llisahair

2012-12-05T20:08:00.006-08:00

I am no longer updating this blog. Please visit llisahair.ca/main

A Midsummer Nights Hair

2012-09-21T18:38:00.000-07:00

What a busy summer it has been. As you've noticed I have not updated my blog in a long time, but I have a very good reason for that. I am launching a website and integrating my blog into it. I'm not a professional web designer and with my busy schedule it's something that takes a bit of time. I am very very excited about this and it will be coming very shortly! My first post will be from a photoshoot I did a while back with DA Photography so check back soon.

Now on to what this post is really about...

There's a race every summer in Toronto called the Midsummer Nights Run. My friend Sara and I decided to run it this year. The best part about the race is that you get to dress like fairies, and of course I just HAD to do our hair to go with the theme. There is a 5k, 15k, and 30k, and we did the 15k.

I was never the best with braids but this summer I've been getting really into it. They're a lot of fun and they are so hot right now. I just want to remind you all to not to braid your hair when it's wet. The reason for this is because when your hair is wet it stretches and when it dries it shrinks. Over time it can cause a lot of breakage. Same goes for ponytails. If you must wear your hair up while it's wet use a scrunchy and tie it loosely.

Sara's hair before I went crazy with the flowers

In a classic french braid you braid the strands over top of the middle strand. The braid is more underneath the hair. With Sara's hair I braided the strands underneath the middle strand. In makes the braid sit on top of the hair. This is actually the method corn rows are done. This way it makes it easier for me to slide the baby's breath throughout the hair.

After I went flower crazy

Mine was done with the same style as Sara's (braiding strands under not over). To wrap the braid around my head I parted it on the side and started two small braids at the part line. Then after meeting in the back I just pinned everything like an updo and threw flowers in everything.

Although we did not win the costume contest, we definitely had the best hair. I was surprised we were the only ones who showed up with flowers in our hair. The best part is that the hair and flowers all stayed in tact after the 15 kilometer race.

We had so much fun in this race and we also have another fairy themed race coming up. Sara, myself and my mom are going to be running the Tinkerbell Half Marathon in Disneyland, California in January. I am sosososososososo excited (will be my first real holiday since I became a hairstylist!) and we are going to dress up as Tinkerbell, so I will definitely be posting our hair for that too.

Check back soon to see the pictures from my photoshoot. Also make sure to check out Sara's blog. She also did a post about the race and made an awesome video about it too.

The Legend: Vidal Sassoon

2012-05-16T21:12:00.002-07:00

On May 9, 2012 the hairdressing industry lost a legend. I was so upset when I heard that Vidal Sassoon passed away at the age of 84. It's really taken me some time to put my thoughts and feelings into words.
What he did for the hair industry affects me and every hairdresser today and I have always had such a tremendous amount of respect for him. Although I never got the chance to meet him in person I did have the pleasure of attending a intensive course at the Vidal Sassoon Academy last year. His way of cutting "The Sassoon Way" is still to this day the foundations of every single hair cut. Many of you may not know much about Vidal Sassoon and what he did for the hairdressing industry. So let me tell you a little bit about him and what he did to become the legend.

When he became a hairdresser he said he was going to do something big change something. To say that he "changed" or did something "big" is an understatement. Back when he began apprenticing women were stuck in the old ways of weekly rollersets. It was all about the style and making sure it kept for a week. He made it about the haircut. He was the first person to give somebody a "wash and go" haircut. When he cut the infamous a-line bob on Nancy Kwan for Vogue and the pixie cut on Mia Farrow he became a sensation. His work was edgy and different nothing like anyone had ever seen before. Most of the work he is famous for are very geometric short cuts, but what he teaches still applies to every haircut long or short.

Nancy Kwans bob on the cover of the Vidal Sassoon Movie

His two loves were hair and architecture, specifically he loved the Bauhaus school of architecture. He saw the similarities in both and as you can see much of his work was inspired by architecture. He spent nine years of his life devoting himself to learning, creating, and mastering shape and how to create a shape on a someone's head. Some people think he only created specific haircuts. But what he really created were the techniques. With the techniques there are endless posibilities. His philosophy is about creating a haircut to suit the individual. He made cutting hair an art.

Without him the hair industry would not have been able to evolve to what it is today. We wouldn't be doing what we are doing today. He started the revolution, and as long as every hairdresser is passionate and loves what they do the possibilities are endless.

"If you don't look good, we don't look good" - Vidal Sassoon may he Rest in Peace.

ABA Toronto 2012

2012-04-09T14:00:00.000-07:00

Last week I attended the Toronto ABA Hair Show. I always try to go but I was so excited that I was able to go both days this year. There is always so much to see one day is not enough.

The main convention area is a huge space with most product lines, distributors and suppliers, trade magazines and almost everything you can think of relating to the spa and salon industry. Most of the main big name companies, and some of the smaller brands have stages with their platform artists showcasing their latest work. There are also many seminars relating to theory, techniques, business that you can attend at the show. The ABA Trade show is also where some of the most prestigious competitions in the country for hair and makeup are held.

My favourite part of the hair show has always been the competitions. I competed back in hair school in 2006, and in 2007 nationally for a student competition with Wella but I have not competed since then. I have always aspired to compete once again, and will definitely be competing once again in 2013. This year I joined the Master Judges Program and I am on my way to becoming a judge for these competitions. I've always wanted to join and what an amazing experience this weekend was. Unfortunately, I was not able to get photos of every competition and some of them may not be so great, but I hope you still enjoy them all.

All of the models from the Elegant Evening Long Hair competition

Second place winner in the Elegant Evening Long Hair

First place winner in the Elegant Evening Long Hair

I unfortunately did not get a good enough picture of third place to post.

My favourite competition is the Technical Creative Blowdry. It is one that requires a great amount of skill and a lot of practice. These styles are done in 20 minutes only by using the blowdrier (and products of course!), no curling irons flat irons etc. There were a lot of amazing blowdries out there this year so here are the top three winners.

Third place winner

Second place winner

First place winner

Unfortunately I did not get any great pictures of the Mens Avant-Garde competition. There were so many contestants and it was the very last competition of the evening so I didn't get a chance to get any great pictures before they were called on stage for the awards. I did manage to get a somewhat decent picture of the First Place winner on stage.

The second day of the show had the competitions for the New Talent Women's Trend Cut & Colour, Women's Trend Cut & Colour, and the National Women's Trend Cut & Colour. The National Women's Cut & Colour features the first place winners from each province in the previous year.

I unfortunately don't have any good pictures of the New Talent, but I did manage to snap a few shots of the First Place winner of the Women's Trend, and the National Trend competition.

First place for the Provincial Women's Trend Cut & Colour competition. This stylist will go on to represent Ontario at the Toronto 2013 ABA in the National competition.

The Maritime provinces took first place this year in the National Women's Trend competition. Absolutely amazing work.

Although most of my time at the hair show was revolving around competitions I did manage to head over to the P&G stage on Monday to see some awesome platform work. My co-worker Fay was doing some incredible work for Sebastian on stage this year so I had to check it out. Here are some shots of Fay and the entire P&G team.

Fierce!

I am a huge fan of red hair & curls so I had to share this one. Stunning look done by the Nioxin artist.

Fay & her fabulous model

The entire P&G Team! Amazing work!

P&H Salon and Spa

2012-01-31T19:18:00.000-08:00

I am very proud to announce that I am now working at P&H Salon and Spa. We opened our doors January 2, and I am so excited an honoured to be a part of this amazing and talented team. This first month has just flown by, I guess it's true that time flies when you're having fun.

