Cold Winds, Warm Rooms=Dry Hair

Our mothers used to sing us a nursery rhyme that read, “The North winds will blow and we shall have snow, and what will poor robin do then? She'll sit in a barn to keep herself warm with her head tucked under her wing.”

The rhyme kept running through our heads as we watched the unbelievable Halloween snow! But it wasn't just our heads we wanted to tuck away...it was our hair. We at Believe know what those cold winds (and the overheated places we go to get away from them) can do to our hair—dry it right out until it feels (and sometimes looks) like straw in poor robin's barn. That's why we stock products from Agadir International—which contain a miracle substance known as Argan Oil.

Argan Oil comes from the fruits of the native Moroccan Argan tree (Argania Spinosa). Each tree can live up to two centuries! Since getting the oil is a labor-intensive process usually done by women (all the fruits must be shelled and crushed before the oil can be pressed out of them), the precious Argan Oil is one of the rarest oils in the world. But Moroccan women have long known the secrets of the oil and have used it in skin care (and their diets) for hundreds of years.

The oil is high in essential fatty acids including linoleic acid (omega-6) which stimulate intracellular oxygenation, which helps restore the balance between fats and water content in the cells of your hair—often lost in harsh weather. These fatty acids not only help repair the hair, but protect it also. Adding to the wonderful properties, the oil contains high levels of Vitamin E, which is a powerhouse when it comes to neutralizing free radicals and antioxidants in the hair shaft. This makes the oil perfect for regenerating and nourishing dry hair. Aragan Oil is also high in lipids, including omega 9 oleic acid helping nourish, moisturize and improve hair's elasticity—a real boon when you are constantly taking a hat on and off (which breaks hair). Argan Oil even helps cut down on that annoying hair static we all get in cold weather.

The fruit of the Argan tree (sort of a cross between a walnut and almond) produces an oil that is lightweight and not greasy. It has a very low molecular weight, so it penetrates right into the hair shaft without weighing the hair down. It can, therefore, be left in the hair for continuous conditioning. The result? Healthy, shiny, moisturized hair. Another benefit of using products rich in Argan Oil is that you won't suffer from that itchy, dry scalp that the cooler weather brings. The oil even helps stimulate hair growth and helps with those nasty tangles and split ends, too. Argan Oil has been called the “Wonder of the 21^st Century” and we, at Believe, have to agree.

All Agadir products are even on sale this week with 20% off. Stop by Believe and try the products we carry that contain this miracle oil. We've got the whole fabulous line. 

 Once you do,we're sure you will stop hiding your head under your wing.

Grab Life By The Tail

OMG. We read the headline on the web: “Skinny Girl Bethenny Frankel Creates The Skinnygirl Ponytail.”

How it got to be hers, when ponytails have been around as long as –well, ponies—is beyond us, but if you are looking for a stylish solution to get your long hair out of your way, we at Believe, hereby clue you into not only “Bethenny's ponytail”, but some other great ideas, too:

“Bethenny's” Tail: Brush out your hair with a paddle brush till smooth. Gather hair at crown of head and secure with an elastic, pushing the tail forward to create a mini-pompadour. Secure with two bobby pins, one on either side of the elastic. Smooth stray hairs at front and spray. Use either a curling iron (in small sections) or a ceramic flat iron on the tail itself.

The Side Tail: Spritz styling spray like SCRUPLES WHITE TEA EMBRACE on small sections of hair and make waves with a curling iron (wide barrel is best.) Use your fingers to sweep waves into a tail on one side of your head. Secure with elastic and use one bobby pin to hold it in place. Use flexible hairspray to avoid a stiff look.

The Messy Tail: Begin with unwashed hair (yes, we mean it. Unwashed hair is more manageable for this style.) Spray roots with volumizer like AESTELANCE VOLUME and let air-dry. Scrunch hair as it dries. Part hair in the middle or off center (or even use a zig-zag part.) Use your fingers to rack your hair back at the nape. Use an elastic to secure the tail (not too tightly) so it sits below the center of the back of your head. Secure with bobby pins above the elastic and crumple the tail itself with your fingers.

