BEAUTY WITH NICOLE-- FLAT IRON AND CURLING IRON TIP

Most mornings I rush out of the house with wet hair, if I’ve even had time to wash my hair that morning. Yes, I know I could set the alarm a half hour earlier in order to make myself more presentable at work, but I need my sleep more than I need to look like I just stepped out of a salon. After all, I’m the crafts editor, not the fashion or beauty editor.

For those of you who do take the time to style your hair each morning, our beauty editor Nicole Emmerling has a tip on using flat irons and curling irons. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia! I’m willing to bet that a large percentage of our readers use either a flat iron to straighten their hair or a curling iron to give it waves or curl. I’m also willing to bet that many of those readers are using these styling tools incorrectly, thus damaging their hair.

Did you know that heat is one of the biggest factors in damaged hair? Yet most of you probably set your irons to the highest heat setting, don’t you? Here’s a little test to do to make sure your iron isn’t too hot.

Take a piece of white paper and hold it between the platens or in the curve of the iron for a few seconds, about the amount of time it would take you to curl or straighten a length of hair. Now remove the paper and examine it. Is it still white, or has it begun to turn brown? If you see brown, your iron is too hot, and you’re damaging your hair each time you use it. Turn down the heat setting, and you’ll protect your hair from damage.

Great tip, Nicole. If I ever have time to style my hair, I’ll remember that one. -- AP

BEAUTY WITH NICOLE--LATHER, RINSE, REPEAT -- FACT OR FICTION?

American Woman beauty editor Nicole Emmerling stops by today to answer a question every woman has asked at one time or another. -- AP

Thanks, Anastasia. Nicole here. Lather, rinse, repeat. Those three words appear on every bottle of shampoo I’ve ever seen. Recently, though, I’ve noticed tips for saving money that include dropping the “repeat” part. Do so, and you extend the life of your shampoo by 100%. If you buy expensive salon brand shampoos, that's a significant savings. But if you don’t “repeat,” will your hair get as clean as it should?

I decided to do a bit of research to determine whether “lather, rinse, repeat” is a myth.  Here’s what I found:

The expert at About.com was emphatic about following the shampoo bottle advice, stating that the first lathering should be to clean your scalp and remove the sebum (oil) and hair products that build up between shampooings. The second lathering is to wash the hair itself.

But then I checked out what the experts at Good Housekeeping had to say, and they claimed that “lather, rinse, repeat” is a myth, that one thorough washing is all you need.

As I continued to research the subject, I found my results were split evenly down the middle. 

So…to repeat or not to repeat? That is the question. My solution? As in so many things in life, there’s no simple answer. Much will depend on how often you wash your hair and how much hair product you use. So I say, wash your hair once. If it doesn’t feel clean enough to you, wash it again.

Where do you stand on the "lather, rinse, repeat" issue? Let's hear from you. Post a comment and be eligible to win a book from our Book Club Friday guest author this week. -- AP