Monday 15 October 2012

Thursday 27 September 2012

Tip of the Day - Consultative Selling

As stylists work with certain brands and products, it is a big part of the job to also consult - recommend - and sell products to clients.

Remember: Nobody likes a salesman.  Be a consultative seller, listening is key. 

You want to provide solutions for your clients needs.  You want to recommend the right products to the right clients.  Your not just selling a product, you are in fact promoting your own professional advice as well as promoting the brand.

Learn how to be a Consultative Seller, and you will gain loyal customers who trust your advice time and time again.

Thursday 19 July 2012

Tip of the Day - Say Yes to Serum

Say 'Yes !' to Serum


Any hairstyle can benefit from some added shine. Weither you have a finer hair type, or thicker coarse hair, the use of serum is always recommended.

It is a common misconception that serum can only be used on thicker hair types.  In this day and age, serums are widely available and so, also available for any hair type.  


Serum is not only a shine tool, but it is also a great sealing product.  It can keep your split ends from damaging more by literally 'sealing' the ends.  It is also great to help prevent split ends, by sealing the hair and keeping it protected from the daily effects of your hectic life !

Serum is an all-round good essential product, and I will not ever finish a sleek style without it.  As I mentioned before, you may need professional advice to ensure that you purchase the correct serum for your hair type, but believe me once you have found the perfect serum you will not want to do without !

Here is a list of my favorite Serum's and for which hair type I believe they work best:


  • L'oreal Tecni-Art Serum Liss Control Plus : Coarser, Curly Hair Types
  • L'oreal Tecni-Art Serum Hair Mix Sublime Shine (Factor 1) : Fine to Normal Hair Types
  • Matrix Biolage Smoothing Hair Serum : Normal to Medium Hair Types
  • Tigi S-Factor Dream Drops Serum : Medium to Coarser Hair Types





Sunday 17 June 2012

Product Review : Wella Lifetex Straight Intensive Mask


Product Review : Wella Lifetex Straight Intensive Mask

So If you guys have read my previous Wella Lifetex Colour Shampoo review, you would already know that I normally use Matrix shampoo/conditioner/intensive masks.  As I have not been able to find my usual HHG (Hair Holy Grail) products, I had to opt for Wella instead.  Why Wella ?  Well, they have a Wella trade shop over here in Sliema-Malta and for this reason I decided to give the Wella products a shot.

So I was able to get 2 of these Straight Intensive Masks for the price of one.  They were small sizes of a 150ML but I wanted to give them a try before purchasing the bigger size.
This product is good for frizzy medium-thick hair.  My hair is very frizzy before I straighten it.  I always make sure I use products that are not too heavy for my hair, and as this is a smoothening intensive mask that can be a bit heavy when too much is used, I have to be cautious to make sure I concentrate mostly on the ends when using this.


The packaging, again, is the old Wella Lifetex packaging, because for some reason, in a lot of aspects, Malta seems to be behind a couple of years ;).  So basic packaging, cream with green lettering on the pot.  The scent is quite organic, it is enriched with Jojoba oil, which I think gives it this specific aroma.  Also quite sweet smelling, not unpleasantly strong, but still quite a strong smell to it.

This product is supposed to reduce the frizz by 50% when used frequently. 


THE VERDICT

After my hair was left feeling soft, smoothe and I do admit, when dry - the frizz was less !
I would not go as far as saying it was reduced by 50%, but it was definately more tamable.  Also, there was a noticable shine left on my hair after too.

I was very happy with the result and I will definately repurchase !

I will give this product 4.5 out of 5 stars !  Thumbs up to Wella Lifetex
:)

Product Review : Wella Lifetex Colour Protection Shampoo

 

Product Review : Wella Lifetex Colour Protection Shampoo

For the past 3 years I have been using the same Matrix shampoo, which is definately my favorite brand for shampoo and conditioning products on my hair.  However, here in Malta I have not been able to find my beloved Matrix products anywhere !  So I had to go and find an alternative.