The High & Tight Tail: Spritz with volumizing spray like WHITE SAND INFINITY (GOOD FOR STRAIGHT OR CURLY HAIR) Dry straight (use a diffuser if you have curls). Tease a section (at the roots) at the top part of the back of your head to give your hair volume. Brush hair back into tail high on the back of your head above the ears. Secure with elastic. Pull the top of the tail up and out. Put some gloss, like AGADIR MOROCCAN ARGAN OIL through the tail using extra on the ends. Be careful of this one if you have a high forehead. It can make you look bald from the front. Bangs are your friends with this style.

The Pouffed Tail: This one makes use of volume at the crown to give the style (and the wearer) some height. Position your fingers in front of both your ears and pull them straight up. Hold the hair in one hand and use a wide-toothed comb to tease the roots with the other. Spray the roots. Hold till the spray dries. Let go of the hair and smooth into a tail, holding it with an elastic.

The Sleek Tail: Either blow-dry or flat iron your hair straight (this look requires no wave.) Spritz fly-aways at your hairline with spray and brush hair straight back into a tail. Secure with elastic. For extra shine, run a shine serum through the tail itself.

The Junior High Tail: Use mousse like AGADIR VOLUMIZING STYLING MOUSSE or spray for volume as your blow-dry and then pull your hair straight on to the top of your head (above your eyes.) Make sure the rest of your hair is flat to the scalp and sleek. For some more bounce, tease the tail right where the hair meets the elastic. Spray. Cover the elastic with a bow (remember, you are young at heart!)

Tip For All Tails: To cover the elastic in your pony tail styles, pull a strand about the width of a pencil from the bottom of the tail and wrap it around the elastic. Leave two inches to pul down through elastic. Secure with bobby pins

Whichever ponytail appeals to you, stop by Believe to buy the products you need to make each one work (or if you need a little help in finding the perfect ponytail for you.) With your ponytail and the help of us at Believe, you can swing into the cooler weather.

Ant in your pants? It could be itchy skin!

Unless you are truly tough (or the owner of lots of fleece or flannel shirts), you probably have been toying with turning on your home's heat. (Maybe you already gave in to temptation some cold morning.) If you haven't turned that dial yet, you soon will as November chilly winds start blowing. And you know what that means (besides the smell of burning dust in your ducts and a heating bill that will cross your eyes)...dry skin.

As the moisture leaves your epidermis, it causes little cracks and eventually you start getting itchy. Besides keeping a long-handled back scratcher beside your bed and favorite chair (find one here www.backscratcherworld.com) what can you do about that itch?
Here's a few tips:
Buy a humidifier: Either go for a whole-house one (expensive, but it helps your whole family) or at least one by your bedside that will run quietly for eight-hours or more. Most importantly, buy one that is highly-rated for being mold resistant. A great selection can be found at www.allergybuyersclub.com.
Keep fats in your diet: Smart fats with omega-3 oils like those in walnuts, salmon, sardines, soy, flax and eggs can help keep you hydrated.
Water yourself like a thirsty plant: Oils and creams can't produce moisture, only help it stick around. Drink water constantly. It's not only good for your moisture levels, but helps flush toxins out of your body and every part of you benefits from that.
Stop parboiling yourself: Cut down on those great-feeling-but-tough-on-your skin steamy showers and long hot baths. You are stripping your skin of oils each time. Make the water less hot and the showers or baths shorter. Use soap only on the truly necessary areas and just warm water wash the others. If you are a bath lover, soak a few minutes before you add bath oil to the water. You need some moisture to be absorbed before you seal off your pores.
Use moisturizing soap: ZUM's Dragon's Blood is a perfect choice. It breathes life into scaly skin with the restorative resin of the Dracaena tree,and infused olive, coconut, palm and castor oils, in a goat's milk base. With pure essential oils, it even smells earthy and sweet while it's slaking your dry skin's thirst. (Yes, we sell it at Believe.)
Slather yourself with moisturizer: Don't let more than a few minutes pass after that bath or shower before you fill all those open pores with delightful moisture. For your body or face, we recommend ZUM Organic Body Lotion with essential oils.
Exfoliate weekly: Get rid of the little pieces of skin (often invisible) that keep any moisturizer you apply from soaking into your skin. Slough it off with Zum Sea Salt Soap. Invest in a long-handled loofah to scrub your back (just make sure to dry it thoroughly between uses.)
Take menopause into account: If you're a “woman of a certain age,”menopause may be part of your dryness problem. As estrogen diminishes and the ratio of hormones change, not only does your body's oil production slow down, so does its ability to retain moisture. (You'll probably see this first on your elbows or the T-zone of your face—but it may show up on your legs, scalp and nails.) Talk to your doctor about HRT therapy if the problem gets bad or consider natural alternatives like adding Black Cohosh to your diet.
Don't forget the sunscreen: Just because its getting colder and the sky looks overcast, don't think those harmful rays went away. Put an ounce of broad spectrum sunblock SPF 15 or higher on all exposed skin.
Start now and get a jump on those winter winds. You'll be able to face the season silky, smooth and much-less itchy (and we all need a little more comfort.) See you soon at Believe.

