TIPS TO TELL YOUR BARBER

I was in my neighborhood walking down the street and I noticed a barber shop. Curiosity got the best of me and I stood outside the shop window looking like a crazy person. As I looked at the barber doing his thing it got me thinking, I wish I could run in there and direct the barber on how to keep the hair cut looking modern, taking away the tell tail signs of a cut that looks like it belongs on a boy.

Here are some guidelines on how to ask your Barber to keep your hair cut looking modern.

1) If your hair is always cut with clippers keep in mind that although it is fast it also leaves a harsh look to your cut.

Ask your barber to use scissors for the next cut, yes it will take longer but chances are you would be very happy with the outcome. This is providing that your barber can use the scissors for an entire cut? This skill separates the boys from the men.

2) Beware of the trimmer

When getting around the ear trimmed ask them to use a scissors not the trimmer. The trimmer can make you look like a Ken doll, there is no need for you to have the hair around the ear carved. It's not a turkey on Thanksgiving!!

3) Do not go way beyond the natural hair line.

Always request that they do not go past the natural hair line. This way you don't look like you were just giving an extra 2 inches of neck.

4) Thinning shears

This tool should be used mainly for the final clean up or blending of your cut. Sometimes it could actually do more good than bad. If you feel that your hair is getting limp or hard to style it could be that your hair needs to recover and needs some thickness to get the best out of your hair.

5) Use one barber

Guys I know at times it’s all about convenience but if you stay with one barber you can actually work towards a goal in terms of your desired look. If someone different cuts your hair every time, it may be difficult to explain what you want. All hair cutters see hair differently.

6) Quick cut

If your cut takes 10 minutes, guess what? All your co-workers know it because you don't look polished.

7) Products

This is an important part of maintaining a good hair cut. If your barber does not sell hair products, it’s a problem. You can get away from cutting too soon if you use good products.

8) Marine cut

If you are in your forties and sell Real Estate please don't try to look like a marine

9) Hygiene

Do you know that fluffy gadget they use to dust the hair off from around the neck and face? Well it’s a fact that, in many states, they are illegal and are impossible to disinfect. So in other words you are sharing perspiration with hundreds of other men.

Most importantly guys when people describe you to others please don't let them have to say, “You know Ken, yeah, he's the one with the really bad hair!” (It happens)

Posted by Unknown at 10:58 AM - 0 comments

HOW TO KEEP YOUR GRAY HAIR SILVER AND SHINY WITHOUT HAIR COLOR.

Ladies and gentlemen you know who you are. You, who can wear a full head of silver locks and turn heads in a room like gang busters! The fabulous few who have the perfect color (not purple) know that you not only need the right haircut, skin tone and attitude, you also need the right products. I am here to share with the rest of the world some of your favorite products and why they should be used.

Things that make your silver locks sad :(

Medication can deposit in the hair giving it a yellow cast


Smokers this can also deposit that cast of nicotine on your beautiful hair


If you're not grey enough (salt & pepper) your remaining dark hair can sometimes turn a little flat, mousy or just dull baby!


Too much hair spray and styling products can build up leaving behind a dulling affect, no good.



Things that can make your silver locks glad. :)

Use a clarifying shampoo once a week to help remove build up of products etc. My recommendations are;

L`Occitane - Lavender Harvest Clarifying Shampoo (2.5 oz.)

Paul Mitchell Clarifying Shampoo Three Removes Chlorine and Impurities
Use color shampoos and conditioners that will brighten your gray hair disguising that dulling affect. Some companies only make shampoos and some do color conditioners as well. Here are some of my favorites. For more pigment deposit leave shampoo or conditioner in for a few
minutes.

Bumble and Bumble Color Support Extra Mild Shampoo for Cool Brunettes 8.0 oz
Using Vinegar can help with removing residue. Make sure you are diluting the vinegar. Every article online has a different ratio but aim for about 1 tablespoon vinegar per 1 cup of water. Also you don't need to use it every time you shampoo. Twice a week is a lot.

Did someone Fancyful? This is old school but as we know we learn from the past masters. The first hair dresser I worked with still uses this product and swears by it. Trust him, look where it got me!! Apply a few drops throughout your hair. Work through and dry.

I wish you great hair one strand at a time!

