Summer Hair Color: Keep it Simple

It’s the best time right now to keeping your hair color protected and as simple as possible, it’s not the best time of the year to ask for or do bolder, brighter colors or creative highlights. In fact in the summer with blondes I might just work with one shade and let the sun do what it’s going to do anyway to the rest of the hair, but I never use more than two shades using a combination of fine and medium weaves particularly in the nape area and sides in the front hairline where the hair is more visible due to being worn up most of the time in the summer heat and humidity.

For the ever fading redheads I like to add a bit more brown in the formulations, this way prevents whatever fading is going to occur not appear as brassy as a red, copper do. And always seal it with a clear ((no color) gloss, creating a UV protection as well as shine. And as for the brunettes; the key here is adding a blue/violet in the formula and nothing warm even if the formula calls for some. Remembering that the environment plays havoc with hair color is why I feel keeping it simple is quintessentially the best possible way to having gorgeous summer hair without any worries for both hairdresser and consumer regarding fading, , bleaching out and dryness. So keep the more creative color placements and bolder shades for the fall when it’s the time to evaluate the entire hair and look.

Friday Fashion Spotlight: The One Piece Swim Suit

The one piece swim suit is a must have this summer and it’s in the spotlight, like its counterpart the bikini which has been for sometime the main focus with swim suit designers and the one piece seemed to be only for those who wanted to hide more skin or timid. Today the one piece swim suit is sexier than ever and the designers are capitalizing on its new found fame, the bathing suits are elaborate , colorful with incredible shapes to suit anyone and above all yes” sexy” as well as daring so this summer make a statement with a beautiful one piece bathing suit .

Keeping Grey Hair Color Grey

Being a hair colorist the truth is I am not a fan of grey hair color, not because I make a living coloring grey hairs away but because 90% of the time I find that untouched natural grey hair colors have a dull sometimes yellowish cast to it, and to me no one suits that shade. However when I see beautiful women with a great haircut and healthy shiny grey hair I love it, I also love salt & pepper hair color yet like most hair colors even grey takes some work.

In removing and eliminating that yellowish stain to grey hair which is primarily caused by water, smoke and natural pollutants the best way is with clear glosses with a touch of blue or violet tone to it, but the first step is to wash the hair with a shampoo/cocktail a combination of shampoo and peroxide which will release any stains. The hair ends up looking greyer (chrome-like) which is what the tone should be if going completely grey.

Another wonder way to add a little dimension and shiny is doing very fine foil highlights as fine as angel hair pasta, adding back a little of the persons natural color before it went dishwater mouse. Overall the idea of having grey hair for anyone who either wants to go grey or is going grey and does not want to get rid of all of it and finding that right balance of blue-violet is the key to complementing the individuals skin. The right hair care products such as blue, violet, or silver enhancing shampoos and conditioners is an absolute must to maintaining a gorgeous head of grey, silver or white hair.




















My recommended products:
Aveda Pure Plant & Flower Shampoo and Conditioner in Blue Malva

The Hair Bun

It’s that time of year when weddings are abundance, engagement parties, and graduations are upon us, and one of the fastest way’s to make your hair look fabulous is simply taking a ponytail or braids and twist it knot it pin it and create either a classic clean low bun or a messy one. There are tons of ways you can achieve this very old silhouette today, and like a lot of the hair trends this year the hair bun is keeping up with the option of “Finished or Messy " a simplicity type of chic that looks great with any mood ones in.

Have a Fab weekend all !!!!

Hair & Hair Color Challenge #14

HCC Email/Question

How often should color treated hair be washed in the summer if your hair is dry ?

Thanks,Mindy

As a rule for me and my clients I prefer once a week or the most twice a week shampooing, no matter what season we are in. Washing our hair everyday when there is hair color present is one of the worst things women and men can do, first no matter what kind of products we use it still is a detergent (cleanser) and it removes sometimes important natural essential oils that dry hair needs. I also believe that 1 to 2x a week of shampooing does also help in preserving your hair color longer, and as for those that would debate this because of workouts, environmental pollutants, odors, smoke etc there are several ways that you can get around these challenges. Rinsing the hair thoroughly and applying a non-heavy conditioner only from the middle part of the hair to the ends does the trick, which leaves the hair conditioned, shinny and smelling great. Another key is to try not to use an abundance of styling aids; less is more and using the right hair styling products is yet another key to maintaining healthy hair without the need for daily washing. I am a stickler when it comes to my clients washing their hair on a daily bases, and I often recommend for those who truly can’t go without washing their hair more than twice a week a lighter non-evasive milder shampoo but in all cases the conditioner is the most important, remembering to keep the conditioner away from the roots.

Avant-Art Makeup #1

“Art that is experimental, innovative and pushes the boundaries is tomorrow’s status quo.”

Friday Fashion Spotlight: The Thong Sandal

Simple, chic, elegant and comfortable describes the thong sandal and it has come a long way from its rubber or plastic beginnings, which were and still called, flip flops. Today there is a wide variety of thong sandals to pick from and the unique designs, and they’re not just worn to go to the beach but to the office, dinner or a special event. Besides a heel the thong sandal is considered to be one of the sexiest looks for footwear, and they can also be costly due to the materials and hardware some designers use, and whether a summer thong sandal is paired with a short skirt, long skirt, pants or jeans etc they look fantastic on a foot, keeping in mind the feet have to be well groomed (pedicure). So for those that want comfort plus style invest in a killer pair of summer thong sandals that will scream sexy feet.

Hairdresser Notes; Fighting The Brassy Blonde

The combat continues with the ever present brassy tones on blonde hair and it is true that bleached or lightened hair is more prone to having any impurities or stains show up, and can become brittle due to the chemical change. Since hair coloring goes through several stages it is essential to leave enough or even more time for the dye to have its full effect. I feel we need to process today’s blondes longer, adding 10 minutes more can make a huge difference in riding that unseen warmth that everyone hates and most hairdressers are too eager to wash the color off when it comes to blondes because they either feel that their timer is telling them to or "we think we see i'ts done" and of course the fear of breakage.

To eliminate this challenge it is more important to get that tone of blonde right the first time, not camouflaging it with toners which to me always come back dull and sometimes looking worse, think of it this way if the hair is open and porous and still contains warmth applying your toner acts like a temporary band-aid only. When the brassiness occurs a few weeks after the hair color has been done it might be attributed to the water, residues like iron and copper found in plumbing or the hair color has oxidized and absorbed as I mentioned impurities (environmental, smoke, medicines). And fighting this is easier with all the colored shampoos and conditioner available to us today. So before we are ready to wash off and tone a blonde push the color a little longer then apply the toner if you choose too, the blondes will all be happier for it.