Jul

16

2010

6 Tips for Gorgeous Easy Care Hair

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Category : Hair care, Uncategorized

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#1. Paddle Brush your hair/scalp prior to shampooing.

Reason: A great way of stimulating blood flow, hair growth and massaging/relaxing to your scalp. Go in different directions.20 times. Could help with flaky/itchy scalp.

DO NOT BRUSH SCALP OR SHAMPOO PRIOR TO HAIR COLOR. You remove the acid mantle that protects the scalp, when you shampoo or brush your hair prior to coloring your hair.

#2. When you get out of the shower, do not wrap your hair in a towel or turban  for more than 5 minutes.

Reason: Your hair has just been conditioned and the towel/turban will open the newly closed (conditioned) cuticle and create hair roughness (draw out the moisture). Thus the hair could be more difficult to style and will not dry smooth and will have a dull frizzy look.

#3. After towel drying your hair take the same towel or a paper towel and blot or wring your hair again.

By doing this additional drying will pull out more moisture without roughing up the cuticle. This will also ensure that your hair will dry faster and with less heat and increase strength and shine.

#4. Prior to drying your hair apply a serum that helps the cuticle to remain closed, thus allowing better  detangling. Secret: 3 pumps of serum in hand, rub hands together and apply in downward strokes from mid-shaft to ends. Use less for shorter hair. DO NOT APPLY TO SCALP. 2pumps when hair is almost dry or before flat ironing. 1 pump as a shine finish, downward motion from mid-shaft to ends.

Brazilian Blowout or the right styling products

Brazilian Blowout or the right styling products

#5. Only shampoo your hair maximum every other day, minimum every third day.

Hair is a fiber just like your cotton T-shirt. Imagine washing that T-shirt every day. It would fade and disintegrate in a matter of months. Just think, now you can afford a more luxurious shampoo and conditioner.

#6. This is a great suggestion for the use of those unused shower caps from all of your vacations. Next day after you have shampooed and conditioned/moisturized your hair, you may have Bed Head. Turn your shower on and stick your hands in the water. Rub them through your hair where you have BH. Only a little moisture is needed. Put the shower cap on. The heat from the shower and the moisture inside the cap will help to reconfigure your hair. When you go to blow dry it will be easier to get rid of the BH and be able to aerate your hair at the scalp. The moisture in and on your hair reinvigorates the hair styling products and should allow for easier styling with just the tiniest amount of additional product.

Try these suggestions and let me know!

May

22

2010

Here is a New Approach to Healthier Haircolor “part 3″ of 3Products..

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Category : Ammonia free haircolor, Hair color, Uncategorized

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But, first a Haircolor History Lesson by L’OReal.

Impressive if I must say so….

  • 1909 -(over 100 hundred years, yowsa!) Eugene Schueller, L”OReal’s founder created his first hair dye formula named Aureole, using a concoction of non-harmful chemical formulations. the hair dyes were a real breakthrough of subtle shade ranges versus the bright and artificial look of other methods on the market.
  • 1929- to out bid the competition, Schueller looked for ways to develop a non toxic dye that could penetrate the hair’s fiber. Using a previously registered patent, he compounded a group on fast penetrating dyes called paradiamines, called Imedia.
  • 1952- I guess somewhere in between these 2 time frames L’OReal Professionnel was created and by this time more patents revealed a direct dye solution, called Re’ge’ Colour.  Are your eyes glazing over yet? This innovative formula allowed the dye to sit on the hair surface with the fadage occuring after 6-8 shampoos. These also proved to be easy color applications for professionals.
  • 1978- We are getting to the core of this info now! GROUNDBREAKING TECHNOLOGY…. L’OReal  designs the FIRST haircolor  that protects the hair while it colors it! It’s again, another new patent for Ionegene-G which penetrates through the cuticle and cortical layers to the core to protect them during and after the tinting process. The color formula to benefit from this is known worldwide as Majirel.
  • 1986- The  first demi-permanent tint solution Diacolor. Contains no ammonia, as do the traditional permanent oxidative dyes. But it could only BLEND away up to 50% white hair.
  • 2004- We are getting closer! This is when the inhalation factor for colorists/stylists could improve in the work place. Platinium Lightner, a paste versus the dusty powder lightener/bleach came on the market the market has been revolutionized with the FIRST LIGHTENING PASTE! this paste is protected, count them not 1, 2, 3 0r 4, but 5 patents. It leaves the hair softer, shinier and preserves the hair using Nutricide(TM). No more dusty powders, yeah!
  • TODAY there are over 628 patents, 5000 new formulas every year and advanced research has synthesized 120 molecules. this is where INOA enters center stage! INOA ( Innovative No Ammonia) first permanent NO AMMONIA hair dye/tint. And it is BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!

