How to get what you want...from your stylist

I think we have all been there, you walk in to the salon with a pretty good idea of what you want your hair to look like when you walk out... But you walk out slightly disappointed with the results. Here are a few tips to better achieve that look you crave.

-Get that picture out of your head and on paper. Whether it be a magazine pic or a picture of yourself when you loved your hair. Bring something in to show your stylist.

-Make sure to tell your stylist what you like about the picture. You may be seeing a totally different aspect than her (or him) Make sure you specify the reason you love a color (the boldness, the tone) or the haircut. She may be looking at the length when you had your eye on the wispy bangs.

-Be REALISTIC! You know your hair better than anyone, so let your stylist know of your hair challenges. Also you know your own skill level of styling and you know your time in the morning.

-Be thorough. The consultation is huge in getting what you want. It's a time to speak up. You may have a stylist with great ability but poor communication. You can help this by asking questions and explaining yourself well. I had a client ask for "wiry layers" but when she showed me a picture of what she liked, to me, they were "wispy layers"

-Be open to suggestions. I know that I do my best work when I can be creative. Give yourself stylist parameters. "I don't want any more than 3 inches off and I want to be in the blonde family" or.... "I need a BIG change but I hate red." I have a few clients who really mean "do whatever you want" but even then, I usually know their style well enough and their commitment to styling every morning to know what they will be happy with.

-Don't go to just ANYONE. In the past, when I wanted my hair done, it was urgent. Enough bad experiences made me learn to be patient. If you have a stylist you love that is hard to get into, Pre-book your next visit just like you do at the Dr.s office. Especially around the holidays. If you don't have a regular stylist, ask around! A girl at the mall, your work, wherever. Ask where they get their hair done.

-You get what you pay for. Someone at the local chain salon really could have a great set of skills but part of the problem is they are usually required to complete a haircut in 15 Minutes.... which is completely impossible to get a good haircut in that amount of time.

-Walk away informed. Make sure you know how to recreate your style at home. You may need to invest in some product or a new brush. Salon product is always best but just may be a little too much than you want to spend. There are some more inexpensive options, but there is really no point in paying $100 dollars for a great color then washing it down the drain with suave. Think of color shampoo as an insurance policy.

-Come to me! I'm not gonna lie, I'm pretty decent at what I do :) and I love it. I guarantee my work and give a mean scalp massage at the shampoo bowl.

Your invited

10 year anniversary!

Come celebrate with us on Friday, September 26th.

FREE facial waxing

Highlighting $2 a foil

All product on sale

Beauty give-a-ways

Come try our new Soyafinn warming hand mitts and get a complimentary hand massage.

for directions to the salon, email me!

CALLING ALL BRIDES!

I have always wished I had pictures of wedding hair I've done. If I did your hair for your wedding and will send me a pic of your style so I can have a little wedding gallery on my blog. Just email me the attachment if you wouldn't mind having your pic on my page. Thanks!

I snagged these from Brookies blog. This style was from a wedding earlier this summer.

I Love Up-Do's!!!

Here are some pics of a recent up-do I did on my sister, Brooke. She is Always a brides maid (already a bride). With this particular style I was going for a bit 60's... a bit Audrey Hepburn. I also wanted a style that would show off her highlights we had just done!

My tried and true

Every stylist LOVES hair product. I am always on the look out for somehting new and fantastic. I love to try new ones and either adopt them or not. There are 3 products that I always come back to. RUSK BLOFOAM

It's main use is to create vloume, which it does beautifully. There are several volumizing products out there but the think that is different about this one for me is the nozzle. It has like a little trigger and goes exactly where you aim. I love that you can SEE where you have put it. It's in a foam form vs liquid so you know exactly where you have and haven't applied it. It also has a bit of alcohol in it so it isn't for the ends of your hair but it's great for right next to your scalp because it absorbs oil and keeps your hair looking fresh. this one does'nt work if you let your hair airdry.

PAUL MITCHELL SUPER SKINNY SERUM

This product is for smoothing. It can be applied wet, dry or both. I use it on EVERYBODY. the more hair you have the more I use but I love that it has a pump so you never use too much which can be a problem with smoothing products. This one smells wonderful, it adds shine, it protects from heat, it speeds up blow-drying time and it smooths out frizzies. The trick to applying this one is to rub your hands together before applying to the hair so you don't get too much in one area and to avoid the scalp area.

PAUL MITCHELL SCULPTING FOAM

This one is awsome for ever hair texture. I love it to adds a little volume for fine hair, to tame curls, to enhance curls. the thing that is different about this one is that it has condition in it so it leaves the hair feeling softer than most mousses. More can be added for more control and hold And it SMELLS like Hawaii.

A day out with Esther

So I got to hang out with my cousin Esther on Saturday and do her hair. The last time I did, I was in beauty school and hopefully my skills have improved since then:) Her base color was a really great shade of medium Brown but the thing I wasted to create was contrast. So I alternated chunky highlights, with lowlights about one shade darker than her natural color. and again, we added some bangs!

Before

(well not right before but you get the idea)

The best thing about my job is being able to chat with people I hardly get to see. It's nice to spend a full 2+ hours with someone you enjoy. Then on the other hand.... 2+ hours with a client that drives you bonkers, Blech. Luckily I don't have too many of those and I have only had to "fire" one person in my 6 years of hair. So thank you to those who make me love my job!

*Oh and Props to Liz on the new page design, isn't she talented?

Big Change

My good friend AnnDee has had long hair for as long as I've known her. The other day, she asked me to chop it off for her....every hair dresser's dream. We plotted out the length she wanted, then determined the best shape for her texture and face shape. Andee has fantastic hair, with thick, wavy texture, that can be straightened easily. This particular style is very versatile; it can be worn completely straight by flat-ironing, round brushed as shown, or she can go natural and let her wavy texture show.
My favorite tip for flat-ironing hair is to elevate it first and then run the flat iron through it, instead of ironing straight down. This gives the hair a more natural look and less of a stamped in straightness. One reason I love Bangs is, you can take a quick 2 minutes to just style just them and pull the rest back in a ponytail and it give you softnesss and style with hardly any effort. One down-side of bangs is they tend to get oily faster than the rest of your hair, especially in the summer heat. One remedy is to wet just your bangs, add a dab of shampoo, rinse, then re-style. it will really freshen your whole look. I know when I've chopped all of my hair off, I have loved to play with it and find new ways to wear it--I hope AnnDee has fun with it.