Welcome to P&H Salon and Spa

Enjoy a coffee at our espresso bar

Heated & massaging pedicure chairs, and aren't these purple-ish chairs super cute?

We have an amazing team of stylists and esthecians. If you're not sure what to do with your hair come by for a free consultation. Our spa offers a full range of services from manicures and pedicures, to facials, laser hair removal, eyelash extensions and much more. We offer Great Lengths extensions and we carry L'Oreal Professional, Pureology, Nioxin and Sebastian hair products. The spa mainly uses Yonka, as well as a few other smaller lines, we use Essie nail polish and Shellac.
I am so excited to be working in this new space and I hope you will come by and visit us. I am looking forward to what the future will bring.

Come follow us on twitter @PHSalon_TO and 'Like' us on Facebook

Arrojo Product Review

2012-01-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

I had the opportunity at the end of this summer to attend a small class with Nick Arrojo and Gerard Scarpci. I have always been fascinated with Nick Arrojo's razor techniques, and I really like that he is very active in the education side of the hair industry. They were also discussing the Arrojo product line. His products have been available in Canada since March 2011 and I have not had the chance to try them until now. So of course I just had to try their products for curly hair. My hair is very dry so I got the Moisturizing Shampoo & Conditioner and the Curl Creme.

It takes me a few months to really know if a product really works well in my hair or not. Some can build up easily and make your hair "used to" the product. My definition of a good product is something you can use all the time. I don't believe that hair can get "used to" a product hence why I use quotations. If a product is good, it will be just as good today as it is 6 months and one year from now. Although, sometimes your specific needs of your hair may change and in that case, you would want to switch products. I also only shampoo my hair once a week so it will take me some time to know if a shampoo will build up or not.

Let's start with the shampoo & conditioner. I've been using it once a week for about four months and I really really like it. It's not a sulfate free shampoo, but it feels like one. It's very very concentrated (that bottle will go a looong way) and it will not lather, using more shampoo will not help. The conditioner is great also. It is moisturizing enough to use without being overly heavy. If your hair is very dry (like mine!) it's not enough alone (you will definitely need an additional weekly deep conditioner etc...) but the nice thing is that it won't weigh down the finer hair types. This is definitely a moisturizing shampoo I would recommend to my finer curly haired types, and of course smells amazing.

The curl creme is good, but it's definitely designed for a more finer curl type than mine. It doesn't give quite enough control and long lasting hold when used alone. It does say right on the bottle that if your hair is super curly, to cocktail it with their styling creme. I did not try their styling creme, but I did cocktail it with Sebastian Texturizer and the results were amazing. This would be a great curl creme for finer curls, or if you're not looking for the absolute "perfect" curl look.

So that's how my hair was with only the Arrojo Styling Creme in my hair. If you look really close you can see little bits of frizz in and around the root area. Mostly just the new growth, however that is the type of frizz I dislike the most. Unfortunately the product just isn't heavy enough for my hair. The ends were a little straight on the long side, but that's only because my hair was needing a trim at this point.

It's really important to put this product in while your hair is still pretty wet (not dripping but before any frizz has begun). Otherwise I find that it won't really define the curls and just coats your hair. You really don't need a lot of this creme either, if you put too much it can go slightly sticky and create more frizz. Scrunch a quarter size amount into the ends and work your way up, only use more as needed. If your hair is fine only use a tiny amount on your ends.

All in all, I love the Arrojo Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner. The Curl Creme is good but better suited for fine - medium textured curls and looser curly haired types. If your hair is thicker or curlier you will need to cocktail it with another product to get maximum control. Arrojo products are also very affordable. It is probably one of the least expensive professional product lines, and the products I tried preformed very well for their price point. I'm looking forward to trying more of his products, and will definitely let you guys know what I think.

I also got to meet Nick Arrojo at this class I went to, he's a super cool guy and really funny. Unfortunately my hair looks terrible because it was a rainy day and my hair was half wet.

New Year New 'Do

2011-12-30T18:02:00.000-08:00

What a year 2011 has been. It felt like it has come and gone so fast. November and December are the busiest months of the year. I have my latest product review coming early 2012 & lots more in the New Year. The holidays are always a time that we change things including our hair. Here's a little makeover I did on a co-worker of mine.

Celina is a stylist in training and her hair has always been long. She has experimented more with colour than with her hair cuts. After going darker in the fall she still felt like she needed a change. It's a little dried out as well from flat ironing often. Giving it a good cut is the best way to really get rid of all the split ends, and the first step to having healthy hair.

As you can see the ends are a little dry and her cut has lost its shape. She has a good face shape & facial structure and a shorter cut will really help accentuate her facial features. She wanted something fun that she can really play around with. Something versatile that will look good curly or straight.

I didn't want to change her colour too much so I just did a semi-permanent chocolate glaze over it to give it some more richness and shine. She has pretty thick hair and as I mentioned earlier it is slightly wavy. We decided on an asymmetrical layered bob with graduation in the back. The layers and graduation will remove bulk and prevent it from looking like a triangle.

I gave her a slightly angled side bang so she could have some versatility and also wear it straight across. The shorter hair really makes her cheekbones pop. She can wear it super smooth and also textured and wavy.

Short side, long side & back. The graduation in the back removes bulk & allows thick hair to sit nicely

This is a great cut for almost any hair type. It can be adapted to suit almost anybody. The beauty of it is that it's a short cut but with some length in the front. If you're thinking of going really short this is a great way to ease into it without shocking yourself too much. It also looks fantastic on curly hair. The shortness in the back makes the back shrink up more and gives you the look of a more extreme angle.

I'd also like to thank all of my viewers in this past year. I promised that I would update more in 2011, and I promise to do even more in 2012. I have a lot of plans for this blog and lots of more great content will be coming soon. I hope you all have a fantastic New Years and an amazing start to 2012.

How to Shampoo Your Hair

2011-10-02T15:36:00.000-07:00

Summer, where did you go? Summer literally came and went and I can not believe we are into October already. I've been on an unplanned hiatus, but now that fall is here I will definitely be able to post more often. I'm sure you've figured out that I'm really big on healthy hair care. If you take proper care of your hair you can do almost anything with it. Summer is a time when our hair can get really damaged even just from the sun so it's very important to take good care of your hair and it all starts with shampooing.
Yes, I am totally serious about this. I've seen people make fun of the directions on shampoo bottles. They laugh and make a joke about how everybody knows how to shampoo their hair and we don't need any instructions. The actual fact is that most people actually don't shampoo their hair properly. Most hairdressers just assume we all know how to shampoo our hair so they often don't explain how to do it. Some of the most common hair problems are actually a result of mproper shampooing.

#1 - Frequency

The first thing I would like to talk about it frequency. Less is more. Most people that shampoo their hair every day do so because their hair doesn't feel "clean" because it's too oily. Sound familiar? I'm sure every hairstylist has told you not to shampoo every day, but have they explained why? All shampoo is drying on the scalp. Your scalp needs a small amount of natural oil called sebum in order to protect it and be healthy. When you shampoo, it strips the sebum off the scalp so your scalp has to replace what was lost. When you shampoo right away your scalp again must make up for this lost sebum so it overproduces, and the cycle continues. The act of shampooing itself as well, the stimulation of your scalp helps stimulate the sebaceous glands to produce more sebum. I've met some people who "have to" shampoo their hair 2 or 3 times a day.
The fix? Start by shampooing every second day. Get a boar bristle brush. Natural bristles distribute sebum & product through your ends, and sometimes that may be all it needs. If necessary use dry shampoo (or baby powder). Keep in mind, dry shampoo isn't actually shampoo. It doesn't clean your hair but will help absorb some oil so that you can stretch it one extra day. Depending on how active your sebaceous glands are, it could take some time to regulate your scalp back to normal. It could take anywhere from 3-6 months. There may be times where you just can't stand it, but you have to be patient. I used to be a daily shampooer, now I'm down to once a week. I'm not saying everybody should shampoo once a week It depends on what type and how much product you use in your hair. Generally, finer and/or thinner hair every second day, medium every third, and thicker, coarser types will benefit from once a week.

