Tag Archive for "hair trends" - Beauty Schools Directory Blog

Posts Tagged ‘hair trends’

Try Out These New York Fashion Week Hair and Makeup Trends

Posted on: February 20th, 2012 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

All too often, the hair and makeup at any fashion week seems over the top. But every now and then a jaw-dropping application inspires an epiphany and makes you think, “I could totally pull that off in real life.”

A prime example would be the sexy tousles of the Rag and Bone show. In what has been described as a “Patty Smith goes to India” style theme, Redken lead stylist, Guido Palau, created ultra-feminine and “downtown cool” dreadlock waves. To achieve the look, Palau applied a generous amount of Redken Full Frame Volumizing Mouse to hair while damp, then allowed the locks to air dry. After separating the hair with a scattered ’70s center part, Palau massaged Redken Rough Paste 12 from root to tip, separating and twisting large chunky sections of hair along the way. A little ruffling at the crown added the finishing touch.

Another look fashion followers can try at home includes the red-lipped-ponytail combo from Marc by Marc Jacobs Fall 2012. According to Glamazon, models wore a prim and proper side-part with the rest of the hair sleeked back at the nape of the neck. Shiseido Artistic Director, Dick Page used a matte Dual Balancing Foundation to offset the crimson lip color. The waxy, custom blend went on with a small eye-shadow brush for precision.

Experts will tell you creating lipstick is an art unto itself, but Perfect Rouge in Cerise or Valentine make great stand-ins. Here is another bit of advice: exercise cautious optimism with applications of red because they are easy to overdo. The same can be said of colorful eyeliner apps.

With Ginnifer Goodwin, Reese Witherspoon and a bevy of other stars spotted sporting jewel-toned eyeliner, you would do well to familiarize yourself with color, or at least make friends with the idea. For the Costell Tagliapietra show, makeup artist Lisa Butler of the MAC Pro Team applied peach and mauve to the upper lids and touched off the lower lids with a soft teal color. At StyleSight.com, Butler says blending gray and green cream shadows below the eye added drama and personality to an otherwise nude foundation.

Butler used a pointed liner brush to apply a mix of shades from the Delft and Natural Fibre Fall Trend Crème Eye Shadow Palette. This particular collection of color pots is not available until later this year. But you can get the “bright eye” look this season with Tigi High Density Eye Shadow Palette or the Yves Saint Laurent Ombres 5 Luminieres N.13.

Just remember cream shadows are tricky. Shannon R., a beauty blogger at Self.com, says cream shadows settle into the creases on the eyelid. The same goes for the fine lines around the bottom of your eye. Priming the area with foundation or powder promotes a longer lasting finish. At the risk of looking like a resplendent peacock, you also want to apply cream shadows with a light touch.

What do you think, beauty fiends? Are you ready to put these fashion week trends into practice?

When it comes to 2012 beauty trends, imperfect is the new perfect

Posted on: January 25th, 2012 by Becca No Comments

Perfection is so overdone, and if you’re anything like us, you’re getting sick of seeing it, too. Well, we’re not alone. Leading stylists and makeup artists tout that the minimalist look is the new look of 2012, as opposed to the overly made-up look that has been in for quite some time.

Let’s start from the top. Your hair doesn’t need to be washed everyday. Contrary to popular belief, washing your hair daily does more harm than good. When you wash your tresses too frequently, you’re removing all the natural oils that provide your locks with a healthy shine. Don’t get us wrong, we don’t advise not bathing for days on end, but only washing your hair every other day will give your hair the natural sheen that is popular, rather than a glossy look create from plenty of hair product.

Spending hours doing your hair is a thing of the past, at least for 2012. Instead of spending two hours curling your hair into many tiny twisted locks, tousle your hair around a little bit and go! This season is all about casual looks, so opt for a bun on your head or a loose chignon. You don’t even have to get that fancy, even a simple ponytail makes a fashion statement.

If you’ve been bleaching your eyebrows, stop right now, because those dark eyebrows, you know that ones that match your natural hair color, are trendy. If you want to lighten them a tad, use a eyebrow gel to lighten subtly rather than a bleach that provides you with a drastic, unnatural look.

Although the smoky eye lives forever, add a modern twist to this classic look by using metallics or do a reverse smoky eye, meaning you should apply the effect to your bottom eyelid line. Rather than applying your eyeliner carefully using a defining pencil or your eye shadow precisely using an applicator, try digging in and using your fingers to make a “just got out of bed and did my makeup in two minutes look.” If you don’t use your fingers to apply, at least use them to smudge. You might also want to consider losing the look with black eyeliner applied around your entire eye, and try only lining the corners of the eye into the center.

Skip the lip liner or at least smudge it. For the beginning of 2012, looking like you just consumed a Popsicle is sexy and also a makeup trend that is easy to achieve. All you need to do is apply a bright color to the center of your lips. By pressing your lips together and then rolling them, it will appear like you just ate a freeze pop. When putting on lipstick, try simply pouting your lip and pressing the makeup directly on. This gives you the pretty appearance without being too prim and proper.

