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.

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!

Seasonal Make Over, Autumn 2013

On September 17, 2013 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair1 Comment

I’m absolutely loving the cooler weather approaching, and along with it comes all the beautiful reds/browns/brondes! This was a wonderful makeover I got to do on one of my favorite clients. (I promise, you’re all my favorites.)

Our starting point was a level 5 dye over pre-existing highlights underneath, so I knew there could be some variation if we tried doing a very full highlight pattern. Instead, we opted to highlight just around the face in a “Victoria’s Secret” style pattern. We used a very low volume lightener and then toned with a golden blonde.

Once her natural hair was prepped to the desired colors we began the hair extension application. We used fusion hair extensions from multiple companies to get all the colors we were looking for. We applied a base of natural brown extensions, adding red and gold ombre pieces throughout the front and lower layers of her hair. The result was a stunning Autumnal blend of colors and gorgeous all over length.

I always love being able to really create and build new looks for my clients, and I’m particularly happy with this one!

Talking Points for You and Your Stylist: Tape Weft Hair Extensions

On January 28, 2013 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair2 Comments

Tape wefts are a relatively new format for hair extension application. Tape wefts are also referred to as sticker hair and skin wefts, depending on the salon. There are a lot of great brands out there producing them right now as well. Some of my favorites include: Di Biasi, Cinderella Hair, So.Cap USA ( SHE by So.Cap), Georgie OSY, and Babe.

Tape weft hair extensions are best suited for “short term” extension wearers, or those who change their hair frequently. Tape wefts are best when worn one to three months and then replaced.

Fine hair works well with tape wefts, since they are completely flat to the head and are easily hidden.

Unfortunately, tape wefts are not good for making short hair long because too many pieces are required, and that decreases the wear time.

As always, the best way to determine what kind of hair extensions are best for you is to visit your local extension specialist. In person consultation in advance is key for making sure you get the amazing head of hair extensions that you’re dreaming of.

And of course, if Northern Virginia is local to you I’d love for you to visit.