CBD: The Ingredient of 2019

It's the hottest trend in beauty products, CBD (cannabidiol). CBD has gone mainstream in a big way. Earlier this month, Dr. Sanjay Gupta gave a qualified endorsement of CBD on “The Dr. Oz Show.” “I think there is a legitimate medicine here,” he said. “We’re talking about something that could really help people.” Mandy Moore, hours before the Golden Globes, told Coveteur that she was experimenting with CBD oil to relieve the pain from wearing high heels. “It could be a really exciting evening,” she said. “I could be floating this year.” Articles in every magazine from Allure to Glamour to the New York Times have extolled the virtues.

Oh them curls!

Those of us with straight hair, always admire the curls.  If you are lucky enough to have naturally curly hair (though you might not feel lucky at times when the weather is humid!), you  want to treat it with products that will enhance your bounce and keep curls frizz-free and defined. Whether you air dry or carefully use a diffuser, you want to use a mask that won’t weigh down your strands and instead allow your curls to stay light and bouncy.

When it comes to curls, moisture is always the key.  No matter what ails those curls - dry, dull, limp or heat damage...or even the dreaded split ends - the answer is almost always finding a way to add the moisture and nourishment without adding weight.  The best deep conditioners for curly hair contain ingredients that permeate the strands and don't have phthalates, parabens or silicones, as these can actually block the hair strand from absorbing moisture.  Over time, these ingredients can change your curl pattern and decrease your hair's ability to repair itself.

Now's the time!  Winter, dry heat, and wind can really give your curls the droops!  Try one of these great masks to restore your bounce!

Pureology Curl Complete Moisture Melt Masque will help

 to infuse curls with the moisture they crave! Your hair will feel soft, shiny and manageable.

Quidad's Curl Immerson oil-in-gel stayer penetrates deep into the curls to 

restore moisture balance from within.  Gives protection from frizz, 

definition and unmatched shine. Perfect for any kinky curl styling!

DivaCurl's Melt into Moisture is a nutrient-rich, buttery formula

 melts lusciously into the hair to revive and nourish those curls. 

Won't weigh hair down and leaves your hair softer and shinier than ever. 

Get the best Beard

No “good beard” is an accident. If you see a guy whose whiskers are well groomed and look healthy, it’s because he’s putting in the time to make it that way. Growing a beard is one thing, but how he cares for it determines how great it looks—even if his beard is patchier or thinner than others.

BRAND PROFILE: Cuccio Naturale

Cuccio Naturale Spa Skin Care, Massage, and Nail Care. Superior Spa products for professionals and use at home

The true American dream......25 years ago on Venice Beach, California a dream was born. Anthony Cuccio, Founder, President, CEO and Roberta Cuccio, Senior Vice President, COO of Star Nail International based in Valencia, California are true visionaries and trendsetters in the beauty industry today. The entrepreneurial couple literally built their business out of a suitcase of cosmetics in 1981 on Venice Beach, California. The business has grown into a multi-million dollar global corporation making the firm the largest nail and beauty product manufacturer in the world In 1986, Star Nail achieved the ultimate recognition making INC. 500 and making "Entrepreneur of the Year"

Solve your winter hair problems!

As the temperature drops, a new crop of hair issues start to arise. Our roots begin to frizz and our ends rapidly dry out. However, this season you can solve your top winter hair problems by being proactive with your haircare routine. From hydrating your hair on-the-go to stopping static in its tracks, we have some winter hair tips that can help to keep your strands looking fabulous all season long.

BEAUTY SCIENCE: Ceramides

Constantly layering on moisturizer but still battling dry skin? Suffer from the occasional eczema flare-up, or maybe even psoriasis? Listen up. There’s one important, albeit not very sexy, skin-care term that doesn't get its fair share of attention that you probably need more of: ceramides.

From all of us at Beauty Care Choices

Santa's on his Way!

We're watching for Santa.  Join us!  https://www.noradsanta.org/ 

Try Hair Powder for Volume, Structure and More!

Have you ever tried a hair powder?  Hair powder is a potent problem solver when hair is limp or does not have enough grip for up-dos, twirls or braids. As a welcome side-effect volumizing powder also freshens up oily hair between shampoos. The ultra-light and fine powder is suitable for any hair type and length, and it helps with many hair problems.

Easy Holiday Nails that look Goregous!

Need a simple, but beautiful idea for your holiday nails.  This one is great!  Although it is shown in green and red, you could do yellow and brown for thanksgiving or do a silver and gold effect for any occasion.  We used Zoya Nail Polish in Ivanka (green) and Pixie Dust Oswin (red) and white.

