Hair Highlighting – Chunky vs Ribbons

In the 90’s the phrase chunky highlights meant wide pieces of lighter color in the front hairline and we can thank supermodel Cindy Crawford who was the first to make it popular amongst the fashion world and others like Ginger Spice made it mainstream. Everyone wanted chunky highlights in their hair and whether hair was short or long, brown or blonde I had clients showing me torn out pictures of chunky highlights they wanted, and to be honest after a season I got completely bored of it.


And within the last decade, periodically I have been asked for chunky highlights and I either did a few finer lighter ones in the front or I would steer the client into another direction, most likely something softer then the 90’s chunks. I have always disliked the word chunky and back in the 90’s when I would describe the look I would use ribbons, this way my clients would understand the thickness of the highlight as well it’s a nicer word, I still use the word ribbon.
Like everything in trends the ‘chunky’ highlight is back with a slightly softer version, more and more younger women want the lighter look in the front, the ‘ribbons’, and my personal preference is when the ribbons are a few shades lighter not so in your face as we saw and did in the 90’s. And there is a new generation of celeb’s and fashionistas with beautiful ribbons of lighter shades around their faces which also in almost all cases gives color to the skin, and summer is a great time to try face framing ribbons.

Highlighting Hair The Honey Way

One of the most popular hair color requests since the early 70’s has been honey highlights; it is also the most misunderstood. There is golden honey, amber honey, dark honey and something in-between we call Carmel which has more brown in it, and yes there is a honey tone for almost everyone. Picking the right honey tones or any tones for hair is a part of the most important process in the art of colorong hair, The Consultation. And one of the steps is in the visual communication; a stylists and clients way of understanding each others description of color,'remember your version of honey is most likely not the same as a clients or other way around. Bringing in pictures show's your stylists your idea of what honey colors are to you and the tones you like, same goes for the stylist, and using magazines are the best way to picking the tones out, missing this step in the consultation can possibility lead to an unhappy end result for both of you, and I strongly suggest usinng the language of visuals.

Honey shades falls into two categories for me, brown honeys and blonde honeys and when weaved into natural hair color or with other blonde shades, carmel shades and browns it is gorgeous in any form of tri-lighting or wanting a little sparkle on already pre-existing tinted hair. I use honeys as well as carmels as complimenting tones and because honey tones epitomize the phrase sun-kissed hair to me it is only natural to add a little sunshine to the hair any time of the year.



Inspirations of Blonde Honey's





Inspirations of Brown Honey's

Mens Hair Coloring

Men’s hair trends are making waves and more men are coming into the salons not only for their haircuts but color enhancing too and I am thrilled about this, I feel it’s about time men get as vain and as pampered as women do. I have my staple of men clients for years now and most of them come to me because originally their wives or girlfriends brought them in for a little spicing up, or covering up grey or their agencies sent them in for a ‘makeovers’, and I must say I enjoy everyone of them and doing their hair. I am also seeing a growing number of clients now bringing in their son’s for hair color which was always reserved for their daughters, but the boy’s are asking for cool creative hair coloring and it’s great.
And when we think of men’s hair coloring we imagine shoe polish colors or Barry Manilow blonde streaks (sorry Mr Manilow), this might have been so in the past but the art of hair coloring men’s hair has changed in a good way. The variety of hair color services we can offer men today are easy and fast with natural or edgy looking outcomes and my personal philosophy regarding men’s coloring is approach it has subtle or as bold, customize even for a man.
Today a groomed man can wear his hair with any kind of coloring that suite him, individually setting off his own unique style, and many are choosing to do so. We are seeing more and more professional men as well as teenage boy’s wanting bolder looks, from blue blacks to surfer like bleached highlights or softer sun kissed highlights, and color enhancing rinses. And I say thanks to the male celebrities, models, athletes and musicians for continually influencing our everyday men into cool fashionable guys with a little pop of color on their heads.

