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5 Ways to Beat the Harsh Winter Weather

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If there was a survey done for people who love cold weather and who hate cold weather, the survey would probably be split down the center. Whether or not you love or hate the cold, the weather is harsh on your skin, hair, and health.

Here are 5 ways to beat the Harsh Winter Weather:

    1. Keep your body hydrated with a moisturizer that will absorb into your skin. Most moisturizers are made with parabens and other chemicals, which makes the moisturizer sit on the surface of your skin. If it is sitting on the surface of your skin, it will just get rubbed off. The best products to use are organic or all natural moisturizers, these will absorb into your skin and are jam packed with nutrients since they are made from botanicals instead of chemicals. Our favorite body moisturizer is Eminence Naseberry Body Lotion, which has an amazing fruity scent without having any chemical fragrance added.

 

    1. No matter if it’s from blowing your nose, wind or dry air, your face can get chapped from the winter weather. Help protect your face from drying out, chapping and flaking by using a facial routine. First, wash your face Beat The Harsh Winter Weatherwith a skin nourishing cleanser (without alcohol or chemicals) like Eminence Blueberry Soy Exfoliating Cleanser. This Cleanser is designed to exfoliate and prepare your skin to receive a moisturizer. Next, use a masque high in anti-oxidants to fight skin irritants, such as Sugar Plum Revitalizing Masque. Then, use an organic or all-natural moisturizer (without parabens and chemical fragrances), like Sugar Plum Whip Moisturizer which is designed to hydrate, sooth and calm the skin.

 

    1. Cold & flu season is here! What is the flu? The flu is a virus that attacks when the immune system is lacking in Vitamin D and your stress levels are high. What do we do about that? Boost your immune system naturally with foods that are high in anti-oxidants and omegas. Here are 5 foods that help boost your immune system:
      • Rosemary – anti-microbial, anti-septic, anti-viral, anti-fungal, anti-bacterial, astringent, diaphoretic, anti-oxidant, circulatory stimulant
      • Garlic – anti-inflammatory, stimulates immune system, thins mucous
      • Ginger – calms nausea, improves circulation, anti-inflammatory
      • Sage – rich in essential oils, anti-oxidant, astringent, anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, anti-catarrhal (helps remove excess mucous)
      • Thyme – anti-microbial, anti-viral, anti-catarrhal, helps resolution of cold & flu and lower & upper respiratory infection

      Make sure to avoid foods that are highly processed foods that are high in white sugars & white flour.

 

    1. Dry hair is the ugly expected in the winter-time. How should you combat this war we all fight? There are several ways to do this. First, use a moisturizing or hydrating hair cleanser & conditioner such as Deva Concepts No-Poo Zero Lather Cleanser & One Condition or Health Factor Shampoo & Conditioner from S-Factor. These products will add moisture to your hair, ultimately leaving your hair looking healthy & shiny, as opposed to dry, dull and matte.

 

  1. Dry air also causes frizz and un-tamed locks. Keep your locks under control with an anti-frizzer or tamer. Use a product like Smoothing Lusterizer by S-Factor or Silky Smooth Moisture Serum by S-Factor. If you prefer an oil to a creme, try Dream Drops by S-Factor. You can also go with a spray de-frizzer like Oh Bee Hive! by Bed Head, Spoil Me De-Frizzer by Bed Head, or Weather Proof by Sexy Hair.
color salon

Redbirds Fans & Redheads for Fall – Collinsville Color Salon

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color salonFall is a time for warmth and bonfires and for Cardinal fans – baseball!

What do all of these things bring to mind?

RED!

Red is the way to go for that warm feel of fall, in your clothing, in your decor, nail polish and for your hair color as well.

Why is red representative of fall? The Cardinal fan would say, “It’s because we always have baseball in the fall!” But the real reason we associate red with fall is because of the leaves turning the brilliant warm colors of the fall season.

There are many shades of red hair color. You could go the dark auburn route. You could go for the bright Cardinal red. You could also go for the copper tones. You could also do a multi-dimensional red, with auburns and jewel-tone reds.

Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone, try something new for fall, and stop into your favorite collinsville color salon.

7 Ways To Winterize Your Hair

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Need to prepare your hair for winter?

Here are some tips to start now before Jack Frost takes up permanent residence for the season!

Photo by: Kyle Weber

  1. Choose a new shampoo. What you’ve been using all summer is not going to work on dry winter hair. Chose a quality product that will repair and protect your locks.

  2. Wash your hair less. Shampooing washes out the bad stuff — it also washes out the good stuff, like the protective oils that your hair needs in order to keep its strength and shine.

  3. Dry your hair carefully. Rubbing your head with a towel will damage the hair shaft by roughing up the outer layer, making your hair look dull and dry.

  4. Make sure your hair is dry before you head outside – wet hair can freeze up and break off!

  5. Deep condition – c’mon, you know you need to do it! Ask your Sizzor Shak stylist about our deep conditioning treatments.

  6. Use a leave in conditioner with your hot tools.

  7. Pay attention to your diet – what you eat nourishes your body, including your hair. Eat right, drink lots of water … it’ll make a difference!

Stop on into Sizzor Shak on Main Street in downtown Collinsville (across from Ashmann’s pharmacy) & one of our receptionists or stylists will show you exactly what products you’ll need to keep your hair healthy & moisturized this winter!

“FALL”-ING Out of Summer

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Is your Summer Hair bringing you down this Fall?

