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ESSENCE.com turns to celebrity stylist Roberta “Robi” Rogers to tackle your tough hair care questions. Rogers, who is based out of the Ken Paves Salon in Beverly Hills, is also the personal hair and makeup artist to Vivica A. Fox.
LELA ASKS: With the weather changing my weather is getting so dry. I live in South Florida and summer is here! I’m noticing dandruff and I can’t seem to get it under control. Help!
ROBI ROGERS: Dandruff is a common problem for many women and is caused by several things like the lack of water, poor scalp circulation and using a strong cleansing shampoo.
I suggest drinking more water and giving yourself regular hot oil treatments. Try using Luster’s Pink Hot Oil Treatment, $3.19, CVS drugstores. Before you shampoo your hair, use a comb to loosen any dandruff on your scalp. Part and apply the hot oil treatment to your scalp and massage with your fingertips. Sit under a plastic cap for approximately 15 to 20 minutes and feel the oil treatment heat up on your scalp. Finally, rinse hair with lukewarm water and shampoo hair with Elasta QP dandruff shampoo, $2.99, at beauty supply stores nationwide. Be sure to shake shampoo before use. Apply QP dandruff shampoo and massage into hair and lather. Rinse out and re-apply the shampoo again. This time lather fully and let the shampoo sit in the hair and on the scalp for about 5 minutes. Rinse. Apply Elasta QP INTENSE Fortifying Hair Conditioner, $10, beauty supply stores and again, place a plastic cap on your head, and sit for 20 minutes.
Try not to use a lot of hairsprays when styling your hair because the alcohol in the styling products can cause dryness to the scalp as well.
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AAIRN ASKS: What advice can you give for cutting and trimming your hair at home? I just can’t afford to go to the salon right now and my ends look so split.
ROBI ROGERS: I understand that it is important to pinch pennies during a recession. Purchase affordable cutting shears from a beauty supply store. To maintain your ends until your next hair appointment, I recommend the following techniques:
1) Part hair into four sections and hold with large clips.
2) Make a part across the nape area and comb down while holding firmly between your fingers straight down until you reach the split ends. Cut everything below your finger. Do the technique throughout the sections.
3) How you angle the front of your hair determines its length. Hair pulled toward the back gives you longer locks. Hair pulled straight down offers a more blunt and even cut. Hair angled toward the front adds length.
4) Continue cutting throughout your hair. Comb the hair outward a little where you see split ends. Be sure to cut at an angle, leaving the length toward the bottom. Comb the crown area outward and cut at an angle. If all goes well then you just gave yourself some layers.