Merry New Hair

This season color is all over the place. From Punk colors, to dipped ends, to Rooty effects to classic color; we have it all.
As chaotic and unpredictable as our world, haircolor is whatever your mood wants it to be at any given time.
We are in such a creative pot of whim these days that clients can experience all varieties of looks.
So how can you achieve all this excitement without breaking the bank and without completely changing everything about your color and cut?
Simple: add a few highlights to frame your look and go for an exciting tone, or if you already have an existing base color with highlights just try glossing those dimensional strands with a new shade. This will completely shift and change your appearance with no extra cost or time.
The famed Ombre is getting a new twist. The once extreme look has shifted into a beautiful oozing, glowing feel on the mid shaft and ends of the hair. Think of a cascade effect from your darker root area growing into a lighter sun-kissed version of your own color. Ombre can be seen as hair dipping.
Brunettes are rising to new heights of sexiness. It is a mature responsible color that never goes out of style, its classic and can be so fun and sensual. Just add new tones of golden brown and chocolate to you current brown by infusing light browns with dark browns to create the shadow effect. It is no longer about specific highlights and lines or contrasts of lightness but about creating the illusion of reflection and space. Imagine accenting your brown with veils and valances of similar hues of brown ever so slightly twinkling in 2 part counterpoint.
Blondes are rich and tonal, not washed out, faded or over processed. The modern blonde is hot and smoking with gold, butterscotch, caramel, sand, bamboo, maple, and almond with touches of cinnamon, curry, or cayenne. These are multi tonal, thicker in richness blondes like never before. Blondes are not supposed to just go lighter and lighter without reason but rather to show how empty or negative space can create the perfect interior shadow to background your haircut lines with those brighter tones.
Cuts are ranging from long and tossy to short and asymmetrical depending on who you are. Don’t be afraid to lose some length, it could be the exact mood enhancement you need. More waves and curls are expected so it’s time to grab some curling irons and give the flat iron a vacation this holiday season. Texture creates interest, this could be the interest needed to be noticed in 2012.

Conditioning Treatments – Don’t Get Fooled Again

Salons advertise conditioning treatments. How do you know what you are getting and what you are paying for?
As a consumer you must ask questions about their so-called “conditioning treatments”
A great tip off to see if you are being ripped off is when salons advertise “deep conditioning treatment”
What does that exactly mean?
What is the point and purpose of a conditioning treatment?
Many salons take advantage of this by buying the largest, cheapest, horrible quality, junk they can find and dispense it in a cup of some type and an assistant applies it and places you under a dryer.
These “deep conditioning treatments” are nothing more than water (aqua), cetyl alcohol, cetrimonium chloride, fragrance (parfum), potassium chloride, distearyldimonium chloride, disodium edta, dmdm hydantoin, silk powder, tocopheryl acetate (vitmain e acetate), methylchloroisothiazolinone, methylisothiazolinone,

In other words just a bunch of heavy laden products filled with junk that fools you into a false sense of hair manageability.

Consumers typically over use hair conditioners for the purpose of being able to comb through their hair on a daily basis.

In fact many of these products immediately promote hair color fading and weigh the hair down. That slick quick fix you get coats the outside of the hair allowing you to comb it but beyond that causes more harm than good and yes you can over use and abuse conditioners.

For this purpose people need a good quality detangler which closes the outer layer of the hair making combing the way it should be. These are weightless and color safe.

As far as haircolor goes, the typical conditioner out there is a larger molecule than haircolor and cause what I refer to as the Pac Man effect. The conditioning molecule eats up that beautiful color you just spent all that money on. Therefore you must be using color safe, color retaining product that is balanced with the color you are paying for. Similar ingredients vs. some other brand not formulated for your haircolor.

So when a salon offers a conditioning treatment ask what is in it, what will it do for me, will it fade color, is it designed for my hair type and texture.

Be careful what you end up paying for these bogus salon rip off services.

A reputable salon will have an array of “Treatment” options on their menu and will be called so. These honest salons will have products designed for different and specific needs to improve the health and quality of your hair and can back up their claims with fact and proof in the performance and the ingredients.

A Hair Studio Artists we are proud of our many quality treatment options that are performance and ingredient driven.

