Hair loss is more common than you think. In fact, on average 25% of all men begin balding at the age of thirty! Balding is less prevalent among women, but that might be one of the factors that make female balding a huge blow. With hair loss being a concern among many, some pretty bizarre myths have formulated, and we are here to debunk them. Read on!

Myth 1: Hair loss? Blame your mother!
Rumour has it that the genes that are responsible for hair loss is inherited from the mother. But that is far from the truth. Scientific research have shown that the genes (Yes! GeneS with an ‘s’ – multiple genes are involved) are autosomal. That is, they are not sex-linked. So let’s give our moms a break, eh?

Myth 2: Lose the hat, or lose your hair
While wearing tight and dirty hats or headgear (yes, we know most people don’t have a habit of cleaning their hats!) can result in scalp problems that can lead to hair loss. Let’s not be quick to remove this handy li’l functional yet stylish accessory and sun-sheltering device from our wardrobes. Just keep them clean and in a right size.

Myth 3: Topsy-turvy for more hair
While blood flow to the hair follicles is important for hair growth, standing on your head isn’t going to get you more hair follicles (and hence, more hair). What actually happens is that when a person starts balding, the demand for blood to the scalp decreases (due to the decrease in the number of hair follicles) and hence, blood flow decreases. More blood flowing to the scalp simply does not regenerate hair follicles. Therefore, it cannot give you more hair.

Myth 4: Pruning (cutting) helps
Just like shrubs, our hair will blossom and grow thicker after a trim. Really? Well, unfortunately (or fortunately?) this is not true. However, it is quite understandable how this myth came about. Our hairs tapers at the ends, and after a trim/cut, we remove these tapered ends and end up with “thicker” hair. This gives the illusion that a trim/cut will result in thicker hair growth.

Myth 5: Brush, don’t comb!
Truth be told, it’s not so much the tools’ fault than it is our technique. It doesn’t matter if you choose to use a brush or a comb, just follow these rules: (1) Don’t tug, (2) Comb in the direction of your hair growth, and (3) Don’t comb your hair excessively!

What’s important is to treat your hair right and with TLC, and your crowning glory will remain glorious as it should. Treat it badly and it will try to abandon your head and hence the story of hair loss problems and baldness. In any case, we are here to help solve your hair problems so feel free to contact us anytime!

This entry was posted on Friday, May 18th, 2012 at 09:29 and is filed under Beauty, Haircare. Categories: Beauty and Haircare. Post Tags: beauty, genes, haircare, and hairloss. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

You might think this must be a joke. Everyone washes their hair. All of you have been doing it for ages.
And it’s nowhere near rocket science, right?

Well, being “regulars” do not make us “pros”, because techniques and methods might be wrong. And
regularly doing things the wrong way just spells bad news! Consistently and frequently washing our hair
the wrong way could actually severely damage our hair.

Ok, so what’s the right way of washing hair then?

Easy, just 7 simple steps:

1.    Gently comb out any tangles from your hair before wetting it.

2.    Make sure your hair is thoroughly wet, preferably using warm water which can
help open the cuticles of the hair, making it easier for oil and dirt to be dislodged and washed off. It’s important to rinse your hair to also remove any leave-on conditioner or styling products previously used. Using cold water is not very effective because sebum will not dissolve in cold water.

3.    Use a small dollop of shampoo on short hair, and a larger one on longer hair, and rub and spread it on your hands before stroking it through your hair.

This entry was posted on Monday, May 14th, 2012 at 10:20 and is filed under Beauty, Haircare. Categories: Beauty and Haircare. Post Tags: beauty, haircare, shampoo, and wash. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Be it travelling for work or for play, caring for your skin while on the go is extremely important. Here, we share some tips for healthy, radiant skin when travelling so you can look your absolute best, all the time!

Tip 1: Six essentials – don’t leave home without them!
To care for your skin while travelling, we recommend the following must-have items: (1) Cleanser, (2) Toner , (3) Moisturiser and sunscreen (can be 2 separate items or a 2-in-1), (4) Lip balm, (5) Night moisturiser, and (6) Hand & body lotion. Most hotels provide item (6), so maybe just five essentials. In case you haven’t noticed, four of the six items have a major hydrating-moisturising role! Dry thirsty skin spells big trouble so keep it satiated and happy, and it will behave itself and not flare up and break out.

