Well, well, well, here you are and here I am. Hope you are all having a wonderful day so far. The sun is shining and it looks like winter is gone for good, well, atleast for 4 months. And of course, with spring and summer on the mind, everyone wants a change. You are in luck, that is what this weeks post is about.
Hey.. I was wondering if you can show me some cool styles for hair. I dont
really know how to get my hair cut. It's just straight and long, about to my shoulder blades, so I just
wanna get it cut in a fun style.. but I don't know how... thanks.
Letecia,
Regina, Sk
Oh, I am so glad you asked this Letecia. This is the kind of thing I live for, changing people's hair. You did not mention how much of a change you are looking for, but wether you want a big change or a small change, there are many different things you can do.
For straight hair, you have a lot of options. As long as it is not fine and thin, but if you have medium to corse hair and it is medium to thick in density, you have a lot of options.
First, I will start with the smaller change. I don't know if you have layers in your hair right now. The best thing for hair that long, If you want anything that has volume and lots of movement, you are going to have to take a lot of length off. A lot of people get scared when I talk about taking a lot of length off, but if your hair is just lying there or you are putting it in a pony tail everyday, then there is no point in having lone hair. So, I would say that, at a minimum, you will have to lose about 3 - -4 inches off your base length. I would suggest adding in lots of layers, as that will give you the movement, fun and body that you want. When I talk about volume, I do not mean southern texas volume, I am talking about a little bit of volume so you hair is not flat to your head. Here are some ideas...
1.
2.
Longer layers are also a great option for someone who does not really want to wear the funky look at all. Long layers, usually begining between the chin and the shoulder, depending on length of hair, like in the picture to the left, creat the movement, fullness and style while still being able to pull it back if you need to.
3.
If you want to really do something different, you can really chop up you hair into what you affectionatley call, a shag. A shag consists of a lot of very short layers, as illustrated in the picture to the left. The purpse of a shag is to give maximum volume at the top of the head, with minimal volume towards the bottom. Beware when going for this cut tough. Make sure you have thick enough hair so the hair on the bottom after the layers have been cut in do not look stringly and straggly.
Next I would like to move into little more drastic changes. I get alot of women wanting their hair 'gone' so to speak. What they mean by gone, is shorter by at least 6" or more. I get this more often then people would think. Most people, after a while, especially if they have had short hair for a good portion of their lives, get sick of the longer hair and want it gone. Here are some more drastic changes to look into to getting.
1.
2.
This is a less dramatic version of the above cut. It give a lot of movement and volume on the top and is great for finer, thinner hair. Again, this give the option of pushing the back up to have it spike out or wearing it smoother for a polished look. Always, I say, have some type of a fringe. The majority of cuts and styles look their best with some type of a fringe, be it short or long.
3.
The bob is always a popular was to go if you are wanting to go shorter. There are many different ways to wear a bod, such us the smooth, heavy, Vidal Sasoon look, like the top picture to the left. I do not recommend wearing this particular bob if you have a square face. The second photo down is one of the most asked morw haircuts in salons as well as the one below it. The second hair cut to the left is what we call an 'inverted bob'. This cut maximizes the volume you are going to see at the top of your head. There are usually layers in these cuts, however, they are not usually too short, 1/4 " - 1" from the longest length only. The idea is still smoothness. The bottom picture is the opposit of the top picture. It is still a bob, but as you can see, there is a lot of texture and movement involved, this cut works for just about anyone, even for finer and thinner hair.
The key to finding the right cut for you is to look at pictures and find the cuts that draw you to them. Always keep in mind you face shape when looking at cuts and remember that you are not going to look exactly like the picture, you are not that person.
If you have a square face, you want to stay away from hard lines like the Vidal Sasoon style bob. The angles and heaviness will acctually accentuate the squarness of you face. Look food cuts that have a lot of layering around the face ot help soften those sharp edges, such as the last bob picture or a shag.
If you have a round face you want to create more volume towards the top of your head, not on the sides, as this will make your face look rounder. Look for a side swept fringe to help narrow you face a little.