#2 - Types of Shampoo

Next, I'd like to talk about types of shampoo. Some shampoos are actually designed to build up on your hair so it won't feel "clean" and then you shampoo more often. Then your hair gets "used to" the shampoo and you get something new. It strips off the build up from your last shampoo and another ingredient builds up. I won't name any names, there are so many great and not so great shampoos, I'll leave that for my product reviews. Sulfate free shampoos are becoming increasingly popular as well. While sulfate free shampoos are gentler and not as aggressive they're not always the best choice. Sulfate free shampoos will not remove excess build up of products. If you use a lot of products it's best to use a clarifying shampoo before using a sulfate free and then being careful not to use too much product or overly heavy products.
Not all shampoos with sulfates are bad for your hair. The most common is sodium laureth sulfate and its variations. A good rule of thumb is the more shampoo lathers the worse it is for your hair. Lather doesn't clean your hair the little bubbles actually damage the hair, and good shampoos have little to no lather, and keep in mind shampoo will always lather more the second time.
Ok so which one do I use? There are so many product lines out there and some carry more than 10 different types of shampoos and conditioners. It can get complicated and a full lesson deserves its own post. If you're really not sure what to use ask your hairdresser. If your hair is damaged through colouring or other chemicals, you will need a different shampoo than if your hair is naturally dry. If you use the wrong one then you may not have the results you wanted, and your stylist is the only person to know exactly what is done to your hair during chemical services, and will direct you to the proper shampoos. People often judge a product line based on trying one type of shampoo when it may not be the right one for them. I don't know how many people come in to my salon every day with very straight thin, fine, blonde hair asking for Moroccan Oil. Don't be afraid to ask for help.

#3 - How to Shampoo

Now let's talk about actually shampooing our hair. How do we do it? This is the part that seems the most obvious, but is most often done wrong. Most people who think they have dandruff don't shampoo their hair correctly. Real dandruff is an actual scalp condition that is actually not as common as we think. Commonly treated with medicated shampoos, sometimes prescription. Most people who think they have dandruff have either dry scalp or product build up usually caused by improper shampooing techniques.
First, remove tangles from the hair by brushing starting at the ends and working your way up. If your hair is curly, finger comb it starting from the ends only if it is very messy. If you have a lot of flakes at the root really brush the scalp well to help lift them out. Wet your hair completely, really really wet. Run your fingers through make sure that the moisture is evenly distributed through your hair. Once your hair is really really wet start with a dime size in your hand, work it together in both hands and make it spread in your hands before putting it in your hair. Start applying the shampoo to the scalp at the nape (underneath) and then work your way to the top, only at the roots. You'll feel the shampoo spread, if it's not add more water. If your hair is relatively clean one shampoo is fine, however if you use a lot of product or only shampoo once a week, you'll definitely want to shampoo twice. Don't worry about the ends, whatever runs down as you rinse will clean the ends. Rinse the shampoo completely out of your hair. Rinse it again, and again, most people with "dandruff" just need to do this. After shampooing comes the conditioner. It's important to use conditioner, but if your hair gets oily or falls flat easily only apply the conditioner to your ends. If your hair is very dry like mine you can apply it all over. If your hair tends to get tangled, comb it through with a wide tooth comb while the conditioner is in the hair. It's usually a good idea to leave the conditioner in for a few minutes before rinsing (unless your hair is oily or falls flat) I usually use this time to comb my conditioner through my hair with a wide toothed comb. It's recommended to rinse the conditioner with lukewarm water. Make sure again that it is rinsed completely from the roots, if your hair is very dry you can leave some in the ends but it's very important that it's rinsed completely from the roots or else you'll get flakes.

There you go, that's it. It's actually quite simple, and will save you a lot of time and shampoo. Shampooing less, even from every day to every second day you will be using half as much shampoo.

I'm working on another curly hair product review. This product line has been around for a while, and was just launched in Canada earlier this year. Can anybody guess what it is?

Product Review: Living Proof No Frizz

2011-07-13T17:29:00.000-07:00

Over the past few months I have been seeing this new product line appearing everywhere. I'm sure you've seen it around. The ~~frizz~~ logo makes it hard to forget, and it makes you wonder will it really leave my hair with no frizz? Anything I read about this product line said that the formula is completely different than anything else and is called a "revolutionary" product. The newest technology in 30 years to combat frizz called PolyfluoroEster blocks your hair from humidity and locks in the moisture in a way that silicones can't... or so they say. Time to find out.

I have to admit I've actually been using this product for a while now. I have not done the review yet because I was playing with the idea of cutting my hair short. My hair was still slightly damaged from previous colouring and heat styling, and as a result the ends were still slightly straight. I tried to grow it out by trimming it off each time and keeping the new growth healthy to maintain the curl. Unfortunately as it grew longer the straight ends started acting much like split ends. They keep traveling up the hair shaft and won't get better unless completely cut off. So that's what I did. Now that it's cut and healthy here is what my hair looks like not styled, no product air dried.

No curl definition, kind of just looks like a fuzzy ball. The picture makes it look nice though, it's a lot frizzier than it looks. This is why I need product. It won't curl unless it has a lot of moisture. Now that it's short I don't need any extra volume so I just dry it with my hand dry gloves (shown above) until most of the moisture is out and air dry the rest.

To start I shampooed and conditioned with Living Proof's ~~Frizz~~ Shampoo and Conditioner, and followed with the Styling Treatment wave shaping, curl defining for medium to thick hair. There are three styling aids for curly hair, a spray for finer hair, and two creams. One for medium to thick hair and one for thick to coarse hair.

The Shampoo and Conditioner are sulfate free and all the products I used are paraben free also. A lot of sulfate free shampoos tend to be too gentle, and if you use a lot of product and don't shampoo often (like myself) or if you use silicones in your hair they won't really clean your hair. I've tried some that actually make your hair feel more oily. Living Proof's shampoo was very effective in removing any product build up I had while still not stripping off all of my scalps natural oils. Which is what a good sulfate free shampoo should do. The conditioner did a great job of keeping my hair moisturized. The day I shampoo my hair my curls tend to be very fluffy and frizz up quickly, so I try to shampoo on my day off. This is probably the first shampoo I've used that I would actually shampoo my hair on a day I have to work. They're not super heavy either so if you have finer curly hair you can definitely use it too.

So here's what my hair looks like after using the Styling Treatment.

As I mentioned earlier, I used the wave shaping, curl defining for medium to thick hair however I have also used the thick to coarse hair one as well. Because the packaging is the same when I went to my distributor I accidentally picked up the wrong one, so I figured I'd try it out anyways. Both of them actually worked great in my hair, the thick to coarse one made it a little bit crunchy (or if you use too much it will go crunchy).Though once it was completely dry I scrunched it out with my fingers and the crunchiness went away. It completely blocked my hair from the humidity and truly does keep the moisture locked in. I have actually never been more impressed with a curly hair product in my life. Although I'm not really a fan of the smell, it actually really turned me off at first. Someone mentioned that they could smell a bit of a grapefruit scent which totally makes sense because I hate grapefruit. But if it works I don't care what it smells like.

