Reality Hair

Flirty Touches

 

This is the best time to start suggesting a little more ‘flirty touchs’ to go with all shades of browns, and whenever I hear I am bored with my color I’d say 75% is usually a brunette. So how can we create more for the brunette ? by using simple techniques and clever placements that will be in sync with the haircut/style. One of my favorite approaches is using back to back panels of one light brown and one dark brown which to me represent a subtle elegance of classic chic. I also love love black and brown, brown and cinnamon and of course the classic browns and caramels all beautiful combinations that look stunning on almost any brunette or wanna be ravin beauty's.

So for all the brown-brunette haired lady’s and gents start thinking "flirty" with either bold or soft touches to bring in a little spring uplift!  

Glosses vs Toners

Glossing truly is just another phrase that we use versus a Toner, it’s a semi-permanent hair color either way,  and in my experience I believe that the word Gloss sounds much more appealing to clients then Toner due to the stigma that toners have represented for decades in salons which meant /means ‘Fix it’. It can take the negative out of the automatic thinking clients do that something went wrong with their hair color. Also we need to rid some traditional salon color verbage such as, ‘your hair is fried, ‘I’ll slap some color on or you need a toner on your bleached hair etc. etc. all negitives, use ‘your hair is dehydrated, and ‘I will apply your color, "lets color gloss your hair, simple etiquettes yes!

Glosses/Toners today offer much more than a fix-up, yes they offer the great ways to go a few shades darker add honey to the accidental white hi-lite and of course neutralize a raging orange/gold to the curb. And when it comes to getting that perfect color, there’s a fine line between “so right” and “not quite”. The benefits are also shine, condition and body without a fix-up involved and the word Gloss is a positive! And creatively I can use them as sheer drapes over satin hair colors, a wonderful tool when used right as well as marketed, practice using Gloss over Toner even when indeed it is a fix-up.

The guide lines:

• Green hair can be treated with a red-based gloss to bring it back to a more natural shade.
• Orange hair will need a gloss with a blue base
• Yellow hair can be fixed by using a gloss with a violet base or by using a beige hair color.
• Red hair can be neutralized by a green or ash-based gloss.
• Blue hair will need an orange-based gloss to neutralize it.

 

Flirty-Splashes For Brunettes

There are many good reasons to color hair brown. Clearly, in terms of lustre and shimmering highlights brown hair rules. Imagine that! Brown hair sparkles with the most light-reflecting color pigments and therefore outshines the competing blond color choice by miles.
And this is the best time to start suggesting a little more ‘flirty splashes’ to go with all shades of browns with your clients, and whenever I hear I am bored with my color I’d say 75% is usually a brunette. So how can we create more of this so called “Flirty Splashes” by using simple techniques and clever placements that will be in sync with the haircut/style. One of my favorite approaches is using back to back panels of one light brown and one dark brown which to me represent a subtle elegance of classic chic. I also love love black and brown, brown and cinnamon and of course the classic browns and caramels all beautiful combinations and can look stunning on almost any brunette or want too be.

So before you hear I’m bored beat the brown haired lady’s to it and start thinking flirty splashes.
 

 

 

 

Happy 2013

Wishing you a, Prosperous, Joyful, Peaceful and Creative New Year

So go grab a box of crayons and use all the colors to live to the fullest in 2013!!!!

xo

Merry Beautiful Christmas!!!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday seasoning...
Bring on 2013!!!! see you then
Much Love&Light
xo

Nature's Gifts from Aveda

Find an Aveda Lifestyle Store and Salon-Spas near you, and give from the heart of purity this holiday season.

Dry or Wet: Hair Cut

It is somewhat unfortunate that so few stylists are using dry cutting. Cutting the hair dry has several rewards, and most women and men who have had their hair dry cut most likely would prefer it done this way. So why are so many stylists hesitant to do or learn the art of dry cutting? As a hair colorist it makes complete sense to me to cut the hair dry, then color then tweak the cut, remembering that hair color changes the density of the hair (fattens up) and texture so that inch that was just cut is possibly now an inch and a half.

I personally prefer dry cutting when I’m about to color hair for many reasons, 1/ I can see the foundation (shape) which allows me to put my detail work in, 2/ The scalp is most likely not going to feel irritation because it was not massaged at the sink.  Another benefit of cutting the hair dry is that it allows both stylist and colorists to see the shape of the cut as it will appear when the hair is styled, wet hair is longer than dry hair, and so cutting the hair dry allows the stylist to remove just the right amount of length and bulk as well as where darker or lighter hair color should be placed for an overall customized end result.

I have learnt through the years from the many talented haircutters I have had the privilege of working with and coloring their cuts that the ultimate way and almost only way to cut curly or wavy hair is the dry cut. It is very difficult, if not impossible, to see the curl formation, and being able to see the curl pattern is essential when cutting curly and wavy hair, because if the hair is cut at the wrong part of the curl, the hair may become unruly and hard to manage. Don’t misunderstand me I am not saying all hair types or styles should be done dry but when it comes to curly and wavy hair, a dry cut is superior over the typical salon wet cut, and as for wet cuts leave a little to chip away for after its styled .

 

Rebooking

Rebooking is the easiest way to increase your profits with the clientele you already service. Client rebooking starts in the chair. As a beauty professional, it is your job to use your expertise to determine how long your client can go before their next visit. Ask your client questions about their style, such as "how long did it last" or "when did it stop looking its best"? Your clients will respond to a more personalized approach, rather than the basic "see you in 6 weeks" tactic.

The more often you emphasize the benefits of rebooking to your client, the more likely they are to actually rebook. Take time throughout their appointment to highlight the advantages to rebooking. Even clients with hectic schedules can benefit from setting something up in advance.
Trying phrases like "my evenings/weekends have been booking up" or "I'd like to see you before the holiday rush" can motivate clients that are on edge about scheduling. Creating some sort of time reference (i.e. an upcoming birthday, an important business trip) can further persuade.

The front desk also plays a major part and should always portray schedules as constantly being busy. Instead of offering "any time between 9 and 5" should be more like would you like a morning/afternoon appointment" or "what is the earliest/latest you could come in that day". Rephrasing key questions will go a long way with clients.
No client should ever leave the salon without being advised and re-advised to rebook. Clients should be properly informed on when they should return for their next appointment, and given several opportunities throughout the duration of their visit to do so. It is after all part of your job, and you can ensure a higher rebooking rate for your existing clientele, helping them come to the salon on a more frequent basis.

Get Inspired

 

It’s impossible” said pride “It’s risky” said experience “It’s pointless” said reason “Give it a try” whispered heart....Follow your dreams and use your imagination and create…

 

 

From architectural designs both historic and modern to nature’s abundance of colors, textures, like intricate weaves of bamboo and wood to patterns which offer unique placement ideas (techniques) using curvature or linear lines, to art, make-up, photography etc.etc. Are all inspirational to me and always have been, remembering that pretty much everything including hair use the same fundamental design principles one being (The Color Wheel) which cannot be recreated. And taking ideas and color combination from any form of art can have a magical outcome on your creative senses and can help us out of our “boxes” so to speak. Let’s look at children’s hair with all the splendid natural touches of colors and how nature does not use strategic strokes when sun-kissing their hair, think about that. And just as an architect, fashion designers, graphic illustrators, photographers, make-up artists, hairdressers work in shapes they all use color to bring their work to life.