Saturday, December 27, 2008

Smoker's Delight

Since we are amidst party season, I thought it be appropriate to discuss something that can be a bit stanky...Parties can be smoke central. 

If you're not a smoker or your lover has distaste for the smell, you're usually looking for a way to smother the stench. If you don't have time for a nice clean shower, and you realize that perfume only adds to the smoke (sorry smokers, but sometimes coconut flower peach cotton candy apple blossom sugar caca just doesn't mix well) there's a trick some of my co workers have let me in on: 

A product called Fast Fix by Catwalk is a Leave In conditioner that evens out porosity of the hair AND it eliminates the smoker odor! Use it on your hair, clothes, and anywhere else and it is a miracle worker. The best thing about it is it's unisex, so it's great for the boys too. ;D


Sunday, December 7, 2008

A Static Lullaby

Since it's the first true snow of the season here in RI, I think it may be appropriate to discuss a winter woe...STATIC:


Queue TiGi plug here:

If you're having trouble with this dry weather and are having some serious hair-static issues, please do not proceed with rubbing a dryer sheet all over your hair. Please. Instead, try Bed Head's Spoil Me. It's a fine mist product that both reduces static and is a style refresher. So while you eliminate the fly aways, you also refresh some of the existing product in your hair...that way you don't have to keep adding more weight to your hair with some of those heavier styling aids.


Also, If you're still having trouble with those fly aways near your part on the surface of your hair, try spraying a tissue with hair spray, and then glide it over your 'do... And if you're someone who has that nice little trouble spot...you know, the one right at your hairline smack dab at the part...spray some hairspray directly between your thumb and pointer finger and glide and pinch those hairs into place.


That's all for this snowy Sunday afternoon. Have a gorgeous play. :D


Sunday, November 30, 2008

Sassy Sitings

In the past few months, I have stumbled across a couple websites I've become so excited about I thought I should pass along to my girls. 


For great make up (I use it and love it myself) at the lowest cost I've seen:

ELF


For neat/pretty/affordable jewelry:

Emitations

Saturday, November 29, 2008

What Shape are You?

I recently read an article in a beauty magazine that proclaimed, "The Side Part is Back!" Well, as a stylist, its my job to inform you that it should never have left. A center part is only a match for ONE face shape out of six, and that's oval. So if you're a diamond, heart, square, oblong, or round, please keep the comb away from the center! 

Not sure what face shape you are?

Sunday, September 28, 2008

Fight the Frizz

Rain, rain go away!!


Having trouble fighting the frizz from all of this moisture? Or maybe it's just irritating when your freshly, perfectly placed 'do falls apart after one foot out the door... Instead of going against the grain, try embracing the weather.


I'm not exactly the fan of wet styling (letting your hair air dry)...very few can pull this off while still looking neat and put together. If you are one of the few, power to you my friend!


My alternative: Grab that diffuser! It's my best friend when the weather's not in my favor! It gives me a natural curl that I am able to just scrunch back into place after meeting the blessings of mother nature. 


For those of you who don't know what a diffuser is, it's a wonderful attachment that goes on the end of your hair dryer that enhances your natural curl when paired with the right products.(This is what a diffuser looks like)


Ok, I know a few of you are saying, "But Heather, my hair doesn't have a natural curl." While there ARE a very FEW hair types out there that this will do no justice for, the majority of people DO have a natural curl that they just have not tapped into. I never would've guessed I had a natural wave in my hair if no one enlightened me with this technique. 

How to do it best: 

-Hair should be totally saturated! This is the best tip I ever heard...It keeps the curls from separating too much through the blow dry

-Curl defining products REALLY help the process! I use Bed Head's Curls Rock... I like the creams best because they allow for a softer texture...No one wants the "Cranston Crunch" so if you're using gel, make sure you don't use too much! Anyway, put the product in your hands, rub together and gently scrunch into hair, being aware as to not separate the hair too much...try not to run your fingers through, just scrunching.

-Set your Blow dryer on low and leave it there! If the dryer is blowing your hair too much, hello frizzies, curl separation, and sad face :'( Depending on length of hair and hair density, this may mean you're going to be drying for a while, but if you want to see some happy curls it's worth it...I like to do a little internet surfing or watching the news while I'm waiting.

-Don't touch the hair too much...the more you touch it the more likely it's to again: SEPARATE and frizz.eek.

-After drying, if your curls seem too together or a little flat, flip upside down and shake your head about....do the hokey pokey and....no, no seriously though, giving your hair a quick shake will allow your curls to separate naturally, and avoid stretching the curls out.

-To finish, use a Hairspray with a flexible hold. I like to use S Factor's Vivacious hairspray. A flexible hold allows your curls to remain bouncy and avoids that CRRUNCH we were talking about earlier. Aerosol's are my favorite type of hairspray. They have a finer mist which means when you spray it on at an appropriate distance, you'll be able to avoid re-saturating your newly coiffed 'do like you might with non-aerosols.

For those of you who have been avoiding aerosols because of their history to be environmentally damaging, you'll be happy to know there are a WIDE variety of aerosols available that are deemed environmentally safe! Try Bed Head's Masterpiece or Aveda's Air Control.


The Final Look: Flirty, natural curl, that can be worn a little messy and easily scrunched back into place throughout the day...