Mane squeeze
One would think that aging is a curable disease when you think of the lengths people go to preventing any signs of maturity. Countless hours spent on researching the best products to combat the slightest indication of age and wads of hard-earned (and not-so-hard-earned) cash doled out to consume the latest, most effective products on the market pave the way for a billion-dollar industry. Looking good isn’t cheap, that’s for sure.
Fueled by this fervent desire to be forever young, the mania has crossed over to the hair arena. I used to be preoccupied with scoring and testing out the latest in anti-aging concoctions for the visage but have slowly started allotting time and resources to nurturing my hair as well. As we age, our metabolism slows down and we begin to notice a reduction in our sebum production, causing the scalp to dry and tighten and hair to lose its elasticity and become limp. Circulation slows down making hair lose its vitality, become finer and way more brittle. My biggest beauty fear concerns my hair — I am completely petrified of thinning and fragile hair, which I already show signs of. The popular adage, “You can never be too rich or too thin,” is only half true. I’d love to be rolling in dough but thin is so not in (hair-wise). I’m not afraid of much but I will admit I am scared shitless of thinning hair.
Thank heavens for Kerastase’s Age Recharge line, the first anti-aging hair line I’ve encountered. An avid fan of the luxe brand for tresses which targets and wonderfully treats specific scalp and hair conditions, I immediately jumped at the opportunity to road test their new products when this line was launched a short while back. Loved by local fixtures in various industries, Trisha Bermudez, Bianca Araneta, Tweetie de Leon-Gonzales, Jessica Kienle, Rina Ortiz and Armand del Rosario were all part of the well attended launch.
Loaded with four main ingredients combined to work its magic, this line is totally effective. P-Liposomes are lipids that moisturize and soften the scalp, vitamin B3 reactivates cellular metabolism, vita-ciment reconstructs hair’s internal structure while morphofill restores hair’s softness and shine.
An in-salon ritual treatment begins by shampooing with the Bain Age Recharge, followed by an application of the Masque Age Recharge, a mask that reconstructs and thickens the hair. A potent vial of Concentrate Age Recharge is next, firming up hair and making it more supple from the roots to the tips. A Lipo-Recharge massage injects lipids to the scalp topped off by Ciment Thermique which seals the hair off from external aggressors. This relaxing treatment made my hair fuller, softer and silkier. It also left the most delicate, powdery scent lingering all day long so I was naturally inclined to follow the home regimen for more lasting results.
Although my hair is not entirely curly, it clocks in on the wavy end and is prone to the frizzies especially with the humidity here, which you can cut with a knife. I have the option of blow-drying it straight or lathering on product to define my waves. The lazy bones that I am, I usually end up going au naturel and channel the Olsen twins (read: messy hair). Waves are making a comeback on the fashion scene so let loose. For those blessed with a little kick in their hair, Kerastase’s Oleo-Curl is the tonic to use. Made of light softening oils, this line brings out the best in perfect curl definition by outlining and defining the kink in locks.
Bain Oleo-Curl revs up the mane by nourishing and restoring shine to curly, wavy or permed hair. The Masque Oleo-Curl is a light jelly mask that melts into the hair and softens it without weighing it down. To work the anti-frizz angle is Crème Oleo-Curl, a heat-activated, leave-in conditioner that preserves the shapes of curls. There’s nothing worse than looking as if you’re sporting a bad Afro. It’s important to put your best hair forward, as it’s the first thing people notice at first glance.
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Comments? E-mail me at jcantonio@gmail.com.
