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The No-Poo Method is an old movement that continues to evolve and gain popularity; celebrities, vloggers, and even hair stylists alike are jumping on the shampoo-shunning bandwagon. The most unlikely people are ditching their suds–folks with oily hair. So why would anyone choose to stop shampooing their strands? It comes down to training your hair. There have been claims that if you wash your hair less often you can actually train your hair to be less greasy. 

There have been claims that if you wash your hair less often you can actually train your hair to be less greasy.

The theory is based on the idea that shampoo creates a supply-and-demand relationship: It strips the hair of sebum (that oily substance that helps hydrate hair, as well as ward off bacteria and wetness”>. In order to compensate, our scalps produce too much of it, which in turn creates that grimy, dull, and greasy coating on our hair. Also, overusing styling products will weigh wave and curls down, in addition to unnecessary hair handling, which transfers oils from your fingertips to your hair.

No-pooing claims that, in order to get hair back to its most natural and purest state, you have to wean your locks off the sudsy, sulfate packed product. This often proves to be a painful process, particularly for the fine-haired wavy and curly flock. Complete with itchy scalps, vinegar rinses, obsessive hair brushing and slick-looking strands. “Your scalp produces oils at a constant rate, regardless of how often you wash your hair,” says Pantene Senior Scientist Jeni Thomas.

Fine hair generally gets oilier quicker since there’s simply more of it. Its small diameter means you have more strands hanging out on your head. And since each hair follicle produces oil, the more hair you have, the more oil you crank out.

Fine hair generally gets oilier quicker since there’s simply more of it.

Liz Cunnane, a trichologist at the Philip Kingsley Clinic in New York City, has done extensive research on the topic at their New York and London clinics. She found that healthy hair is a result of a healthy, which includes a clean scalp. “Fine hair will always look better when it is freshly washed,” she says. “It will always have more body and movement when clean.”

But what if you have a thick or more textured hair type? “You will not need to shampoo daily, but you must remember that the process of shampooing and conditioning is important because it reintroduces moisture to the hair,” says Cunnane.

If your hair is fine, oily, and wavy or curly, try one of these co-washes in place of your shampoo:

• Pantene Pro-V Truly Natural Co-Wash Cleansing Conditioner, $4.99
• Mop Top Clarifying Rescue Treatment, $9.99
• Follicleanse OS Conditioner, $20 
• SheaMoisture African Black Soap Balancing Conditioner, $9.99

To sum it up

Even though you cannot fool Mother Nature when it comes to taming your fine hair’s oil production, there are some tricks of the trade to keep limp, greasy locks at bay. Cunnane suggests using a shampoo that gently cleanses and adds body and contains certain ingredients, such as copolymer (for surface volume and aid in controlling flyaways”>, natural cellulose (to thicken texture”> and keratin protein (to strengthen and improve fullness”>.

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We’ve all heard it said that confidence is sexy. And you see it in action all time time. Surely each of us has fallen under the spell of a certain someone who exuded an irresistibly confident air, or watched a friend work her magic at a bar and wondered what it is that makes her such a guy magnet.

“Attractiveness is not measured completely objectively,” writes Art Markman, Ph.D., YouBeauty’s Psychology Advisor. “We judge people’s physical attractiveness by many factors including their actual body type and facial structure, the way they carry themselves, the way they dress, the social energy they project and the way they engage with us. Most of these factors are completely under your control. Anyone can project her beauty to others. It all starts with confidence.”

Great. Unless you lack confidence in the first place.

“If you struggle with confidence, it’s more difficult to feel good about yourself in many ways, including seeing yourself as sexy,” says YouBeauty Self-Image Expert Heather Quinlan. “If you don’t see yourself as sexy, it’s unlikely that you’ll feel sexy and project that self-image to others.”

While we can get the flowing hair, the perfect pout, the alluring fashions that are the hallmarks of sexiness, the ultimate accessory can’t be bought. Fortunately, it can be faked.

“Carrying yourself confidently (standing up straight, eyes forward, smiling”>, looking people in the eye and speaking clearly can convey confidence, even if you don’t truly feel that way, and may actually help you feel more sincerely confident,” says Quinlan.

Markman contends that confidence is a self-fulfilling prophecy. Pretend that you’ve got it and you’ll start to believe you do. And believing in yourself is the crux of the matter. He says, “If you walk with confidence that you don’t feel, if you speak clearly when you want to whisper, if you look life in the eye when you want to look away, then the world will respond to your actions.” And so will you. In the same way that putting on a happy face can actually make you feel happier, striking a confident pose can make you feel more confident in a very real way. A 2010 study by Harvard and Columbia University researchers found that after assuming a dominant stance for just one minute, volunteers reported feeling more powerful and in charge. There was a physiological response as well: They saw a decrease in the stress hormone cortisol, and a surge of testosterone, the hormone most associated with dominance.

“Your external world is a manifestation of your internal world,” says orthopedic surgeon Ken Hansraj, M.D. “It is well known that when human beings and animals feel optimized internally they manifest power by presenting good posture. This study reveals that the reverse is true as well. Get into good postures and then you can control your internal neurochemistry and the way you feel. This internally-based confidence leads to better productivity, sense of well-being, state of physical being and finally sexuality.” In his book, “Keys to an Amazing Life: Secrets of the Cervical Spine,” Hansraj argues that good posture—ears aligned with shoulders, shoulder blades retracted—is directly related to finding emotional and physical love.

