Dashing Gentlemen

I started watching "Mad Men" two days ago. Honestly, I can't stop staring at Don Draper's hair.

I think there's something inherently sexy about old time glamour of an era gone by, especially the men. I love that no matter what these people were doing back in the 40s and 50s, they always looked their best doing it. No matter if it was grocery shopping, running errands, going to work, or lounging around, these people looked tip top! The women looked phenomenal, but this also extends to the men.

It always just looks so classy to me, to see these old photos of Gene Kelly, Frank Sinatra, Robert Redford, and even Brad Pitt... that simple part and slicked back style. Sexy and dashing. I wish more men would go back to this!

Healthy Hair

In the few months I've been writing this blog, my hair has become healthier than it's ever been. This makes me a very happy blogger! It's softer than usual, growing faster (at least I think it is), and it's shiny and less frizzy than I've ever known it to be. Why? Let's see...

1) I've stopped washing it daily. I shampoo (or Low Poo) it only twice a week now. In between washing I'm still wetting it down daily, putting a conditioner on it, and restyling it daily.

2) I've drastically cut down on my use of heat products. I can't tell you the last time I actually used the blow dryer on my hair. I straighten it only on average of once a week now, if at all.

3) Coconut oil treatments on a regular basis. As I've written before, I am starting to swear by this stuff! I slap it on, massage it in, and then shower cap it until it's time to rinse out. It's even ok to sleep with it in (just watch out for leakage onto your pillow). The smell is also a major bonus.

4) I've switched to a sulfate free shampoo, which I think is a lot better on my curls. It makes them soft enough to comb through without even applying conditioner.

5) I've been letting my hair air dry all summer. After the pool I immediatley rinse out my hair and put a deep conditioner on it, and every other shampoo I use a purple shampoo specifically for highlights.

Let's hope for a fall season of even healthier hair!

August to Try

I've decided that every month I'm going to try some sort of at home remedy for hair, and then write about it. It's fun, and as long as it doesn't make my hair fall out, I'm game!

I just found out that in August, we celebrate International Beer Day! That being said, since I love beer, what better way to celebrate than trying an at home beer rinse for my hair?! That's right, I'm going to waste a bunch of beer by pouring it on my hair, and then writing about it.

The only instructions that I could find for this little experiment were to find a beer that doesn't have a "strong odor", pour it on my head warm and flat, massage it through, and then rinse it out. Sounds pretty simple. We shall see!

Internship

It's sort of getting close to that time for me. The time for me to start looking for a salon to do my internship at. The idea of doing this is a little bit daunting for me, so I just sort of went with what seemed like a good idea, and hopefully it will be!

I started by writing down all the salons I could think of off the top of my head, both in Dayton and Cincinnati. Then I got on Google and found some more that are in the neighborhoods I want to work in. I divided the list into Dayton and Cincinnati, and started emailing the Dayton salons. I think if I do about 4 to 5 a day that should start me off well.

I'm still about 200 hours shy of being able to intern, but I figure it's never to early to start! I know exactly where I'd like to intern, so I emailed those salons first. It's a little nerve wracking because I don't even know if all of these salons even accept interns, but I'm emailing all of them anyways, and hopefully will start hearing back from some.

I've heard from numerous people that's it's easier to get a job if you've interned, but for some reason a lot of girls I'm in school with don't do it. I'm all for it! So I'll keep emailing and keep everyone posted! Wish me luck!

Cuckoo!

Feather is in! I went yesterday morning, and the whole thing took about 5 minutes. My boyfriend says he can't understand why I would put a feather in my hair before going on a canoe trip, but hey, I'm on a tight timeline and I took what I could get!

Katie (my stylist) sat me down, pulled out a bag with a slew of feathers in them, and I picked the striped one. I tried to get an actual picture of what she was doing, but I left the camera in the car....

She took a little plastic ball and then clamped it into my hair with a pair of pliers. No bonding or heat required, which I'm happy about. She then (painfully!) tugged on it a few times, and we decided there was no way in hell that thing was going anywhere.

So, now I have a feather in my hair. I really like it, although it's a little hard to see (it's pretty thin) and every time I comb my hair thus far I've forgotten it's in there and I yank on the clamp, which doesn't feel good at all. I curled it tonight and took a picture to share with you all, and I'm pretty happy with it! Maybe more to come?

