Adventures In Blonding Part Deux

For those of you just joining us, this is a follow-up of Adventures In Blonding, so take a gander at that first, so you're not lost.

...And the journey continues! So Stephanie tackled the beast again.

It has been six weeks since our first adventure together and this time we got my hair even blonder! And I'm so in love!

This time around, we had to fight against every blonde's arch nemesis, Roots! So we started there, since that hair is the darkest and needs the most time to process. We applied lightener all over my regrowth area (AKA Roots) first.

Photos: Lightener on regrowth (roots); Lightener all over

Then we pulled a more gentle lightener through the rest of my hair to get it even lighter. 

And then we waited, and waited...

And waited.

Finally, we rinse!

Photos: Hair after rinsing; Hair with toner on

Again, we have some not-so-lovely highlighter yellow hair. For that, we call in every blonde's handy-dandy sidekick, Toner! Remember him? Toner is what neutralizes unwanted tones using complementary colors on the color wheel. It is also something that is custom to each person. So remember kids, don't try this at home! You could easily turn your hair green! EW!

Photos: After! All work done by Stephanie Pion!

After styling and a much needed trim, Voila! Its gorgeous!

Photo: Olaplex!

This whole process would not have been possible without Olaplex. Olaplex is a bond multiplier used to prevent damage or breakage caused by lighteners. It is an added on service that take almost no extra time and is a complete life saver!

Photos: The whole enchilada!

Thanks again Stephanie!

Want To See More?

For Adventures In Blonding Part One

For my Beachy Wave Tutorial

For Confessions Of A Hairstylist's Bad Day

Transformation Tuesday

I love extensions! They are so much fun and instant gratification! No more waiting 5 years for your hair to grow back because you can have it now! This lovely lady has tried a couple different types of extensions over the past few months: Tape-Ins and Keratin Bond (Hot Fusion).

For more information about different kinds of extensions. Take a look at my post Hair Extensions 101.

Before & After Keratin Bond Extensions (Hot Fusion)

Left: Tape Extension; Right: Keratin Extensions

Which one do you like better on her? Tape or Keratin?

Transformation Tuesday

A little back story behind this transformation. This particular client was sent to me from another client. She had her hair done in Vegas on Thanksgiving vacation and it wasn't anything close to what she had shown him. Luckily, that stylist did most of the hard work for me by getting her dark hair lighter. Needless to say, she was extremely happy that she finally had the hair she had dreamed of before going back to school from her holiday break.

This was the inspiration for the color.

Before & After

Balayage Going Darker

More before and after pictures here.

Thanksgiving Transformations

The holidays are upon us! With the cold weather and it getting darker outside, it may be time for a change. Lets step out of our comfort zones, a little, and spice it up for this holiday season!

Full Transformation Progression

Bleach and Tone (Using Olaplex)

Bleach and Tone (Using Olaplex)

Balayage Going Darker

Balayage Going Darker

Balayage and Cut

Balayage and Cut (with Dark Purple Streaks)

Just A Fun Side Braid

Hair Extensions 101

Extensions, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways.

Hair extensions were one of my first introductions to the hair industry, so I have been working with them even before my stylist career began. Over the years I have learned that there are so many uses for hair extensions: to add length, fullness, a splash of color or for people whose hair won't grow past a certain point, for those who just have super fine hair and need more body, or sometimes we make a split decision to chop off all our hair and then decide we hate it! There are a thousand reasons to have extensions, but there are also many options on what type of extension to get. The possibilities are seemingly endless. Here is a guide I have created to help direct you to your perfect hair extension solution.

Clip-In Extensions

Clip-in’s are an awesome way to introduce yourself to the wonderful world of hair extensions because they simply clip in and out whenever you want them. Whether you wear them out for a special occasion or every day, clip-ins are a great, temporary option to try out extensions. They are the most inexpensive, with no commitment or damage to your hair.

Best For: Everyone, First-Timers, One Time Use, Special Occasions, Minimal Commitment

Pros: 

Use As Needed

Quick And Easy To Take In And Out 

Last For A Long Time

Inexpensive

Cons: 

Install Yourself (this can also be a pro)
Not Permanent 

Micro-Links/ I-Tip/ Cold Fusion 

Micro-links are attached to a small amount of hair using compression with a small cylinder and extension. These are great because they are easy to move up when your extensions start growing out.

Best For: Everyone

Pros: 

Easy To Move Up

Reuse Hair

Cons: 

Long Installation

Moderate Damage

Keratin Bonds/ U-Tip/ Fusion

Keratin bonded extensions are very similar to Micro-Links except they are attached by a heated keratin bond. They are great for someone who doesn't want their hair redone often. The downside, they can cause quite a bit of damage to your natural hair.

Best For: Thick Hair, Coarse Hair

Pros: 

Long Wear

Reuse Hair

Cons: 

Maximum Damage

Long Install

Long Removal

Single Sided Tape-Ins

This newer method of extension is very simple and natural. The extension is attached using a 1"-1.5" wide weft with tape on one side.

