Fact or Fiction? The things we think we know about hair

You hear many things about hair and how to look after it but what should we trust and what are the urban myths? Here we debunk some common misconceptions about hair care that have been around for a long time and many people still believe.

  • Too much shampooing makes your hair oily

The shampoo that you use has no effect on the oiliness of your hair. We all have something called sebaceous glands in the hair roots of our scalps and it’s these that control oil levels. How much sebum (oil) you produce if solely dependent on your age and skin type. Too much shampooing will actually strip your hair of oil, not increase it. Thankfully, shampoos nowadays are specially designed to keep hair moisturised and not dry out.

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  • Brown hair grows quicker than blonde hair

This is a myth but may have become a belief due to the fact that blonde hair is often finer than brown hair and so more prone to breaking. This could lead to the idea that it’s not growing at the same speed. The speed at which your hair grows is down to genetic factors but nothing to do with colour.

  • Too many styling products will dry out your hair

This fact is also untrue. Ingredients used in styling products, such as alcohol, will evaporate as soon as it is released onto the hair. For a Gloucester Hairdresser, visit http://headkandyhairdressing.com/

  • To make your hair grow quicker, you should cut it

Having a trim to encourage hair growth is definitely a myth. Your hair growth is only effected at the scalp and nothing to do with cutting the length. This idea may come from the recommendation that you have a trim every 6-8 weeks to remove split ends and breakages. Removing split ends does make the hair appear fuller.

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  • The more you brush, the better your hair will feel

There is no scientific evidence that proves that brushing your more than you already do makes any difference whatsoever. Too much brushing can damage the hair’s cuticle, which is the protective layer). Brush your hair to tidy or remove knots but anymore is not necessary.

  • Changing your shampoo is good for your hair

Unless you fancy trying something new then there’s no reason to change as it will make no difference to your hair. Different types of shampoo will have different effects so you might feel like switching it up sometimes but it’s not especially ‘good’ for your hair.

  • A good lather is better at cleaning

We associate a good amount of bubbly suds with cleanliness but there’s no scientific evidence that a bigger lather produces a better clean. Excessive foaming agents can actually be damaging to colour-treated hair and make it fade.

  • Blow-drying is worse than air-drying

While it’s true that overusing the hairdryer can damage the surface of your hair, air-drying is not the ultimate solution. There is proof that letting your air dry naturally can cause damage deep inside the hair strands if you leave it exposed to water for too long. The best solution is to use your dryer on the lowest setting and hold it at least 6 inches from your hair.

An introduction to the properties of silicone rubber

Silicone rubber is an extremely versatile material that can be used across a wide range of applications and industries. Its extensive popularity is due to the number of practical benefits that it offers, and these properties enable it to be used effectively even in harsh environments.

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Forms of silicone rubber

There are different types of silicone rubber, including those used by silicone hose manufacturers, and these are categorised based on the curing method that has been used.

High Consistency Silicone Rubbers (HCR) are heat cured with platinum catalysts or peroxides to create a single component compound.

Liquid Silicone Rubbers (LSR) are two-compound systems. They have an extremely low viscosity compared to standard silicone rubbers.

Room Temperature Vulcanizing (RTV) silicone rubbers are created from single or two-compound liquids to give a highly elastic material.

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The properties of silicone rubber

The unique properties of silicone rubber come from the tough silicon-oxygen chemical structure, which allows it to be used for long periods of time in very tough environments, including by silicone hose manufacturers Goodflex Rubber.

Age- and weather-resistant

Silicone rubber is very durable, and it can withstand extensive use even in the harshest of conditions due to its resistance to moisture, steam and water.

Thermal stability

Silicone rubber is a better option than standard rubber for applications that involve very high temperatures as it can operate effectively in conditions ranging from -75 degrees C to 300 degrees C.

UV resistance

Another benefit of the silicone is that it’s resistant to sunlight and ultraviolet light in addition to oxidation, so it won’t fade over time.

Elasticity

The silicone rubber used by silicone hose manufacturers is extremely flexible and has a high tensile and tear strength, along with elongation properties.

Low volatility

Silicones have the ability to keep a low vapour pressure, which means they are less likely to vaporize and will maintain their softness forever.

Electrical insulation

Silicone is non-conductive, so this type of rubber has great insulating benefits and exceeds the levels of all other materials when used for electrical applications.

Microbial Resistance

Silicone rubbers are tasteless and odourless, which provides them with an excellent level of biocompatibility. This enables them to be fitted into food and pharmaceutical environments because they won’t have any adverse effects on the products being produced.