The Bob Haircut

100 Years of the Bob

The bob was invented in 1909 by Paris-based hairdresser Antoine and this year the hairstyle that never goes out of fashion celebrates its 100th anniversary and the iconic style is currently having a moment with new twists and attitude. It is my #1 favorite haircut I have had the pleasure to work with for the past 30 years. I love the bob and on the year of its 100th birthday it seems we have a wave of popularity with all the wonderful variations of bobs today. We are seeing, shoulder-grazing lengths, sharp fringes, choppy, layered and of course the jaw length bob, and their being worn by A-listers of celebrities and the fashion world.
The bob has always been and still is one of the most requested styles and it's also the best way for any long hair to go shorter you can take it slowly or dramatically and it remains classic, chic and trendy for many generations to come. And with the many variations today there is a look for almost everyone that can wear and sport a bob. Happy Birthday Bob!

Look For The Bob & Hair Color blog coming soon.

Hair Color For Kids

I was asked yesterday to highlight an 8 year olds hair which has prompted me to write this blog and share my thoughts on coloring a child’s hair. And through the years I have been asked countless times to do kids hair but never this young, I looked at the mother who is a great client of mine and said ‘really’ she assured me it was what her little girl wanted because her best friend got highlights, and she was at her whit’s end with her, so she brought her to me to add some blonde in her hair or scare her.

My Personal rule is, I might put 1 or even 2 foil highlights in the front of the hairline at 8, which I caved in and did in fear my client would try to do it at home just to stop her 8 year olds crying, and her frowning was killing me, but no more ten that, “remember kids are finicky and get bored of things easily”, she was 8 going on 18.
In conclusion, today kids are smarter and more aware then I was as a kid, the wants are different today and so are the peer pressures, we hear of 8 year old little girls and boys are on diets just to be able to wear the latest hippest clothes or are using expensive computers and getting almost everything they want. Times are fast, pressures are high but something’s should remain innocent, children’s hair truly should be naturally lightened by the sun the ocean or by simply just playing outside, let a kid be a kid at least till puberty then have them come see me .

My Recommended Products for Children.

Aveda, Shampure shampoo and conditioner

Aveda, Brilliance shampoo and conditioner

Grey Hair

Beautiful White, Sliver and Grey

Oh the dreaded grey, most of us hate it and very few can actually wear it. No matter at what age grey hair adds years on everyone, it’s flat and dull does not reflect any light or movement even when it’s healthy it remains lifeless unlike white or silver hair where it is here most hairdressers as well as people go wrong when coloring their hair, by thinking white or silver hair is grey. There is a difference, white hair reflects more violet, silver hair reflects more blue and grey sits right behind silver, remember that real grey hair has single strands of natural color either beside it, behind it or on top which is taken into consideration when we are formulating.
My favourite coloring for silver or white and some grey hair is salt/pepper, a combination of highlights/lowlights or just finely weaved lowlights when I know that individual can wear it beautifully. I have many clients that are silver or white and some are as young as 30and they all are sporting their shiny kissed white/silver, salt/peppery hair with a bold lip color, stunning.

And many women and men fear the coming of grey hair, yet there is a new generation that want the silvery/white. However, changing hair color is nothing to be fearful of for both stylist and you. Whether you choose to get rid of all of it or highlight, lowlight, or do combinations, hair should always look natural. White, Silver and Grey are chic, trendy, and yes, can even look beutiful if you do it the right way

My Recommended Products For Homecare

Aveda, Blue or Black Malva Shampoo and Conditioner

Aveda, Personal Blends Shampoo and Conditioner

Blue Lip-Gloss

This season some of the major cosmetic brands have come up with their versions of blue lip gloss. And why are blue lip glosses becoming popular? Because blue-tinted lip glosses make your teeth look whiter and give a subtle bounce of light and balance off the red in the lips which gives a beautiful transparency to the lips as well as cool down your skin color.

Although it might sound kind of crazy blue lip-gloss, don’t be scared they don’t look blue at all, they have been created in super sheer shades. They can be worn alone or over any of your favourite lipsticks. The lips appear see-through soft and plumped, try one of these great glosses this summer and brighten up your face and smile!

My Recommended Products