Natures Healing Oil

From dry skin, oily skin to damaged hair, nature has provided natural remedies. Summer is lovely and fabulous but it soon takes its toll on your hair and skin as a woman of colour. From dry, ashy skin from lack of moisture to flaky dry scalp, your skin and hair is crying out for moisture. Watch your skin girls. Reward your skin and scalp with natures undefiled gifts.

From Argan oil, Cocoa butter, Carrot oil, olive oil and my favourite Shea butter, nature has given us natural ways of looking great for less. Our skin needs adequate moisture all seasons otherwise it becomes dry and ashy. Our hair needs moisturising even more at all seasons. No need to use harsh chemicals to get that damaged hair back to life, give it the kiss of life that is Shea butter. As a beautician and retailer of hair and beauty products, I have come to the realisation that nothing beats Shea butter for your skin and hair.

Lets look at the merits of this miracle oil know as Shea butter.
It contains a rich amount of unremovable fatty acid which makes it far superior to Cocoa butter. It rejuvenates and moisturises skin and hair. Provides all the essential vitamins needed to make skin feel smoother and healthier. Its therapeutic agents protects skin and hair from wind, cold, sun and other harsh elements. Most importantly, it fights effects of ageing and repairs damaged skin.  Great treatment for dry skin, eczema and burns.  Don't spend lots of money on creams with SPF, Shea butter is a great sunscreen due to its rich content of Vitamin E&E. Treats dark spots, skin discolorations, stretch marks, wrinkles and blemishes.  A fabulous and rich hair conditioner too.

Look out for creams with Shea butter ladies to get that smooth baby like healthy looking skin and luscious hair.

Visit www.fab4hairnbeauty.com for great Shea butter products at great prices.
Its all about you!!

These are my favourite Shea butter products:

1. Shearadiance whipped Shea butter  www.fab4hairnbeauty.com
2. 100% African Shea butter
3. Clarins Moisture rich body lotion with Shea butter
4. Body shop Shea butter body butter.
5. Topiclear 3 in 1 cream with Shea butter
6. Ambi Soft & Even oil creamy lotion with Shea butter.

What Is A Lace Wig?

I have decided to answer some of the questions I get asked everyday by buyers of our products especially by men trying to get a surprised gifts for their female partners. A lot of terminologies are used  today about hair that it becomes imperative to try to break it down. The first and most common question I get asked so frequently is What is a Lace Wig? I will answer this and indeed other questions.
"The idea of hair weaves and extensions first came about in the early days of ancient Egypt, where men and woman utilized extensions in their hair to portray a more elegant appearance. By the late 17th century, wigs in various shapes and sizes became a latest fashion trend. Hair weaves in particular, did not grow interest until the 1950s; even during that time celebrities had been the only ones using them. When the “long, disco-haired” era evolved there started to become a widespread of hair weave. Since that era, hair weave has only become more popular."

What is a Lace Wig?
A lace wig is designed and constructed to be the nearest to your natural hair. Hair is undetectable because they are designed with a gauze like lace material which blends into ones skin to give a natural appearance  mimicking  hair growth. It comes in synthetic fibres or human hair. The  full lace wig is fixed using a tape or glue to secure wig whereas the lace front can be worn without having to use a glue or tape.  This is also known as  glue less lace wig. Hair is secured because of inner securing combs inside the wig and  securing back straps . Lace wig is the choice of actors and actresses to portray their roles. Its become the favourite of superstars like Beyonce, Tyra Banks and others. Hair may be ironed or curled depending on the quality of hair. It may also be coloured. It comes in short or longer lengths and in different colours.

What is a Weave Or Hair Extension?
A hair weave is described in the dictionary "As a general term used to describe human or artificial hair used to alter ones natural hair appearance". Hair is sewn into already tracked or plaited head. It could also be applied onto the head using glue as bonding. It could also be clipped on with wig clips to extend hair length. The hair weave comes as synthetic fibre hair or human hair. The weave is favoured by stars like Jordan, Cheryl Cole, Naomi Campbell  and others. When applied by a trained professional, its very difficult to detect especially when fitted with a lace closure.