5 Money Saving Tricks for College Students

College is a fun time for most young people, but it’s also a very cheap time. Unless your parents are fully funding your recreational activities or your class load is so light you can afford to work a lot, you’re probably going to wind up low on cash. Not only is that a drag when you want to go do stuff, it can be intimidating to face graduation without any money saved. Here are five tricks you can use to make your college experience less costly and more enjoyable!

1. Be an RA

Most schools offer free or reduced room and board for students who want to be resident advisors or “RAs.” It’s a position that typically involves fairly light duties like resolving roommate disputes, organizing dorm activities and checking-in visitors. Nearly all of these are things you can do while studying, so if you’re worried that getting another campus job will interfere with your schoolwork, this might be a great fit for you. Getting a job while you’re in school is a great way to save money anyway, but being an RA is an especially sweet gig.

2. Buy Used Textbooks

Unless your professor is extremely strict about having the most current editions of every book on their list (sorry science majors), don’t you dare buy new books! Go to Amazon, go to E-Bay, check out your school’s resources (they may have their own book sale where previous students will sell the books they bought new), or hit up local libraries. Heck, get an e-reader version and print off what pages you need. Whatever way you decide to go, remember that buying brand-new textbooks is more often than not a complete waste of money.

3. Hack the Dining Hall

If you have a meal plan, use it. We don’t just mean to eat your main three meals. We mean to swipe stuff for snacks. If you have access to a sandwich bar, grab a to-go container and take enough supplies to make a few sandwiches in your room. Maybe there are cereal dispensers at your disposal. Grab to-go cups full of cereal and milk, and you’ve saved yourself paying for breakfast at least one or two days a week. Also, if you get bored with what your school typically serves, start making up your own creations. If your dining hall has a salad bar, a French fry station, and a microwave, you can make restaurant-style cheese fries complete with bacon bits and ranch dipping sauce. That’s not the healthiest option, but here and there it might save you from the temptation to go out to eat.

  1. Get That Paper (Money)

Just because you didn’t score any scholarship money from your university doesn’t mean there isn’t still some out there left to claim. Look online for contests and scholarships that may apply to you even if they’re not affiliated with your institution. Fastweb.com is an amazing resource for such things, and it even boasts a bunch that applies to students who’ve already entered college. These little nuggets might not be a full ride to Michigan State University, but if you want to save money in college, a couple hundred bucks here and there won’t hurt.

5. Don’t Get a Credit Card

There is absolutely no reason you should have a credit card in college. As a matter of fact, credit card companies target college students because students land themselves in debt easily, and that’s good for banks. Thing is, you aren’t making any major purchases that would require the use of a credit card, and if you want to build up credit, there are other ways to do it. Funds are most likely going to be tight while you’re in school, but you should use that opportunity to learn how to budget. If you have a credit card at your disposal, you’re going to be sorely tempted to treat yourself to dinner out or a trip to the mall when you don’t have the means. If you have post-grad plans like a master’s in music education or something similar, you’re probably not going to want to pause those plans so you can work off credit card debt.

Wines and the Accessories that Come With Them

If you love wine and have been searching for special wine that may not be available in your local stores, you may be good to go with online wine stores. From wine websites, you may get all kinds o wines and accessories that are also rare to find in your area.

If you do a good research online, you will be able to find hundreds r even thousands of wine dealers who also sell to international customers. Some online dealers also specialize in given brands or special types of wines.  A website like www.grandmillesime.com.au specializes in selling French wine to many people all over the world. Online advertising and selling has made a lot of young corporations easily rich. Grand Millesime offers French wine and accessories. Listed below are few of their products that will be of great help to prevent all of the wine-related hassle.

  • The Wine

There are various types of wine for anyone to enjoy. From the basic categories of wine, millions of kinds of wines are enjoyed by the different people everywhere in the world. The wine is used in several occasions in a person’s life. The wine served to guests as wine fanatics may know, must have a great balance of all of its components. Wine offered by many online companies are carefully selected, and most of them stock the most highly demanded.

 

  • The Champagne Flutes

Many glassware companies do their best to manufacture the best glasses for different beverages. It may be quite awkward for some people for others to use another glass for a different wine. To drink champagne with style, specific glasses are used to be fancy in drinking one’s favored beverages. Many online stores showcase their champagne flutes to enjoy the luxury of drinking champagne with the right kind of glass.