In the town where I am currently living (Sliema) there is a Wella shop.  They sell their products to professionals only which is great in my opinion (as it is a professional brand) and the prices are not too bad either.  I actually went into the shop to buy some tint for a client, when Igot 2 testers of this shampoo for free ! I had never used this on my hair before.  I had used the SP range before when I worked for one of the Regis salons in Edinburgh a couple of years ago, but I know the SP range can be quite heavy on my hair. 

I was very skeptical at first, as I am one of those people who stick to a product they like and never change it (lol), but I had to at least give it a try right ? 

The packaging I think is the old packaging.  I am not sure if they have renewed the Lifetex series just as they did with the SP range, but I do know that the Wella shop had the old SP range products, which indicates that they are a bit behind.  But the packaging was nice, pink in colour.
The scent was quite a flowery creamy smell.  Very sweet, yet it does smell creamy, almost milky. 

This product is supposed to offer up to 58% more colour protection.  Which is great in a hot country with the U.V rays of the sun and the chlorine in the pools, you definately need to purchase products that will effectively protect your hair from those elements.

So my first impressions were good.  Now for the testing part.
So the product is a thick consistency, which is good so that you dont have to use a lot of it. (Out of the 50ML tester bottles, I got about 3 uses out of each small bottle.)  I always shampoo my hair twice to ensure a thorough cleanse, and to really get the product to 'do its thang'.
The shampoo had a good lather, and emulsified very nicely.  After the second shampoo my hair literally felt squeeky clean.


THE VERDICT

I was pleasantly surprised with this product, as I have always thought of the Lifetex series as the cheaper alternative to the SP range.  I never expected it to be this good !

Great smell, great consistency, lovely usage, and it left a great shine on my hair afterwards.

Definately will purchase this product when my testers run out, and I will let you guys know about the exact price over here.  I will obviously get it for a 'trade-price' which will be slightly cheaper than what you would buy it in the salons for I would assume.

I'll give this shampoo 4.5 out of 5 stars !

Friday 15 June 2012

Product Review : LAKME K-Style Hot Iron Spray



Product Review : LAKME K-Style Hot Iron Spray


The most VITAL styling tool needed for any girl (or fashionably sensitive boy ;) ) that uses a lot of heated equipment on their hair, is a heat protection spray.  The heat protection works by being activated when it comes in touch with extremely hot conditions - Which in my case is my 200 degree GHD hair styler.

I use my GHD's very regularly.  Almost daily I must say.  I have to use several products and reconstructurants to ensure that my hair stays in optimal condition. 

The LAKME K-Style Hot Iron Spray was new to me.  My previous hot iron sprays have included :

Matrix Gold Heat - which I found quite heavy.  Better for coarser hair types.

GHD Heat Protect Spray - which they have to suit both fine to normal and normal to coarse hair types.

I have been looking for a professional salon heat protection spray that was both within my price budget of 15 euros, (as I was out of pocket at the end of that month, due to my extravagant make up addiction *oops* ) and that was not too heavy for my fine-medium caucasian hair type.

So I decided to give this one a go.  The price was great, only € 10,40 (which is around £ 8 ) for a 250ML container.  The packaging is very classy, and I love the nozzle which has a small amount of movement when being pushed, so that the product that sprays out is just enough to cover a section of hair without it being overbearing.  Very smart. 
This product also has a Level 3 holding power (out of a rank of 5),  I LOVE that.  I prefer it to have a bit of hold as it will keep my hair tamed more than it would without the slight hold.  The level 3 hold still allows the product to keep the hair flexible.
The smell of the product is not anything special.  Just smells like a hair product, not really any other way to describe the scent of this.

It is best to use this when sprayed directly onto the dry section of hair, although I always prefer to spray some in when wet as well.  I feel that when I comb product through when my hair is wet, it is evened out nicely by the mixture of the product and the water, throughout the midlengths and ends of my hair.  Then I add slightly more when dry too for total protection..


THE VERDICT

After I had used this to straighten my hair, my hair was soft and shiny but not soft to the point where it becomes static. The product has lived up to it's expectations and for the price, I would definately repurchase !