The confidence question doesn’t end there, though. Once you’ve made a connection, the feedback loop to feeling confident can help you engage more fully and with greater satisfaction than you may be naturally inclined to. “People who have a poor body image or feel uncomfortable in their own skin often say that they’re self-conscious with intimacy,” Quinlan reports. “They may feel embarrassed or awkward being naked in front of another person and have trouble focusing on anything other than unhappiness with their own body.”

Manhattan sex therapist Stephen Snyder, M.D., points out that unlike men, who are generally turned on by outside stimuli, women get turned on by the idea that they are irresistible. What he calls “self-related cues” are an integral part of a woman’s sexuality. “As any sex therapist will attest, for a woman to feel good about sex often requires that she like how she feels in her jeans,” he says.

So should you fake it in the bedroom? That is, fake confidence? “Better to find something to delight you,” says Snyder, “such as a scent or an outfit that pleases you. Something you feel relaxed in.” And your partner can help you, too, he says, “by desiring you truly and honestly, and letting you know it.”

MORE: Test Your Confidence With the Self-Esteem Quiz

Confidence and power (not booty and cup size”> are the two attributes that came up again and again when we asked 11 guys to tell us about their top celebrity crushes. Browse through their responses to see what sexy really means.

Nowadays, the photos you most often see of sports stars, celebs, and even the President of the Free World are as likely to be a product of their own index fingers as a lengthy portrait-and-Photoshop session.

Facebook and Instagram feeds are littered with #selfie tags of friends and strangers, sometimes in various states of undress (or at funerals“>. And, as evidenced by the fact the word “selfie” has been named the 2013 word of the year by the Oxford Dictionaries, like it or loathe it, the informal self-portrait cluttering your Instagram feed seems to be here for the long haul.

Part of the reason for its popularity is that those smiling, slightly off-center images of your giddy grin may actually enhance your self-esteem. Research from the University of Indiana found that the way we project ourselves on social media can actually make us feel better about ourselves, precisely because we’re the ones in charge.

The study didn’t focus specifically on selfies—rather on how we project ourselves on social media—but found that when we can control our image, we feel better about what we see than we would if we simply looked in a mirror. “Because we have the time to choose how we present ourselves online, our presentations are a bit ‘better,’ ” explains co-author Amy Gonzales, Ph.D., an assistant professor at Indiana University.

At first glance, that makes sense: After all, when you’re the photographer and star of a selfie session, no one’s saying that you can’t take 10 or 20 shots in order to get the perfect image. There’s no film wasted, no one rolling his eyes because you want to take just one or two more, and a quick click of the delete button makes it impossible for anyone to see the outtakes.

And once you’ve finally found a perfect pic, you have a fun, flattering photo to share with your friends—and your “friends”—without any of them knowing how hard it was to produce. But as anyone who’s eagerly refreshed her phone in the quest for Instagram hearts and Facebook likes knows, it’s rarely that simple.

MORE: What is Instagram Doing to Our Self Esteem?

Protect Your Self(ie”>-Esteem

Before you snap a shot, check in and ask why you’re taking this particular photo, suggests Ellen Kenner, Ph.D., a psychologist in Rhode Island. “If you love the way you look one day, or are in a playful mood and want to capture it for yourself as a memory, or share it with friends and family, there is something fun and self-valuing in that,” she says, and your friends and family will enjoy seeing you genuinely happy or excited. The problem, she explains, occurs when you’re waiting for feedback from others. If you spend the next 20 minutes furiously clicking refresh, or wishing specific people commented, then it could be a sign that you’re overly dependent on external feedback to determine your inner happiness. “All the selfies in the world won’t replace genuine self-esteem,” reminds Kenner.

“A lot of energy goes into a selfie, especially if you’re the type of person in the habit of taking them all the time,” warns Jaime Kulaga, Ph.D., a psychologist in Tampa. “An occasional selfie is part of being on social media, but more than a few may signify an underlying confidence issue.”

Selfie-taking can be harmless fun. But if you’re spending over an hour a day related to your selfie-behavior (including the two-minute checks to see if anyone responded, because they add up quickly”>, warns New York psychologist Alice Boyes, Ph.D., or if you find yourself seeking out situations (or outfits”> because they might look good on Instagram and garner an outpouring of feedback, then it could be a good sign to dial back a bit.

QUIZ: Test Your Self-Esteem

Live First, Shoot Later

That’s especially true if your selfie-taking is habitual rather than a way to chronicle meaningful moments, like visiting a historical site or showing off your new pixie cut.

Spend too much time pulling a duck face at the lens or putting every hair in place and not only are you wasting time, you’re also missing out on the spontaneity and imperfections that are part of making memories. Windswept hair, spiky eyebrows, a funny facial expression … part of the reason candids are so much fun is that they’re less than perfect. The windswept hair? A reminder of what you accomplished on that six-hour hike. And the spiky eyebrows can instantly bring back the feeling of just getting out of a pool on a hot August day.