We work with Malibu C, Inspired by a long held commitment to health-based beauty, Malibu Wellness is a leader in the salon natural treatment category and home to Malibu C®, a groundbreaking brand of patented formulas blended with freshly activated vitamin crystals. Malibu C powerfully and effectively draws and removes damaging hard water deposits and environmental impurities that can diminish the health and appearance of both hair and skin - leaving each with renewed clarity and vitality. This first of its kind revolutionary technology uses a potent L-Ascorbic Acid form of Vitamins C.

We are proud to inform you of your options. Currently we carry treatments for swimmers, blondes, hard water, repair and special in-salon treatments that can correct or adjust color, as well as our most potent hair detox that removes impurities, product buildup, toxins and helps restore hair to a place of color clarity and condition.
Each one is specifically designed for that specific purpose and we also use Patrice products for our shampoo and styling line. Patrice is all natural, simply one ingredient away from organic while our Malibu line is 100% vegan.
In addition we carry power dose treatments designed for color treated clients who want long lasting luscious shine, contrast clarity and repair for damaged blondes and over bleach hair.
Because we care so much about the canvas of hair being the most important venue for creating our highly skilled work we have chosen to keep our price points affordable with little to no mark up.
Once you pass the $30 mark on a treatment you have to start questioning integrity. We base treatment pricing on the time and knowledge we need in order to make the properly informed decisions about your hair as well as on the quality of the company and their ingredients.
We will drop any line that veers from this or that takes their business to the supermarket or drug store level.
It is important to us to offer this knowledge to you so that you understand the mutual commitment we share to you, your hair, and to having you remain loyal and raving fans of our salon.
So next time you see QVC, or are in the supermarket, or happen to talk to someone from another salon or friend who goes to another salon think really hard about what we have shared.

Are you Brave Enough to be Red?

The latest science shows that natural redheads are slowly fading into extinction.
But in the world of beauty this highly admired and exciting color is very much alive and in demand.
The red trend started in 2010 and has been growing stronger and stronger.
There are warm red and cool reds, bold red and sensual reds, romantic reds and spicy reds.
Reds can be red or orange in nature. When we refer to Auburn we refer to red reds while speaking of strawberry blonde we are referring to copper based reds.
Warm reds belong on people with pink, yellow or neutral skin tone.
The most amazing strawberry blondes belong to those with very fair skin, those with freckles, pale skin with either blue or green eyes.
When I think of red I think of Julianne Moore, Ginger from Gilligan’s Island, Lucille Ball, Maureen O’Hara and Rita Hayworth.
Who is your favorite red?
Reds are some of my favorite creations and to make them even more unbelievable I like to create them dimensionally with hidden hues of light and dark complimentary tones and reflections. Creating the illusion of something happening but not quite sure what is the goal. You want to see elements of the red spectrum. Study any natural redhead up close and you’ll see a tonal variation party subtly oozing through the strands.
Here is our latest and soon to be famous redhead Emily Thompson, notice the stunning impact of the color on her and her on the color. Emily is on her way to NY for her audition for NYC Broadway Evita.

MALIBU MAKEOVER TIME

Transform ho-hum hair to beautiful, radiant, healthy hair with the Malibu MakeOver!

Your hair is like the sticky side of tape, it is attracted to everything out there. On a daily basis your hair harbors all kinds of toxins and impurities. It fills up with pollutants, chemicals, second hand smoke, product buildup, water supply minerals and much much more.
Swimmers report:
• Severe chlorine damage
• Crunchy, fiberglass, gummy-feel to hair
• Clumpy, tangled hair
• Discoloration
• Split ends

Highlighted people say:
• Brassy
• Hidden highlights
• Dull discoloration

Color-treated hair can be:
• Brassy color
• Fades quickly
• Straggly, undefined curl
• Hair feels dry & brittle

Relaxed Hair Before:
• Dry & Damaged
• Dull & Drab
• Breakage
• Scalp irritation

This can all be fixed and repaired with the Malibu Makeover

This two-step 100% vegan salon treatment begins with the Crystal Gel Normalizer, a patented packet of pure antioxidant vitamin crystals which naturally and gently lift away malicious mineral deposits and other environmental toxins hiding in your hair, preventing it from performing at its peak. The second step, Miracle Repair Power Protein Builder, is a rice and flax protein-rich reconstructing treatment which infuses protein deep into the hair structure only where damage exists, strengthening strands from within, resulting in a dramatic difference! You’ll be wonderfully wowed with strands at their swingy, shiny best and your hair will be crystal-clear prepared for color or texturizing services.

