Holiday Hair How To’s!
by: Emily Glynn
The season of the Little Black Dress is upon us, and now that you’ve carefully selected the perfect party attire, it’s time to think about how to make your hair look as fabulous as the rest of you! Stylist Kathryn Lenarduzzi sat down with me to share her tips and tricks for amazingly simple and stylish do’s.
What you’ll need:
-1” Curling Iron
-Kerastase Double Force
(Fine haired ladies substitute Kevin Muphy’s Full.On.Protection for more hold and curl!)
-Bobby Pins
-Large Hair Clip
-Teasing Comb (Again for all you fine haired ladies!)
-Fun and Funky Hair Accessories to personalize your style!
*Listed above are all the products used to create these looks. To attain the best results, be sure to use professional grade products, as you will get longevity out of the style!*
These holiday looks are best accomplished by using your fingers to style as opposed to using a comb or brush.
Step 1- Wash and dry hair normally, avoiding any slick products (i.e. serum/smoothing products), as they tend to cause curls to fall much quicker.
Step 2- Once hair is 100% free of moisture turn on your curling iron and allow to heat up. While your iron is heating up section your hair using your clip. Sections do not need to be perfect, they are simply for control and to ensure you don’t pull too much hair into the iron at once.
Step3- Spray each section as you go with either hairspray or Full.On.Protection. Start curling your hair from the very back section near the nape of your neck, and work your way to the front of your hair. Because curling irons vary from brand to brand you may have to do a few test curls to see what the ideal timing is for your iron. For any make or model, however, you should apply no more than 30 seconds of heat, as any more can cause burning of the hair shaft!
Step 4- Spray entire head once more with hairspray as soon as you’ve finished curling. Allow the curls to set and cool for a minute. Once curls are completely cool, tilt back your head and gently run your fingers through the curls. This will break up the curls and avoid that “Shirley Temple-esque” sausage look!
This is all you have to do to get that sexy Victoria’s Secret look! But if you want to pin your hair back this is how you want to set it before you start pinning.
To Pin Back Side
Section out the hair from behind your ear back and use your Hair Clip to pin it momentarily out of the way. Take the remaining hair and twist gently away from your face. Have 2 bobby pins ready and insert them in a criss-cross pattern to achieve maximum hold. Let your hair from the clip down and fluff. Spray once with hairspray you’re ready!!
To Pin into a Chignon (or Messy Bun)
For thick hair, spray with hairspray as you rake your fingers through the top section, pulling hair back into a ponytail at the back of your head. (If you have fine hair, still follow the first step but there is no need to use the hairspray as you rake.) Twist ponytail a few times and wind into a bun. Use bobby pins to secure bun in place, making sure you criss-cross them to anchor them into place. Spray with hairspray and tuck any loose hair into place with another pin.
These styles really are very simple and basic, but they can make any hairstyle look fabulous! “The key to any good style is not to over think it!” says Kathryn, and we have to agree! Keep it simple and your style is sure to shine at your holiday party!
November 8th Kerastase Event
On Monday November 8th, blonde hosted a Kerastase Treatment Night. We raised almost $400 for Toy Mountain and created a bunch of really awesome do’s. Check out the snaps!
Many thanks to all of you who came out and donated, and to Tara from Kerastase for all of your help!
Style by Powder
by: Emily Glynn
With the weather feeling less than sunny these dreary fall days, it’s easy to slip into the daily shampoo routine. Hair feels limp and body is not appearing. Enter, stage left, the newest addition to the Kevin.Murphy family; Powder.Puff.
What, you may ask, is a Powder.Puff? Well, it is a lighter-than-air volumizing powder that adds lift and body to your do, while helping to absorb some of that unwanted oil at the scalp. For that messy “bedroom” look, simply shake into dry or damp locks and fluff. Plus, as an added bonus, Powder.Puff has a small amount of hold that will reactivate for day 2 of your style.
Alterna’s dry shampoo also offers a great alternative to Powder.Puff and works especially well on blonde hair that needs a little help looking fresh. Another powder, this dry shampoo helps give your hair the second wind it needs to go an extra day without shampoo.
