Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Helping Women In New York City

We did it! Thank you to everyone for making this special event possible for women who are experiencing difficulties with addiction, homelessness and getting their lives back on track. These mothers were so grateful and over joyed with the love they received from the volunteers and the donations that came in from all over the U.S.

Here are the images from the event.

This guy was amazing!! Thank you Isaac Goldszer for your support with showing these women that they are loved!!

                                           http://Www.themonadahls.com
                                       

                                             ROC RESTAURANT YOU ROCK!!!

We were able to collect new and used clothing for everyone person. From jewelery, shoes, sunglasses and scarfs!!
Check them out on instagram @Bonsignourcafe


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Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Inspiring Girls In The NYC Shelter System Through Reading, I Am Malala.

I recently held a workshop in a NYC shelter for teenage girls where we discussed Malala Yousafzai and her campaign to promote educational rights for girls in her home in the Swat Valley. Each of the 32 girls were amazed and inspired by Malala's story and would love to have her book, I am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban

If you want to purchase and donate a book, please email me and I'd be happy to give you a mailing address. 

Support the Malala fund and girls in homeless shelters in NYC.









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Sunday, December 1, 2013

Rihanna's Hairstyle At The AMA's

Rihanna's recent appearance on the American Music Awards totally inspired me to hit the keyboard and post my thoughts.
Rihanna wore a hairstyle which is called a "hair wrap" or "doobie." Latino and African women have long been using this technique, wrapping their hair around the head to keep it smooth, while also inserting bobby pins around the head to keep it in place. It's basically a set without the hair rollers.

First I had to ask myself, was it that unattractive or funny to cause such a stir? I think not. Let's face it...in the beauty industry everything from every culture can be an inspiration. With so many things being repeated each season, why not bring something fresh to the stage?

Then I recalled a hairstyle that shocked the couture runway shows seven years ago. I had to ask my friend and mentor, Orlando Pita about the inspiration for hairstyle he created for Christian Dior Couture in 2009 A/W.  


"We were trying to create 1920's inspired bobs...which was the beginning of the bob being a stylish hairstyle for women. Instead of using wigs and since we couldn't cut all the girls' hair. I thought of creating a bob silhouette with the girls own hair using bobby pins. Lol! No pun intended!"

To me this is another example of someone using their imagination and creating something that they think is beautiful. Yes, Rihanna's choice was a little more literal but fashion can be literal or just someone's creative juices flowing big time!

Let's embrace it all!!

Thank you Rihanna for being so brave and bringing home some "realness" to the big stage!

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Tuesday, November 26, 2013

Tribeca Beauty Spa

Everyday it's my job to make clients look and feel better about themselves. As you can imagine, there is a certain amount of pressure on me to practice what I preach. However, one thing that I've ignored over the years is my skin...and now that I'll be 42 in a few months, it's time for me to step up my game and search for someone to teach me how to look after my skin. Over the years, I've had many an esthetician say to me, "You have great skin and you need to look after it!" Did I listen to them? No...

Recently my client and friend Thereza happen to mention that she loved her esthetician at Tribeca Beauty Spa, so I quickly added their number to my contact list.
When I arrived I noticed the vibe was warm and noticeably quiet. God knows I don't need to get a facial while listening to people chat about what happened at the club last night. I was escorted to a private room where I would get a facial and found it immaculate. I loved that there was no sign of the last client's procedures or their mess.


My esthetician Nadia who happens to be the owner of the spa was going to deal with my sun-beaten skin. 

Her touch was soft when it needed to be and firm when needed. I was excited to see that she used products from Sonya Dakar, a renowned professional skin care line loved by the celebrity pack. She dealt with both the blackheads and whiteheads created by years of neglect and sun damage ( i.e - me...oiling my face to bake in the sun.) There's nothing like having someone work on your skin and know what they are doing. No area of my face was denied her expertise.

I actually felt layers of heaviness leave my skin after the steaming, cleansing and all the other tricks she had up her sleeve. When it was over, I really did not want to go. First for the love my skin had just received and second...for how relaxed I felt.

Tribeca Beauty Spa is a beautiful, modern establishment that also offers waxing and nail services. They even have showers and a sauna which can be used after getting a full body massage. Most of all it's not at all intimidating. Personally I'm tired of these warehouses that they now call spas across NYC. Give me intimacy, cleanliness and expert staff.


With a large menu of options for massages, facials and waxing, it seems like they have all the services covered. 


They even specialize in Pre-natal massages!!!

Oh and guess what? They were generous enough to give me 15 gift bags full of products for my girls living in homeless shelters. Now that's love!!!



So if you're looking for a great facial, try Tribeca Beauty Spa and tell them Antonio sent you.

Let's support those who support others!



