'Tis The Season!!!

Tis the Season for Holiday Hairstyles!
The Holiday Season is here! Storefronts and window displays reflect the festive fashions and wish list items for fashionistas of all ages. From chic hats and scarves all the way down to the trendiest footwear that keeps those piggies warm and dry and uber in-style!
The party planning and family get-togethers are in full force. Dinners are prepared, decorations are put in place, the lighting is just right. We plan every detail of our wardrobe for each event, taking care to not sport the same style more than once. I know from experience that my favorite little black dress gets a work out from November through February! The nail color changes to match the accessories of choice, we switch up the shoes to add a little extra flavor. Jewelry and handbags are carefully chosen, and of course the make-up color palette plays a game of switch up as well! Our creativity is definitely put to good use through the Holiday season!
You may be a creative genius, much like myself, or you may require a bit of professional guidance to help you survive the next few months. No matter what level of artistry you claim to possess, the following tips for perfecting that holiday hairstyle to match your wardrobe of choice , will prove to add some extra sparkle and shine to any event!
　

A spin on our everyday style kicks up our diva credibility a notch or two. How do you do it? Start with a Volumizing Shampoo and Conditioner. They help to add a little extra longevity to the style so that it doesn’t fall flat in a few short hours! Before breaking out the Blow Dryer, run a styling product through the hair to give it better manageability, shine and overall performance. I love Sebastian’s Potion no. 9! Volumizing Foams are another great choice. After you work the product through your hair, pick up your blow dryer and get to work. Begin by using your hands! Dry your hair about 80%, aiming the nozzle of the dryer downward toward the floor. This technique helps to make sure that you smooth the hair strands and eliminate the possibility of frizz! The next step is to clip up some of your hair, use the top of your ears as a guide. Dry the hair below that first. Use a larger round brush, and brush the hair from the underside while the dryer dries the hair on the top side of each section. If it seems like too much to handle, clip some more out of the way until you have just enough control over the section you are working with! Make sure the entire section is completely dried before moving on to the next section! Try using the cold shot button to lock in the shine and smoothness you just created! Move on to the top section. Use your brush to pull the hair straight up toward the ceiling and continue to direct the air from the scalp to the ends of the hair. Continue to do this until all hair is 100% dry. Finally, add texture by wrapping your locks around a ¾ inch to 1 and 11/2 inch curling iron, or use various sized hot rollers, depending on the length of your hair, to add a comb-able texture with movement and tempo. Utilize a flat iron to smooth and shine if a sleek look is what you prefer. For instant shine and slip, work a small amount of a silicone based product through the ends. I always turn to Paul Mitchell’s Super Skinny Serum. Use the product sparingly and stay away from the hair closest to your scalp! A little sure goes a long way, and you could always add more! Accessorize with a glitter spray, long chandelier earrings or a sparkley head piece. And finally spray with a super fine aerosol spray in light layers, give TIGI‘s Catwalk Session Series Finishing Spray a try! Keep in mind that a less than perfect style will hold up much better than a style that is glued into place! If a professionally placed coif is what you prefer, there are a few things you should keep in mind before stopping by a salon. First, ask around. Your friends or family members may be able to recommend a stylist that has created party hair for them that looked great and lasted the whole night! So seek out referrals, not every stylist specializes in event hairstyling! Next, make an appointment! There is nothing more frustrating than hoping to walk into a salon and be taken care of right away, only to find out there is a wait of at least an hour. Schedule your appointment to allow for enough time to get home, get dressed and enjoy the process! Dressing up and getting ready is the best part of any party! Don’t cut yourself short! When you get to your salon appointment, it’s smart to have a photo of the dress or outfit you will wear, so that your stylist could help to choose a style that will work best, and believe me when I tell you not every hairstyle goes with every outfit! So take the professional recommendation, even if you had your heart set on something different. For slimming attire that is form fitting a hairstyle that is sleek or streamlined to reflect the image that the wardrobe portrays will work very nicely. Whereas a big fluffy dress that is paired with a ballerina bun may very well give the appearance of a pin-head and that may not be the style you wish to achieve . Bottom line, communicate the look you are going for with your stylist and be open to their recommendations! Take a look at some hair and wardrobe pairs that just scream DECK THE HALLS!!!
　
　
　
　
After the outfit is planned, the hair, nails and make-up are done, all the finishing touches are applied and the party begins, relax and have a great Holiday! Just remember, it’s all about the hair!
　
~Celina

The Truth Behind The Bottle

Store vs. Salon Brand Hair Care Products - The Truth Behind the Bottle

As a consumer you may wonder what’s so special about all the shampoos, conditioners, lotions, potions and sprays at your local beauty salon since they can be found on the shelves of the grocery store you visit every weekend, right next to store brand products that are much less in cost, and claim to achieve the very same results.
Even a stylist might not realize that the professional products they use and recommend have much more value than the microscopic portion of commission they gain when consumers purchase them!
There’s so many options! And options are good right? Well, sometimes that‘s true! But, options could be dangerous!
So what’s the big difference? The feature or benefit that claims to makes one product better than another? Not really. The price? Maybe. The exotic ingredients? Probably not. The percentage of the cost that goes to a Charity? Possibly. You might say that the most important thing about a Hair Care Product is the way it makes your hair feel, look or smell. All of those reasons are important to both clients and stylists alike!
It might surprise you to know that the main difference between store brand over-the-counter products and the Professional Products sold exclusively in Licensed Beauty Salons is that the education and recommendation that comes with the Professional Product Purchase is customized and created specifically for each individual guest. A Salon Professional specializes in many different hair types, textures, lengths and characteristics of hair. Their experience with hair and how all the different types behave, combined with the extensive variety of products they are able to use on a daily basis, gives them the information they need to make the best product choice to achieve the result the client desires. That recommendation is nothing less than an Rx for Hair Fabulousity! Without that recommendation how would you know which shampoo would make that color you just spent good money on, stay as vibrant on day 30 as it was day 1? How could you choose between the product that adds shine with nourishing oils or silicones?
There’s immense amounts of information available in magazines, books and on the internet. There are lists of “favorite products” detailing what’s being used by Celebrities and Celebrity Stylists. Yet that personal, exclusive recommendation for what will work best for YOU, is not there.
There’s one more thing, as though you needed any other reason! The longevity. A 10.1 oz bottle of professional shampoo will likely last twice as long as a store brand. The reason is the quality and concentration of key ingredients is much higher, hence the difference in price. The saying “You get what you pay for” holds true!
It’s probably true that you would rather spend less money on a product that doesn’t work, than a lot of money on a similar product, that also doesn’t work. And I would agree to the very same thing. So instead of wasting another hard earned dollar on a product that will end up in a basket under your bathroom sink, visit your hair salon and ask your stylist for a recommendation. Professional Salons and Stylists will back their services and products with a satisfaction guarantee. Chances are you will fall in love with your hair and have no buyers remorse! You’ll wonder why you hadn’t talked to your stylist sooner, or listened to their recommendations earlier. You will love the way your hair behaves and your self esteem and confidence will soar! Just for about $5 more! Now that’s what I call value!