Bow bun

Yesterday, I did one of Portia's favorite hairstyles for her for school: a bow bun! 

It's surprisingly easy, and super cute!

She was pretty excited. She spent probably 10 minutes trying to take selfies where her hair showed.

The beauty of this hairstyle is that it's still cute, even if it's not perfect!

On another note, after getting the perfect shot of her hair, she took about 30 pictures just like these:

When I asked why, she said "I was pretending I didn't have any hair at all."

Whatever floats your boat, kiddo.

5 Myths about hairstylists

Being a hairstylist is really fun. I get to meet and make friends with all sorts of people, stay on the cusp of fashion trends, and make people feel beautiful!

But over the last 6 years of doing hair, I've realized that there are several common misconceptions about the beauty industry, and those of us working in it.
Let's put those to rest, shall we?

Myth #1; My stylist is only trying to sell me product to make money.
Here's the deal. My main goal, as a stylist, is for you to leave my chair with gorgeous, healthy hair. Essentially, all I'm trying to do is make you happy. And product is a huge part of that.
We use product to strengthen your hair, enhance your style, and help you recreate the look at home. Yes, when we sell product, we typically make a little bit of money. But stylists usually only recommend product because your hair really needs it.
I would rather give products away for free and have my clients walk out the door with beautiful hair, than sell buckets of product to someone who doesn't need it.

Myth #2: I could do what my stylist does.

I've had clients sit in my chair and make comments that they could do my job for me.
On average, hairstylists spend thousands of dollars, and years on their education. We learn cutting, coloring, and styling techniques, client consultation services, and how to use our dangerous and complicated tools. We even go to business and tax classes. We also spend a lot of time and money on continuing education classes, sometimes as often as once a month. Part of the joy of working in the beauty industry is that it is always changing; styles come and go, and trends are continuously morphing. Which means that we are always re-learning our trade. We love what we do, and we want to be the best at it!
Please don't think that we just pick up a pair of scissors and become a pro; just like any career, we've have a lot of training to do what we do.

Yours truly, circa 2010

Myth #3: My stylist cut too much off cause she's mean, untalented, or simply didn't listen.

We've all had it happen. We go to the salon and the stylist goes on a cutting spree. She's horrible, right? Well, maybe not.
I can't tell you how many times a client has sat in my chair and said, "I just want the dead ends cut off." To me, that may mean 4 inches. To the client, that's only 1/2 inch. Communication is key! Chances are, if your stylist does something you don't like, they thought they were doing what you wanted. Tell your stylist exactly what you want, bring pictures, be clear. And if your cut is over, and you aren't happy, say so! We will either fix it ourselves, or help you find someone else who can. We want you to leave happy!

Myth #4: I can go get a consultation at a salon and then buy the service/product at drugstore.

I could go on an on with this one, folks. I know that you can go to Target and find Redken products for cheap, but chances are that those products are absolutely not legit. The products that we sell in salons are not guaranteed when not sold by a licensed professional,  as seen on my shampoo:

"Exclusive salon distribution"
If you find these products outside of a salon, you have found a counterfeit. In the beauty industry, this is called Diversion. These products are often expired or discontinued. I'll never remember the day in hair school, when one of our instructors brought a pile of products she had bought at local drugstores. One of the bottles was filled with dish soap. Gross.
The real kicker is that you probably aren't even getting a deal. At several salons I've worked at, we purposefully priced our products a few cents cheaper than Walmart and Target.
Buy your products from your stylist. Not only are you guaranteed to get the real deal, you are also getting a consultation that is customized just for your individual hair.
This blog post explains Diversion really well:
http://www.xojane.com/beauty/why-you-should-avoid-salon-products-at-the-drugstore

Myth #5: I know my stylist from school/church/PTA, so she won't mind giving me a discount.
While most stylists run specials from time to time, it is totally not ok to expect free or discounted service simply because you know each other outside of the salon!
Doing hair pays my bills. It is my career, and I need to be paid just like you and everyone else on this planet.
I know that some salon services are expensive, and who doesn't love saving a buck, but stylists work very hard and deserve to be paid accordingly. If a service costs more than your budget allows, let your stylist know. "I can't afford that right now," is something we've all heard, and understand. Call the salon first and ask for an estimate price. Be flexible and communicate, and your stylist will try to do the same.