Photo by: Kyle Weber

As the seasons shift, it can really affect the way you feel about the way you look. When you wake up on a chilly morning and have to spend extra time trying to dig out that sweater you packed away last April, it is easy to get upset and discouraged. Then you head to the mirror and find that you have to pile on extra bronzer in order to retain that summer glow that is quickly fading as the days get shorter. And your hair … all of the sudden it seems unattractive and impossible to deal with.

Sizzor Shak understands that new season slump. We suggest that you take your solution from Mother Nature – when she begins to change her style, so should you!

Summer’s style differs greatly from Autumn’s, and you are probably discovering that your summer tresses are no longer as lovely as they were when you were poolside. Here are some tips and tricks to help you make the transition along with our good friend and guide, Ms. Nature!

  • Get those ends trimmed! The sun, the pool, the highlights – these are the things that make summer fantastic! Your hair suffers, though, so getting an inch or two taken off the ends will revive it and give it a healthy bounce.
  • Dive in Deep … Deep Condition, that is! Make an appointment to have your stylist give you a professional treatment. At Sizzor Shak, we use a four step conditioning process that will smooth and seal your hair, giving it the healthy nourishment that it needs.
  • Don’t be afraid of the dark! Those blonde streaks that you loved all summer long are starting to fade, so why not try something new? Low lights are a great option, especially if you like to keep the dimension that highlights and lowlights offer. Another great option to consider is all over color. Just chose a shade that is slightly darker than your natural color, and you’ll find yourself loving the shiny, rich color. And get your eyebrows tinted to really frame your face.
  • OR pick a whole new color! Reds are really on trend this year and you can give Mother Nature some competition with some Fall Colors of your own! Be bold, be dynamic … there are so many amazing colors out there and you can really wow yourself, your friends, and all your natural surroundings!

Photo by: Kyle Weber

How To Keep Your Hair Static Free

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Dear Sizzor Shak,

What advice can you give me about static in my hair? It is sticking up all over the place, it won’t hold a style, and it’s starting to make me crazy!!! I just got a great haircut that I want to show off, but I feel like I need to put a hat on my head every morning in order to tame this wild hair.

Please help,
Electric Elena

Dear Elena,

First of all, do not wear hats all the time – they will add to your problem! Hats create static electricity, and so does rubbing your feet on carpeting, and sleeping on flannel. Switch your pillowcase out to a silk or satin one, which alleviates static and also helps with hair breakage and facial wrinkles.

The most important thing you can do is make sure your hair is adequately moisturized. Always use a conditioner any time your hair is wet; a leave-in one’s work great if you want a quick touch up without having to do a full wash.

Add a deep conditioning treatment into your weekly routine – you can make an appointment with your stylist to have one done professionally, or you can invest in purchasing one from your salon to do at home. Or you can do both!

There are products and tools you can use that will also help make a difference. Smoothing brushes

with ceramic coating help decrease static as you dry and straighten your hair. Glossing drops, serums, and moisture lock sprays are available and work terrific! There are even anti-frizz restyler sprays, which work great for second day hair. They smell really great too!

A fun and easy trick that my 10th grade science teacher taught me was to rub lotion into my hands

and then lightly pat my hair, or run my lotioned hands over anything that wasgiving me problems (my skirt, pants, coat, etc.). It really works, but since hand lotion will only make your hair greasy and heavy, I only recommend this for emergency situations.

If you’re looking for advice on what products to use on your hair & you’re looking for a salon near Collinsville, IL, stop into Sizzor Shak Salon & Color Spa. There will be a friendly stylist waiting to share their expertise with you!

Have a great, static-free holiday,
Love,
The Shak Staff

How To Strengthen Those Strands of Hair

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Did you know that your hair is one of the strongest fibers on Planet Earth? One strand has the strength equivalent of copper wire of similar size. In fact, if your entire head of hair was made into a rope, it could lift 12 tons of weight!

Some hair has more strength than others, of course. Your diet, the environment, your stress level, and chemical processes all contribute to the health and resilience of your hair.

Vitamins do a lot for your hair; they promote healthy growth and prevent damage from the environment. Taking a multivitamin every day gives you the amounts you need to strengthen and rebuild your hair.

  • Vitamin C works against free radicals from the atmosphere
  • Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and niacin all promote hair growth by nurturing the scalp
  • Vitamin B6 and B12 help to prevent hair loss
  • Biotin it is an essential water-soluble B vitamin, which increases the elasticity of the hair’s cortex, thus preventing breakage.

    • In addition to vitamin supplements, a healthy diet of fruits, green vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins will assist you in your quest for strong, shiny locks.

    Your daily hair routine can also add strength to your hair. Unless you need to, try not to wash your hair every day. Excess washing will strip your hair of its natural oils, making it dry and brittle. In addition to washing less, it is imperative to condition more. Add conditioner to your hair every time you wet it, because the conditioner will lock in your hair’s moisture and keep the your hair’s cuticle soft and flexible. A deep keratin conditioner once or twice a week seals the deal, creating hair that is healthy, shiny, and strong.

    When you’re ready to style your tresses, prepare your hair with a protective styling product BEFORE you use your heated tools. Look for a product that contains silicone, which will protect your hair’s cuticle and give you a polished, smooth look. It is a good habit to clean your tools with alcohol regularly. The residue your product leaves on them can become seared into your hair and make it weak and brittle.

    Finally, keeping up with your regular trims is the best way to keep your hair strong. You may have strands that are two years old or older, depending on your hair’s length. By keeping those ends in check, the split ends that crop up will have less of a chance of weakening the entire strand structure.

    If you’ve been checking out other salons in Collinsville, salons in Edwardsville, or even salons in St. Louis, give Sizzor Shak Salon & Color Spa a try! We want you to love your strong, healthy hair!