Lifestyle briefs

Jul 14, 2011, 4:06 GMT

Protect hair from the sun too

Berlin (dpa) - Not only skin, but also hair can suffer under intense sunlight during the summer months. Therefore, it's best to expose as little hair as possible to sunlight when sunbathing, said Stefanie Koehn, president of an association of hairdressers in Germany.

'The fewer places on the head the sun is able to reach, the better for the hair,' said Koehn. The best protection is anything that covers the head: a sunhat, a cap or a scarf done up in a stylish way. Long hair should be put in a ponytail or braided.

There are special products offering additional protection for the hair. This is especially true for colour-treated hair, said Koehn. This includes moisturizers designed for the hair after sunbathing.

Counterfeit cosmetics are doubly risky

Berlin (dpa) - Counterfeited brand perfumes and designer cosmetics brought home from holiday are not only illegal, but could also be dangerous.

Shoddy ingredients and alcohol could result in rashes or allergies, warns Germany's association for cosmetics in Berlin. Some fake brand name cosmetics use preservatives and fragrances that are not permitted in Europe and some sun creams sold outside the EU in fact have no sun-blocking properties at all.

The association said the packaging often doesn't help the consumer distinguish between the good and the bad. They have become such good imitations that on first glance even experts can't spot the fake product. Sometimes the vendor uses the original packaging of well-known brands, but inside are cheap substitutes.