Tag Archive for "Hairstyling" - Beauty Schools Directory Blog

Posts Tagged ‘Hairstyling’

Hot Hair Trends: Try Hair Chalking for Color without Commitment

Posted on: November 17th, 2011 by Becca 58 Comments

If there’s one thing we know, it’s that people are always going to come up with creative ways to make a beauty statement.

We have feathers, we have lobe stretching, and now we have a hot new way to add some temporary color to your locks: hair chalking.

In case you haven’t watched the how-to video above, here’s how it goes:

Nab some colored chalk. You can use sidewalk chalk, but we’ve found you get more vibrant results using soft chalk pastels like the ones artists use. We’ve got some links below to show you what we mean.
You either soak your chalk in water or wet down small sections of your hair.
You rub the chalk product into those sections.
If you’re using pastels, then you just need to set it with heat. If you use a more traditional kind of chalk, then hairspray it down before you style.

And that’s…about it. Hair chalking is that easy and that low-commitment, which is probably why it’s kicking up in popularity. Feel like going wild and crazy tonight? Don some blue or hot pink streaks and then wash it all out in the shower the next day. Switch up the colors as often as you want or need. Color just the tips or entire lock lengths or maybe just your bangs. Who doesn’t love a hair trend that allows so much room for not just creativity but also variability?

What do you guys think? Have you tried hair chalking? Or are you sick of the flash-in-the-pan hair trends and think we just need to get back to basics already?

Try these colored chalks to do hair chalking at home:

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ILLUSION: Alternative Hair Show 2011

Posted on: October 11th, 2011 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Yield your imagination to the whimsical visions of multihued, spiked, twisted and bulbous Lady Gaga-like hair creations. Gossamer designs, colored lights and sky-scraping tresses envelop, tantalize and sometimes shock the senses. Where are you? Is this an alien gathering for lunar stylists? No, you are one of the lucky attendees of the Alternative Hair Show, where anything goes when it comes to hair.

This one-of-a-kind, fantasy-filled charitable event envelops thousands in the bizarre, rainbow-colored world of hair couture. Founded by hairstylist Tony Rizzo in 1983, the Alternative Hair Show was ingeniously designed to heighten awareness and generate funding for leukemia research. Rizzo’s young son, whose death was caused by the disease, is the inspiration behind the show.

Since its inception, the elaborate, fun-filled event has become renowned as one of the world’s most celebrated hair shows. Princes and famous individuals fill the seats as impractical hairdos are flaunted across the stage. Each year’s fantastic theme becomes the motivational concept behind the sprayed, dyed and stiffened locks. The 2010 participants devised styles that embodied their interpretation of the word “masquerade.” The 2011 theme is “illusion.”

In 2004, Rizzo launched the Visionary Award, which encourages hairdressers to submit a photograph of one of their hair creations. Ten award winners are selected; each is invited to present a hair model at the Alternative Hair Show. Hairdressers from around the globe covet the Visionary Award and invitations to show off their dramatically artistic and somewhat outlandish coifs at their own expense.

Known to include major celebrities, the show’s success hinges on the creative prowess and collaboration of industry professionals and has become the pinnacle of hair entertainment. The Alternative Hair Show displays its unusual “dos” annually and hosts the following 2011 events: the Visionary Award Ireland, held this past July 10 at Dublin’s Thomas Prior Hall; the Visionary Award Ukraine, held this past Sept. 5 in Kiev; the Visionary Award Italy and Alternative Hair International Hair Design Masters Presentation, held this past Sept. 25 in Milan; the Illusion Alternative Hair Show Russia, held this Sept. 28 in Moscow’s State Kremlin Palace; and the Illusion Alternative Hair Show London, which will take place on Oct. 16 at Royal Albert Hall.

Alternative styling, like that seen in the Alternative Hair Show, is defined by its departure from the norm, but some of these less-than-popular hairdos could become the next trendsetters. Something has to inspire the pink bobs, white pixies and black spikes of tomorrow.

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Real-Life Edward Scissorhands!

Posted on: December 17th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Move over Johnny Depp – there’s a new Edward Scissorhands in town! Valentino LoSauro, a London-native operating a salon in Florida, has created devices that he says cut hair twice as fast as normal scissors. The device: little shears that attach to his hands making him look like a real-life Edward Scissorhands. The ‘CLAWZ‘ were born as a simple idea to bring a certain type of musicality to his hair styling.

Being a pianist, LoSauro wasn’t foreign to using his fingers. Now he’s just using them to cut hair instead of replicating piano masters like Beethoven or Bach. The music that inspired him is still important to his new hair cutting process. When he styles and cuts hair, some of the methods are named after famous works, like Flight of the Bumble Bee and Zap.

