker from root to tip and look even more separated after the tech has combed through them. If you are cautious about not getting the lift on your lower lashes do this to frame your eye. I suggest getting the top lashes lifted, and the bottom lashes tinted to be more defined and make your eyes POP!

The lash tech can tint your lashes before adding the nourishing lotion to your lashes. The tint can stay on from anywhere between 10 to 20 minutes depending on how dark your lashes are.

Post-Lift

The first 24 hours after the lash lift are the most important. You don’t want to do anything that could jeopardize the curl locking in and result in a waste of time, money, and perfectly good lashes, so please take heed to the instructions below.

24 Hours After DO NOT:

-Get your lashes wet

-Expose them to steam

-Expose them to any time of moisture or humidity

-Apply Mascara

-Agitate the eyelid with eye makeup; you could affect the shape

-GET YOUR LASHES WET

Photo Credit: https://www.stylerave.com/2017/04/5-diy-remedies-grow-fuller-longer-lashes-sr-beauty/

Maintenance Tips: The Lash Lift vs. Lash Extensions

The result of the lash lift is significantly lower maintenance than the effects of lash extensions. For example, with lash extensions you have to be extremely cautious sleeping, washing your face, and wearing makeup. However, the results of the lash lift is the complete opposite.

These newly curled lashes are yours! They are growing out of your person lash line, meaning you do not have to worry about the lashes coming off as you complete your day to day activities. This makes the lash lift results extremely low maintenance. And to be clear, you can apply mascara after the first 24 hours if you want to highlight your new lashes.

The only thing experts suggest:

Apply a conditioning oil to the lashes nightly! But you don’t have to break the bank to do so. The same oils that you use on your skin and hair are the same oils you can use to condition your lashes. Grapeseed oil or coconut oil is the perfect moisturizing agent to keep your lashes nourished.

Lift and Love

In one quick hour, the lash lift and tint will give you the lashes you have been dreaming of. With the lash lift procedure emerging fewer women are opting to do the strip lash set or lash extensions because it is such an easy way to do more with less.

If you are looking for a lash spa that does the lash lift service, you can find one on Google. Just remember to call them to ensure that their technicians are certified before you make your appointment. After you get lifted, come back and comment on your experience so we can share in your beauty!