It is a little more expensive than most salon products. I don't have a problem spending money on products if they're good quality, and these products are definitely worth the price. The shampoo and conditioner are average and should last a long time anyways. The styling cream retails at $26 for a 4oz. bottle, but that's also what you pay for the latest technology, good quality product that works. Let me know what you think of it if you've tried it!

They also have "Straight" and "Full" as well which I'm very excited to try. I've stopped doing my "Product of the Week" because I'd prefer to focus on doing more in depth reviews of products like this one. As much as I love Living Proof ~~Frizz~~, I have lots more curly hair products I'm trying out also, so there will be lots more to come.

My Interpretation of Ombre

2011-07-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

So it's been over a month since my last blog update, the month of June was so busy it literally went by in the blink of an eye for me. I spent a week at the Vidal Sassoon Academy in Toronto. I took a precision haircutting class it was absolutely amazing, and I am looking forward to taking more classes there in the future. The rest of the month of June was super busy at work, I've been working on a few blog posts but I just haven't had time to sit down and finish... until now.

You may remember Candice from a few months back, we originally planned to make her blonde over time however she had been travelling so much for work that she couldn't find the time to maintain the colour. With a solid blonde you need to maintain it and you can't go longer than 2 months without a retouch. We still wanted to make her mostly blonde, but with a little less maintenance so we decided to go with the Ombre trend.

Before

I actually did foils as well as Balayage hilights on Candice. Balayage is a freehand hilighting technique that has really started making a comeback . It gives it a more subtle look than with foils, and you can literally place the hilights wherever you desire. I foiled her hair up to the crown, and once I got to the crown I did the balayage technique.

I still wanted to give it a multidimensional look so I used two blonde shades, and as I moved up the head I gradually omitted the lighter blonde. Golden blondes are really hot this summer so I kept the colour warm. Now Candice is blonde without having to worry about having terrible roots in a month.

We took a few inches off her length, reshaped it and added a few more layers for some movement. I styled it with Goldwell Kerasilk Instant Silk Fluid to to keep her hair moisturized, soft and protect it from the heat. She was going to a party & I used my Bombshell Curling Iron to give her some loose waves.

All ready for the party

How to Love Your Curls: Part 2

2011-05-20T21:50:00.000-07:00

If you haven't read How to Love Your Curls: Part 1, check it out, important steps before you worry about Heat Styling & Colouring your curly hair.

3. Handling & Heat Styling

Handling & heat styling are both very important because if you are not careful with both it will greatly damage your hair. Improper handling can lead to split ends and breakage. Excessive heat styling will dry your hair out completely. There are ways to prevent your hair from damage but there are careless mistakes that are commonly done that will damage your hair no matter what you do to protect it.

It is so important to be gentle when handling your hair. Never brush curly hair (unless you're blowdrying), brushing pulls on the hair, causes breakage and split ends. Always use a wide tooth comb. Start combing your hair from the ends and work your way up. It's best to comb the hair when wet or damp, disturbing dry curls generally causes frizziness. I usually like to comb through my hair while the conditioner is in, it keeps the hair soft and easier to detangle.
When handling your hair properly it's all about the little things you do that keep it healthy. Use a microfibre towel, the fabric from most towels will roughen up the cuticle and you guessed it, cause frizz. For that same reason I also recommend to sleep on a satin pillowcase, especially if you move around in your sleep. Another thing I see often is people who tie their hair back when it's wet. When your hair is wet it stretches and pulling it back keeps it stretched so when it dries it pulls on your hair and creates a lot of breakage. If you need to pull it back wet, tie it loose with a scrunchie.

Air drying is always healthier for your hair, but its not always the best option. Water is heavy and weighs the hair down so as it air dries it loosens the curl and it usually falls flat at the roots. Diffusing it will create more definition in the curl, and will create more volume. I always diffuse when my hair is wet, right after putting in the product. You can scrunch it, twist it but it's best to do that wet, as it's drying you don't want to disturb the curls. It's okay to use a curling iron on some pieces to define the curls more, but to use a thermal protector and make sure your hair is one hundred percent dry before touching it with the curling iron.
If you do occasionally like to wear your hair straight, it is absolutely necessary to use a product to protect from the blowdrier. Using the right product and technique you should be able to get your hair pretty smooth just from blowdrying. Always aim the nozzle down to keep it smooth. If a flat iron is necessary again, make sure the hair is 100% dry and use a thermal protector.
It's very important not to overdo it with heat styling. If you've blown it out straight then make sure to wear it for a few days. Give your hair a break from heat styling at least once a week. Use a moisturizing treatment to restore the moisture back into the hair from the heat. I'm seeing more and more people lately damaging their hair from the heat more than from chemicals. It's important too put the moisture back into the hair that's been drained from the heat.

4. Chemical Processing

A lot of people are afraid of colouring their hair because they're afraid of damaging it. Hair colour does not always have to be damaging on the hair. It's important to take it easy and not to too much of a drastic change in one visit, not so much when going darker but it's important to be careful when going lighter. There are a lot of misconceptions on hair colour. While I always recommend to go to a professional for hair colour, I do think it is important for a client to know a little bit about hair colour and what it does to the hair.
Going darker is the healthiest type of colouring you can do. Unless you have a lot of gray you don't even have to use a permanent colour. Darker hair appears less frizzy and shinier, so going darker can actually make your hair look much healthier.
Lightening the hair does not always have to be done with bleach, but if you're trying to lighten previously coloured hair then bleach must be used. Colour over colour will always go darker. When lightening the hair an undertone is exposed. All haircolour has an undertone and this is why hair turns brassy when bleached. This is your hair's undertone and it will change depending how light and dark you go. This is why we "tone" the hair. Toning cuts out the brassy tones and is what creates the hair colour. Every person and situation is different, this is why it's especially important to see a professional for this type of service. Permanent hair colour actually lightens the hair and tones it in one step. Again, permanent hair colour can not lighten any artificial hair colour. Undertones are the same reason why some people turn their hair green when going a lot darker. The proper undertone must be put back into the hair, depending on what your target colour is.

Now how does colouring the hair affect the curl? A little bit of damage is okay, and with some types of curls it will actually create better curls or be easier to style. Colouring the hair can sometimes make it appear shinier and healthier. Colour is damaging when we overdo it, this is when your hair is overprocessed. If you want to go from black to blonde in one sitting, be prepared for a good haircut and say goodbye to your curls. Overprocessing can be a result of overlapping permanent hair colour multiple times, or over bleaching. Overlapping demi permanent hair colour won't really overprocess it, it will just make it go darker and darker. However, I have seen hair over processed so much that it couldn't even take a demi permanent hair colour without snapping. Once it's over processed it's almost impossible to bring it back to being healthy, however using products can temporarily strengthen your hair and prevent it from breaking off and becoming more damaged. Like over heat styled curls, overprocessed curls can be so frizzy that there is no defintion at all.
It is possible to lighten the hair over time if a drastic result is wanted and still keep the curls. As long as you take proper care of your hair, including home maintenance and treatments you can lighten your hair each visit. When colouring the hair it is very important to take good care of it, follow Steps 1 - 3 before colouring the hair and your result will be much much better.

Remember what my hair looked like before I was a hairstylist? That was me about 10 yerars agoish. Now that I've learned to control my curls, this is what they look like now.