Hairstylists want you to leave happy, so if there is anything we love, it's communication! Tell your stylist what you expect, what you hope your hair to look like, your budget, and voice any questions or concerns. Your hair will thank you!

Things I'm lovin' today.

Today was rough. Really just an all around no-good, crappy day.

And on days where it seems that everything is going wrong, I like to think of all the things that are going right, to remind myself how awesome my life is.

So, here are:

Things I'm Lovin' Today

1. Portia is doing really well in school. She likes her teacher, has friends in her class, and doesn't get stressed or worried throughout the day. I'm so proud of her!

2. Margot is doing really well without Portia here all day! I was worried that the adjustment would be hard for her, but honestly, she hardly seems to notice that Portia is gone. She is actually loving it! I think she is really excited to be in charge of what shows she watches, what games she plays, etc.

3. I am a pretty darn good hairstylist, so when I do my hair at home by myself, and it doesn't turn out quite right, I can fix it. (Bet you can't guess one of the things that went wrong today - that's right, I did my hair by myself, and it didn't turn out quite right.)

4. Brandon is a saint. When he came home tonight to a grumpy wife and messy house, he listened to me complain, gave me a hug and a kiss, and helped me put the girls to bed without a second thought. He then suggested that I go take a bubble bath to relax. 

Best husband ever.

5. I got to take a bubble bath.

6. While today sucked, I still really like Arizona. Our house is adorable now that we've gotten all our furniture set up, and we really like the schools and town. We love it!


What are you loving today?

Whoever said blondes have more fun, obviously never had pink hair.

As you all know, I am a haircolor addict. Well, I recently shook up my hair, in the most fun way!

I've gone pink! And I don't think I'll ever go back!

Summer Hair Help

Summer is officially here! And I'm in heaven! I love summer; I love the heat, the sunshine, and I love spending time in the water. But my hair doesn't.

Chlorine and salt can dry out and damage hair, sometimes even discoloring it.

I know a lot of women who swim daily, and want a way to keep their hair healthy in the summer months. So here are my summer hair tips!

1. Keep your hair from getting wet. This one is kinda obvious. If you don't want the water to damage your hair, keep your hair out of the water. Wear a swim cap, or put your hair up. But I know that this isn't always easy to do.

http://www.pollopass.com/beach-hair-beauty-secrets/

2. Wet your hair with water and conditioner before getting in the pool. Hair acts like a sponge and absorbs water. So a great way to keep the chlorine/salt out of your hair is to wet your hair and apply conditioner before hopping in the water. Your hair will absorb more of the clean water and conditioner, and less of the harsh chemicals.

http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/chlorine-wrecking-hair-skin-swimsuit/story?id=19718032

3. Rinse hair after getting out of the water. Get the damaging stuff out of your hair as soon as possible. Rinse or wash your hair as soon as you get out of the pool if you can.

http://www.realsimple.com/beauty-fashion/hair/hair-care/healthy-hair-with-less-hassle-00000000026374/

4. Wash with a purifying shampoo. A good purifying shampoo, like Redken's Cleansing Cream Shampoo, will strip the damaging buildup from your hair, keeping it from discoloring. Use it once or twice a week, instead of your regular shampoo. 

http://www.redken.com/products/haircare/specialty-products/hair-cleansing-cream-shampoo

So there you have it! Get to swimming!

These are my Confessions, Part II

Check out Part 1 here. 

~I love pizza Lunchables. Seriously, with that stale cracker/bread, not-even-cheese, and cold greasy pepperoni, I am in heaven.

~I talk to myself. Often. (Who doesn't?)

