Shower caps to keep you dry

I have tried every kind of shower cap from very pricey to super cheap. To date I have not found one cap that adequately keeps my hair dry. I’m sure some of your readers have had the same problem and maybe have a solution. I would like to hear about it. I’m tired of having to blowdry my hair every time I shower.

— Johanna L.

Many of us have hair — be it curly or straight — that becomes like a wild animal when touched by water (or shower steam). Believe me, I feel your pain. I too have tried every variety of shower cap I could get my hands on with no success. This brings me to a product called Hairbrella (hairbrella.com). It’s expensive ($24.99 and up) and it looks a little strange since it has a see-through visor to deflect water. Furthermore, it is marketed as a rain hat. I wore it in the shower and it kept my hair dry. The company offers money-back-free returns. Let’s hear from readers who have other solutions to Johanna’s problem.

I tend to keep my costume jewelry for a long time. I have a gold necklace that is now back in fashion. I was ready to wear it and noticed that the little gold balls on the necklace seem to have faded. I put the necklace into a storebought jewelry cleaner solution for 10 seconds and that did not restore the shine. My husband recommends Brasso. Do you have a recommendation, or should I just go purchase a new piece of costume jewelry?

— Lorrie H.

I’m not optimistic that there is a cost-effective way to bring new life to your old costume jewelry. But I contacted my go-to expert on costume jewelry, Dave Mayer, who for many years ran my favorite well-priced vintage costume jewelry store in Millsboro, Delaware. (He’s retired now, so all us costume jewelry lovers have had to find new resources.)

Dave says: “It’s possible that the gold plate finish has just worn off over time and there is no cost-effective way to restore it to its gold color. But, before buying a new one, Lorrie might try using a silver polishing cloth, which you can buy online, or Wright’s Silver Cleaner and Polish Cream, which you can buy in the grocery store. If it’s an older piece of costume jewelry, it might actually be brass, and her husband’s suggestion could work.”

The internet and YouTube offer an array of different home DIY solutions. I would test them on a small area of the jewelry beforehand. And if your jewelry has fake jewels that are glued in, I’d be worried that any of these treatments could loosen the jewels.

Send your questions, rants, tips, favorite finds — on style, shopping, makeup, fashion and beauty — to answerangelellen@gmail. com.

Many of us have hair that becomes like a wild animal when touched by water.