Unassigned
Dear Sarah: The summer weather has been great, but all the sun has really dried my hair out. Any home recipes I could whip up to add some moisture back into my tired locks?
Dear Oldie Locks,
As a card-carrying member of the Hair Club for Women with Dry and Brittle Tresses, I’m willing to try just about anything, even – get this – mayonnaise, which is said to add essential oils and moisture back into your frazzled mane just by leaving in a single coat for anywhere from 10 minutes to an hour, before shampooing and rinsing. That’s probably the most economical way to go, if a little messy and, um, gross. But, hey, at least you can finally do something with that jar of mayo that’s been taking up space in your otherwise spare fridge.
Another favorite home remedy that I can personally endorse is what I like to call, “beer hair.” Yes, it’s exactly how it sounds. Who hasn’t been out at a bar and had a beer accidentally dumped on their head? Ever notice how shiny and manageable your hair is the next day? OK, so that’s not the recommended dose. Experts say you should put beer in a spray bottle and mist your hair with the sudsy stuff, then dry it as usual. Shiny, soft, bouncy tresses are the result, sans the barroom stench, which vanishes quicker than your killer hangover.
Other DIY hair treatments include making pastes out of mashing together bananas and avocados that you’re supposed to leave in your hair for 15 minutes or so, or mixing egg whites and water, but we’d rather save that for good old-fashioned food fights. So, instead, I’m partial to using oils to re-hydrate my over-processed, over-worked, over-exposed hair. Aromatherapy oils work nicely for this – lavender and sandalwood are among some popular ones. I’ve even used vitamin E oil to control flyways, but please use it very sparingly.
Speaking of oils, while this isn’t a home remedy, it’s something we’ve been hearing is a miracle-worker for very damaged hair: Moroccanoil. My best friend, and a fellow hair whore, has been swearing by this, urging that it completely changed the texture of her tired tresses this summer which had been through more than a few rounds of color treatments. Read more about it here.
This probably goes without saying, but shampooing everyday is the easiest way to dry your hair out—that’s why lovely shower caps were invented. For those off days you’re not shampooing, run some conditioner through your hair again in the shower and rinse it out. I guarantee you’ll notice a difference.
If you’ve got a hair remedy that you think others can benefit from, shoot me an email at sarah@cheekychicago.com.
Dear Sarah: I’d love to take my boyfriend to a wine tasting for fun. Do you know of any good places that offer them where it doesn’t cost a fortune?
Dear Wino,
Is free affordable enough? Landmark Grill and Lounge kicks off its new monthly wine tasting series on Wednesday, Nov. 19, from 7-8:30 p.m. And it costs you nothing! They’re pairing four different kinds of wines with select items from its small bites buffet (think gourmet cheeses, seasonal fruits, flatbreads and wild mushroom bruschetta) and – talk about a twist on the typical – each of the pairings matches up with a Guns N’ Roses tune. So even if your boyfriend’s not much of a oenophile himself, at least he’ll enjoy the music. The pairings include: “Sweet Child of Mine” with Dr. Pauly; “November Rain” with Chateau Beauregard Ducasse; “Welcome to the Jungle” with Cabernet Sauvignon: 2003 20 Bench; and “Patience” with Sauternes: 2001 Dudon.