~I used to watch Glee. (I actually shuddered while typing that.) I only watched it during the first season, before it got lame. Or even lamer than it already was.

~This is what my hair looks like every morning:

~Last week I ate pizza for three meals in 24 hours. And I would have still eaten it again. I'm seeing a pattern here; apparently I have a pizza addiction.

~I still cry like a baby every time I read the Harry Potter series, especially the last four books. I've probably read each one about 8 times, and it still gets me every time. Like when Harry is in Dumbledore's office immediately following Sirius' death, and he's throwing things and screaming. I mean, how can you not cry?

~I am actually much more ornery than most people even know. I constantly get urges to do mischievous things. Everything from pinching, to knocking someone's drink out of their hand for no reason. 99% of the time, I repress these urges. But I have them all the time, several times a day. No matter who you are, I've probably had to stop myself from tripping you before.

~I am a music hoarder. I cannot get rid of music on my ipod or computer. It seriously stresses me out. For example, the Juno soundtrack is full of super-weird songs that I've never been able to listen to, like this one: 

I can't delete it, because what happens if I suddenly want to listen to that weird vampire song in a few years? Because of this, we have about 27 GB of music on our computer.

~ I just went back and listened to that vampire song, and my kids thought it was hilarious. See? It's a good thing I never deleted it!

Secret Talent

 Guys, I'm about to share one of my best kept secrets. I am an extremely talented Barbie hairstylist.

When I was a kid, I used to give all my Barbies haircuts. I think it's one of the things that got me into professional hairstyling in the first place. I love makeovers, and that's exactly what Barbie hairstyling is all about. 

Do you like how I'm talking about this like it's an actual profession? Listen, with how good I am, it should be.

Today, I picked two of my girls' Barbies.

I think this is supposed to be Anastasia, but I'm not sure. We'll call her Ana.

Ana's hair was very long and very ratty. It was so heavy, her head had a hard time staying up on it's own.

So I gave her a trim.

Much better.

My next client was in desperate need of a change. Let's call her Jess.

Jess looked like she had been electrocuted. Several times.

So I gave her a sleek, modern bob, and updated her makeup too.

Fabulous!

So there you have it! I'll be starting plans on a high-end Barbie salon soon. 

What's your secret talent?

British Hairdresser's Awards

A few weeks ago was the British Hairdresser's Awards, and I followed it pretty closely this year. Check out some of my favorite looks:

Hooker & Young 
Artistic Team

Tasha Stevens

D&J Ambrose 
Artistic Team

Lisa Rhead 
& Andrea Daley

Lisa Rhead 
& Andrea Daley

Nick Malenko 
& Ashley Gamble

Ryan Nicoletti-Dowd

Love!

My pal, Lena

I've told you before about the fashion blog Lena B Actually, and how much I love it! Well, I was thrilled when Lena asked for help recently, wanting guest posts! I wrote one, and it goes live today! I'm so excited! It's a hair post, where I do a tutorial for Victory Rolls! Like these:

So do me a favor, click the link, and check out my post and spend some time on Lena's blog. You'll be a fan, I promise!

http://www.lenabactually.com/2013/11/pinup-hair-guest-post-by-kathleen.html

I love being a hairstylist.

About 6  years ago, I decided to go to hair school. 

Brandon and I were engaged at the time, and I had gone to three years of college without picking a major...and without passing many classes. I felt stuck. I came to the realization that traditional college was just not for me. I knew that I wanted to get some sort of education, and that I wanted to be able to work while being a mom in the future. One day, Brandon mentioned that he thought I'd make a good hairstylist. And so I decided.

At first, I went to hair school because it was a fun career. I would get to choose my own hours, be in the know when it comes to fashion trends, and never have to pay for a haircut again! It wasn't until I started really working with clients, that I learned that there's so much more.

I get to help people feel good about themselves on a daily basis. There is a visible change in people when they leave a salon with a fabulous new do. They feel lighter, happier, like they can conquer the world, and it's so exciting to be a part of that change!

