Rapunzel, Rapunzel! Maintain Your Hair!

My sister asked me to do a feature on hair growth. She is intent on growing out some luxurious locks. There is nothing quite so poetic and beautiful as some well-tended, long hair, so this is what you can do.

The healthier your hair is, the better your chances of maintaining longer hair will be. To promote healthy hair, always condition. Condition your hair from the ends to about mid-shaft, or at least to your ears. Never run a comb or brush through tangles. This will roughen up the cuticle. Instead, start at the ends of your hair and gently work tangles free with a comb. Once a week, do a hot oil treatment. You can use olive oil, jojoba, or even a combination of the two. Some like to put honey on their hair, but it can be quite sticky. Leave this on for half an hour or so, then wash out.

Beautiful hair starts inside the body. Take biotin, which is great for your nails and skin, and which also stimulates and feeds the scalp. Drink lots of water and eat protein-rich foods. Also, ingesting oils and certain fats is great for hair health. Olive oil is great, not to mention avocado. Get some flax seed in your diet, which will definitely affect the health and growth of your hair.

Massage your scalp. Lean over and let the blood rush to your head while you firmly knead your scalp. Take time with this, enjoy it. It's a great pleasure. Find a soft-toothed brush and brush your scalp. Tug firmly on your hair.

I advocate Potion 9 by Sebastian. It's pricey, but is one of the best things I've ever put on my hair. It's good for your hair and makes it sleek. You can fake polished, well-groomed hair with Potion 9. It contains nine oils, like jojoba, and nourishes the hair.

Always rinse your hair with cold water, which closes the cuticle and makes hair shine. Hot water is the enemy of all beautiful hair.

Weight Loss Ideas

Here are some little tips and tricks that will definitely help you drop a few pounds. I've seen results from doing these things, but you must do them consistently. That means every day, or at least a few times a week.

1. Drink water. It's amazing the difference you see when you chug nothing but water over the course of a few days. It's even more amazing how much other drinks puff you up. Water eliminates all bloat around your tummy, brightens and moisturizes your skin, and keeps your systems working in harmony. It is the oldest weight loss/management trick in the world.

2. Drink apple cider vinegar diluted with water. Drink this every day. Drink this first thing when you get up in the morning. Drink this before every meal. This is one of the only real miracle weight loss tricks out there. It actually seems to melt belly fat. The Amish know about this and use it for weight loss. There are thousands of firsthand accounts of how much weight people lose doing this. For one thing, it helps curb appetite. For another, apple cider vinegar inhibits fat absorption by the body. For yet another, it seems to eat the fat off of your stomach. Apple cider vinegar alkalizes the body. Fergie drinks a shot of it every morning. Only buy organic apple cider vinegar, like Bragg's, which is the best out there.

3. Drink green tea. I don't have as much experience with this, but everyone agrees that it does help. It's also good for your health in general.

4. Eat raw veggies before or with every meal.

5. Take chromium, but not too much. It can be toxic if you ingest too much. I would recommend only one capsule daily. Chromium is a great supplement for weight loss.

6. Stay away from alcohol, breads, and pasta. Everything in moderation. Have one night a week to have what you want, but get right back on your plan the next day.

The Bath

There's no reason why bathing should ever be a chore for anyone. Even for the super busy of us, bathing should be a time to relax and indulge. You may find that taking the time to provide yourself with a luxurious, restful bathing experience may improve other areas of your life. You may feel better rested, less stressed, and more confident. Bathing can and should be a beauty/health ritual.

To start, never take a piping hot bath. I know this is hard to resist. I am just now weaning myself off a hot bath. But you will be happy to adjust to lower temperatures when you find that your skin is softer, less dry, and less prone to rashes or rough patches. Hot water will suck moisture from your skin, which will age it. To avoid water that is too hot, let your bath run at its hottest until about half full. Then adjust it to lukewarm until full. This will give you a nice temperature.

Bubbles are a bad idea. They also dry your skin and oftentimes contain ingredients harmful to your skin. Instead, try essential oils. Or pour some olive oil into your bath. Olive oil is one of the best beauty secrets. It's good externally and internally. It is so similar to our body's natural oils that it's absorbed extremely well. You can also pour some creamy milk into your bath. Cleopatra took milk baths to exfoliate and soften her skin. The acids in the milk are excellent.

Exfoliate. Buy an exfoliating cloth and squeeze some gel onto it for maximum luxury. Or make up your own exfoliating paste out of olive oil and sugar. Or opt for oatmeal and vegetable oil.

Never dunk your head in your bath water before shampooing, nor after. I know it can be tempting. I am often too lazy to stand up and use the shower head. But think about it: you've just been stewing in that water. It's got dirt and oil from your body in it. After you shampoo, use a good conditioner. Never put conditioner on your scalp. Apply it from the ends up to about mid-shaft. While you leave that on, shave the necessary areas. Or cleanse your face. When ready to rinse, stand and use the shower. Use the coldest water you can stand. This will close the cuticle and make your hair sleek.

Step out and moisturize with lotion. You should do this when you are still wet, but personally I need to wipe off a bit with a towel. Being soaking wet and slick with lotion is uncomfortable.

If you washed your face during your bath, apply your moisturizer. I hate using toner, but most people advocate it. If you use it, moisturize on top of it.

If you're going out, wrap hair in a towel and put your face on. If not, still wrap it up. It's always better to let hair dry that way a few minutes before attacking it with a blow dryer.


*Use incense or listen to music during your bath if you like

*Enjoy your bath! It's not a punishment! It's supposed to make you feel great and look fresh!