BRAND PROFILE: Pharmagel

Pharmagel Specialized Skin Care. You will see results in just two weeks with regular use. Skin problems resolved and skin is pampered with formulations using pharmaceutical-grade, remarkably effective ingredients.

Filing your nails the right way!

Choose a nail file. Emery boards are the most basic nail file and are a cheap and easy tool for filing your nails. They come in different grits -- the lower the number, the rougher the grit, and the more of your nail it will take away at once. Try to find a file with a grit between 220-300 if you have healthy natural nails.

BEAUTY SCIENCE: Chelating Shampoo

A chelating shampoo energizes your scalp and flicks your hair back into life. The ingredient EDTA is what does the work. It is a colorless water-soluble solid that dissolves limescale and ions. Your list of ingredients will include EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid) in the name; Tetrasodium EDTA or Disodium EDTA. EDTA is a chemical that binds and holds on to (chelates) minerals and metals such as chromium, iron, lead, mercury, copper, aluminum, nickel, zinc, calcium, cobalt, manganese, and magnesium.

Brows that will Steal the Show this Holiday Season

We all know, it's the brows that frame the face.  No matter what other make-up you wear, or even if you wear none at all, having your brows shaped and groomed is a must.  Here's how to make them a show stopper!

In what order to I apply my skin care products?

We get asked this question a lot! There’s actually an order in which you should be layering all of your skin care products, from facial cleanser to serum to face moisturizer to eye cream. If you’ve always wanted to know whether your moisturizer should go on before or after your serum, read on. Here, we give you the ultimate guide to layering your skin care products.

Ribbon Highlights - give them a try!

In the world of hair color, there are a lot of trends to keep up with these days. From purple balayage to mushroom brown to shadow hair, it can seem overwhelming. But there’s a new highlighting technique that’s currently trending on social media feeds, and we think it’s here to stay: ribbon highlights. This gorgeous highlighting technique is one you’ll want to look out for, and maybe even try out for yourself! We’ve got the scoop on ribbon highlights, including what they are, how to get them, and the best ways to maintain this pretty hair color trend.

Taking Care of YOU this Holiday Season!

‘Tis the season—to practice self-care! While you may be focused on running around to find the perfect gift for your friends and family, preparing holiday meals and treats, there’s no better time to treat yourself to some much-deserved TLC. And what better way to do that than to indulge in a luxurious beauty routine? From clay masks to hair masks, there are so many ways to pamper yourself this holiday season. Keep reading to say no to holiday stress and find out how to practice self-care during the holidays.

BRAND PROFILE: Celeb Luxury

Their specialty is color depositing shampoos and conditioners.  Their vision is for you to love your haircolor.  They make color fade a thing of the past.

• Viral-Extreme Colorwash comes in Hot Pink, Purple, Teal and four other colors. It adds color to your hair while cleansing to stop fade and wash out! 
• Gem Lites Colorwash is for those less adventurous; with colors like brown diamond, ambers and sunstone. 
• Viral Pastel Colorwash is in shades of lavender, light pink and baby blue! All Colorwash colors get an even deeper look with consecutive washes. 

Are your hair products causing your acne?

Do you have tiny bumps along your hairline, the upper part of your forehead, shoulders or upper back? The culprit may be your hair care products. This is so common, dermatologist have a name for it — acne cosmetica. This literally means acne caused by products we apply to our skin or hair.  According to The American Academy of Dermatology, hair is one of the main causes of adult acne, so the connection is a lot more important than you might realize.

BEAUTY SCIENCE: Vitamin C

Vitamin C - It's the only antioxidant that is proven to boost production of collagen, which is a key part of the skin's structure.  As you age, the rate at which your body naturally produces collagen declines, and this is one of the main reasons why your skin begins to wrinkle and sag.

Professional Hair Styling Tips on Hair Straightening

One of the most important hair styling tips to remember is to always brush your hair before straightening (preferentially using a brush with natural bristles) and remove all residual hairspray, mousse, etc. Brushing your hair relaxes it and makes hair straightening much easier.

Winterize your hair!

With the chill of colder months upon us, weatherproofing your hair is just as important as weatherproofing your wardrobe. The bitter cold, dry air, and unpredictable wind can make doing your hair a nightmare. Luckily, we’re proactively planning the hair looks that’ll help you ward off the cold weather in style.

Great Hairspray Tips!

Most people have hair spray in their bathroom cabinet. Should you just spray it on top of your hair to give it the desired hold or can you also apply it close to the hair roots? Which of the many hair sprays should you use for different purposes?

A glamorous Braid!

Braids! From the first time your mother put your hair in pigtails, braids have been part of hair fashion. Why?  Because they keep our hair neat, can be used to create everything from a romantic, soft look to a gloriously elegant crown to a girl-next-door casual look.

