Barbie Loves T3

In anticipation of the October 15 launch of its new exclusive-edition Barbie Loves T3 Hair Dryer, T3 has created a website dedicated to Barbie’s iconic style. At BarbieLovesT3.com, visitors can view videos with step-by-step instructions on how to create “Barbie Fabulous” looks. There are also Barbie beauty tips, quotes and trivia, along with general hairstyling advice and product suggestions.

The Barbie Loves T3 Hair Dryer is the popular Featherweight model (my personal dryer!), reinterpreted in collaboration with Mattel in honor of Barbie’s 50th anniversary. Each dryer has a hand-painted vintage Barbie illustration displayed on the side, framed by pink accent pieces. Celebrity hair guru Orlando Pita used the Barbie Loves T3 dryer to style 50 models for the catwalk at the Barbie Runway show at the Mercedes–Benz Fashion Week in NYC in February.

Enter Redken’s Runway Reinvention Contest!

Redken Creative Consultant Guido created the above look for the fall ‘09 Prada show in Milan—think you can reinvent it into something a little more wearable for your clients? If so, you’ll want to enter Redken’s Runway Reinvention Styling Contest for a chance to win a week-long trip to New York City from January 31 to February 6, 2010 to work on an American Salon photo shoot!

Redken wants to see your interpretation of Guido’s look, so feel free to modify it, tone it down and give it your own unique spin to create a look your clients will love. The rules are simple: Use at least one current Redken product to prep the hair and at least two Redken styling products to finish the look, then send in three color photographs, a step-by-step guide to your technique, and 150 words on how you envision your client wearing the look. But hurry, you only have until October 31st to enter! For more details on how to enter, visit Redken.com/RunwayReinvention

UNITE Participates in Fashion for the Cure

Last Thursday, UNITE Eurotherapy stylists from across America teamed up with Diane Von Furstenburg and the Susan G. Komen Foundation to put on an amazing fashion show at Smashbox Studios in  Hollywood, CA.

The models consisted of celebrities like Denise Richards, runway models and actual breast cancer survivors. Overall, the Fashion for the Cure event was a huge success in raising both funds for breast cancer research and awareness for early detection.

Ted Gibson Celebrates Opening of New DC Salon

Celebrity hairstylist—and new addition to TLC’s What Not To Wear—Ted Gibson celebrated the official grand opening of his eponymous salon outside of Washington D.C. last Thursday. The salon, which has partnered with Hela Spa to offer a total beauty destination, is the second outpost for Gibson and celebrity colorist Jason Backe, who also co-own Ted Gibson Salon in New York City’s Flatiron District.

Although I adore both Ted and Jason (despite their huge success, they are such warm and humble guys!), I wasn’t able to make it to D.C. for the party. Luckily, they sent over some pictures to show me what I missed!

Ted Gibson and Jason Backe celebrate their latest endeavor

Ted with three cast members from Bravo's new The Real Housewives of D.C.

Hanna Compton, Week 3: Texture Week!

This week was all about the textures of peoples’ hair and how to change them. I.E.  Perms and relaxers! We started the week learning about PH (Potential Hydrogen) and Acid and Alkaline and the affects they have on the hair. We also watched a video with Ladonna Dryer, which taught us all about the bonds that are broken during perms and relaxers, which are Hydrogen Bonds, Salt Bonds and Disulfide Bonds. I didn’t realize there was so much chemistry in hairdressing! We also went over the three different perm products Paul Mitchell uses: Acid Perms (which smelled like apples, haha), Alkaline Perms (which didn’t smell good at all), and Exothermic Perms (Which had a fresh, soapy smell).

We had an activity in class using the acid/alkaline scale where we tried to figure out where everyday items fit on the scale, whether they were more acidic or alkaline based. It was really intruiging.

On Wednesday we had a guest speaker, Claudia Smith, who is from JPMS (John Paul Mitchell Systems). She works at their corporate offices in Beverly Hills and she came to our school to go over the new Cut & Dry, a Paul Mitchell magazine that comes out twice a year. The magazine was featuring a lot of amazing new products from Paul Mitchell, some go green ideas, a spotlight on the six favorite Paul Mitchell hairdressers, and ways to imporove your salon. We were split up into nine groups and each group had to go over one article in the magazine and present it to the class. There were some pretty creative and informative presentations in the class and we all got two new products out of it as well. Claudia passed out the new Hot Off the Press thermal protection spray, which smells heavenly and works great. I used it before curling my hair the other day, not only did my curls come out soft and smooth, but they stayed that way all day, and didn’t fall out. She also gave us sample bottles of the new Fast Form which is a cream gel that you use before blow drying that speeds up drying time and helps you keep your hair manageable for the day. (It also smells unbeliveable).

After our guest speaker we went back to class and learned about the 19 Perm Steps, which is the routine you need to follow when giving someone a perm.

