Sierra Mountain Times

We’re in the heat of the summer and I see more fried hair, and to all of you out there who say I cannot afford to go and get a professional moisturizer treatment, I say, I can help you. You can usually pick up one-treatment condition packs for $1.99 a single application. The ones that are heat activated are the best. Starting about 1-2 inches from the scalp, apply and comb through. You know that flatiron (everyone has that is drying their hair every time they use it) has another use as well.

Take a 3” strip of aluminum foil and wrap it around each end of the flatiron to protect it, folding the ends nice ant tight on the flatiron. Turn the iron on medium heat, let it warm up and then take about 15 sections on freshly shampooed, towel-dried hair. You can apply the conditioning treatment then comb through and make the sections, or you can make up the sections, applying the condition treatment with a tint brush and bowl, dipping the brush into the conditioner and applying it to the hair shaft and ends. At that time take your pre-heated flatiron and tap tap tap along the hair shaft, not holding it in one spot too long as you go down the hair shaft to the ends. The hair will heat up and the condition treatment will penetrate through the hair. You can actually go over a section several times. When finished, rinse with lukewarm water, and then a cold blast to seal the conditioner in your hair. 

If you have shorter hair and you also need a conditioning treatment, apply conditioner to hair and then put a plastic cap on. If you have a hairdryer, sit under it for 20 minutes. No dryer? No problem – use the sun. Follow with a lukewarm rinse, and a cold blast as well. If you do not have a deep conditioning treatment, you can use conditioner instead. Also, if you have lots of hair, you may need two packs. Just remember: if you try this at home and are using your flatiron, make sure you have lots of conditioner on your hair before you start. It will leave your hair silky, shiny and soft…and it’s a great way to take care of over-stressed hair. I recommend doing this treatment every 4-6 weeks and you will see your hair getting healthier with each treatment. 

I cannot end the column without saying thanks to Farrah Fawcett who gave us that classy hairstyle that a lot of us wore in the 70s. I remember cutting my guy friends hair (even though I didn’t know what I was doing but I pretended I did) and he said to me, “I look like Farrah Fawcett!” He was a little upset. But the Farrah Fawcett hairdo was a popular style. In fact, it’s coming back and we are seeing the hair style trends going in that direction. I will predict in the next year or two, big hair will be back. Farrah’s style will be a classic style that we stylists will be doing for years to come.

Ask Penny

Q :I am wondering if you have any home remedies for sunburns?

A: I sure do. One of the ones that work the best is black tea. Steep it in a pot with about a tea bag for every cup of water, making about 4-6 cups. Let cool.  When the tea is around lukewarm, soak some nice soft cotton dishtowels in the tea mix. Ring out and apply to sunburn area, draping the towels. When the towels heat up from the burn, have another one soaking and repeat process for an hour or so. This is my mom’s treatment and was told to her from her mom. The tannic acid in the tea keeps the skin from blistering. I also use fresh Aloe Vera as well. When cut, apply the slimy inside on the sunburn. It can last in the fridge for 3-5 days.

Penny Baptista is the author of Hair To Dye For: A Hair Colorist Revealed. Available at 1-800 AUTHORS, Amazon.com, and barnsandnoble.com, “hairtodye4.com. and the Heart Collection in Twain Harte. Ask Penny at wwwbeautyjournal.com.