I'll give this product 4.2 out of 5 stars !

Wednesday 13 June 2012

Product Review : LAKME Ultra Clair Shampoo

Product Review : LAKME Ultra Clair Shampoo



I bought this product at a salon at the very reasonable price of around €8,- (which is around £6.50 at the current exchange rate I think ! ). I wasn't specifically searching for a cheap option, but as I had already gone into a couple of salons looking for a violet-toned (yellow/brassy tone fighting) shampoo, I thought I may as well give it a shot.

The reason I purchased a violet shampoo, was to slightly tone down the goldness of my warm medium-light blonde locks. I wanted to see how much a cool toned shampoo would actually do to my hair, before I went down the chemically toning road.

Here in Malta there are quite a few salons using the Italian LAKME brand. I have never used any of their products on myself or any of my clients, but I am always open to trying new product ranges and testing their products on myself are always the best way for me to be able to give advice to others.

So the product is a very dark almost aubergine colour, and it is quite runny for a shampoo. This doesn't necessarily have to be a bad thing, but it will more than likely mean that you will use more of the shampoo and because of that run out of the shampoo faster than what you would with a thicker one. The product smells very nice, fresh and almost fruity. I always shampoo my hair, and the hair of my clients twice, to ensure a thorough cleanse. With the first shampoo, the product was not quite as emulsifying (frothy) as I thought it would be, but with the second it was definately foaming up nicely (Usually a shampoo froths up more when more water ans friction is used, so with the first shampoo, this is usually a lot less than the second, as the hair absorbs more water into the cuticle itself by adding shampoo).

The product was quite messy on my white bathroom tiles, but that is what you have to deal with when using these toning shampoos. It was easy to clean off when rinsing the shower after use.

After drying my hair, I was not quite as impressed as I thought I would have been with a toning shampoo. Especially as I left the first lot of shampoo on for 15 minutes, to really sink into the hair and deposit some tone. I know that these shampoos have to be used repetitively for proper results, but I have had better results on a single use with other products like Paul Mitchells Platinum Blonde Shampoo on clients.



THE VERDICT
Quite a nice product for a regular, reasonably priced salon brand shampoo.

I would not recommend this to my clients who are wanting to keep their blonde clear and cool as I feel that the tone isn't depositing enough.

I would personally not repurchase.

I'll give this shampoo 2.5 out of 5 stars.

Wednesday 6 June 2012

Advanced Tip !

Advanced Tip - How to hold your style


When you have blow dried your hair into the desired style, weither it be big waves, short volume or any other style that needs holding, you need to finish it off with some spray for extra hold and protection against humidity.

A great method to do so, whilst keeping all built in volume is the following :


Use your hairdryer on a slow-medium setting to blow
air into the style - whilst spraying the hairspray into the hair simultaneously ( as I mentioned at the start of this Tip, this is an advanced method which is great to use as a stylist on your clients ! )

Ensure you are not spraying too much at a time. The hairdryer will really separate the hairspray and ensure the hair is coated evenly, whilst also giving that 'model standing in front of a fan photo-shoot look'.

(When trying this method on yourself, ensure you are holding both the hairdryer and the hairspray can at least 30cm away from the head.)

Give it a shot !

Thursday 12 April 2012

Tip of the Day !

Tip of the Day - Choose your colour shade accordingly 





Hair colour is vital in finding your own style. You may want a more sultry feminine look or opt for an edgy appearance. Either way, you want to ensure that it suits you to a T.

The best way to choose the correct colour is to firstly count out the colours that won't suit you. Natural skin tone is a great indication of what tones will flatter...
or not. If you have a very warm rozy skin, you would be better off going with a cooler set of tones throughout your Do.  As seen in the photos below.  Both these girls have a very warm rozy skin and have opted for more of an ash toned blonde.





When you have a very cool or olive skin, you can get away with darker warmer tones. 
As you can see below, SJP and LC both have cool skin with yellow undertones.  This ensures that they can pull off a more golden, warmer shade of blonde.






