Hair rinses are a great way to finish off any hair treatment you use. Leave-in hair rinses provide a nice layer of protection from wind, sun, or heat. Other rinses provide shine or a color boost, while still others help remove residue and detangle hair. No matter what you’re looking for, though, Perfect Locks has the remedy. Try these natural hair rinse recipes on for size:

Apple Cider Vinegar Rinse

Perfect for removing residue from shampoo or deep conditioners, or even for cleansing, if your hair is drier and just needs a light touch. In a jug or measuring cup, mix:

• ¼ cup apple cider vinegar (available at any grocery store)
• 2-4 cups warm water, depending on hair length

After washing, deep conditioning, or even applying a hot-oil treatment, pour mixture over your hair and work in. Let sit for at least two minutes, then thoroughly rinse away over your sink.

Lemonade Rinse

A great rinse for hair cleansing. Combine:

• ½ cup lemon juice (fresh-squeezed and strained; if bottled, make sure no sugar or salt is added)
• 4-6 cups water

Apply rinse to hair and let stand for about 10 minutes; rinse thoroughly with warm water, then condition and style as usual.

Herbal Hair Rinse

These “hair cocktails� provide great shine and enhance your hair color, without any harsh chemicals!

• 1-2 Tbsp herbs (rosemary or nettle for dark hair, chamomile for blonds, Red Zinger tea for redheads)
• 2-4 cups hot water

Boil water and steep herbs or tea for at least 10 minutes. If you are working with loose ingredients, make sure to strain seeds, leaves, or pods before use; you can do this by pouring the mixture through a colander or square of cheesecloth, or simply by skimming off the materials with a fork or spoon. Wash and condition hair, then pour the herbal rinse over your tresses. (Make sure water is cool enough to use without scalding your scalp.) Let sit for 10 to 15 minutes and rinse away over your sink, then style as usual.

Honey Hair Rinse

Imparts super shine, helps set hair for boisterous curls, and even a great anti-frizz agent!

• 1 Tbsp honey
• 2-4 cups warm water

Mix ingredients in a bowl or measuring cup, making sure the honey is fully dissolved into the water. Pour mixture over hair and allow it to soak in for 5 or 6 minutes, then detangle and style hair as usual. Do not rinse out unless your hair feels sticky; this means you need to use less honey and more water next time.

These homemade hair rinse recipes can help you save time, money, and even worries about unhealthy beauty product additives, since all of these ingredients are at your local grocer’s, and some of them are probably in your ‘fridge already—so why not give a natural hair rinse or two a spin? Check back and let us know your results!

Take care of yourselves,

PerfectLocks

Of all the different hair types, Type 1 hair may seem like the simplest and easiest to manage. It’s straight, right? No problem. Yet any woman with Type 1 hair knows better. Super-straight locks may be easy to wash and go, but can be difficult to style creatively—or so people think! Straight hairstyles come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors. Why not experiment to find your fit?

• Go long! Classic, stick-straight, Pocahontas-style lengths can work for almost any woman. Extensions are a great way to achieve this kind of look, without waiting for hair to grow out; they can also add volume.

• Play with scissors. Layered hair styles, short bobs, fractured hair cuts, and short styles can all work for straight hair, depending on thickness and body. In general, thicker tresses call for more layers and can pull off more versatile, traditional shorter cuts, while layering or chopping finer locks is best for an edgier, punk-rocker look. Again, human hair extensions can help you achieve layers, and even short looks, without actually cutting your own hair.

• Rock the bangs. Natural or clip-on bangs add a playful note to your profile, and can be worn straight across the eyes or swept aside. This trend has been really hot on red carpets of late!

• Flip out. No style was ever more suited for straight hair than the flip. This timeless silhouette works whether you wear your hair medium length, extra-long, or even cropped short, as it showcases the hair’s straightness while still adding just a hint of a bend in the ends, for contrast.

• Cue the color. If you’d rather not experiment with layered hair styles or cuts, then stick to one-length straight hairstyles, but spice them up with color! Apply a clear gloss to make tresses extra radiant, or piece in highlights or lowlights to give your hair the appearance of depth and layers without sacrificing any length. You can even try horizontal stripes of color, for a funky, yet trim-free, look.

Revved up about straight hairstyles yet? Then get going! Style it, profile it, and turn heads!

Take care of yourselves,

PerfectLocks

At work, shopping, or clubbing, makeup meltdown is no fun. The streaky or even shiny look of sweated- or worn-off makeup wastes all the hours you’ve spent expertly applying lipstick, eye shadow, and blush. And even though some cosmetic brands promise “long wear� or to last “forever�, reality doesn’t always match the commercials. So what’s a girl to do? Try these six simple how-to makeup tricks for getting your cosmetics to go on and stay on for hours and hours, no matter what the setting:

Apply primer or moisturizer FIRST. Not only does this prevent makeup from seeping too deeply into pores, it also provides a smooth base for applying all your other cosmetics, from foundation to concealers to pigments. Use lip balm to achieve the same effect on lips.

Use liquid formulas for many makeup applications. The process of drying “sets� the product on your face, somewhat like setting lotion does for your hair. Liquid eyeliners and lip stains give a lasting, defined, and modern look, while stain blushes seldom melt and impart a softer, glowing-from-within profile.

“Sandwich� wetter products between layers of drier ones. Apply eye shadow before liner, foundation or concealer before blush, and lip pencil—coloring in the whole lip—before lipstick, stain, or gloss. The drier product helps the wetter one “grip� the skin and keeps it from sliding off, without clogging pores.

Mist your face with a bit of water AFTER completing your look. It sounds insane, but it works. Hold a travel-size spray bottle of plain water about 6-7 inches from your face, and lightly mist your look with a few sprays of water. You’ll immediately see the colors grow more intense, and once the water dries, you’ll have a much longer-lasting makeup application.

Finish off with powder makeup. Set your look with translucent powder, preferably loose powder makeup, so that you don’t smear your creation or add any extra color. If you use the water trick above, dust on powder while your face is still slightly damp.

Experiment with product brands. Not all high-end makeup brands come through on their long-wear promises. Sometimes, the brand that costs $1 at the beauty supply last longer than the expensive, makeup-counter brand—and sometimes, it doesn’t. Try out different product lines, and don’t be afraid to mix them up for best results.

Now you should be ready to face the world, whether for a romantic weekend getaway, a girl’s night out, or just relaxing, with the knowledge that the face you show won’t go anywhere until you want it to.

Take care of yourselves,

PerfectLocks