Tip 2: Stock up on travel packs
Get sample packs from your dermatologist before you head for your trip. These are especially useful if you need to travel light and are going to be away for short periods. If you are flying, remember that all liquids must be in max. 100 ml bottles and must fit in a clear quart-size clear zip lock bag, or you risk having  your favourite lotions and potions confiscated by those sometimes rigid & frigid airport higher powers that be.

Tip 3: Pack with your destination in mind
You wouldn’t pack a bikini for a trip to the Alps, or a winter coat for a trip to the tropics, right? So while it can be tempting to use a single skin care pack for all travels, skin care demands some thought & strategising too. We do it for our wardrobe, so why not cultivate the habit of doing it for our skin care products too? If you are visiting a country with humid weather, you may only need a very light moisturiser. If you are going for a beach holiday, stock up on sunscreen (or perhaps, leave it out of your luggage and just get a fresh tube at your destination!) and keep some pure aloe vera gel handy, just in case your skin needs some soothing& comforting after you fall asleep under the sun.

Tip 4: Hydrate, hydrate & stay hydrated!
You’ve heard this one a million times, but it doesn’t make it any less true or any less important. We tend to consume less water when travelling and since skin is 70% water, not being hydrated can affect your skin so negatively it’s not funny. Bring a bottle of water with you as you go sight-seeing or when commuting. Having water readily accessible encourages you to drink it!

It really is quite a breeze to care for your skin while you jet set around the world if you get these fundamentals right. And happy healthy skin can only mean a happy gorgeous you.

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 10th, 2012 at 09:45 and is filed under Beauty, Skincare. Categories: Beauty and Skincare. Post Tags: beauty, holiday, skincare, tips, and travel. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

What is lip augmentation?
For those not in the know, lip augmentation is an improvement done to the lips via certain methods such as using cosmetic facial fillers, fat transfer or even lip implants to create fuller and pleasant-looking lips.

How can one define aesthetically pleasing lips?
This is actually rather subjective but as a general rule, pleasant-looking lips should look like they fit your visage appropriately. For example, lips that are not overly large or thick would fit well in smaller faces with proportionate eyes or nose. Lips akin to a ‘trout pout’ or ‘duck bill’ will not look delightful at all. It may be a popular trend for girls to take photographs while displaying the all-too-familiar ‘duck bill look’ but trust us, sometimes it just does not look appealing at all.

Lip augmentation fillers – what should you look out for
When it comes to having lip augmentation done, you should know the various types of fillers involved. These are the more popular ones used:

Human-based collagen lip augmentation - This is considered one of the most common methods around. In this lip augmentation process, the doctor in charge will inject your lips with a human-based collagen filler which is deemed biocompatible with our body system. Oftentimes, doctors will let their patients know that this area will be overfilled as up to 40% of collagen used will dissipate quickly anyway. The results will last for four months, and with repeated treatments, a lifetime.

Bovine-based collagen lip augmentation - Like its name implies, bovine-based collagen lip augmentation uses fillers derived from cows. As such, it is important to tell your doctor if you are allergic to such substances, and if not, the doctor will perform a simple allergy test to determine if bovine-based collagen lip fillers can be utilized.

Hyaluronic acid-derived lip augmentation - Lest you panic for allowing a doctor to go anywhere near you with acid, do not worry. Hyaluronic acid is a naturally occurring polysaccharide (a carbohydrate), deemed safe as it can already be found in human tissues and skin. One benefit is that this type of lip augmentation filler produce longer-lasting results compared to collagen-based ones.

This entry was posted on Monday, April 23rd, 2012 at 09:30 and is filed under Beauty. Categories: Beauty. Post Tags: augmentation, fillers, implants, and lips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

As the saying goes, ‘You are what you eat!’ What you put into your body is going to have an impact on how your body looks and feel. So, if you consume foods that are healthy for you, then your body would naturally respond by looking and feeling healthier. Therefore, if you want to have skin that makes you look young, supple and has that healthy natural glow to it, you need to start by paying attention to what types of food as well as their nutrients you are putting into your body. Here are a list of foods that are good for your skin – you may want to pay attention and consume them in order to get you that youthful skin appearance that you so greatly desire.

For starters, water is the number one thing that you need to have great-looking skin. The more water you drink, the more you flush all the toxins out of your body. It is recommended that you consume at least 7 to 8 glasses of water per day. Start the day with a full glass of water and you will feel refreshed throughout the day!

