At Home Dermaplaning!

On January 18, 2017February 27, 2017 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, lifestyle, skin care, UncategorizedLeave a comment

So by now you may or may not have heard of dermaplaning as the hot new facial service available to the stars…

For those of you who haven’t heard about it, here’s the skinny: dermaplaning is a service that consists of a skilled professional gently scraping a scalpel across the surface layer of the skin to physically exfoliate and also remove baby peach fuzz hairs to produce a super smooth effect and increase the power of skin treatments applied afterwards.

Generally speaking it’s not usually safe to take an unguarded blade to your own skin as it can be difficult to gauge pressure and it would be awful to end up with a scar instead of fresh skin.

Well, for those of us out here who don’t want to spend a million dollars on facial treatments at a spa, I’m here to offer another option: guarded brow shaping razors for at home dermaplaning.

These are absolutely amazing in general and I use them for my brow shaping because my skin doesn’t do well with facial waxing. But the real awesome sauce about them is that they have a really sharp blade and they also have a micro guard on them that helps prevent the likelihood of cutting yourself accidentally.

After reading about dermaplaning and doing some research I decided to give it a whirl myself. The major benefit for me has been how much better my skin care products seem to be working. By using a technique like this to physically remove the surface layer of dead cells and make-up residue that seems to never come off fully under usual circumstances it really does promote better absorption of masks and moisturizers.

It’s typically not necessary to do an extreme exfoliation technique like this every day. I suggest trying it once a week, or even once a month if you have sensitive skin. My skin is pretty hardy so I used to do this once a week until my skin got better, sometimes twice a week if I’ve been doing a lot of modeling shoots and classes and been wearing more make-up than I prefer. Now I’m back to once a month. It makes me feel so much cleaner to be able to get my skin under control.

This is a truly fabulous new addition to my skin care routine and I totally suggest it to anyone interested, just be careful not to shave off an eyebrow!

Why I Love Top Pieces

On January 15, 2017January 18, 2017 By Christine RinehartIn hairLeave a comment

Some call them wiglets, mono-tops, toppers, closures, full tops, part pieces, and a million other names…

They all do the same thing though: provide hair addition options with greater coverage for the crown of the head.

I work with several brands because every company has different textures/density/sizing options and with a piece like this it’s important to get a great match.

Below is a photo showing an example piece, this one is by Tress Couture through Hotheads. My distributor for my area is Twin State, but that may vary based on your location.

Here’s some cool ways to use pieces like these:

-create instant bangs/fringe on clients not looking to commit to the cut

-provide thickness on thinning hair with visible scalp

-upgrade hair extension applications on short hair clients to better hide transition lines

-great for clients with unruly short or curly hair along the part line to provide a humidity resistant option

-great for clients who have an extreme color difference between their natural hair and their colored hair to hide roots between visits

-can be used to provide volume and/or length for updos on clients with fine or short hair

-can be used for creative color styles to create dramatic color shifts without hair color/lightener damage

-and probably a ton of other things I haven’t thought of yet

These pieces can be incredibly useful for clients and stylists to create dream hair for everyone.

Toners, Fillers, and Fantasy Applications

On November 30, 2016 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair, UncategorizedLeave a comment

This is by far my favorite color theory visual I’ve ever worked with.

Color theory is often undervalued for coloring services but it comes into play heavily when working on corrective color applications, and even more so when working with fantasy applications.

Hairstylists have a pretty easy time explaining to clients the colors used to cancel out undesired undertones, and explaining the benefits of filler for preventing “hollow” colors. It’s harder to explain to clients that they can’t have lavender hair unless it can be made white first or else they’ll just have pastel brown.

Colors directly opposite of one another on the color wheel cancel each other out and create shades of brown (shown on the side of the chart). This information can be used to tone hair, or to accentuate tones.

The side labeled fillers consists of colors that exist as natural undertones when prelightening hair. If hair is lightened and needs to be dyed a natural shade that is darker then this pigment will need to be refilled first.

The side labeled toners is typically used to cancel out underlying pigment after hair is lightened. Green for red, blue for copper, violet for gold.

When doing fantasy color applications it’s important to keep this information in mind so you can get the results you’re looking for. Good luck everyone!

