Shaggy Chic Hair

The shag haircut is resurfacing once again for spring/summer 2012 and I love it! And it seems that the inspirations are coming from “the women of Rock & Roll of decades past” even Rihanna is currently sporting a shaggy blonde look. The newer shapes have longer layers at any length with either short, long, wispy fringes (bangs) with an allover chic unfinished look. And with today’s shaggy hair styles they are more universally flattering for almost any face shape or hair texture looking like it occurred by accident unlike the 70’s Jane Fonda’s shag in Klute which was slightly coiffed. The best Shags have fullness without weight and with hair color the best part is almost anything goes! It’s also a great way to grow out short haircuts, as it grows periodically getting a little snip shagging it out ( scissors or razor) creating beautiful styles with movement and texture and helping with the Ugly growing out stages. Shaggy hair is a freer style for those who want no real fuss hair with just the right products and fewer steps and still look styling and yes chic.

Here are some inspirations

Aveda’s New reVision Color!

By now I hope all of you are as excited as I have been with the new goodies we have from Aveda to our world of hair color. Since 1993/94 when I was bestowed the honor of being a part of something new and risk taking Aveda’s first ever hair color line Shades of Enlightenment, too launching Full Spectrum Permanent Hair Color to Now! My beliefs then and now remain that there is no better hair color product out there then Aveda Hair Coloring Systems.

Aveda has sure come a long way, the evaluation has been incredible and thrilling for me as a hair colorist, educator and I remember the days when a few of us would present at events like HCUSA (Hair Color USA) and everyone would be wondering “Aveda has Hair Color, don’t they make shampoo?” Until everybody realized after many awards and great presentations that we were most certainly contenders in the industry’s hair color market, and I can truly say we have arrived.

I cannot be more proud to continue to be a part of the best tribe, professionals there is in our industry and work with a product made for Hair Color Artistry, Thank you Aveda for my new palettes and for continuing to deliver beyond excellence.

Smokey Platinum Blonde

I often say ‘if it wasn’t for blondes and grey hair I wouldn’t have a job’, thank god I do! And for some time now we haven’t really seen any spotlight on “Blonde” per say nor a trend on bleach blonde hair until now. The new platinum blonde generation that will start emerging this next season is stunning and sassy; the look is an arid more dusty-powdery slate smokiness undertone to it which I call Angel Blonde. To me there are a couple of technical twists I do or add to ensure that my Bleach and Tone is going to be the desired end result we want. And in my experience I have noticed that hairdressers are far too hasty in the process of removing the product off the head fear perhaps. Trick 1; just when you are absolutely sure the bleaching process is done literally give it another 5 to 10 minutes longer, remembering that the product is white and tricks our eye and most important nothing debilitating will happen to the hair with a little extra time.

The other observation is that there is a tendency to just think that the toner chosen is going to do the job with the BRASS, logic is as well in Art if there is any yellow left it will oxidize muddy, lifeless, hence why a double process client comes back in looking a little Blah. Trick 2; less is best, try to tone hair with Color Conditioners, Universal Gloss with pigment or simply in most cases when that double process is perfect and even into an ivory tone (no Yellow) you do absolutely nothing to the hair accept conditioner. The natural oxidization of the environment, particles in the air, water etc. will grey it out naturally however they always go home with a color conditioner Aveda Blue Malva or Black Malva. After a week the client comes in to see you and at this point is when a Universal Gloss plus pigment all-over toner is applied. This way whatever the hair has picked up any deposits, residues the toner (gloss) will take care of it as well as deposit a strong or whisper of whatever undertone both you and client choose.

Platinum Blonde is a classic when done right and history has proven through decades that it still draws the attention this spring let’s Angel up some hair  

Pastel Hair Colors

In the past if I said blue green, purple, pink hair almost everyone would think punk rock this is not the case any longer. 2012 looks like a year for statement made hair color! And still leading the way as we saw last year are the likes of Lady Gaga, Nicki Minaj, Katy Perry and Rihanna with their bold and striking hair colors that have blazed a path for others to follow. This year we are adding grey and softer pastels to the mix as we are seeing off the runways and celebs showcasing new hair trends, Kate Moss added grey highlights, Kelly Osbourne looks like she used a Roux Fanci- Full hair rinse to achieve her very cool greyish/purple locks and Kate Bosworth with dip dyed green. For me to see pastel hair pulled off with such sophistication is oh so inspiring and exciting, I am not sure how long this trend will last but for now it’s fantastic. So whether you are adding colorful extensions, all over funk or just adding a few pieces pastels are smoking hot.

Aveda Invati Hair Thinning System

It’s finally here and it’s going to change many people who have been struggling with hair loss, thinning, and breakage or simply need fullness Aveda’s Invati™ system. 97% naturally derived with unique blends of herbs known for their use in Ayurveda healing from a 5,000 year-old tradition from India. It has been clinically proven and having the opportunity to literally see the results with my own salon testing of this product I can honestly say ‘unbelievable ‘results. Clogging up pores whether it be face, or scalp is the cause of many side effects like, breakouts on skin, loss of hair or small pimples on the scalp. And there are numerous products out there claiming their product will stop hair loss, thickening shampoos and conditioners and in my experience none of which have ever worked.

Reducing hair loss is an enormous breakthrough for research and development at Aveda through there award winning Botanical Lab “Natural-Holistic” science not pharmaceutically manufactured products. Ancient wisdom fused with modern technology gives us Invati which means “invigorate” in Sanskrit, an absolute gem added into Aveda’s hair care system.  