Curls Are Cool (Really!)

You know the drill—the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. If you were born with stick-straight hair, you've spent half your life in rollers or connected to a curling iron. But for those of you with natural ringlets --who don't always love what nature gave you—here's a few tips to help you love (or tame) those curls of yours:

Frizz Is Not Pre-Ordained: Curly hair is often dry and nature abhors a vacuum. Not enough moisture in your hair? The humidity in the air thinks your curly hair is the perfect sponge to soak up its moisture and dives right in. Your hair cuticle expands and—voila!—frizz central. What you have to do, Curly Head, is get there before the humidity does and keep your hair full of good moisture. Wash with a moisturizing shampoo like AGADIR made with argan oil, deep condition with AGADIR moisture mask regularly and style with RICCI fortified with keratin to keep your hair plumped up and full of moisture. When humidity (and frizz ) come a' calling, your hair can say, “Sorry, no room at the inn...”

You've Gotta Be You: Ok, truth time. If the weather is humid, you hair is going to curl. No need to spend hours straightening it. Sometimes you just can't fight City Hall. Why not try accepting what you cannot change and let it curl, let it curl, let it curl? It works for Bernadette Peters, Melina Kanakaredes and Taylor Swift. Why not give it a shot? Let the real you out to play (at least every now and again.) Flat-haired women will envy you as you stroll by with those bouncy curls.

Want To Be A Straight Shooter: I didn't convince you to let your curls fly free? Ok, you can straight out those ringlets—it's just going to take some doing. Consider a La Brasiliana Keratin Treatment (one of the services we provide at Believe) and you'll have months of gorgeous straight hair. Give us a call and we will tell you all about it and make an appointment for you. Or you may want to invest in a ceramic flat iron (we at Believe can also help you learn how to use it properly.) You'll get straight hair with no risk of burning,

Make Friends With Your Drier: Remember, sometimes absence makes the heart grow fonder. Let your hair air-dry as long as possible and only use the blow dry when you must (and then only with a diffuser). Cup your curls in the palm of your hand and dry from underneath.

Don't Stop Brushing: Yes, we know you look like a poodle after you brush, but you do want to distribute the natural oils from your scalp down the hair shaft. Try brushing your curly hair with a natural bristle brush for two minutes at night before bed and rinse it in the morning. The condition of your hair will improve, I promise.

Did I Mention Conditioning? It's worth mentioning again. Deep condition at least once a week with a hair mask like TREATMENT and every now and then rub a little olive oil on your scalp and down the hair shaft. Brush through, put a shower cap on, and sleep in the oil. Wash it out in the morning.