WHY DO I LIKE LOVE IT?

I have to tell you that I saw “my”,  ok,  INOA haircolor on a client last weekend on a cloudy gray day.  the color was so natural, it looked like it grew out of her head. Both friends commented on her color, prior to me saying anything. It felt like I was experiencing telepathy between the 3 of us.

The color coverage of up to 100% is a real statement. INOA colors white hair as well as any traditional tint. Because of the oil-delivery system INOA tint does not stain the hairline facial skin. I no longer have to put a protectant around the face. Oh so nice for both the client and myself.

The shine is unbelievable wherever the color is placed, like at the roots and then if you pull it through the ends (at the right times).

The silky feel of the hair does not require additional conditioning after the cleansing shampoo. Wow, the best feel.  the stylist should let clients  feel their hair for softness and silkiness while their hair is wet. 

I’ll be interested to report back  you my findings about whether the the hair goes back to  virgin-like  after 5-9 tints.

I think as long as you have a knowledgeable colorist who can translate your color formula from one color line to the next, I say INOA is worth the extra cost. Switching within L’OReal color lines is so easy.

Apr

16

2010

What Everyone Ought to Know About “THEIR” Hair Color

Posted by Sandy | Comments (5)

Category : Hair color

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Oh pretty, Banana yellow

What grows out of our head and has the potential to be the color of a banana?

You got it! Our hair. The cuticle and cortical layer of each hair is yellow. Darker the natural hair the darker the yellow and the lighter blond you are naturally, the paler the yellow. OK, so we aren’t all walking around looking like yellow finches.

What makes our natural hair brown, red, blond or black?

There are 2 colors of melanin stored inside of the cortical layer, called Hue-melanin and Pheo-melanin. One is a red melanin and the other is black. The darker our natural hair the more black melanin you carry in the cortical layer.  But, that does not mean the pale ashy blond has no black melanin, it just means that Hue and Pheo are paler. The black tends to be a shades of gray and the red is a flatter red. No not pink!

So why does our hair tend to have this red or gold tone to it?

Because the first melanin to dissipate when hit with heat or H2O2 (peroxide) is the black melanin. So, we are left with red melanin inside a yellow cutical and cortical layer. and what does red + yellow = ORANGE! Different shades of orange from dark red brown to orange gold to gold to yellow.

What if I don’t want any warmth in my hair?

Good luck! Stay out of the sun, by living in a cave. Who doesn’t look good with a little warmth in their hair ,eyes or body? Warmth is what your hair donates to living, except for black or pale blond hair. So these are things I suggest:

  • Shampoo and blowdry your hair every 2nd or 3rd day.
  • Wear a hat when in the sun.
  • Use sunscreen hair care products. (ask me I’ll investigate for your hair type/price range)
  • Ask your colorist to combine a green. neutral and blue based tint to do your brown hair.
  • Lastly, Understand your own hairs color donates THE WARMTH!
  • Hair color put on by you or the colorist only controls, uses or lightens the warmth you donate.

Dec

02

2009

Part 2: Was I Born with This Bad Wig?

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Category : Hair care, Rejoice in our abilities, Style Like A Pro DVD Series, Uncategorized, drying hair, easy, hair styling

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As for styling, haircuts are there to frame our face. Get it, a FRAME, not the end all be all scenario. If your long hair seems to be dragging you down, have it cut to shoulder length. if you are getting a little thicker under the chin have that long hair cut to shoulder length and the front cut to frame the neck and chin. Any hair hanging straight down from brows only accentuates the thick neck area and says you are hiding your face. Shorter hair or bob hair cuts should never have roundness to them. Please, stop rounding out the bottom of your bob. Stop rounding out those short layers with a round brush. Elongate the roundness, by pulling out the brush before the hot curl has hardened into the curl. Any roundness in your “look”dates you. (fyi www.stylelikeapro.com on how to blowdry your hair easier and faster with fewer tools). Ususally soft long layers help the hair to flow. I agree with Oribe, that shoulder length or longer hair needs to be more blunt and not look so thinned out on the ends. It gives the style weight, or substance, not evaporate into nothing.

There you have it. I spilled my guts. Use what you may. At Style like a Pro, my desire is to teach women how to take charge of their styling needs easily, efficiently and to feel great about themselves when they leave their home!

