Fashion Friday Spotlight; The Sunglasses

Sunglasses and frames have been a pop culture occurrence and through the decades we have seen iconic beauty’s such as Audrey Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy and many more that made wearing sunglasses a trend. And society seems to have an obsession with them that far surpasses their function. They have the capability to make a statement about the face they're sitting on, add style to a wardrobe and can even characterize an era. This spring/summer sunglasses are a big focus, their bigger, the frames are oblong, square, around and chunkier with embossed patterns, metal pieces, translucent and colourful. They remain to be that one accessory that defines the mystery behind them.

Hairdresser Notes - Hair Color Re-Do's

Re-do’s: Part One

There are many challenges we face in the hairdressing industry today but the one that is a huge concern and keeps growing is the “re-do’s” in hair color. I cannot begin to count how many emails I get or stylists as well as salon owner that ask me to teach how to stop re-do’s from happening, hence why this post and a few to follow.

Not Listening; The minute the client sits in your chair we instantly go around and behind the chair and start touching the hair and looking at that client through a mirror, and as we touch and look while the client is expressing either their desires or dislikes we are too busy conjuring up what our approach will be, so in fact because we are so busy thinking we aren’t fully listening to Key information that is being said.

Communication; There must be a verbal and visual understanding between stylist and client to successfully produce the desired end results. I cannot stress enough how important it is to see and use visuals (pictures) of hair colors the client loves and wants, not hair color swatches which are meant for the stylist to look at in their mixing areas. Remember trying to reproduce a color from the swatch book is never a true match unless the individual has white mono-fiber hair which I highly doubt. With visuals from magazines and having the client pick and point to their own interpretation of reds, blondes, brown’s etc is the best way to see what they see even if their red colors are actually violets to you, this way it is a clear visual understanding, using non-hairdressing language, words that are attainable example; desire is to have soft caramel highlights the color of Kraft caramels (everyone know that color).

Skills Level; 90 % of the time a hair color re-do is not based on the technique chosen to do but how well the stylist knows the line of hair color product and formulating. It is shocking to me through my years of educating how many people formulate off memory, the 1 to 10 possible formulas that are being done on everyone because it worked on Mrs. Smith. Understanding a hair color line should be like knowing your spice rack, and that each individual that sits in your chair has their very own DNA - chemistry there for we customize. A hairdresser must also know color theory basic fundamentals and each and every single component in a hair color line and what it can do and deliver to successfully color hair.

Textured Choppy Haircuts

The modern choppy hairstyles are hot right now; and their attractiveness is because they tend to look good on almost any face shapes and most types of hair. The most popular hairdressing tool used to create these looks is a razor, which adds volume, texture and depth without restricting you to a specific length i.e., short, medium or long. It is also a great way to grown out a haircut like the bob by reducing the blunt ends and weight creating pieceier ends and less graduation, the hardest to grow out is a short crop cut but with the right kind of detailing, shaping a little razoring can help you get through the “ugly phases’ of growing out your hair as well as give you incredible texture. Longer hair can also have a bit of a raw or jagged feel to it with more accentuated layering giving you a wash and wear look. So whether the hair is short, medium or long the choppy, whispy or jagged looks can be a beautiful alternative for this spring/summer.

Fashion Friday Spotlight: White Eyeshadow and Liners

The white eye shadow and eyeliner is a big deal for this spring/summer 2010, its shown up on many of the runways as a focal point in beauty trends. This makeup color as been used for century’s and it was one of Hollywood's trade secrets in creating drama to the eyes in the black-white silent era. It opens the eye if used as an eyeliner making eyes look bigger, it’s used in the inner corners to illuminate dewy sensual eyes, white eyeshadows can be placed on the middle part of the lid to bring attention to all other colors and the list goes on. Bolder placements and matte whites seems to be what the makeup artists want to show this season and it’s fabulous, everyone should have at least a white eyeliner in their makeup bag for spring and summer.

The Dark Root Trend

Dark roots and the right haircut, styling, make up and confidence can be a beautiful sexy look so there is no reason to be stressed over your roots, in fact this spring/summer the dark root color seems to be increasing as a trend. The grown-out look or dark root I'm seeing isn't so new though, in the 80’s we deliberately colored are roots darker for more drama and expression.
And to wear this look the key is to style your hair either fuller, messier, up, down, straight or dishevelled, and looks best on longer lengths. The“intentional visible dark root look” is a stylish statement , is it for everyone NO but can look oh so hot.