Comesse

Posted by Unknown at 2:17 PM - 0 comments

HOW TO PREP OVER PROCESSED HAIR FOR COLOR

Kerastase Resistance Forcintense (5 - 15ml ampoules)



Today I had a consultation with a client whom had a color mishap
at another salon. As we were talking, I focused on what she
wanted and offered my help as best as I could. Her hair was over
lightened and she looked like a single process blond, she was not
happy because she lost all of her low lights. We discussed our master
plan to repair her hair color by primarily using low lights in two
different colors. Then she asked an important question. Is my hair
strong enough to handle more chemical? So I explained to her that the
color has no ammonia and a little peroxide, so it does have some
chemical. I also explained there is an important step we will take
to getting her hair ready for the color process and that's by using
Forcintense by Kerastase.

This product is an amazing treatment that I have my clients take home
to use prior to coloring their hair. It almost prolongs the
strength of the hair and provides vitality to the most weakened hair
in 5 applications. Forcintense allows your hair to withstand any trace of
chemical however small it is in your future hair coloring. Hair is
such a delicate thing that it’s important to treat it well. A little
love goes a long way. This product is a truly progressive
reconstruction program. I have seen it increase durability and a
beautiful shine in my client’s hair. I highly recommend this product
and wish you healthy hair and beautiful hair color.

Posted by Unknown at 9:59 PM - 1 comments

ARE YOU A BALIAGE OR FOIL WOMAN

I hear this question all the time and it’s a great conversation to have because there is a bit of a controversy as to what is true or false. So what really is the difference? To help describe I have provided two models and colored their hair so you can get an idea of what each looks like. Hair color is a personal treatment that takes research an eye to see what the client sees and an ear to pick up on any details that may help you both get to the color you want.

THE BALIAGE WOMAN

HAIR BY ANTONIO
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Justin-Julius Santos. www.jjsantos.com
MODEL- MIRANDA PIERSON
AGENCY- MAJOR


This woman maybe a brunette who wants high lights for the first time. The gentlest way to approach this is Baliage. It's as if the hair got excited and there was a small explosion of color from the inside out :) One can even say sun kissed. Beware though, some stylists idea of sun kissed is sitting in the middle of the Sahara dessert for weeks! For the blond that does not mind a little depth in the root area, this is also the perfect option. Did you know that you can foil and Baliage at the same time? Honey, stick with me and i’ll take you places! Also it’s a quick pick me up for the natural looking blond. Remember when you first started highlighting and there was always dimension to your color? Well you can count on Baliage to give you the blond with beautiful, fresh tones. Its perfect for short hair. The end result is unbelievable!

THE DISADVANTAGES OF BILAGE

Because its painted some times the hairstylist can not put enough product on the hair and the bleach dries out leaving brassy tones behind. Or the stylist knowing that the bleach may dry because of their lack of proper application may apply high heat. High heat and bleach is like an explosion of the cuticle. Have you seen bangs on a woman that are actually breakage? The stylist may look for short cuts and do chunks that are too big. This end result is very unnatural and that defeats the purpose of a natural looking blond.


THE FOIL WOMAN

HAIR BY ANTONIO
PHOTOGRAPHY BY Justin-Julius Santos. www.jjsantos.com
MODEL- Sarah Anne Stewart
AGENCY- Mc2

This technique is dated but still a must. Putting foils in a skilled hand can create a flawless blond without looking like Auntie Jean in the supermarket with stripes galore. It’s all about the approach. You can use one to five colors in the client’s hair but nothing works if there is no skill or love for them foils. Love the foils child!! Seriously now. The important thing when foiling is understanding the desired effect be it fine or heavy pieces. The age of the client and their natural hair color are so important to keep in mind. The foil woman likes great coverage. She's not the lover of lots of depth in the roots underneath her blond. For example, it is not a good sign when you are looking at a blond from behind the head and you can see depth where the hair paths. With foils, the coverage can be flawless in that area. Also, when it comes to color correcting where highlights are concerned, foils are the best way to go. Baliage in this case is very time consuming and in the wrong hands can get messy or brassy.

Need I remind you that this my opinion? Another plus with foils is it’s a very effective way to apply low lights on a woman who is blond but wants to be richer and darker. Baliage in this case can work but the low light is better protected in the foil and, with the heat from the scalp, it helps with better staining. Hair color is not as thick as bleach so when painting the hair it’s a little drippy. Although you can Baliage low lights.

THE DISADVANTAGE TO FOILING

When we take a section of hair to add color we can only add one color per foil. But with baliage we can alternate colors in one section, which gives the feeling of a gradual pattern of color.


In a nut shell, foiling is an important part of the coloring process and I feel happy to be able to offer my clients the two. I hope this helped you decide what’s right for you.

I wish you to be a happy blond!

Posted by Unknown at 9:04 PM - 0 comments