Hair gel, mousse or serum - what should one opt for?

(Published on 24 April 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Gone are the days when the only mousse you had heard of – was the one your mother made as a dessert. Today’s generation are accustomed to seeing it as a hair product – in a range of horrendous florescent colours and ‘hair raising’ odours.

Well, grooming is not really my forte dahlings – so when I was asked what the difference between a hair gel and a hair mousse was I went scurrying to my friend who is an expert and a well known hair stylist. A mousse creates fullness she explained. It actually plumps the strands so your hair appears fuller. As a result a mousse is best suited for those with fine hair texture. Gels are made to slick hair down. They give control and can smooth hair. Stylists use them to give sleek looks, to taper ends or to smooth edges.

Having a perfect hair style is as important as having stylish clothes. Men and women, both attach great importance to the way their hair looks. It has become much easier to implement just about any kind of hair style as there is a wide range of styling products now available in the market. What exactly should be used depends entirely on the specific hair type and personal preferences.

YMousse
A mousse is a body-builder and is best suited for adding volume. They are used to hold fine, thin hair that needs a lift from the roots. It is best applied to dry hair. Working from the roots, the mousse is spread up through the strands away from the scalp. This can be followed by either a blow-dry or a finger-dry.

YGel
Gels are great for creating a slick, wet look. A stylist would use them to give a lasting hold to curls or to keep fringes in place. Usually gel is applied to damp hair, which is then combed through, styled and left to dry. Applying gel to the roots of dry hair will give style volume.

YWax
Wax adds gloss and definition to hair. It is best suited for naturally curly or permed hair. Wax is rubbed between the palms and then applied by running through dry hair to give a polished, groomed effect.

YSerum
Serum is a relatively new hair product. It is good for giving hair instant shine, controlling static or frizz, and protecting the hair shaft from damage. It is sprayed evenly on dry or damp hair for a glossy look. Serums are also known to work well in protecting and strengthening hair.

Many people consider using hair gel for styling, a good solution. Hair gels have been used for ages. At that time hair gel ingredients were completely different from those used now. In order to be sure that constant hair gel usage is not harmful to your hair, you need to make sure that the gel you use is of a well known brand and should contain some useful natural components. Today, certain gels have herb extracts that effectively strengthen the hair and also offer protection against everyday damage. Hair gels also contain a considerable amount of different vitamins and nutrients that are essential for promoting hair growth.

However, what one must remember is that mousse, gel and hairsprays are only mere hair styling tools. Before selecting one of these for yourself, you need to check whether your hair is cut to work in the style you want. At the end of the day a super hairstyle is always the outcome of a great haircut and not the consequence of the gel, mousse or serum that you have used.

I’m off to the parlour sweeties… time to get a new look and some well deserved attention!

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Understanding Autism

(Published on 10 April 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

World Health Day is celebrated every year on 7 April. This date marks the day when the World Health Organization (WHO) was founded. It was on this day in the year 1948 that the first World Health Assembly was held. It was then decided that 7 April would be marked as the World Health Day to raise awareness of key global health issues. The theme for the year 2007 is international health security. The objective is to urge governments, organizations and businesses to "Invest in health and in doing so build a safer future."

However, investing in health is not just about research, science, medicine and improved technology. It’s not just about improved infrastructure but also about spreading awareness. Educating oneself is as crucial. While most of the diseases prevalent today are recognized and given their due – Autism is rarely recognized and seldom given enough attention.

Autism is a developmental disability that results from a disorder of the human central nervous system. The word ‘autism’ was first used by the Swiss psychiatrist Eugene Bleuler in 1912. It comes from the Greek word for self - autos. It usually occurs in children below the age of three years. Autism has been defined as a disorder that begins in early childhood and which affects three fundamental areas of development: communication, social interaction, and creative or imaginative play. Children with autism are unable to socially interact with others and effectively communicate with their peers.

Autistic children often seem to prefer being alone and may passively accept physical display of affection without reciprocating. Many children with autism face social alienation in school and on the playground. Making friends in real life and maintaining relationships with others proves to be difficult. As a response to this, many resort to inventing imaginary friends.

People with autism are not physically disabled. They look just like anybody else without the disability. Due to this invisible nature of the ailment, it has become difficult to create awareness and understanding of the condition. As an autistic child looks normal people assume they are naughty or are badly brought up. The exact cause of autism is still not known. However, research shows that it is caused by genetic factors.

