Loving Ombre!

I have been LOVING the variations of ombre I've been seeing lately. Using reds instead of browns, pulling the blonde up higher or keeping it more towards the ends. Even using louder colors such as bright pinks and purples. I like the ombre technique (darker at the roots moving to lighter at the ends) because of the soft, natural, grown out look it creates. Additionally, it is nice when it comes to maintenance for the client because they only need to get their roots colored after the initial color service for their next 2 or 3 color services until the blonde needs to be brought back up. I also think this could potentially help in maintaining the integrity of the hair because it is not constantly being bleached, but allowed to rest and rejuvinate (if you are using a shampoo and conditioner specifically designed for repairing color treated hair) through your next few color services as you are only touching the new-growth with color. Definitely a color technique to try if you are bored with your current style and looking for something new.

Loving Braids

      Braids have been super popular lately, and I am loving it! They
      are a great way to pull back or put up your hair in a simple,

      classic, and creative way. I also like how they can add interest to

      a seemingly boring style. You can make them as simple or

      complex as you want, it just depends on how creative you want

      to be. Braids are great for summer as well when you want to put

      your hair up, but don't want to always be wearing a ponytail.

      Looking to add something new to your style? It may be time to

      brush up on your braiding skills and let the creative juices flow!

Vidal Sassoon: In Memory Of

This week the hair industry lost one of it's most influencial people, Vidal Sassoon. Vidal was a huge part of shaping the way the hair industry is today, and an inspiration to so many, including myself. It is amazing how one person have such a great impact. He will continue to live on in our hearts and be a constant inspiration.

From all of us in the hair world, we will miss you, Vidal Sassoon.




A Reminder To Stylists: Keep On Top Of Your Game

Something that I have been thinking a lot about lately is how important our job is as stylists to make sure we are listening to our clients and addressing their needs, as well as giving them new ideas when it comes to cut, color, or styling. The past couple of weeks I have had some clients who really drove home how much they rely on me as a stylist to share my opinion, as well as listen to what they have to say and give appropriate feedback. As I have been thinking about this, I just felt like I needed to share this with my fellow stylists out there.

Sometimes I think we forget how much trust our clients put in us to give them a style that is going to suit them, as well as suggest new styling options if they are feeling like they are stuck doing the same style every day. A new client I had recently told me, "I look to you as a stylist to tell me what new ideas you might have for my hair. If you can't tell me, then who can?" This was why she had left her past stylist, because she felt like she always gave her the same haircut and never seemed to listen when she said she wanted to try something different. I was shocked, and at the same time hoping that I had never made a client feel as though the only way they were going to get the change they wanted was in finding a new stylist. Lesson learned: when your clients ask what ideas you have for their hair, they are serious.

Another thing clients are always noticing is your sense of style. Making sure you have a style going on with your hair is important, as well as being stylishly dressed and make-up done. Again, I recently had a new client who told me that she booked with me because she liked my style and felt that I would be able to give her a cut she would like. I had another client tell me that as soon as she saw my hair and that it was in a cute style, she felt reassured that I would give her a good cut. Because we are in the fashion industry, clients are always aware of our appearance, and judging the work they think we would do based off that. Even if you are an amazing stylist, a client may be more likely to go to someone they feel is more put together because if you don't have any style yourself, why would they want to trust you with theirs?

As stylists, it is extremely important that we are always on top of our game and being sure to be aware of our clients' needs. Additionally, it is important that we our keep ourselves up to date on current trends so we are able to suggest different looks to our clients when asked. Keeping our own style up to date is also important, as clients are more aware of this than we may think. Some of the best stylists I know have a loyal clientele because they are able to meet these demands. Don't be the stylist that someone leaves for a stylist who they feel will better meet their needs!

Color Ideas for the Financially Minded

There is just something about the feeling you get when you have freshly colored hair that makes you feel like you are running the town. It is also a great way to update your style in a short period of time. The problem? Coloring your hair can be a bit of an investment. For some, this may not be an issue but for those of you who are thinking of turning to the color on the shelf of your local store, let's talk about some different options you can discuss with your stylist that will help keep some money in your pocket AND great looking hair on your head.

Dimension without maintenance. Adding dimension to your hair is great for breaking up a solid color and giving a different look to your current color. Many dimensional placements are creative, and can be placed in the hair in a way that won't leave you feeling like you signed up for going to the salon more than you are wanting. Your stylist can section off a section of hair around your part and leave this as your natural or to just be touched up at the roots (if you have an existing color other than your natural). Dimensional pieces (whether light or dark) can then be added and will essentially be under the section of hair taken around your part; this section will lay over the dimension to where you will still see the dimension but won't see the regrowth. This is great because again, though the intial first service may be a little more, you will be able to go longer between color services because you won't feel like you have roots that need to be touched up.