Some Notes on Wedding Hair

On May 26, 2016 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair, lifestyle, weddingLeave a comment

So it’s wedding season once again!

Don’t let wedding stress happen to you!

For hairstylists and brides alike this can be a stressful time so I’ve put together a list of things that can make all those hair interactions a little less crazed.

~8-12 weeks before the wedding: find a stylist and book the wedding date, your trial, possibly 2 trials, and map out color appointments and trims.

~4-6 weeks before the wedding: have your trial (with tiara, pins, veil, etc) and take final reference photos, make sure you have confirmed timing and number of people for services on day of.

~2-3 weeks before the wedding: do your color (if you normally color your hair) so that it has a little room to settle before the wedding, do your last trim before the wedding. Do NOT experiment with new color or cut this close to the wedding!

A few other notes:

-you want to look like yourself in photos, if you normally wear your hair a certain way use it as inspiration for your wedding hair, if you never wear it up in even a ponytail then maybe you don’t really want it all up for your wedding

-your hairstylist is likely to make more money at the salon than at your wedding so unless you’ve got the world’s biggest bridal party please bear in mind they are missing an entire 8 hour day to do 3 hours with you, often plus travel expenses, we love what we do, but please don’t assume tip is included in your total unless specifically stated

-typically it’s best for the bride to get her hair done second to last, you want to spend the morning “relaxing” as much as possible so make everyone else go first

-EXCEPT mother of the bride should be last, or in some cases the soon to be mother in law, these are people you want available to help run errands and be bullies to get things fixed, if they’re in a chair or already have their hair done they won’t be able to run around as much

Hotheads Hair Extensions, Makeover

On May 9, 2016 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair, lifestyleLeave a comment

I do hair extensions day in and day out, and I always love what I do, but sometimes I get a client in my chair who’s transformation still blows me away.

This client is a cancer survivor. Her hair had finally started to grow back in and she was visiting someone in California where she went to get her first ever set of hair extensions. They stylist ordered no where near enough hair, and then proceeded to remove much of the length from the hair, and then began cutting into her natural hair in an effort to blend in the additions.

We went through and removed all of her existing hair extensions, colored her hair to a more even base color, and then reapplied a very full head of Hotheads tape in hair extensions that we ordered just for her.

The end result is that you can’t even tell she has extensions! She was really happy with the end look and that made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. This is why I do what I do.

The Best of Both Worlds

On March 31, 2016 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair, lifestyle, UncategorizedLeave a comment

Screen Shot 2016-03-31 at 2.17.30 PM I’m super excited to be posting about this, albeit a bit late. I’ve been crazy busy with classes (taking and teaching) and I just wanted to share this super cool flyer.

Most of the classes I do are intimate salon settings with just a handful of stylists at a time, every so often I get to do really awesome things like this. I love all the education work I do, but seeing my name and photo on a flyer really do something for my soul.

For this particular class I’m teamed up with Darian Gavin who is another awesome educator from the Twin State family. He works with hair extensions as well as being an educator for Brazilian Blowout.

We’re really excited to be doing this class and helping to spread some serious hair love.

Facial Scrubs for Body Scrubs

On March 28, 2016 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, lifestyle, skin careLeave a comment

While I was at the New York International Beauty Show (#IBSNY2016 if you want to search the Instagram tags), I made several interesting purchases, along with things from my Sephora haul last month.

I’ve already got combination skin so I know that heavily moisturizing facial scrubs tend to trigger acne for me. Since I still wanted to try stuff out I decided I’d use them as body scrubs instead. This is actually one of my favorite uses when I buy or receive products that aren’t quite a perfect fit for me.

First up was Rebels Refinery Advanced Clear Skin Facial Scrub which was absolutely awesome and comes from a very cool company with the most amazing smelling Moisturizing Beard Oil that I’ve ever smelled. This scrub had a really nice gritty texture and made me feel super clean, but it’s definitely designed for men’s skin and to pair with a lighter moisturizer than what I use (and probably not use make-up with either). I did notice that my skin was super smooth, and when used as a body scrub all over I had no ingrown hair issues, razor burn, or even a need to use body lotion. For someone with dryer skin, or as a body scrub I rate this as one of the best I’ve used, but for my face it’s a waste.