I hope you enjoyed my guide for curly hair. As long as you take care of your curls they will be beautiful. I've been playing around with a different line for curly hair and I will be posting up a review of it soon!

Why I am a Product Junkie

2011-05-13T20:21:00.000-07:00

No product this week, I've decided to really talk about the importance of why we use hair products. So many clients come in and say that they don't want to use products because they don't want to damage their hair. Well guess what, if you're styling your hair without using any product you're actually causing more damage to the hair. I don't like to use too many products in the hair at one time because then it tends to build up, and we still want it soft and touchable.
If you want to achieve any type of "style" at all with your hair you need to use products. They are called styling aids because that's exactly what they do. They will make whatever you're doing (ex. straightening or adding volume) much easier, hold the style, and some shorten the amount of drying time. A lot of damaged hair I see is thermally damaged hair. Not protecting it can absolutely fry your hair just as bad as chemical damage. Styling products will not necessarily repair the hair, but the right one will "fill in" damaged spots to prevent from further damage.

There are so many different types of products, however most styling products are used for:

control
volume
texture
protect
finishing (hold & shine)

Some products may do more than one thing, and the choice of which product to use depends on your hair type, and what your desired result with your hair style is. If you have very fine hair, you wouldn't want to use a heavy serum or oil, the same way somebody who has frizzy thick hair wouldn't use a volumizing product. Make sure you know what you want to achieve with your hair and you will be able to find the right product. If you aren't sure what to use, ask your stylist. I'm very honest with my clients and if there is a product that I don't like I'll tell them, and the same goes on here. Each product I've chosen every week is something that I have used., and I will not recommend it if I wouldn't use it on my own clients or myself.

Hope you enjoy my mini product knowledge. I will be posting another product review of a different curly hair line soon, and Part 2 of How to Love your Curls will be up within the next few says so check back soon.

Product of the Week: CHI Keratin Mist

2011-05-05T19:17:00.000-07:00

This time of year everybody's hair seems to be slightly damaged. Either recovering from the harsh winter, or getting ready for summer by putting in lots of hilights. It's important to keep up with maintaining the integrity of the hair. This is why I have chosen CHI Keratin Mist as my Product of the Week.

This spray is great for any hair type and has Keratin in it which is the natural protein found in your hair. This spray will help strengthen your damaged hair as well as protect it from further damage. It is very light, won't wear the hair down, so you don't have to worry about overuse. It makes a great detangler, so even if your hair isn't damaged it will still protect your hair and make it feel soft and shiny without weighing it down.

How to Love Your Curls: Part 1

2011-05-01T17:16:00.000-07:00

I know so many people with naturally curly hair who hate their hair. The amount of people who straighten their beautiful curls and wish their hair was naturally straight. I used to be one of them. Most of the time it's just because the curls are just too out of control and doesn't look good when worn curly. Having an improper haircut and not taking proper care of your curls is the main cause of that problem.

Let me share with you a few pictures of myself when I was in high school, before I had a clue on what to do with my hair, and my story of how I have been able to finally embrace my curl. This guide will be split into two parts, as it is very long & detailed... enjoy :)

Eventually, I learned to pile on the leave in conditioner and I pulled it half back and that was pretty much it, otherwise it was just too big. I started doing the Japanese straighteners when I was in hair school and wore it straight for two years. After my chemical straighteners grew out, if I decided to wear it curly it would just go frizzy. So I had to continue blow drying & flat ironing it.
In order to go back to wearing it curly I would have to go through a "transition" phase. I'd diffuse it, and the ends would still be straighter/frizzy so I'd have to curl the ends with a curling iron. I tried that for a little while and then somebody talked me into going blonde and then I had a Keratin Treatment to help repair some damage. Once the treatment washed out I was determined to wear it curly once again.

The first photo was when I was in hair school doing the Japanese Straightener, second photo is about 4 years ago, the straightener had grown out by then. The third photo is about a year and a half after the second after going blonde and having the Keratin Treatment. As you can see the combination of the colour as well as wearing it straight for that amount of time. I knew that my "transition" phase was going to be a lot of fun. I've still got a bit on the ends to grow out, as you may recall from my Mixed Chicks Review back in January, some of my ends were still straight but overall I'm almost done with my "transition" period, I will share a picture with you of what my hair looks like now in Part 2.

Let me share with you the four most important steps for maintaining beautiful curls. This is what I have learned from my experience as a hairstylist and working with my own natural curl.

Cut
Moisture
Handling & Heat Styling
Chemical Processing

1. Cut

Having a proper haircut is number one because if you don't have the right cut your curls will never look good. Not only is it important to cut it regularly to maintain and control split ends, having a proper cut will actually help your curls to be more defined.

It's important to have long layers. If your hair is all one length, you will have a lovely case of pyramid head. If the layers are cut too short, then you'll have a mullet. When the layers are too short, they curl up more and then the longer layers will be more weighed down so you will see a distinctive "separation" of the layers.
That's why it is important to have your hair cut by somebody who is comfortable and experienced with working with curly hair.
I rarely "texturize" or "thin" my curly haired clients. Why? Because by doing that you will create a whole bunch of shorter hairs and because those hairs are shorter than the length they won't really "know" where to go and they'll frizz out. That is one of the main causes of flyaways. The ends need to be full and that way all the hairs will curl together. For visual learners, let me show you an example:

The left is a hair strand that is not thinned out, it is nice and full so all the hairs curl together nicely. The right is a strand that is overly thinned out. As you can see there are shorter hairs and they stick out in random places, and the ends are much thinner which also makes them appear frizzier. That's not to say that thinning and texturizing is always bad, however it must be done by somebody who really knows what they are doing. This is also the same reason why having your hair cut with a razor is generally not a good idea if you have curly hair, and this is why it is important to cut your hair on a regular basis. Because curly hair is naturally dry it tends to get split ends easier, and your hair doesn't grow evenly all over the head so some strands grow slower, some faster. It's important to trim off the stray hairs to keep shape and to avoid frizz on the ends.

2. Moisture... Moisture... MOISTURE!!!

Naturally curly hair is also naturally dry, so it is crucial to keep it properly moisturized. Shampoo dries out the hair and scalp. Period. I don't care what shampoo you are using, "organic" or "natural" or "sulfate free" or how expensive it may be, it is still drying on your hair. So less is often more. I shampoo my hair once a week, if your hair is fine and/or thin you may need to shampoo more often, but no more than two to three times a week.

I condition my hair every day. Why? Well first, I do have to wet it every day (if you saw it in the morning you'd understand). There are some product re-activating sprays available which are awesome, but unfortunately those are not enough for my hair. Even wetting your hair slightly dries it out so anytime I wet my hair, I also condition. The conditioner keeps it from drying out from the water and also gives your hair something to "drink" so you won't use as much leave-in and it will last longer.

After conditioning I'll use my leave-in, and I use a lot. You have to put your leave-in while your hair is still wet. Not drippping, but still wet, otherwise once it's begin to frizz you're too late. Your hair has to be evenly coated, tip your hair upside down and start applying at the ends and work your way up. The ends always need more moisture so it's important to start there. I apply enough that I can hear it making a squishing sound when I scrunch it. Some products will make my hair crunchy and sone will not. I tend to have better luck with cremes, however different curly hair types will react differently. Some products however are designed to go crunchy at first and then you need to "scrunch the crunch" to make it soft.
Generally fine, thin hair types & looser curls may benefit from a mousse and thick, coarse and/or curlier hair types will benefit more from something heavier like an oil or a creme or even some types of gels. I like to use cremes, and then an oil afterwards to seal the ends and keep in the moisture. Oils also tend to have silicones in them as well, so be careful not to overuse them or they can build up. Your curl pattern and what kind of a result you want with your curls will determine what products to use. Experiment with different products, see what you like with different products.