What is a Weave or Lace Closure?
The lace closure is used with a weave to ensure a perfect closure after fitting. It also comes in synthetic fibre hair or human hair. A perfect closure when secured to the base of the head by attaching it around the perimeter of a weave, mimics natural hairline due to it gauze like base. Parting area blends into the rest of the hair extensions to create a natural look.

Whatever style you choose, remember we have it covered at:
www.fab4hairnbeauty.com

Its all about you.

Make Your Lace Wig Last

Its my humble opinion that the person who  invented the wig and indeed the lace wig is a genius. Its so liberating being able to change your look as often as you wish without having to spend a fortune at the salon. Even when a woman has healthy luxurious hair, its still pertinent to have a few wigs in your closet for times you want to change your looks.  And if your hair is damaged from the use of too much chemicals, the wig becomes a life saver. I love the idea of being able to change the colour of ones hair to go with the seasons without having to colour your natural hair.

 A ladies hairstyle should reflect the different seasons, just like clothes come in different colours with different seasons, your hair should reflect the mood of the season.  We have had a fairly good weather this Olympic season in the United Kingdom thankfully. Give your hair some attitude to reflect the mood of the season.  A vibrant blonde colour is perfect for hot summer days. Be bold, step out of the dark and get some colours in your hair. The best and most effective way to do this is to invest in great quality lace wig or full wigs with different colours.  Love colours 33 and 30 for summer. For the fainthearted, go for 4 or 1B/30. I also would recommend colours 99J or 350 for that fire reddish look. fabulous.

Visit www.fab4hairnbeauty.com for fabulous affordable wigs.


Now that you have invested in fabulous lace wig , how do you make it last long to get the most of it? Well, one way I recommend is to give your wig a break after each week of wearing it. If you find a style that suits you, get at least three wigs of the same style and change your wig after every week to prevent shedding and tangling. For instance, if you love your wig in colour 2, get a straight and a curly style in the same colour and alternate them. Wearing one wig for more than a week, reduces the life span of that wig. I also recommend not going to bed in your wig. That is why I prefer glue less lace wigs.  Brush your wig everyday with a good wig brush, also give your wig the kiss of life each week
 with a fabulous wig spray. Lastly, leave your wig when not in use on a wig stand.

If your natural hair is damaged, plait your hair whilst wearing a fabulous wig. Your hair is safely tucked away while looking fabulous. The lace wig guarantees an invisible hairline, invest in it. Love and take care of your wig, and it will love you back. Now you can relax that people are looking at you, not your hairline. fabulous.

Its all about you.

My Problem With 1&1 Internet

Ever since our business was born nearly three years ago, our website had been hosted by 1&1 Internet. Didn't really know much about them except that a friend recommended them. Our business is solely online base hence we needed a competent and reliable host. The first issue was the price, each additional key component required for making it a professional website was added fee. Well, I didn't quite mind that except that the monthly bill varied from month to month.  Again, we continued with them. It did not help that their technical support team based somewhere in the universe did not quite understand the technicalities of phone support. one of them thought I was referring to weight when I mentioned British pound which happens to be the currency we trade in.

The last straw for me and the reason for this blog, is that from the first of May 2012 till 2nd of June 2012, our website suddenly went off line. I panicked because our business is mainly online based. Rang and emailed their technical support team several times, no result. Eventually, one of them said they had a bug in the system and we should be back soon. It dragged on with no communication from 1&1 internet except for a bill sent despite not providing service. It was during this time that I spoke to a friend in panic and he advised that I googled I hate 1&1. There I found so many appalling  stories by disappointed customers. I think that 1&1 has taken more than they can handle and are struggling to cope in the UK. I get very angry when I see their adverts on television, asking for more customers.

