Runway to Real Life

Let's talk about runway fashion.

It's a little strange.

Unless you're sitting at the J. Crew runway show things can get a little avante garde. Which is what runway is about a lot of times. But it's difficult for the consumer (That's us!) to translate that avante garde fashion into the every day life.

It goes further than that though. Not only are the clothes over the top, but so is the hair and makeup. I don't know about you, but I look to the runway to see the trends for the upcoming season. So it's all about taking the outrageous, and turning into the fabulous.


Check it out.


From this....

To this...

Forget the weird bird bangs. Just pile that hair up, braid it, pin it. done.

From this...

To this...

Not much different. Still a side braid. Still messy. Just not as big. Because lets face it...anywhere outside of Texas would look at you like you were a crazy if you had hair that big.

From this...

To this...

Lilly Collins has some of the best eyebrows out there. They aren't overdone, but they are still thick and full. 

From this...

To this...

Retro inspired. It's done perfectly.

Did You Know You Could: Other Blonding Techniques

When you go in to your salon and want to be blonder, whats the first thing you say?

"Highlights please."

Don't lie. I know you do. Because I do too. But there are other ways to achieve the look you want.

Balayage 
It's a French technique found a couple of decades ago. The technique uses a thicker bleach mixture that allows for the stylist to freehand where they want to place the highlight. It can be used on pretty much any hair length, pixie to super long.

It's a nice technique that can produces a lot of cool effects, from ombre and subtle highlights to extreme blonding. It's great because since it is placed freehanded, it doesn't produce a harsh line when growing out like normal highlights sometimes can.


12 series
Here at On Stage we use Wella color, which has a line called 12 series. Basically, there are levels of hair shades. The lower the number the darker the hair. 12 is pretty much as blonde as you can get. The 12 series is a high-lift color, which can help you achieve that look you want without the harshness of bleach.


These are a couple of other options that you have for blonding. Next time your in the chair and want to say, "highlights please," talk with your haircare professional about some other options. Change can be good.

How Medicine Affects Your Hair

It's not something you normally think about. Medicine and your hair. You think about all those crazy side effects that are said so fast on the commercial that you can't ever really understand what their saying. Maybe they mention something about your hair, maybe that don't. But the truth remains the same...there are numerous ways that medicine can affect your hair.

Hair loss. Is probably one of the biggest ones. Sometimes people experience something called telogen effluvium. It's a fancy word that means some of your hair follicles are prematurely falling out. 


pH balance. Some medications can cause the pH in your hair to get off balance. It can affect how soft your hair is or even cause problems when getting your hair colored. 


If you start taking a new medicine, talk to your doctor about possible side effects for your hair. Or if you start experiencing any sort of funny business with your hair, talk to your doctor. Your stylist can work with you on any problems you're experiencing, whether that be hair loss, brittleness, or color spotting. 

And remember...always read your med info packet. That's all for today's public service announcement. 

Gray Hair 101

Let's face it, gray hair sucks. In fact, it's a multibillion dollar industry...the anti-gray hair industry. Only few people can pull it off. Like Meryl Streep. But let's be honest...she could probably pull off purple hair. Or no hair.

So what causes it?

Something called apoptosis. Basically, the cells located at the base of the hair follicles slow, thus stopping the production of color pigment. It is the lack of pigment that makes the hair appear gray or white. So it's not really your hair turning gray, it's your hair losing its color.

Things that cause hair to turn gray are:

1. Obviously aging. More than 60% of Americans have some gray hair by the time their forty, but can start getting it as early as childhood.
2. Stress
3. Medical conditions. Albinism, malnutrition, Werner Syndrome.
4. Other factors. Like smoking. Some studies have found a link between smoking and gray hair. Just another reason not to do it.

Do you have gray hair? Do you cover it up, or let if grow free?

Top Knot Love

I've got some serious top knot envy recently.

Okay, I've got some serious long hair envy. Don't get me wrong, I love my short hair. But I wear it the same every day. So when I see someone with a top knot, I know that they could also wear their hair down. Or curled. Or a thousand other ways.

Just look at these pretty top knots.

Don't know how to do a top knot? Well...we've done a tutorial on the subject. Or two.

2013 Spring Hair Trends

This rainy weather has gotten me down. I wore bright orange pants today to try and counteract the gloom, it helped a little.  I'm just looking forward to Spring, and those few days of perfect weather. Because let's be honest...we really only get a few days.

With Spring comes new Spring hair trends. I'm pretty excited about this year's.


Knots

Givenchy

Last year we saw a lot of twists, but this year you can expect to see a lot of knots. top knots. low knots. side knots. braid knots. it's getting knotty this year.