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Saturday, November 16, 2013

Working at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2013

Today was a spectacular day full of hairspray, angels and feathers at Victoria's Secret Fashion Show, held at the Park Avenue Armory in NYC. I was fortunate enough to be part of the team headed by my mentor, Orlando Pita. Here are some backstage images to warm your heart with color, love and hair!!!!









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Tuesday, November 12, 2013

Karen Elson attend CFDA and Vogue 2013 Fashion Fund Finalists Celebration- Hair My Antonio

Yesterday I had the pleasure of working with the beautiful and sweet Karen Elson for the CFDA awards. Using the flatiron I created soft waves that are natural and modern. 

Karen Elson and Jason Wu

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Tuesday, November 5, 2013

Just Launched A Dry Shampoo And Argan Oil Hair Mask By Orlando Pita!

He's done it again guys. Orlando Pita just launched two, new incredible products! The first is a dry shampoo...but wait for it...it's just not any old dry shampoo. It's clear! Meaning no color which (I think) is the first of its kind. The second is an Argan Restoring Treatment Mask. It's a paraben-free hair mask that leaves hair feeling luxurious.

Let's face it. The man not only is a wiz at hair, he sure knows how to create hair products that won't sit long on the shelf. Similar to his previous launch (a Moroccan Argan Oil shampoo, conditioner and oil) these new products are expected to be a hot commodity among hair-industry specialists.

So hurry now to your local Costco and treat your hair to the finer things in life.






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Thursday, October 24, 2013

Together Let's Give 50 Women A Christmas to Remember!

Please take a look at my video and together we can show these beautiful ladies that life is not all about struggle....


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Tuesday, October 15, 2013

A Soft Modern Wave

If you read my post a few years ago titled, "Stop the fake curls and waves," I made it very clear what was out and what was on its way in for 2013. Today I want to share another technique around creating waves...one that's very old yet new to some.


I was on a photo shoot with a makeup artist and a photographer recently and we decided to create a soft, playful look for our young Brazilian model. Because it was a relaxed shoot and our model had long, beautiful hair, I felt that this technique would be perfect. Check out my short video on how to create these waves along with some images of the finished look. 


 To prep the hair I used PhytoVolume Actif and a PhytoKeratine. The iron I used is the T3 Body Waver, which has now become my favorite iron.

It's definitely a softer approach to the old barrel curl waves we've been seeing for way too long!

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Thursday, October 10, 2013

Giving Girls Living In The NYC Shelter System A Taste of Love, Positive Psychology, Nutritional Advice and Juice Press.

For the past year I've totally enjoyed holding workshops for mothers living in the NYC shelter system.  Recently I changed my focus to their children, ranging in ages 7 to 17.  My goal is to hold monthly workshops around topics such as healthy eating, hair/skincare and most importantly, inner beauty.

I started my most recent workshop for teenage girls around a question suggested to me by my friend Syd Rubin (who studied Positive Psychology). "What was the thing they most enjoyed about their day?"    

They all smiled right away. Their answers varied from hanging with friends after school to drama class. It allowed them to focus on something that made them feel comfortable, making it about them, not me. This question also set the tone for the workshop for me, keeping it positive even when talking about difficult topics. It's an approach I will use to begin all my workshops from now on. Thanks Syd Rubin!

I then took it one step further. I asked what each person liked most about themselves; it could be anything from their smile, to their hair, to their personality. 

Their responses were more slow this time. The fact that it was difficult for the girls to answer, due to a lack of self-appreciation, I believe is a huge problem. I prompted the girls to think about their lips, hair, eyes, walk, humor... The girls quickly jumped on the wagon and opened up. One girl said her skin color, another her hands and her personality. I encouraged them to look at themselves in the mirror and see what I see.

I shared my own personal experience of being told as a child that my nose was big. I was skinny and feminine. These words stayed with me for almost 30 years and I believed them. Today I know it's not true, that I was (and am) beautiful just as I am.

Today with so-called "self help" shows like Fashion Police, sporting a panel of individuals ridiculing celebrities in expensive dresses who look perfect, what's left for girls who only dream of these life styles?



Why is it the major networks can't create a show based solely on sending a direct, supportive message to our young women, which celebrates who they are? Why can't celebrities do TV ads that encourage girls (and women) to believe in themselves, no matter what they look like or what they wear?

On a lighter note I brought in nutritionist Dorothy Holtermann, who works for Path For Life and the Acupuncture Center in Staten Island. Dorothy shared tons of valuable information on how water, fruits and vegetables can help you sleep and feel energetic and enjoy healthy skin and hair. The girls loved it! Dorothy will definitely be my guest speaker from now on. Her website will be up and running on November 1st so please check it out.

And as an added treat, Juice Press gave every girl a delicious fresh apple or pear juice. Thank you Juice Press for your love! I will continue supporting those who support those in need.