Next, consider green tea as your choice of drink instead of carbonated sodas. Green tea has many different health benefits for the skin thanks to its anti-oxidant features. You can drink it either cold or warm. Avoid consuming this with sugar or milk if you want the best benefits for your skin.

Tomatoes are rich in anti-oxidants which increases your ability to absorb free radicals which in turn reduce skin problems so that you have healthier skin. Berries, plums and cantaloupe have similar effects.

Broccoli is a delicious and underrated vegetable that contains a lot of Vitamin A that is essential in improving the turnover of cells in the skin. It means that your skin gets renewed more quickly and the freshest, most supple skin is on top where everyone you meet can see it.

Eggs or lean red meat are great sources of protein and iron. If you are concerned that you are too pale or you have dark circles under your eyes, then you may need more iron.

Whole wheat; contains selenium which is also present in cereals, bread and baked goods. This improves the skin at a cellular level and keeps you looking young and radiant.

Make sure that you reduce your intake of caffeine, bad fats, salt, sugar, etc. to maximize the healthy benefits that your skin is getting from the intake of these good foods! Remember, moderation is the key to everything so be sure not to overeat!

This entry was posted on Friday, April 20th, 2012 at 09:30 and is filed under Skincare. Categories: Skincare. Post Tags: beauty, fruits, health, nutrition, skincare, and vegetables. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Among the many hair care products, hair conditioner is one of the most essential yet overlooked. Conditioning is very important for our hair and most of the time, we ignore this fact due to either ignorance or laziness. Our hair’s health relies on how well we maintain it, and one way to do is with the help of hair conditioners.

Apart from making your hair feel softer, and reducing the tangles after you have washed it, what exactly does hair conditioner do for your hair?

Scientifically speaking, conditioners actually replace the sebum that is lost from your hair. Sebum is an oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands in mammalian skin. Its main purpose is to make the skin and hair waterproof and to protect them from drying out.

Hair conditioning also helps in creating smoother and silky-looking hair. The nutrition that’s lost in the hair is restored with the help  of a hair conditioner. The dryness in the hair is also treated, and this makes hair conditioners the ideal treatment for one who has dry and frizzy hair. Those with this common condition would report a change in their hair texture – one that is smoother and would give a lustrous, shinier look. Brittle hair can also be treated with the help of the conditioner as long as one takes care to constantly monitor the hair condition and use conditioner once or twice a week according to need.

Apart from that, hair conditioner also acts as a good moisturizer for hair in general. All the lost moisture in the hair is restored through conditioning. This further helps in maintaining the elasticity of hair which prevents hair from breaking off.

This entry was posted on Friday, April 13th, 2012 at 15:38 and is filed under Haircare. Categories: Haircare. Post Tags: beauty, cleanse, conditioner, haircare, and wash. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

With the diverse range of hairstyles available today, creativity and innovation is not a hindrance if one wants to possess a hairdo that suits a person’s personality. In fact, what matters most is styling while maintaining healthy hair to ensure that your hair truly feels as wonderful as it looks!

For women with long hair, styling their hair can be an arduous task as this type of hair is prone to being frizzy and suffer from breakage. The former happens when the supply of nutrients have depleted within the longer strands of hair thanks to being applied with chemicals treatments over a long period of time, rendering it limp and lifeless. Being over-exposed to the heat under the sun and styling appliances will also cause hair to frizz. To counter this issue, a proper hair conditioner must be applied regularly, from once to twice weekly. A good hair conditioning contains ample moisturizing elements as well as nutrients to thoroughly hydrate and infuse the hair with strength, thus preventing breakage and split ends.

As for those with a preference towards shorter hairdos, the trick is to use a good light shampoo accompanied by moisturizing conditioner in their hair-washing routines. Shorter hairstyles tend to appear coarse if you overdo it with the styling appliances as well as mousse, gels and dye. To remedy this, give your hair a break once in a while and avoid continuous dyeing or over-styling. Take a closer look at your styling products the next time you want to make a purchase – avoid alcohol-based products which will damage your follicle and render your hair weak.

Here are some styling tips for all types of hair in general:

–  Eager to try out your new styling iron? First, ensure your hair has been thoroughly dried after your shower as wet hair can get “fried” by iron appliances. If this happens, your hair may appear brittle and easily break off.

–  Comb out your hair with a large toothed comb to ensure a quicker drying process.

