What is it: A method of deep conditioning.

How to do it: Apply conditioner to wet or dry hair. Cover with wet towel and plastic cap. Sit under a steamer, heat cap or additional hot towel. Use with a deep conditioner to moisturize and strengthen the hair.

Benefits: Hair is more moisturized and softer. Curls become more defined.

How it Works: The steam heat raises the cuticle and allows the conditioner to penetrate easier.

Ready to start steaming? Here are some options:

For serious steamers - check out a stand alone professional steamer. They usually run around $200 but you may be able to find a deal on Ebay or Craigslist. It's actually a pretty good investment if you have a house full of women or have a small salon.

For the occasional steamer - try to locate a salon in your area that uses steam treatments or pick up a table top steamer or steam cap for home use.

Not sure yet?? Create a makeshift steam treatment but covering head with a hot wet towel, plastic cap and sit under a dryer and see how you like it!

Hope this helps! As always, you can find more tips at Healthy Textures or on our Social Network (over 3800 members to date).

So, we are now in the middle of July and I actually wanted to toss a question out to the readers...

What are some of your Hits and Misses for the month so far??

What products have been working for you and what products have been a big fat ole' miss?

Hits

Revisited Hit - Palmer's Cocoa Butter lotion. Not hair related but makes my skin nice and soft

Nexxus Therappe - Slowly growing on me. Smells like coconuts and makes my hair very soft.

Nexxus Humectress - Growing on me too. The smell is fantastic and leaves my hair very soft and smooth.

Revisited Hit - Braidouts for the summer. I haven't done these since I was a teen. I forgot how much I love this style.

Misses

Phytopolleine Scalp Serum - Way too expensive for such a small bottle and I didnt notice that much difference!

How about you all?

Hi everyone! Here is a video tutorial on a simple braid out. I made small single braids and let them dry over night. There are two parts to the tutorial. I hope this is helpful!

Part I of the Braid Out Tutorial

Product: Honeysuckle Rose Moisturizing Conditioner
Price: around $ 8-9 for 11 fl. oz.
Company: Aubrey Organics

Promises (from the bottle):

'Trade those dry, thirsty tresses for vibrant, touchably soft hair with this moisture-intensive conditioner. Restorative herbal emollients detangle and rehydrate to leave hair ultra-silky and irresistibly fragrant. Also recommended for bleached or highlighted hair'.

Instructions:

Shake well before using. After shampooing, apply to damp hair and work through, concentrating on the ends. Leave on for 1 to 2 minutes, then rinse. For deep conditioning: Apply to dry hair and distribute from scalp to ends. Leave on for 15 minutes, then shampoo and condition hair as usual.

Long gone are the days when we had to fear the pool or the ocean. You can swim, enjoy the summer and have a neat hair do' in the morning. Here are five easy tips for a happy day at the beach!

1. Before heading out, apply a dime size amount of leave-in conditioner (preferably ones with sunscreen built in) to your hair in small sections. A liquid leave-in conditioner in a spray bottle might be the easiest to apply.

2. Try and keep your hair up and under a hat or scarf for as long as possible. This will help protect your hair and scalp from the sun.

3. Go for a swim!

4. If possible, at least try to rinse out the chlorine or sea water. If not possible, cover hair with hat or scarf until your return home. Then, wash and condition with a super moisturizing shampoo and conditioner. If you can leave the conditioner on for 20 minutes, that would be great!

5. Apply a moisturizer. Braid hair is small, uniform sections and let air dry overnight. In the morning, undo braids, separate curls for a nice textured look! Here is a picture of what my hair looks like the next morning.

Hope this help! For more tips and techniques, join me at www.healthytextures.com and on my social network at www.healthytextures.ning.com.

Product: Therappe Luxury Moisturizing Shampoo & Humectress Ultimate Moisturizing Conditioner
Price: around $10-13 for 13.5 fl. oz. of each (shampoo and conditioner)
Company: Nexxus

Promises:

Therappe® Luxury Moisturizing Shampoo restores and maintains vital moisture needed for dry, brittle hair to be naturally soft, pliable and radiantly healthy. Encapsulated Lipids, Avocado Oil and Polysaccharides attach to hair to bind moisture and provide time released hydration. Lively whipped bubbles along with a nourishing Botanical blend of Allantoin, Chamomile, Rosemary, Nettle and Nature's own gentle cleanser, Soapbark, adds incredible softness. These unique ingredients and lubricating emollients linger in the hair long after the super rich lather is gone. You will notice the difference in just one shampoo.

Humectress® Ultimate Moisturzing Conditioner uses technologically advanced NexxuSpheres® to deliver moisturizing Lipids and soothing Emollients into the innermost structure of the hair throughout the day. This unique process preserves the vital moisture balance necessary for hair to be incredibly smooth, pliable and velvety with a natural lustre. Rich in Polysaccharides and Triglycerides, it dramatically improves elasticity, eliminates static electricty and protects against damaging UV rays. Humectress is the ultimate hair moisturizer for results you can see and feel.

Q: Hi Gennifer, I want to start taking better care of my hair at home but I have no idea which products to buy. I have no idea where to start and am thinking about giving up. Please help!

