TOOLS 101

Why is it so important to arm yourself with the proper tools?

I can't emphasize enough how much extra time, effort and unnecessary wear and tear on your hair using improper tools create! 

If you have to scrimp everywhere else, proper tools should be your #1 priority.

Let's start with Brushes:

Look for Boar Bristle Pure or Boar Bristle combined with heat resistant polyamide pins.

Natural bristles are the best thing for your hair because they are the least damaging, and the most efficient at smoothing the cuticle. 

Unlike your metal brush, they conduct heat evenly, which reduces the chance of burning your locks!   (If you MUST use your metal brush, use one that is coated with ceramides to protect your cuticle layer)

My favorite brush has varying lengths in the bristles which more effectively grab the hair and direct it into the boar bristles evenly, such as the Ibiza.

However, please take special care not to tug too strongly as this can also cause damage, no matter how wonderful your brush is!

(My favorites are Ibiza for Round Brush styling, and YS Park or Mason Pearson for Flat Brush drying and gentle detangling)

Blow Dryers:

Having an efficient blowdryer saves you time.

The wattage is a general indication of each blow dryer’s power potential in temperature and air flow. Some Blowdryers however heat up to a higher level with less airflow, and others have more blowing power with less heat. I wouldn’t bother with anything under 1200 watts. Although the motor directly effects the air flow power, a better quality motor will let you get away with lower wattage.

Choose a blow dryer for your hair type by identifing your texture and density. The thicker each INDIVIDUAL STRAND (not amount of strands) the higher heat level you will need to alter what your hair does naturally. If you have thick Frizzy hair you like straight and smooth you will need a hotter blowdryer. The hottest blowdryers are generally ones that are labeled ionic. Ionic dryers generally have a low air flow and can be easier for the average person to use because it doesn’t blow the hair around as much. If you are trying to reduce volume and frizz, you will find this a nice feature. However, you must be careful to KEEP THE HEAT MOVING because you are at a higher risk of singing your hair with these.

If you have finer hair, you generally will be fluffing at the roots and trying to bend flat hair around a round brush for volume. An ionic dryer might be frustrating because it wouldn’t have the airflow for root fluffing, and the high heat would smooth and flatten your mid-lengths to ends much more than a conventional dryer.  I wouldn’t recommend this for most people. It is similar to a flat iron effect. I would suggest this in replacement to a flat iron perhaps. 

A Ceramic blowdryer is your best bet. The heat is even, and has ionic properties without being overkill on finer hair. A ceramic blowdryer means that the heating element it uses is made of ceramic, as opposed to metal heat coils which can burn, found in cheap blowdryers.

If you are unsure of what hair type you have, don't hesitate to ask!

TGR, Parlux and Elchim are three great brands with ionic and ceramic options.

HAIR AT HOME

Have at least two shampoos and conditioners in your rotation. You wouldn’t eat the same thing everyday and expect to get all you need nutrition-wise, your hair is the same. The type of cleansing and moisturizing products will vary with your wants, but a good concept to keep in mind is that of balance. For Example:

If you crave VOLUME, rotate your Volume Boosting line it with a Moisture line.

(You want volume yes, but you don’t want dry crispy ends)

For COLOR & HEAT DAMAGE, rotate a Strength Building line with a Moisture line.

(Strength is good, but without the balance of moisture, over-keratinization can cause the hair to lose its elasticity and break off)

TREAT an OILY SCALP by Rotating an Oil Reducing Treatment line with an Everyday line (Don’t ever condition the roots, and also consider if you over shampoo your hair. The body’s oil production accommodates to your shampoo schedule. Some of you might need to try shampooing less to send the message to your scalp to take a break on oil production)

TREATING DRY SCALP is a two-part process; Exfoliation and Moisturizing (FYI, Moisturization is not a freaking word).

Most Dandruff Shampoos utilize a bunch of waxes to coat the scalp to keep dead skin cells stuck, worsening the problem. You need to slough off the dead skin, then moisturize to make a difference.

Rotate between a SCALP therapy line for dandruff and an intense Hydration line. Davines has a legitimate dandruff treatment line we recommend. Some have had success using baking soda as an exfoliant. However, make sure to neutralize the scalp and hair with apple cider vinegar, and follow with a deep conditioning mask.