Wish List

Mom, this is what I want for Christmas, write it down! Dad, you too!

I. Want. This. Diffuser... badly. We're coming up on the end of summer here pretty soon, which means no more airdrying in the sun for this girl. At $135 a pop, I know it's a bit pricey, but really, the odds are that I'm going to have the thing until I'm in a nursing home, and it's for at home use ONLY.

Amazon lists is as well, along with reviews for those curious. I myself am a review reader, and the ones on this are about 50/50. So, it could either do wonders for my hair, or leave it continually looking like crap. Gamble or no gamble? Does anyone use a diffuser that works wonders for them?

Updos

I've been practicing updos like an insane woman lately. Either all the hairspray fumes are getting to me, or I REALLY enjoy doing them. I'm going to go with option number 2.

I'm still baffled by the amount of money that women pay for essentially some bobby pins, hairspray, and curling iron work. However, I am NOT complaining, since I hopefully will be making the big money in the future!

I mostly enjoy the less structured, more natural looking updos. Mainly because they look softer and more romantic, and also because hey, I'm not that great yet, and if I jack it up it's less easier to notice!

I'm posting some pretty ones I found, and if anyone has their own to send in, feel free to do so!

Inspiration

I'd like to start posting weekly hair inspirations, so, this marks the first week of inspiring hair posts! I'm not sure about the rest of you, but usually if I'm feeling stuck with something or uninspired, I have a list of celebs I just google, look at hairstyles, and take it from there.

For my first week I'm choosing Keri Russell. She's got an absolutely gorgeous head of hair, and in my opinion, can do no wrong. Curly, straight, short, or long, her hair always looks sophisticated, classy, healthy, and beautiful.

Kudos to Keri, thanks for the inspiration!

Business cards

I've been in the practice now of handing out business cards for the past few weeks. However, I find myself running into sort of a dilemma when it comes to this... how in the hell do I do it without looking like an asshole?! I've had the following ideas...

1. "Hi there! Your hair looks like shit! You should come see me and let me fix that for you! Have a great day!"

2. "I really love your hair! Therefore, ditch your current stylist and come see me! Or give me their number so I can get my hair done there too!"

3. "I'm still a student, and there's an off chance I could jack your hair up to high heaven, but come give me a try!"

4. "Hello! I'm in hair school, it's cheap, sign a waiver and let me take a crack at it!"

5. "Um, hi there. Here's my card. I'm in school, it's cheap, and I haven't scalped anyone yet."

Seriously, there has to be a better way of doing this! I'm sure it doesn't help that half the time I'm out I'm coming from work wearing sweatpants, no makeup, and have lion hair. That looks SUPER professional. Then, when I'm all dolled up and out, it's in Cincinnati, and who is going to drive to Dayton to get their hair done from all the way down there? That's right, NOBODY!

Tipped out

I want to borrow for today a post on a blog I found that I LOVED. Personally, I don't I could pull this look off, but I think it's gorgeous!

The Beauty Department is a relatively new blog from Lauren Conrad (of Laguna Beach and The Hills fame) Some of the things posted on here are just plain common sense, but sometimes I find something that I find useful and informative. I check the blog at least once a week. I like it because they make the tutorials simple and very easy to do at home.

(Photo c/o TheBeautyDepartment.com)

100+

The highest my temperature gage read today was 99 degrees. The weatherman (they're so smart!) said the heat index reached well over 100. Today's forecast: hot and humid. Wednesday's forecast: hot and humid. Thursday's forecast: hot and humid. You get the picture?

At school they tell us to come in with makeup on and hair already styled. People, it's hot out! Makeup is close to melting into my bloodstream today, and with this headfull of curls, I give up!

So I wanted to share my super professional "I'm a hairstylist" look with you all today. I know more than one instructor (and my boyfriend as well I think) would like to burn this headband if they got their hands on it. I like to call it "It's hot out and I'm lazy". This is the best they're getting from me until this weather breaks!

New Stuff

I went out today and got myself some of the DevaCurl shampoo and conditioner. If you read this blog (all 2 of you!) you'll know I've been lusting after these for a little bit now, so I'm excited to finally get to give them a try.