Hair & Hair Color Challenges

HCC Email / Question #8

I came across your post for perms and loved them which brings me to my email, I got a perm about 2 weeks ago it was suppose to be a soft wavy , when I left the salon my hair looked beautiful styled exactly as I had wanted. Now after 2 weeks my hair looks dull lifeless with hardly any wavy left except certain pieces of the head which looks dreadful, I went back to see my stylist and he suggested to get a haircut thinking it might bring back some of the wavy. I got the haircut and now there is nothing left of the perm. My stylist wants to re-perm my hair but I am a little cautious because it feels a bit on the dry side, and when a friend saw my hair they told me that this too as happened to them and when they went to re-perm her hair it would not take and it left her hair looking fizzy, I don’t know what to do any suggestions would help
Thank You
Pamela

I am sorry to hear this Pamela but the truth is this does happen often with perming due to a few reasons, and this sounds like it might have been that while applying one of the two solutions in perming the hair was not completely saturated correctly hence straight bites. You did not indicate if your hair has color or highlights, sometimes this to might also be the case why there are results such as yours. The most important step in successful perming for the hairdresser’s part is to ensure that each and every rod, roller whatever used to create new texture to the hair is dripping well absorbed with the solutions.

It has been 2 weeks since you received the perm and I would have probably asked you to do the same thing (getting a haircut) so I do not think your stylist did you wrong there, and if he feels that your hair which is very hard to determine since I cannot see nor feel your hair can take another perm services I suggest you do it. However there are a few different steps to consider, 1/ it’s important that the stylist wraps your hair with the first solution and work quickly 2/ use alternating sizes in the perm rods etc, the reason; because your hair might reactivate what might still be present in your hair from your first perm service, 3/ as soon as it is done I would apply a clear gloss and make sure you are using the correct products in your hair as well as styling aids and go through them with you so you can recreate the look at home.

So if any of this applies to you I would go back in and have it redone and if the above information is followed I am almost sure I can guarantee a successful outcome. Good Luck

Fashion Friday Spotlight: The Tie

There has always been something elegant, chic and sexy about a woman wearing a tie, and women have been wearing them for decades. And wearing a man’s tie was made popular by the likes of Marlena Dietrich and Katherine Hepburn which at the time was considered shocking and provacative, and then the tie showed up again with Anne Hall an iconic character played by Diane Keaton. This spring the necktie has a spotlight which is a nice added detail following last year’s boyfriend look. We are seeing them in floral prints, strips, chiffon, leather string, ties used as bows and bright colors, all adding a little boyish look with feminine colors and feel.

The necktie this spring is a great time to insert a pop of color to a wardrobe, try a colorful tie or a tone on tone look with a tie,(a white tie on a white shirt, pink tie on pink shirt). Any tie this spring is a wonderful way to

add a little playful dandy touch to your wardrobe by

way of one of the oldest accessory around,

The Tie both for men and women.

R.I.P Alexander Mcqueen

1969-2010

For anyone that loves fashion I am sure there is sadness today in hearing the news on Alexander McQueen’s death, I am still in shock. The world has truly lost a genius whose clothes, images and statements told through his creations inspired many of us in the fashion beauty industry. At only 40 he will be remembered for the rebel east end boy who changed the world of fashion forever. 'He brought a uniquely British sense of daring and aesthetic fearlessness to the global stage of fashion with shock and excitement, he will be missed but never forgoten' Anna Wintour.

R.I.P

The New Perms

Part Two

I received overwhelming amounts of comments and emails regarding the post I did “Add Texture To Your Hair: The New Perm”, so it’s time for part two. I talked about great new ways to do perms today, “texture hair services” something the general public like the hairdresser are ‘scarred of ’ because of past bad experiences. Let’s imagine we have no knowledge and in fact some of you might not have any negative experiences with a permanent wave, I like that! and contrary to what kinds of connotations there are associated with perms there isn’t a woman I know that has fine hair, straight hair who wouldn’t love to add and have a little texture added to their hair.

Re-texturizing hair can have incredible benefits and not only with the hair types I listed above, but with certain haircuts you can add and support the detailing in the cut, create volume from underneath for a thicker look, or match up a person’s own curl or wave that is only in certain areas of their head, creating consistency to their hair. There’s many reasons why there should be this service offered more today, so I am sharing a few texturizing techniques hoping to inspire a new wave of permanent waving.

The Ponytail: Sectioning the hair in 4 quarters, create 2 ponytails within each section using elastic bands to secure them, there are 8 ponytails. Using large to the largest perm rods available wrap 2 to 4 rods within the 1 ponytail, this creates movement and soft curl or wavy with flatter roots, a very popular look today.

The Braid:This is the same as the ponytail perm, but instead of using the perm rods you braid the sections and secure with a perm rod on the ends of each braid. The amount of braids you do is up to both client/stylist, more braids more of a crimped look, and less braids more of a finger wavy result.

Roll Set:Using old fashioned set rollers (plastic) they come in all sizes, set the head in any direction, and secure the rollers with tiny plastic clips, once the head is set and solution has been applied wrap the head up with a thick hairnet (goody has great ones).This will protect the hair from moving when neutralizing is in process, the look is stunning big curls with body, easy to wash and wear or blow-dry out.