Sounds Good

Forget bed head; get beach hair
Growing up so close to the beach, some of us may not have realized that many Americans strive for a certain “beachy” look. I once tried a cream that left me with the seaside sensation of surfboard wax and sand stuck in my hair.
Beach Wave Control Mist by Pravana is another story. Mist it in and let it dry for soft curls. It doesn’t feel sticky or even look wet. Jojoba oil, rosemary extract, keratin, wheat and silk amino acids are in this formula, so I’m setting up at this beach.
Or try a hat
If you can’t get beach hair, try a Wallaroo hat. Company creators returned to Boulder, Co. sporting the Aussie secret for sun protection, cool, crushable fabric hats. Now they’re creating their own plus updating classic styles for men and women and donating funds to support skin cancer research. With that thought, my husband is looking good on mowing duty in a Havana hat, which Wallaroo doesn’t promise will “improve your swing” on the course, but asserts it should boost a golfer’s confidence. It looks as sporty as the Berumuda, which is suggested for Sunday brunch or a walk in the park. You can still get a beach look from several Wallaroo offerings.
Mucus Management
Mucus management is big business, say creators of Boogie Wipes, a soft solution for children with runny noses. No want wants a chapped nose on top of that. Now Little Busy Bodies Inc. offers adult relief with moist Saline Soothers, packets of super-soft towelettes in Cool Menthol and fragrance-free forms. Someone asked how much I could possibly write about a wipe. How’s this: “Aaaaahhhhh.” As a nasal bidet/netti pot supporter, I think this option is amazing for travel. Look for them at Walgreens and Walmart.

A is for Argan
Fatty acids are a good thing and Aura Cacia has put them to skin care use through five new oils from around the world, certified through the USDA’s National Organic Program. Pump bottles dispense wee dabs of fragrant oils that are healing to my senses. Argan oil sounds like something from “Lord of the Rings” to me, but it’s squeezed from nuts of a native desert tree in Morocco. It’s good on skin, hair and scalp, as is Baobab from African trees and emerald-green Tamanu from South Pacific fruit trees. The new line has a natural, earthy aroma that is so natural and different from the highly-processed artificial scents found all around us. Bottles suggest pumping some into the palm and adding a few drops of this brand’s essential oils, which I also enjoy.
Mature and sun-damaged skin eats up rose hip oil from Chile.
There’s one more: Macadamia nut oil from Kenya creates a “long-lasting superior shield of emollients” and Rosehip oil from Chile has pure retinol (Vitamin A) known for replenishing and restoring skin. This one smells especially yummy.
High Maintenance
Lay on the keratin, it’s already in your nails, naturally. Dermelect’s High Maintenance Instant Nail Thickener is a clear coat of a form of keratin with protein peptide ProSina designed to thicken nails up to 50 percent in a single coat. Makers call it hands down the most innovative top coat you’ll ever need, because it also has UV absorber to protect polish from yellowing while preventing both light and dark colors from quickly fading. It’s shiny stuff that’s doing what it claims for me.
ddoiron@panews.com