Melting. The word melting has been going around the hair world for the past couple of years. For those of you who may not be familiar with the term, melting is a technique that gives that grown out highlight look, with the roots being darker than the ends and looking as if you haven't had your hair highlighted in at least 6 months. There are a couple advantages of this technique. One advantage is that you can (depending on the existing color of your hair) ask your stylist to choose a root color that is close in level to your natural color so as it grows out there is not a definite line. This will help you feel like you don't need to go to the salon every 8 weeks to cover your roots. Another advantage is that even though the initial first service may be a little pricier, your next two services (at least) will be less because you will only need to have your roots touched up.

The grey factor. Having grey you want covered can be hard because grey can feel very high maintenence. Well, it is! So, one way to make your life a little easier and make you feel like you can last a little longer between salon visits is to stay lighter rather than go darker. Going darker is going to make your grey regrowth stand out more. However, if you stay lighter with some nice highlights and lowlights, your grey is going to be more camouflaged as it grows back in; there won't be a stark contrast of the light grey versus the dark color. This will help you feel like your grey is less noticable and that you can go further between colorings. Additionally, you can opt to just get your roots touched up with your chosen base color every other time which will also help you save because a touch up is less than foiling.

If you love how your stylist colors your hair but are needing to see them less due to personal finances, talk with your stylist about what could work with your hair and style that can keep you in their chair but less frequently. As professional stylists, we are always happy to talk with our clients about new ideas that will work to suit their changing needs. Great looking color can always be affordable, it's just about finding the right look.

Styling Tips: Styling Curly Hair

I love curly hair! Probably since my hair is naturally straight, I always wanted naturally curly hair. Anytime I meet someone with beautiful, natural curl and they feel like their curl is more of a burden because they don't feel they are able to style it properly so they opt to straighten it, it makes me sad. Any opportunity I get to educate people on how to properly style their curly hair I take. So for all of you curly hair people out there who feel like they struggle getting good curl and style out of your hair, this post is for you.

I feel the two tools that are key in achieving your optimal amount of curl and control of your curl is the proper product and a diffuser. It is amazing what a little a product and a diffuser can do to enhance your curly style, as well as make you feel like you are in control of your curls rather than feeling like they are in control of you. So, let's talk product!

In my experience, most people who are scared of their hair tell me how when they were growing up their hair was so frizzy and out of control. My response: now there is product for that! It is amazing the product they have out there for curly hair. One of my favorites is Bumble and bumble's Defining Creme. This product is great for getting the most curl out of your hair. It has enzymes in it that makes your hair want to curl more, similar to what they put in mascaras that make your lashes curl. Another great product is Kevin Murphy's Motion.Lotion, which is similar to Bumble's curl creme. These products also help to eliminate frizz.

Apply your curl creme (talk to your stylist about which one they think may be right for you, or research the two I mentioned above) to damp hair. If you are in a hurry, scrunch it in a little and you can be on your way. Or, if you have a little time pull out your diffuser. Diffusers are great for getting a little more curl out of your hair. The curls wrap themselves around the prongs on the diffuser and dry into place. Place the diffuser into your curls and let it sit for a minute. I like to set my dryer's heat setting to cool so you don't burn your scalp while you are letting the diffuser sit in your hair. Remove the diffuser from that section of hair and place it in another.

Continue this, moving around your head. For more body, you can flip your head over when you are diffusing the top. This will dry your hair away from where it usually lives and give you more lift and body on top. For more defined curls, you can take sections of hair and twist them around your finger into more defined pieces prior to diffusing. Try not to touch your hair too much while you are drying it. Touching curly hair too much while it is drying will add more frizz.

After you have gotten your hair to your desired dryness, apply a finishing product. One of my favorites is a little  of Bumble and bumble's Styling Wax. Take a small amount, rub it into your hands, and scrunch it into the ends of your hair. Another great one is Bumble's Brilliantine. This will just help add some polish and shine to your curls.

Embrace your curls! Take some time to play around and practice styling them. If you need to, set up a wash and blowdry appointment with your stylist and ask them to walk you through the different steps of styling. I believe with the right tools and knowledge of how to properly use those tools, every curly haired person can love the hair they wear.

 

 

Dimensionalizing Dark Hair

Feeling bored with your dark hair? Want to do something different, but don't want to lighten it? Adding darker dimensional pieces is a great way to change up your look without adding maintenance. Whether you are naturally dark, or artificial, this technique can be exactly what you need to make you feel like you have a whole new style.