You may allow your hair to air dry, or diffuse dry after applying your chosen product. I can not stress enough how important a proper cut and keeping your hair moisturized is. If you can do those two things you are well on your way to enjoying your curls. Be sure to check back soon in Part 2 I will discuss proper handling techniques, heat styling, chemical processing & how it will affect your curl.

Product of the Week: Pureology Texture Twist

2011-04-26T15:46:00.001-07:00

It's been over a week since my last Product of the Week, but I wanted my updates to be at the beginning of the week instead of the end, so I had to wait a few extra days, so here we are.

This week my chosen product is Pureology Texture Twist. It's a great product for men or women for adding texture into the hair. It can be used wet or dry depending on the look you want. I like to use it wet in mid-length fine hair before I blowdry and it gives the hair the slight piecy-ness but still soft.

There are different ways to apply the product on dry hair depending on the look you want. It has a web like fibre texture, to apply hold your hands together over your hair and move your hands apart letting the product 'fall' on your hair and then work it into the hair and have fun with it. You can also use it like a regular paste as well for soft hold with movement.
A bonus to this product is that all products by Pureology help to protect the colour from fading, if your hair is coloured & you need texture try this one out!

I hope you enjoy, I am currently working on a guide for curly hair care that will be up towards the end of the week. Check back soon for everything you need to know about curly hair. Follow me on twitter (@llisahair) for updates & more haircare tips!

Product of the Week: New Color Ignite

2011-04-15T18:43:00.001-07:00

Spring is here and summer is right around the corner. If you hair is coloured it's especially important to use a good colour preserving shampoo to prevent fading from the sun. This week I am featuring the new Color Ignite from Sebastian.

There are 2 types one for Multi Tones if you hilight and/or colour your hair, or if you just stick to a solid colour there is one for solid colour as well. The shampoo actually pinpoints trouble spots in your hair and will help repair the places that need it the most. It's a great shampoo for any colour treated hair whether you're platinum blonde or fiery red, if you want to keep your colour from fading check this one out.

Product of the Week!

2011-04-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

So if you've been following me on twitter (@llisahair) you've probably noticed my #ProductoftheWeek tweets. Well I've decided to do a product of the week blog post. Since twitter only allows you to use 150 words and I have SO much to day about these products I felt it was absolutely necessary!

Now let me backtrack a little so I can talk about my previous chosen products and why I love them.

Sebastian Potion 9

This product is fantastic because it is a treatment-styler. It will moisturize the hair while protecting it from further damage. It's not heavy so it can be used on almost any hair type, if you have fine hair there is Potion 9 Light as well. It's very versatile can be used wet or dry.

I have actually discovered it works very well with my curls when they are dry. Sometimes my hair gets frizzy midday, I'll work a small amount through the ends and it works amazing. Seals them right down and keeps them moisturized. There's also a mini size so you can keep one in your purse just in case.

Marrakesh Oil

I really like this oil, this whole line is quite heavy though and I mainly recommend this to people with very dry, coarser hair types. It gives amazing shine in very dull dry hair when blowdried smooth. It's similar to Morrocan Oil, with Argan Oil as one of it's main ingredients as well as Hemp Seed Extract. They both help keep the hair smooth, shiny and moisturized. The great thing is that it will not turn blondes brassy because it is completely clear. This is one that a little goes a long way, it's very concentrated, that's why it's in a small bottle. Just use a little little bit it is very spreadable and I've rarely had to use more than a quarter size in the thickest hair.

Goldwell Kerasilk Instant Silk Fluid

This is another amazing treatment hair product. It is great for blowdrying smooth and keeping it smooth all day. It has silk extract in it which is a natural protein for the hair. It makes your hair super soft and actually feel like silk. It's not very heavy but again, concentrated so don't use too much. It won't weigh down fine hair, just apply a tiny bit to the ends of the hair.
Can also be used dry to tame flyaways or smooth the ends after a blowout, or however you choose.

Sebastian Shapers

Sebastian Shapers line of hairspray are probably the best hairsprays I have ever used. Re-Shaper, Zero Gravity, Shaper Fierce as well as their classic Shapers and Shapers Plus are all workable, breathable sprays you can run your hands through it or brush through it without it flaking. You can also layer them for maximum hold.
An important thing to remember with aerosol hairspray is to spray from far away. Everybody always says hairspray is bad for the hair and that is only when you spray too close, if you spray from far any alcohol that is in the spray will actually dissolve before reaching the hair, whereas if it's too close the alcohol won't vaporize and the hairspray will be wet feeling.

And finally this week we have TIGI Catwalk Blow Out Balm

This is great for different things depending on your hair type. It can be used in any hair to make it straight with amazing shine, but if your hair is thick and curly it is amazing for blowdrying soft smooth waves in the hair with no frizz. Can be used wet or dry and protects from the humidity.

If anybody has any questions, recommendations on products to try out give me a shout! I'd love to hear what you think about these products every week, if you've tried them out any other ways you like to use them.

Bumble & Bumble Thickening Line

2011-03-05T19:50:00.000-08:00

Lately I have been focusing a lot on thicker hair textures and curly hair. Fine and thin hair can be just as difficult to work with as curly thick hair. If given the wrong haircut it can actually cause your hair to look even thinner than it really is. Styling can be difficult as well, some products can weigh the hair down or build up easily which can cause separation at the root and sometimes even expose some of the scalp. Having the right cut and using the proper products and styling techniques will make a world of a difference.

Everybody always seems to recommend Bumble & Bumble's Thickening line for fine hair so I decided to try it out on Sara (check out her Blog). I used the Thickening shampoo & conditioner, Prep and Thickening spray.

We started by shampooing with the Thickening shampoo and we applied the conditioner only on the ends. Conditioner on the root with fine hair will weigh it down too much and will also cause your hair to get oilier faster. After, I trimmed her hair with a razor just adding a few layers and more shaping around her face. It's important not to have too many layers with fine hair because it causes the ends to look thinner and we still want some fullness at the ends. The razor is great for this hair type because it adds texture while you cut and creates more natural volume. After cutting we used Prep styler, it is recommended to use Prep or Tonic before using Bb styling products so I made sure to do so to ensure best possible results, and then of course the Thickening spray.

I wanted to see how much volume the product could really give and I actually blow dried her hair with a lot of volume. While it's a nice amount of volume for Sara, most of the volume I set her hair with didn't actually hold, and unfortunately the volume we did manage to achieve did not hold all day.

For maximum lift at the root blowdry your hair upwards and use the cool shot to set it.

I think the Bb Thickening spray is a better choice for those with shorter hair. You don't necessarily want as much volume as a mousse gives, but you need some root lift without weighing it down. With the length of Sara's hair we want something with a little bit more hold to ensure long lasting results.
The shampoo and conditioner on the other hand I think are the perfect choice for this hair type. They give volume and still properly cleanse and moisturize the hair.
Prep is a great product as well, it works as a detangling spray and it helps the styling products spread along the hair to ensure even absorption. You can't over apply and in fact if you have over applied a product you can spray some Prep to break it up.

