Oscar Hair…..Yawn.

0 | March 10th, 2010 | Posted in Celebrity hair, Products, popular

I was prepping to write a huge post about all of the Oscar hairstyles and then I realized I was bored with it, ‘cuz the hair was a huge yawn fest.  I really only found 3 interesting styles I felt were worthy of the time it will take you to read this.  Here they are..

Molly Ringwald wins my vote for stunning color & a cut that had great shape and was sharp enough to be worn down.  I also loved her unusual accessories!  Way to take a chance & stand out, Molly.

Carey Mulligan sported a super short, most of us wouldn’t have the guts (or face) to go here” cropped cut.  I love it on her.  The bright butter blonde looks youthful & fresh.  I hope she inspires other women to stop fearing themselves & CUT their hair off if they have always thought about it!

Sarah Jessica Parker let her hairstylist get creative and they created a one of a kind, red carpet worthy up style almost bigger than her head.  I think it is odd & unusual in a great way.   She stood out for sure!

I give major points to these three women for taking a risk and giving us all something to talk about.

I like to keep it positive so I won’t even discuss the boring hair that Sandra Bullock and Kate Winslet wore….

Good night!

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Friday Night Fringe

0 | February 27th, 2010 | Posted in Hair cut, makeovers
Alyssa (without bangs) & I from our last "mac & cheese" girls night..

Alyssa (without bangs) & I at start of Fringe mission.....

Sock monkey slippers & freshly cut hair...fun combo!

I start at p!ay hair lounge on Sat mornings at 8a.m.  Due to this reality, I usually make Friday nights my chill @ home & do laundry night.  Tonight I received a text from my neighbor & great friend Alyssa that read:

“I’m feeling the need for some bangs.  How do you feel about that? Lol.”

I responded “Come over.”

As you might have seen on Shear Genius, I have no issues with doing hair in unconventional places such as barns, etc.  I loved that she had an idea in the spur of the moment & I could make it happen.  So 5 minutes later, standing in my sock monkey slippers, I cut a great very prominent fringe on Alyssa.  Three minutes after I began, I was finished. It looked amazing.  After grabbing a few quick shots of her with her hoodie on, I realized I could snag the opportunity to grab some cooler shots.  Without any make-up on and a dress 2 sizes to big, she trusted me and my lens and we p!ay’d for twenty minutes.  Please enjoy our exciting 1 hour adventure in the photos below.

**Variance in hair color is due only to lighting.

Dress on, still no make-up...Raw beauty

Dress on, still no make-up...Raw beauty

1st snapshot when I realized an opportunity to grab some quick very cool shots..

1st snapshot when I realized an opportunity to grab some quick very cool shots..

I just got a text from Alyssa “I’m sooooo in love with my bangs :)”

Another successful improv hair mission compete!

To see me challenged more, tune into Bravo TV’s Shear Genius on Weds 10/9c.

To schedule an appointment with me, please visit playhairlounge.com

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Gray Kinda Far Away!

1 | February 21st, 2010 | Posted in Hair Color, Products, Resources, Styling, makeovers

Lets be real!  I can find a bazillion makeovers on women under 25, but over that age it becomes more challenging.  I vow to help change that starting today!  My favorite type of client is the woman who is looking to modernize her hair.  I pride myself in an honest opinion, but also listening to a clients needs and wants.  I am never short on ideas and love giving my professional suggestions..   Meet Mrs. Strandstra….

Claudia BEFORE

2nd grade teacher aka Claudia, sat in my chair for the first time at p!ay hair lounge in Simi Valley,CA. a week ago for a cut.  After we decided on a length, she asked me what I thought of her color.  It had been over a year since she had been colored.  I shared this with her:  I always hear women trying to justify letting their hair go gray by the mature gray haired models in the JC Penney catalog.  They tell me how beautiful the model’s gray hair is.   I think:

  1. They are models, so already they are better looking than 99.9 % of the population.
  2. How much better would they look with some color.

(**In an attempt to link to one of their catalogs featuring “gray haired models” I made a STARK discovery….the models being used in the JC Penney Catalog are mature women WITHOUT gray hair.  Their hair is colored.  The gray haired models rarely exist in clothing catalogs anymore.)

My explanation always leads to the question:

“What would you do with my color?”


It of course did with Claudia.  I was stunned to discover she was only 53.  Her gray was AGING her.

Yes, I AM wearing a flight suit!

I suggested integrating a buttery blonde and a light golden brown in with her gray. I felt the obvious step would be to completely cover it, but I wanted to give Claudia something with dimension that would require 6-8 week color visits instead of 3-4 weeks which a solid color would.  She was into the idea and scheduled her color appointment with me for a week later.

At the end of her haircut appointment I brought out her natural texture using a diffuser and Bumble & bumble Curl Conscious products.  I showed her how to make her style look polished by adding a few “iron” curls on the surface.

When she arrived for her color makeover yesterday, I asked her to come in with her hair blown out so I could show how she used to wear her hair daily prior to a week ago.

Claudia AFTER

Now she is digging her hair’s natural curl and is WORKING IT!

Claudia e-mailed me this morning to let me know how her makeover is going over with her and her husband..

I passed the litmus test when I got home after my color change…..my husband liked it!.  But you know, of course, the litmus test that matters is MINE!  Well, I kept checking myself out in the kitchen window while I was cooking dinner last night– AND I LIKED WHAT I SAW.  The grey is gone, but not “big obvious” gone, “It looks so natural,Brig”–Yowzah :)

I was pretty before, but now I feel like- DON’T I LOOK GREAT? Feel my hair!   Thanks, Brig!