Eyecolour can be made more prominent by choosing a correct shade as well.

For example, Green eyes can light up when a shade of red is added.  (As you will also notice here, the model has a red-warm hair colour and an olive toned skin with yellow undertones.  Because her skin is not rozy she is able to pull of this dramatic warm look.  The green eyes make for an overall great look.)



Blue eyes will pop out when a very dark base is used, see below. (You will notice Katy Perry has a very cool natural skin colour.  Apart from the roze blush used, the skin is not rozy in colour itself.  This cool natural base ables her to pull off such a dramatic jet black look without it looking unnatural or too heavy in any way.  The blue eyes again make for a dramatic statement and a great individual look.)



You should always go with matching the skin-tone first as the blend between your skin tone and your hair colour will be the most noticable and most impacting aspect of your look.

There are always exeptions to these rules.  Some people have a very neutral skin and some people can just pull off any colour or tone and it would still look great.  These are just guidelines.

 A Professional Stylist can help you make the most out of your colour ;)



Thursday 5 April 2012

2012 Trend Alert !


Trend Alert 2012 - Blondes


Platinum blonde was one of the fashion hair colour trends in the spotlight of 2011.
The trend for the 2012 season is champagne blonde. Last year’s platinum blonde tones are replaced by softer beige blonde and brilliant champagne blonde shades.

Dependent on the natural colour of your hair, much less removal of pigment is required. Of course, for some natural darker hair pre-lightening may still be required but for the natural lighter shades this can be a fabulous change without harming the hair to a great extent.

 
 


Singer Taylor Swift's Beige Blonde Manes
(A warm medium to light-blonde with cool undertones)


Model Jessica Stam's new Champagne Blonde Look
(A cool medium to light-blonde with warm undertones blending through)




This will be one of the trends guaranteed to be sparkeling on both the Catwalk and the Red Carpet this year !

Saturday 31 March 2012

Trends 2012



Trends 2012 straight off the Catwalk !

It's all about the beach waves, the tousled bob, the centre parting and unstructured pin ups !

Find your trend and own it !

x

Tuesday 27 March 2012

Quote of the Day !

Quote of the Day

Life is an endless struggle full of frustrations and challenges, but eventually you find a hair stylist you like ;)

Monday 26 March 2012

Product of the Day !

Product of the Day : Redken Extreme CAT Protein Reconstructing Treatment

For all you Bleach Bunnies out there, this treatment is ideal for over-processed hair.

Sometimes just a regular hydrating leave in conditioner just isn't enough. This protein restructurant will help re-build the hair internally for up to 4 times stronger hair.

It contains Proteins, Ceramide and Lipids that provide internal strength to the hair’s structure, reinforcement of the cuticles, and protective resurfacing of the hair.

This product is specifically designed for hair that has lost its vitality, and with regular usage, it can work wonders !




Extreme CAT Protein Reconstructing Leave-in Spray Treatment



The Complete Redken Extreme Line
Specifically designed to reconstruct the hair from the inside out with proteins, ceramide and lipids



For more information and advice on this product, visit a salon that stock Redken.

Sunday 25 March 2012

Tip of the Day !

Tip of the Day : U.V Protection for your Hair

Do you have any of these problems:

- Dry hair in the summer ?
- Colour Fade due to the sunshine ?

There is a solution.

This Spring/Summer be wise and purchase U.V protection products for your hair.

The U.V protecting ingredients will prevent damage due to the sun and will keep your colour sealed in for longer with minimal fading.

I recommend a leave in U.V spray which you can spray in your hair after you have washed and conditioned it, as an ideal and easy to use U.V protection product.

There are many professional brands that sell products specifically designed to protect the hair from U.V rays - I personally think the Matrix Biolage Sunsorials range is a good option !










Celebrity User : Lauren Conrad





Check with your Stylist for details

Saturday 24 March 2012

Tip of the Day !

Tip of the Day : Low maintenance colour.

You like your hair coloured, but you can't stand how fast the roots are coming through ?

The best way to have a colour that lasts, and where you can get the longest time out of before needing it done again is to pick a colour close to your natural base.