(Some have flaky scalp seasonally, others from a slight food allergy, or from the fragrance etc. in your current line up of hair products. Eliminating the culprit might be necessary, or maybe the flakes are worth the pleasure)

It may be time to see a doctor to investigate possible allergies.

-Treatments. If using a treatment oil or mask, steam will facilitate its penetration. Another option for a treatment oil, is to apply and tie up your hair on a day off allowing the treatment to soak in for the day.

Your stylist will be able to tell you how often you should be using each line in your rotation.

Why you Should Layer up for Summer

Don't let the title throw you off, we do lots of layering for summer.. layer on sunscreen layer on moisturizer, so what are you doing to protect your hair?

There are two things you can do-  to battle the scraggly ends summer blues:

Nourish and Protect with the Triple Threat: a Deep Cleansing Shampoo, a Deeply Hydrating Conditioning Mask and a Leave-In Solar Protectant. Here's How: Shampoo away build up with a Clarifying line (or even do a Vinegar rinse if you don't mind the aroma), towel blot and apply Mask, Leave in for at least 10 minutes. After rinsing out mask, again towel blot and apply your Leave-in Protectant.

Layer Up: Visit the salon for a Shiny Gloss Treatment Service to Seal in all your hard work. Not only can a gloss treatment seal in moisture, it can also be used to enhance your existing color and add an extra layer of protection from the dry elements.

3 Extra Tips:

For swimmers: wet hair before going in the pool, this dramatically reduces the amount of chlorine your hair absorbs

Oil: Don't be shy lathering on Sun protectant Hair Oil before playing in water or on land (Davines and Morrocan Oil make a good one). You might even designate a brush to use to press the oil deeper into the cuticle layer by means of a good brushing!

If you tie your hair up all summer, be mindful what you are tying it up with, and how gently you pull it out, no ripping please. Here's a good example of a suitable hair tie on wet and dry hair: http://www.amazon.com/Rosallini-Black-Telephone-Wire-Elastic/dp/B008X0OUIC

What is Balayage Anyway?

You may think the word Balyage is the French word for highlights, but in France you would actually ask your hairdresser "Puis-je avoir mèches?" 

The art of Balyage began in Paris in the 70's. The word originates from the meaning “to sweep” or “scan” and has a very different approach from traditional highlighting. Envision how sunlight sweeps across the hair, and imagine painting it on!

Not just reserved for blondes, this technique can be applied to all shades of hair.

Since foils are not used to separate the hair, The Parisians use cotton, and sometimes, plastic wrap. The Italians have been known to use prosciutto paper. A specialized brush may also be used to apply the lightener or color.

The Balyage technique arrived to the US in the 90’s, and has been slowly gaining fans in metropolitan areas since. Currently, many stylists offer some form of "Balyage". Many create the ombre effect with it; where the roots are left dark while the mid to ends are lightened, and don't separate the highlights at all, or even use foils. That is definitely an American adaptation.

Those who have gleaned from the original french technique, know there are ways to do a beautiful classic highlight that get as close to the roots as foil!                                                   

One of the best at this technique is Muriel Mastey at Point De Vue Salon in West Hollywood. Muriel grew up in Paris and is considered to be a master of the technique. During our years working together at Point De Vue Salon, she was so kind as to share with us her beautiful technique (Her version of Balyage that she has applied to many of her a-list celebrity clientele). 

The thing we personally love about Balyaging is the creative leeway. We can create effects ranging from              a child’s-hair-kissed-only-by-the-sun, to peek a boo panels in a geometric haircut.

Although we do utilize foils, many of our clients prefer Balyage for the soft effect that allows them to stretch out their appointments a little further.

  It’s ok, we don’t take it personally!

Link to Muriel: http://pointdevuesalon.com/83725/index.html

  

Considering Bangs?

Bangs can be a love hate relationship; You want them, you get them, you love them and soon after, you hate them. What went wrong?

Afraid to try bangs because of the above scenario, and confused if they would look awesome or terrible?

What dictates if you're suited for bangs anyway?

Although there is no hard and fast rule, there are parameters which you need to discuss with your stylist before committing to bangs.

Your Styling Ability vs Hair Texture:

Sometimes the newness of any hairstyle doesn't sink in, until the first time you have to style it yourself. With bangs, your muscle memory of habitual-getting-readiness is of no help, actually it bites you in the butt because it is no longer applicable, and you are left panicking. How did my hairdresser tell me to do this again?!