Although shampooing daily works for some, this time of year can be hard on the scalp as we start to turn the on heat and layer up. Allowing your scalp a break from daily shampoos helps natural oils to coat the scalp, reducing flakiness that can become problematic this time of year. By using a light dry shampoo or powder, you offer your scalp a reprieve from the daily wash, going a long way in ensuring that dryness won’t become an issue.
So no matter how often you shampoo, try out Powder.Puff or Alterna Dry Shampoo today to give your scalp a break and style a little something on that extra day!
Fall: Celeb Style
by: Emily Glynn
Reduce, reuse, recycle! This mantra can’t help but apply not only to saving our world, but also to the world of hair. Classic styles always come full circle as they are reinvented time and time again. This season bares no exception to the standard of gorgeous hair. As we look to what’s hot this Fall, bolder, shorter, sassier cuts are what the world of fashion demands!
Audrey Hepburn, Victoria Beckham and Elizabeth Taylor; all of these beautiful and influential women have taken the plunge and shed their length to embrace the pixie cut. Next month, Vogue’s cover girl is the sensational Carrey Mulligan. With her boy-short cut and blonder than blonde colour, you can’t help but entertain that thought of trying out her fabulous do. And why not? Too many women this day and age feel that long locks are the key to femininity, but after having seen the photo shoot in Vogue, how can we believe that to be true? Mulligan rocks a tomboy do with a sexy twist. Going short can liberate inhibitions and help spice up your look. Michelle Williams, too, has a certain “je ne sais quoi” with her light, short cut. Even Halle Barry is returning to her chic crop.
Even if you dare not chop your locks to the new pixie, consider perhaps the mod mid-length cut that is coming back with a vengeance! In all reality, celebs these days all sport the mid-length do, but to give the illusion of long locks they go for extensions, so they can flip-flop back and forth. Jessica Simpson probably has one of our favourite mid-length cuts: It’s fresh and fun and still gives her the option of pulling hair up or leaving it down. Charlize Theron and Christina Hendricks are couple of other examples with their chameleon like versatility. They provide the undeniable proof that mid-length does not mean a bob and you can still create sassy, sexy styles with your length!
No matter your style icon, you can bet they once tried and tested the short or mid-length cut. So ponder emulating that: Be bold this season and try something new. Your hair will love you for it and you just might find the cut you didn’t know you were missing!
Finding Your Dream Do on the Small Screen
by Emily Glynn
Autumn is upon us, and sadly we felt no gentle shift into the season. One day it was bright, sunny and warm and the next we’re desperately sorting through those boxes of warm clothes for something, anything to keep us cozy. With the warmth of summer gone many of us turn to the Fall TV for comfort. Not only do they pull us in to their various webs of stories, but often are a great inspiration for what to do with your mane.
Following the energetic and spunky cast of Glee, we see beautiful rich shades and bouncy, soft flowing curls. As they dance and sing we can’t help but wonder, “How do they get that beautiful mane of hair?” While the cast has someone on hand to make their tresses do magic tricks, you can create those looks at home without the help of a live-in stylist!
How you may ask: By using a small-barrel curling iron and curling large sections of hair, you can create that soft feminine flow. Even blowing your hair out with Moroccan Oil and Nectar Thermique and using a large barrel boar bristle round brush you can create that softness at home! Always remember, the key to any style is control. Section out your hair so it’s easy to work with and you don’t end up with everything flying in your face!
Has that 60′s Madmen style caught your eye? How could it not? Volume and curl are the key to these fresh takes on 60′s style. The beautiful thing about these styles is that they were inspired by a fashionable era but have a relevant twist for this day and age. How do you achieve your inner 60’s diva? Start with Mousse Nutri-Sculpt on damp hair and tousle your hair dry upside down to achieve that volume. Once your hair is completely dry use a medium hold hair spray like Moroccan Oil Hairspray on each small section and curl. Allow the hair to set for 10-15 minutes and use a wide-tooth comb to break up the curl. Follow up with a final spritz of hairspray and you’re ready to embody that 60′s style!