I decided to get the Low-poo instead of the No-poo. I'm not sure how I feel about non lathering shampoo, so I'm taking it in baby steps. The shampoo is absolutely amazing. It's def LOW lather, and I think I might have used a little much just to get that lather, so I need to get that train of thought out of my system. It left my hair super soft (usually conditioner does this!) and I was very impressed. My hair felt clean and soft after just the one use. The only downside is that it sort of smells like superglue. No joke. It's a light fruity smell, but I now am thinking "superglue" so I hope that passes.

The conditioner smells like sunscreen and coconuts to me, and I only needed a small amount. I usually lather half a bottle of conditioner on my head, as my hair is so dry. I used a quarter sized amount of this stuff, it went on smooth, detangled my hair right away, and I felt that "saturated" feel that I usually don't get with conditioners.

After I towel dried my hair I was actually pretty impressed with the texture that my hair was. Instead of a tangled mess I could actually comb through individual little curls, and have no frizz as of yet. I finished off with my new DevaAngel, and am waiting for it to air dry, with hopefully great results!

Product grade = A+

Feathers

For those of you following hair trends, feather extensions have been "in" for a little bit now. I've had about zero interest in them, and for the most part think they look ridiculous. However, I saw one this past weekend, fell in love, and now I want my very own...

After calling about 30 different salons this past Saturday, I realized a few things people might want to take into consideration:

1) Ask if the salon even offers the extensions. Some don't, some are so backed up on orders than they are temporarily not doing them.

2) Ask about the price. Many salons base price on feathers, then charge an additional fee for actually putting them in your hair. Pricewise I've learned it's about $6 a feather, then about $10 to put it in your hair. Some salons are charging upwards of $30 for only one feather. I think this is ridiculous, so make sure you call around first!

3) Schedule an appointment. Some salons only have one or two stylist that will know how to put these in, so make sure to call ahead and reserve a time.

I'm hoping to find some pretty natural looking ones, I'm not into the pinks and blues. I'm trying to decide between subtle and hardly noticeable to a little more flashy, like the bottom photograph. I love this look!

(Photos c/o Glittersecrets and BeautyHeaven)

Fried

I think I'm having a bang crisis. I've had bangs since college. About a year ago I grew them out, and then about 6 months ago I chopped them back off. Since then, I've been using the hot iron, blow drying it, and coloring it, and the short end of that story is that now my bangs look like someone took a weed whacker to them. I am NOT a fan of this...

I have been trying everything. I rub coconut oil on them, use deep conditioners, stopped flat ironing them, and regularly trim them. Still, no go.

My goal as of now is to grow them out again, but how am I supposed to do that when they are so gross?!

TMI

My mom said to me yesterday "as a hairstylist, you are now also a free therapist." This has not been illustrated to me better than it was this week. At what point does what people tell you become too much information?

As a baby stylist, I'm still getting used to talking to people while my hands are all over them. Yes, it's personal. However, I'm not that this translates into you telling me about your entire life. For me, when I get my hair done, conversation is usually delegated to boyfriends, movies, hair, and vacations. Most of the clients I've had enjoy telling me about children and jobs, and I love hearing it. However, when the conversation turns to infidelity and more personal items, and I'm working while my mouth is gaping like a fish, what do I do?!

Does this happen more than I realize, or am I about to learn a great lesson in hairstylist life?

LOVE

I am officially a DevaCurl convert...

First off, I opened the bottle and it smelled so good I wanted to spread it on toast and eat it. The consistency is GREAT, I hate it when gels are goopy and gunky. This one was silky, smooth, and I only needed about a dime sized amount for my entire head.

I diffused it, which I probably shouldn't have done, because my diffuser sucks and it left it a little fuzzy... BUT SO SOFT!

I couldn't tell there was any product in my hair, but it was soft, bouncy, and way more mananageable that it usually is. Tomorrow I'm going to let it air dry, and can't wait to see how it looks! I'm in love! I cannot wait to go back and get the shampoo (NoPoo) and conditioner...

It's DEVA time!

