It's that time of year again! Time for bonfires, pumpkins, corn-mazes, and hayrides! The leaves are changing to beautiful burnt oranges, and deep reds. The hot, sunny days of summer are behind us for the year, and your sunny summer haircolor could most likely be needing a bit of help with moving you into the cooler seasons. Lucky you! I have been doing my research and have compiled a list of color ideas that are trending this Fall 2013.
The usual rule for Fall is to go a bit deeper with your color. This doesn't HAVE to mean darker. It does mean using richer tones and adding more depth. Going a bit warmer with your tone is always a great way to freshen up for Autumn. Here are some ideas......
Dark Brown Hair - Add lowlights (just a shade or two darker than the base color) to enhance shine and add depth. Choosing a cool color for the lowlights can also be a good choice this time of year, to compliment your sun/chlorine lightened summer locks.
Brown Hair- The "ombre" fad is sticking around for Fall
this year! It's transitioning into a much softer, more refined look than
it's summer counterpart. For brown hair, choose a warmer chocolate brown for the base, and complete with balayage highlights a shade or two lighter. The name of the game here is subtlety.
Red Heads! - It's a fairly common trend to go red for fall, as we like to reflect the beautiful leaves. And with the sun shining less often, it's easy to shine with red hued hair! This year let's take those reds to the cool side. This is a beautiful "cola" red-brown color. Gorgeous!
(With this color as your base you have many options for adding some flare. You could put in some subtle copper highlights to compliment the cool red tone. OR you could go the other direction and cool it down more by adding some darker, also cool toned lowlights.)
Blondes - Blondes can also benefit from the color transition to Fall. They tend to go very light during the warmer months. Add in the lightening effects of the sunshine and chlorine from swimming, that can end up being very light and nearly one solid color on the ends. Change this lack of depth by adding in lowlights one-two shades daker. This will break up some of the ultra-light blonde and add both shine and dimension. In this photo the root would be taken 1-2 levels darker and blended down in a sort of reverse ombre, with some subtle balayage highlights added in to the top to blend. BEAUTIFUL!
For Those More Bold- I have been seeing a lot of talk of Plums/Violets this Fall. I'm a huge fan of stepping outside of the box, and this is a fun way for those who have been rocking the summer brights and pastels to transition into the cool seasons with the rest of us, (without looking like the rest of us!)
So we can see that the Ombre and Balayage trends aren't going anywhere, but have been softened a bit for the season. Warm tones are also the way to go this autumn. And subtle highlights/lowlights are in, hard lines are out. If you have any questions feel free to leave them in the comments section.
“No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seen in one autumnal face.”
With Halloween fast approaching, I thought I would compile some fun costume ideas! And of course, I couldn't choose ones with BORING hair, now could I?! Scroll and enjoy!
<------ Geisha type costume. Look at that hair! How fun is that?!
Everyone loves that Classic Flapper Girl with her finger waves! -------------->
1960's Pop-star. Volume abound!
Tribal head wear? YES PLEASE!
Yet another interesting tribal get-up. I love everything about this.
Hindu Goddess, with hair (and arms) a-plenty!
Marie Antoinette.
The forever lovely Bride of Frankenstein.
I'm not sure WHAT this is, but I like it!! Some kind of bird maybe?
Not a huge Gaga fan, but her bow-hair rocks!
I think using this hairstyle for a Lioness costume would be an amazing idea, if done right. (Her makeup could use some help too.) But you get the idea, right?
I thought this would work well for a Post-Apocalyptic, Mad Max type costume........
Nothing fantastic about her hair here, but the whole costume concept is awesome! There are so many options for mermaid hair, I wish they would have done it up a bit more. Still, it's an amazing idea!
We can't forget the ever popular Vintage Pin-up Costumes! Probably the sexiest, most classy costumes around. These costumes cannot be pulled off unless you have the hair to match!
As weird as this is, I thought the hair would be a fun addition to any Unicorn Costume!
May you all have a safe and enjoyable Halloween this year!!!