–  Try not to leave your hair in wet bundles as it can attract dirt and may even add weight to your scalp, thus causing burden and possibly harm.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, April 10th, 2012 at 16:08 and is filed under Haircare. Categories: Haircare. Post Tags: beauty, cleanse, haircare, shampoo, and wash. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Ever wondered how some women are blessed with gorgeous tresses while you are stuck with frizzy, unsightly hair? One consolation to this is that having beautiful hair does not depend solely on having good genes. In fact, you too can stop looking on enviously while the girl queueing for coffee in front of you flips her long, silky hair over her shoulders. Here are three simple steps to obtaining beautiful, lustrous hair.

Firstly, one should use the right products for the right type of hair. This is the most basic of all rules as different hair requires different care. If you possess thin, seemingly lifeless hair, then you need to get your hands on products that will ensure body and fullness for your hair. Dry or naturally curly hair requires extra moisturizing power for shine and control, while hair that may have been damaged by perms, rebonding treatments, or over-exposure to sun needs conditioning for protection and replenishment. Hairdryers, hot sun and tanning beds can cause one’s hair to be heat damaged, and as this effect is irreversible, you need to cut your hair and let new strands grow in place of damaged ones. A good practice is to let hair dry naturally after washing instead of subjecting it to over-heating under a hairdryer all the time.

Secondly, you should wash, nourish and seal your locks to ensure that your hair gets the ultimate shine and body. Cleanse your hair and scalp thoroughly to remove buildup, grease and chemicals. Don’t forget to wash and massage your head gently without using your nails to scratch as this could harm your scalp. Then, use a hair treatment lotion to allow nutrients to fully penetrate the hair. Right after that, use a sealer to protect the hair from dirt and pollution, prevent spilt ends, lock in nutrients and ensure shine, bounce and vigor.

Finally, keep your hair free of petrochemical residues and avoid harsh synthetic hair products. Try to have a longer gap between each new hairdo such a perming or straightening. All these have long term effects on the hair as it breaks the sulphur bonds that makes hair flexible, strong and lustrous.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 27th, 2012 at 07:51 and is filed under Haircare. Categories: Haircare. Post Tags: beauty, hair care, hair conditioner, haircare, and moisturizer. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

Wrinkles are the bane of many, but what most do not know are the causes of wrinkles. For the uninitiated, wrinkles are creases, folds or ridges in the skin which appear as we get older. The two main types of wrinkles would be surface lines and deep furrows, both of which may seem undesirable but can be remedied by a host of aesthetic solutions and healthy practices.

Most wrinkles tend to appear in the parts of the body which receives the most sun exposure mainly at the back of hands, the face, neck and also at the top of forearms. The main factor that causes wrinkles would be due to aging. It is an in inevitable part of the natural aging process, one that we cannot avoid but can certainly delay. As we get older, our skin gets thinner, drier and lose its elasticity . The ability of our skin to protect itself from damage also reduces, which is why we should not take wrinkles too lightly nor consider it merely a cosmetic element in our body.

Another cause of wrinkles can be attributed to smoking. According to skincare experts, this nasty habit will also accelerate the aging of skin due to the much-reduced blood supply to the skin. High exposure to the sun (ultraviolet rays) would also increase the development of wrinkles. This can be easily prevented by using adequate skincare solution and sunscreen lotion that will protect your skin against the harsh rays. You may also avoid being under the sun for extended periods of time unless necessary, and avoid tanning beds.

Genetic factors would also affect the rate of wrinkles development. Those whose parents developed wrinkles earlier would mean that their chances of bearing wrinkles on the skin are significantly higher than somebody whose parents developed wrinkles later than others.

Facial expressions i.e. people who repeatedly smile, frown or squint will develop fine lines and wrinkles earlier than those who do not do these facial expressions so often. This is because each time we use a facial muscle, a groove forms under the surface of the skin. When you are young, the skin would spring back. But as you get older, it loses its flexibility to spring back resulting in more permanent grooves. This is not to say that one shouldn’t smile or express him or herself, but as these cannot be avoided, you may massage your face periodically to ease the appearance of wrinkles.

And finally, people with lighter skin tend to experience a higher level of sun damage which usually accelerates the development of wrinkles. This cannot be avoided as well, but there are many aesthetic products that will help counter wrinkles effectively and efficiently – you just need to select one that suits your need and stick to it.

This entry was posted on Monday, March 5th, 2012 at 02:22 and is filed under Uncategorized. Categories: Uncategorized. Post Tags: causes of wrinkles, skincare, and wrinkles. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.