Tip: If your talents in the world do not include hair styling, ensure your bang styling regimen is simple. If achieving your bang style require you to alter your natural texture beyond your ability, you're probably going to fall under the hate bangs category.

Your Forehead:

A short forehead can be a sign you probably won't be happy with bangs. It can close down the face. If you've got a huge forehead you want to hide, or feel you are average, you might be a candidate.

Your Jawline:

A strong jawline dictates what shape of bang will look best. If you have a pronounced square jaw, you probably won't be successfully rocking a blunt straight square bang.

A successful approach in this case would be one incorporating balance (the universal truth, even when it comes to the short little tufts of hair, framing your face!) hard square jaw = soft rounded bangs.

Haven't a clue what your head is shaped like? Check out this link to discover more than you ever wanted to know about the shapes human heads generally come in.

http://michellephan.com/beauty-school-finding-your-face-shape/

Your Lifestyle:

People who get a little panicky when they can't pull all their hair off their face into a pony tail, need to know they will have to use a bobby pin to pin up their Fringe (as the Brits call it).

People who are lazy, may have to accept they might have to wake up and actually wash and style their bangs! (It's ok, you can tie back the rest of your hair and shampoo at the sink. And the blow dry only takes about 4 minutes, so you're good).

Commitment-phobes need to understand that most bangs are a statement that will be made daily, and trying to hide them probably won't look right.

Bangs are a commitment, so set yourself up for success by doing a little soul searching and by considering the above points.

Hair Undone

As we've been advising our clients for a while now, the Undone Hair movement has become a thing. No longer do we want a really contrived hair style. We want to look effortlessly beautiful, and the knowledge to achieve it is becoming more widespread. 

                                  

Just as our knowledge of health has expanded and put us more in control of our wellness than ever before, hair chemicals (or lack thereof), shampoo/conditioners, and leave-in styling products and hair cutting and dressing knowledge have put us in control of how our hair air dries.

Some people need to feel in control of their hair, and undone hair will probably not be their thing. If you are hoping that your hair looks decent enough to NOT have to break out your blow dryer or curling iron, then this look might be for you! Here are some tips to nailing it: 

Embrace your hair in its natural state (or pseudo/semi-natural) 

The embracing factor might only come about after getting some hair coaching and a great cut, or perhaps you have already embraced a controlled chaos hair situation and are always in search of additional tips. Either way it happens, it is an important step. You have to be willing to adopt a new routine to have success!

Get it Cut

                             

Today, it's all about having a great cut. You should not have to create shapes with your blow dryer, your cut should be doing the work for you.

Also, keeping the ends from fraying by getting regular trims will allow you to wear your hair in more of a natural state.

When I cut hair to be undone, I focus on working with the natural movement of the hair. I edit what I don't like and accentuate what I do. (Simple, right?)

-For Finer textures I recommend a stronger outline with just a few purposeful surface layers.

-For Medium textures the wave pattern is of primary concern, to ensure the hair falls naturally in place, and is generally air dried and cut dry.

-Super rebellious curly or frizzy hair is cut with lots of hair editing tricks to balance over zealous areas into one unit, being mindful to create space without completely shattering the ends. (It takes a professional, people)

Maintaining It:

                             

You didn't get an undone haircut to put in a lot of hours at a blow dry bar!

Most of the styling is in the Prep Work..

Cleansing

Squeaky clean shampoo looks aren't in, so why would shampoo that leaves your hair squeaky clean be? Shampoo-free regimens, sulfate-free shampoo and 2-in-1 Cleansing Creams are addressing this need. As a general outline, your hair texture and individual oil production rate will determine which method might be the best shampoo alternative for you. Preserving the correct amount of your own oils is key.

Styling

Finer straighter textures are usually in need of roughing it up products, such as Salt Sprays paired with light textured pastes or creams for just the very ends whereas, Kinky Curly hair would need to preserve the most amount of natural oils and also layer on the most dressing products such as creams and oils.

To achieve the correct aesthetic, your goal should (mostly) be to air dry. Polish off your style by round brush blow drying a few strategically scattered sections on the top and sides.

Still on the fence about undone hair? Ask your stylist to help you strategize how you might work some of this effect, while controlling "priority" areas.

-Alina