Headbands Hide All Manner of Sins: If you've got to run, put a headband over your damp hair. It'll make the crown flat, and the curls stick out the ends, like you actually meant to do it. You could start a signature headband collection. (It used to work for Hilary Clinton.)

Keep Curly Hair Well Cut: Make an appointment at for a good haircut. Our stylists understand curly hair (and the frustrations of it) and will help you come to love—and not loathe—those curls. Call us today!

Which hairbrush is right for you?

Brushing your hair is a ritual that's not only good for you as it helps circulation and brings blood to the hair roots, but relaxing, too. (Don't overdo it, though. The 100-strokes-a -night from our grandmother's day is an old wives tale that can lead to breakage and hair loss.) But you need the right tool—the perfect hairbrush.

Here's how to choose (and you don't have to be a stylist to keep several different kinds in your arsenal):

• Round Brush—This has 360-degrees of bristles in a circular shape and is a must-have since it suits so many purposes. This brush will help straighten (or curl) hair and give fine hair volume. A smaller version gives tighter curls and a larger version can curl just the ends. Or you can hold your hair straight while you blow. Make sure you can wind your hair all the way around the circle at least once—that way you will get the right size brush for your hair.
• Paddle Brush—This is a flat brush with a cushion surface and ball pins at every bristle's end. It is perfect for thick straight hair since it smooths out the hair shaft and makes it “longer” (or appear so) without pulling. This brush also helps massage the scalp. It's not the brush for short or fine hair (it doesn’t add volume and is no help in detangling.)
• Cushion Brush--This is a smaller version of a paddle brush and good for all lengths of hair. It helps distributes your hair's natural oils, which makes for shiny, healthy hair.
• Vent Brush—This brush has holes at its base (either only up the middle or all over the surface) which lets air pass right through the brush, speeding up blow drying. With bristles that are widely spaced, it also adds volume and helps shape the hair.
• Styling Brush--This one is super thin with just a few rows of bristles—it's like a rat tail comb --and helps shape lots of different styles.
• Ceramic Brush--This is a speciality brush and best to stay away from if your hair is treated with chemicals or damaged, as the metal center of the brush heats up, using the heat from your blow dryer. While this can add volume, it can also damage fragile hair. Best to talk to your stylist here at Believe before you buy it (and maybe have a quick lesson in its use.)

Classic Brush—These brushes have a half-round head with five, seven or nine rows of stiff nylon bristles. The head of the brush has a slightly round shape to create a slight bend in the hair—and it is good for creating sleek (but not perfectly straight) hairstyles.

What about bristles?

• Boar bristles--Are made from the hair of a hog and are great because they close the cuticle layer of your hair (helping up the shine factor.) Boar bristles are used on soft flexible brushes (good for kids) but are weak and are therefore sometimes mixed with nylon bristles to last longer.
• Nylon bristles—These can actually be made of rubber or plastic, too. The stiffer and more closely placed together the bristles are, the more control you can have of your hair.
• Porcupine bristles—No, they aren't made from a hedgehog, but tufted bristles are grouped together (usually boar and nylon bristles combined) making these bristles great both for pulling through thick hair and controlling fine hair.
• Metal bristles--Unless you are wearing a wig, you don't need metal bristles. Even if they have soft rubber tips, they are too hard on human hair (good for dogs, though).
• We've got a great selection of brushes at Believe. Come on in and we will be happy to help you select which brushes will be perfect for your hair. (And, while you are here, be sure to pick up your last-minute tickets to the “Dancing With Our Stars” fundraiser for the Hillside Food Outreach to be held October 15^th. Our own owner, Lisa, is one of the “stars” and bruised and broken though she is after weeks of rehearsal, she is ready to shine! Come cheer her on...