Avoid putting makeup on every inch of your face; instead, use concealer on problem areas rather than plastering foundation on your entire face. Highlight only one feature, such as your lips, as opposed to applying heavy makeup on your eyes and lips. Less if definitely more this season.

Back to Their Roots: The Growing Trend of Natural Hair in Black Women

Posted on: December 28th, 2011 by Becca 1 Comment

From pomades to weaves, the buzz surrounding African American ladies’ hair continues to grow. Celebrity hairstyles fuel the fashion debate about natural hair as more and more women begin to embrace their roots, swapping their chemicals for more natural products.

For black women, natural hair simply means that it has not been processed or chemically altered through the use of products designed to straighten, soften, or cause it to relax. Smooth, straight hair has been in vogue for years, but this trend is starting to reverse.

Products, wigs, and weaves make up a more than $1 billion industry revolving around African American hair. Fashion, politics, and personal preference are behind this push to go natural.

From 2010 to 2011, the number of women who admitted that they do not use any type of chemical relaxer on their hair increased by 10percent. Over the past five years, relaxer kit sales have taken a 17 percent hit. These numbers may not seem so large now, but give it a few more years, and the market may shift entirely.

Numbers like these have caused hair product manufacturers to give ear to what the women want. Companies will have to begin developing products that cater to this expanding market of naturalists. Already, several companies, such as Soft-Sheen Carson, have taken advantage of this trend and introduced some new hair care products that meet the needs of this growing population. This change will be beneficial for smaller companies who specialize in natural hair care.

Chemical relaxers have been shown to damage hair, leaving it dry and lifeless. Constant heat from irons, dryers, and pressing combs leaks to breakage. Braids that are too tight not only cause headaches but also may lead to hair loss. Weaves and hair extensions that make use of heat and glue are extremely harmful to hair’s health. Natural oil is essential, while rubbing oil on the scalp can actually clog pores and lead to hair health issues. Spritzed hairstyles that leave hair feeling crunchy and stiff are losing popularity. Women are rebelling against the looks and styles that do more harm than good, as they look for ways to boost hair’s health and strength.

A definite shift can be observed in the African American community, as women want to go as natural as possible. For those who want to tame their mane without the use of harmful chemical products, dozens of books, blogs, and websites, including YouTube, offer advice on hair care as well as natural styling tips.

The celebrities may be the most prominent faces of this trend, but black women everywhere are taking their hair back to its natural roots and embracing its unique style.

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Hot Hair Trend: The Best of Braids

Posted on: December 19th, 2011 by Becca No Comments

We touched on this in our holiday hair trends post, but it deserves a closer look: 2011 has been the boom year for the braid. Formerly regulated to the pigtails territory, the braid has bounced back and been integrated into a number of timeless, classy looks that look chic and effortless.

The Messy Bun-Braid
Taylor Swift wowed the crowd with her messy yet sophisticated bun-braid at the New York launch of her latest fragrance, Wonderstruck. This classy look is so easy that anyone can master it.

To pull off the bun-braid, begin by dividing your hair into three sections, with the outer side sections being smaller than the center section. Next, secure the middle and left sections into ponytails. Braid the right section, and wrap a band around the bottom. Repeat on the left side. You should now have two side braids with a ponytail in the middle.

At this point, you have several options for the center ponytail. You can opt for one loose braid or several smaller braids. Be sure to secure them at the bottom. Twist this center section of braided hair into a low bun. Allow it to be loose and slightly messy. Don’t worry about making it super tight. This helps to create a more romantic look. Finally, take the right braid and wrap it loosely around the messy bun. Do the same thing with the left braid. Secure your hair with bobby pins and spray as needed.

It is best to use clear, elastic bands at the bottom of the braids, as they blend in perfectly with your hair. You have a big more wiggle room with the bobby pins. Choose pins that match your hair color or add some flair with jeweled bobby pins that sparkle and shine.

Fish Ponytail Braid
This braid looks complicated but is actually quite simple. Start by securing your hair in a high ponytail. Next, divide your locks into two sections. Then take a small bundle of hair from the right, and pull it across to the middle. Do the same thing on the left side. Repeat this process all the way down the length of your ponytail.

The biggest challenge with this style is splitting the halves into smaller strands for braiding. Use a smoothing gel or paste to aid with this step.

Wraparound Headband Braid
This whimsical braid brings out your inner princess. You will need to separate your hair at your ear and running across the top of your head, brushing the top half toward your face and over to the side. This section is used to create the wraparound braid.

Braid your hair starting from your ear around the front of your head. Make sure that the braid is tight and close to your scalp. Using smaller strands of hair will help here. Once the braid reaches the opposite ear, secure it with bobby pins.

Bohemian Side Braid
Chic defines this versatile braid. Simply pull your locks to one side and braid away. You can use a fishtail or regular braid. Get fancy with multiple braids. The point is not to braid to tightly to maintain the “I didn’t spend much time getting ready” look.