If you do find yourself frequently taking selfies just because, try to at least tone down the pre-shoot prep, just to see how it feels. Post the first (or, okay, the second”> picture you take, then turn off your notifications so you won’t be compelled to count the “likes” as they roll in—or lament if they don’t. That way, you’re minimizing your focus on the attention you receive from the photo, and making it more about how you feel in the moment.

Ready to step up your less-is-more approach? Try limiting your sharing—at least for a bit. Instead of immediately posting, keep them on your phone to look at later, or just send them to a best friend or significant other. The more you take away the “insta” part of Instagram posting, the more meaning it will have when you do choose to share this glimpse into your world.  Says Kulaga, “Like the saying goes, it’s all about creating a life that feels good on the inside, not a life that only looks good on the outside.”

MORE: 3 Steps to Better Body Confidence

PHOTO COURTESY OF OP_PO_SITES_ATTRACT ON INSTAGRAM

9 Celebrities Who Got Pixie Cuts in 2013

Are Ponytails Bad for Your Hair?

The Scientist

Temitayo Ogunleye, M.D., a dermatologist and assistant professor at the University of Pennsylvania

The Answer

Ponytails are convenient and useful, but in general, women should treat their hair gently.

You shouldn’t feel like you’re giving yourself a mini-facelift every time you pull your hair back. Tight ponytails yank on the delicate hairs at the front of the scalp. These strands are the most susceptible to damage by traction (pulling”> and over time they can fall out.

This hair loss is temporary—but only at first. If you’re addicted to ponies (ponytails, that is, not adorable little horses”>, especially if you like them tight, or always wear them in the same spot on your head, you put yourself at risk of permanent loss around the hairline.

As many women experience with cornrows and weaves, constant traction can cause inflammation around the hair follicle, which can eventually damage the follicle itself and rob it of the ability to regrow new hair.

It’s a good idea to vary up the location of your ponytail—high, low, crown, side—to keep from abusing the same hairs in the same way, over and over. Even if you don’t damage the hair at the roots, you can break the shafts where the fastener rests day after day.

As far as what kinds of ponytail holders to use, the most important thing is to have a fabric covering over the rubber of your rubber band, to decrease snags. If the elastic becomes exposed, toss it and use a new one. Flat ribbon elastics are popular these days and might benefit your hair by distributing the tension more than traditional hair ties.

Finally, if your ponytail feels too tight, it probably is. They say beauty is pain, but too much tugging on your scalp irritates nerves and can cause headaches. That’s not pretty, no matter how good your top knot looks.

MORE:  Healthy Hair Quiz 

PHOTO COURTESY OF CURLYNIKKI

Sad fact: Many cosmetic brands still test on animals. And specifically, rabbits have historically been used to test new mascaras to determine if they will be safe on humans.

The Draize eye test was developed way back in the 40s as a way to ensure that consumer products (especially cosmetics like mascara”> are gentle enough and won’t irritate or cause any damage to human eyes. But not only does this process subject our furry friends to unnecessary harm, it’s also time-consuming and expensive. Both animals and humans alike benefit from better testing methods that cut critters out of the equation.

And now for the good news: A new test is being developed right now that’s effective in vetting mascara, but cuts the animals out of the equation, and is more efficient and less expensive. Win, win, triple win.

Scientists at the University of Liverpool are developing a method to test mascara for potential irritation sans animal subjects. The test uses tiny organisms, or protozoa, called slipper ciliate and eyelash ciliate. These organisms have genetic similarities to humans and are large enough to see under a miscroscope. Researchers tested the mascaras by painting each on a small glass plate and placing them into an experimental chamber. They then added the protozoa and their food. After some time, the scientists were able to measure population growth on each glass plate, and they found that it varied by mascara—some brands killed the protozoa, while others didn’t harm them at all.

“This test has great potential for reducing the use of rabbits as it is both cheap and reliable, and while the protozoa have a similar metabolism to animals they are not classed as such,” notes Dr. David Montagnes, who supervised the project. “When you can develop a simpler and cheaper alternative, there is really no need to test cosmetics on animals,” he adds. We agree wholeheartedly.

Another success in the fight against animal cruelty, Ipsen, the Paris-based pharmaceutical company that makes Dysport and Azzalure (both botulinum products that work similarly to Botox“>, has announced it will end animal testing by the end of 2014. (Allergan, which manufactures Botox, already has an alternative testing method approved and has pledged to reduce animal testing by at least 95 percent.”>

Hopefully, new research and action by big companies like Ipsen and Allergan will pave the way for others in the cosmetic industry to follow suit and become more animal-friendly too.

MORE: Your Guide To Reading The Labels

The holiday party season can be a fun time to experiment with different hairstyles, but sometimes the plethora of Pinterest tutorials can feel a little overwhelming.

If you’re not a braiding pro or an updo connoisseur, that’s ok! Add a simple roll and tuck to your standard wash n’ go routine and voila — holiday party curls!

SheaMoisture’s products are super moisturizing without being too greasy. Perfect for when the weather outside is frightful.

