ORLANDO'S HAIR POWDER IN THE NEW YORK TIMES

I saw this article in the New York Times yesterday and I was inspired to follow up with one of my old articles on hair powders. The difference is as a hairstylist I do my testing on what works for my clients. Here it is!

TO THE POWDER ROOM

Feeling “not so fresh” the day after your blow dry? Oily scalp getting you down? Is being limp irritating you? We all have those days, don’t we?

Hair stylists such as myself have told you that hair powders are the answer. They help save your three-day blowout by lifting oils from the scalp. They help give body to ladies with fine hair and they can even blend your color if unwanted grays have grown in.

Well, would you like to know what the main differences between the best hair powders on the market are? I would. That’s why I’m here darlings; to put hair products to the test for you and only you.

After trying many different hair powders while performing salon services and freelance , I’ve narrowed it down to 2 with results that will benefit you.

The first is by Bumble and bumble. I’m a huge fan of this line and have used their products for years. I’ve written about them, talked on the radio about them and used them during my photo shoots. Their powders come in 5 different colors in aerosol cans. I’ve been using them for quite some time and my clients approve.

The second is new to me and is by Orlando Pita in the T3 line. It contains three colors and claims to produce comparable results. Over a period of time I have used them both and am prepared to share my thoughts with you now.

First, I took two pieces of white paper and sprayed them with a can of hair powder from each line.

Bumble and bumble- This product adhered to the paper nicely, but no matter how much I sprayed it never accumulated to be as powder-like . When I ran my finger across the paper, it barely moved from the paper.

T3- After a few minutes of spraying this product, it quickly dried and turned into a powder. When I say “powder”, I mean it was as if though I was almost touching loose powder. I could actually rub my fingers together and it would crumble.

I then tried them on clients…

Bumble and bumble- Their blondish was dark on white paper and on the client’s roots I found that it was not versatile enough for different shades of blond. The red was great, the black was black and I did like the brown.

T3- The colors are true to their names. Their light blond is exactly that; on white paper it was a pretty shade and covered it well. Because of its consistency, I was able to spray a little for a lighter blond and more for a deeper blond. The auburn is a true auburn. The coverage was flawless, especially on the re-growth of gray hair. You can actually save money on your single process by applying this on your gray roots. This will allow you to stay away from the salon longer.

The true test here is application. These have to be easy enough for the client to use, which is my main concern. Clearly T3 was the easiest because of its consistency. Ultimately, it’s a hair powder and it should feel like powder no matter what.

Orlando at Derek Lam

Here are two tips on using both Hair powders.

TIPS ON APPLYING BOTH PRODUCTS FOR OILY ROOTS

Shake the can well. Lift the root area and lightly apply hair powder. Work section by section and apply more if needed. If you feel that there is too much in one section, use your blow dryer to remove excess product.

TIPS ON APPLYING BOTH PRODUCTS FOR COVERING GRAY RE-GROWTH

Try spraying the powder on a sponge tip applicator or makeup brush and apply to the gray hair while trying to avoid the scalp. It will eventually get on the scalp on its own which is fine.

Please try both powders and see which is best for you.

Antonio

Posted by Unknown at 10:13 AM - 0 comments

A DESTINATION WEDDING

When my client (and friend), Leah, asked if I would do her hair for her destination wedding in St Martin, I couldn’t help but yell yes before she was finished asking. Not only was I fond of Leah, I was so happy that she found her match and honored to be included in celebrating their special day in the Caribbean. I had never visited the island of St. Martin but I had been to other Caribbean islands to work for other weddings (St. Johns, St Thomas and St Kitts). Coming from Trinidad and Tobago, I'm always excited to see how my West Indian brothers and sisters live.
With bags packed and bridal kit in tow I was off to the airport. As the plane landed in St Martin, I was amazed by the crystal clear blue waters and the amazing landscape. I rushed off the plane to be greeted by smiling faces and a very courteous taxi driver. For a second, I thought it was a bit early for these people to be hitting the cocktails, but these were genuinely happy people. No rum needed (not at least until later anyway). As we drove through the Dutch side of the island to get to the French side, everything seemed very familiar. The architecture, hills and people waving at the taxi was all like scenes I had experienced before. As we approached the hotel, I was happy to see that it looked just as the images did on the website. It was beautiful indeed.
The greeting from the reception was slow and sweet. You had no choice but to slow down and embrace the smiling faces and sip a Rum Punch (fruit punch in my case). From the first night, I knew this was certainly worth writing about and wanted to share with all of you future brides-to-be this magical place and all the people who made it possible.

THE HAIR
The bride was very clear on what she wanted and it was important that she looked like who she is today, not an idea that she had when she was 10 years old. In other words, there would be no Cinderella hair.
WEDDING PLANNER
Engel Baron Events totally pulled this important day together with out a single problem. They arranged the flowers and even went to the flower shop when the flowers arrived by boat to make certain that it was exactly what the bride wanted. They also sent us off on a boat trip to a small island and took care of all of the details from pulling the entire wedding party together at 9am and getting us all on our designated boats.

It even seemed like they made a deal with the rain gods to stop the previous two days of rain providing us perfect weather for the day of the wedding.
Great job guys!

PHOTOGRAPHER
Talk about a talented hard working team. I've had my full share of destination weddings and these guys were amazing with beautiful images to show for it. Rain or shine they loved capturing images of Leah's special day and it showed.

RADISSON HOTEL ST MARTIN
I was then sent the information for the Hotel where the wedding would be held and where we stayed and instantly started doing my research. The Hotel was the Radisson in the French side of St Martin and online it looked beautiful. Whoever designed this hotel deserves a pat on the shoulder. Talk about a job well done. The rooms were spacious and modern with colors that were easy on the eye.
The grounds were full of flowers that were well pruned and the staff was as warm as my island people could get. I visited the beautiful hotel spa and spoke to Estelle Germain who was in charge. She gave me a tour and we discussed all the services they offered. From Indian to Thai massages and a full manicure and pedicure salon, they even brought in hairstylists to help with the family of the bride and groom. In a nut shell (or sea shell) the hotel was fully equipped and if they did not have something, they made it happen without a hassle.



I LOVE ST MARTIN!!

Posted by Unknown at 9:13 AM - 1 comments