The prototype took years to develop and cost nearly $250,000 but eventually the CLAWZ became a reality and he was able to market them to other stylists. LoSauro patented these CLAWZ in 2001 and has sold 30,000 units so far. He cuts and styles with them, and has even done some celebrities’ hair with the CLAWZ, like Ritchie Sambora from the band Jon Bovi.

They might look funny but they get the job done! What do think? Would you like to have your hair cut by a real-life Edward Scissorhands? Hairstylists and hair design school students – would you give these CLAWZ a shot?

Where Hair Extensions Come From

Posted on: October 21st, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory 3 Comments

Have you ever wondered where hair extensions come from? According to Oprah.com, 1000 tons of human hair are imported into the U.S. every year. The finest quality hair comes from India.

One Indian landmark in particular is famous for exporting human hair. The Venkateswara Temple in Southern India earns around 18 million a year selling hair to exporters. As one of Hinduism’s holiest sites, worshipers to this temple leave an offering of their hair for Lord Venkateswara. Cutting off hair for religious reasons is part of a ritual called tonsuring.

Some salons sell this “temple hair” anywhere from $2000 to $4000 depending on the length of the extensions.
Hair from India is also collected by village women who pool their hair together and sell it to exporters. Other women collect hair after it falls out naturally and sell it.

If you want to learn how to do hair extensions and become a professional hairstylist, find cosmetology schools near you.

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America’s Best and Worst Hair Cities

Posted on: October 15th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory 2 Comments

Have you ever considered that the city where you live may be to thank (or to blame) for the health and stylishness (or lack thereof) of your hair? Over at the website Total Beauty, they took several factors into consideration, and ranked some of the country’s best and worst hair cities.

Apparently, when humidity levels, pollution amounts, rainfall totals, average wind speeds, water hardness levels, and the number of beauty salons per capita come together in the perfect combination, the result can be beautiful hair. Check out some of the country’s best hair cities. Is your city helping or hurting your tresses?

The top 11 hair cities in the United States are:

1. Santa Barbara, California
2. Honolulu, Hawaii
3. San Diego, California
4. Anchorage, Alaska
5. San Francisco, California
6. New York, New York
7. Miami, Florida
8. Los Angeles, California
9. Denver, Colorado
10. Boston, Massachusetts
11. Chicago, Illinois

Did your town make the list? Unfortunately, mine did not. I guess that means I’ll have to take it into my own hands to try to make my hair look good – even with the high humidity and hard water. *Sigh*

Luckily for me, my city didn’t make the list of “worst hair cities,” either. But if you’re already fed up with living in one of these unlucky 13 places, maybe it’s officially time to pack your bags and head to greener pastures.

America’s 13 worst hair cities are:

1. Corpus Christi, Texas
2. Olympia, Washington
3. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
4. Las Vegas, Nevada
5. Phoenix, Arizona
6. Pensacola, Florida
7. Fresno, California
8. Houston, Texas
9. Tucson, Arizona
10. New Orleans, Louisiana
11. Cincinnati, Ohio
12. Albuquerque, New Mexico
13. Eugene, Oregon

Sorry, Corpus Christi residents. Texas may be your destination of choice if big hair is your thing, but Corpus Christi’s extreme humidity, hard water and small handful of salons make it one of the worst hair cities around. Better find an amazing, trained Texas hairstylist!

Do you have any tricks for overcoming the environmental hazards in your city? Maybe if you choose a cosmetology career, you’ll help your city win the battle against bad hair!

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Address-Free Licenses for Florida Barbers and Cosmetologists

Posted on: October 9th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory 2 Comments

Florida cosmetology law requires barbers and cosmetologists to post their license and picture where customers can see it. Until Tuesday, October 6, home addresses were also required to be posted. This change gives cosmetologists and barbers comfort knowing that their personal information is no longer easily accessible to the public.

According to this article, Florida’s Department of Business and Professional Regulation says the change wasn’t prompted by any incident or crime – it’s simply a safety precaution. The request for the change was made by representatives of the states nearly 200,000 barbers and cosmetologists.

Many cosmetologists and barbers – especially those with a lot of walk-in business – are relieved with this change. Is your home address listed on your license? If yes, did/does your home address being posted publicly for all to see concern you?

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Illinois Tightens Hair Braiding Laws

Posted on: August 20th, 2009 by Heather 16 Comments

Since 1985, Illinois has maintained that if you want to work in the cosmetology or beauty field, you must have a cosmetology license. In fact, all states require all cosmetologists be licensed to work on hair, nails and skin. But, when you offer such a niche service like hair braiding, that’s where the law becomes a little twisted, at least for some.