Here's an example. You have light brown hair and you have it coloured black. The roots need doing every 3 to 4 weeks, because when they come through, they show up very noticably. If you were to have a rich brown instead, your natural roots would not be as noticable, and therefor you can leave it that little longer if necessary !

Highlights are a great example too. If you have several shades of no more than 2/3 shades different to your natural base colour, it will look more natural growing out and you can leave it for longer before needing it touched up !

Semi-permanent colours are also a great choice. The colour will fade so that you won't have the root problem.

Hope this helps !

Friday 23 March 2012

Tip of the Day !

Tip of the day : Speak Your Mind !

 


Have you ever felt unsatisfied with your hair after a visit to your Stylist ?

This often happens when there is a barrier in the communication between the professional and the client.

You, as the client can help prevent this from happening. Don't be shy to say what you want ! You may think you have too many requirements or that you are being too picky, but us Stylists actually prefer that !




Go into as much depth as needed and pin-point what is important to you. This will create a better understanding from both sides, help aid the consultation, and will get you feeling more comfortable knowing that your stylist is aware of your exact expectations !

The more information that can be given about your ideal hairstyle, the better !

Even when the Hairstyle is dried and being finished off, you still have the option to have small changes made to the style.



Communication is Key

Thursday 22 March 2012

Tip of the Day !




SPRING HAS ARRIVED ! Why not brighten up your look by adding some highlights ?

Tip of the Day : Add highlights to brighten up your look.



When you are contemplating lightening your haircolour, highlights can be the optimal choice.

You will be able to gradually create a lighter look, whilst retaining the overall health of your hair.

When you are lightening the hair from a darker previously coloured base, there will always be a small amount of damage. When you opt for highlights, this damage is severely reduced as it is only picking up certain selected fine strands of hair to lighten. Also, there are so many new pre-lightening products on the market that when used by professionals any damage is minimal.









Jennifer is a Perfect example of the sunkissed highlighted look.  This will create a natural effect without creating that streaky effect.  She has a blend of different golden and even copper toned blondes to keep that natural effect.












Especially now that the sun is coming out, fine highlights can look very natural and give an overall sunkissed look !

* Highlights don't have to be blonde ! They can be 2 or 3 shades lighter than your existing hair colour, and can be toned to your prefference.




Copper highlights on a very dark base create an edgey look yet still a nice blend.

 
 

Wednesday 21 March 2012

True or False ?

True or False? : Will my hair will grow faster when I cut it ?

Now, I'm sorry to disappoint you all but this is false. However, cutting off split ends will prevent them from splitting up the hair shaft even more, and this does enable the hair to grow healthily. So there is some essence of truth in it afterall.

When your hair starts to split at the ends, it keeps splitting up the hair shaft. This can prevent the hair from getting any longer, because the amount that it grows is also the amount that splits and snaps off at the ends. (This can have many causes mainly heat and chemical over-exposure and damage.)



Healthy hair shaft


Split ends


Therefor it is a good idea to keep getting your trim every 6 to 8 weeks. The time period between visits can differ per person as some people's hair growth is faster and therefor need their hair cut monthly to keep it in shape.

I hope this has been informative ;)

Tuesday 20 March 2012

Tip of the Day !

Tip of the Day ! : For all you Diffuser-users out there !

When using your diffuser, always use the medium setting on your hairdryer. This is to avoid the hair at the bottom of the diffuser getting too damaged because over the over-exposure to heat.

Prep your hair !
Use a curl defying cream or some mousse. Now instead of scrunching the product in, why not try twisting your hair into several small sections with the product, then diffuse ?
This will create a more controlled curl and will prevent too much fly-aways.

Give it a shot and let me know what you think !

Monday 19 March 2012

Tip of the Day !

Tip of the Day ! : Use your Straighteners correctly.

They're a big part of my life and I'm sure a lot of you will agree ! A third of all women use hair straighteners regularly. And 25% of online Straightener purchases are now being made by men !