Until then, lets give these girls the emotional support they need by providing basic gifts to them to get through their day. 

If you have any questions on how you can help girls in your area, please feel free to write me.

Together lets give hope, love and joy to our young women living in homeless shelters!!



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Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Product Review For Smiley360.com On Just For Men Beard Cover

Smiley360.com  recently asked me to take part in a survey using Just For Men beard cover. Having never colored my beard and already sporting greys, (which I've been plucking) I decided to give it a go!

As a hairstylist/colorist with an extensive male clientele needing hair color, I thought that I could put my color expertise to good use here.
Out of a total of 11 different color shades for free, I chose medium dark brown.  Knowing that color tends to have some red tones, I decided to do test on a small area of hair to see the results. 30% of my beard is gray. If you're totally grey, you will want to adjust the shade and tone. The shade is how dark it is and the tone refers to the tonal value, be it more red or brown.


Round 1 - I mixed the color as suggested in the little tray which was very easy. Because I'm not fully gray, I decided to brush the color only in my grey areas. As I expected it was brown with red tones. Often we see men walking around with reddish hair and beards. This is due to the color not having enough ash.

Round 2 - Knowing this I decided to mix the medium dark brown with the ash brown. The ash brown will control the red in the color, giving it a more masculine finish. I mixed the same amount from each, but this time I applied it more aggressively.The coverage was really good! Because I mixed the two shades, I was able to get a real brown without that reddish cast. My beard felt a little dryer and more coarse, which is the norm even when coloring the hair on your head.

 Below are some important tips to consider when coloring your beard.

1) Always add ash to your chosen beard color. Just for Men offers ash in different shades. Use them and you won't end up with a reddish beard in 2-3 weeks. If you have dark hair like me, choose any of the browns that you like and add ash brown.

2) When applying, be aggressive. The hair on the face is curly, coarse and thick. You need to get the color in there. I recommend brushing your beard to soften the hair, then applying the color.

3) If you're like me and have a certain amount of gray, try not to color the hair that does not need it. If you choose your color wisely, you should be able to get a nice blend.

4) After washing off the color, you may want to condition your beard. You condition the hair on your head so why not your beard?

5) When choosing a color always choose one shade lighter. Color that tends to work this fast tend to be darker.

6) When you need to color your beard the next time, I recommend doing in on the days that you trim your beard. Cut off the old ends that already have been colored. If you start layering old color on top of new color, it can end up getting too dark. Coverage is important, but you don't want to end up looking like Brutus from Popeye the Sailor.
 Added bonus- Guys I used it to color my chest hairs, it was great!

Just saying:)

Antonio

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Thursday, September 19, 2013

You Maybe Homeless But You Are Loved.

That was my message at a recent workshop I held for mothers wanting to stay clean and break their addiction to drugs that range from alcohol, pot, pills and heroin to crystal meth. Some of these women live in shelters or struggle to put a roof over their heads. From my personal experiences I can relate.

"You are beautiful from the inside out..." was my first message to the room. "We are no different from each other and you deserve to be treated as an equal." This I firmly believe based on my own life experiences.

Some may assume that with the struggles these women face, "beauty from the inside out" may not be the most important thing, but they're dead wrong!
The power that a human gets from understanding that they have inner beauty, can move mountains. We live in a world where magazines, TV, radio and social media are constantly telling women they are better off looking look like someone else (maybe a celebrity). Not being able to live up to these impossible standards can break a woman, especially one who is already battling an addiction.

 Some women may also have to deal with other challenges,  like financial insecurity, physical abuse, mental health issues and crushing poverty. With this weight on their shoulders, there is often no room for feelings of self-worth. That's where inner beauty plays an important role.

By recognizing their "inner beauty," these women can be reminded that they deserve a good life, just like everyone else. They deserve love, deserve respect and deserve to be supported through difficult times, just like everyone else.

So if you're reading this, know that showing others' their inner beauty is extremely powerful. So many of us walk around depending on our outside appearances to represent who we are, but that only lasts so long. As I always say, a hairstyle lasts a day but self love is forever!

So spread the word, beauty is still just skin deep!

Feel free to write to me with any questions or comments. Remember that we can all bring joy to someone in need.

To love one's self is the beginning of a life long romance. - Oscar Wilde


Give love.
Give hope.
Give faith!

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Tuesday, September 17, 2013

U.S Elle Magazine October 2013- She's A Rainbow. Hair By Orlando Pita

So excited to share these images done by a very talented group of people, including my 2 friends and mentors Hairstylist Orlando Pita and Stylist Lori Goldstein.

All I can say is, MAJOR!!!

Photographer: Catherine Servel
Model: Zenia Sevastyanova
Stylist: Lori Goldstein
Make-up: Christian Mcculloch
Manicure: Gina Edwards 















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