Slicked

Loewe

Similar to last year's wet look, this year were seeing the hair still slicked back, but not as wet. Thankfully.

Braids

Marchesa

 They're not going anywhere. 

Bold Colors

Bright colors. Streaks. Ends. All over. Any combination.

Waves

Versace

Waves and slightly messy hair is in for the Spring. I say, yay! That extra time to sleep in. 

What other trends are you excited about seeing this year?

The Top 10 Posts of 2012

I figured I needed my own "top of 2012" list. Let's take a look back at the most viewed posts of 2012.


10. How-to Tuesday: Headband Curls

9. #myboyfrienddoesmymakeup

8. How-to Tuesday: Tattoo Coverup

7. 3 Ways to Feel More Confident Instantly

6. Too Much Protein Can be Bad For Your Hair

5. Clip-In Extensions 

4. Nioxin/Rogaine: Does it Really Work?

3. Long Hair Upkeep

2. How-to Tuesday: Jimmy Neutron 

1. How-to Tuesday: Braided Mowhawk

There you have it! The top 10 posts of 2012. Did your favorite make the list?

Long Hair Verses Short Hair

So yesterday I cut off my hair. I had been talking about it for a long time, and I ran out of excuses on reasons not to. So I did. I'm still getting used to it, but it just made me think about all the celebrities who have gone from long hair to short hair or vice versa.

I put together some of my favorite long to short looks, and wanted to know: which do you like better?

Are there other celebs who have made the change? Tell me in the comments below!

How To Tuesday: Short Hair Waves

Last week I curled my hair like I normally do, but because of the gross humid weather outside my curls quickly fell. But I ended up really liking the wavy look that the fallen curls left behind. But of course, no curls ever fall the same way twice, so I needed to find a way to recreate the look.

And I did. Yay me!

This look uses a 1.5" curling iron and three different techniques. If your hair is any shorter than mine, you could probably get away with using a 1.25" curling iron, but I wouldn't go any shorter than that. It will give you actual curls instead of waves.

Let me know what you think!

Did You Know You Could: Skip a Shampoo

Well, obviously you can skip a shampoo. I do it all the time. But this is a different kind of skipping...the kind where you get your hair wet too.

I think any boys reading are saying, "Well, duh Cassidy," but women don't really like to get their hair wet if they're not shampooing. At least I don't. And since I've already talked about how shampooing everyday is bad...I think you see where I'm going with this.

Sometimes, especially with short hair, you just need to wet it and restyle it...so here's what you do.

scrub your scalp vigorously with your fingers. after you have wet your hair in the shower, scrubbing will help lift off any dirt and grease that is lingering on your scalp. then rinse again.

condition. personally it's hard for me to put a comb through my wet hair if I haven't used conditioner. so make sure you do this step.

That's all. Pretty simple. This doesn't really work two times in a row. And it might not work at all for you, or take your hair a bit of getting used to. But for those who need to restyle their hair, and don't want to shampoo everyday, this is a great method.

So try it out. Let me know if it works for you.

How To Tuesday: Double Braided Headband

I sort of have long hair envy these days. I mean, don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my short hair, but just doing this tutorial today I missed being able to do lots of different things with it. Which just means I need to do more short hair tutorials.

yeah that sounds good. But today is a medium to long hair tutorial. And it's super cute. Check it out.

Step 1: section of the piece of hair to braid

You want to section off a small piece right behind the ear, that way, it pulls easy over the top of the head to form the headband. Then braid it all the way down, secure with a clear pony.

Step 2: Do the other side.

Step 3: Tease the crown

But be nice to it. 

Step 4: Pin the braids 

and that's it!

What kind of tutorials would you like to see me do? More short hair? Long hair? Tell me in the comments below!

How To Tuesday: Separating Your Curls

Hello, I'm back from vacation. Did you miss me? Oh stop it, you're making me blush.

Now that I'm back I knew the first thing I wanted to do was talk about separating your curls. When I curl my hair, which is pretty much all the time, all I want to do is get my hands through it and separate them. I don't know why, some obsessive compulsive thing I guess.

But let me tell you what I did that I shouldn't have: put my hands through my freshly rodded hair. Talk about afro. I just kept saying to my hair, "no! go back please!" You don't talk to your hair? Hm. Weird. 

There are two methods to separate your curls. That's not true, there are a lot of methods, but I'm only going to tell you my two favorite.


Method #1: pick apart

This method is really good for tighter curls, a la Taylor Swift above. Basically, you're going to use your fingers to pick apart some curls, fluffing them out. But what's nice about this is that you're not doing every curls, so you don't get that afro look.