As I write this blog, 1&1 has still not rectified nor given me a viable reason why our website is still down despite us being up to date with our fees to them. I have had to cough out another hefty bill for another website as its impossible to move your website from them to another host. Once they have you, you are stuck.

Currently, our brand new website designed and hosted by competent and I think, very professional host, Ipage, is up and running. So far so good with Ipage. We are glad to be back. As a small business, 1&1 internet has caused us serious loss of revenue and customers by their incompetence. If not for Amazon Uk, we would not have a store to sell our fabulous products.

Please visit our fabulous new website. www.fab4hairnbeauty.com and get shopping. We are still in the process of uploading our products.

Happy Diamond Jubilee celebrations everyone. Long may Queen Elizabeth 11 reign.

Its all about you!!

My Problems Selling On Amazon UK

Its been two years since our business Fab4hairnbeauty was born. Our business is mainly an on line retail shop for fabulous hair and beauty products mainly for women of colour and class. In our quest to get our fabulous products out there, we decided to register with giant on line market places like eBay and Amazon UK alongside having also our own website.  Now, sales on our website is fair, but,  in these harsh economic situation, one needs on line retail giants to help get your products seen by consumers. Selling on these giant on line retail shops has its ups and downs. First, it does not come cheap. A percentage of your sales is taken alongside paying a monthly fee.  My problems  with eBay is documented in one my older blogs.

We have had our shop on Amazon UK for close to two years. It is fair to say that our Amazon sales account for almost 70% of our sales. It is a fairly good place place to trade as customers have come to trust  Amazon due to their good reputation. Its estimated that almost 80% of on line retail is done on its website. One of their great qualities is good seller support. Regular webinars are organised for traders to support and educate. I have found some of these webinars valuable as a seller too. However, its becoming frustrating to comprehend some of their policies.

One of the problems I have encountered on Amazon UK is their "Buy Box" policy. Buy box is where a seller wins the top position of a product advertised. Now, Amazon offers buyers different options of sellers to choose from, which is great. My question is how is the winner of the buy box determined? For instance, we have created a product on Amazon for the first time and did all the hard work of writing the product details and uploading images of this product and then all of a sudden another seller is awarded the buy box of this same product we created without due consideration for all the hard work put into creating this product on Amazon. When asked, Amazon has said that 'Buy Box eligibility is based on factors such as pricing, availability and sellers performance.'. Sometimes when as a seller, you get all this right, you are still not guaranteed to win the eligibility of a buy box.

There is also a lot of emphasis on sellers performance. Sometimes, it feels like you are under pressure as a seller  to meet their criteria as a seller. Seller performance is largely determined by the all important 'Feedback".  Feedback from buyers is great if it is fairly done. I have noticed however, that some buyers use this tool to intimidate and bully sellers. What happens when you have done all you can as a seller to fulfil your side of the bargain and a difficult buyer decides to leave a negative feedback? One advise is to contact the buyer to remove the feedback. What happens if they don't? In some cases, Amazon has removed feedback's that are deemed a violation of their policy, but a lot still needs to be done. The buyer needs protecting as well as the seller.  Feedback's are invaluable if they are genuinely done.  There are however, difficult customers who abuse the system and aim to defraud. Sellers should be protected from these minority.

All in all, its been a great experience.

Get It Right This Festive Season

Its the season to be joyful and thankful. Its also a time to look glam and fabulous. With a lot of party invitations to keep up with, its hard to look ones best all the time . Looking great means getting it right with ones choice of outfit and of course your hair. They say a woman's crowning glory is her hair. So you have purchased the perfect outfit and a fabulous pair of shoes and handbag to go with it, what about the hair?  Your hair can make all the difference.  For the the woman of colour,  and I suppose most women, the hair is the most important part of the outfit.