  • The Corkscrew

Before one can enjoy the wine, the bottle must be opened. To do this with the best convenience, corkscrews are used to perfectly open the wine bottles. The Durand, a type of corkscrew, is used to open wine bottles for instance. Even fragile and old bottles can be opened without a fracture with the use of the right corkscrew. To find one, one can visit numerous pages in the internet to find the corkscrew that would be perfect for the user to successfully open bottles.

  • The Wine Save

The wine save is an excellent way of storing and preserving wine for you to enjoy later. Using Argon gas, wine saves provide the users the convenience of easily having their wines preserved without worrying about damage. Wine saves are commonly found in wine businesses so it’s really easy to find one to prolong the life of your wine. These are available in any online wine and accessories stores.

‘Too Expensive’ Breast Cancer Drug Now Available on the NHS

After being rejected in 2015 due to it’s high price, breast cancer drug Kadcyla has been adopted for use by the NHS. Kadcyla, which extends the life expectancy of terminal breast cancer patients by up to six months, was previously only available through the Cancer Drugs Fund, rather than the NHS, due to the price per patient of £90,000.

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So why has the NHS now adopted this drug, why did they not before, and what really drives any drug to be so expensive?

Breast Cancer and the NHS

There are over 55,000 new cases of breast cancer per year covered by the NHS, and breast cancer is the cause of over 11,000 deaths per year. That being said, almost 80% of breast cancer patients survived for over 10 years, even back in 2011.

With survival rates already climbing substantially and a massive price tag for what amounts to palliative care rather than prevention or treatment, it is easy to see why the NHS, with all it’s budget concerns, would not fund the use of Kadcyla. In 2017, however, the NHS has reached an agreement with the company producing Kadcyla, and will now supply the drug. The price the NHS will pay per patient is undisclosed.

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What Drives Drug Prices?

So what can possibly drive drug prices to be that high? Popularly, many would point to corporate greed and nothing else, but that is rarely the case when it comes to new or novel treatments.

Developing new drugs is incredibly expensive. Not only do you have to pay for research which may or may not yield any results, but then they must go through extensive testing, including patient testing and paid research studies such as those run by http://www.trials4us.co.uk/ to determine safety and efficacy.

All told, it could take years after a drug is developed for it to be deemed safe enough to be marketed, meaning a very large expenditure before the developing company has any chance to break even.

Research is a long and expensive process, so the makers of Kadcyla can be forgiven for the initial price tag. With Kadcyla now being available through the NHS, however, sufferers of terminal breast cancer can now expect longer and more pleasant lives, and that can only be a good thing.

What are the biggest challenges of relocating abroad?

Moving to another town can be a big step in itself, let alone relocating to another country. With other nations operating differently socially as well as financially, there are many factors to consider and to be aware of before you pack up and go.

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Missing family and friends from home

Though the idea of living abroad might have appealed to you for a long time, actually doing it is something completely different. Many expats set off on their trip of a lifetime with excitement and positivity but are often struck by how much they miss their loved ones. Similarly, even though friends may have every intention of coming to visit, the rush of everyday life can sometimes just get in the way and leave expats feeling lonely and isolated. Low-cost air travel does make the distance seem shorter and Skype is a must! See http://www.alifeoverseas.com/staying-connected-with-your-family-and-friends-when-you-live-overseas/ for more ideas on how to stay connected when you live overseas.

Adjusting to new surroundings

It may seem silly but one of the factors of moving abroad that many don’t think too much about is adjusting to new surroundings. Being on holiday and living somewhere permanently are two very different things so you must make sure that you are prepared for changes in climate and any cultural or religious disparities. One of the most important steps to take when relocating abroad is to establish a social outlet if possible, mingling with the locals so as to show you want to integrate into the community.

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Money and politics-related issues

The logistics of moving abroad can be quite frightening. For instance, legal processes relating to property can be a headache if you don’t know how they work or you don’t understand the language, and the same goes for other legal requirements you might have to meet when it comes to health or earning money. Even registering a car abroad can be a minefield, so the value of having an expert guide you through the process should not be underestimated. DT Moving (http://www.dtmoving.com/relocation-services), for instance, is a corporate relocation company that can offer you the assistance you need wherever your desired location may be.

With experts helping you to set up the new life you’ve always dreamed of, you can focus on looking forward to the many happy times ahead.