Dance! Get Your Blood Pumping For Healthy Hair

As you may know, Lisa, the owner of Believe, has strapped her dancing shoes on for charity and will be one of the featured dancers at “Dancing With Our Stars”, October 15 at the Matrix Center in Danbury, CT (tickets are still on sale: $65 buys you dinner, drinks and the show, ($100 and you can attend the after-party fun)—who we hope is Lisa! All money raised goes to Hillside Food Outreach, so stop by Believe to get your tickets now! Or visit www.hillsidefoodoutreach.org or call Westchester 914-747-0095, Putnam 845-225-3393 or Fairfield 203-702-4881 for tickets.)

Despite some aches, pains and even a sprain or two, Lisa is not only getting her body in better shape, but keeping her hair in good condition, too. There is a direct correlation between increased circulation and hair health. Poor circulation, especially to the scalp, can actually starve your hair and speed up hair loss (guys that have thinning near their temples usually suffer from poor circulation—sometimes a hereditary condition.) Age is a culprit too. Like everything else as we get older, our circulation slows down. Arthritis is another catalyst. If you have arthritis, have regular shoulder and neck massages to increase blood flow to the head.

High cholesterol may also be to blame (it thickens our blood and keeps it from reaching the smallest capillaries at the roots of our hair.) Sebum, too (the oil our scalp produces) can clog pores and choke off hair growth. Use cider vinegar as a hair rinse after shampooing to break through the sebum “crystals” that form.

 Poor circulation makes its presence known if a few ways—tingling in your feet, muscle cramps, wounds or sores that are slow to heal, a blue-ish tinge to the fingernails—even a low sex drive. If you have any of these symptoms you should talk to your medical practitioner, since good blood flow is vital to good health.

Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, you can up your exercise to get the blood pumping. Not only will your body get more shapely and strong, you will notice a difference in your hair. It will get shinier, with more bounce (your skin will appear clearer, with better color, too.) Whether its dance, like Lisa (even just in front of your Wii) or running around your neighborhood or even yoga (inverted positions make blood flow to your scalp), increased circulation is one way to ensure healthy hair. Aerobic exercise strengthens the heart muscle and improves its pumping efficiency.

Some foods and herbs are believed to increase blood circulation, too. Give them a try and track if you notice a difference:
Garlic and onions may help prevent plaque buildup on the walls of your arteries (and lower cholesterol.) Garlic has, for centuries, been considered a blood purifier.
Dark Chocolate contains flavonoids that reduce high blood pressure and high cholesterol. It also may improve blood flow (and it even ups the serotonin in your brain—the chemical that makes you feel good.)
Olive oil not only helps lower cholesterol, but has antioxidants helping reduce the risk of heart attack and increasing blood flow.
Ginkgo is well known for helping to improve the circulation for the whole body.
Nuts (and sunflower and pumpkin seeds) help protect the heart from cardiovascular disease and help blood vessels to dilate—keeping the blood circulation flowing.
Chili peppers contain capsaicin and there is a whole school of thought that this chemical protects the heart, helps unblock any blockages and increases blood flow.
Hawthorn Berry is a well known herb for improving heart function and blood circulation. One good type of hawthorn to buy is as Hawthorn drops.

Other things you can do to improve circulation:
Get rid of stress—just like your muscles tense up when you are stressed, so does the tissue on your scalp. This squeezes capillaries and lets less blood through to the roots.
Use the right products on your hair. We do pile tons of products on our hair and sometimes we need to stop and clarify our scalp. Switch off between your regular products and use GL Shampoo and MUD MASQUE conditioner to keep the roots of your hair unclogged and your scalp free of sebum and debris.
Scalp massage is invaluable. To keep proper blood circulation for a healthy scalp, massage your scalp 5-10 times a day (Bonus: this will help with stress too.) Come into Believe for an evaluation of your scalp's health and we'll be happy to treat you to (and teach you how to give yourself) a perfect scalp massage.

While you are at Believe, don't forget to buy your ticket to “Dancing With Our Stars.” It's going to be a night to remember. See you soon!

How Healthy Is Your Hair?