To see more of my work go to: Facebook & also tune into Bravo’s hit show Shear Genius & watch as I compete against 11 top stylists from all over the world!

Orlando gives me some stellar words of wisdom on Bravo's Shear Genius!

Read More »

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Teen Makeover!

0 | February 14th, 2010 | Posted in Hair Color, Hair Health, Resources

I remember being 15 years old like it was yesterday. My mom refused to take me to a salon to have my naturally red hair colored professionally, so I hit aisle 7 at Rite Aid and had at it myself.  Box color, Sun-in and every other horrible lightening agent I could get my hands on until my hair literally quit.  It was wonderful to see my client Sherrie arrange for her  15 year old daughter Mara to have an appointment with me.

BEFORE

BEFORE

AFTER

AFTER

When Mara walked into p!ay, I knew her hair was in need an update.  I was looking at the typical blonde on top with dark on the bottom.  I’ve seen it a hundred times before and I am sure a million girls have the same look.  Not only was the look dated, the blonde part was unfortunately fried due to another stylists lack of concern for the health of Mara’s hair.   I could tell that Mara was not boring by looking at her.  She initially wanted more blonde and the underneath darkened to black. Yawn.   I suggested other options.   As far as the length of her hair, she wanted to keep it past her shoulders.  I think she would look incredible with it shorter,  but a short cut from the past is fueling her hesitation.   She said she wanted it solid brown.   We had a lengthy consultation discussing the facts that when I covered the blonde, there would be no turning it light again.  This truly was the last chance for this blonde to be converted.  She also had 3 inches of regrowth.     Amanda,  a p!ay stylist who is also working with my clients and I, stepped in to offer a 3rd opinion.  She explained to Mara that if she went from her edgy blonde/dark combo to an all over brown, she was going to hate it by the next week and be bored.  Amanda suggested RED! Mara thought it was a good idea and I couldn’t agree more.

Transformation in progress..

Transformation in progress..

The best part of this transformation was what Mara said at the end: “I love it!” Success!  A tip I shared with her was to put her flat iron away.  Mara had been relying on a flat iron to smooth the frizz on the melted fried blonde part.  Unfortunately adding heat to melted hair only causes breakage and more damage.  Cold air combined with a boar bristle brush is the magic combination. I blew dry that section using the cool shot button on my TGR 4000i blow dryer.  The finished result was shiny, healthy hair.

See more of my work this Wednesday 10/9c on Bravo’s hit show Shear Genius!

Next week I visit the opposite end of the color spectrum as I deduct years from a gray haired woman!  Stay tuned…….

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MAKEOVER!!

3 | February 7th, 2010 | Posted in Celebrity hair, Hair Color, Hair cut, Products, Styling

I absolutely LOVE what I do.  I opened p!ay almost four years ago so I would have an amazing place full of culture to transform my clients hair into modern, manageable and sexy styles within the city limits of the simple, kind community of Simi Valley.  I walk outside p!ay’s doors and see the Rocky Peak Mountains.  How lucky am I?  VERY!
I LIVE for a makeover.  The surge of confidence that can come with a new look is the most amazing thing for me to witness.

Meet Jeanine…

Jeanine BEFORE

Jeanine BEFORE

I met Jeanine Hattas at a party about a month ago.  Pretty girl with boring hair.  She told me she was in tears leaving her last hair stylist experience and needed someone new.  She lives in downtown Los Angeles, but I assured her the 30 minutes drive to p!ay in beautiful Simi Valley would be worth it.

Last Friday morning I met Jeanine bright and early, 8a.m., for our first appointment together.  I asked her what her goal was with her hair and she told me “to grow it long”.  I am all for that scenario if the hair is healthy, thick enough to support longer lengths and most importantly would flatter the woman.

In Jeanine’s case I felt that short hair would suit her best.  First I talked with her about her idea to grow and explained that her existing length looked a bit “mullety”. I felt that if she were to grow it longer, I needed to cut the back up about 2 inches to give the overall look a better shape.

After listening she asked me “If you had carte blanche with my hair, what would you do?”.

I right away suggested Michelle Williams recent crop ode to Mia Farrow
.  It is a short choppy pixie cut.  She asked to see pictures.  I shared some pictures with her of the cut that I had in mind, and then a few longer “short” cuts.

She chose to be bold, daring and go outside of her intended idea to grow and we decided on an above the chin length, super choppy, easy to maintain cut.

No brush needed!

No brush needed!

Her color was bland and monotone. I layered a brighter warm blonde with a golden brown to add contrast to the new cut.  I really admired Jeanine for trusting me not only on our first visit, but at 8a.m. in the morning!

Jeanine AFTER

Jeanine AFTER

To finish her new look, NO brush was used.  Just a blow dryer and some great products:

1. Start by using Bumble & bumble Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner then towel dry.

2. Lightly mist Surf Spray all over.

3. Blow dry from the back of head to face.

4. Add a fingertip amount of Styling Wax to palms and work through ends of hair to add separation.

5. Throw on something fabulous and show off your new style!

Jeanine left with a huge smile, but I checked in with her 24 hours later to get her verdict after she got familiar with it.   “Awesome! I am just loving this new cut and color. What a change. And it’s SO easy — cut my morning routine in half!” reported Jeanine.   SUCCESS!

Jeanine is an extremely talented artist and muralist.  Check out her website: getfresh.biz

To see more of my work, watch Bravo TV’s Shear Genius 3 on Weds @ 10p.m.  as I compete against 11 other stylists from all over the world!

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