 What are the options? For the lady who prefers the natural  and short look, its best to perm or at least texturise to make it manageable and fabulous. I prefer texturising as its mild on the scalp and the hair.

For lovers of the weave, get it right by making sure that it looks natural and glam. Aim for an invisible closure. There is nothing as distracting as an obvious  look of hair extensions. Cover it up with the perfect hair closure. Use a lace or weave closure for the perfect and natural result.  You can also achieve the perfect glam look using wig clips to clip in the hair extensions. This works perfectly well if you already have long hair and just need to add a bit more for fullness or to achieve a longer length.

And then, there is the full wig or the lace front wig. The wig or lace front wig is perfect as it instantly gives that glamourous and instant help that you need for a great hair day.  When purchasing a wig or lace front wig, choose the one with inner securing combs. This ensures that the wig is secured even during windy moments. Also choose the style that suits your face. The colour of the wig also matters. Most woman prefer the easy option, dark colours. Experiment with lighter colours. Try a mixture of light brown colours and light colours. I love colour 4 and 4/30 or 4/27. See our colour chart at www.fab4hairnbeauty.com for guidance.

For emergencies, use the very dependable ponytails or hair buns. It is the best and cheaper way to enhance your look in seconds. Its fab and its suitable for all occasions. I love ponytails and have it in different styles and lengths. Its a must have for giving your hair a helping hand when it matters. Its quick and easy to apply. Just click in with the securing inner combs which ensures a perfect fit. We love the ninja look ponytail.

Whatever style you choose ladies, aim to achieve an invisible hairline. You want people admiring not looking at your hairline. Get it right with your hair this festive season.

Happy Xmas everyone, and a happy fulfilling 2012.

Happy celebrations. Remember, its always all about you.

Image Is Everything

Back home in the UK after a fabulous time in Dallas Texas. No doubt I came back with fabulous goodies for our customers. Have uploaded some of them on our website, more to come as soon as we take delivery of all of them. Watch this space guys. Its Christmas season and everyone is in a fabulous mood. Went into Guildford town centre today and it was filled with shoppers. Great news for the retail industry I must say.

Trying to catch up on the news while I was away.  First was the strike action by the unions protesting the cuts in their in their pension and the furore that was generated by the comments made by Jeremy Clarkson a presenter on BBC television channel. Its a free country guys and he is entitled to his opinion no matter how insensitive some think he was. Anyway, he has apologised. Also read in the Mail newspapers an article by one of their writers, an Asian beauty editor about how black and Asian celebrities and superstars are lightened up and made to look paler in photo shots for magazines and posters. She posted pictures of black celebrities including Rebecca Ferguson, a mixed raced runner up of last years X Factor. It made me think why? Whats wrong with representing black and Asian women in their true glory? Black and Asian women are blessed with beautiful ageless skin. Like I have posted in my older blogs, the beauty and fashion industry need to do more to promote black beauty. Times in the past I have gone into big stores in the United Kingdom  outside of London, only to be told they do not sell beauty products for darker skin.  Shocking I think. Its my opinion that the fashion and beauty industry should be made to represent the different skin colours.  This  is however changing thank goodness. I was pleasantly surprised to see hair relaxers being sold in my local Boots store in Guildford, Surrey.  Its my opinion that large supermarkets and department stores should be encouraged to cater for all skin colours just as they cater for all skin types.  For some reasons, its easier to get beauty products for darker skin in the United States than in the United Kingdom. I actually discovered that some of these manufacturers do make products for black skin but for unknown reason we don't see them here. Some manufacturers like  Estee Lauder  and Clinique have always catered for darker skin. More need to follow. Women will buy good beauty products be they white or black. Image is everything to a fashion conscious woman whatever the skin colour.

This is why our fabulous shop was born. To offer good quality hair and beauty products tailor made for the black woman. You will love our 100% natural skin products, like our pure natural Shea butter. Fabulous. Visit www.fab4hairnbeauty.com.

Remember, its all about you.