Email; Thank You

Getting into the hairdressing industry was in me from a child I think, a fun thing to do!!Taking my mother’s nail polishes and painting my Barbie dolls hair at age 7 “as mom reminds me” it was so cool!!! And it still is with more rewards then I could have ever thought. Going from a high school dropout straight into washing hair in a foreign country too more foreign cities, being amidst and part of the decade trends, and a career filled with acclaims from press and peers, it has been and remains a true blessing to say I Love what I do. And the passion I have for all beauty whether its  fashion, design, nature, arts of any kind keep me inspired my learning and experiences have helped to elevate me to where I am today 30 ode years later. Yet nothing inspires and feeds my heart more than making people look and feel great starting from the inside out and really doing it with a pure servant’s heart. We sometimes forget why we do what we do and then comes a gift unexpected, Please read the email I received.

Hello Ana. My name is Ted and I wanted to write you a line about the stunning high lighting you did with Sara a few days ago. She is the love of my life and her hair supports my contention that she is the most beautiful woman I could ever have imagined. Her blond tresses accentuate her charms and focus on her radiance. Sara is fortunate to have you, Ana, to assist her in helping her to glow! Well done! Ted

Sara a 65 year old client of mine married to Ted for 40 years! I have never met him as of yet, Sara beat cancer a year ago. Saturday Sara was my 10:00am appointment, it was for me a heartfelt joy that she was healthy and we could color her hair in over a year. My main goal was to make her look beautiful like never before and make her laugh and smile leaving the studio happy 'a great experience'. When we finished she started to cry from pure joy she loved her hair color and I could see in her eyes the smile from inside, I knew I had done my job!!! Thank You Ted for reminding me why I love what I do with a servants heart.

Daring New Hair Colors

Now that we have entered a new year it’s time to step out of your usual hair color and try something different, it’s amazing how changing hair colors can do wonders for confidence and your own individual style. In this modern day world we live in we have elevated the bar as far as style goes and uniqueness is highly praised, no one wants to look boring and hair color is one of the easiest ways and fastest growing service to guarantee that individuality is the way to go for 2012.

There are countless of gorgeous hair color hues out there to choose from but that doesn't make them suitable for everyone, skin tones as well as personality play an influential role in finding the perfect hair color. When it comes to new hair color think outside of the box, blonde and soft pastel tones, brunettes with higher contrast, redheads with intense tones are all so beautiful. And regardless of the intensity of the color or colors there’s an assortment of hair coloring techniques available and my coloring ideas for 2012 include bolder mixes of different multi-colors, dip dyes, emo hair colors and two toned colors. Keep in mind any change we do is a good thing even if it's one single panal of a little something something going on. So change up that single process or highlight/lowlight applications for a more daring look, could be the best thing you ever did for your own personal satisfaction.

Here are some inspirations too make you think

Nurture Inner/Outter Beauty

I might be a bit passionate about beauty—if the description of “beauty” involves being able to cite a hair/beauty launches from 2005, or a designer hand-bag a client is sporting, or understand the difference between nitro-dyes versus petrochemical free products. You see, I’m of the old school of thought that beauty is just the accessories on top of an already-healthy main course. While I’m in support of enhancing what already Mother Nature gave us, many of the things we want to enhance such as – shinier hair, good skin, striking eyes, etc., we do through products. However not to get all spiritual on you but there is no point to any of this beauty stuff if you’re not also working on good health and being a more beautiful person on the INSIDE. Just like the old saying goes Beauty comes from the inside out holds true and 2012 is an opportunity to connect these elements and be in sync for the best possible you.

My beauty and health resolutions

-Buy certified organic beauty products aveda.com

-Eat organic foods nealbrothersfoods.com

-Yoga 889yonge.com

-Hair- Spa civello.com or any Aveda Concept salons in your neighborhood

-Read drwaynedyer.com or something like that

-Do mani-pedis + massages

-Practice meditation + vitamins

- Be kinder, generous and always have a servants heart

Happy New Year!

Candles for Holiday

One of the nicest and reasonable gifts one can buy this holiday season just too say Thank You is a aromatic candle. This year Aveda's holiday candle *Grounding* is fabulous with vanilla, ginger, cassia and other pure flower essences will make anyone feel calmer, relaxed yes grounded and even sexy! with a bonus of 50 hours of burning without any fear of toxins. My top recommendation for those who need a lovely small gift to buy someone or yourself this xmas going with the Grounding candle is it!!.

Brunette Beauty

Brunettes may not be the most exciting hair colors but they sure have taken on a whole other personality this year and to me there is nothing more striking then Tone on Tone coloring for all my brown haired ravens. And staying dark and rich in the dull winter months is absolutely fine as long as we have a pop of color somewhere else (lips. eyes, checks, scarfs), and with brown hair colors which need dimension there’s no better way than adding various brown tones starting with light to even black which is my favorite on a brunette seeing bold or soft panels running through the hair which I have been doing now for a while is beautiful. Still the traditional highlight tones for brown hair remains most popular (golden, caramel, and butterscotch) however for those who really want lower maintenance particularly Tints – Single Processes go with Tone on Tone. The fastest way I do this is after I have finished applying root formula I then begin to take slices of hair and apply my second formula to those slices of hair. The amount or density you take with the slices will determine again a bolder or softer end result, rule on thumb 1/ Fine hair = Fine slices, 2/ Thick hair = Bigger panels (Back to Back slices), 3/ Medium hair = both  Fine slices + Bigger/ Back to Back slices.   

Remember when we use Tone on Tone shades to always have a combination of warm + cool; this creates incredible balance to hair.