Braid Aid by Redken will help you to create beautiful sassy braids that look as if you just stepped off the catwalk. Style will last longer and have more of a defined look!

BRAND PROFILE: Sorme

Sorme has been a sophisticated brand of cosmetics and skin care products for over 20 years.  Many professionals teamed up with some of the finest formulators to bring this exceptional line to enhance natural beauty. Formulated with plant botanicals, natural minerals, vitamins and age-reversing peptides help protect and improve your skin.

Save my Chapped Lips!

Temperatures are dropping and there's less moisture in the air, so we know what that means — lips start to get dry, itchy, and cracked. Yet while you obviously know what chapped lips feel like (a hint: they're super tight and uncomfortable), you might not know exactly what causes your lips to get so...chapped.

First off, what exactly are chapped lips?

Chapped lips, also known as cheilitis, can have many causes. When you hear 'chapped lips' most people are thinking about cheilitis sicca. This is chapped lips as a result of excess dryness.

The skin on the lips is among the most sensitive areas on the body and the most exposed to the environment. The lips do not have the same concentration of oil glands as regular skin and are constantly exposed to environmental factors, like lip licking, cosmetics, and cold weather. All of these factors can dry out the skin barrier, leading to irritation, inflammation, and flaking.

BEAUTY SCIENCE: Carnauba Wax

Copernicia Cerifera (Carnauba) Wax, also called Carnauba Wax, is obtained from the leaves of the Brazilian tropical palm tree, Copernicia cerifera. It is used in the formulation in a wide range of products including baby products, bath products, lipstick, makeup, fragrances, coloring and non-coloring hair products, nail and skin care products, personal cleanliness products and shaving products.  It is hypoallergenic.

A story of giving!

BCC Staff are enjoying unpacking a box of donated items

from Surface Hair! They'll repack and send to hairdressers impacted

by the Camp fire.

I don't know how many of you know this, but Beauty Care Choices is a northern California company.  This past year we have been devastated by wildfires surrounding us; even having to evacuate ourselves during the Carr fire.  But the worst fire, the Camp fire, absolutely destroyed the town of Paradise (just to the southeast of us).  No homes, no businesses, but the will to rebuild. We wanted to help in a personal way, so we posted on our Facebook page.

📣ATTN Nor Cal Hairdressers: If you have lost your tools of trade in the #CAMPFIRE or #CarrFire we want to help you rebuild! We have shears, drapes, capes, bowls, foils, clips, combs, brushes, hot tools, shampoos, conditioners and more to help you get back to the thing you love to do. Please DM us with what you need and we will assist in getting it to you.
❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤
We really appreciate all of our brands stepping up to help the beauty professionals in our area. Also a huge thank you to all of our customers who have reached out to check on us.

Giving a hand up, instead of a hand out motivated us.  You can't rebuild a town if the people are unable to restore their business and begin making a living again.  Our post was shared and shared and as a result we have 20 hairdressers needing help to begin again.  Their stories left us heartbroken.

But this isn't about us.  We aren't the heroes of this story...only the organizer.  We reached out to our manufacturers and vendors for their help in supplying the products and tools these hairdressers needed and, thanks to them, we were able to send out a first box of supplies to each of the hairdressers and another is on its way.

So, this story is to thank our vendors for their generosity in helping these beauty industry persons get back on their feet, including:

• Salon Tech
• Loma Organic
• Kenra Professional
• Goldwell US
• Surface Hair
• Matrix Professional
• Schwarzkopf (Henkel)
• KMS
• Wella Profressional

Our box from Surface Hair

How do lip plumpers work?

Lots of lip products promise to produce bigger, sexier lips. Do they deliver?  The answer is tinted or clear, in the form of a gloss, balm, stick, gel, or pot, traditional lip plumpers fatten the lips temporarily -- sometimes by irritating them.

Use your Conditioner first!

Lather, rinse, repeat. Right? Right. Except when it comes to conditioning our hair. Turns out, we’ve all been doing things totally backward…our whole darn lives. Here’s what to do instead.

The Many Ways you can use Pomade!

Pomade is a hair styling product that has been used for decades to achieve many different hairstyles. Traditional pomades are oil based and very slick, but the more modern pomades are water based. It's easier to wash out and gives the hair a lighter hold.  They are slightly more expensive than oil based ones but allow you to restyle throughout the day.  Whether you have long or short hair,  want slick backed hair, shiny hair, messy but styled hair, or spiked up hair, pomade is a great styling product to achieve the look and have it last all day long.

Choices:

• A matte pomade has less shine and is best for hair that tends to get greasy quickly with pomade.
• A sheen pomade has much more shine and would be good for someone with dry hair.
• You can mix a matte pomade with a sheen pomade to create your own perfect balance.