HEALTHY LIVING

How to curl your hair: Wavy curls

Published

8 years ago

02/21/2017

bowienews

By Ashley Stock

Wavy hair makes me happy. It means less blow drying, less brushing, less straightening, and more volume.

Many of you have emailed me wondering how I get the lose wavy curls in my hair.

And honestly, I can’t take the credit.

I watched this tutorial on The Daybook and it changed my life.

Seriously, any tutorial that cuts the time it takes me to do my hair in HALF, is life altering. Watch Sydney’s tutorial, it will change you life too.

However, we all have different hair, and therefore need different techniques to make certain styles work for us. So I do a few things different than The Daybook, to make the look work for me.

And here’s what I do to create my messy wavy curls:

My products:

Big Sexy Hair Spray

Garnier Fructis Wonder Waves

1.5 inch barrel curling iron

Straightener {optional}

First I take a shower at night.

I brush through my hair, then spray about 4 pumps of the Wonder Waves. I part my hair the way I wear it normally. Then I scrunch my hair lightly, and wait for it to air dry. Sometimes, I blow dry my bangs so they don’t get to crazy. Once my hair is air dry {damp} I pull it back in a lose braid, and tuck my bangs behind my ears.

Then I go to bed.

When I wake up I look like this:

A lot of my hair has fallen out of the braid, but that’s ok.

Also note that I don’t braid my hair all the way to the bottom. I leave about 3.5 inches because I don’t like when the bottom of my hair gets all kinked.

Then I un-braid my hair. And it is in ULTRA messy/stringy waves.

And I have cowlicks on my bangs.

So I take my straightener to my bangs. I pull down all the front pieces and I straighten them together, curling the straightener under at the ends, so that the ends of my hair curl around my face just a bit.

Note: you must roll your eyes to the back of your head for this straightening technique to really work, see photo for reference.

I also straighten out any other weird kinked parts of my hair. I tend to like the soft straight look on top, and the curled look on the bottom–so I often straighten the top of my hair about 3 inches down, all the way around my head.

Now I am ready to start curling. I put half my hair up in a pony tail.

What’s that? You’re noticing that my hair looks a bit weird like this…

That’s because this is where you can see my hair extensions. They make up about 25% of my hair. They don’t add any length, but they add volume. Read this, if you’re new here and wondering why I need extensions.

I take the first chunk of hair, about this much…

And then I start curling from the MIDDLE first.

This is the MOST important trick I learned from Sydney. I always wondered why my curls would fall out so quickly in the past–then I learned, that if you start your curl half way up the strand, it lasts waaaayyy longer.

How to curl your hair with a curling iron

Leave the curling iron there for about 10 seconds. Then loosen the grip and pull the curling iron down to the end of your hair.

Then re-roll it all the way up to the top.

Wait another 5-10 seconds and then slowly release the hair.

Then I use my fingers to lightly separate the curls.

Continue this step with the remaining hair.

Then take your hair out of the pony tail, and follow the same steps on the top. I like to curl the strands in front AWAY from my face–that way they have more of a “Charlie’s Angels” look.

Then spray once over with your hair spray.

And that’s it.

I can usually get this to last 2 days before washing again {or putting it up in a baseball cap}.

A bit messy, a bit curly–that’s the way I like it.

HEALTHY LIVING

The importance of clean school transportation

Published

2 days ago

01/01/2025

bowienews

(Family Features) Across the country, more than 25 million children ride to school each day in school buses, most of which are powered by diesel and produce harmful emissions known to cause respiratory issues like asthma and bronchitis.

An alternative energy source, like propane, can provide children with a safe, clean and healthy ride to school. As an environmentally friendly and affordable energy source that is abundantly available, propane can help achieve a cleaner today and greener tomorrow for students.

Watch this video to learn more!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=XT6vzCDdk8M%3Fsi%3DFU6ZLnpGfsIsjjUI

Consider these reasons it’s important to clean up student transportation from the experts at the Propane Education & Research Council:

Propane reduces emissions in exhaust that negatively impact air quality by up to 96% compared to diesel.
Propane school buses provide a quieter ride than diesel buses, which means it’s easier for drivers to hear potential concerns and students arrive at school calmer and ready to learn.
Propane warms up quickly, providing a heated cabin for a comfortable ride during colder months.
Propane is affordable, allowing school districts to replace aging diesel buses three times faster than transitioning to an electric bus fleet.