I have mentioned before that often I have to remind myself that many of the things I know are not always common knowledge to those who aren't licensed Cosmetologists. This is absolutely due to the fact that I hardly remember a time when this information wasn't relevant to my life. Because you see, I was born a hairdresser! (Not really but it sounds good. ;) )
In the beginning......
My interest in becoming a hairstylist stems from a visit the Columbiana County JVS Cosmetology Students paid my kindergarten glass. They all looked so pretty! They came in and braided some of the girls hair, all smiles! At that point I hadn't realized there were people who were designated as the ones who cut hair! Up until then, my only hairstylist was my mother, and she wasn't very skilled. (Quite the opposite! SORRY MOM!) The Cosmetology students came back every year of my time in elementary school, and every year my interest grew! I knew what I would be when I grew up, and I knew how I was going to achieve this goal. I was going to get licensed right out of high school by going to the JVS!
By the fourth grade I decided I did not want any more of my mother's haircuts. I cut my hair short, MYSELF. I was 10 years old. I'm sure it looked horrid, but to me it was far superior to my mother's cuts. My mom didn't seem upset so I must not have done too bad of a job. (Please never try that at home!) Around this time I also realized the power that hair had! You could change who you are if you changed your hair. And hair product was there to help!
In the middle.....
At age 12 I started messing around with that ever-awful, Sun-in. I have very dark hair naturally (nearly black.) Using Sun-in just made me orange, but I was happy. I was doing what I longed to do, and that was anything that involved changing my hair! Soon after that my mother became more comfortable with me using permanent color on my hair, and I have been changing my hair color ever since.
To make a long story short, I started to practice my cutting skills on my kid sister, 9 years younger than myself so luckily she is too young to remember the horrors of some of my very first haircuts. I continued cutting my hair myself, on occasion having to go to a salon to fix the mess I had made when I got myself in too deep. Then the time had finally come! I was 16, and finally a junior in high school. This is when I became a student of Cosmetology!
Since 2003 I have been immersed in all things hair. I passed my State Board of Cosmetology Exam on my first try in 2005. I was 18 years old....... I have been a Licensed Cosmetologist my entire adult life. I'm now 26 years old. People often look at me and think that I must not have much experience for how young I look. 10 years experience is quite an accomplishment in my opinion. :) It's all I've ever known, and it's what I am driven to do every day!
To be continued.....
Hello Friends! I hope everyone has had a fantastic weekend! So, I've been meaning to compile a list of some of my favorite hair products and tools. Today is as good a day as any! Here we go.....!
I am LOVING the Vivids color line by Pravana. These colors are super vibrant and seem to stay in better than any other line of "fashion" colors I have used in the past. (They also have a line of pastels that I have yet to try, but I look forward to using.)
Big Sexy Hair's Root Pump Plus is my all-time favorite root lifting foam. Use on towel dried hair by spraying on root in the areas you would like more volume, blowdry. It really grits up your root to give your style better hold and more body.
Another winner from Sexy Hair is Big Sexy Hair's Spray and Play Harder. This firm hold spray has a great hold! (I use it on all my updos, and daily at home!) It's fairly light weight, meaning it won't make your hair flat or weigh it down. It's not labeled as a "Freezing Spray" but I would say it is up there in hold with them. It's scent is not floral or too acidic smelling.
Thicken Up Styling Liquid by Paul Mitchell is my go-to thickening agent. Super light weight, great smell, and NOT STICKY, this product is amazing. Use on damp hair, applying with you hands near the root, working down towards the ends. Blowdry and enjoy!
Yet another from Sexy Hair. Big Sexy Hair Powder Play will give you the most volume and texture you could ever need! This stuff is good! If you have a big night out or really need your style to have volume and hold, sprinkle this powder on dry hair, (carefully, it comes out fast) on your root in the areas you need a boost. Tease for extra volume! It grits your hair like no other and really helps to hold the tease! A word of advice... Don't use everyday as it may dry your hair out. You may also have to shampoo the next day as this stuff is STRONG.
As you can tell I am a big fan of the Sexy Hair line. I also love Paul Mitchell. I currently use mostly Paul Mitchell color, aside from my new found love for Vivids. Most of my tools are by Paul Mitchell. I love my Express Ion Dry v.1 Dryer. It has a nice weight to it. Not too heavy but not so light that it feels like a toy.
