Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tips. Show all posts

Monday, October 1, 2012

Mondays with Mindy: Secrets of a Hairstylist


I can’t tell you the number of times my clients ask me, “Why can’t I get my hair to look the way you make it look?” while styling. Honestly, with the right tools and this easy method, it’s not that difficult. So, here it is. 8 simple steps to achieve the best blow out-hair style.


  1. After your hair is shampooed and conditioned, gently towel dry it. Don’t rub the towel against your hair, just use it to absorb the excess water in the hair strands. 
  2. Using a large wide-tooth comb, detangle your tresses. This is important. Because hair is at its most delicate state when wet, a brush can actually break your hair. With the wide-tooth comb, start at the ends of your hair and work your way up the hair shaft. This also will avoid breakage.
  3. After the knots and tangles are gone, gather your hair into a low pony and squeeze any remaining water out of the hair. Part your hair where you’d like and comb straight.
  4. Work a dime-size dollop of smoothing serum, blow drying balm, or styling oil (depending on your hair texture) throughout your hair avoiding the roots. This will help dodge greasy looking roots. Then, I like to add a root boost foam or lifting spray (again depending on the texture) at the roots right where a halo would fall on your head.  Just a few spritzes is plenty. The combination of these two products minimize frizz, allow for shorter drying time, and increase volume at the root. I like to tell my clients that this cocktail of products is similar to a primer you would use on your face before foundation. People often believe these tools are unnecessary, but if you want to do your hair like a pro, don’t skip the products!
  5. Now, use the dryer to blast the hair at the roots in the direction you want it to fall. Many people do the upside down, shake your hair everywhere method. That leaves more opportunity for frizz. If you dry your hair keeping it in a similar way you want the end result to be, it’s less work after you put the dryer away. Also, and this will take some practice, but move the dryer constantly. This will help avoid damage as well as add extra air into your hair…leading to less drying time. 
  6. Another important tip, do NOT use a styling brush until the hair is about 80 to 90 percent dry. Once you’re there, section your hair. Basically pull your hair from your ears up so it looks like a half-up hair style. Now take the brush and roll it under the bottom layer of the hair. Again, keep the dryer moving back a forth to avoid breakage and damage from direct heat. Once dry, pull down another section from your temples down. Dry this section using the brush. Once its dry, take your hair completely down and dry the top section with the brush. I like to take the crown section and over direct it forward to create extra volume. Everyone thinks the sectioning method will take forever to do, but once you’ve practiced this technique, you’ll find it actually takes less time. 
  7. A huge trick to better styled hair is to be sure it’s completely dry before you throw the dryer in the cabinet. If your hair is even the least bit damp, it gives your hair permission to do whatever it wants throughout the rest of the drying time. AKA frizz, frayed ends, wavy roots and mayhem! Be in control of your hair. Just like a child or a dog, if you give them an inch they’ll run a mile. Same with your hair; You are the boss!!
  8. If needed, take a flat or curling iron and briefly use the heat to prefect your hairstyle. Section your hair in the same sections as during the blow drying to avoid missing any strands. 

Voila! You now have the tools to style like a pro. Style on, girls. Style on!

XOXO Mindy


Monday, July 30, 2012

Mondays with Mindy: Perfect Wedding Day Hair!


I love what I do. I am lucky enough to make people not only look, but feel beautiful on one of the biggest days of their lives. Half way through my fifth wedding season, I’ve found a few simple tricks a bride can do to ensure perfect wedding day hair.

1.) Before your trial- Knowing your hair. Is your hair thick, thin, coarse, fine? Can it hold a curl or does it go limp in a matter of minutes? Is your hair curly, wavy, or straight? Knowing the answers to these questions can make all the difference in the world when determining your wedding day look. Mix this knowledge with the time of year of your wedding and the typical weather for that time of year and you have the ability to choose the perfect style for your hair! For example, if your hair doesn’t hold curl well and you’re having an outdoor ceremony in July, an updo may be your best option due to the humidity and your hair type. If you have healthy, long hair which holds a curl and your wedding is indoors (or in a controlled environment) your options are a little more open. Keeping these things in mind before meeting with your stylist is such a great idea because your vision is realistic.

2.) Before your day- Trims. Yes, usually brides want the longest hair possible on her wedding day. Today, I am going to bust the myth that having super long hair is best for an updo. This is not the case. If you can get all your hair up, so can we! Obviously, the longer your hair, the more we can do with it when in an updo. But most updos can be created with shoulder length hair.  If half up or all down is the look you’re going for, length is important. But more importantly is the health of the long hair. If the ends of the hair are unhealthy (dead ends), curls have a very hard time staying throughout the entirety of the night. Also, long layers help with these styles. All one length hair is very heavy. This added weight can pull down your curls and leave your hair less curly/wavy by the end of the night. Layers act like “stairs” for each curl to lie on. Getting a tiny trim a couple weeks before your wedding day will give it time to relax after the cut and also leave your ends looking perfectly fresh for the big day. Please go to a stylist you trust and stress it is your wedding day!! Even suggesting a light “dusting” to your stylist can help communicate the importance of receiving the slightest trim.


