To Bang or Not to Bang: A Question For the Modern Day Woman.

Oh, get your minds out of the gutter!!!  I recently read a blurb in Cosmopolitan called, "The Little Bang Theory" and that blurb got me thinking about bangs and current hairstyles.  If you read my blog or even perused my last post, you know that bangs are a current trend this spring.  Spiky, stylized, highly processed bangs were seen on models during this years' runway but the bang itself has been around as long as the bible.  Really?  Yup!  I even bet Mary Magdalene rocked a set of bangs back in her day! Oh the blasphemy!!!

Today, modern women follow hair trends as close as they follow hem lines.  However,
bangs should actually be considered a loop hole in hairstyle fashion because there are so many factors women need to consider when they decide to "bang or not to bang."  First, how does the bang effect your overall hairstyle?  If you consider yourself a purist, then you follow a style to the letter and maybe the bang is not for you.  Not all styles want a bang to overshadow the simplicity of the style.  Second, how do bangs look on your overall facial shape?

Those who use the bang to flatter their facial features tend to lean in this direction and don't follow the tenants of fashion to the letter.  Everyone is born with a unique a facial structure therefore, the bang helps some but hurts others.  Magazines such as, "In Style," have published articles on bangs so this is not a new discussion but is still actually a controversial topic!  Do you follow the trends, follow the path to your true self, or do you follow the runway to copy a couture style?  If you follow this edict you are lot alone, One of the most infamous fashion mavens, Anna Wintour, editor-in-chief of American "Vogue,' has been wearing bangs for decades!  She's stylish and in touch with current couture but elects to fall back on a look SHE feels flatters her face.  "In Style" recently did an article on bangs and took the self-help stance offering bang types most attractive for particular facial structures.  For example, long eye-grazing bangs tapered on the sides look best on square face shapes because they add a soft element.  Since round face shapes can be top heavy, sideswiped bangs can provided balance and draw attention to the eyes.  Swingy bangs tend to help those with sharp angled faces as they work to conceal the forehead and provide a gradual opening to the cheakbone and jawline.  Oval shaped faces seem to be the face de'jour because you can go sans bangs or arrive with a little fringe and still accentuate tghe prettiest parts of your face!  How lucky to be you!

So, regardless if you follow trends or work with your facial bone structure, bangs are not for everyone.

 My personal recommendation?  And this is not a huge surprise … pick a style you LOVE and that looks FANTASTIC with your face!!  Your hair is only as fabulous as you feel about it!!  Be comfortable with your choice and own your style.  The combination of personal style and self-confidence is the only magical elixir that will turn your hairstyle into a killer look!!  Choose wisely but be adventurous; you will be surprised at the outcome!!

The Cycle of Life: The Hairy Truth About Your Shampoo And Conditioner

Ok, the truth!  When I started out developing my E-products, I realized that not one single shampoo and conditioner combo was ever going to be the magical elixer for the longevity of healthy hair.  In the beginning, my goal was to create a shampoo and conditioner that not only maintained a healthy hair shaft but concentrated on the follicle as well.  I knew the follicles needed as much attention as the hair, as these are the portholes for a healthy scalp.  In my many decades (really, not wanting to admit how MANY decades!) of experience, I know what my clients want: thick, shiny, youthful hair that everyone gushes over but they also needed a product that focuses on the things they didn't see!  Even today, I can't find a product on the market that rivals my E-shampoo and E-conditioner;  but as magical as they are for the hair, any daily shampoo and conditioner, alone, cannot sustain consistent, quality hair over time!  WHAT?  Why am I dissing my own product?  Well, I'm really not!  I'm imparting a little realistic wisdom.

As we get older and God willing we all do, our hair also ages and loses it's natural nutrients.  I always tell my clients, you can't stick with one shampoo and conditioner for ever and expect your hair to maintain it's youthful look or even keep a style together between cuts.  Just like your skin, your hair needs a regiment in order to sustain it's beautiful, lush look.  Let me put it this way: when you wash your face do you just use soap or a facial scrub and then apply your makeup?  If you are savvy, your answer is absolutely NOT!  We use makeup removers, facial cleansers, facial scrubs, daytime moistuizers, mineral makeup primers, and nighttime facial creams.  AND if you are very smart, you started this skin regiment in your 20's so that when you turn 40, your skin still looks 30!  The same thing applies to your hair.

Get Out! Clarifying Shampoo

Everyone needs a quality daily shampoo and conditioner; obviously, I recommend my E-products because of it's duel purpose of hair and follicle enhancment.  However, in addition to daily products, I always tell my clients to think about hair like skin.  Regardless if you twirl with a curling iron, straighten with a flat iron, or just blowdry, chances are you use hair products.  Mousse, gel, paste, moulds, and aerosols all build-up on your hair over time and even if you wash your hair everyday, your hair will retain a certain amount of product residue wash after wash.  So if you wonder why your hair doesn't shine or bounce, you may want to look to these products as the culprprits of your problem.  Anyone who likes to use products to style needs to have a hair regiment that includes a clarifying shampoo but be very careful with this choice because you want to strip the products from your hair but not it's natural nutrients.  In my salon, I recomment my "Get Out!" with invigorating, healing tea tree oils.  "Get Out!" also includes the higest quality, pure peppermint oils that along with the tea tree oil, invigorates your scalp and cleans the hair of all product residue without stripping the hair of it's natural oils.  Using a clarifying shampoo once a week, will help your hair keep it's shape longer.