Nov

30

2009

Featured DVD for Cost of Shipping and Handling

Posted by Sandy | Comments (2)

Category : Hair care, Rejoice in our abilities, Style Like A Pro DVD Series, Uncategorized, drying hair, easy, hair styling

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Looking outrageously great on your own can be a breeze.  Style Like a Pro DVD series empowers women to easily create the looks they want—and the simple techniques on this video will turn hours of trying into a few minutes to succeeding.

1 of 8 DVDs

This DVD captures Michelle Obama's style!

Most importantly, everything is shown the way you’ll see it in the mirror, eliminating that often-confusing extra step of translation from the Salon. Great for ALL lengths of hair!

Nov

23

2009

Was I Born with This Ugly Wig on My Head?

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Category : Hair care, Style Like A Pro DVD Series, Uncategorized, easy, hair styling

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Did you ever in your life WEAR the wrong hair color or hair cut? It makes you feel dowdy (the bad wig) at worst and at best, sort of “let me just get on with my life”. Wearing or having the wrong style and color for your hair can make you feel older than your years. I remember when I was younger than you and I already had a perm in my hair and I went for highlights. Well, at the end, instead of feeling my age of 25, I told the stylist I “looked” like I was 35. The hair was dried and frizzy and then on top of it I had these “awful, awful white highlights”. Everything about my hair was wrong. Just think, with a perm, my hair was cut to look sort

Ever feel this childish? We all have!

Ever feel this childish? We all have!

of round, because of the supposed curls. My face did not need more roundness. So everything was wrong with my hair/look. My attitude was let me grow this out and get on with my life. (PS. I could have had all of this mess worked on had I known better.)

This look you wear on top of your shoulders, translates downwards. You can be dressed to the hilt, but if your “crowning glory” is wrong for you, your look will be viewed, by others, as dowdy or trashy. That view could affect a date, a first meeting or a job interview.

To look younger, women with darker hair can safely go one level lighter. To enhance the lightness around their face they can add highlights around and across the tops of their heads. More slices of highlights instead of a heavy weave. Women who were light blond as children but are now light brown, have to be careful not to have their highlights be too light/white. The lighter the highlights, the darker their roots look when they grow out. Highlights should be done once every 8-10 weeks. Six-7 weeks if your hair is darker. if you are doing your highlights more often than that, think about changing your color direction. Darker hair color is in. Did you see how good Christina Aguilera looks in her brown hair. Softer, not so dramatic or ……. Just think if she were 10-15 years older how un-pretty she may have been with that light hair.

J's hair had been naturally dark.

J's hair had been naturally dark.

You have to remember that your eyes and skin color fade over the years. Your eyes may have started as bright blue, but 20 years later they are a grey blue and then in 30 more years they will be pale blue. So, now do you get the idea that we need to sometimes go softer in hair color to adjust to what our skin and eye tones are telling us.

Tomorrow I’ll share with you about cutting and styling your “Crowning Glory”.

Aug

18

2009

What’s It Like to Have Green Hair?

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Category : Uncategorized

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Let me apologize!

I forgot to take a picture of this client’s EMERALD GREEN hair. So imagine that you are in the land of Oz. Yep, that’s how green! She didn’t even know about the unwanted “green” in her hair until her daughter said, “Mom, do your know your ends of your hair are green in the back of your head?” Her long hair framing her face was not green just the top long layers of highlighted long hair was green. Let’s call her Genny. Genny called the salon in a panic, feeling humiliated for walking around for an entire week with green hair ends.

Please dont roll in the grass!

Please don't roll in the grass!

How did she happen to acquire “green” hair?

Blonds always have to safeguard their hair against absorbing chemicals into their hair from a swimming pool or jacuzzi. The chlorine from the pool and the heat from the sun react together to change bleached hair green. Bleached hair from the sun or from highlighting have only a pale yellow color (hopefully) left in the hair structure. this pale yellow to white  is a great canvas for the chemical reaction of “green”.  But, Genny hadn’t been in a pool or jacuzzi.

So how did she acquire this “green” hair? Genny was in Tahoe for the weekend and decided it was too beautiful not to get some outdoor exercise. So being tired from biking and finishing her heavy ride by a golf course, Genny decided it was too beautiful of a day not to enjoy the bright sun, blue sky and puffy clouds roll by. She opted to enjoy looking up via the support of the golf course grass. Yep, that’s right, now we know what it means to be grass green. Can you believe that, the land of clear skies, great mountain air and crystal blue water, golf courses in Tahoe  spray their grass to be greener.

What’s Genny to do?

Great color for grass!

Great color for grass!