Products Used:

• SheaMoisture Coconut and Hibiscus Curl Enhancing Smoothie
• SheaMoisture Frizz Free Curl Mousse
• Bobby Pins
• Diffuser (optional”>

Michelle Williams’ polished brows and pale platinum crop featured in the Louis Vuitton fall 2013 ads have become the beauty reference of the season. It’s an elevated ladylike take on the strong brow/light hair trend that’s captured the imaginations of women because well… it’s just perfect. Celebs like Rita Ora and Miss Miley have twerked punkier versions on the red carpet as well.

We went straight to the nicest and most sought-after blonder in the business, Marie Robinson (who is a killer blonde herself”>, to get the scoop on how to realize your blonde ambitions without setting a wrecking ball to your hair.

If you aren’t familiar with Marie’s work, her buzzing salon in the Flatiron District of NYC is where Anne goes from brunette to platinum, Natalie maintains her shimmering brown and yes, where Michelle gets her creamy white blonde.

We also interviewed up-and-comer Meg Sanchez-Hartigan who cares for Marie’s own platinum locks, because if Marie trusts her, she must know her stuff.  We threw in a round of tips on brows because they are such an integral part of the look.

Q: Everyone is obsessing over the dark brow/light hair look—but do you have to go platinum to make it work?

A: Going platinum is always fun and being extreme is not for the faint of heart as it requires maintenance and time. You don’t have to be as platinum as I or some of our clients in order to have Rita Ora’s look.  You can simply brighten your natural color a little bit and then deepen your eyebrow one shade darker to create the same contrast and effect.

Q: You’ve been a beautiful redhead but now you’ve been blonde for a while. How do you care for your own platinum hair?

A: I use clear and/or white shampoos that are meant for color-treated hair so it doesn’t discolor my blonde. I’m not fussy with shampoos and change often between Pantene, L’Oréal and Wella. One product I never stray from is my once a week conditioning treatment ColoristCure. It’s an intensive treatment that removes product buildup on my hair shaft, coating my individuals hairs with essential oils. The result is bright, shiny hair!

Q: Are you in the camp that anyone can go blonde?

A: I do think anyone can go blonde and should try to at least once. There is a simple rule to follow: If cool tones or silver jewelry work on your skin then keeps tones cool; if you wear yellow gold and warmer colors that are autumnal, stick to warmer blondes. If you have very dark or olive skin tone, very light hair can be sexy and dramatic. However, leave your natural root or have a colorist create the natural root in your hair to keep your skin looking good.

Q: My friend Sara is devoted to you, and since she’s been coming to you her hair has become much healthier, yet you still manage to take her to a level of bright blonde that other colorists couldn’t. What’s your secret?

A: I don’t think I have any special secret! When coloring, I take care of the hair by not overlapping on hair that has been previously highlighted or lightened and I just retouch it to add brightness. I take care to add lightener to the new hair that hasn’t been colored yet. I also don’t over-process the hair and when it’s that perfect lightness, I don’t risk leaving it on. Another trick: Leave a little gold in the highlight and don’t lift to maximum whiteness because warmer blonde reflects more light than cooler blonde.

And Meg…(Meg Sanchez Hartigan, colorist at the Marie Robinson Salon and Marie’s current colorist”>

Q: Describe the technique you use to do Marie’s blonde.

A: On Marie I apply a concentrated bleach straight to her salt and pepper regrowth. Using a little bit of low heat I lift her roots to a pale-yellow and rinse in sections to assure evenness. We use toner, but only on her roots to shadow them just a touch and leave the rest bright and creamy.

Q: Besides Marie, where do you derive your inspiration?

A: The waitresses that work at Samurai Mama in Williamsburg always inspire me with their Japanese street style. They are such a treat to look at. Not only are they super sweet but their hair/makeup/outfits are always killer. I’ve never seen a cuter staff!!

Q: And do you think anyone can go blonde?

A: I think if you’re itching to bleach your hair out, everyone should try it once! However, the darker your natural hair, the harder it will be to bleach it to white blonde. Also, double processes don’t always have to be white blonde! A pale “paper bag” blonde can look beautiful on women with darker skin tones. Another factor to consider is the current state of your hair. If you’ve been coloring your strands midnight black you will have to cut it off and start from scratch. Bleaching out your hair can be a damaging process; the texture of it will permanently change until your natural grows out. It is A LOT of maintenance, but if you’re dedicated to taking care of it, it will be a head-turner!

And finally, brow tips from Landy Dean, makeup artist at the Marie Robinson Salon and for this shoot!

“I love a full, straighter brow. For shape reference think Audrey Hepburn and Lily Collins.” Follow his tips below to darken your brows the right way.

• For a platinum blonde, use a brow color that is ashy or smoky.

• Use a very fine-tip pencil to fill in spaces and or sparse areas. I love Vincent Longo Everbrow Micro Pencil in Black.

• Then darken the hairs with a darker shade of brow gel or pomade to keep the dimension. Benefit Gimme Brow in Medium/Deep adds volume and is a great neutral shade with a precise applicator.

MORE: The Exact Products to Buy If You Have Colored Hair

We sort of like the modern day Disney title of the classic fairytale “Rapunzel” better than the original. Why? Because we’re realists and “Tangled” is what being a longhaired princess (or everyday gal”> is all about: knots, split ends, damaged hair shafts and general mane malaise.