Pink Restoration Mask

But what you take out of your hair you must also put back into it!  Huh? What?  Ahh ... the tangled web we weave to look fabulous!  Regardless if you color, highlight, lowlight or just sport a shank of electric blue in your bangs, your hair needs to be fed!  Similar to hair products, hair color also takes away the natural nutrients and moisture which makes your hair shine, bounce, and healthy.  A daily conditioner DOES feed your hair but when you color your hair, you are putting exra strain on the shaft.  I always tell my clients to use some sort of hair conditioning mask.  WHAT THE HECK IS THIS?  Well, within my line, I have a deep conditioning hair mask called "Pink."  It contains shea butter, among other nutrients, which helps keep your hair from becoming dry and brittle.  "Pink" works into the ends of the hair to help prevent split ends and thinning caused by the color process.

So, yes, just like your skin .. your hair needs a regiment.  Regardelss if you choose mine (which is my preference) or another line of products, you will find your hair will love you more if you treat it with the  respect it deserves and stop treating it like it's a 15-year old teeenager with endless verve and youthful glow.  With your hair, like your skin, a youthful glow is something you work at year after year!  But this is just my nugget of advice to you!

2014 Style Trends: The Year of The Hair Products!

April Shine

Every year starts out with a fashion foercast based on previous years' trends and stylists all over the world Googling the last runway shows looking for hair and makeup trends that strike a collective, creative cord with the public.  In 2013, we saw the braid reach an apex of popularity and the deconstruction of the ponytail.  Shaggy, spiky pixie cuts were all the rage in the final months of 2013 and have rolled into the new year with an edgier feel.  Hair products have a major role in the style you chose or the trend you follow in the year to come.  Natural Keratin straight hair is kickin' it up a notch with slicked back, product heavy hair styled close to the scalp.  Curls are also huge this year and not just curls but the PERFECT curl.  Sure .. good luck with that one!  I can only imagine all the OCD meltdowns by hairstylists around the globe coiffing the perfect curl but more on that later.  Root fillers and aerosols that reduce frizz will be the "go to" styling products as well as styling moulds and hair pastes.  Something not on anyone's radar yet but sure to be infamous by New Years' Even 2014 will be hair with high shine.  WHAT?  Yup, I thought the same thing.  Those tricky editors at "Cosmopolitan" and "In Style" always come-up with something we never knew ever we needed!  My personal philosophy this year will be this, "regardless of WHAT you put in your hair make sure the products are still promoting HEALTHY hair!"  A little less chemical and a little more natural ingredients.

High Shine is a huge trend of the year.  On the runway, models strutted with glossy, slicked, almost wet hair swept back from the root and flat to the head.  They kind of reminded me of the 80's music video, "Simply Irresistible" by Robert Palmer, but that's just me!  So I guess, if you are rekindling that 80's

vibe this year, you may want to take a look back at this video for a good laugh and a little motivation.  There are several products to help you live out your Robert Palmer fantasy.  Start with a root filler, I suggest my "Ocean Air", then make sure your hair gets that high shine.  I have a product called "April Shine", which is a spray laminate that is alcohol free so it won't strip your hair and still remove frizz, smooth hair, and provide the hair wattage necessary to finish off this look.

As I mentioned earlier, the pixie turns an edgy curve into product heavy spiky bangs or a barely on the shoulder bob.  Again, products are key for this look so find yourself a quality paste or moulding gel that helps exaggerate the ends of the hair or bangs.  This trend is all about an over the top look while

bypassing big, wildly teased hair.  Products will be crucial to create definition, make a statement, or hold a style in place.  If you are using my products, I would recommend my "Twist" to help define the ends of the hair for that haute couture look.  Finish off this look with some "Freeze Frame" to hold your coiffure into place for hours!

Curls have returned!  But stylists beware … be sure to take your medication before going to work.  Glossy mermaid waves will be popular this spring and were showcased on bleached out blondes strutting their stuff on the cat walk.  Retro 70's curls are also springing into a huge comeback for spring and summer.  Of course, couture stylists added a modern twist to this 70's coiffure by sweeping them to the side with a low side part and coiffing the curl completely FRIZZ FREE!  Yup.  The new curl is a frizz free curl with a perfect a glossed looked.

 Again I recommend starting with my root filler, "Ocean Air", and instead of a flat iron, use my "Straighten Up" with a curling iron.  "Straighten Up" is an aerosol spray with humectants that reduce frizz while creating a light weight curl.  Again, finish with my spray laminate for that high shine look!  Voila!  The perfect curl!

Androgyny is the word of the year.  Greta Garbo showed us an androgynous look before we even had a name for it and in the early 90's, we saw the grunge look take a gritty spin into this erogenous, androgynous zone.  This year, fashionistas will attempt to recapture the 30's inspired comb overs using fingers instead of a clean part.  I'm even betting we will see some trendy take on the slimline, black silk, suit on the red carpet this year from those avante guarde celebs who like push the envelope.  Regardless of the couture, again high shine will be key to finishing this look.

So, regardless if you tune up Robert Palmer, or stike a Greta Garbo pose this year, remember to take some time keeping your hair healthy and use quality products.  With all my clients I recommend my e-shampoo and e-conditioner as it keeps your hair healthy and continues to maximize the ability for the hair follicle to grow hair.  In addition, a clarifying shampoo is important to wash all those products out of your hair without stripping the roots.  My "Get Out!" is an invigorating shampoo with healing tea tree oils and the hightest grade of pure peppermint oils to wash out product residue.  Another recommended addition to your regiment should be a quality deep conditioner; "Pink" is a shea butter hair mask to transition your from this year's trends to next year's style.  So go into this year with a healthy approach to your style so that when you ring out 2014, your New Years Eve resolution WON'T be to find a quality wig for that bald spot!  Just sayin'