If you have a heart shaped face, dont go for too much volume on top. You want to create volume near the chin area to widen it to make it more even with your forehead. A great cut would be the shag or the very first cut as it creates depth around the chin.
If you have an oval face you are lucky, pic whatever you would like and have fun.
Well, Letecia, I hope that helped you, and anyone else, with your predicament.
Goodnight everyone and happy hair days.
Hello hello loyal reader. Sorry I have been lacking a bit lately. But, I am back and answering more mysteries of hair.
A friend of mine has recently moved and is searching for a place to get his hair cut as he REALLY needs one. He went on line and searched for hair salons in the place he lives and came up with tons of hits. What do you do when you have 975 salons to choose from? How do you even begin?? Well, here are a few pointers.
1. Talk to people you work with. Many people will say, " If you see someone's hair you like, ask them where you get it done," but I find that most people do not like asking complete strangers things like that. The people you work with are your best bet. So, if you are a guy, you are probably not going to say to another guy " I love your hair, where do you get it done?", but if you notice a guy who always seems to have his hair clean cut or in a look you want, just ask him where he gets it done. " Hey, John, where do you get your hair cut? " It is that simple. For women, ask your co-worker when she gets her hair done. Tell her you love it, she will definelty tell you. A lot of stylist also have a referal program, meaning their clients get benefits when they refer people in, so make sure you tell the stylist or the person booking your appointment who refered you.
2. If you have had the chance to tour the city, look for salons that have the 'look' you are looking for. If you want something funky, you are going to want to visit a salon with a different name or something that sparks you interest. If you are more conservative, then you are going to gravitate towards them. Pay attention to what the people and the neighborhood around the salon is like. If the salon is in an artsy neighborhood, that will be where you find your funky, artsy, trendy stylists. Downtown, they are usually a little more conservative and precise. In the suburbs salons tend to be more family friendly.
3. Look in the yellow pages for salons, beauty salons, or barbers. A lot of salons will have ads in the yellow pages that will give you an idea what kind of salon they are. Skim through the names and see if one catches you eye, even if they dont have a flashy advertisement.
4. Look in your paper and in flyers for any coupons. Even highend and high quality salons will have featured services or certificates for services. It is a good way to try a salon without paying too much.
5. Walk into salons you come across and ask to have a consultation with a stylist. Most salons do this for free. Ittakes about 15 mins and during this time you can talk to a stylist and see what they have to say about your hair, without any commitment of getting it done then and there. It is a good way to see how comfortable you feel in that salon and with that person.
Most importantly, before you go to the salon, call them and book an appointment. If they do not answer the phone is polite way, do not put you on hold when they are talking to someone else, or say they dont take appointments, I would suggest trying somewhere else. The most important thing you are looking for is the customer service aspect, technical skills are also important, but you are speding anywhere from 1/2 an hour upwards to 4 hours or so at this place and with that person. You want to make sure that you are relaxed and enjoy it.
A big thing with people is the price. Price does matter. If you pay $10 for your cut, you are going to get a $10 haircut. However, on the other end of the spectrum, if you pay $100 for your cut, you may not get the best cut. I can't recall how many $50 + haircuts I have fixed. A good price range for men is between $25 - $40 and women between $35 - $50. This is not to say that all stylist who cut hair for $10 are not as good, it is just that you are more then likely not going to get the kind of service or cut you are looking for.
Make sure the stylist listens to you. A good stylist should sit you down in their chair first while your hair is DRY. This is the best way for the stylist to see what you hair is like dry and to talk to you about what you are looking for in a cut. Any stylist, in my opinion, who just walks a client to the sink, especially a new client, is cheating the client out of a great cut. Make sure the stylist listens to you while you are talking but at the same time, let them give you suggestions. If you have always worn you hair a certain way, keep you mind open to what the stylist thinks would be good, ask their opinion. They may have an idea that will make you even happier. Most importantly, make sure You understand what is being done. A good stylist will explain things back to you until you understand.
There you have it my friends, how to find a good stylist. Good luck in your search.
Have a hairaising day!
