From Ombre to Sombre

Sombre takes the traditional process of Ombre and makes it a little more subtle (hence the s-ombre). Summer is just about over which means less sun. So to make people think your hair is naturally beautiful, Sombre would be used to make you hair have a darker sun-kissed look.

Elizabeth Olsen and Minka Kelly are two celebrities who wear the trend beautifully and effortlessly. Each one has dramatic color at the ends and the front, but it’s done in a way that is subtle so the color naturally blends with the rest of the hair.

Some great color pairings are:

Blondes – Sun-Kissed Warmth

 

Brunettes – Shimmer-Bronzed

 

 

Red Heads – Rose Golds

Dark Hair – Cinnamon Shades

 

Sombre hair should have a soft, sun kissed effect and a variation of light and dark hair. The ideal sombre has soft delicate highlights at the root area that gradually get lighter at the ends. All the ends of the hair should not look dip dyed, instead there should be pieces of lightness and darkness mixed together with more of the darker color at the root area.

Sombre is pulled off best on longer hair, because the color needs to flow and blend into the base hair color, which isn’t easy to do with shorter styles without looking choppy and color-blocked.

Happy Sombre-ing!

The History of the Braid

A braid is a complete structure or pattern formed by intertwining three or more strand of human hair.  Today, braids can be worn by anyone, casually or formally. The functionality remains mostly the same, to keep the wearer cool and to keep hair from obstructing the eyes.  The origins of the braid date back as far as 3500BCE.

Originating in East Africa, the braid was worn as a form of communications.  It symbolized whether the wearer was married, in mourning, of age of courtship, wealthy, or to show tribe affiliation.  In 1950, A French ethnologist and his team discovered a Stone Age rock painting in the Tassili Plateau of the Sahara, dating back to 3500 BCE, showing a woman with African Cornrows feeding her children.

In Ancient Egypt, Hair braids were reserved for royalty (i.e. Cleopatra and Queen Meryet Amun).  The braids at this time were used for ceremonial rituals, such as, weddings and funerals.

The Greek Goddess Flavian Period was from 79-81 CE.  It consisted of lavish updos, complete with wire frames, twisted braids and curls.  This style became very popular among the wealthy Roman woman.  Roman Emperor Titus’ daughter Julia was a follower of this hair braid, often wearing extremely elaborate updos.

Native American braids (PreCE-Present) varied from tribe to tribe, in style and cultural significance.  In the Quapaw Tribe, married woman wore their hair down loose and braided if they were single.  Braids were and still are worn my men of Native American decent. 

In 1066-1485, Medieval European braids were braided buns and crowns.  It was considered socially unacceptable for a woman to let her hair down because it was believed that a womans long tresses were associated with sinfulness and temptation.

The Mongol Empire began to grow in the 13^th Century.  Noblewoman wore an elaborate braided hairstyle and headpiece.  The style was adorned with a “wing” in each side of the head.  Two “wings” were said to evoke mythical beasts.

Modern Cornrows (1970-Present) were developed during the “Black is Beautiful” movement”.  This movement encouraged African-Americans to embrace their cultural roots and natural beauty, rather than using chemicals or relaxers in their hair to straighten.  The cornrow braid and the afro became very popular as this movement progressed.

In 2005, the braid went viral.  The launch of YouTube furthered the sharing if easy do-it-yourself tutorials, illustrating how to do many braided hairstyles. 

Braiding is more than a hairstyle!  It is a cultural tradition that cuts across racial, social, economic and geographic lines.

 

Happy Braiding!

Hair Loss and Replacement Options

EVERYONE LOOSES HAIR! It is normal to lose about 50-100 hairs every day.  The medical term for hair loss is “alopecia”.  Alopecia does not refer to one specific hair loss disease — any form of hair loss is an alopecia. The word alopecia is Latin, but can be traced to the Greek “alopekia,” which itself comes from alopek, meaning “fox.” Literally translated, the word alopecia (alopekia) is the term for mange in foxes.

There are many causes of hair loss. Women may notice hair loss after giving birth dues to uneven estrogen levels. This unusual shedding will taper off and your hair will be back to its pre-pregnancy thickness about six to 12 months after you give birth. People under a lot of stress can see noticeable hair loss. The body can inexplicably trigger much of their hair to enter this resting period, causing it to fall out pretty much all at once a few months later. Known as telogen effluvium, doctors believe it’s simply the body’s way of taking a time-out while larger problems, be it recovery or coping, are addressed.  Some diseases and medical treatments can cause hair loss such as, chemotherapy, thyroid problems, dietary issues (anemia, diabetes, malnutrition, anorexia, bulimia, etc.) and Lupus. The most common cause of hair loss is hereditary hair loss.  Hereditary hair loss can be inherited from either the mother’s or father’s side of the family. Because baldness is determined by a number of genetic factors, it may or may not skip generations.  These are just a few examples of causes of hair loss. 

The male pattern baldness form of androgenetic alopecia  accounts for more than 95% of hair loss in men. About 25% of men who suffer from male pattern baldness begin the painful process before they reach the age of 21.  Forty percent (40%) of women have visible hair loss by the time they are age 40, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Hair loss in women can be absolutely devastating for self image and emotional well-being. Currently children’s hair loss is responsible for about 3% of all pediatric office visits in this country. The American Hair loss Association recognizes that children’s hair loss can be an extremely devastating issue and recommends seeking the advice of your pediatrician as soon as you notice the onset of even the smallest amount of hair loss in your child.

Non-surgical hair replacement (Wig, Toupee, Etc.) can be a wonderful option for those who suffer from significant hair loss and would like to regain the appearance of having a full head of hair without surgery. If non-surgical replacement is not an option, there is always surgical replacement. At this point, a hair transplant can only be performed by harvesting DHT resistant hair from the back of your own scalp, and then transplanting it into the balding areas. In some cases hair can be transplanted between identical twins with the same genetic makeup. In general it is believed that hair transplanted from one person to another will be rejected unless anti-rejection medications are taken for life.

A well-known name in hair re-growth or replacement is Bosley. Bosley Professional Strength is a complete system to help prevent hair loss and restore thinning hair – in 5 simple daily steps. Offered in Men’s and Women’s formulations, Bosley Professional Strength contains ingredients that nourish and invigorate the scalp and hair, creating the perfect environment for the growth of thick, healthy hair. Significant growth typically occurs in 4-6 months, and consistent compliance is required to maintain the most positive results.

There is no need to be ashamed or embarrassed about your hair loss, as it occurs to almost everyone! There are many options, like those stated above to help you remedy your hair loss problems.