Consider this: Hair grows from its roots at an average rate of one centimeter per month. That means that if your hair is past your shoulders, which makes it at least 16 inches long (about 40 centimeters”> then your ends are over three years old! Just think about all the environmental abuse they’ve been through. All of these aggressors chip away at each hair’s cuticle, causing it to frizz out, feel brittle and be more prone to breakage.

MORE: Turn Brittle Hair Soft Again

It almost sounds like a miracle that anyone actually has long hair in the first place.

Yet, long, thick locks that have blinding shine and touchable softness remain to be the beacon of beauty, youth and vitality. The good news: It actually doesn’t take a miracle to make that happen. Using the right kinds of products and being mindful of your styling moves can ensure your hair stays healthy as it grows longer and longer and longer.

First, try not to wash your hair every day. “Daily washing will actually dry it out. Instead, skip every other day and use a dry shampoo if your roots are oily or your hair looks limp,” says New York based celebrity hairstylist Creighton Bowman, who works with Felicity Huffman and Jane Krakowski. When you do lather up, give your scalp a good massage, which will boost blood flow to your roots, helping follicles to function at peak performance and stimulate hair growth.

But don’t mess with the rest of your hair too much. Hair is actually even more fragile when wet because it can absorb as much as 45 percent of its own weight in water, causing it to stretch 2 percent longer and up to 20 percent wider—that’s a lot of tress stress! So suds up gently. Also, avoid using very hot water, because the heat will cause the hair shaft to open up and cause frizz. Always use a moisturizing shampoo and conditioner so hair gets clean but still stays soft and manageable.

When you’re out of the shower, blot-dry your hair with a super absorbent, microfiber towel. Don’t rub back and forth with a regular nubby bath towel. Again, since you hair is still wet, it’s extra fragile and you must treat it with TLC. Smooth a detangling spray from ear level down to ends (your roots have enough natural sebum, so they don’t need extra product”>, then use a wide-tooth comb or specific detangling brush on wet hair (see some picks below”> to gently remove tangles. Always comb out your ends first, then gently work your way up to roots. This avoids cramming the comb down the whole length of knotted hair.

Look for styling products that also contain conditioning and strengthening ingredients like natural oils (argan, avocado, safflower, etc.”>, keratin and amino acids. Use a natural boar-bristle brush when styling, and stay away from accessories with metal clasps and tight hairstyles, which can tear your hair.

QUIZ: Is Your Hair Healthy?

As for maintenance, include a deep conditioning mask once a week. Apply it to freshly shampooed hair, then wrap a hot towel around it for 10 minutes, which will open up the hair shaft and let all the moisturizing ingredients sink in. (Tip: Zap a wet hand towel in the microwave for a minute or two.”> Rinse out the mask with cool water to seal up your hair cuticles.

Finally, trim your dead ends when necessary. Once split ends start, they’ll progressively get worse and work their way up the mid-shaft of your hair. “Dry, brittle hair may need trims every few weeks while healthier hair can go a few months,” says Bowman.

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For this and other hair health articles, check out YouBeauty.com

Ombré came and conquered. With a vivid shift from dark to light hair and a bold line of demarcation, the trend was no doubt the celebrity favorite for several seasons.

Now that the moment is over (don’t take it personally, ombré—it happens to every trend”>, top stylists are already waxing poetic about their newest obsession: a reimagined version of the gradation.

Enter sombré (subtle + ombré”>, a coloring technique that allows for a softer, more natural diffusion that even those of us who aren’t red carpet regulars or bold personalities can actually pull off with ease. Think color that gradually fades from top to bottom, much like a little kid’s long hair gets those gorgeous, naturally lighter ends in the summer. It’s a look that seems more refined, less fashion-victim-y, and is absolutely appropriate for office environments (unlike crazy, two-toned ombré”>.

And while brunette ombré-loving beauties like Mila Kunis, Jessica Alba, and Lily Aldridge have already transitioned to the flattering technique for winter, it’s a look that translates to virtually every base shade of color. Even redheads, who didn’t get as much love during the ombré craze, can play with ease.

We were first alerted to sombré by the color experts at L’Oréal Professionnel, who were finding that clients were requesting strong color for fall, but wanted it to be more natural-looking. “Sombré is a fantastic evolution from ombré. I’m living for beautiful, rich, tortoise shell shades and jewel tones of garnet and amethyst, all of which look amazing in sombré style,” says L’Oréal Professionnel Artist Jason Backe, who uses the ammonia-free salon INOA line to achieve the look.

Other color pairing ideas to consider: sun-kissed warmth for blondes, shimmer bronze on brunette, redheads with rose gold and cinnamon for deep darks. Like its cousin, sombré is ultra forgiving to growing roots, and you’ll likely be able to sneak more time in between colorings than usual.

Sombré also helps prevent highlights from taking over your hair—like when you go for a couple of touch-ups, and suddenly you’re an all-over blonde six months later. With sombré, maintaining gently contrasting depth is part of the technique.

“With this look, you still get to enjoy forgiven roots and ribbons of pretty highlights, but women feel more polished than they do with ombré, because it’s natural and subtle,” says San Diego salon owner and stylist Jet Rhys.

And according to Beverly Hills celebrity colorist Kim Vo, you can achieve sombré with a single process and final toning glaze for shine. Which means that if you’re going to a salon to get the look, it’ll cost less than other more complicated color options.