According to Illinois law and the Illinois State Board of Cosmetology License Requirements, anyone working with hair must take the required 1,500 hours of cosmetology training. That is putting some tight restrictions on hair braiders. They provide a service that is strictly braiding hair, and normally don’t offer any other service like hair cutting or coloring. However, the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation wants hair braiders to be licensed, and not for the reasons you may think.

When a beauty professional is licensed, they are protected by the law when a customer refuses to pay or writes bogus checks. But, it goes a little deeper than that – some believe that hair braiders need to be trained in a few core courses relating to the industry.

The United African Organization would like to see a compromise from the state that allows hair braiders courses only in sanitation and business training, which would be around 300 clocked hours of cosmetology school.

Up on the debate block for the fall is a law that would require hair braiders to complete 300 hours of training, which the courses would focus on blood-borne pathogens, recognizing scalp disease and sanitation practices.

What do you think? Should niche beauty services like hair braiding have specific cosmetology licensing requirements? Tell Beauty Schools Directory your views on this tangled matter.

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Hairstyling: Need for Speed?

Posted on: June 26th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory 7 Comments

As a beauty school student or instructor, do you think that speed matters? That is, the speed at which you cut someone’s hair.

Ivan Zoot holds the world record for the fastest haircut at a mere 55 seconds. Wow! Of course, that’s for the Guinness Book of World Records, but still. Is speed-cutting a skill that can take you anywhere? I’m just not sure.

On one hand, we’ve all heard the saying that time is money. In most other industries, a quick turn-around with a quality result is one of the most important things a business can provide.

On the other hand, when a client comes into a salon, whether it’s for a day of pampering or just a quick trim, they like to feel relaxed, right? They like to be able to sit in your chair and chat, or read a magazine – anything but feel rushed.

So, which is more important – quality or speed? What are you learning or did you learn in cosmetology school? To be quick and efficient, or to linger over each client and make them feel special? Or something in between?

Winter Hair Can Be Beautiful, Too!

Posted on: February 25th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory 1 Comment

Has your hair been experiencing some of winter’s harsh punishments lately, too? Static electricity, breakage, dullness – sound familiar? These can all be symptoms of the winter hair blues.

But don’t fret! There are ways to dig your lovely hair back out of the snowdrifts, even during the depths of winter. Whether you are on the receiving end of the winter blues or you are a professional hairstylist trying to help your clients get their winter hair in check, check out some of these tips based on expert hairstylists’ recommendations:

Get a Trim
Dryness begins at the hair’s ends, so regular haircuts can keep the dryness in check. Many stylists recommend scheduling a cut every eight weeks to trim off the dead weight.

Condition, Condition, Condition!
It’s no secret that many of us would have trouble functioning normally without some of those heated styling tools – I’m talking about blow dryers, flat irons and curling irons. But all this heat can do a number on unprotected hair. A light application of a heat-protecting cream or leave-in conditioner before you blow-dry, straighten or curl can shield your hair from the heat and prevent damage.

Give a Deep-Therapy Masque a Try
A weekly deep-therapy hair masque treatment can be the perfect way to pamper your hair, especially in the winter. Beauty supply retailers have a number of hair masque brands and formulas from which you can choose.

Eat Right
It turns out that what you put into your body can affect your hair’s appearance and strength. Eating a balanced diet and drinking plenty of water can help your hair look its best. Low-carb diets are especially notorious for contributing to dried-out tresses. So if you’re following a strict diet to drop a few pounds, you may need to add vitamins or supplements to your routine.

Even though you may not be able to control the weather, you can control its effects on your hair. Do you have any other tips for keeping hair beautiful all winter long? Share the wealth!

How to Keep Your Up Do From Becoming an Uh Oh

Posted on: January 28th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

What do most women want when it comes to big events? From homecoming, to prom to their wedding day, the inevitable answer is: FABULOUS hair. Of course, we usually want pretty dresses, amazing shoes and flawless makeup, too. But, without the perfect hair style to tie it all together, a great look can easily become a great big flop.

Want to know the secret to an amazing up do? You may be shocked at the answer. The key to creating a gorgeous up do is dirty hair. It may seem counter-intuitive, but the grubbier your hair is, the better it will hold in place. Ask the professionals who have attended hair design school! They’ll tell you.

Clean hair can actually be incredibly difficult to work with and usually requires the addition of LOADS of product. So, if you’re about to get your hair swept up and pinned down, make sure to stay clear of shampoo for at least 2 days before the big event to give your natural oils some time to build up.