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.

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!

Seasonal Makeover, Autumn 2013, Part 2

On October 1, 2013 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair, lifestyle1 Comment

For this client we wanted to do something a bit more subtle. With a family wedding just a few weeks away we wanted something that would feel brighter and richer without being so different that roots would be visible in pictures from the event.

We started by taking a look at her natural hair. She had no coloring services on her hair so we used the sun lightened ends of her hair as our target colors for her highlights. Her hair tends to take on a golden/cinnamon color so we applied a slightly redder tone on the highlights throughout the sides and a more golden toned color for the highlights through the crown area.

The color result was augmented by slight changes to her hair cut as well. By adding more layers, especially at the front, we were able freshen the layers framing her face and show off our new color better.

The only styling product used on her hair was “It’s a 10” leave-in conditioner. Her hair was blowdried out with a round brush and then touched up with a flat iron for

additional smoothing and control shaping.

Hope this was a fun inspiration for some of you to show that makeovers don’t have to be big to fun. Enjoy the weather!

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!

Bronde: The Perfect Transitional Color

On August 13, 2013 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hairLeave a comment

A lot of us are holding onto Summer season but as September draws closer we are forced to admit Autumn will soon be upon us. Many people choose to change their hair coloring or style with season changes and as a hairstylist changing is one of my favorite things to do.

What direction to adjust hair color though? Bronde. It’s only a sort of made up word. Halfway between blonde and brown lies bronde. A beautiful tone that compliments almost everyone. It’s a personal favorite of mine for Autumn because it’s warm and vibrant without being over the top.

If you’re currently a blonde: ask your stylist for some chocolate lowlights and a honey wheat colored toner. This will add depth and richness to your hair without giving you an overall dark color.

If you are currently a brunette: ask your stylist for some face framing highlights in a caramel tone, and if you’re really dark ask for some tawny or bronze low/highlights to break it up further. More colors helps avoid stripes.

If you are currently a red head: okay, yes this is a trickier color for you to get to, and I recommend using it more as inspiration than actually copying it. To get a similar feeling without sacrificing your luscious red you could ask for amber or copper highlights to kick up some brightness, and/or mahogany or chestnut lowlights to bring more depth.

Notes On Hair Loss and Shedding

On July 22, 2013February 11, 2018 By Christine RinehartIn hair, lifestyle5 Comments

Clients come in for hair extensions for all sorts of reasons, but one of the most common requests for hair extensions is as a result of recently increased shedding of the clients own hair and the desire to immediately thicken it back up. The following is a quick list of some common temporary hair loss triggers and whether or not they tend to be compatible with the addition of hair extensions.

~~ Certain prescription medicines can increase hair loss and susceptibility to shedding. These include, but are by no means limited to: blood thinners, vitamin A supplements, some arthritis medications, antidepressants, gout medications, medications for certain heart problems, blood pressure medications, and birth control pills. If a medication is causing your hair loss, your doctor may be able to prescribe an alternative medication.

— For hair extensions it is important to know if the medicine causes the loss is a temporary medication or not, so that extensions are not attached while the hair is still shedding. It’s prohibitively expensive to purchase a hair extension service, have them continue to fall out, and have to keep replacing them. If you’re only on it for a little while, wait until you’re off it. If it is a long term medication and it cannot be switched to anything else, wait until you’ve reached a kind of equilibrium level, and pay close attention to maintenance schedules with your hair extension specialist to prevent weakening already sensitive hair.

~~ If you had major surgery and experienced excessive hair loss anywhere from one week to about three months later (depending upon metabolism), the anesthesia combined with the surgery itself may be to blame for your hair falling out. General anesthesia and major surgery are some intense physical stress, which can mess with the growing phases of the hairs on your head, and cause excessive hair shedding that shows up later. Hair loss related to major surgery, however, is temporary, and your hair will grow back over time.

— For hair extensions with this type of loss, all you have to do is wait it out, usually the shedding takes place all in about a two week span, so go in for a consultation as soon as you notice so the hair extension specialist can have everything prepped for you when your hair reaches balance. Usually by the time your set grows out your real hair is thickened up enough to not require extensions. (Of course, you may get used to the look and ease of your new chosen hair.)

— I actually recently experienced this type of hair loss after having my tonsils out. Unfortunately I had gotten my hair extensions put in about a month prior to my unexpected surgery and I shed quite a bit of my hair extensions since they were attached to my real hair. If you are a current hair extensions wearer and have an upcoming surgery, try to plan your maintenance and replacement visits around your surgery to accommodate a waiting period after surgery before replacing extensions.

~~ Diet and exercise! When you dramatically reduce calorie intake, or increase calorie usage via exercise you might not be getting all the vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients that your body needs. This can cause your hair to fall out. Since hair is made of keratin protein, not enough protein in your diet can be detrimental to your hair after only about two to three months of a protein-deficient diet. Very strict weight-loss diets or exercise plans can also cause noticeable hair loss, which commonly occurs about three months after losing 15 pounds or more of body weight.

— When looking to get hair extensions related to this type of hair loss and shedding I typically recommend wearing a clip-in option until the client has reached their goal weight. Otherwise they are just paying for hair that they are going to keep shedding. One they’ve reached their goal weight, or adjusted to a less strict regimen for maintenance, any type of hair extension becomes an option. Over time all their shed hair should come back if they stay balanced so the hair extensions should not need to be a permanent option unless the client maintains fitness competition levels of body fat.

Current Obsession: Hippie Hair

On April 24, 2013 By Christine RinehartIn beauty, hair, lifestyleLeave a comment

Big, beautiful, beachy hair is what I’m into right now.

I’m loving this mid-tone look, it’s got a slight ombre feel to it, and the head band really accentuates the texture.

To get a look like this I recommend braiding your hair overnight if your hair isn’t already textured. Once it’s fully dried you can finger comb through it to rough it up. To get a really messy feeling you can even run a spray wax or salt spray through it as well.

If your hair isn’t long enough for this then hair extensions may be a great option for you. If you’re considering wearing a look like this only occasionally then clip-in hair extensions would be a wonderful option. If you’re like me though, and want to do as little work as possible each morning, then something more long term might work better. Fusion hair extensions or tape-in hair extensions have more staying power and allow you to sleep with your long hair in. This means waking up ready to go.

If you’re going to be rocking a hairstyle like this then i suggest leaving your make-up more minimal. Big hair shouldn’t be competing with bright lipstick, or overly dramatic eyes. Balance is the key to looking like a fashion plate and not like an overzealous clown.

Don’t Try This At Home

On April 23, 2013 By Christine RinehartIn hair, lifestyleLeave a comment

I see it all the time: clients who “trim” their own hair between salon appointments.

It seems like it wouldn’t be a big deal, it’s just one piece out of place. Did that one piece really grow faster though? No. It’s likely to be just parted differently, or curled more/less than usual. Cutting that one piece can cause gap spots in your layers.

“My bangs just grow so fast.” Yes, I know. I offer complimentary bang trims for my clients because of this. It’s right in front of your face so you see it grow more noticeably. The issue with trimming bangs yourself is that quite often you move your forehead to look up while you cut, this changes where they lay and results in bangs being shorter or more uneven than anticipated.

The beautiful bob Mulan gets from swording her hair off is an unrealistic expectation, yet clients frequently value their own skills over those of a licensed Cosmetologist. Please, for the love of hair, DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!