Considering the ease of sombré, we predict this is one trend that will be around for quite a while.

MORE: Your Colored Hair Care Shopping Guide

Photo Courtesy of MahoganyCurls

YouBeauty asked cosmetic chemist Mort Westman, president of Westman Associates, an Oak Brook, Illinois, skin and hair care consultancy, to tackle the question we’ve all asked ourselves: does hair get used to shampoo? Here’s what he had to say…

It’s definitely a bummer: You find a shampoo that totally works for your hair, and then one day, it doesn’t. Instead of bouncy, your locks are limp. Instead of sheen, you get puff. Many women experience the heartbreak of their hair getting used to a shampoo, nixing its effects. Although it’s yet to be proven in the lab, the phenomenon is probably more than a perception bias.

Before you start pouring your favorite shampoo down the drain, eliminate confounding factors. Moving to a new city or going on vacation can expose your hair to harder (or softer”> water, or an uptick in damaging sun exposure, which can change the way your coif looks and feels. In the winter, all that dry air from heaters on overdrive can also fry your strands. If none of these situations applies, your problem might be buildup.

Conditioning ingredients, such as quaternium and polyquaternium, that make hair silky and manageable target areas of damaged hair. Quats, as they’re called, and similar compounds, such as silicones, found in just about every conditioning product on the market, are positively charged and are attracted to the negative charge of these damaged spots. They are “substantive,” which means that they are designed to seek out these sites and stay behind, even after rinsing, to provide lubrication and reduce static flyaway by sending a positive charge through the length of the hair shaft. The flipside of being substantive is that it can result in unwanted buildup that weighs hair down. The sudden return to lifelessness gives you the feeling that your hair is no longer responsive. The genie has left the bottle.

Fortunately, the answer is simple: Take a break. Switch shampoos for at least another week or two. You can try a clarifying shampoo or anything that is either deep-cleansing or made for oily hair. (Clarifying is basically just a fancy word for deep-cleansing anyway.”> Above all, choose a product that’s made by a different company. Manufacturers tend to use the same ingredients across formulas in their various product lines, so to effectively eliminate the culprit you want to veer to a separate brand entirely. After your time apart, go back to your old love. Its effects should be as apparent as they were to begin with.

MORE: Myth or Fact: Does Hair Build Tolerance to Products?

Picture a typical hair salon: rows of chairs lined up with big mirrors positioned on the wall in front of each. You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all. But imagine if those mirrors weren’t there and instead, you settled into your chair and let your hairstylist do her thing while you waited blindly to see the finished product.

Are we giving you anxiety yet? Trusting someone with a pair of scissors anywhere near your head is a big feat. But a new salon in New York City, O&M.nyc, the first U.S. salon by Australian-based Original & Mineral, takes that notion of trust to a new level by removing the mirrors from the equation. Instead, clients sit around a custom-built wooden table where they can converse with others or watch a black and white movie projected on the wall.

MORE: Change Your Hairstyle Without Cutting It

Janelle Chaplin, creative director for Original & Mineral, says that going mirrorless is meant to create a more relaxed feeling for clients. “It’s a more personal experience and not as awkward as talking to someone through a mirror,” Chaplin says. “There are less boundaries for conversation about your styles,” she notes, which allows the stylist to better match the exact cut and color that clients are asking for.

But are most women really willing to fully trust a hairstylist with such an important part of their appearance? Vivian Diller, Ph.D., clinical psychologist in NYC and author of “Face It: What Women Really Feel As Their Looks Change,” is a little skeptical, considering how important hair is to most women.

MORE: Why Hair Is So Precious to Us

Our attachment to our hair, Diller says, “goes back hundreds and thousands of years to an association with being an attractive, fertile woman.” Now, our roles are more numerous than just attracting a mate, she says, but having hair that we feel in control of is still an important part of our female identity. Unlike other aspects of our appearance, we can easily change our hair and choose how we want it to be cut, what color we want it to be. Relinquishing that control to a stylist takes serious trust.

“So I think the whole notion of sitting around a table and handing your style or your beauty over to someone is great in theory, but the fact is you have to have a strong sense of yourself and you have to have a good bond with your hairdresser,” Diller says. “I think to make that concept work,” she adds, “it would mean hairstylists developing the kind of relationship with their client that’s based on knowing their client.”

MORE: What Your Hair Says About You

Although it could be scary, she does note that giving up control can also be refreshing and eye opening. “The liberating, relaxing feeling that you’re handing something over that matters to you to someone else, that’s a wonderful feeling,” she says. “And it may be a good experiment to recognize how dependent you are on a mirror.” But realistically, she doesn’t see most women being brave enough to give up that control.

So far, according to Chaplin, reactions from salon-goers have been very positive. “We have hand mirrors available; however, most have loved not looking at themselves during the process.” “It is wonderful for networking,” she adds, but “the table is large enough that you still have privacy if you want. It is like having your hair done in a chic loft. The very modern concept empowers women, as they do not have look at themselves for two hours during the process.”

MORE: Beach Wave Tips, Straight From Surfers Themselves

Cosmetics companies bedazzle their products and packaging with seals that proclaim their green credentials. Since there’s no one organization regulating organic standards within the beauty industry, in the United Stated or internationally, keeping up with the myriad acronyms can make your head spin.