Here's how to use them correctly to avoid damage to your hair:

1 - Always make sure you are using heat protection ! You can apply it immediately after you have washed your hair as a leave in, or you can spray it on as you go along. Either way, this WILL help. It seals the cuticle so that it's protecting the hair from the heat damage. Most protection products also contain moisturising ingredients and some have ingredients to add shine too. (A good option is the GHD-protection spray which comes in 3 different types - for fine, medium and coarse hair.)

2 - Use sectioning clips and a comb. Start at the back of the nape working upwards to that you cover each part of your hair. This will ensure an evenly straight result and you will not have any bumps or wavy parts.
This also helps prevent damage as you are only needing to go over each section a few times, so you are not over exposing it to heat.
Also, if you spray each section with your protection spray, you ensure an even coverage all throughout the hair and you won't have missed out any parts !

3 - Check your straightener. The most common straightener currently being the GHD is widely used in salons over the globe. Its success is due to 2 factors. The heat setting is one that most hairtypes work with well, and can endure. The second reason is a vital factor (remember this!) - The hot plates are completely ceramic.
Ceramic plates ensure a smoothe surface that the hair can simply glide through.
There are many cheaper alternative imitation straighteners out there can contain only a Ceramic Coating. Once this coating wears off, it will start to pull and damage the hair when it's in use.

So the morals of this story are : Protect the hair, Section the hair and Purchase your straightener wisely ! ;)

Sunday 18 March 2012

Tip of the Day !

Tip of the Day ! : Check your Shampoo and Conditioning products !


Ever get annoyed with the fact that your hair seems to get greasy after just having washed it not too long ago ? It may be the products that you are using.

A lot of people use a shampoo that isn't specifically designed for their hair type. If you have naturally oily hair and you are using a Hydrating shampoo and conditioner, yo...u may just be adding to the problem by adding too much moisture into your already Oily-Prone hair. This is just one example of the wrong choice of product.

A lot of my clients have also admitted to ' Just grabbing which one is on offer at Tesco's '. This is another example of probably picking the wrong products. Let me explain: The problem with Supermarket brand hair products are that they usually contain Siicone and Sulphates. These are cheap ingredients for the company to include in the product, but these are the ingredients that cause the most problems with consumers.

The Silicone ingredient can create a build up on the shaft of the hair especially near the root area. This is when you seem to get a permanent greasy effect even when the hair is just washed !

This is where you will benefit from professional products specifically choosing the right one for your hair type. A stylist will always be able to help you with this choice if you purchase in a salon.
Yes, they will be slightly more expensive, but they are more durable and when chosen the right one, will be worth every penny.

The choice is yours.

* Also check the method of your conditioning. Make sure you don't load the conditioner on your roots but focus more on the midlengths and ends *

Saturday 17 March 2012

Tip of the Day !

Tip of the Day :> When you desperately needing your colour done, please do not opt for the box of home colourant. You hear professionals saying a lot, that getting your hair done professionally is better for the condition of your hair. A lot fo the time, this is never explained in depth whereas the reason for this.

Professionals : If you do not educate the client thoroughly, do not expect them... to take your advice.

Allow me to explain.
Home colourant contains a specific colour shade, depth and tone. It also contains a specific strength of peroxide. Most of the time, home colourants contain a peroxide that is wrong for the clients hair type. This is because they can only add 1 type of strength and as this is added for both darkening your hair, or lightening it, dependant on the natural base of the user, this is where the hair can Over or Under process.

When a professional colourist examines your hair, this is done individually. Each case is different. The colour is then mixed accordingly. Your natural base, your natural tones, the amount of grey hair and your requests are all taken into consideration and this is how the ideal colour is calculated for the individual - being You the client.

When you use a home colourant, most people never check the packaging on the ingredients nor the peroxide strength. Hair colouring is all to do with calculations, and if you don't have any knowledge on this it is most likely that you will be left with a different result than what you wanted initially. This is because of all the different factors about your hair that affect the colouring process.

This is my explanation and I hope it has informed all you home dye users out there. If you want optimal results, go and see a Professional ;)