3.) Day of- Prepping your hair. In order to keep to a schedule, there a couple easy things you can do on your wedding day. When your stylist arrives, please have 100% dry hair. Throughout my experiences, my biggest pet peeve has become damp hair. If the hair has the slightest bit of wetness, our irons can scorch your hair. Plus, it saves so much time if everyone is ready to go! Also, do not flat iron your hair before receiving hair services. Flat irons are so hot and now have ionic capabilities which temporarily erase the memory within the hair strand. Therefore, when a curling iron tells the hair to have circular movement (curl), the hair will want to revert to its former straight state. Trust me, my hair is not a pretty sight with just using a blow dryer or god forbid, by air-drying.  But when we walk in on the day of a wedding and see hair close to its natural state, we are thrilled because we know the style will stay throughout the night.


These very easy, but often overlooked tips can be the key to looking your absolute best on your special day.

P.S. Tell your bridesmaids ;)

Xoxo Mindy

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Say "I Do!" to a beautiful, quick & easy eyes!

While doing my hair in the morning, all I ever think about is what colors will I put on my eyes! Doesn't matter what color I'm wearing that day (I'm not into matching) I always have this struggle. After much deliberation, I always gravitate towards my "go-to" eye colors.


-Find out what colors you like the best on you. I like about anything, so just finding the right shade of each color does fine for me, which I think applies to anyone! My favorites are yellows, golds, browns and charcoals. ( I have a warm skin tone and brown eyes.)

- What do you prefer? Darker colors in the crease, darker colors fading into lighter. This is a matter of personal preference. Google Natural Eye Make Up to see some examples

- Well groomed brows will always make the look a lot cleaner and more appealing.

- Choose a highlighter color (brow highlight) that's lighter, but matches the skin tone  This will compliment your eyes the best.  (I am a warm skin tone, so I wear a very light gold, like Queen Phyllis . Another favorite is Nude Beach. These two colors look good on 99% of women. To apply these kinds of colors, I love a good tapered brush. Try, Sephora's Natural Small Eyeshadow Brush.

-Use a good crease or blending brush for your crease and this also helps achieve a quick, natural looking "fade" or blending of the colors. Less is more and until you get the hang of it, take your time.  I like this brush from Sephora!

-Two Color Wonder - Take the brush directly underneath the brow and work it all the way down to the lash line. Apply a darker color in your crease for a great, quick, easy look. Using your blending brush will make it look like you have a great fading and/or natural effect. For a beautiful crease color, try Naked Lunch.

-For beginners and those who want it easy: Try Urban Decay 24/7 Shadow Pencil . I love Midnight Cowboy(this is an everyday product for me!) Sin and Rehab. All are great every day colors. Super easy to blend just with your finger or with the pencil. These seriously stay on all day and won't budge, smudge or crease after put on. I love to use Midnight Cowboy as a liner underneath the eye and on the inner corner for an extra bright look.

-Want that super smudged eyeliner look with out being too heavy? Try a powder, mineral liner like Bon Bon Liner Shadow or Urban Decay 24/7 eyeliner and use a Smudging Brush. To achieve that very natural eyeliner look. CAUTION: when using a liner shadow, apply first with an eyeliner brush then smudge out! This brush picks up a ton of shadow. The dome shape gives the most beautiful effect, without being too heavy.

-Uneasy about picking out some colors for an everyday? Try NAKED - the uber-natural palette. For $48.00 you get twelve full sized shadows. I love Kat Von D True Romance Palette . Awesome everyday the greens and browns go well with any skin tone. You get eight full sized shadows for $34.00. Going for all natural? Try Tarte Nuetral EYES . Ten great all natural, nuetral eye colors for only $44.00.

-Don't forget primer! If your shadows crease throughout the day or if you tend to have "disappearing" eye shadow. Primer is essential! My favorite primers formula was changed, but I hear great things about Benefit Don't Stray  or Smashbox Photo Ready Eye Primer. (Have a sample, I will report soon!)

-Mascara is a must! No questions asked, just put it on! I have a few favorites, Voluminous Carbon Black Drugstore Pick . Love the brush and the formula is great. Pro Pick is Sephora Atomic Lash. Super thick formula, which I love and conditioning to the lashes. What do I carry in my bag? Flawless Definition Volumizing, Mineral Based, Conditioning Mascara. Why I love it: The formula conditions lashes, I hardly ever lose any when I wash it off every night and I swear they have gotten longer in the past year. Probably because they are no longer breaking! Lashes are hair, they do break, become brittle and thin.

-Practice, it takes time. You'll eventually achieve what you're looking for!

What are my personal go to colors?
-Queen Phyllis (brow highlight)
-Fire Opal (blended above crease, limited color, you may be able to find it on ebay.)
-Butterfly (Lid color)
-Faux Fox (crease color)
I may use four colors, but I have a lot of lid space!
-Bon Bon (for liner)
All Bare Escentuals mineral shadows. ( I do reference them often, I used to work for them! By far my favorite shadows.)   
 Here's my look with those shadows :


I hope this helps with your everyday look! Don't be shy! Shoot us an email anytime with questions!

~Sara

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