Beesley Hair

So, in honor of The Office being on tv again (Yes, I can haz TV), I'm doing a hair post because my hair is just like Pam's: Flat as a pancake (made of hair) on top and kinky beneath. Apparently it's a common prob, so says my hairstylist,* Laura. But I never read this problem being addressed in Allure or any other beauty mags or columns, so I'm breaking the story here! WTF is with curly-on-bottom hair? My friend Chelsea says she thinks it's because bottom hair is dirtier (ew), and I suspect it's because the bottom layers are less damaged and are exposed to more humidity from the neck sweat region (double ew). Regardless, while you struggle to maintain some sort of wave equilibrium, it's important to not damage the hair you are trying to straighten or curl, because this will just lead to more drama. Go ahead and get a hairdryer with a nozzle, says Laura. When you point the dryer at the separate sections (which you should do, from a close range, but never let the dryer just sit in one spot), the nozzle will prevent the hot air from going every which way, creating frizzies. Always aim the nozzle in the direction of the hair growth so you're not teasing your delicate mane with hot, damaging air. That's like when you pet a cat in the opposite direction of the fur growth. They hate that! I'ts good to use a styling spray with heat protection in it too (apply before drying, after washing). I'm partial to Bumble and Bumble's Thickening Spray.

One more tip- for those of you that work in an office like Pam and think it's necessary to shampoo each day. Its so, so not necessary to shampoo daily! Even if your hair is fine and your scalp is oily- try brushing! That oil is good for your ends. We at Cheek Beauty shampoo thrice weekly at the most, and we only hit the roots with the sudz, not the ends. In the inbetween days you can spritz your hair with the amazing Summer Hair Wash and Wear by Fred Fekkai. Our boyfriend cannot tell that we haven't washed our hair in a week when we spray it on, and neither can we, except that we know cuz we were the ones who did it. Anyway it's awesome.

*Yeah I have a hair person now. Sigh. But I do love her! She gives me beer. Go see her at Public (in the 'burg).

WTF: The Benefits of Not Having Benefits

Last night I was talking to Emily about UTI, how not having health insurance has driven me to stave them off with cranberry juice alone, and as a result I could be less immune to antibiotics used to treat them, which I've heard can be a problem. Now I hear of a study that shows patients seeking cosmetic procedures from a dermatologist get appointments faster than patients with real medical concerns, such as potentially cancerous moles. Why? Insurance companies usually don't cover Botox treatments or other cosmetic dermatological procedures, so patients pay out-of-pocket for these in the hundreds. But a mole exam covered by insurance usually nets about $75 bucks a pop, which doctors get months later from the insurer. Botox that is licensed for cosmetic use can be administered by beauticians and spas, but if doctors can get in on the action (by asserting that Botox in an non-medical setting is unsafe or dubious), they will, and they'll prioritize those cases. Since me and 47 million other N. Americans are uninsured, we'll be paying out of pocket for our mole exams as well as our Botox. Maybe we should ask for a package deal? Via Jezebel.

A Harmless Form of Light: WTF is Helioplex?

(I hope to have a category soon of "WTF is" just for sci-fi ingredients in products) Helioplex is a new ingredient in sunscreens of the Neutrogena brand. I read about it in "Blueprint," an offshoot magazine of the Martha Stewart empire. The editor chose this sunscreen, as beauty editors are wont to do, because it contained the newest-sounding ingredients. This is where I thought I would get all over-zealous and actually find out more about this perplexing future-cream, mostly because I am extremely pale and would like to stay that way.

Helioplex is less an ingredient than a state of mind! On top of that, it's a formula that combines two popular and widely used sun-protection ingredients, Avobenzone and Oxybenzone, plus a photo-stabilizer that prevents these chemicals from breaking down as fast as they would normally. Sort of like when you put mustard into your oil and vinegar salad dressing to prevent the oil & vinegar from separating (you do that, right?). Also, according to the folks at Neutrogena, "The sunscreens in Helioplex™ further protect skin by absorbing and transforming UV light into a harmless form of light." Transforming light is, as we all know, one of the best fake magical tricks performed by beauty products, one that I can really get behind not knowing the true meaning of the statement. Just as long as it's not transformed into heat, which is one of the notorious drawbacks of the Oxybenzone, which can damage cells. Finding out whether or not Helioplex has figured out how to prevent this is something I have to go to a trade school to find out.

I bought Neutrogena Ultra Sheer™ Dry-Touch Sunblock SPF 70- It's supposed to be lightweight and clean feeling, and it is not. I would describe it as slightly less heavy and oily, and runny than most sunscreens, and it feels like it would be waterproof. Also, it doesn't make your skin look like it has a basecoat of mime paint like my face moisturizer, which I just wrote about. Best (...?) of all it smells like a fancy bug spray they might sell at Bergdorf Goodman.