Later in the day we got some amazing news from the Student Council: We’re having a Prom! The theme is Dance Your Hair Off and it’s gonna take place on October 10th. Everyone at school was extatic about it, including me. At out POW WOW at the end of the day our learning leaders told us about a contest the school would be having based on NAHA (North American Hairstyling Awards). NAHA is an amazing contest and award ceremony for hairsressers and students alike. To get an award at NAHA would change a persons life completely and put them at the top. SO our school is having their own mini-NAHA for us students.  We have to have 3 or more pictures telling a story with hair, makeup, and wardrobe. The learning leaders at our school will help the winner of tha contest enter in NAHA in the student category. It’s a pretty big deal and everyone is abuzz about it. I can’t wait to see what everyone comes up with.

Thursday we worked on our dollheads doing perms all day. Friday we learned about relaxers to chemically straighten the hair and worked on our doll heads doing the procedures for that. And saturday we were downstairs on the floor all day learning thermal styling with our curling irons and smoothing irons. We also learned how to use the old curlings irons and smoothing irons that you have to use with a little oven. We also learned how to do scalp treatments and a blowdrying technique. It was a pretty busy week overall and we got to do a lot of hands-on activities, which I love.

I’m gonna need some models, a photographer, and a makeup artist for the Paul Mitchell Hairstyling Awards, so if you’re interested let me know!

Love,

Hanna Compton

Think Pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month: Part 3

Here’s a look at a few more great items that raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month:

Company: J Beverly Hills
Product: ADDBODY Shampoo and Conditioner and reusable tote
Charity: $1.50 for every set sold will be donated to breast cancer research
Contact: jbeverlyhills.com

Company: TIGI S-Factor
Product: Wonderful Tonight Overnight Treatment
Charity: $2 from every sale will support research at City of Hope
Contact: tigihaircare.com

Company: Ooohlala of Beverly Hills
Product: Sooo Pink! Shea Beauty Bombs
Charity: 20 percent of proceeds will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Foundation
Contact: ooohlalabath.com

Company: LaLicious
Product: Sugar Kiss Products
Charity: 15 percent of proceeds from Sugar Kiss-scented products will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Contact: lalicious.com

Company: Hana
Product: Flat Iron Breast Cancer Awareness Edition 1.0 & 1.5
Charity: $25 of every sale will be donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Contact: hanasalon.com

Company: Purple Lab
Product: SWAC (Sealed With A Cure) lip gloss
Charity: A percentage of proceeds will be donated to the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation
Contact: purplelabnyc.com

Company: Joico
Product: Skin Luxe Sweet Pomegranate Body Butter
Charity: A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of each body butter will be donated to breast cancer research and awareness
Contact: joico.com

For more items that give back, click here.

Wendy Watkins Words of Wisdom: What Does Passion Have to Do With Business?

What do you imagine the world might be like if we always lived aligned with our passions? People would be happier because they could make all their decisions based on what is right for them; attracting more of what they want in life. They could move into action toward their goals with ease and clarity about what is important to them. This clarity and focus could increase their success and their Joy Factor.

Why is living with joy and passion important for you and your business? Here it is, plain and simple. When people are happy and living a life they love, they offer better service to their clients. When your clients receive better service, they become raving fans. Who wants more of those?

Begin with these three simple tips that will connect you to your gut. You have heard the term listen to your gut? Here is another way to honor that statement.

1. Gain clarity on your passions. When you are clear, you know where to put your attention.
2. Use them as a compass. Ask yourself, “Is this moving me closer to or farther away from my passions?”
3. Trust your direction. Allow yourself to move forward with clarity, not worrying about figuring all of the hows. Put one foot in front of the other and watch the next step unfold.

Click here to read more about how to honor your gut, connect with your passions and build your business.

Wendy Watkins, PCC, Chief Grower of PassionFruit Creative People Growers, is a seasoned business leader and coach with over 18 years of experience in the salon and spa industry. She specializes in unique programs and keynotes that have helped scores of creative entrepreneurs. Visit www.PassionFruitPeople.com for more inspiring tools and information.

Wendy Belanger Shares her Best Salon Practices

In the city where I’m from, there are approximately 40 other salons on the same street as my studio! To be precise, there are four on my block alone. When people ask, “What do you do to compete?”  I simply reply, “I don’t!” The next question that usually follows is, “What makes your salon so successful then?”

We decided as a team to step out of the norm and create a “salon experience” at Influence, where the customer is referred to as a guest and an appointment is considered a reservation.  Simple terms such as “guest and reservation” are associated with utmost importance and a welcoming stay.  In addition, we feel that all luxury appointments in life such as fine dining, hotels, and car services etc, begin with a reservation.