When talking to your stylist about adding dimension, you can decide whether you want to add one or two different colors, as well as what levels and tones you want those colors to be. For example, I would recommend adding a color that is at least two levels darker than your current hair color. In order to ensure you can tell that you colored your hair, it is essential there is enough of a level difference between your existing color and the color you are adding. You can also add a color that is between your current color and darkest dimensional color but has different total qualities, such as something that has more of a red or gold tone to it.

Placement is also something you may want to talk with your stylist about. See what ideas they have about how you may want to place the colors in the hair to best compliment your current style. You can also find pictures before your appointment as examples of elements you like and would hope to be able to achieve as an end result. Remember, though, that pictures are just referrences and visuals to help you and your stylist be on the same page as to the direction you are wanting to go with your hair. Don't come with the expectation that you will be leaving looking exactly like a particular picture. Coming with this expectation may be setting yourself up for disappointment since there are many factors that could come in to play such as hair type, texture, current color, etc. which may need to be addressed when deciding on your final style. 

Don't think that dark hair has to be one boring color. Dark hair can be fun and eye-catching, too. Next time you are feeling you need a little change but don't want to cut, think color!

Professional Products at Walmart Prices..... What's the Catch?

You are walking down the shampoo aisle of your local Walmart, Target, etc. and you see professional products for sale, such as Bumble and Bumble, Matrix, Tigi, and more. You think, "Perfect, I can get professional quality shampoo and conditioner for less than what I would pay for it at my salon." What you really should be thinking is, "Salon quality product at Walmart? What's the catch?"

Everytime I see these products in stores like this, it makes me so angry. I always want to make a little sign that says "Don't buy these products!" Why? Because I don't think they should be allowed to sell these products to people under the pretense that they are the same as what you would buy at the salon. THIS IS NOT TRUE!!!

When you buy these products from your salon, they are quality guaranteed by the company. Additionally, they are picked specifically for you by your stylist to meet your unique hair needs. This is not the case when they are sold in stores. The quality of the product is not guaranteed by the company. In truth, most of these products are expired; they have been sitting on a shelf for who knows how long. Some have actually been watered down, so the performance of the product has been compromised. Others may be counterfeit. However, they are still being sold at close to salon prices in many cases. Some of these products have also been discontinued, again going back to the fact that have been sitting on a shelf somewhere for a long period of time.

If you are truly wanting the benefits of professional products, do not buy them from anywhere but a salon or directly from the company website. This is the only way to ensure you are getting the real product and that it's quality and performance are guaranteed. Also, support your stylist by purchasing product from them. They know your hair, so trust they know which products would be best for you.

Got Gloss?

Today's color class at the salon was on glossing, which we brought in models for. As we were going through class, it got me thinking about the benefits of glossing and why more clients would enjoy getting this service. So, let's talk gloss!

A gloss is used to refresh color that has faded, which is great for keeping your color looking fresh between color services. Additionally, it adds shine and conditions your hair to help it look and feel healthier, sealing the outside layer of the hair to give life back to your tired ends. A gloss can also just be clear, so no color is being deposited but you are still getting the same conditioning benefits.

Another great thing about a gloss is that it is only about an hour service, including the blowdry. Done at the shampoo bowl, a gloss only sits on the hair for 20 minutes; you could think of it as an express color service. This is great because you don't always have 2 to 2 and a half hours to spend at the salon, but you feel like you need something to boost your look.

Want shiny, soft, healthier looking hair? Need to bring your faded color back to life? Ask your stylist about getting a gloss and see why this service is for you!

Blowdry Tips: Blowdrying Bangs

Bangs are a great way to change your look without doing anything too dramatic. However, sometimes they can be a little tricky to style on your own. One question I get alot from clients with bangs is, "How do you get my bangs to look so good? I can never get them to look the same as when you do them". Here are a few tricks when it comes to blowdrying your bangs.

