Hair vitamins and hair loss

I’ve  heard that a womans hair changes every 7 years. It can become thicker, thinner, more brittle, curlier, less curly, etc. For me, that is definitely true. When I was a little girl, I had really straight, straight hair, then in middle school when puberty hit my hair became really wavy, dense and uncontrollably frizzy. Since high school, my hair has traded off being wavy-dry and brittle- healthy, thicker and now- longer, slightly thinner and less dense. 

Our texture can change for many reasons, but most of all it can be blamed plain and simply on stress and hormones. But if you have had a baby, a surgery, an illness, a weight gain/loss, started a new medication/ stopped a medication, suffered trauma, change of diet or any major change in atmosphere, you can expect that your hair might have a slight fit over it. 

What I can suggest is always do preventative measures for hair loss. Eat a healthy, high protein diet to ensure we are getting all the vitamins necessary for healthy hair. Salmon is your hairs best friend- eat lots of it!! Take an additional vitamin daily, like biotin, for hair, skin and nails. Collagen vitamins or protein powders are also amazing! In my experience Viviscal, a supplement specifically for the hair on your head, has worked wonders! My skin had some breakouts the first few weeks I started taking it but after that my body got used to it and I stopped having a reaction. I noticed a huge difference in my hair density and length because of these vitamins! I highly recommend them. I first discovered them when a client of my (with already a ton of hair) came in and she had SO MUCH more, heavy hair!! I asked her what she was doing and she told me she had been on Viviscal for a few months. 

You may also have an iron deficiency!   Having low iron can trigger hair loss and taking an iron supplement may be what you need. I used a tincture from Whole Foods and its not taste the best but was bare-able. Like everything else in life- consultancy is how you are going to see results. You will not start to notice an results until about month 3, so just hang in there! 

I believe hair-loss is all internal, however there are a few topical treatments and shampoo’s you can also use to help density the hair you do have. Nioxin seems to be a choice for a few of my clients, however Nioxin does not help with new growth. It simply helps keep the hair you do already have and maintains a clear and healthy scalp so it’s a good environment for new hair to grow in. 

In November of last year I suffered with the sudden loss of my mother. The shock and stress to my body caused me to lose hair around 5-8 months after. My ponytail has become so thin but I am hopeful and do see new hair growing in. I just have to wait for those hairs to get longer before I’ll feel more density again. I am currently switching off between a thinning hair shampoo made by ColorProof and my regular shampoo for strength. I have also just finished Viviscals thinning hair shampoo and it made my hair felt okay after that too. 

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Wishing everyone a happy hair day and that they meet their #hairgoals 

Dry Shampoo

Let’s face it- dry shampoo is one of our beauty MUST HAVES. If you don’t like using it- you’ve probably used a cheap version of dry shampoo that did noting but make your hair feel more heavy and still felt dirty. Well, I’m here to tell you to give it another try! Invest in a great dry shampoo and you’ll be able to extend your style another day (or two...)

My biggest tip is to apply dry shampoo BEFORE oil forms!! If you’re oily on day 2, apply your dry shampoo at night before bed at the end of day 1. If you shampoo at night, apply dry shampoo the next morning. That way your scalp will stop over producing oil for what you are washing away. My favorite dry shampoo for light hair that is bleached is Bumble and bumble’s pret-a-powder dry shampoo because it doesn’t have alcohol in it!! Work out and have to wash your hair???
If you are active and build up some sweat I suggest to blow dry your hair dry after your workout, then apply dry shampoo. It is not going to feel the most clean but the dry shampoo will absorb oil and make it feel more fresh. Throw your hair up in a top knot or a sleeker low pony and rock your hair one more day rather than applying more heat and styling tools. 

I do also believe there is such a thing as OVER doing dry shampoo. With that you might end up with clogged pores on your scalp and that will create an unhealthy scalp environment for hair to grow. I suggest no more than 4 days for a healthy scalp and ends.

Also keep in mind dry shampoos are NOT the same as a dry texturizing spray. Texturing sprays have finer powders to expand hair to create volume. They don’t work to refresh or deodorize hair. BTW did you know Oribe has a febreze for hair? Yes, it’s called oribe cote d'azur! It works the same way as febreze where it neutralizes odor and deposits a nice perfume scent in. It will even help remove cigarette smoke or bon fire smoke. Amazing!


Here are some of my favorite dry shampoos. 