So, what does this look like?  Well, we took a standard salon visit and found a way to make all aspects of it an “experience”. The moment you enter through the door, you are immediately greeted with a smile and “Hello, welcome to Influence!”  Following the greeting, we ask our guest “Do you have a reservation with us today?”  You are then presented with a bottle of fresh spring water with our logo on it.  When the stylist greets you, he or she then takes you on a full tour of the salon. Inviting our guests into our salon and familiarizing them with the layout, provides an unconscious comfort and therefore eases their mind.

Prior to every haircut, a head massage is given at the station with aromatherapy oils.  Knowing that a large portion of our guests get color services, we wanted to create a complimentary relaxation procedure for them as well.  Therefore, while they process, we administer a hand massage utilizing organic lotion specially created for Influence Salon and massage the guest from their elbows to their finger tips. After each service we give a full styling lesson on how to do your own hair.  Our mantra is: “Use what I use and do what I do and your hair will look like it does when I do it” We also offer styling classes in the evening for those who are looking for extra tips or who are less savvy with their skills. A full explanation of what was done to the guest’s hair is delivered at the take home bar for at-home maintenance and a chocolate with their receipt sends them on their way. A follow up phone call 7 days later is always a standard as we want to make sure that consistency is maintained with every visit.

These are just a few of our practices we utilize. Our tag line is “Influence salon … experience the difference”. We don’t compete; we have always believed that you should chase the DREAM, not the competition.

Wendy Belanger is the current artistic director for Pureology. Along with creating seasonal trends for Pureology, Belanger has traveled the country styling celebrities backstage at awards shows. She is based in Calgary, Canada, where she owns Influence salon.

Giovanni Giuntoli on Creating Camera-Ready Curls

As the Artistic Director at Tearsheet, I know how difficult natural curls can be to style perfectly – whether our team is styling a model on-set, training students in our classes or enhancing ringlets under time crunches backstage at Fashion Week. And now more than ever, natural curls are in, as we’ve seen from the runways at Fall 2009 Fashion Week to the styles walking down the streets of New York City. One thing I’ve learned about styling curly hair over the years is that diligent care needs to be given from the first step to the last so that clients leave with luxurious, frizz-free curls every time. Here are just a few tips and tricks I’ve gathered from working with curly hair at photo shoots that I share with students who come into our classes, helping stylists’ in our “fight against the frizz”:

• Naturally curly hair doesn’t like to be touched and scrunched too much while being diffused. Try to lift the curls up to the head to continue to activate the curls. If the curls start to break up, lower the speed on the blow dryer.
• Once curly hair is dry, hair may need to be softened in spots since curly hair does not reflect light very well. A little help can be provided by a product– like Redken’s glass 01 smoothing serum. The curls will be left with a soft, natural feel with shine. (Try emulsifying the products in your palms and using a scrunching process from ends to scalp).
• If the curls still tend to be dry and extra frizzy, a very light mist of water over the top of the curls could help. Take a spray bottle and point it up and over the style and mist onto the curls. Use fingers to place the curls where you want them and allow hair to dry naturally.

• Curly hair stays curly and not frizzy by minimal touching, so when pinning hair up make sure not to rake your fingers, comb or brush through the curls.  Create a fuller look by massaging individual curl sections between your first finger and thumb before pinning – this will blossom the curls and give a softer feel to the section and the hairstyle.
• When tired, over-worked curly hair is not giving the result I want, sometimes re-curling the hair helps to revive the curls. Make sure to curl going in both directions, toward the face and away to make sure the curls won’t interlock, which can look unnatural.

Remember, every curl is different and sometimes you will have to get creative and play with what works best with your specific client based on the mixture of your climate, the type of curls she has, time of day and desired result. But with a base knowledge and confidence, you can make sure you style ringlets right every time, providing a unique point of difference to your client and keep them consistently coming back for your professional expertise.

Giovanni Giuntoli is the Artistic Director at Tearsheet Editorial Styling Classes in New York City and a Redken Session Stylist. He has worked with such magazines and designers as Nylon, Cosmopolitan, O, The Oprah Magazine, WWD, Lucky, Glamour, Chris Benz and Armani Exchange and is a staple at NYC Fashion Week. He also shoots major designer’s advertisements, and lookbooks, and is a regular during Bridal Fashion Week for designers Amsale, Kenneth Poole, Christos, and Angel Sanchez.

UNITE Partnering with Gen Art for Fashion Event

On September 29, UNITE Eurotherapy and host Kristin Cavallari of MTV’s The Hills will present UNITE Unveiled at SkyBar in Hollywood, CA. At the event, Gen Art will be unveiling its new 2010 Fresh Face fashion designers (the actual Fresh Faces in Fashion Los Angeles show will be taking place during Rock Fashion Week in late October) while renowned international DJ Tina T spins music for an exclusive crowd. UNITE is involved with Gen Art on a national level, providing backstage hair services at their various fashion shows in Miami, LA, Chicago and more. Guests will also enjoy complimentary cocktails from Svedka and plenty of other surprises. I personally can’t fly out there to attend, but I can’t wait to see the pictures!