MORE: Are You Using Toxic Cosmetics?

We’re here to help. Flip through the gallery for the seals you’re most likely to see on store shelves, and exactly what they mean.

What Organic Product Seals Mean

Beyoncé sure knows how to captivate an audience, whether at the Super Bowl, the White House or in concert venues around the world. So it’s no surprise that Queen Bey’s new hairstyle—a short pixie cut and blonde color—has everyone talking.

Naturally we’re wondering: Why did she do it? Unfortunately it’s a little difficult to get penciled into Ms. Carter’s schedule, so we can’t ask her ourselves. But we did get some insight into how a drastic haircut could give you a little extra confidence and make you feel, well, pretty darn Sasha Fierce.

YouBeauty Psychology Advisor Art Markman, Ph.D., says making a big change like Beyoncé’s can help you better understand your influence on others and give you a stronger sense of self.

“When you make a big change in your appearance (hairstyle or color, new glasses, new fashion look”>, you become more aware of the impression you make on other people for a while. You are a bit self-conscious about the change,” he adds, “and so you spend more time paying attention to how you influence other people. That can be refreshing, because it helps you to see the positive ways that you affect the people around you,” Markman says.

MORE: The Psychology of Hair

Of course, someone like Beyoncé already knows her influence on her fans, he notes, “so her radical fashion changes are generally a way to provoke others into writing about her and getting her back in the public eye.” But hey, we won’t begrudge anyone (even a celebrity”> a little extra confidence boost.

Rita Hazan, the hairstylist who gave Beyonce her beautiful golden color, adds that a bold beauty change can be very empowering. “I love a dramatic change. It shows that a woman is fearless and confident—it’s a very strong statement,” she says. “A big change changes a person completely—they have to change the way they dress and makeup. It’s a full package.”

For some more short hair inspiration, check out some other celebrities whose bold cuts have really made an impression.

We all know the first rule of wearing curly hair is to shampoo less. But what’s a curly to do in between washes, especially in the summertime? We suggest dry shampoo to tide you over.

Klorane was the first dry shampoo invented, so that’s a good place to start. YouBeauty reviewed the Klorane Dry Shampoo With Nettle and here’s what they found.

What it is: 

Klorane Dry Shampoo With Nettle, $18

What it does: 

Absorbs excess oil and minimizes scalp oil over time, while adding volume.

Why it works: 

While there are a bazillion products out there for dry hair, gals with oily hair aren’t given many options other than shampoo, and then they feel the need to wash their hair constantly to get rid of the grease. Dry shampoo can be a lifesaver, and this new one is specially designed for oily hair. Company tests show that the product absorbs sebum within 25 seconds, thanks to ingredients silica and a corn derivitive that together trap dirt and oil so you can brush through and actually clean the hair. (Klorane would know—the company invented the first dry shampoo in 1972 for hospital patients who couldn’t wash their hair”>.

But the real kicker with this dry shampoo is that it has cumulative oil-control results. Nettle, an herbaceaous plant grown in Portugal, has a compound in its roots that regulates the enzyme that produces oil in the scalp. A company study shows 100 percent of subjects with seborrhea (extreme oiliness often caused by a hormonal imbalance”> had reduced sebum after three months. To treat this kind of oil overdrive, spray directly on the roots, leave on for two minutes, and then brush through.

MORE: Brass-Reducing Mousse for Faded Color

Thick, shiny, healthy-looking hair is one of the gorgeous perks of pregnancy. You can thank estrogen, the master pregnancy hormone, which extends the growing phase of the hair-growth cycle so fewer hairs fall out than normal.

Usually we lose about 100 hairs a day, which shed naturally after they’ve finished their normal growth cycle. In pregnancy, with the extended growth phase, hair becomes fuller.

Estrogen helps produce shine-enhancing sebum, the natural oil that comes from your hair follicles. After birth, you should expect to clean a ton of hair from your drain. Hair drops from your head once your estrogen level drops.

You may be wondering whether it’s safe to dye your hair during pregnancy. About half of all moms-to-be do. Hair color is not recognized as a danger during pregnancy. The research linking cancer to hair dyes remains fairly weak. Some chemicals in hair dye can be absorbed through the skin via the scalp.

QUIZ: How Healthy is Your Hair?

Streaking or highlighting involves less direct contact with the scalp. Temporary dyes applied at home are less toxic than permanent. Make sure you wear gloves and use them in a well-ventilated area to avoid breathing in fumes.

Another option is to use pure henna. This is a semi-permanent dye that’s been used over thousands of years. It has to be left on for four to eight hours. It also gets messy, but it’s safe and will leave an orange-red hue. The other shades of henna may contain potentially risky metallic compounds.

While the hair on your head grows thicker, your body hair will follow suit. This is probably due to an increase in androgens, or male hormones (yes, your body also produces these!”>. This comes in the form of stray hairs on your breasts, belly and back.

You also may notice more facial hair. Most hairs will be gone three to six months after giving birth. In the meantime, feel free to tweeze, shave or wax as you wish.

Permanent hair removal treatments are probably safe, but don’t you have enough discomfort to deal with already? It’s also a waste of money, since this hair will fall out on its own.

