Getting Ready for Spring in Austin
by Mary Frenkel

Spring comes early for Austinites; the weather begins warming  into the 70s sometimes as early as february, to the jealousy of many New Englanders. As everyone knows, the season is all about new beginnings. Flowers blossom and animals come out from hibernation, which makes it the perfect time to reorganize your life and clean out your closets (literally and metaphorically).

Go through beauty products, clothing, food, books, jewelry and anything else in your house that is old and taking up space. Get rid of anything expired, unhealthy, and doesn’t fit. If you are a size 6, it’s okay to keep a few size 4 and 8 items since your weight fluctuates but it’s highly unlikely that that size 0 pair of shorts from high school will fit again! Give your old things away or sell them on bay or to Buffalo Exchange.

Pack up all your winter clothing once the weather gets warmer in sealed tight boxes or zipper bags to place in the attic, tops shelves of closets, or under the bed. Be sure to put a few moth repellents in each container to keep your clothing safe. Try to keep no more than 2 or 3 boxes of things you would like to keep in what I call a memory box. In mine I have pictures, trophies, favorite articles of clothing, letters, and other childhood memorabilia stored safely and out of the way.

The less clutter in your house, the bigger it will feel and the less dusting/cleaning you will have to do! Too much clutter can also be a fire hazard. Start simple so you aren’t overwhelmed by cutting back in small ways, for example purchase ebooks rather than paper to save space. Reorganizing shelves and drawers can help save you money because you may find extra pens and other supplies so you won’t need to purchase more.

But spring cleaning isn’t just about your house; it is a good time to sever ties with toxic/negative people in your life. You are who you hang out with; avoid people who create unnecessary drama and stress in your life. Either stop communication completely, or call them and be honest: explain in a few sentences why you can’t carry on a relationship with them and end by wishing him or her good luck and nothing but the best.

Stop by Our New Braid & Bun Bar!

Our photo shoot last week to celebrate our new braid and bun bar, B3, was a huge success! The hair was fabulous, the weather beautiful, and the photos absolutely stunning. Check out the pictures on our Facebook page to see a few of the styles we are featuring: http://www.facebook.com/keepaustingorgeous

Want to get a FREE braid or bun style? Come to our event at the Belmont @ 305 West 6th Street on February 9th from 7pm-10pm! Bring friends and party while getting your hair styled. Everyone who brings gently used or new clothing, or gives a monetary donation to Safe Place, will be entered in a raffle for free beauty products. Safe Place is an organization dedicated to ending domestic violence, and helps protect women and children. There will also be a mini fashion show to display our new styles and some of the hottest makeup trends on the runway! RSVP here: http://www.facebook.com/events/321644397947556/

Safe and Organic Remedies to Battle Hair Loss in Females
By: Mary Frenkel

Although our hair naturally thins as we age, it seems as though more and more women are experiencing hair loss than normal these days. Fortunately, our hair loss tends to be much easier to treat and less dramatic than in men. Here are a few steps to get you back on track to having a thick, silky mane!

The first step is to figure out if you are actually losing hair or not. The normal amount of hair shedding per day is 50-100 hairs, and some of these aren’t the entire hair shaft but just the ends that have broken off. The more coloring and heat tools you use on your hair, the more breakage you will have.

Step two is to check your medicine cabinet. Are you taking drugs that have hair loss as a side effect? Some include anti-depressants, Accutane, Birth Control (or any drug that messes with your hormones), diet pills, anti-inflammatories, anti-sezuires, cholesterol controllers, blood thinners, and of course street drugs (let’s hope you aren’t doing these!). Talk to your doctor about all the medicines you are taking to see if this may be the culprit or do some research online about your medications.

Third would be to investigate your diet. Make sure you are drinking lots of water, taking whole vitamins daily, and eating healthy foods such as vegetables and fruits everyday. The vitamin, Biotin is known to help with hair loss; most people see thicker hair and regrowth if taken daily after 2 or 3 months. A good trick is to write down what you eat everyday to make sure you are getting enough nutrient rich foods. This also helps if you are trying to lose weight!

Lastly, check on what hair products you are using. 65% of hair loss in women is due to bacteria, fungi, and even viruses from leftover products hanging around mixing with sweat, and festering on your scalp. Make sure to use a clarifying shampoo at least once a week to remove these, and avoid using products such as deep conditioners, masks, and leave-ins near your roots. If you don’t do this, the follicle(s) may become permanently inflamed and die: meaning it will never grow a hair again!

If you have done all the above and still haven’t seen a change in 3 months, then see your doctor to explore other options such as a hair transplant or Rogaine treatments.

Here are a few Keep Austin Gorgeous Recommendations to Battle Hair Loss:
1. For your hair, we recommend only using natural products such as Kevin Murphy’s hair care line. The Maxi Wash is a great gently clarifying shampoo. The Nioxin hair line is also very effective; we can give you a free consultation on which is line is right for your type.

2. O’Right’s Organic Hair Tonic by Organic Color Systems has lots of natural ingredients that help fight hair loss.

3. Deep Condition the bottom half of hair to avoid breakage if your hair is damaged or dry. Kevin Murphy’s Born Again Mask is an excellent weekly treatment. After shampooing and using your normal conditioner, put a quarter size amount throughout ends and leave on for 5 to 10 minutes while you shave etc.

Some of these products are in stock at the salon and the others we can order for you at no extra charge!