Transform ho-hum hair to beautiful, radiant, healthy hair with the Malibu MakeOver!

What the High of Hair Shows Means for You

Just coming off the high of hair shows is what inspires Samantha and I. The last 2 weeks were spent traveling, learning and filming as well as working with some of the industry’s best talent.
I am sure all of you are asking what’s in?
First off Hair Studio Artists sees your hair as a composition in which we compose a 3 dimensional piece of artwork on a living canvas.
Imagine adding sheer curtains, drapes and veils to your already beautifully created haircolor and cut.
Highlights and haircolor are evolving to new heights. Think molten haircolor with see through colors, translucent colors oozing together. High contrast and separation are a thing of the past.
Blondes are warmer, amber coppers and reds are favorable and wood browns dominate the spectrum.
Haircolor lives at the bottom not the top. By this we mean that highlights are not spewing from your scalp but rather cascading and feathering down; leaving the hairline natural and the scalp area not so busy. This negative space creates the perfect background to make our creative elements standout. Remember, too many foils is just a single process color done with foil.
You will see the evolution of the Ombre become more subtle and friendly as we melt similar colors on the ends.
Balayage will see a makeover in how it is executed where traditional Balayage will remain for those that can truly appreciate why a foil is not needed.
The top rule of haircolor is that there is no light without darkness. The days of 400 foils are gone unless you’d like your single process color in a foil. (LOL)
For cut and style, bangs are back and they are strong. Extensions are affordable and available as a clip on accessory. Just book a consultation, we’ll order exactly what you need and custom color them for you to match that perfect look when you want to special occasion or party hair.
Curls are back but not with perms but rather some awesome use of our new collection of irons. Waves, open curl, and a simple pin up is all that’s needed to look refreshed and sophisticated as we approach fall.
Cuts are long, sleek and full of multidimensional color; short styles are strong classic and exaggerated.
Hair Studio Artists will be adding a new line of treatments for swimmers, well water, color, and more.
Big News Coming for all of us, stay tuned.

The Fine Art of Hair

Art has been defined as "the use of skill and imagination in the creation of aesthetic objects, environments, or experiences that can be shared with others.”
I have always defined art as the expression of ones’ creativity, thoughts, desires, experiences, hopes and dreams.
Fine art is defined as "a visual art considered to have been created primarily for aesthetic purposes and judged for its beauty and meaningfulness, specifically, painting, sculpture, drawing, watercolor, graphics, and architecture."
Historically, the five greater fine arts were painting, sculpture, architecture, music and poetry, with minor arts including drama and dancing.
Hair, when properly studied and performed is an art. The living canvas is the medium. We see at hair shows the no boundary visions of what people can do with the hairs’ form, shape, color, texture, and length.
To achieve this level of artistry requires years of continued study, discipline, apprenticing and eventually mentoring others as well as becoming involved in shows, photo shoots, seminars, lectures, and certifications.
Statistically very few professional hairdressers undertake such involved continued studies. The vast majority don’t do much past their initial schooling, making their skills as many years out of date as the years since they graduated.
For those that take the fine art path, it is the equivalent of the musician who wakes up and practices his scales every day before practicing his repertoire. The fine artists go to see other artists teach and perform, they attend master class series.
For salon professionals or hair artists, it is the same. We live the fine artist’s lifestyle. We constantly strive to learn, reinvent, and become better in addition to collaborating our creativity with others.
These types of artists will always offer new things and speak passionately about their travels and experiences.
All too often we see hairdressers look at swatches, use the same handed down formulas for color without understanding their basis, and repeat mindlessly and complacently their daily tasks. Where is the passion, desire, inspiration and lust for creativity? This is why so many consumers are unhappy, bored, uninspired about their visit to the salon. This is why the trust has been broken and so many salon hop in search of better only to find tons of the same. Consumers need to visit, call, and ask questions and read blogs and reviews before shelling out top dollar for mediocre work. Salons don’t have to cost a fortune either just to find the right quality. In today’s market even the least experienced salons look like palaces and charge top dollar.
Top chefs don’t have to look up recipes or figure out what the spices will produce, they know. They create and whip up their next best dish.
At our salon, Hair Studio Artists live the fine art lifestyle. We strive to be those musicians and chefs. This is why we are trusted by our guest list to create freely what they know will look best on them.
This is how salons should be. Consumers don’t go to restaurants and tell the chefs how to cook or what to cook. They trust the menu and sit back and relax into scrumptious delight just as our guest sit back, relaxed and excited to see what we will whip up for them and to experience the fruits of our travels.
For us, fabulous hair is your birthright and should be affordable, reachable and forever fashion forward.
Remember, you get what you pay for and if it sounds too good to be true, chances are it is. Art is like life, often imitated. Hair is art also often imitated but for many less often artistically duplicated. Not everyone can reproduce your living canvas masterpiece.