One of my favorite moments of my career was when I received a message from the husband of one of my clients. I had cut her hair a few days before, and was surprised when I heard from him. He told me that I had no idea how much I helped his wife, that she was on cloud nine for days after her haircuts from me. He thanked me for helping his busy wife feel as beautiful on the outside as she was on the inside. It brought tears to my eyes. 

This is why I love being a hairstylist. I get to help people feel happy. I get to help people love themselves, inside and out.

What more could you want?

Check out ma hurr.

Guys, my hair has been bugging me for weeks.
It needs a trim, bad.

I have a lot of breakage, especially up front. I've been toying with the idea of chopping some bangs for a while now, but haven't decided until now.

Here's my inspiration:

http://www.bodenusa.com/en-US/Womens-Skirts/A-line-Full/WG495/Womens-Ponte-Skater-Skirt.html?NavGroupID=13

Here's my hair before:

I'm not going to show you how I cut my own bangs, because unless you're a hairstylist, you shouldn't be cutting your own hair. Don't try this at home, kids!

The after:

I cut them long and very piecy, and they can be worn either straight across or swooped to the side.

I love it!

purple is the new black

My niece, Jeannine Blair, is going into the 6th grade in a few days, so she came over to my house to have a personal hair class. I taught her how to blow-dry, curl, and straighten correctly, and how to do a few styles to herself for school. 

I also gave her a totally awesome bright purple peekaboo streak.

The before:

 Isn't she beautiful?

After:

Who's going to be the coolest girl in school?

Passion for Fashion Friday- My Favorite Hair Products

Being a professional hairstylist has it's perks, ya know. My family never has to pay for haircuts, I get to play with all my friends' hair, and I get hair products for cheap. 

I have a lot of hair products. 

Here's my two favorites right now.

Redken Diamond Oil

I love this stuff. I have fairly fine hair, that I color a lot, so I have a bit of damage. I use this oil when my hair is damp, and when it dries, it's smoother and shinier than before. Also, I use it everyday, ad I've barely even made a dent in my bottle. It goes a long way!

Here's what the website says:

• Hair oil for medium hair types (there is also one for coarser hair)
• Silicone-free with natural hair oils that penetrate each level of the hair fiber to nourish strengthen and reinforce strands from the inside out
• Hair is 3X stronger with 2X more shine 
• Seals, coats and smoothes the cuticle to boost shine and protect hair from damage due to friction from brushing, styling, etc.
• Features a unique dropper for precise, no-waste dosage
• Hybrid Oil technology combines synthetic polymers with 99% natural hair oils, including olive, jojoba, coconut and sunflower seed oils

Pureology Split End Correcting Treatment

I use this every day too. It's another damaged hair product (can you tell what my problem areas are?) that I use when my hair is damp. It smooths down split ends, making them seem to disappear, at least until I wash my hair again. It also goes a long way, I have long hair and only use 3 little pumps.

Here's what the website says:

• Luxurious fragrance of Jasmine, Ylang Ylang, and Rosewood
• Relaxes and rejuvenates
• Helps seal split ends
• Helps rebuild lightened and chemically relaxed hair
• Reduces breakage

Both of these products are slightly pricey, but they're worth it! They will last you forever, and make your hair gorgeous!

What are your favorites?

Day 14, Things I'm Lovin Today!

May 14th- 10 Things That Make You Really Happy

Man, I do this all the time! Only I call these posts "Things I'm Lovin Today."

Usually on days where I'm extra tired or cranky, or just need a reminder of how awesome my life is, I write a post about things I love. 