Today I finally cracked and bought my first DevaCurl product. I feel like it's Christmas! I have been looking into these products for about 2 months now, but felt slightly ridiculous at paying $32 for a bottle of shampoo. Lucky for me, CosmoProf just got the line in where I live, so all in!

I started off today with the AnGEL, which is a gel. I'm super excited to try it out! I've always had a problem with gels leaving my hair sticky and icky, and this one promises soft and smooth curls. It's also 100% sulfate free, which I'm trying to lean towards now when buying products.

I cannot wait to try this tonight and will write a full review as soon as it's on my head!

"Cancelled"

Truth: I am in hair school. I've been in hair school for about 6 months now, and truly love it. What don't I love? When someone cancels an appointment!

I'm sure those who are already working in salons experience this on a regular basis, but I'm still just getting used to it, so give me some credit.

I come in to school, knowing I have an appointment, and I get all excited! I get all my stuff set up, and look at the clock knowing my client will soon be here and I'll be busy for the next few hours. Then, "Jasmin, your appointment cancelled." SERIOUSLY?! I'd like to call these people and tell them "do you realize you've now given me the luxury of sitting on my ass the next 4 hours, eating pizza I don't need, and twirling my hair?!" This is not a luxury I want, or like. I HAAAATE being bored.

I know it comes with the territory of being a hairstylist, but at this point I still get a little bummed out. That said, pizza is here!

Remix

Awhile back I bought some Aussie 3 minute miracle conditioner. I have been using it for a different purpose ever since, and am loving the results!

Instead of using it in the shower, I throw a dime sized amount on after I get out and comb my hair. I wake up in the morning with gorgeously soft hair. Curly and messy, yes, but soft and touchable, which is an even trade off in my book...

Try it!

The long (and short) of it

I recently cut about a total of 6 inches off my hair. I'd been growing it out for the past two years, for really no good reason other than I didn't feel like cutting it, and wanted to see how long it could get. I have this idea in my head that I want long, flowing hair, like a Victoria's Secret model. Sadly, I a) don't look like an underwear model, and b) the amount of work that goes into long hair is, for me, a complete waste of time.

The longer my hair was getting, the less I did. Why you ask? HELLO PONYTAIL! Greatest invention ever. Why actually bother doing anything with you hair when you can throw it up and forget about it?! I had the idea that when it got long, I'd curl it every day, and do the whole "check out my sexy hair" toss at numerous intervals throughout the day. In reality, I was too lazy to straighten it (let alone curl it!) every day, so it ended up in a lion mane down my shoulders. The only hair flipping I did was when I was brushing my teeth in the morning, and while sitting at stoplights I found myself twirling it around my fingers. That mostly just made me feel like an idiot. (In all honestly I'm actually twirling my hair around my finger as I'm rereading this paragraph, and feeling stupid yet again)

The chop was refreshing, especially since we're apparently in the middle of a nuclear hot summer. It also sort of REQUIRES me to, you know, actually COMB my hair. I'm coming to realize that maybe I'm just not a long hair type of person, which makes me a little sad, but I'll leave that to Giselle. The only downfall of this was that the other day someone said "your hair makes you look middle aged." The only reason I didn't violently assault the person who said this is because I go to school with her, and I'm not really sure if she's still a minor or not.

So no matter long or short ladies, rock those locks!

Wedding hair pt.2

After all was said and done, my hair ended up looking fantastic! Not bad for 3 minutes worth of work. Seriously. It took me 3 minutes to pin up my hair and hairspray it, and not a piece moved all day. I'm pretty impressed with myself.

Wedding hair pt.1

My best friend is getting married today! I'm her maid of honor! It also means I could have either paid someone $50 to put 10 bobby pins into my short hair, or, since I'm in hair school and have learned a thing or two, I could chance it and do it myself. I chose to do it myself.

Today's forecast calls for 93 degrees, humidity, and maybe rain later. This is not optimal for curly hair, so I "curled" it with the barrel iron, pinned it up, and am going to leave it this way until I'm ready to pin it.

I honestly have no clue what to do with it at this point. Luckily I have about 3 hours to figure it out. In the meantime, this is what I'm working with, and will post finished product later, along with a report of how it all held up outside. :-) Happy Wedding Day!