Second I tried my luck with Ole Henriksen Walnut Complexion Scrub which had similar issues. Absolutely wonderful as a combination body scrub body wash but not really working for my face. Great texture, and decent lather when mixed with water, nice smell.

Hopefully the next set of things I get my hands on prove to be a better fit for my skin type as we approach warmer weather again. Get stoked!

Got any recommendations you think I should check out? Leave them in the comments section and I’ll be sure to take a look.

Not Always a Win

On March 16, 2016 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, lifestyle, skin careLeave a comment

Not everything I buy to try is a product I’m destined to love forever.

Screen Shot 2016-03-15 at 9.43.06 PM

Recently, in my Sephora haul, I purchased Glam Glow Super Mud to try. My good friend and former assistant, Vanessa who works at the Springfield Town Center Sephora location, assured me I would love it. While I acknowledge it is a beauty junkie favorite, and it did great things for my skin, I just can’t get past the scent.

It contains several herbal extracts, like licorice, which give it a distinct smell that ends up being extremely reminiscent of Jagermeister. I just can’t handle it.

This is a bit of a loss because my skin does feel incredibly refreshed and clean. The goal of using it tonight was to make up for three days of chain-smoking in my car traveling to teach hair extension classes out of town. It worked amazingly so I’m disappointed a bit, but I’m planning on gifting it to a current staff member who really enjoys Jager.

Cold Weather Hair Tips

On January 6, 2014 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hairLeave a comment

The weather changes with each season, why would you expect the same routine to work year round? You may need to add, remove, or completely change the products and tools you use. Here’s some points to get you started:

Use More Leave-Ins

The weather is harsh and the cold can be detrimental by hiding how humid or dry the air is. Trust me, you need the extra love, especially if you’re blowdrying more often to avoid leaving with wet hair.

Use Softer Hold Products

Gels and mouses that hold firmly will dry feeling too stiff in cold weather, so go for a lighter hold when choosing products for fall and winter months. You can always tease or add a finishing spray.

Be Wary of Protein Heavy Products

Yes, usually it’s thought of as a good thing, but it may not be necessary to add extra proteins to the hair. Normally a product that is protein rich will protect damaged hair, but if there is no damage they can build-up and may make hair dull and brittle. Avoid these unless your hair is actually damaged. Cold weather is not forgiving to brittle hair.

Use More Conditioner

Get into the routine of using extra conditioner to counteract damaging cold weather. Simple. Use more, rinse thoroughly.

Seal With Oil or Silicone

Jojoba and almond oils will add shine, and coconut oil and shea butter are perfect for coarser hair types. Silicone also works well as a moisture barrier to keep your hair soft.

Seasonal Makeover, Autumn 2013, Part 3

On October 30, 2013 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair1 Comment

I know, I know. I’ve been slacking a bit on the posts recently, but it’s only because I’ve been busy doing fun stuff on people’s heads!

For this client we wanted to blend out a previous color root line and add noticeable length and some thickness using hair extensions. Her base cut was not changed dramatically, only a reshaping of the bangs/fringe area was done before the hair extensions were applied.

Working with her color it was key to take into account her upcoming schedule: she’s getting married in less than a year and wants it to be very blonde for that.

In the meantime however, we wanted something more subtle. To achieve this look we added mid tone highlights using a high lift color and lowlights using a level 6 golden brown demipermanent color. Demi was used for the darker tone so it would fade out before we’d be coloring for her wedding. This reduces the amount of bleach we would require later, and helps prevent brassiness when it’s lightened again later. The result was a slight ombre effect that should blend in with minimal root for the Fall and Winter seasons.

We then applied hair extensions in multiple colors from So.Cap USA and DiBIasi. We used two brands to mimic the natural variation in textures on her own hair, some being fine and some being ultra fine. There are dark and light hair extensions added but we tried to keep the balance heavier on the blondes to bring some more brightness to her look.

This was definitely a fun one, it’s not often I get the opportunity to fully double someone’s length!

You’re gorgeous and I can’t wait to see you in my chair again, hunny!