So here, for your entertainment, are Things I'm Lovin Today, Life Edition:

1. My family. I have the best husband in the world, and the most amazing little girls!

2. Dr. Pepper. It's smooth and bubbly and delicious and caffeinated.

3. Music. Moves my soul and makes life better.

4. Driving down the highway with the windows down and the music loud. Instantly boosts my mood. 

5. The Ocean. Man, I love the ocean. I seriously could live there.

6. Fireworks. The rumble-your-heart, shake-the-ground big-boomers. I actually just giggle the whole time.

7. Two words: Harry. Potter.

8. The Gospel of Jesus Christ. Knowing that there is a plan for me and that there is always hope is very comforting.

9. Naps.

10. Doing hair. I love meeting lots of people and making them feel better about themselves. Cheap hair products is a plus too!

ma hurr

You may or may not know.

I love to change my hairstyle.

Whether it's cut, color, or style, I love to switch it up often. 

Here's some of my hairstyles in the past few years.

The first one is my High School senior picture, natural hair color.

The last is what my hair looks like now.

I think I know what I'm doing next:

Gorgeous.

Don't believe everything you read on Pinterest.

Guys, I am a Pinterest addict. I love getting ideas for DIY projects, and a lot of them are genius! Aaaaaand  then lot of them are crap.
As you may imagine, I spend a lot of my time in Hair and Beauty section. And I come across tons of DIY hair masks or treatments.
I laugh at them.
Here are some that I've discovered:

Apply for 1 month, 1 time per week. Hair grows about 10 cm! Mask recipe is very simple and is based on the fact that mustard bakes, warming the skin of the head and causing a rush of blood to the hair follicles: 2 tablespoons dry mustard powder, with hot water to dissolve, 2 tablespoons of hot water, 1 egg yolk, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 teaspoons of sugar 

First of all, look at this picture. Hair to your knees, nasty stringy ends, does any one of us really want that? No. We don't. 

Now lets read the instructions. Mustard bakes. You are essentially baking your head? I think that's a bad idea. Not to mention the fact that there is not really a way to get your hair to grow faster. It's kinda impossible, even if you do fry your follicles.

If heat made hair grow faster, wouldn't our blow dryers do the trick?

Twist your bangs into a single mesh in the center of your face above the bridge of your nose and snip the ends. Twisting the hair before cutting will give your bangs a wispy look.

Ok. This one actually has a grain of truth to it. You can twist your hair to cut bangs, but it doesn't make them wispy. It's actually is a technique used by Sam Villa, and if you don't know who he is, then chances are you aren't a licensed hairstylist, and that means you shouldn't be cutting your own bangs.

Seriously, go to your stylist. We can tell when you cut your own hair, and we hate it.

To straighten hair without heat, just mix a cup of water with 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, pour it into a spray bottle, then spray into damp hair and let hair dry.

This one is my personal favorite. Put sugar in your hair.

Really.

Don't do it guys. All this is going to do is make your hair sticky.

All in all, if you're reading something on Pinterest that sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

her mother's daughter

Portia got gumballs for Easter.
Tonight, as we were putting her to bed, she asked for some gum.
I told her that if she sleeps with gum in her mouth, it will get in her hair, and then we'll have to cut her hair off.
She paled.
She was visibly terrified, and started to cry.  The thought of cutting her hair made her panic.
I explained that we only had to cut it if she got gum in it, and she started to calm down a little bit, but she was still pretty worried.
Poor girl.
She is her mother's daughter.

Grow it out!

I am in the process of growing my hair out. I have been for a while, and it's starting to really get long again! 

I know a million and one gals who are in the process of growing their hair out, and if they're anything like me, they get frustrated easily. Here are a few ways to get through the awkward in-between-long-and-short period.

One thing you can do is play with styles. Curl it, flip it out, try parting it another way, find some cute accessories. Get out of your rut!

Let those stacked-up layers grow out a little. Longer layers will make your hair chic and sophisticated.

Add some bangs or change up your color. This will revamp your look without taking off all that length that you've worked so hard to get.

One thing that a lot of people forget is that growing your hair out is a process. Be patient, and go get regular trims. If your hair is damaged and stringy, you will be more inclined to make rash decisions, like chopping it all off all over again, just make it look healthy.