Choosing a Nanny – Getting it Right for Your Family

According to the professional recruitment team at RockMyBaby in London, one of the most commonly-asked questions from those seeking nannies is that of what represents the right choice to make. Now, on the surface, this seems like a question with an obvious answer, but in reality what makes for the perfect nanny will differ significantly from one family to the next. It all comes down to what it is you’re expecting, how much you’re willing to pay for it and how involved you want the nanny to be – there’s no one-size-fits-all nanny for all families across the board.

That being said, however, there is something of a recommended vetting process that should be followed across the board by every family looking for a nanny in order to ensure they make the right choice. Technically speaking, it’s a vetting process that doesn’t have to be difficult and is more than worth any efforts invested – you are after all, basically looking to take on a new family member and professional employee at the same times.

So, with this in mind, here’s a quick overview of the most important boxes to tick in order to ensure that the decision you make is the right one for the whole family:

1 – Go Through an Agency

Right off the bat, if you want to make the vetting process as easy as possible for yourself, then it pays to look for a nanny via an agency that essentially takes care of much of the vetting on your behalf. You basically have the choice of either casting your net over a standard group of un-vetted nannies or diving into a pool of those that have already been put to the test and proven themselves as safe, capable and responsible. To choose a good nanny agency is to essentially take most of the legwork and all of the guesswork out of the process, so never overlook the value of siding with a well-established nanny agency in London.

2 – Make a List

Take the time to sit down with the family and compose a list that features everything you 100% need the nanny to do and the other things that are preferred but technically optional. By doing so, you’ll be arming yourself with something of a checklist that can then be used at every stage of the recruitment process in order to ensure you find a nanny that ticks all of the right boxes and doesn’t fall short in any important areas. After all, you can’t logically expect to go out there and get what you want if you don’t first establish exactly what it is you want.

3 – Prepare For the Interview

Never go into the interview process itself just assuming that you’ll know what to ask or that you’ll be able to judge the candidate nanny with a somewhat gut-based approach. There are certain things you need to know about them that cannot be verified by way of their CV and application alone. Being a nanny is about more than just having all the qualifications and experience on paper as if this doesn’t translate to the kind of responsible and genuine inspirational individual your family needs, it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on. And of course, the interview should also be used to determine compatibility in a personality sense – if you don’t see the nanny ‘fitting in’ with the family, nothing else matters.

4 – Ask for References

If you fail to ask for references and sufficient references at that, you really have little to no way of knowing whether a single word on the candidate’s application is in fact true and accurate. You have to remember that above all else, you’re dealing with a total stranger and taking their word at face value having never personally dealt with them before. The nanny agency you choose may request its own references before being willing to represent the nanny, but it’s still crucial to look into their past employment history and feedback for yourself.

5 – Propose a Trial

And finally, never forget that you are technically under no obligation whatsoever to offer a hard yes or no following the interview unless you are confident enough to do so. Instead, it’s often worth asking the candidate you’re interested in if they’d be happy to take part in a temporary trial, just to see how well their skills and experience translate when put to use in the real world. Again, it’s a case of the theory of it all not necessarily panning out when put to the test, so be sure to consider a test period before going ahead with a more extensive contract.

Creating a light, bright dining room to thrill your guests

You’re planning a dinner party – but your dining room looks dreadful. How do you get it looking good quickly and cheaply?

It’s hard to make guests feel at home in a dining space that is drab, dingy and unwelcoming. Get the wow factor with bright upholstery, contemporary dining sets and table decorations that are real conversation pieces.

Modern or retro – but still fresh and vibrant

Consider not only what suits your personality, but what suits the rest of your home as well. If you live in a chic modern apartment, for example, the rustic look may feel a little out of place. Vintage or retro can be great looks, provided you feel confident enough to carry them off. Light or even white wooden furniture and sleek, defined lines make for a room that looks fresh and welcoming.

Refreshing and bold color combinations

If your dining room looks dark and uninviting, give it a makeover in fresh, pale colors. Consider a feature wall or wall art to add warmth and personality. Another idea is to use textiles to add texture, patterns and bold colors to an otherwise plain space. You could replace dark and outdated vinyl flooring with pale wood laminates for a look that is instantly more refreshing and lively; try combining this with cupboard doors or furnishings in bold, primary colors for a real ‘wow’ effect. 

Banish the gloom with effective lighting

Nine times out of ten, a dark and uninviting dining room can be fixed with the simple application of better lighting. This could mean something as radical as knocking down the wall between your kitchen and dining room to really open up the space – or the solution could be as simple as removing those dark drapes, replacing them with clean white Venetians and installing drop-down cafe pendant lamps or directional spots instead of relying on just the one stand-up lamp in the corner. 

