winter hair care

Sephora Hair Sleeping Mask – Rose

Swathy · May 14, 2019 · 3 Comments

My friend is on her trip to US and I was browsing through Sephora to order a few things which my friend would bring back from her trip. That was when I came across the sephora hair sleeping mask range. Anything which promises to condition my hair, grow my hair or make it beautiful is always on top of my list.

In US, it is available at 5$ a piece but before ordering it in bulk, I thought I would give it a try. That was when I made the trip to Sephora Hyderabad for the first time. I picked up the sephora hair sleeping mask and their hand mask gloves. That was around 15 days back. And, now, I am back with a review for it. Was it worth it?

Sephora Hair Sleeping Mask – Rose

Price : Rs 450 per piece

Availability : Sephora Online or Stores

My Review

I got the rose variant but I think I should have tried the coconut. It is far more moisturizing though I though rose would be a treat to the senses. I am happy to say the fragrance does not even bother or linger beyond a few seconds. Sephora hair sleeping mask is not a product which will make your headache right when you open the packet.

The sephora hair sleeping mask comes in a single pouch divided into conditioner and hair cap. Well, I love the hair cap. It is cute, made of cloth so very soft and washable and very light weight. You do not feel that you have put on anything on your head while sleeping which is extremely important for a good sleep.

Coming to the conditioner, the quantity is very less. No, for me, it lasted two uses but my hair length and volume are extremely low. If you have a good volume of mid waist length, sephora hair sleeping mask would probably cover the lower half of your hair. So, yes, for the price, the quantity is extremely insufficient. You might as well buy a hair mask and a cloth hair cap separately.

Anyways, getting back to the review, after combing my hair, I smoothened the conditioner on the lengths of my hair and I applied scalp treatment by Kaya. After securing the hair on top of my head so it does not get in the way of sleep, I put on the hair cap. As I mentioned earlier, it is extremely light weight and you would not feel it is there.

The problem with the hair cap is that it is small in size. For those with a good volume, the cap would cover only the bun of your hair and not the entire scalp defeating the purpose of letting the body heat allow for deeper hair conditioning overnight. It also does not stay at one place so I used a scarf to make sure no conditioner gets on my pillow.

Another disadvantage with the hair cap is the elastic, even though it is very soft, will dig into your hair line or forehead eventually by next morning which makes it inconvenient to use. The good thing about sephora hair sleeping mask is that its conditioner dries off in about 30 minutes so it does not really stick to the skin or clothes. But, I would definitely suggest a scarf over it.

Sephora Hair Sleeping Mask - Rose, hair cap, sephora hair cap, cloth hair cap, how my hair looked — My hair is glossy and extremely soft to touch. Though it has turned greasy now after two days, the softness is just the same. The frizz was definitely less and volume at the crown was awesome! That lasted a day.

The next morning, you can shampoo and condition your hair as you do. My hair was bouncy and voluminous with defined curls. The ends were not looking that nourished but then I need a hair cut badly. My hair was shiny and glossy. The results were consistent for both uses and lasted for two days before they got greasy.

Now, please note that my hair is very fine even though it is dry so any deep conditioning would weigh it down eventually. And, it is very hot here so the scalp also gets greasy sooner. But, with regular use of the hair sleeping mask, I think hair would get more manageable and shinier in the long run. It is almost like getting a hair spa.

So, was the sephora hair sleeping mask worth it? Well, the idea is to allow those people who do not have much time to keep the conditioner on their hair for as long as possible. But, did you know that any product stops working on your hair after 2-3 hours? Same goes for this product as well.

Hair Sleeping Mask DIY

In fact, this is a good idea to nourish your hair once a week. Apply any of your favorite hair mask, not conditioner, on slightly damp hair or dry hair and let it dry for 30 minutes. Cover with the hair cap or a scarf whichever you prefer and go to sleep. Wash and style as usual the next day. It saves time, gets your hair spa-ready and the results are mind blowing.

Have you used any hair sleeping mask?

Have you heard about skin sleeping masks? My favorite is Laniege. Similar to the idea, I think hair sleeping masks are a great way to give yourself a hair spa and nourish your hair. The trick is to find the right hair mask. What do you think?

How to take care of your Hair this Winter?

S&S Partners · December 1, 2017 · 4 Comments

Winters are finally here! I have always loved winters even though it is not exactly great for our skin or hair. Many suffer from itchy scalp, Dandruff and dry hair during this season. To add to these woes, hair growth reduces to quite an extent during the colder months. So, let your mane grow as unevenly as it is for a great hair cut in the spring.

Still want a Hair Cut?

If your hair length is bothering you or just want to change your style, get a haircut right now. It is, after all, the season of weddings and parties and you have to look your best.

Hair Wash or Condition?

Regular washes are bad enough and with the weather and temperatures going low day by day, it gets even more exhausting to keep up with the hair wash.

So, unless your hair is really greasy or limp, you could just Use your conditioner to wash it on alternate days. No, conditioner is not applied on the scalp, only ears down. The lukewarm water is enough to wash away the dirt on the scalp.

This keeps Hair dryness at bay, keeps the frizz at a minimum and prolongs the length of hair color or highlights as advised by my stylist.

Hair Care in Winters

Swathy · November 24, 2010 · 4 Comments

Personally, Winter is my favorite season in all the year. I love the snow and snuggling inside the big thick blankets with the blowers switched on. (I do not like heaters because they dry the skin horribly !!) How I miss my childhood when I had to do nothing but sleep and read and eat 🙂 I love being lazy but growing up is far from such luxuries. Only if I had realized that when I was young and naive. Huh, the irony!!

