During these challenging times, we are overwhelmed with decisions we have to make to simply plan our wedding. What should be a time of joy, the process is causing more anxiety. These are not the sort of memories you want to have when you look back at your wedding.
“Essential practices for a whole and harmonious life.” Sanctuaire
Self-care is a must. We spoke to one of the owners of Sanctuaire a new platform designed to promote and retail some of the most luxurious beauty products designed and made for women of color, who are currently the most vulnerable during these challenging times. Black and Latina women are some of the highest victims of so many health issues due to so many variables. The founder Courtney Arrington Baldwin did not sit idly by and let these harsh facts put her at a standstill. She did something about it. She created the platform in the middle of a pandemic and offered a solution, and made it accessible to everyone around the world, at the tip of their fingers.
Don’t become anxious. We are going to get some tips from a couple of experts that do more than do you makeup and hair. They are here to help you stay healthy, feel good and look beautiful from your hair to your toe nails.
We are going to start with your hair. Your hair, if not cared for will bring up a variety of things that won’t make you feel good–nor look good. So hair care is a must. According to natural hairstylists, and health coach Debra Hare-Bey, “The health of your hair is impacted by your diet and your way of life. You can’t have healthy hair without caring for yourself.”
What health tips can you give to someone with natural hair they can do to either grow their hair? Maintain the luster of their natural hair before their wedding?
Let’s start with the idea and reality of healthy hair. “Healthy hair can only truly be achieved with the overall wellness of body health, mental health, and spirit wellness all in alignment,” says Hare-Bey. It is also a partnership between your professional salon stylist and your at-home care.
As a health coach– how does one begin to understand the connection between healthy hair and damaged hair, now we are limited with visits to the salon? How do we maintain it between visits?
Benefits of eating well- Body Health:
Antioxidants are the champion of healthy hair. Antioxidants help to improve hair growth by maintaining the collagen in the body or the connective tissues of hair follicles’. It also protects the scalp cells in the blood vessels to promote healthy hair growth.
Foods rich in antioxidants, vitamin C, berries, cantaloupe, grapefruit, honeydew, kiwi, mangoes, nectarines, orange, papaya, strawberries, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cauliflower, kale, red, green, yellow peppers, snow peas, sweet potatoes, and tomatoes.
Mental Health and Hairloss:
Stress and hair loss
Stress can play a big part in hair loss – but the good news is that stress-relatedhair loss is not permanent. When our body is put through stress, mental or physical, the growth phase of the hair growth cycle can stop.
Stress can push the hair follicles into the resting phase, this stops the hair growth phase and the hair follicles can then lie dormant for around three months before eventually shedding. Once the stress stops your hair growth cycle will begin to return to normal, and the hair loss will stop.
Benefits of Spirit Wellness:
Chant & Meditate
Don’t utter words you don’t want to give power. Healing and transformation comes from our mouths.
Please give me a quote on the importance of self-care as a health coach?
As a certified Health Coach, my business’ focus is to fabulously transform people from inside out and head to toes wellness. “Self-care is an important ritual that reflects honoring your complete self. Self-care is not pampering but a necessary action required to maintain overall wellness” says Hare-Bey.
Next we went to Sonia Castleberry, this veteran of the industry is one person I would consider a product expert. We live in a time where our hair is constantly being manipulated. We have an array of products to choose from that will leave you utterly confused. Every product proclaims to do one thing or another. So how does one go about selection products and tools that are suitable for your beauty needs before and after your wedding?
Sonia Castleberry can be seen on her social media platforms answering questions of her fans and followers and giving tips to them while styling hair. The purpose is to show her potential clients the process involved in hiring an expert professional and all that is involved for a traveling beauty professional.
According to Castleberry–any bride that books her usually gets a trial so that she can become familiar with the clients hair, and they both can get acclimated with each other and come to some sort of agreement with what style is preferred for the day.
She offers services from hair extensions, lace front wigs to clip-ins, and working with your chemically processed hair and bringing it to a state of healthy hair. “Healthy hair is not achieved overnight,” says, Castleberry.
Caution When Coloring
If you are considering altering your hair color for your wedding it’s important to make sure that you try the color in advance. If you are receiving a routine color service that you are accustomed to receiving, the application can be completed 2 weeks prior. If you are thinking about changing your color or trying anything drastic it is important to give yourself enough time prior to your wedding in case there is a desire to alter or change anything. his time frame would be 4-6 months prior to your wedding. This would give enough time to adjust to the hair color or change it if needed. It’s also extremely important to make sure that your hair is in a healthy state because any chemical applied to damaged hair will make it worse.
Drug store hacks: Must-haves
OGX Shampoo & Conditioner with Biotin & Collagen perfect for thin/fine hair.
Big Sexy Hair – perfect product line to help provide fullness and volumeKerastase hair elixir- light and great for all hair types.
Prepare your hair for your big day by starting at least 6 months to 1 year in advance. Work with your hairstylist to develop your hair care plan. This should consist of weekly at-home conditioning treatments months before your wedding, you can mix your favorite conditioner with olive oil to create a hot oil treatment or mash an avocado into it and create a hair mask. These treatments will help moisturize while helping tone down frizz and boost shine. Also, maintain the health of our hair by trimming your ends regularly this will avoid split ends and potential breakage.
A daily multivitamin and plenty of water is a must leading up to your big day! These two are staples for enhancing your hair, nails, and skin.
So there you have it. Finding a hair professional during these unprecedented times is not only important for your safety, but for your mental health. It is key that you find someone that is proficient in what they do but is dedicated to their craft and appreciates your beauty needs and is well versed with the current needs of todays women of all backgrounds.