Sophisticated furniture and centerpiece ideas

If your dining table is looking tired, perhaps it’s time for a new model: from the sleek minimalism of pale Scandinavian wood to sophisticated glass dining tables, you can really make a statement with the right piece of furniture. Make sure your chairs match the ensemble and dress the table with eye-catching place settings and centerpieces; an arrangement of fresh cut flowers will also bring life and brightness to the space.

Make the most of your daylight

Open up your dining space to the natural environment outside with wooden treatments that are fashionable and homely. Wooden shutters really add personality to any living space and can be as rustic or as contemporary looking as you like. Install them to the outside of your windows to make the most of your available daylight and allow the sunshine to shine in onto your dining space. Unlike heavy drapes, which can block sunlight, shutters have the advantage of being mounted on the outside, so they don’t take up any space in the room.

Armed with a pot of paint, good light – including daylight – and a little upgrade to your furnishings, that tired old dining space can be given a vibrant makeover that will bring it into the 21st century and make your dinner guests want to return for a second helping.

5 More Website Metrics You Must Measure for Success

You can spend thousands on a new website, but if you’re not measuring the website’s success, you will have no idea if it was worth the cost.

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Thankfully, there are a few different website metrics you can look at to see how successful your website is. According to Grow Think, this is very beneficial, as if you don’t know how successful something is, you can’t improve it.

Here are five more website metrics you can measure to see how successful your website is.

Overall Customer Value

Customer value isn’t the easiest metric to calculate, but the findings will be very valuable to your business. You can find your average customer value by looking at all the purchases an average customer will make with your business. Are most customers one-time buyers or do your customers come back to make repeat purchases – and if so, how many? This can help you to estimate how valuable your website is.

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Lead-to-Sale Ratio

If you are aware of your lead-to-sale ratio, you are aware of your sales success. Work out this metric by dividing the total number of sales with the total number of leads to see how many sales are linked to your leads.

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Overall Cost Per Lead

How much money are you spending on each lead? You can work this out by comparing the monthly cost of your campaign with the total number of leads. If the leads are fairly cheap, this means that your marketing plan is working, but if they are very expensive, it may be best to consider a different marketing strategy.

Customer Retention

It can also be useful to look at your customer retention rate, as this will let you know more about your repeat customers, but this is less useful if all of your customers tend to make only one purchase.

ROI

Your return on investment is important, as it shows how profitable your website is. You can calculate the ROI for your website by comparing the cost per lead with the lead-to-close ratio. Once you have a number, compare that figure with your average customer value to work out how profitable your website is.

What are the different types of elder care available?

Choosing the right care option for yourself or an elderly relative is vital, but the options can be confusing. To cut the confusion, here is an explanation of the different types of care available, ranging from full-time nursing to a little help at home.

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Domiciliary or home care

This is the provision of help with daily tasks at home. This can include cooking and preparing meals, housekeeping, nursing and personal care and can range from a few sessions a week to live-in help and emergency care.

This type of care means independence can be retained, and these services can be accessed either through your local authority or an independent care agency. All providers of this kind of care are Care Quality Commission-regulated, and you should ensure that all individuals have undergone a DBS check.

Respite and replacement care

This offers regular carers a break and is sometimes funded by the local authority. Options include short residential home stays, night services and day centres.

Retirement villages and sheltered housing

This form of care can offer reassurance while allowing you or your relative to retain independence and can ensure that all carers have been DBS checked through companies such as http://www.carecheck.co.uk/. You will normally have access to an alarm system, along with communal areas.

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Care homes

Care homes without any nursing care offer more support than the previous options but do not provide specific medical expertise. This is the perfect choice if you need help with practical tasks such as moving around, taking medication, eating, getting dressed and washing yourself but do not need nursing care. Find out more about care home funding at http://www.ageuk.org.uk/home-and-care/care-homes/paying-for-permanent-residential-care/.

Care homes offering nursing care

This is the ideal choice if you need high levels of medical attention. Some will also specialise in particular conditions and disabilities. Many of this type of care home will have registered nurses working at all times.

Continuing care

This is NHS care for severe cases and is normally delivered by nurses at home or in nursing homes. This type of care is specifically aimed at freeing up hospital beds.

Hospice care

Hospices aim to improve life if you or your relative has a terminal illness. The care offered can be full-time or intermittent and can be provided at home or at a care home.