By Thuy Pham

Happy New Year, AF hunnies!

A new year always calls for a fresh look! Every year, I always like to ring in the new year with a new look and this year is no different. When considering my next color, I had a couple choices that would have worked well for me. Taking into consideration that I had Arctic Fox Neverland in my hair, I thought my best choices were to go to a pink tone or violet tone color. 

Neverland is a beautiful soft mint color that was so fun to have for the holidays. It complimented all the red I was wearing for the season. With the green tones in Neverland, I decided that pink or violet tones would be best for my hair right now because I love having sunny and bright oranges and citrus color tones for the summer. Since we are a few months away from basking in the glory of summer sunshine, I needed to decide on a color for the spring. Since violet and pink tones live next to reds, oranges and yellow on the color wheel, they made the most sense to be my transition color.  

After deciding on my next color, I always come up with a formula or recipe for how I’m going to achieve this new color. I was having a really difficult time deciding between the violet and pink. I even took an IG poll that was split 50/50! 

A few days before I was planning to change my hair color, I was helping Kinsley clean and organize her room. I picked up a little velvet bag and emptied the contents into my hand. It was crystals! One was a beautiful amethyst looking stone. It had reflections of purple and sometimes pink and magenta. That’s when I thought, why not do something similar to this crystal? Purple with some pink undertones! Now, I had to figure out the formula. Had I wanted to do a true purple color, I could have easily applied Arctic Fox’s Violet Dreams over my Neverland hair and I would have gotten a beautiful cool toned purple. Since I wanted something with a little warmth to it, I had to color correct the green tones from my hair, otherwise the formula I create will reflect much cooler than I want. To do that I mixed a color correcting shampoo and shampooed my hair 2-3 times until the green tones became an ash/cool blonde. Once this is done, I apply my new color formula. 

Oftentimes, as a chef I am always looking for inspiration in daily life and my new hair color can inspire my desserts such as my butterfly pea flower limeade and purple ube whoopie pies. I believe that your hobbies can inspire you in so many ways. 

Directions to achieve my look from green to purple: 

Color correcting shampoo formula:

1:1 ratio of Arctic Fox Resurrected shampoo and electric paradise

Mix and shampoo. Repeat shampoo until the hair is a cool blonde. 

Final color formula:

2 parts violet dream

1 part periwinkle

1 part girls night

Arctic Mist diluter for ends of hair

Application instructions:

Mix color until well blended. Apply starting at the root of hair and work your way yo about 1/3 down hair shaft. Do this until entire head is complete. Mix equal parts of Arctic Mist diluter into remaining color mixture. Use this diluted formula to cover the rest of your hair. Process for 40 mins. Shampoo and condition with Arctic Fox Resurrected shampoo and conditioner. 

Magenta is a red-based color with pink and purple tones, based off of the natural dye cochineal, a revered red dye that at one point was worth more than gold. Viva Magenta represents tenacity, vigor, strength, and bravery. 

2022 was a trying year for so many of us. It was the second full year of a global pandemic, it was a year of restructuring and redefining how we live and exist. I think for many of us, it was a year of loss. A lot of people lost jobs, lost friendships, and had to restart in many ways. Viva Magenta is the perfect color for 2023, and represents reigniting that spark we all have within us. 

Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of Pantone said, Viva Magenta is about “writing a new narrative”. So what is your 2023 going to say? 

I know for me, I am going to commit to doing one thing that scares me, every week. Whether it is something as simple as asking an employee where something is in a store instead of my usual ‘wander all 110 aisles until I find it!’ stubbornness, or something much larger like trying to sell my art like I have been saying I will do for the last ten years, or keep going to my open mic nights I do bi-weekly (because let’s be real that scares me every. single. time). Time is going to pass regardless, and I will never regret trying, but I might regret not. 

While the winter months can bring so many warm and cozy memories, the cold temperatures are likely causing your hair’s breakage, frizz and overall damage. Not to worry, Fox Fam 💝  We’ve weathered this storm before and we’ve compiled a list of some of our favorite ways to protect hair from winter dryness! 

Healthy hair starts from within. Nourishing your body with the proper nutrients has SO many benefits, including improving the overall health of your hair. Below, you will find a list of ways that you can fuel your hair, using the following foods (vegan options for each are also listed)

1. Protein: Your hair is made up of protein, so it’s extremely important to include lots of it into your daily routine. Doing so will prevent hair loss and breakage. Some remedies include: nuts, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, beans, tofu, quinoa and chickpeas.
2. Omega-3: For itchy and dry scalp, you’ll want to incorporate healthy fatty acids to achieve a hydrated scalp and shiny hair. Some remedies include: fish, avocado, pumpkin seeds, walnuts
3. Vitamin C: Looking for more strength and growth for your hair? This is going to be your holy grail, as it produces collagen to really strengthen the hair and allow it to grow at a faster rate. Some remedies include: oranges, blueberries, broccoli, papaya, strawberries, sweet potatoes (add almonds and cashews to get some Vitamin E for dry hair, as well.
4. Iron- Great for hair loss! Some remedies include: spinach, lentils and broccoli

Now that we’ve got a grasp on how these nutrients can kick start your hair’s health, let’s talk about more common ways to protect and heal your hair from the cold! 