No matter what show you’re feeling this fall, you can draw inspiration from the beautiful soft do’s on the small screen. Make them your own, and feel free to share your inspiration with us, we always want to hear what our clients are loving!
torontoShopaholic and makemeblonde Team Up!
During our last Kevin.Murphy treatment event, we were fortunate enough to meet the uber-fabulous Jane Martin from torontoShopaholic.com (see glorious after photo below)!
Check out the accolades for both Kevin.Murphy and blonde salon here and enter to win a mini make-over!
Our thanks to Jane for coming out, enjoying some awesome pampering time! Who, oh who will win this AMAZING treat?
Kevin.Murphy and Blonde Blogger Event
Last week, we hosted our first ever Kevin.Murphy treatment event for bloggers. We all had an absolute blast and hope that our guests did as well! Check out some of our snaps…
The Team
Workin’
A bit of after love…
Again, we thank everyone who came out. Special thanks to Kevyn and Emily for all their help! We look forward to our next treatment event!
Falling in Love with Fall
by Emily Glynn
As the days grow shorter and you find yourself reaching for that sweater at night it’s hard to believe that fall is upon us. We knew it was coming: it’s the same every year, but there is always that sense of loss and impending doom. What happened to the flirty dresses? The cute tanks? The fun sandals? Sadly they’ve all been relegated to the “Clearance” sections and we find ourselves faced with the barrage of “Back to School” propaganda followed by the latest in Fall Fashion.
With fall comes a breath of fresh air, a new beginning. A whole new outlook on fashion and most importantly… Hair. As much as we want to hold onto those super light beachy tones, it’s time to put them to rest for another year and embrace the beautiful autumn hues. Rich brunettes, fiery reds and soft blondes are in the autumnal forecast. This doesn’t necessarily mean a whole hair transformation, it simply means its time for something new to accompany the season.
We look to the runways and fashion magazines and see beautiful softer shades parading all around us. Be it Toronto, New York, Paris or London, fall is here and the fashion world has adjusted itself accordingly. Healthy, flowing, natural looking locks are in. But for those of you who think of darker shades and shudder, fear not! You don’t need to go from blonde to brunette to get the latest look. Perhaps a few lowlights to add depth and contrast, or maybe its just a matter of updating that tired blonde with a new colour gloss to shift the tone.
No matter what your colour, as the season turns, our hair tends to react with natures changes, and for many that can mean dry, unmanageable locks. So even if your hair type isn’t the ideal for a Brazilian Blowout, you can still liven your locks with one of our many Kerastase or Kevin.Murphy treatments. This is the perfect time of year to add moisture and exhilarate your mane.
Whether blonde, brunette or red, be sure to talk to your stylist to see what you can do to spruce up your do for Fall.
What’s New? Crisace Extensions!
by Kaitlynn Connolly
Recently, Blonde brought Crisace Extensions into the salon. As of Monday, we are all well-informed and fully-trained on the installation process of each of the 3 extension types, thanks to the help of Crisace owner Chris.
The first line that we are offering is the Strand2strand fusion system: Each hair strand is applied by heating the keratin bond at the top of the extension to a small section of your own hair. They can be coloured, cut, curled and flat ironed, all because they are 100% human hair. Typically, most clients receiving a full head of strand-2-strand will receive about 150 pieces in total. With a full head of extensions taking anywhere from 3-5 hours to apply. This system is amazing for adding volume and thickness, instead of just adding length.
The removing process of this system is just as simple: Each bond is removed with a solution that will break down the bond, however not damaging your real hair. When the strand is removed the dissolved bond is snipped off, and a new bond is added – the hair is completely re-usable!
The second system that we are offering is called Hair2Go Bang Pieces. These are clip in sections that are cut specifically for your fringe area, and can also be used on shorter hair to accentuate sides to appear longer tresses and more layered. They come in a variety of shades so you can add a pop of colour for a night out!
Finally, the third system is the Cold-Fusion Extensions. This system doesn’t involve heat like the Strand2strand extensions. The cold-fusion pieces are about an inch long and are applied to the hair with an adhesive similar to medical tape. A piece is secured to the bottom of a thin section of your hair with the adhesive facing upward and then another piece is ‘sandwiched’ on top. This system is perfect for clients who would love extensions but have fine, weakened hair that may not be able to handle extra stress on each strand, and those who don’t need to wash their hair often (preferably only 2 or 3 times a week).