As we head into the cold winds and heated homes of Fall and Winter, now would be a great time our hair health a checkup. If you've got lots of damage, frizz, split ends or if that perfect sunny day on the beach dried the life right out of your mane, now is the time to get it in shape---before the leaves blow and the snows fly.

But first you have to know what's happening, so get a strong light and a good mirror and check out your hair:

• Is it dry and flyaway? Stop by Believe for a deep-conditioning treatment right now (you should also schedule one a month until we get your hair in better shape. You should also use a leave-in conditioner like AEstelance's Butter.
• Is it broken all along the length? Consider treating your hair with kid gloves for a while. Shampoo less often and then only with a conditioning shampoo like Semi De Lino Color Protect. Don't blow dry your hair. Instead pat it (don't rub) dry with a towel and let it air dry whenever possible. Use a wide tooth comb on wet hair, never pull with a brush. And about the brush—use a natural bristle brush that has widely-spaced bristles and is gentle on your hair.
• Does it look fried or dry? Put away the hot rollers and flat-iron and use your hair dryer (only when necessary) on the coolest setting.
• Are you sporting split ends? Come into Believe for a trim. We will save the length while getting rid of those tired old ends (their 15 minutes in the spotlight are over...)
• Is your hair getting thin? If you see more of your scalp then you used to (or worse—find ever more hairs in your brush) you might be having a reaction to medications or suffering hormonal changes (for example, many women suffer hormonal hair loss when they are pregnant.) Make an appointment with your doctor if you think this may be the case. If you see an actual bald spot, it could be a sign of alopecia areata, a disease that causes such patches. Or maybe you started dieting (be careful and keep eating a balanced diet. Your skin, hair and nails will be the first to reflect it if you don't.) Also watch how tightly you pull your hair into a ponytail or braid. You can literally pull your own hair out over time—it's called traction hair loss.
• Does your hair look dull with no shine? To get shiny healthy hair (like those women on the commercials, flipping their manes in slow motion) is largely an inside job. We at Believe can recommend some shine-filled products like the Chromastics line or even apply a clear semi-permanent glaze. But when it comes to dull lifeless hair, you are what you eat. Try salmon, packed with high-quality protein, vitamin B-12 , iron and essential omega-3 fatty acids to support a healthy scalp. If you are a vegan, you can add twp tablespoons of ground flaxseed daily to get the same omega-3 fats from a plant-based source. Spinach, broccoli and swiss chard add vitamins A and C, need to produce the oily substance known as sebum—your body's own hair conditioner. Walnuts, cashews, pecans, and almonds provide zinc, which helps keep hair from shedding. Poultry (with its protein) makes hair strong and less faded (eggs work, too.) Last, but never least, low fat dairy, particularly that all-important yogurt, are great sources of calcium which is very important for hair growth.
• Does your hair have no bounce? Get the rest of your body bouncing. Exercise gets your blood pumping and that circulation goes right to your hair follicles, shaking them out of their summer slumbers. Take advantage of the cool weather to walk daily (or even run) and see the benefits in your hair (and skin.)

Now is the moment to make your change-of-season hair appointment at Believe (soon enough, you'll have to drive through slush...ugh!) so come in and see us and share a glass of cider while we come up with a strategy to get—and keep---your hair healthy. We are waiting for you here at Believe and can't wait to hear all about your summer.

Silver Is Sexy!

We have a lot of customers at Believe who qualify as Baby Boomers, and they are proud to have made it –healthier and fitter—than any other generation, into their late 50's and beyond. But no amount of vitamins, supplements or yoga classes can erase on of the most visible passages of time...gray hair. When you go gray, is mostly determined by genetics, but how you go gray is up to you. No need to have mousy, washed out helmet hair like the “old” ladies or gentlemen of the last generation. Silver is the new black, baby and gray is great (with a little help.)