MORE: The Psychology of Hair 

To find out more about how pregnancy affects your hair and skin, head to YouBeauty.

You probably exfoliate your face regularly—and completely neglect your scalp. By whipping up this sweet, sugary treatment every few weeks, you can easily revitalize both your scalp and your hair.

“Sugar acts as an alpha hydroxy acid, which exfoliates by penetrating the hair’s cortex and stimulating cellular activity of the follicle,” explains Sam Brocato, owner and stylist at Sam Brocato Salon in New York City. “It also moisturizes and exfoliates the scalp leaving hair soft manageable.” Almond oil provides moisture and facilitates the work of the sugars while also delivering vitamin E, which is essential for hair and scalp health, according to Brocato. “Folic acid is also prevalent in almond oil, which is proven to stimulate hair growth, and lemon juice helps add shine.”

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ Tbs turbinado sugar
• 2 ½ Tbs white sugar
• 1 ½ Tbs almond oil
• 1 ½ tsp lemon juice

Directions

1. Blend all ingredients in a bowl with a wooden spoon or chopstick.
2. Gently massage into freshly shampooed hair for five minutes, concentrating on the scalp.
3. Allow it to absorb for five minutes.
4. Rinse out treatment with tepid water, then dry and style as desired.

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Few things are as startling as spotting your first grays. But while we associate silver strands with older age, on average, women gray from age 25 onward, and top stylists say they’re seeing more women in their 20s and 30s coming in to the salon with gray hair these days.

“I think women are more stressed out than ever, and that’s likely accounting for the younger and younger clients I see with gray hair,” says Lisa Stephenson, creative director for Sassoon Salon NYC Uptown.

In short: More of us than ever are dealing with those first grays at all stages of our lives.

Yet when you have just a few strands of gray, a full head of color correction is too much of a time (and money!”> commitment. Fortunately, leading stylists have all kinds of tricks up their sleeves to make emerging grays look stylish and chic. Here are their top tips.

Do NOT Pluck!

Apparently, this is as close to a cardinal sin as one can get. Sure, when it’s just a stray strand or two, grabbing the tweezers can feel super tempting—but experts say you may live to regret the shortcut. “Plucking can damage the hair follicle and the strand may never grow back—and as you age and your hair naturally thins, you’ll need every strand of hair you can get,” warns New York City salon owner and stylist Mark Garrison. “Gray hair is perfectly good hair—it just needs pigment. Never under any circumstances pluck perfectly good hair from your head!” adds Adam Livermore, celebrity colorist and Oribe Hair Care educator. OK, OK, we promise not to pluck!

Play With Your Part Line

For many women, grays often grow in more heavily on one side of the head than the other. “If grays are more prominent on one side, try switching your part to the other side,” says Mike Petrizzi, AgeBeautiful artistic director. A zigzag or diagonal part may also help conceal grays that are growing in more scattered around the head.

Clip It

Try styling with barrettes and pretty hair jewelry clips (we love the selection on Etsy”> to neatly pin gray strands beneath colored locks in a very intentional-looking way, suggests Petrizzi. A simple half-up style clipped at the back of the head without a part can adeptly disguise stray grays growing at the crown that can otherwise stand out like a spotlight.

Get the Right Cut

For clients whose first grays are around the face or on the sides of their head, Stephenson designs hair to disguise the grays. “I cut layers shorter in the back and longer in the front so that hair falls forward,” she explains. A blowout with a brush that accentuates the forward-falling motion can help cement the clever style.

Go For Gloss

“For clients who are beginning to gray and don’t want a huge change, I use gloss to camouflage the grays and make them look like natural highlights,” says Livermore. Gloss (sometimes also referred to as glaze”> adds a sheer touch of semipermanent color to strands that washes out in a couple to a few weeks, and also comes with the benefit of adding beautiful glass-like shine to strands.

Turn Grays Into Highlights

If grays are numbering more than just a few, you can paint highlights directly in small sections to turn those wiry strands into a face-brightening effect. “Stick to a highlight shade that’s close to your base color, and it’ll look very natural,” advises Garrison.

Try A Root Concealer

The popular root cover up category that has exploded in recent seasons is chock full of products that work brilliantly on gray strands, too. Livermore is a fan of Roux Tween Time Temporary Hair Color Touch-Up Sticks and Jerome Russell Temporary Color Sprays. Petrizzi says that hair powder and root mascara are excellent temporary solutions for random gray strands that may pop up here and there.

Sweep On A Single-Process

When those few gray strands turn into more than you can handle with tricks, or you’re spending too much time obsessing over concealing them, going with a simple single-process color is an easier route than many women imagine. “Cost and maintenance with single process color are low, and the opaque color erases them completely,” says Livermore. And if it’s literally just a few strands that are gray, there’s no reason you can’t just color those pesky few. “You don’t always have to do your whole head,” says Garrison.

Embrace The Grays!

Attention aging gracefully advocates: Stephenson says that sharp haircuts with confident angles can make gray strands look incredibly chic. “I have a client whose gray grew in a streak on one side of her head, and I made that side longer and the other side shorter so that the gray streak was actually a focal point—and she loved it!” shares Stephenson, who adds that the client even felt her special streak imbued her with a feistier attitude.