Specialist education and structured support can make a difference to the life of a child suffering from autism. Proper guidance helps them to maximise skills and achieve full potential as they grow older. Figuring out if a child has autism can be difficult. A parent is usually the first to suspect that something is wrong. Doctors and counsellors help in further diagnosis.

There is no cure for autism, but doctors, therapists, and special teachers can help children with autism overcome or adjust to the difficulties that they are facing. The earlier the treatment is started for autism, the better. Therapists also help patients learn social skills. Some children need special help with day- to day living chores. Others have trouble sitting still or controlling their tempers and need therapy to help them control their behaviour. Children with mild autism can go to regular school. They need teachers trained to understand the problems they have with communicating and learning.

For more information visit the official website of The National Autistic Society: http://www.nas.org.uk/

Let us educate ourselves. Educate others. It’s time for each one of us to invest in health and build a safer future.

Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com

Why is a horseshoe considered lucky?

(Published on 03 April 2007 in 'Women at Work' - W @ W - a supplement of the Daily Mirror, Colombo, Sri Lanka)

Good luck coins, lucky rabbit feet, four-leaf clovers, wishbones, horseshoes, rattlesnake rattles, black-eyed peas, lucky charm vials and talismans are just few of the lucky charms that people keep to bring them good luck. Is this just a superstition or do these lucky charms have unseen powers? As per the Oxford dictionary – a superstition is a widely held but irrational belief in supernatural influences. It is a belief that future events are influenced by specific things or behaviours, without having any relationship to it whatsoever.

One of the most common lucky charms is the horseshoe. The use of worn-out horseshoes, as having protective powers, originated in Europe, where one can still find them nailed on top of doorways. As per legend, one day St. Dunstan, formerly a blacksmith was working at his forge, in Mayfield, a village in north-east Sussex. The Devil, disguised as a beautiful woman paid him a visit with the intention of leading him astray. However St. Dunstan spotted the cloven hooves beneath the dress. He grabbed the devil's nose with his red hot pincers, thus thwarting the Devil’s evil intentions. But it did not end there. For the Devil returned again as a weary traveller in need of a horseshoe. St. Dunstan saw through the disguise once again. He beat the Devil until he pleaded for mercy and swore never to enter any house with a horseshoe above the door.

The church in Mayfield has since been dedicated to St Dunstan. Dunstan became the Archbishop of Canterbury from 960 – 988. He founded Mayfield Palace, one of the great residences of the medieval Archbishops of Canterbury. In 1864 it was presented to The Sisters of the Holy Child Jesus and since then remains a Roman Catholic boarding school. To this day, visitors to the convent can see the famous tongs used by St Dunstan, and his anvil.

Interestingly, the crescent form of the horseshoe is also considered a symbol of the pagan Moon goddesses of ancient Europe such as Artemis and Diana. The horseshoe is also related to other magically protective doorway-goddesses, such as the Irish sheela-na-gig, and to the lunar protectress who is often shown standing on a crescent moon.

People across Europe believe that nailing a horseshoe on their door will ward off evil. It is even represented in the form of jewellery, wall hangings, and printed images. In Europe, the Middle-East, and Latin America protective horseshoes are placed in a downward facing position with the belief that ‘luck pours onto you.’ When hung over doorways for protection, the horseshoe is supposed to point downwards so that ‘no witch will pass under it.’ But in some parts of Ireland and Britain people believe that the horseshoe must be turned upward or ‘the luck will run out.’ In Italy, a horseshoe, worn and discarded by a horse that was found on the road or in a field, is nailed by the side of the door so that the person who enters the door can touch it.

In Turkey horseshoes are blended with the protective all-seeing eye to form a unique charm that is believed to ward off the evil eye. In Mexico, used horseshoes are wrapped in colourful rayon thread, decorated with sequins and holy prints of the horseback-riding San Martin Caballero and backed with a prayer. Terra cotta blue-glazed horseshoe plaques are found in the Middle-East.

Although actual horseshoes are considered to be protective, modern horseshoe jewellery is worn because it is considered lucky. Especially, due to its association with horse-racing, it is believed to have become a gambler's lucky charm. Furthermore, because horseshoes resemble horseshoe magnets, they are also considered to have the power to attract money.

I have no idea whether a horse shoe does have protective powers or the power to bring good luck or the power to attract money. But if I ever do find one lying on the road, I would not just pass it by. I’d bring it home.

“Superstition is foolish, childish, primitive and irrational - but how much does it cost you to knock on wood?” - Judith Viorst


Miss Know-All
miss.know.all@gmail.com