Shampoo and Conditioner: A good hair care routine should start with a good wash. Not to brag (okay, maybe a little) but our Resurrected Set is fully packed with amino acids & antioxidants to restore elasticity and soothe the scalp. However, we would advise customers to wash less frequently in the winter, to avoid stripping the hair of moisture and oil. 

Hair Wraps: If you notice your hair is brittle and difficult to style after it’s been washed, it’s likely that the hair is lacking moisture. Giving your hair a break from your blow dryer and using a hair wrap will reduce frizz and breakage. Here is the link to one we’ve been loving! 

Hair Serum: Whether you like a milky or a glossy hair serum, we have some of the BEST recommendations to seal that hair and strengthen dry, brittle strands. As you may know, our Money Hunny was designed to help ALL hair types achieve their best hair yet by reducing frizz, repairing AND retaining color. Did we mention how dreamy it smells? 🤤  For a scalp focused serum, I recommend this one from Ouai! With its ability to reduce scalp discomfort and create the appearance of thicker hair, this is surely a match made in hair heaven! 

Leave in Conditioner: Leave In Conditioner detangles, hydrates and fights frizz. This one from Ouai is my go to!

Hair Mask: If you haven’t tried our Ultra-Hydrating Pool Party Foaming Hair Mask yet, your hair is missing out! With healthy antioxidants, omegas and all natural oils, your hair will be revived in no time! Did you know that there are 4 ways you can use our Pool Party Foaming Hair Mask?

1. A pre-shower hair mask: Apply to dry hair and leave it for 10 minutes, then rinse and condition.
2. An amplified conditioner: Use in place of your conditioner after shampooing.
3. Wet styling: Apply a generous amount to dry hair to give a full-bodied wet styled/slicked back look. Hydrates and conditions hair while holding your hairstyle in place. 
4. Condition dry ends: Add a small amount to dried ends for a boost of hydration.

       *Pool Party is only available to ship in the contiguous United States*

Trimming: If all else fails, your hair may simply be in need of a little trim (½ inch - 2 inches should be plenty). In general, this is essential for healthy hair, regardless of the season, so I highly recommend doing this as the winter approaches.

While all these tips will be helpful year round, your hair will definitely thank you for giving it that extra T.L.C. during these chilly winter months. 

Do you have any questions or concerns? We want to hear from you! Let us know below! 👇

How to Make Your Mani Last Longer

Spending time doing your nails can be a great way to practice self-care, but how can you enjoy the fruits of your labor for longer? We’ve rounded up our favorite tips on how to prolong your mani.

Nail Prep

The key to a good, long-lasting manicure is the proper prep.

Use An Orange Wood Stick Or Cuticle Pusher To Push Back Your Cuticles

Pushing back your cuticles will help the nail polish adhere to only the nail plate. This will prevent lifting and peeling in the cuticle area.

Gently Buff The Shine From The Nail Plate

Much like sanding before painting wood, gently buffing the shine from your nails with a fine grit buffing block or nail file will provide a grippier surface for the polish to stick to. Be careful though! A light hand is best as over-buffing can remove too many layers and damage your nail.

Remove Natural Oils

Use nail polish remover, rubbing alcohol or a nail dehydrator to remove any natural oils from your nail plate. This will help the nail polish to stick better and prevent peeling and chipping.

Manicure

During the manicure there’s a handful of things you can do that will prolong your mani.

Use A Good Base Coat

A good base coat will provide a sticky layer, like paint primer, for the nail polish to stick to. Try our Foxology Base Coat  that will set the stage for a polish that lasts and is formulated to work with our Foxology Nail Polish.

Apply Polish In Thin Layers

Apply your nail polish in thin coats in order for your nails to dry more thoroughly. A quick drying polish like Foxology Nail Polish can help speed up the process. Using multiple thinner coats also gives you more control over the polish and will help prevent flooding your nails and cuticles. Nail polish should only be applied to the nail plate in order to prevent peeling and lifting. 

Use A Good Top Coat

A good top coat, like our Foxology Top Coat, prevents chipping and protects the nail. It contains Vitamin A, Vitamin E, Argan Oil, Aloe and Biotic to provide strength and hydration to the nail plate.

Apply All Layers of Polish On the Free Edge 

The free edge of your nail is the edge of the nail that extends past your finger. This area gets a lot of wear so protecting it will extend the life of your mani.

Allow Nails to Fully Cure

Your nails may appear to be dry to the touch, but they are not fully cured underneath. Avoid soaking in water or other activities that are hard on your hands for 1-2 hours until fully cured.

Post-Manicure

After following the above steps, there are a few things you can do after your manicure to help it last as long as possible.

Avoid Soaking Your Hands in Water or Using Harsh Chemicals

Soaking your nails can allow water to seep under the layers of polish and damage your manicure. When cleaning, harsh chemicals and repeated water exposure can also break down the polish. Wearing cleaning gloves when cleaning can help!

Reapply Top Coat

Your top coat can wear down over time with everyday use. Reapplying every few days can add extra protection and shine to your mani. Be sure to thoroughly clean the nail before reapplying your top coat.

Keep Your Nails Moisturized

Apply cuticle oil daily to keep your nails moisturized and prevent breakage and cracking.

Avoid Biting or Picking Your Nails

Biting or picking at your nails can chip your polish and damage your nails. Avoid doing this, if possible