A. Finding the right products for your hair can be quite frustrating. My advice to you is:

1) Start with your stylist. Usually, he or she will have a few product lines in their salon. Ask to try a new line of products each time and talk to them while they are styling your hair. Ask you stylist what they like or dislike about the product. Also, make your own observations - does your hair seem to tangle more? Did it feel softer or more moisturized in the end?

If you like it, make a note. If you don't, you know now to stay away from that product. And if they say a line will not work for you, trust them. Most likely, they have tried that product on a similar hair texture before with poor results.

Product: Phytopolleine
Price: around $ 34 for .84 fl. oz.
Company: Phyto

Promises:

Phytopolleine is a 100 percent natural Botanical Scalp Treatment for weak, anemic, slightly thinning hair and dry or oily scalp. Essential oils cleanse, purely and balance the scalp stimulating the hair bulb. A 'must' for regular maintenance and a healthy scalp.

Instructions:

Apply once or twice a week to dry scalp at least 20 minutes before shampooing or leave overnight for maximum effect. For best results, use over a 4 month period.

Ingredients:

Essential plant oils (including cajeput, lemon, rosemary, sage and cypress)

Hi everyone! Here is a short little guide to help you determine your face structure and choose a hairstyle that works for you! Hope this helps! As always, for more tips and techniques, join me at Healthytextures.com :)

Let's face it...wedding hair can be expensive! The average bride spends between $100 and $1,100 on her hair alone. Here are a few tips to help you save a few bucks on your way to the altar.

1) Need some advice or inspiration? Forget spending hundreds on magazine subscriptions. Check wedding and hair forums for style inspirations and guidance. It's a great way to meet other brides and exchange questions and suggestions. Wedding blogs can also provide you with tops of tips, links and advice from a real people who are going through the same process.

2) Check You-tube and Expert Village for hairstyling tutorials and unique techniques. These videos can help you walk through styling trouble spots or will just provide a great visual aid to learn new styles. If your find a style you like, keep practicing each week until its second nature.

Q. How can I have longer hair??

A. Well, having longer hair really consists of two things. The first is maximizing/promoting growth and the second is retaining length. Here are the absolute basics to growing longer stronger hair.

To maximize or promote growth, I would suggest:

1) Eat a protein rich diet and lots of fruits and veggies to ensure you are growing strong healthy hair.

2) Keep your body healthy and hydrated by drinking at least 64 oz of water a day and exercising at least 3-5 times a week.

3) Massage the scalp at night with a drop or two of essential oils to help stimulate the hair follicles. Make sure to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep each night.

4) Take a Hair, Skin and Nails vitamin to help supplement your diet. These vitamins are available at your local drugstore or health food store.

Gotta love the summer heat! Yes, it's hot. Yes, it's sticky. Yes, the last thing you want to do it spend hours in the salon or under a hood dryer. So, instead of subjecting yourself to more heat torture, let's focus on a few ways to keep your hair healthy and help you stay cool in the process.

Keep it Clean

With the intense heat, our bodies tend to perspire a lot more. As our bodies sweat, so does our scalp. This makes the hair look and feel "dirty" more often. So, during the summer, it might be best to increase the number of washes from once a week to two or three times a week and allow it to air-dry. No need to shampoo each time, just use a dollop of conditioner and rinse.This will help keep the scalp clear of excess sweat and dirt.

Keep it Simple

The humid summer heat is not the time for elaborate hair dos. Roller set and flexed set curls will drop very easily and/or frizz up with the increase in moisture in the air. So, why not work with nature? Try and find the easiest hair style to maintain. Something that will allow you to hit the pool and beach without having worry about styling or maintenance.

Braids,weaves, cornrows are a great option. Just keep it simple and enjoy the summer. You deserve a break!

Product: Intense Nutrition Shampoo and Conditioner
Price: around $24 for 5.07 fl. Oz (shampoo) and $28 6.75 fl.oz (conditioner)
Company: PhytoSpecific

Promises:

Intense Nutrition Shampoo:

A genuine regenerating plant-derived bath for hair and scalp, this creamy conditioning haircare shampoo meets the needs of hair that is naturally ultra-dry or which has been damaged or excessive or ill-suited treatments. Rich in Kukui and Macadamia oils, it blends into the hair to hydrate and nourish it deep-down. A cocktail of 4 plants, combined with essential wax of Mimoisa, Panthenol and Wheat proteins, strengthens the hair shaft and makes the hair easier to detangle. Supple, soft and shiny, your hair regains visible radiance.

So, you would love to work out more often but have NO idea what to do with your hair! I've come up with a few tips that should help!

Dilemma A: You want no fuss hair that's easy to care for. You don't care about growing long hair, as long as it is healthy.

Opt for a short style that allows you to wash and dry overnight and with minimal heat. Hair can easily be washed and wrapped overnight, with a light flat ironing for a wispy pixie look in the morning.

Dilemma B: You want no fuss hair but enough length to pull up into a ponytail.

Opt for a nice bob cut. They are the perfect length for easy styling and you still have enough length to experiment with different styles. Bob cuts can be wet wrapped, "flexi-rodded" or roller set. During work outs, slick back into ponytail and cover hairline with a cotton headband.