I was lucky enough to have this system installed on my own mane. It was incredible fast, (it took no longer then 20 minutes) and I had long hair! They lay perfectly flat to my head and I can’t even feel them!
I love how they feel and how completely natural they look . The only problem that I have found so far is that my scalp was a little tender the first night (but that’s most likely from the excess of hair that my own hair is now carrying). Washing wise, it is very simple, I just shampoo and condition as I would normally. You do have to dry the bonded areas as soon as you can because moisture can swell the adhesive, which will result in the hair falling out faster.
Strand2Strand will last about 6-8 weeks between maintenance appointments. The cost varies depending on how many packages you will need. It is $60 per package of hair (10 strands in each pack) and the $1 per bond installation. For removal, its $2 for each strand removed and then $1 per strand to re-install.
The Hair2Go Bang Pieces are $30 each, they are synthetic but can withstand up to 180 degrees of heat.
The Cold-Fusion system is $500 for a full head and can last up to 8 weeks, depending on how much you wash your hair. The adhesive is replaceable as well because this hair is also re-usable like the Strand2strand.
Have questions about any of the systems we’ve talked about here? Come see us at the salon, or give us a shout to find out which method is right for you! In the meantime, check out my before and after shots!
Kaitlynn Before Extenstions
Kaitlynn After Extensions
Blowout: Brazilian Style
Toronto’s heat wave has probably left us all a little worse for the wear. Watching what the humidity does to our bodies and skin, let’s face it, not so pretty. Not to mention our poor, now-frizzy tresses. What’s a girl to do?
Two words: Brazilian Blowout™. Yes, I know, it sounds dirty. But it’s anything but. Recently, we introduced the Brazilian Blowout™ to the salon’s treatment offering, and for this blogger, a new favourite was born.
What is a Brazilian Blowout™ you ask? It is a treatment, applied in salon to smooth and tame the frizzy strands you’ve been seeing without changing the texture of your mane (curly hair remains curly). Once applied and set, you can flip your head upside down after washing and blow-dry it completely straight – without the use of a flat iron (which, for this blogger is HUGE as I am somewhat obsessed with mine). Or, you can let it air-dry without a worry of the frizziness you would usually have to deal with. If you want to take a heat break, this treatment is for you!
First, the process: Hair is washed with an anti-residue shampoo that strips it of any undesirables (product build-up and the like). The creamy liquid blowout treatment is then applied to sections of the hair. Your stylist will then begin the process of blow-drying this treatment into your hair, followed by a very HOT dose of flat ironing.
At that point, it’s back to the sink. The Acai Deep Conditioning Masque is applied to your treated tresses, rinsed and then, back to the chair for an application of the system’s Acai Smoothing Serum and a final blowout.
A few incredible observations from this blogger’s experience: as soon as the lotion hits your hair, you can run a VERY fine tooth-comb through it! Once your hair is dry, you can begin to feel an increase in your hair’s density. It felt so much thicker! The final result: a smooth, voluminous mane that looks incredibly healthy and shiny. And as observed by a certain Blonde staff member, may cause you to stare at your newly treated hair incessantly, and perhaps even toss it around a bit!
Now, the technology: Using their proprietary polymer system and a Brazilian Super Nutrient Complex, the treatment improves the condition and health of hair. It is a smoothing system that leaves your mane frizzless without the use of harmful formaldehyde found in many other straightening and smoothing systems.
The treatment takes approximately 90 minutes and lasts up to 12 weeks. Your introductory package includes the application of the treatment, as well as the 4 after-care maintenance products: Acai Anti-Frizz Shampoo and Conditioner, Acai Smoothing Serum and Acai Deep Conditioning Masque. These products help to extend the life of the treatment.
Interested in getting that frizz right out of your hair? Call us at the salon to make an appointment and live out the rest of your summer frizz-free.
NOTE: before and after photos to come!