One of the reasons for going gray we hear the most at Believe is that our customers find their hair needs dyeing every few weeks—say every three instead of every 6--and then roots show up. Since these are often gray roots, they look dull. Or silver roots which shine like beacons announcing “I need to be dyed.”

Maybe you are tired of the battle or maybe you just want to let your true—more mature—self out and the effort to constantly look younger be damned.

Whichever the reason, here are some things to consider before you take the plunge. (If you went silver or white young in life, read on for tips on keeping your shiny silver vibrant and consider not getting your hair colored. Silver hair framing a young face can be striking.) But if you are of an age where your hair is starting to turn due to normal aging...Consider this:

• If you bristle when someone guesses your age as over 40 or sees you with a young child and assumes its your grandchild and that doesn't bring a smile to your face, you might not want to go gray. If you're still squeezing into miniskirts and dating 20-somethings, the fact that you might get treated differently with gray hair is probably not going to make you happy.
• Are shiny silvers peeking through your do? Sometimes Mother Nature's color is prettier than any color we can apply at Believe. If you are gifted with shiny silver or snowy white locks, why fight it? Not sure? Come into Believe and talk it over. We'll give you an honest opinion.
• Do you have wildly interesting streaks of grey or white now? If they are framing your face or giving you men an adorable Jon Stewart skunk streak, you might not want to mess with success. Let your hair alone until more has gone gray—then decide if we should color or not. The same goes with highlights. If you are used to lots of blonde (or even other color) streaks, letting your whole head go one color—even if it is silver—might not offer enough “drama” for you.
  
  
  

  
• Are you confident enough to pull it off? Remember Meryl Streep in “The Devil Wears Prada'? Now there was a confident silver-haired woman. So is Jamie Lee Curtis in all those yogurt commercials. From Dame Helen Mirren to Richard Gere, confidence is the magic key to making gray magical instead of mousy.
  

  

  
  
• Are you a “dirty blonde”? The problem is light hair going gray looks dirty, so either make it all gray/silver or color it all blonde. In this instance, hit 'em hard or go home.
  
  
  

  
• Got six months? If your hair is long, no matter how good a job we do at blending your roots to hide the demarcation line it's going to take a while to let your gray grow in. (Your hair grows about a half an inch per month.) Consider a shorter style for this period and then, when its passed, you can grow long lovely silver hair like Emmy Lou Harris. 
  
  
  

  

• Can't stand the wait? Get lowlights in the meantime to help blend in newly-emerging grays and come into Believe often for cuts to get rid of that old dyed hair.
• Get tough. Silver hair can grow out coarse or wiry. We at Believe will show you how to use a flat iron to jeep the frizzies in check. Anti-frizz serum like Chromastices Repair will help too, Keeping your hair in great condition both by using a daily conditioner and occasional deep conditioning like Aestelance Protein or Mud Masque will help keep up the moisture content of aging hair.
• Don't forget to drink gallons of water and take an age-appropriate vitamins. Water helps keep your hair from being dull and the vitamins help it grow more quickly.
• Going for the gold...err silver: If you make the decision to cross that line into gray or silver, we're behind you 100%. We'll recommend shampoo (like Aestelance Clarifying), conditioner (like Scruples White Tea) and even a few tricks of the trade to bring out the gloss (A clear semi-permanent glaze).

Shine like you mean it, with some help from Believe.

