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I'm starving! It's 1:30 in the morning. I'm lying awake in bed and the only thing I want to do is eat. I would raid the fridge in a heartbeat, but it's purposely empty. You see, my winter weight is still registering on the scales -- and Memorial Day just passed. My six-pack is a mere memory. This is a 911 situation. It's going to take a quick change of eating habits to lose the extra pounds. Time is of the essence. Summer is only three months long. It's tough, boring and takes incredible self discipline to lose weight quickly and keep it off.
By contrast, a beauty maintenance routine for the whole summer is not as difficult. I'm not saying it's a cake walk, but it's easier and less painful than dreaming of food in the middle of the night. Beauty and grooming maintenance is a no-brainer -- it takes little or no effort.
Your hair can look its most beautiful in the summer or it can look like a burned-out mess. Make sure you always treat your hair according to your lifestyle. If you're a beach bunny or an outdoor girl, you will need to spend more time and effort to keep your hair in top condition. If you prefer indoor activities, maintaining beautiful hair all summer long is easy. This summer, keep these tips in mind:
Summer humidity is the number-one enemy of hair that tends to go frizzy.
Keratin treatments are the end-all solution for this problem. Keratin treatments will give you the silky hair you always wanted without removing its natural body. Your frizzy hair will be nothing more than a bad memory. One Keratin treatment will last all summer. What could be better than letting you hair air dry and having it look silky smooth? Leaving your blow dryer at home on a weekend away is no longer just a fantasy.
If you are an outdoor girl, the summer sun, ocean water and chlorine all take a toll on your hair.
These elements conspire to make your hair dry and brittle and you'll need to give it extra care. Occasionally, use a clarifying shampoo, which will remove all excess chemical buildup. Condition your hair after every shampoo whether you use a clarifying shampoo or not. The basic effects of a conditioner, even an intense one, only last until your next shampoo. If your hair is fine, apply conditioner to the tips only. This will prevent your hair from looking weighed down or oily. Once in a while shampoo your hair just with a conditioner. This will help to keep it from drying out. Use sunblock -- yes, on your hair -- whenever possible. At this point, hair sunblocks have the equivalent of about SPF 6 on a skin sunblock, so they will not totally prevent your hair from sun damage, but it's still better than nothing.
My motto for summer hair 2010 is KISS (Keep It Simple, Silly).
Any elaborate hairstyle or one with every hair in place looks wrong. Hair should blow in the breeze and fall back into place. If you are wearing your hair frozen in place, your style is dead wrong. The only person who might consider this as a possible option is someone who has suffered from severe hair loss.
Keep your hair color changes minimal.
Even the weakest sun can play havoc with the most minimal color. Subtle highlights in June can look like Lady GaGa blond by August (though it wouldn't be the end of the world if this did happen). You could always tone it down in the fall. Who knows? You might actually find out if blondes do have more fun!
Well, it's 10:00 p.m. on the following night. This is the danger hour. The only food left in house should be for breakfast: coffee, milk and some sugar-free cereal. Shop tomorrow for the next day. In this way, you'll eliminate any temptations that can call to you in the night. Now, go to bed. Nothing makes you look better than being well-rested. By the way, don't forget to condition your hair in the morning. Bonne nuit!
Louis Licari, the self-proclaimed "King of Color" believes the right hair color can lift a complexion and take years off a woman's face. From actresses to runway models to business women, devotees flock to his New York and Beverley Hills salons for highlights and color. Got a question for Louis? Visit his expert page to send him a question!
Plus
• Say farewell to frizz with Keratin
• How to give yourself a makeover after a breakup
• Use the virtual makeover tool to try on new hair and makeup