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Hot Hair Trend: Rockabilly and Victory Rolls

Posted on: December 9th, 2011 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Courtesy of CynElena via Flickr

It’s the holiday season, which means a lot of people are looking for hairstyling ideas for Christmas parties, Hanukkah parties, New Year’s Eve parties…you get the idea. If you’re looking for a new way to do your hair for the holidays, it may be the perfect time to embrace the resurgence of rockabilly.

Rockabilly stems from the birth of rock n’ roll as it began to emerge from bluegrass and country music. Nowadays the term covers a whole subculture that takes its cues from the fashion and style and trends of the rebellious, edgy rockabilly era of the 40s and 50s. (That’s right: the 50s weren’t all June-Cleaver-pearls.) What does this mean for you? It means amazing vintage, pin-up style hair trends that you can make your own.

If you want to go all out rockabilly, overhaul your look with elements like short cropped bangs ala Bettie Page and either going root-to-tip black or adding bright colors to your hair like cherry red, either all over or in strategic places.

If, however, you just want to go rockabilly or vintage for an evening, try rocking victory rolls. rockabillie on YouTube has a great tutorial on how to achieve this look:

We have to say that this is we love about beauty and fashion and this whole industry. Fantastic trends come back into fashion, evolve with modern twists, and instead of forgetting all about our past, we build it on to develop future creativity.

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Hot Hair Trend: Digital Perms, the Curling Revolution

Posted on: November 23rd, 2011 by Becca No Comments

Looking to get Kristen Stewarts boho waves? (Courtesy of Bria Cullen via Flickr)

Perms. We all tried it – or at least thought about trying it – in the 80s and 90s, right? And for a the majority of us, it probably turned into a frizzy nightmare that we regretted a few years down the road.

But perms are making a comeback this year – they’re just not the kind of perms that you remember.

They’re called hot perms or digital perms, and while they’ve been around for awhile in places like South Korea and Japan, they’re starting to crop up in Europe and the U.S. these days, too.

And unlike the old-school perms that either gave you tight, wild spirals or nothing at all, digital perms provide a great deal more flexibility and variability. So instead of frizz, you get anything from beachy waves to loose curls, turning your locks from bland to Hollywood style that lasts for months.

So how does it work? Well, unlike traditional cold perms that use just rollers and a solution, digital perms use heat the set the curl. There’s still a solution, but it’s a different kind, and you have more options regarding where you want the curl to start. Do you want it root-to-tip? At the cheekbones? At the chin? Then the hair is rolled up in different sized rollers depending on how much curl you want, and the rollers are plugged into a machine that digitally controls the heat and sets the curl.

Best part is that, while chemicals are still involved, the whole hot perm process thermally reconditions the hair, so your locks are softer, smoother and shinier leaving the salon. The curls stay through blow drying and generally don’t even need to be touched up with curling irons or hot rollers.

Sound too good to be true? Well, for some people, it is. If you take a look around the Internet, you’ll find some stories of digital perms gone wrong – where the curl didn’t set in so all the customer is left with are the chemicals. Stylists are cautioning that women with bleached or heavily processed hair probably shouldn’t shell out for a digital perm. Our best advice if you want to give this a shot is to make sure you hunt down an experienced, licensed cosmetologist who is fully trained in performing digital perms.

Keep in mind finances, too. It’s not a cheap procedure, running anywhere from $200 to $400 depending on the salon, and it takes a chunk out of your day, too. It has to be repeated, too, every 4 months or so as your hair grows out.

Still, we got to say that we’re excited about a new kind of perming system that doesn’t leave us looking like poodles. We can’t wait to see how other hair innovators refine and evolve the hot perm process in the coming years.

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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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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?

Review of Chris Rock’s “Good Hair”

Posted on: October 27th, 2009 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Chris Rock’s three-year-old daughter Lola asked him, “Daddy, why don’t I have good hair?” This launched the comedian headfirst into the topic of ‘good hair’ – commonly thought of as straight, shiny, European-looking locks. This topic has fueled debates within the African American community for generations.

Rock records this search for truth in African American hair culture in Good Hair, a thought-provoking and entertaining documentary produced by HBO Films and directed by Jeff Stilson. Good Hair tackles the topics of texture, hair relaxing, weaves, and the booming financial business of African American hair care to explore the way that hairstyles impact the relationships, lifestyles, health, wallets, and self-esteem of African American women.

It’s a bold topic – how American culture defines beauty, and the lengths that women to which women will go to in order to conform to that standard. As cosmetologists, we have a hand in this. We know how expensive and painful weaves can be. We know that often, women look even more beautiful rockin’ their natural hair than getting it relaxed. But still, African American hair is a big business – with special standards, techniques and training for stylists.

What’s great about Good Hair is that it doesn’t point any fingers or take sides. The film advocates self-love and appreciation, no matter whether women choose natural or relaxed hair.

Have you seen Good Hair? What do you think?