Slicing and Dicing: Razor Styles Are Back

Whether they are called “chopped”, “shredded” or “shingled,” razor styles are back with a vengeance (and for men, they never left.) Whether used on long locks to give your waves a bit more romantic flow or used as multi-lengths to sex up a long do, razors can be artistic tools in the hands of an expert (like us here at Believe) or a weapon when wielded by a neophyte hair stylist with no experience. Working with scissors is taught in Hairstyling 101 but whisking away hair with a razor takes a cool hand. The three-inch blade adds texture by having a looping effect on the hair shaft. The razor can get rid of heaviness and bulkiness (you know those tufts of hair on the side that look like wings or that pile on top that weighs your style down like an invisible hat?)  Razors are usually used on wet hair to keep things manageable and the blade will cut the ends so that you don't look like you stepped out of the chair a minute ago.  The genius in a razor cut is that it removes bulk while building volume. How? Strands that are shortened help puff up the longer ones, but a razor cut isn't for everybody. If your hair is thin, too short already or frizzy, the razor cut may not be for you and some stylists say a razor cut isn't for curly hair either. Really the only way to tell is to come on in and let us look at (and feel) your hair and the way it grows. We will use our trained eye to tell you if the razor cut will make you feel beautiful or go batty. Long hair can be less boring when cut with a razor or, if you are worried about having to grow out all that hair to one length again, ask if a triangular wedge will work for you—it makes regrowing hair much less visible. (Or perhaps just your bangs can be done to give a long style a sense of movement.)  One word of caution about razor cuts: They tend to lose their shape sooner than hair cut with scissors, but for that wispy look, razor cuts really have no equal. From bob to flowing waves a razor cut will make a big difference in your look, so come in for a consultation first! We won't go all Jack The Ripper on you and bring out the razor until we, together, have determined it will be the best technique to use on your hair. You are an individual and at Believe, you will get an individual cut. Call us at 914-747-0778 today to make an appoint at Believe.

Help Us Shake A Tail Feather!

We hope this post finds all our friends and neighbors in New York and New Jersey safe, sound and dry with nary a broken branch in their driveway...

Now that Hurricane Irene has finally headed out to sea, we at Believe would like to give you the next thing to get excited about...Hillside Food Outreach's 2011 Dancing With The Stars Benefit. This year, something new has been added..Lisa, the owner of Believe will be dancing as one of the “stars”!

The event will be held October 15th, 2011 at 6 pm at the Matrix Center in Danbury, Connecticut and the $65 ticket price includes a full catered dinner, plus free beer and wine.

Both a Judges Choice and People's Choice winner will be chosen (it costs $10 to cast a People's Choice vote for your favorite dancers.) Judges this year include Gina Bombero of “So You Think You Can Dance,” and former winner himself, Vincent M. Tamagna, Chairman of the Putnam County Legislature, who will be joined by other judges yet to be named.

“Stars” (besides our own Lisa) include Lillian Melchior of Mahopac Marina, cosmetic company owner Donna Berry, financial planner Jesus Lopez, Anthony Mirdita, CFO of Putnam Community Hospital, Allison Stockel, executive director of the Ridgefield Playhouse and Dr. Evan Powderly, principal of Armonk's Byram Hills Middle School. Jeweler David Yurmin is donating a gift of fabulous jewelry for the winner, who also gets a gorgeous trophy.

Since the stars aren't professional dancers, local dance studios donate studio time and three months of lessons to get the dancers in shape. Lisa also promises to give frequent updates on the Believe Facebook page about how training is going. Be sure to go “like” Believe's page here.

Last year's benefit raised $20,000 and Hillside Outreach is hoping to double that this year. The money goes to provide food assistance to families with children, frail, elderly, disabled and housebound individuals. Today, Hillside has brought together over 350 volunteers to home deliver to over 1650 Westchester and Putnam County residents in need and they continue to grow every day, but they need to fund that growth.

“I've been a great supporter of KathyPurdy and the work the staff and volunteers at Hillside Food Outreach do for those in need in our community. Looking out for each other, particularly in these tough times, is what makes living and doing business in this area so rewarding,” says Lisa. “True, I'm no professional dancer, but I will give it my best shot—and have a lot of fun doing it—because it's one more way I can help Hillside meet its goal. I hope to see lots of you come out to support me and this great cause.”

Tickets to the Hillside Food Outreach's Dancing With The Stars Benefit can be purchased on the website at www.hillsidefoodoutreach.org or by calling Westchester 914-747-0095, Putnam 845-225-3393 or Fairfield 203-702-4881or we have tickets here at Believe. Stop on in or give us a call at 914-747-0778.