Best For: Fine Hair

Pros: 

Reuse Hair

Quick Install

Quick Removal

Minimum Damage

Cons: 

Need To Be Redone Every 6-8 Weeks

Double Sided Tape-Ins

Double sided tape-ins are very similar to the single sided method. The wefts are wider coming in at 3". The biggest difference is that there is hair covering both sides of the tape making them virtually undetectable. 

Best For: Fine Hair

Pros: 

Can't Feel Bonds

Can't See Bonds

Quick Install

Quick Removal

Minimum Damage

Cons:

Only Stay In For 2-3 Months

Can't Reuse Hair

For all you visual people out there. Note: "Annual Cost" does not always directly correlate with what is most cost effective. Prices will also vary depending on your location and stylist.

Last, but not least, here are a few things to consider:

You need to buy high quality hair if you want your extensions to last a long time.

Never buy synthetic hair!

Buy 100% human hair.

Buy "Remy Hair" whenever possible.

Consider how much you are going to tip when looking at pricing.

Factor in that you are probably going to need to buy new products to take care and protect your hair extensions.

How To Find A Hairstylist

For most people, finding the right hairstylist can be more challenging than it ought to be. How are you going to find that stylist that not only has the skills and talent to make a masterpiece of your mane, but also a stylist that just seems to get you? You require someone who understands what you need and want, even if you don’t. It might be optimistic to find the perfect stylist complete with magic hair taming powers, but here are some tips and tools to finding a great stylist none the less.

How I Feel About Yelp

I hate to start off with a negative, but I want to get this first one out of the way. Yelp can definitely help in finding out some pros and cons about certain businesses, but there are some reasons why I would refrain from using Yelp. One reason is, it might help you find a great salon, but it might not help you find a stylist. Secondly, Yelp screens their reviews. They pick and choose which reviews they want to feature, and some can be years old and irrelevant to their current service. The biggest reason I don’t suggest using Yelp too much, is that most of the time people are reviewing a business is to report something negative, which doesn't necessarily give you an accurate depiction of the business. If you are going to use Yelp, I suggest sorting the "Recommended Reviews" by date and also checking out the reviews not recommended at the bottom of the page.

Ask Someone

The absolute best way to find a good stylist is by a referral. Whether it's from someone you know or just from asking a stranger in the grocery store, find someone whose hair you admire and just ask them who makes their hair so magical. A plus to this strategy is that you will probably make someone’s day and maybe even a new best friend.

But what if you're new to town or too shy to ask?

StyleSeat

There is a lovely little website called StyleSeat.com that some stylists use for a variety of reasons. One of them being, to find new clients. Granted, not every stylist is using this website, however, there are tons of great stylists on this site waiting to be discovered by you. My suggestion is to go on the site, search for your city or area and check out the stylists with great recommendations and call. They might not have a ton of availability, but that means they're probably good if they're busy.

6 Hair Washing Tips to Healthier Hair

Ever have the problem where you run out of conditioner, but still have half of a bottle of shampoo left? Or are the ends of your hair super dry, even though you're using the most hydrating (and probably expensive) conditioner out there? Well folks, the answer might be as simple as; you're not washing your hair the right way. 

Here are six things you can do in the shower to increase the longevity and power of your shampoo and conditioner. 

1. Water, Water, Water

When you are shampooing your lustrous locks, you need to have your hair completely saturated. If it isn't lathering well, dunk your head under the water real quick before you add more shampoo. This goes especially for professional shampoos because they are more concentrated compared to your drugstore brands. 

2. Shampoo Only Your Scalp

Your scalp is where most of your natural oils are built up and the only area of your hair that needs to be cleaned on a regular basis. Unless your ends are actually dirty or have product build up, for whatever reason, then don't actually shampoo them on a regular basis. You don't want to dry them out!

3. Wring Out Your Hair Before Applying Conditioner (Or Towel Dry It If You're Really Hardcore)

Unlike water-loving shampoo, you get better results from conditioner if you remove excess water before applying it. You can use way less conditioner this way (solving your shampoo to conditioner ratio issues) and your conditioner can actually penetrate into your hair instead of running down the drain.

4. Concentrate Your Conditioner On Your Ends

The hair closest to your scalp gets the pleasure of receiving its moisture from your natural oils and doesn't need conditioner on a regular basis (or at all). Meanwhile, the mid-shaft and ends of your hair are the oldest, and therefore, the driest and in desperate need of some TLC in the form of conditioner. Also, your hair will be less oily at the end of the day if you don’t put conditioner on your roots. 

5. Leave Your Conditioner In Longer

If you want your conditioner to work its magic, then you have to give it a little time.

Hint: If you start your shower routine with washing your hair, then it gives you plenty of time to do your other rituals (shaving, brushing your teeth, washing your body, etc.) while letting your conditioner sit.

6. Rinse Your Conditioner Out With Cool Water

Easier said than done, I know, but this closes down the cuticle (outer layer of hair) creating less frizz, more shine, and healthier hair.

I hope this has been informative, but most of all, I hope your hair looks amazing!

Leave a comment, let me know what you think and ask me some hair questions.