How to Dye Your Hair at Home - and How to Touch Up the Roots, Too

I've written about my friend, S, before.  She and hubby E brought home an adorable puppy a little while ago, and now the house is filled with little kids and a baby dog.  And a hub that works from home.  And S, who works from home, too.  It can be loud, it can be crazy.

When leads us to the morning that S missed her hair appointment for blonde highlights, decided she'd had enough of spending $100s at the salon, and drove her bad self to CVS.  There, with the help of sales clerk, she bought a box of L'Oreal for less than $10 and went back home -- where at her convenience, late that night after the kids were in bed and the hub was happy surfing the TV channels, she returned herself to her natural brunette color.

And she is so happy with the results, she's telling everybody that they should do this too.  Time saver, money saver. 

So, Dear Reader, here are two videos that show you not only how to dye your hair at home, but a great video that explains how to keep up with those roots once your hair starts to grow:

Here's a Great Video on How to Dye Your Hair at Home

Here's a Fabulous Video on Touching Up your Roots at Home

Beer Really Is Good for Your Hair - The Monthly Beer Rinse

It's true! Using beer as a rinse will help you hair shine more, and according to some, it also helps heal dry and damaged hair as well.  My experience has been that while beer is not a miracle worker all by its little self, I can tell a difference - in shine, especially. 

And while some say do this once a month, I've been doing it twice every month for the past few months, and I'm sold on leftover beer as a beauty tip. 

Why? From what I've read, the hops and the malt contained in beer are comprised of proteins. These proteins can bond with the individual hairs, strengthening them. 

How do you use the beer for a great hair day?

First, you want flat beer. Some folk suggest that you choose something will less beer smell than others, but after I rinsed the beer out of my hair, I couldn't smell any festive beverage remains so I'm not sure that matters. Your choice, Dear Reader.

Second, after you shampoo your hair as usual, take the can of flat beer and pour it on -- make sure all your hair gets its fair share of the brew (I left a can open on the counter overnight, so it was nice and lukewarm on my scalp).

Third, let it set there for a minute or two.  (This process works best in the shower, because while you're letting your hair soak up that Beer Rinse, you can make sure the excess beer gets rinsed off your shoulders, arms, hands, etc.  This isn't the neatest process I've tried.)

Fourth, rinse out the beer thoroughly.  Now you blow dry or air dry or whatever you usually do.  Done!

For more info:

ChagrinValleySoapandCraft has some recipes for beer rinses that sound good -- adding in jojoba oil, or the scent of rosemary, you get the idea. 

HowStuffWorks reports that a beer rinse can remove residue from hair.  CBSNews reports the same thing.  Good to know. 

Hairpedia reports that beer not only adds shine but volume as well when used as a hair rinse.  (They've also got the skinny on using vinegar, avocado, eggs, and mayonnaise in your hair care regimen -- fascinating stuff.)

How to Give Yourself a Great French Manicure At Home

Back in my Materialistic Past, I remember the days of going to the fancy-schmancy salon to have my nails done. I had a set appointment with my favorite pro manicurist.  They gave me wine.  I got to pick my color from a bunch of turning columns filled with every hue in the world, it seemed.  The whole process took hours. 

For a long time, I had the long, fake nails - but they creeped me out after awhile, how could they be healthy? - and I stopped having "salon nails" or whatever they're called these days.  That acetone is skeery. 

After the fake nail chapter in my life, I had the professional manicure chapter. My nails only, nothing acrylic, but still spending time and money at the Fancy Salon to get my nails done.

Then, as my simple life progressed, I didn't want to bother with going to the Fancy Salon to do something that I knew I could do at home.  On my time schedule, without spending much dinero.

I knew I could do my nails at home, I imagine most of us did back in the day. High school, college, think back, Dear Reader!

I distinctly remember drinking the new-on-the-market bottled wine coolers with my friends as we shared different colors of nail polish and walked around trying to keep our toes from touching as Robert Palmer played in the background. But I digress.

Now, I do my nails at home while I watch TV. Last night I used a fancy French Manicure Kit that I found at TJ Maxx, as Jethro Gibbs figured out on NCIS that his ex-mother-in-law was a killer.  (And didn't Gina Rowlands look fabulous?  Love her!)

Today my nails looks so darn good (if I do say so myself) that I keep stopping to admire my handiwork. Pardon the Pun. I promise you, this manicure is as good as anything I paid a professional to do for me.

Here's how I did it (thanks to Dramatic Makeup at YouTube for making this video and sharing it with us):