Welcome back everyone on this spring day. Not that I would know it was spring here. I cant see the grass for the all the snow out there. I hope spring is better where you are then here.
That being said, I have something special for everyone today. I am going to fill you all in on the new trends for spring this year, from toe to head.
The theme this year for everything is the body or 'NUDE'. Now, before you men get all excited about women walking around naked and you women burn your clothes, here me out. The trend is the suggestion of nudity, not actual nudity. So, the chances are slim that you will be seeing women, or men, walking around naked at your local grocery store. I said the chances were slim, but you never know what you will see. We will be seeing a lot of flesh toned clothing, from beige to soft browns, some baby pinks and light blues. Everything is meant to suggest a fresness and softness. Fabrics are billowy, flowing off the body and around it, and toucheable. Wethere you are heading out for a Oscar like party, or just heading to the store, you will see subdued tones suggesting nudity. Clothing fits loosely, hiding most of the body but giving tantalizing peeks where you least expect it. Shoes are high heeled but not overly flashy. Some muted jewels or soft detailing is the trend. Femininity is the key here, basic femininity, not over done. Men are wearing beige and brown, with a casual look.
For make-up we are returning to he ' less is more ' philosophy. The colors are muted, skin toned. We cant see the make-up on the face, or if we can, they are earth tones or one or 2 shades different then you skin tone. Lips are almost dissapearing into the face as they are the same colors as everything else. Natural beauty is the key to make-up this spring. A basic mascara on the eyes and you are ready to go. Quick and easy.
Hair is following the same trends. Colors are tone on tone. Muted golds and soft coppers blending together. Colors are subtle with very little contrat between the lights and darks. Highlights are a thing of the past. Colors are placed in panels or sections, focusing on the face to brighten is up. Cuts are reminicent of the " Vidal Sassoon " cuts. Strong geometric shapes cut into the hair. The fringe is coming back with a vengeance. Heavy and blunt, they draw attention to the face in conjunction with the color. I have recently taken a course with the L'Oreal Professional Team. It was taught by my favorite stylist, Alex Russo or Russo Innovative Hair here in Edmonton, and Pauline Truong, who placed 2nd in the pretigious L'Oreal Color Trophy competition last year. Both very accomplished stylists, they took me through the different cuts of the L'Oreal Collection as well as the coloring techniques. Below are some examples of the cuts and colors that we are seeing this season.
These show really well both the cutting techniques and the colors coming in this spring. You can see the very strong lines both in the shape of the haircut and in the fringe. The fringe can ether be longer, to eye level, or short and angled such as the second set of photos. The undercut, yes the good ol' undercut, is back this year. Wether it is a 1" long, such as on the first cut, or shaved as in the second cut. This allows the hair to fall beautifully, following the cuve of the head. The colors have a slight contrast but stay within the same color family and within one or 2 shades of each other. The undercut ont he second and next cut I will show you opens the door to add a splash of unexpected color while still allowing it to be covered and the person look " respectable ". Despite the very solid shape of the cut, there is a lot of texture being added on the interior of the hair, allowing for movement and an unexpected bit of fun. The versatility of the trends this year is enormous.
The above cut is my interpretation of the trends. I used the body for my inspiration. Instead of harsh corners, I tried to recreate the curves of the body. The hair falls around the head in a curving patterns, constantly flowing; from the wave in the fringe to the length on the side. There is also an undercut on this haircut as well. This color is part of the " Antique Reds " collection. The two colors are very tone on tone and there is very little contrast, givng the hair a slightly sun-kissed look.
It is important to remember that these cuts are like the clothes you see on the runway, not too many people will want to wear them in everyday life, they are only here to showcase the Spring Trends. Each of these cuts can be adapted to fit every person. They can be made less extreme by shortening up one side or softening the lines a bit more. The fringe can be longer and swept to the side or worn light and whispy. Take the ideas you see here that you like, such as the way the hair falls around the shape of the head or the strong shape, and take those to your next haircut. You don't have to have every part of the trend, just part of it to be trendy.
Well, everyone, I would like to wish you Happy Egg Hunting. ( That means Happy Easter )
Until next time..Happy Hair Days.