Learn more about clean transportation options and the benefits of propane school buses at BetterOurBuses.com .

SOURCE:
Propane Education & Research Council

HEALTHY LIVING

Lower your COPD risk at any age

Published

1 week ago

12/25/2024

bowienews

(Family Features) Breathing: You may take it for granted, but your lungs are important, and so is protecting them. No matter how old you are, you can take action to prevent certain lung conditions, like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD.

It’s a serious lung disease that makes breathing difficult and gets worse over time. COPD is less common in younger adults, but anyone can have it. People with a genetic condition known as Alpha-1 may have symptoms as early as age 20.

Consider these steps to lower your risk for COPD:

If you smoke, get help quitting. Most people with COPD have a history of smoking. It’s not easy to quit, but your health care provider can share resources to support you.
Try to avoid exposure to lung irritants like air pollution, dusts and chemical fumes. Some occupations put you at higher risk for COPD.

Most people are 40 or older when symptoms start. If you have shortness of breath, coughing, wheezing, chest tightness or fatigue, talk to your health care provider. Tell them about your smoking habits, any family history of COPD and exposure to lung irritants and ask if you should be tested for COPD.

If you have COPD, the sooner you learn how to manage it, the sooner you can start to breathe better.Don’t wait. Protect your lungs for life.

To learn more, visit nhlbi.nih.gov/BreatheBetter.

Watch video to find out how!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=VGPrF4rZA9U%3Fsi%3DuM1u60HbikTWwC7z

SOURCE:
National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute

HEALTHY LIVING

Healthy holiday tips for pregnant people

Published

1 week ago

12/25/2024

bowienews

(Family Features) The holidays often bring colder weather and more indoor gatherings. Respiratory viruses like flu, COVID-19 and RSV are common this time of year.

Illness from these viruses can be dangerous for pregnant people and newborns. Staying up to date on vaccines for flu, COVID-19 and RSV during pregnancy can offer protection, and now is the time to get vaccinated if you haven’t already.

“During the holidays, pregnant people can help protect their health and the health of their baby by getting updated vaccines,” said Dr. Rachel Levine, assistant secretary for health at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). “During the holidays, you’re more likely to be exposed to flu, COVID-19 and RSV. Vaccination not only helps build up your immune system but can give protection for your little one.”

Here are some tips from the HHS Risk Less. Do More. public education campaign for a safe and festive holiday season:

Get vaccinated against flu and COVID-19. Getting sick with flu or COVID-19 can be dangerous for people who are pregnant and young infants. During pregnancy, there is a greater risk of flu or COVID-19 infections becoming severe and leading to hospitalization. Babies are also at risk of severe flu and COVID-19, but they cannot get vaccines until they are 6 months old. By getting vaccinated during pregnancy, you pass on antibodies that help protect your baby during the first few months of life.

Get vaccinated against RSV if you’re eligible. RSV is a common cause of severe respiratory illness in infants. In fact, it is the top reason babies in the United States are hospitalized each year. You can get an RSV vaccine if you are 32-36 weeks pregnant between September and January, the months when RSV spreads the most. The RSV vaccine helps your baby build protection from severe RSV before birth. If you do not get an RSV vaccine during pregnancy, your newborn can still get protection through a preventive antibody immunization soon after birth.

Stay home or change plans when ill. If you are not feeling well, stay home to avoid spreading illness. Also, if someone you plan to see is sick or respiratory viruses are surging in your community, consider staying home. You can also wear a mask or, if weather permits, move the gathering outdoors.

If you have questions or concerns, talk to your doctor. Knowing the facts about vaccines and pregnancy can offer confidence and comfort. Visit cdc.gov/RiskLessDoMore to learn more about getting your flu, COVID-19 and RSV vaccines before the holidays. Or visit vaccines.gov to get started.

Photo courtesy of Shutterstock

SOURCE:
United States Department of Health and Human Services