Overall: Shampoo and Conditioner are great for all fine hair. Thickening spray is better for shorter hair or if you don't like a lot of volume and want something that won't weigh it down. If your hair is medium - long and you like a lot of volume and hold you're better off with something with more hold like a mousse or foam.

2011 Academy Awards

2011-02-28T22:07:00.000-08:00

So I have decided to jump on the bandwagon and talk about my favourite, and least favourite looks on the red carpet this year. In the theme of the awards I have several categories that I will be "awarding" each red carpet look with: Best Hair, Best Overall Look, Worst Hair and Worst Overall Look. I loved a lot of the looks on the red carpet this year and I have a few honourable mentions as well.

Best Hair

#3 goes to Celine Dion. I think she looked absolutely stunning and of all the celebrities who wore their hair down, Celine was my personal favourite.

Celine Dion in Giorgio Armani Privé

I think the waves looked gorgeous and had just enough volume and curl and look so polished. I think her hair suits the gown very well, and that gown is SO Celine. I don't think anybody else could have pulled off that dress.

#2 goes to Mila Kunis, I had a really hard time deciding between #1 and #2, however Mila Kunis' updo is just a slight bit frizzy and that is why she is #2.

I think the updo is beautiful though and I love what they did with the front. The fingerwave flows so nicely into the updo and really makes your eye travel from her face to her hair seamlessly.

Mila Kunis in Elie Saab

The concept of her hair is actually my favourite, but unfortunately it just looks slightly too unfinished to be the best hair of the night.

#1 Best Hair is Anne Hathaway

Anne Hathaway in Valentino

I'm a sucker for updos and her simple chignon is so well done. It is not frizzy at all and her hair looks shiny and healthy. The few strands left out to frame her face are just perfect. I love her hair colour as well, the caramel hilights are just the right colour for a beautiful natural look against her base colour.

Best Overall Look

Hailee Steinfeld in Marchesa and Ferragamo Clutch & Pumps

#3 goes to Hailee Steinfeld, I think she looks like a princess. I love the ballerina feel of the entire look. At the age of 14 I am very happy that they kept her makeup natural. She is beautiful and the simplicity of her makeup and her hair back really accentuate her beautiful features. I love the detailing in the dress, and her champagne coloured pumps complete the look.

#2 for Best Overall Look goes to Halle Berry. Again, it was a very very close between #1 and #2.

Halle Berry in Marchesa and Christian Louboutins

Halle Berry never disappoints and this year was no exception. The colour of her dress against her skin tone, the detailing, the train. She is absolutely stunning. I'm happy she didn't wear a lot of jewelery because it really would have taken away from the beauty of this gown. Her hair is perfect for this look, funky but still put together. I love the peep tow Christian Louboutins, but c'mon who doesn't love Christian Louboutins?

The #1 Best Overall Look for the 2011 Oscars was Jennifer Hudson. It was a very close one between her and Halle.

Jennifer Hudson in Atelier Versace

The deciding factor? The dress. The tangerine orange looks amazing on her, and not a lot of people can wear that colour. Apparently when she tried on the dress she didn't want to take it off to go to bed and I don't blame her. Definitely the best dress of the night, and shows off her new figure so well. Her makeup and hair give me a bit of an old Hollywood glam feel along with just enough jewelery to accent the gown. Her makeup is absolutely flawless.

Now time for some of the looks I did't like...

Worst Hair

Hilary Swank in Gucci Premiere

#3 is Hilary Swank. I like the idea and the brooch but the bun in the back is just too messy for my liking. From a distance I'm sure it looked great, and she looks great with her hair pulled back... but you can still see the backcombing in her bun and that is a big no no for me. Her makeup is just a little too simple I think, but her dress is absolutely beautiful I'll give her that!

Scarlett Johansson in Dolce & Gabbana

My #2 worst hair is Scarlett Johansson. Her dress was beautiful the colour suited her so well and her makeup was very well done but her hair just looked unfinished. It was just so frizzy, maybe her hairstylist didn't show up and she just let it dry naturally? What bothers me the most about her hair is that it is a real simple fix, just a tiny bit of serum and it would have tamed those flyaways.

And my #1 Worst Hair goes to.... Helena Bonham Carter

It literally looks like a lopsided birds nest on the top of her head. Half of it looks like it is falling out and it is so frizzy. Look at that neckline in the back, it actually looks like her hairstylist forgot to do something to those baby hairs (or maybe she did it herself because that's what it looks like). But I do like those earrings.

Congratulations Helena, you also win the title of Worst Overall Look

Helena Bonham Carter's dress was designed by Colleen Atwood.

Okay so I do like the idea of a gothic look and I think the fan is cute but she looks absolutely terrible. Again, her hair is lopsided and maybe if it was put up nicely and not frizzy it would have looked great

The dress? I actually kind of like the top, but the fact that the bottom looks like a different shade of black (and different material?) If the top and bottom actually matched I think it would have made her look a little bit better. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Although this is much better than every other year, she still looks pretty awful. Maybe next year?

I must say though, for 44 she does look very young, she claims to be against plastic surgery and good for her!

Honourable Mentions

Natalie Portman in Rodarte

Natalie Portman looks beautiful in this shade of violet and definitely has that pregnancy glow. Those Jimmy Choo's are gorgeous but I bet she couldn't wait to take those off at the end of the night!

Sharon Stone in Christian Dior

Sharon Stone, almost 53 and she looks absolutely amazing. I like her hair longer and off her face, the volume is awesome. Her makeup is beautiful and her dress is stunning. Stacy London tweeted last night that Sharon Stone can show Helena Bonham Carter how to wear black and I totally agree. Love the ostrich feather detailing on the shoulder.

There you go! I hope you all enjoyed my favourite and least favourite looks of the red carpet for the 2011 Academy Awards. And I will be posting very shortly with a product review for fine hair.

Credits:
Anne Hathaway photos from: egotastic.com and okmagazine.com
Jennifer Hudson photo from: thefashionwire.com
Halle Berry photo from: thejasminebrand.com
Sharon Stone photo from: news.com.au
Celine Dion photo from: saucysprinkles.com
Mila Kunis photos from: makeupstyle20.com & sawfnews.com
Natalie Portman photo from: beautyisdiverse.com
Hilary Swank photo from: stylefrizz.com
Helena Bonham Carter photos from: theiconconcierge.com

Curly Hair Care & Mixed Chicks!

2011-01-27T21:23:00.000-08:00

I have been hearing a lot about Mixed Chicks lately and I haven't had the chance to try it. My salon just unexpectedly started carrying it so I thought I'd give it a try.
Unfortunately there is no "miracle product" and if you aren't taking care of your hair you can't expect a product to magically make your hair beautiful. So I am going to discuss a little bit of curly hair care before I begin with the review.

To say I have difficult hair is an understatement. I have to spend at least an hour on my hair every day if I want it to look presentable. My hair is literally the reason I am a hairstylist today. Unfortunately growing up my hair was never in the right hands, as most hairstylists have no idea what to do with curly hair. I did everything and used everything and basically looked like a triangular shaped poodle most of my life (or tied my hair back) My mother even gave me a home perm when I was 9 because she heard that it helped to control curls...
The most important thing for curly hair is a proper cut and to keep it moisturized. The reason why curly hair gets frizzy is because it is dry, no ifs ands or but(t)s. It starts with shampoo my hair is very dry and I shampoo my hair usually once a week (sometimes I can go longer). Although I still need to wet it every day & condition multiple times per week. People with finer hair may need to shampoo more often and people with super thick hair may benefit from less (I've met people who go 2 weeks)
A proper cut is also very important because if those ends are split they will cause frizz and eventually keep splitting up the hair and/or break off. Your hair also needs shape and hair doesn't grow evenly all over the head (my left side grows faster than my right) so you need to shape it regularly.