Method #2: run your hands through it

This method is definitely better for larger, looser curls. You just run your hands all through your curls, separating each one of them. This helps to let the curls fall, and depending on your desired look, create that more wavy outcome.

Bonus tip: put 'em back together

 If you ever find yourself saying what I did, "please go back!" Don't worry, you can put those curls back together. Just pump a bit of styling oil into your hands, and gently twist each curl, grouping them back into place. It might take a little practice, but just work with it. That hairdo can still be salvaged!

It's Okay If You...

1. wear "night" makeup during the day, or "day" makeup at night
2. are terrible DIYer
3. start a "wedding" pinboard on Pinterest even if you're not getting married...or even close to being engaged
4. are a little bit upset at the Robert Pattinson/Kristen Stewart cheating drama
5. don't wash your hair for just one more day and throw on a hat
6. don't correct people when they comment on your "natural" hair color
7. are just now discovering ctrl+t while playing a song on iTunes
8. are counting down the minutes until the Olympic opening ceremonies
9. put on full makeup to run errands
10. actually like going to workout

Tweet us or leave a comment below telling us your "it's okay if you..."

How Often Should I Cut My Hair?

Ah, the age old question. One which requires a multi-part answer.

Long Hair

Don't make the mistake of thinking just because you have long hair or you're growing it out that it means that you don't have to get regular trims. Because you do. In fact, it might be more important for you than for someone with shorter hair.

Your ends can become dry and brittle, which leads to breakage. So to keep your hair in tip-top shape, book your appointments every 8-10 weeks. 

Medium Length

You have a little more wiggle room with your haircut schedule. But even still, you need to make regular appointments to the salon to keep your locks looking nice. Go visit your stylist every 6-10 weeks.

Short Hair

Because your hair is so short, it probably has a defined shape to it. Meaning, you need to keep that shape unless you want to look like someone who hasn't had a haircut in a while. It's super important to make your appointments every 4-6 weeks. Unless you're trying to grow it out. Then you can go a bit longer. But definitely no more than 8 weeks. 

How often do you get your hair cut? Do you follow the "norm" schedule, or make your own rules?

So... You Want to Donate Your Hair?

Well, first of all congratulations! Donating your hair is really like being Santa. You get to bring joy into someone's life who is going through something dreadful. And, really, who doesn't want that?

I've done a bit of research on some of the companies that take donated hair. Many of you will just automatically say, "Locks of Love." Did you even know that there are other companies out there? Check 'em out below.

Pantene Beautiful Lengths is one of the more well-known organizations. They say, 

"Beautiful Lengths is a partnership between Pantene and the American

Cancer Society that gives gorgeous, real-hair wigs free of charge to women

fighting cancer. Demand for real-hair wigs is high, and we need your help to reach

even more women. To us, it's hair, but to a woman with cancer, it's hope."

Some things to know:

• Requirements: The hair must be at least 8" when straight. No permanent color, bleach, or chemical treatments (Like the Japanese straightener). No more than 5% gray. 
• Pantene Beautiful Lengths makes wings mainly for woman with cancer.
• Wigs are free.

Locks of Love is probably the most well known donation company. They say, 

"Locks of Love is a public non-profit organization that provides hairpieces to financially disadvantaged children in the United States and Canada under age 21 suffering from long-term medical hair loss from any diagnosis. We meet a unique need for children by using donated hair to create the highest quality hair prosthetics. Most of the children helped by Locks of Love have lost their hair due to a medical condition called alopecia areata, which has no known cause or cure. The prostheses we provide help to restore their self-esteem and their confidence, enabling them to face the world and their peers."

Some things to know:

• Requirements: They take up a full page to explain them, which you can see here. 
• They donate wigs to children under 21 suffering from long term hair loss. 
• Not all their wigs are free.
• There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the organization. You can read about some of it here. 

Wigs for Kids is another non-profit organization that takes hair donations. They say,

"When Children lose their hair, whether as a result of medical treatments, health conditions, or burn accidents, they don't just suffer physically. The change in their appearance can drastically undermine their self-image and sabotage their self-esteem. To combat this additional trauma, Certified Cosmetic TherapistTM Jeffrey Paul founded Wigs for Kids, a nonprofit organization that has been serving children suffering from hair loss since 1981."

Some things to know:

• Requirements: Another whole list of them. See them here.
• As the name suggests, they make wigs for kids.
• As far as I can tell, the wigs are free.

You can do a Google search that will turn up a hundred other organizations. There are even location based ones. So you can donate to people who live in your area.