Why Does'nt My Hair Look Like Hers? Making Your Best Image

Why Doesn’t My Hair Look Like Hers? Image Makers

Its’ not just limited to the people we see on TV, in movies and in magazines but all too often in our profession we hear women saying, “why can’t my hair look like hers?’ or Why doesn’t my hair look like hers?”
The answer is simple. You are not that person, just as that person is not you.
When it comes to hair there are variables such as hair texture, density and the natural haircolor you were born with. Add to that the impact on one’s hair due to environment, stress, products, chemicals, haircolor history, blow-drying, flat ironing, genetics and medications. All of these affect the hair in different ways on different people.
And let’s not forget age. Age will change the texture, density, and the color of your hair. A woman’s hair changes several times in her life: Puberty, childbirth, menopause, and any great stress or illness.
Now let’s place in skin tone, and eye color to the mix. These too affect the result of your hair and overall image and look.
Here are some facts:
• Lighter haired people lighten more easily. Their hair simply has less to travel to get that luscious blonde we all see.
• Darker haired people have higher concentrations of red and orange in their hair. This is why they “pull” red tones when coloring or why they seem to brick-wall in what we call “BLORANGE” It is very difficult for a dark haired person to be blonde successfully without causing conditional stress on the hair.
• Finer haired people also lighten faster than coarser haired people.
• Finer haired people with less density will have less volume
• Coarse straight haired people with lots of density will have a harder time holding a curl.
With such a rise in relaxers, straighteners, perms, color, highlights, and keratin treatments we are altering the hairs structure and texture in pursuit of our own ultimate looks.
So rather than say: “What makes one say Why Doesn’t My Hair Look Like Hers?”
Let us make other people say “Why Doesn’t My Hair Look Like Hers?” about your hair.
What makes this possible is having the right professional create your most beautiful, best, fashion forward look.
Hair Studio Artists are professional image makers, image consultants, and color specialists. We are experts in the power to alter the way you see and feel about yourself. We do not just slap color on or arbitrarily cut hair. We use our hands and hearts to transform you in to the best you. We do this by continually being active in the salon industry and living our craft with dedication and passion.

The wrong style can add years to your look.

On many women past 40, long hair that is all one length can drag the face down. Hair thins are we age. Look for a mid-length bob no longer than your collarbone. Make sure it has some long layers hitting that jawline; give it texture and strong color with some subtle highlights to accent the lines of the cut.

To open up your face and highlight your cheeks bones look for a cut that is short in length but with longer top layers that you can tuck behind your ear. This will give a softer look with swing which is key to a more youthful look. Stay away from too short, too cropped; it’ll make you look dated and enhance the lines and sagging skin. Your stylist needs to produce soft lines not sharped barbered edges. Sweeping color or balayage works great to outline those top layers for your haircolor.

Go for bangs, not Botox. Bangs had youth, hide finer lines on your forehead and paly up your eyes and draw attention to your cheeks bones. It gives and old look a new look. Go for the point cut bangs just below the brow to create texture. Avoid heavy straight bangs.

If your color is too dark you’ll look pale, if it’s too light you’ll look washed out.
Color Rules: Brunettes should lighten no more than 1 shade. If you’re a blonde you should darken 1 shade. Golden highlights bring youthful complexions to your face. Brunettes should be more caramel and blondes look great golden. When it comes to highlighting, less is more. Full head highlighting can make you look older and dramatic colors and contrast will clash with your skin. Despite regrowth gray haired people look better staying darker or going their natural level. IF you wish to go lighter consider shadow lights to add dimension.