• Make sure you blowdry your bangs first. Bangs always dry the fastest, so to ensure you get the best finish on them be sure to dry them before they dry how they naturally live and become difficult to style.
• Start by blowdrying with a vent brush, using low heat to ensure you don't dry your bangs before you have them how you want them. Brush your bangs to one side, then to the other (if you have straight bangs, brush them straight down as well between brushing to each side). By blowdrying your bangs across in each direction, it helps to neutralize cowlicks around your hairline. If you have a really prominent cowlick, use a comb with tight teeth rather than a vent brush to get more tension on the hair and help to better smooth it out.
• After you have removed most of the moisture, set dryer to a higher heat and change your brush to one that has nature boar bristles. A brush with natural bristles puts more tension on the hair to help get it nice and smooth. If you need to, part your bangs into two or three sections to make them easier to work with, smoothing one section at a time.
• With sweeping bangs, blowdry them on the opposite side of where you part. Blowdrying a sweeping bang on the opposite side and then brushing it across to where you usually wear it gives a nicer, more natural sweep. Straight bangs can be dried forward.
• You can use a flat brush to make your bangs lay straighter, sleeker, and closer to your forehead; use a round brush to add a little lift and put more of a bend on the ends. It all depends on the look you are trying to achieve.
• After you have finished drying your bangs, you can move to the sides and then the back. 

Be the boss of your bangs! With these tricks in your bag, you will be sure to get great looking bangs everytime.

Little Products You Can't Live Without: Tonic Lotion

One of my absolute favorite products is Tonic Lotion. It is one of those all around great products to have in your product drawer because of it's range of benefits. Tonic is one of Bumble and bumble's foundation products, the first step in your product regimen.  

A light leave in conditioner, Tonic is great for lubricating the hair to help with detangling, while also adding moisture back into your hair (this is especially important for those of us who live in drier climates, such as in the state of Utah). Additionally, it's Tea Tree Oil is great for keeping your scalp healthy.

Another great feature of Tonic Lotion is that it acts as a primer for your hair, similar to how you would use an eyeshadow or foundation primer to enhance the performance of your face makeup. Tonic is your hair primer, to prepare the hair for any additional products you are going to put in it, as well as to enhance the performance of those products.

Tonic can also be used to reactivate any products you have in your hair. Need to freshen up your look for a night out? Or, in a hurry in the morning and don't have time to start your look from scratch? You can mist some Tonic on your hair, dry it a little, and you're good to go! As a hairstylist, if there is one product that I recommend for my clients, Tonic Lotion is it. Little product, big benefits. 

REVIEW: Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo

For awhile now, I have been seeing commercials for Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo being advertised as being just as good as salon brand dry shampoos. Now before I begin, I should start by saying I am an avid Bumble and bumble fan, which is one reason I like working at Shep Studio because that is the product line we carry. My addiction first started at the age of 14 and slowly grew to where now it is the only brand of product I use. So, naturally, I use Bumble's colored dry shampoo. However, after seeing all these commercials for Suave's dry shampoo being advertised as salon quality I new I had to try it, even though I personally believe Suave is one of the worst brands of hair product out there.

For weeks when I went to Walmart (I won't go into my opinions about that place), they were completely out. I thought to myself, well, this stuff must work well enough if they can't keep it on the shelves. Finally, the other night when I went to look they had it in, and I purchased my own bottle to take home and see for myself just how good it was. To my surprise, it actually works pretty well for being Suave and only $2.97. I definitely love the smell: citrus - grapefruit maybe? You have to make sure to shake the can really well and definitely hold it 10, if not 12 inches away from your roots. If you spray it too close it comes out too much and all white on your hair. However, I did notice that I was able to make it through the next day without my hair looking greasy at all, and it did give some bounce back to my hair as well. The only thing I noticed that was kind of a con was with my dark brown hair, I could still see some of the tiny clay particles they use to absorb the oil in my hair. So, maybe due to the light color of this dry shampoo (I usually use brown) it is more ideal for people with lighter levels of hair where this wouldn't be as noticable.

Although I love my $35 Bumble brown dry shampoo, this is a great option for someone who just needs something inexpensive to get them to their next wash day and provide good results. Tresseme also has a dry shampoo, which I believe at Walmart is $4.94 or close to that, and is next on my list of inexpensive brand dry shampoos to buy and review. For now, if you're looking to make it a little longer to your next shampoo but can't afford the salon stuff, Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo is a good option.

Graduated Bob Class

Every Thursday at the salon we have class. The first two weeks of the month we bring in models, one week for color, the next for cut. Today our models were for graduated bobs. I love cutting bobs! And my amazing model Marissa had a great head of hair to practice on. We took her heavy, one-length bob  and turned it into a beautifully graduated shape. This was great for her because she has crazy thick hair and her current bob just wasn't cutting it. There is no better feeling than giving someone a look that makes them look and feel great.

The best part about class is the one on one help to guide and direct me into becoming a better stylist. The key to a great stylist is education, education, practice, and more education. If you want a great haircut or color, the best person to give you that is someone who is continually moving forward to better themselves. I am grateful for a boss who is pro continued education, because I definitely wouldn't have grown as much as I have without that.