That’s right call me, her hair color mixologist. What will I do for her without harming her hair further? By this appointment her hair has faded somewhat, which means her hair will not hold onto the green chemicals for very much longer. All I have to do is hasten their exit with a shampoo, bleach and peroxide combo to the areas of the hair that were severely attacked. the after shampooing the hair with a clarifying shampoo, I highlighted, low-lighted and toned her hair. The toner was an additional color green neutralizer, because it was was a light beige blond toner with a low volume peroxide. The toner had a hint of red in it to counteract the hint of “green” remaining. then to preserve the integrity of her hair and replace moisture, Genny was given a conditioning treatment.

Voila!

Genny left feeling relieved, happy and feeling good about herself!

(I knew that you can get grass stains from sliding on the grass but, I never in a thousand years, realized that golf course grass could turn your hair green. Let’s add that to list list of “Don’ts for Blondes”.)

Jul

14

2009

Why Do I Have So Much Hair Breakage?

Posted by Sandy | Comment (1)

Category : Uncategorized, drying hair, hair styling

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Where is your hair breaking?

Is it at the ends, the midshaft, or at the root of your hair? Is it around you hairline?

Could she have some hair breakage

Could she have some hair breakage? YES!

Ends…

If it’s at the ends, perhaps you have not had a hair cut in over 6 weeks. Get a haircut and a moisture treatment and then condition your hair appropriately at home. Condition from midshaft through the ends. Rinse only for 10-15 seconds. Always blow dry at the scalp first before even attempting to dry the ends.

Midshaft….

If your hair is breaking at the midshaft, perhaps you went through some severe stress or… Do you wear ponytails alot? The stress from the band on your tail could cause hairs to break.

Scalp….

Lastly, is your hair breaking at the scalp? Again, personal stress could be the culprit. Poorly applied hair color or lightner could stress the hair. Also if you are drying your hair with a high powered T3 type dryer, concentrating the nozzle in one area could cause extreme bleaching and weakening of the hair. I did it to my own hair and I am a professional. Be extremely careful!

If you have hairline breakage, that hair tends to be finer, thus perhaps weaker and maybe the type of brush and dryer you use are too strong for that hair. Sometimes using a fine boar bristle brush and low heat and air strength is the best for the hair line.

Other recommendations……

Don’t shampoo your hair every day. If you must try this…Get a shower cap. In the morning, before you get into the shower dampen your hands from the shower rub them in your hair (where you have bed head) put on the cap. The heat while you shower and the moisture from inside the shower cap will reinvigorate your hair. Then, when you go to rearrange your style the hair will respond almost like you had just washed it.

As far as a styling product for stressed out hair ends, apply a serum to the ends. 3 pumps into the palm of your

All long or short ends need moisture reinforcement!

All long or short ends need moisture reinforcement!

hand while the hair is wet, 2 pumps prior to ironing your hair and 1 pump to protect the ends from our drying environment.

Hope this helps
sandy [at] stylelikeapro [dot] com
and at Phoenix Salon and Day Spa

Jul

06

2009

What is the Best Shampoo?

Posted by Sandy | Comment (1)

Category : drying hair, hair styling

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In my experience as a Hair Colorist

for the past 20 years, there is no such thing as THE Best Shampoo for everyone. There are a number of factors that make a shampoo the best shampoo for you. Even all the brand names up and down the price point spectrum have many different shampoos to chose from, depending on your hair/scalp needs. Personally, how I chose a shampoo for my hair are these…

Recommendations:

1. Recommendation from my stylist or a friend who has similar hair texture or hair needs(ex. dry versus oily scalp)
2. Scent of the shampoo.
3. Cost of the shampoo. Generally speaking, the higher the price point the more luxurious the shampoo. This translates into using a lesser amount to get the same result. By using less you actually can get more shampoos out of one bottle. This way the cost per shampoo has gone down.
When all the recommendations are taken into consideration, only you can decide what is the best shampoo for your scalp/hair needs.

Below are some shampooing guidelines I state in Style Like A Pro DVD’s.

Shampoo and conditioning guide inside

Shampoo and conditioning guide inside

Shampooing Guidelines:

a. After applying shampoo to your hair, only scrub your scalp and massage the rest of the shampoo through the ends of your hair. Never scrub the ends of long hair, this motion roughens the hair cuticle. In turn you will have to use more conditioner than generally needed or have difficulty combing your hair.
b. In conditioning your hair only apply the product to the mid shaft through the ends of your hair. Scalp hair does not need conditioner. Rinse only for 10 seconds. Rinsing longer only conditions your drain. You be the judge, remember the towel, your hands, the hair tools and dryer all pull moisture from your hair, so don’t be afraid to rinse less.
The more moisture that remains inside the hair shaft the easier it will be to style your hair.