Being as I'm a hairstylist, my lust for knowledge and cutting edge tools and products tends to make me fall in love with something one month, then like something completely different the next! Don't be surprised if I write about some new "Favorite Things" in a couple months. But other than the Vivids, I have been using everything on this page fairly religiously for years. I don't see my love for these products changing anytime in the near future, but you never know!
"I try to keep an open mind, but not so open that my brains fall out."
Let's keep the message short and sweet. It is so so SO important to develop a good relationship with your hairstylist. And by this I don't necessarily mean you have the become best friends and spend time together outside of the salon. I DO mean that you must get to know one another. Probably a little more than you know the cashier at the grocery store you frequent. Here are a few pointers....
1) Communication: You must be able to talk comfortably with your stylist. This doesn't mean you have to tell her every juicy (or not so juicy) detail of you love life. This just means you need to feel comfortable enough to tell her what you like and what you dislike about your hair. If the two of you can't communicate honestly as a pair, you will never get what you want. So it wouldn't make a difference if you went to someone different every time you got a service done. (I don't recommend seeing someone different every time. How will they ever really get to know your hair if you only see them once?) This leads us to.....
2) Repetition: When you see the same hairstylist consistently, it helps them not only develop a better relationship with you, but also with your hair. The way your hair lays. The way your reacts to color. They can help you work out any problems you may be having with your cut, or with your styling procedure at home. They'll get to know your lifestyle, how much time you are willing to spend on your hair, and what trending styles would be appropriate for you career.
3) Confidence: Confidence in yourself AND your stylist is highly important. You need to feel confidant enough to really say what you want. (This doesn't mean you have to be rude.) You must also have enough confidence in your stylist to believe her when she tells you something won't work out for your hair. She is the professional! She has the current state and future health of you hair in mind.
To sum it up, Try you best to communicate with confidence what your wants and needs are EVERY time you visit you hairstylist. You're hair and your stylist will thank you!
Box Color, or Boxed Hair Color, is hair color that anyone can purchase. It is NON professional color that can be bought from numerous places. Some of these places being the drugstore, supermarket, dollar store, and gas station. I've even seen them being sold at flea markets! YIKES!
We've all used it. Even I'm guilty of using it before my days of being a licensed Cosmetologist. And no, I do not get mad when my clients decide to give it a try on their own. (Usually it doesn't work out so well for them though.) Some people use it on their roots between appointments. I understand money is tight for most people right now. But don't try to fool your stylist. SHE KNOWS when you have strayed. ;)
A few words of advice on using box color.
1) Many box colors are not compatible with professional hair color and can give us unpredictable results when lifting. (I once saw someone's hair turn GREEN and get really hot! Not my client thankfully!) This is due to the fact that some of these box colors are made with Metallic or Vegetable dyes. (NOT what professional color is made of.) This can have an adverse reaction when used with other types of hair color. Always be honest with your stylist if you have recently or with-in that past year (depending on the length of your hair) used box color.
2) Box color is "One Size Fits All" color. By this I mean it is formulated one way, so the color on the front of the box isn't necessarily what you are going to get. This is especially true if you have very dark, or grey hair. When you get your color done by a professional, you are getting CUSTOM COLOR that is formulated just for you. You stylist will take into consideration many things including but not limited to; natural level, amount of grey, desired level/tone, hair porosity, previous chemical services, etc. Your box is not going to do this for you.
3) This is the number one rule of hair coloring, Color Will Not Lift Color! Meaning, if you colored your hair chocolate brown 4 months ago and decide to pick up a box of blonde color today, you will get blonde (more likely orange/yellow) roots and the mid-shaft to ends where the chocolate was will most likely be a deep red-ish color. COLOR WON'T LIFT COLOR. Please don't try it!
4) For this reason if you MUST use box color, do try to stay within 2 levels of your natural color. This will make the least trouble for yourself and your stylist, not to mention it will look the most natural with your skin tone.
~Your best bet will always ALWAYS ALWAYS be to visit your
Hairstylist for color services.~