I have already talked about skin care in winters. So, let let us continue with the topic of the day. Hair in Winters. Winters is the most difficult time for hair. The growth slows down, winter dandruff comes up (in many people except lucky few), it always looks like we have had a ‘centershock’ 😀 and one is always struggling to keep it in place. Seriously, it is difficult. Moreover, I do not even feel like combing. It creates even more static. The woolens are so heavy on the body itself but they are even worse for hair. Splits increase in the hair, the dryness for dry hair increases by a notch, they look dull and lifeless and many people suffer from winter dandruff. Worst of all, the cold makes oiling of the hair also very difficult. Ok, so all these scenarios are for hills not plains. But, people in plains also suffer with same problems, only the intensity is a lot toned down according to the temperatures. Still, I love winter and I am glad it is back 🙂 Can’t believe a whole year has passed off so quickly. Time seems to fly away. In just a month, we will bid farewell to 2010 and welcome 2011. God, I do not know what has happened but you can get me started on this topic for hours together. So, I’ll again come back on the track. So, how do we care for hair in winters.

It is a difficult and time consuming task but not an impossible one. You need to devote time to your hair. So, let us start with oiling your hair. Regular oiling will keep the frizz away. Dryness in the hair is also controlled. Use warm oil to massage your hair nicely at night and then out a scarf on it and go to sleep. You can also do the hot oil treatment if you feel like. Do this for at least two times a week or whenever you shampoo your hair. Do not shampoo often. Shampoo hair when the need arises. Due to pollution, you might need to wash your hair twice or thrice a week. To reduce this need, use a silk scarf.

Shampooing your hair. Use a very mild shampoo. Either go for a herbal shampoo or use soap nuts. This prevent your hair from drying excessively due to the use of excess chemicals. Dry your hair gently. Keep a hand towel in the bathroom and after shampooing, squeeze all water from the hair. Wait for a few minutes and then apply conditioner on the hair. Wait for another 15-20 minutes (if you can), wash off the conditioner properly and come out. I would not advise you to go for a cold water rinse in case you might catch a chill and I do not want to be blamed for that 🙂 Use baking soda in your shampoo once in every two weeks. Use only luke warm water. Hot water would be drying for your hair and skin both.

Drying your hair. Try to air dry your hair in little of sun which will provide shine to your hair too. Or, if you are in extreme hurry or feeling too cold, blow your hair dry just to the point that it becomes damp. Keep the setting of the drier to warm and not hot to avoid extreme temperature variations. Use a hooded drier as it controls the air circulation properly and does not direct a stream of hair to just one place. Another very useful trick while blow drying is to keep the drier moving. Do not direct it to one place or the hair would become excess dry there. To reduce the time of blow drying, squeeze the water from your hair properly before starting the drier. End with a cold air setting on the temperature. Then, use a comb or a finger and remove all the tangles. Your hair will dry sooner that way. Do not blow dry your hair excessively or it makes your hair frizzy. Use a heat protection product or something of the like before blow drying your hair.

Use a leave-in conditioner. I would advise this for people with extreme dryness and frizz in their hair. People with manageable hair can definitely give a skip. No point applying products which will give no results, right? If it satisfies you, go ahead but honestly, no point wasting money if you do not really need that product. You can even make your leave-in conditioner at home. A tip for people who keep on buying thins which they do not need: Think about how much money you could save by not buying these products and then you might get your favorite dress or camera or watch or something which might be really useful to you. I do use this tip now a days and it is definitely working 🙂

Do not use excess products on your hair. A conditioner then a leave-in then a mousse then a styling product then a mist or a hair spray then something else. If you do that, the barrage of the products would not end but the things piling on your hair would definitely increase which would make the hair even more drier by blocking the hair follicles. So, stick to a single product in the winters and apply any product on the hair except a shampoo starting from your ears down. And, use only an appropriate quantity.

Hair Accessories. This is one of the most important things. You hair bands, rubber bands, hair clips, clutchers, etc., whatever you are using on your hair might cause frizzes and splits so be very careful about what you are using on your hair. No harm in spending a little money to buy a good product. I would mention one thing here: Buy whatever you feel like but just remember to check for the ends or any edges in the accessory. Any sharp edges or protrusions in the accessory makes it unworthy for your hair. Same goes with the hair bands. They have comb structure underneath them which snag at your hair every time you remove it. Look for cloth covered accessories. They are soft on hair and do not cause static. Look for good quality hair brushes and combs. For curly and wavy hairs, do not use brushes. This is very important as they snag at your hair. Brushes are great for straight hair but curly and wavy haired people should stay away from them.

Keep your hair covered. Leaving your hair loose is a sure shot way to get hair breakage so keep your hair covered at all times in the winters. Either use scarves or go for braiding your hair. Silk scarves add a lot of charm to your dressing and braiding can be done in lot chic ways these days. Avoid wearing hats and tight caps as they stop air and blood circulation in the scalp. When your are wearing your clothes specially woolens, put your hair up, wear your woolens, cover your shoulders with the scarf, pull the hair down, tie it or braid it and then, tie the scarf around. This way you can avoid static and splits in your hair due to woolens. Do not let your hair be in contact with your woolens. Not only that, scarves also keep your hair and scalp clean in the pollution so use them regularly whenever you go out. Go for a trim the moment you spot a split in your hair.

Winter Dandruff Control. This is one of the most difficult tasks. Dry scalp and dry hair contributes to dandruff but this does not mean that oiling your hair would make dandruff disappear. For this, you certainly have to use an anti-dandruff hair cream. I would recommend Himalaya Anti-Dandruff Hair cream. Besides that, you can mix lemon juice with your hair oil before applying it on your scalp. Use a good conditioner which can prevent dandruff. Using soap nuts to wash your hair will definitely cure this problem. So, go ahead and give it a try but otherwise you would have to depend on some hair cream only.