This isn't what I asked for

As a stylist, I would say that it is my goal to have every one of my clients walk out the door with this expression on their face.  

We all want to be happy with our hair, right?  Unfortunately, I have heard way too many stories to know that everyone is not always pleased.  A few days ago I received this picture from my sister-in-law with the caption "I need help on how to talk to hairstylists."

Obviously, Georgia is not happy with her new haircut.  While it is very cute, it is not what she asked for.  

So, I thought I would give you a few ideas on how to get what you want the next time you are in the chair at the salon.

1. Talk.  Don't let them pick up the scissors until you are comfortable.

2. Tell your stylist what you DON'T want.

3. Bring in pictures.  Your idea of a bob (or other style) might be much different than theirs.

4. Never say "Just do whatever you feel like." You don't really mean that.

5. Explain your daily routine so your stylist knows what you are willing to do and ask what it will take to style your new look.

A good stylist should prompt you on all of the above things.  But, if not, don't be afraid to speak up before and during the appointment.  We stylists take pride in our work, you are our walking advertisements.  We want you to walk out the door happy and to keep coming back!

Gluten Free

I recently discovered that they make gluten free shampoo and conditioner!  

For those who have Celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, this may be something you want to try.  Just a small amount of wheat in a product could cause irritation or an unhealthy scalp if you react to wheat in a negative way.  

Many ingredients in hair products can contain wheat but they don't necessarily say it directly.  Here are a few nicely hidden ones:

Triticum vulgare (wheat)

Hordeum vulgare (barley)

Secale cereale (rye)

Avena sativa (oats)

Stearyl dimonium hydroxypropy (hydrolyzed wheat protein)

Laurdimonium hydroxypropyl (hydrolyzed wheat protein)

Vitamin E (frequently derived from wheat)
Malt extract (usually barley)
Beta glucan (frequently derived from wheat)
Vegetable protein (may contain wheat, barley, rye, and/or oats)

Of course, these things are not in every product, nor are they the only things that could contain gluten.  Be sure to check the ingredient list carefully and get to know what you are using on your hair and body.  Luckily, when something is gluten free, they want you to know it and it will most likely be advertised as such.  

We just started carrying Loma shampoo and conditioner, which is gluten free, at the Beach House Salon.  

Loma is new in our salon but not new to the hair world.  Check out this article about it on the Livestrong website from back in 2010.  

Loma is produced in Monroe, WA and I am so happy to have a local product at the salon.  It is inexpensive, works great, smells lovely and there are a few kinds to choose from.  Stop by soon and get some for yourself!

New product!

Do you have fine hair and want more volume?  I have a new product for you.  AVEDA came out with Pure Abundance Style Prep in July.  The first day I used this, I got multiple compliments on my hair!

Spray the style-prep in damp hair and then blow dry for weightless volume all day long.  It will also help to detangle.

This product is great for day 2 hair as well.  On dry hair, spray a few pumps at the roots and then blow dry.  It will help reduce the look of oil and will re-up the volume, kind of like dry shampoo.  

The style-prep is getting great reviews everywhere, try it today!

Back to school!

The end of August represents many things to us all.

1. School starts soon.

2. You probably have a wedding to go to over Labor Day weekend.

3. I should get back on schedule with this blog!

Two of these things mean that you need your hair done.

Schedule your appointment today!

Round brush warning!!

It has recently come to my attention that in hopes of duplicating a certain hairstyle, round brushes have been getting stuck in people's hair.  I am very sorry if this info is a little late for the unfortunate people who currently have a round brush stuck in their hair. 

When paired with a blow dryer, a round brush can act like a hot roller and give your hair volume and a little bit of curl.  Here is what one might look like when in the hair correctly.

Often, hair can get caught in the brush that is not supposed to be there.  It most likely will look like this.  Notice how the hair that is caught is underneath the brush? 

Slightly unroll the brush and use your other hand to help untangle the hair that is caught.  DO NOT tug or pull to the side, it will just get more tangled.

Remember, you rolled the brush up to the scalp.  To fix, retrace your steps and unroll.  It sometimes help to lift the brush upwards.

Keep unrolling while lightly pulling the hair underneath until the brush is free.

To lower your chances of having this problem, try pinning all the hair you do not want in the brush completely out of the way.  

I sincerely hope that this is something you will not need to know, but... here it is, just in case.  You do not want to end up like a friend of mine who had to cut one out of her hair!

Easy curling trick

There is an easy and fast way to curl your hair using the tools you have or a little thing called a curling wand.  If you don't have a curling wand, use your regular iron but don't open 

   the clamp.

Wrap strands of hair around the iron, leaving the ends somewhat straight.  Be careful of burning your fingers!  The bigger the section of hair, the looser the curl will be.  You can curl just the ends like this or wrap it all the way up to the root for extra curl.  

The end result can look something like this.

This technique is faster than regular curling.  It works best on long hair but can be done on shorter lengths too.  Try this for any weddings you are attending this summer!

Wedding Season!

Everyone wants to look good at a wedding, right?  Getting your hair done is not just for the bride.  However, you don't want to upstage the bride with a fancy updo.

For the GUEST:  Something simple is best.  You can practice your wave technique and then pull a few pieces back. (See my post on how to do beach waves.)

          

Half-up is also a good option, curly or straight.

For the BRIDESMAID:  You should be a little bit fancy, but find out what the bride is doing so you don't do the same thing. 

For the BRIDE:  Do whatever you like!  In my experience, most brides wear their hair up.  This keeps it out of your face and you will be less likely to have to mess with it.  

It always helps to bring a picture in with you to the salon so your stylist can see what you have in mind. And remember, if you are the bride, book at trial run before the big day! 

Happy First Day of Summer!

Now that it is summer (yay!), let's talk about how to protect your hair in the sunshine.  Just like your skin, it is important to protect your hair against sun damage, especially if you color it.  Here are 4 different products to try this summer. 

AVEDA's Sun Protection Hair Veil is a water resistant UV spray.  It helps protect the hair from sun exposure for up to 16 hours and minimizes color fading.  This is perfect for a day at the beach, lake or pool.

There is a new product from AVEDA that also has UV protection in it. The Daily Color Protect is great to use if you have color treated hair.  It helps to seal the color in, provides long-lasting shine and it also protects against UVA and UVB rays.  This is good to use on any texture of hair.  

If you have curly hair, try the Motion Lotion from KEVIN MURPHY.  Not only does it do wonders for defining curly hair but it has UV protection too!

The Body Builder by KEVIN MURPHY contains sunscreen and UV filters.  This mousse is great for fine or damaged hair.  It will give you weightless volume and shiny hair while you play in the sun.

But really, wearing a hat is the best way to protect your hair while outside.  I personally like this floppy one from Gymboree.

Have a happy summer full of beautiful healthy hair!