As I was saying, I was excited to try Mixed Chicks so I put it to the test. There are so many different types of curly hair products out there that give different results. I prefer products that keep curls defined, not crunchy & I tend to avoid products that give me the wet look,of course tame frizz, and the products have to last all day. Working in a place where there's blowdriers on around me all day, if the product does not hold enough then I will be a poodle by the end of the day.

Of course I started by using the Mixed Chicks shampoo & then used the Deep Conditioner and left it in for a few minutes. I absolutely loved the smell of the shampoo & conditioner. Although the shampoo does have sulfates in it, it is still quite moisturizing. It's got some protein in it too so it will help strengthen the hair.
While my hair was still wet, not dripping but wet enough that the hair hasn't begun to frizz, I applied the leave-in and diffused dry. I always apply my curly hair products while my head is upside down and start applying by scrunching and slowly working it up to the roots. I always diffuse my hair until it is 80-90% dry. After dried I used the Hair Silk twisting it through the curls to define them give them shine and control any frizz that is there. It actually has silk in it which is a protein very close in structure to the proteins in your hair & gives amazing softness and shine.

The result? A full day of work, going outside in the Canadian winter (love that wind), a nap & about 3 espresso shots later...

As you can see there is not much curl in the front on the ends, however it is actually more curl than I have been able to achieve in the past few weeks. The most important part is that it's not frizzy.

Clearly the back of my hair is healthier than the front. This is partially due to the awesome wintertime, the dryness in the air and wind really takes a toll on my hair. The back is always covered by my hat so that would explain why it is healthier. I've also had another stylist go a little scissor happy on it in the past and over texturized (texturizing is a different way of thinning) which tends to create a lot of frizz. Not to mention those pieces have also been brown and blonde before they were copper, and I used to wear my hair straight quite a lot. So I'm in a bit of a "transitioning" phase at the moment.

I was happy though that Mixed Chicks was able to keep my fragile curls moisturized and didn't end up going too frizzy by the end of the day. I am going to continue to use it for the next while and see how it does. Some curly hair products tend to eventually weigh the hair down over time. So the real test is to see how it is after continual usage. Who else has used Mixed Chicks? What do you think?

Lots of Blondes

2011-01-20T21:29:00.000-08:00

Okay so I haven't updated in way too long. I've been super busy, I've been working in a new salon & of course with the holidays and all that fun stuff. I've barely even had time for myself, I was sick over the holidays and then I was sick again. Now that I've been better I've been meaning to update so here it is!!!

Today we have Candice. She is a young professional and is bored with her current hairstyle. She is considering going blonde, however as you can see she has virgin hair (for those of you who don't know what that means, it's not coloured or chemically treated in any way... perverts) and hasn't really coloured it in the past so she wanted to know if there was a way to gradually go blonde, she's not quite sure how blonde she wants to be. So why not experience lots of blondes?

I decided to just bring her 1 full shade lighter & do a full head of hilights. As she shampoos her hair the coloured ends are going to fade slightly and by the next time she is ready for her retouch it will be light enough that I can use a bit of a lighter colour, as well as doing another full head of hilights.

As you can see we took off a lot of length. She wasn't doing much with her hair and the excess length was being weighed down and falling flat. The shorter hair gives her more natural volume and is also easier for her to work with. The lighter colour also brings out the warmth in her skin tone more

Check back soon, I am going to be doing product reviews and I will be starting with some curly hair products as well as some curly hair care & tips.

Evil Twins!

2010-10-26T19:08:00.000-07:00

I did a photo shoot with twins Mary & Elizabeth. I really wanted them to look different and I was inspired by "Evil Twins" I wanted to do complete opposite looks on them. As twins they have always been associated with each other so I really wanted their individual personalities to shine through.

Here's a shot of both of them before:

Elizabeth Before

Mary Before

Elizabeth's After Photos

We chose her for more of an innocent look. She has softer features which I think suits the curls & gives her a very angelic look.

Mary's After Photos

I wanted to do something more extreme on Mary, she has a longer face and the style really accentuates that. The combination of hair & makeup make her look much older than her sister.

Here are some shots of both of them together, the "Evil Twins"

Photography by Dean Goodwin.

Photo Shoot!

2010-09-26T19:10:00.001-07:00

I did a photo shoot recently, and here are some of the pictures from it. Makeup was done by Lydia Parris and Christine Spence, photography was done by Stacy Hylton.

This model has naturally curly hair that is slightly texturized, which in chemical terms is a very mild relaxer that is not left on for very long. Just enough to break down the curl just slightly so you can still wear it curly, but it makes it much easier to blowdry & style on your own.

For this look, I blowdried her hair straight with a paddle brush. The best way to blowdry afro-textures is to start at the ends and then work your way to the root. The paddle brush also enables you to efficiently get to the root, so you can get it straight. After blowdrying, I went through with the flat iron to smooth it out & add some loose curls to her ends.

I did this model's colour as well as style. She has naturally straight fine hair, so I used lots of mousse and blowdried her hair wavy with a roundbrush, leaving them in to cool down. After it was dry I went through the ends of her hair with the flat iron to add a bit more definition.

Not Pretty in Pink

2010-09-11T18:17:00.001-07:00

My latest colour correction was not something that I see every day. I had seen this client once before and she had naturally pale pale blonde hair and was colouring it a slightly darker shade of blonde. She came to see me because she coloured her hair at home using red hair colour, and the result was a lot brighter than what she expected:

This client has naturally super curly hair, so it was naturally quite dry and it was also somewhat damaged from heat styling & colouring so I wanted to fix her colour, but also keeping it in the best condition possible. The healthiest, easiest & most reliable way to fix this colour would be to have her go darker and tone it down with an ash, however she was naturally blonde and wanted to stay as light as possible. It was a challenge, but I was up for it.

Her ends were darker than her roots so I went in and lightened her hair starting at the ends and then once the colour on the ends matched the roots I finished applying the roots to get an even colour. After that was done and red was mostly toned down but it was more of a pink colour, her roots were still slightly lighter and were more of a pastel pink. Her ends were still healthy enough so we decided to lighten her ends to try and match it up to her root. I didn't want to compromise her hair too much so we did not leave it on for too long but we were able to get out most of the red, her hair overall was a pale pink. I'd never ever had to tone pink to a natural before, but when toning reds you use ashes. Pink is almost the same as red so I used a dark blonde ash/natural colour and it toned down pretty nicely:

The pink showed through slightly in some spots, but we were able to get most of it out and give her a colour that she can live with. And that is why you don't colour your hair at home.

Shaylyn - Blonde Bombshell

2010-07-31T20:25:00.001-07:00

This is Shaylyn. She has naturaly dark blonde curly hair. She had been colouring it at home for some time and we decided to do a complete overhaul of her colour.

As you can see in the before pictures she has a few shades of blonde in her hair. Her ends were much darker than the mid-lengths & quite brassy. She had some regrowth and the next few inches were a similar colour than on the ends. She wanted to stay as blonde as possible, and the rest was up to me.

The first thing I wanted to do with her colour was even out

the tone. I wanted to make her a medium golden blonde (not brassy) so I touched up her roots with my desired colour, let it process. Then I went in with 2 different colours through her ends to tone down the brassyness, and even out the tone to match her new root colour. Once I got a nice, even base colour I did a full head of hilights on her, toned it and voila!