Next time you're donating you hair, or you are thinking about donating, search the web and find out what organization is right for you. It's a brave thing you're doing, so make sure you feel good about doing it!

How To Tuesday: Sock Bun

I like big buns and I cannot lie.


You know that has been coming for a while right? Ha!


So, ever since I cut my hair off I've been missing my big giant top knot. It's small and puny now, and I understand why people with little hair are sad. And then, I discovered the sock bun. It was like an angel was watching down over me.

If you have hair much longer than mine, then this probably won't work. But there are sock bun tutorials for long hair out there. Or, you can just watch this top knot tutorial and it should work just fine.

Just an extra tip. Try teasing your hair before you do the "swoop" step. Just a tad, close to the sock. You'll understand after you watch. Enjoy! Then you can thank my hair angel.





Do you like top knots as much as I do?

Clip-In Extensions

I've been seeing a whole lot of clip-in extensions  in the salon these days. Prom season is just finishing and prom girls love to wear them. And why not? It's a great way to get the (long) style you want without years of waiting.

But I've also noticed some other things about clip-in extensions that I thought I would share.

• There are bunch of different types: synthetic, human hair, tracks, head pieces, etc. Make sure you know which one would be best for you.
• Make sure you know the difference between synthetic and human hair. Synthetic means that you can't color or put any heat on it. So basically they are come as they are. Whereas on human hair you can color or style it.
• If you buy human hair, bring it to your sylist and ask them to color match. Obviously, you want to buy the one that is the closest to your hair color first. 
• If you have thick hair, take into account how much hair your actually getting. For myself, one package of track extensions wouldn't be enough, but something like a head piece probably would be. 
• Make an appointment with your stylist to have them show you how to put them in! It can be tricky the first couple of times if you don't know what you're doing.

Clip-in extensions over all are pretty cool. They have huge pros and not very many cons. So I say...go for it!

Have you tried clip-in extensions? What brand? How did you like them?

In Between Color Tips

My hair grows at super human speed. If I don't do it every four weeks I have people telling me, "oohh...it's time to do your color." And just a heads up, no one likes to hear that. You'd think that working in a hair salon would make it easier to get your color done, but no. It's harder than a normal client. So a lot of times I go longer than four weeks, thus submitting myself to hear remarks about my roots. 

don't look at me or my roots!

But over the years I have learned a couple of tricks to make your color last longer and to conceal those pesky roots. Pay close attention. You'll want to know what I do. 

Help your color to last by...

• using a color shampoo. I switched over and went from needing every two weeks to every four.
• use a UV protectant out in the sun. Believe it or not, the sun can fade your color, so if you go out in it a lot, you need to protect it just like your skin.
• talk to your stylist about demi-permanent color.

Hide your roots by...

• I know it may seem silly, but hats really are an amazing product. Not only do they hide greasy hair, but they can also hide your roots too.
• try a hair mascara wand. It's like coverup for your hair. You paint it on your part line, and it effectively covers your roots...until your next shampoo of course. Don't forget to buy the right color!
• scarves. Tie 'em around and bam! no roots. 
• wear your hair down. I've noticed that when you pull your hair back, sometimes you can tell that you need your hair colored more than if you wore it down. 
• keep it clean! My hair turns dark at the roots when it's dirty, making it look like my root is really longer than it is. 

I didn't know what category to fit this tip into:

• prebook your appointment. A lot of the reasons that people go too long is because they forgot to make an appointment or their stylist is booked out for another two weeks. If you prebook, you never have to worry.

What are your tips to hide those grown out hairs? 

Summer 2012 Hair Trends

Every year we're shown what will be the newest hair trend during New York Fashion Week, and this year was no different. Check out some of the trends we saw on the runway.


Ponytails

Ralph Lauren 2012

While ponytails used to say "Lazy Day", this year the designers told us the ponytail says sleek and sexy. Which, I'm totally okay with.

Blowouts & Natural Waves

Versace 2012

Put that flat iron down and let your hair have a rest! This is one of my favorite trends because it's all about natural beauty. And you can't really go wrong with that.

Braids & Twists

Giorgio Armani 2012

Maybe this has to do with Katniss, maybe it has to do with the runways, but whatever it is...did you really think that the braids and twists trend was leaving anytime soon?

Center Parts & Deep Side Parts

Calvin Klein 2012

I'm squealing like a little girl on the inside with this one. I've been obsessed with wearing a center part for a while, and now I'm justified in doing it. 

These are just a few of the looks we saw on the runway this year. Did you pay attention to NYFW? What was your favorite trend from the runway?

All photos: Glamourmagazine.uk