Alcohol free, loose powder dry shampoo. Great for fine or bleached hair. Best used on medium brown hair and lighter.

Alcohol free, loose powder dry shampoo. Great for fine or bleached hair. Best used on medium brown hair and lighter.

Universal dry shampoo for all hair types. Very absorbant!

Universal dry shampoo for all hair types. Very absorbant!

A favorite from some of my clients!

A favorite from some of my clients!

A good alternative if you are looking to go the clean route for beauty products

A good alternative if you are looking to go the clean route for beauty products

Hair febreze!

Hair febreze!

Mexico City

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México City!

Mexico holds a dear place in my heart. Everything about this vibrant country makes me happy: the colorful buildings, tropical plants, culture, and history. The cuisine in particular, is my favorite! Not only is it so flavorful, but so much time and effort goes into making what seem to be a “simple” dishes. The hard working people at every age range leave me feeling inspired and very grateful. 

I had a short but sweet extended weekend getaway  in Mexico City. Here were some of my highlights and helpful tips!!


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To stay: Roma. This district was so beautiful and bohemian. There were plenty of amazing looking boutique hotels but we went the affordable route and stayed at the Four Points Sheraton. It was centrally located to a ton of chic cocktail bars and delicious eateries. Totally clean and comfy, we enjoyed our stay. 

Roma.

Roma.

Maybe next time I’ll save up a little more and stay at this dreamy boutique hotel, Nima Local House. http://nimalocalhousehotel.com

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Favorite Site: Xochimilco!

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Xochimilco is located about 45 minutes from Mexico City. A simple $10 Uber ride will get you there! Make sure to input Embarcadero Nuevo Nativitas as the destination because thats where the boats dock from. Xochimilco is perfect for an afternoon of relaxing on a private gonadala like boat down the gritty canals.

TIP: be prepared! A two hour boat ride will cost around  $26 American dollars. Bring plenty of snacks and booze! Its pretty easy to flag down a vendor,  I had a refreshing michilada! Also bring a portable speaker to make your ride more enjoyable with some of your favorite music. 

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Favorite bite: Al Pastor tacos from El Huequito!

El Huequito claims to be the original vendor/ creator of al pastor(marinated pork). It was brought over by Lebanese immigrants and they used their cooking style techniques with Mexican spices and meats. We didn’t go to the original location (which I hear is the best one) because it wasn’t ever convenient  for us but luckily there are three locations. It was by far the best al pastor tacos I’ve ever had! Order the especial- 8 corn tortillas with a mountain of al pastor, cheese and guac! 

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Another favorite bite: The guava and cheese pastry from Panderilla. If I could have this every morning I for sure would. Has a Los Angeles native, I can confidently say- Porto’s has nothinggg on this pastry. Just as delicious was their ham and cheese croissant. It was so flakey and buttery and tasted maybe even better than the ones I ate in France. https://www.bonappetit.com/city-guides/mexico-city/venue/rosetta-panaderia-rosetta

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Guava and cheese pastry.

Guava and cheese pastry.

Churro sampler from El Moro for my sweet tooth cravings!

Churro sampler from El Moro for my sweet tooth cravings!

Mexico City is one of the food capitals of the world with tons of amazing restaurants!

However my trip was planned a little on the last minute side (5 weeks prior to departure) so all of those famous restaurants had zero availability when trying to book. Next time I’ll visit Pujol, Rosetta and Azul Histórico along with some cheap eats like Tacos Joven, El Visito and Taqueria el abanico.

Don’t forget to stop at some historic sites as well. Some highlights Casa Azul: Frida Kahlo’s house, her dresses and corsets were so impressive. Museum of anthropology, I was in awe of the Mayan ruins! So much detail in all of their work.

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Casa Azul.

Casa Azul.

More tips:

There’s a ton of traffic! Some locations we wanted to visit were only 2-4 miles away but it would take forever to get there because of all the crazy traffic. It would be ideal to plan out all your stops for each neighborhood. 

“Do you have a reservation?” is CDMX’s way of saying “are you on the list?” Every attempt we tried for swanky rooftops or trendy bars asked us this question. We weren’t aware of this so we skipped a few of the nighttime hotspots. 

Breakfast at Masala y Maiz.

Breakfast at Masala y Maiz.

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Until next time, Mexico! Besos!

Until next time, Mexico! Besos!

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