1930s Inspired Hair: Product Swap Out

For those of you that don't know, I (Kirsten) often grace the stages of the midwest as a singer, dancer, and actor.  With that comes many interesting hairstyles and has helped me perfect my updo technique. My most recent show took place in 1930s Germany and since we had to handle our own hair and makeup, Patrick and I tried a product swap out.  I sent him a list of products I usually use and he gave me a slew of salon products to replace them with.  Here's the list:

-Tresseme 24 Hour Body Hairspray or Aqua net

Sexy Hair ~Big Sexy Hair Spray and Stay

-Got 2B Kinky Curling Mousse

Sexy Hair ~ Curly Sexy Hair Curl Power Spray Mousse, Liquid Curling Gel

-Grapeseed curling cream (light texture, white cream, a walmart brand)  

Sexy Hair ~ Full on Curls 

-John Frida Frizz Ease Serum

Sexy Hair ~ Silky Sexy Hair Frizz Eliminator

-A wax paste for my forehead frizzies

Sexy Hair ~ Short Sexy Hair Hardware This product will plaster your wisps. Use it sparingly if you are not shampooing between shows. Play with a little first and then adjust accordingly.

-Garnier Frutrise Anti-humidity Sleek and Shine Cream or their Smoothing Milk 

Sexy Hair ~Short Sexy Hair Rocked Out you can couple this one with the Frizz Eliminator ~ and Big Sexy Hair Big Shine. A couple of mists when you are completely done styling.

The requirements were tough, my hair had to stay in place through a 2.5 hour outdoor show filled with singing, dancing, and costume and hat changes.  I opted for a low, curly chignon style, with a piece-y top section and rolled sides.  The products Patrick suggested were up to the task!  There were only two I wouldn't use again, the Sexy Hair Full on Curls and Liquid Curling Gel, they were both way to sticky for my taste and hard to work with on damp hair, but I loved the rest!  The most important thing I learned from my product swap out, is that the Sexy Hair line cocktails really well.  Feel free to mix and match products from all of the Sexy Hair lines, they'll all work well together in your hair!

Stay tuned in the next couple of weeks for more He Said/She Said Reviews of these products.  

~Kirsten

Pureology Sale: Select Packaging 50% off!

Your favorite Pureology products have a new look, which is good news for you! Not only will the new packaging be beautiful it is designed for easy use. All of the former Pureology packaging in stock at the Styling Studio are 50% off! Shop your favorites to help us make room for the new product packaging, you get the same great product for half the price. The fine print? Only available while supplies last. This exclusive offer cannot be combined with any other offers discounts or specials and are inclusive of Pureology former packaging only.


Stop by the Styling Studio today and stock up!
1518 South Wabash

I tried it: Curly Sexy Hair Shampoo

I was in the market for some new shampoo, so Patrick handed me some bottles of Curly Sexy Hair Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner.  I'm a fan!  The pretty blue bottles are slim and easy to open and contain the sweet smelling shampoo and conditioner.  I've only used it a couple times, so I'm not sure how much it helps my hair curl, but it lathers well and makes my hair feel squeaky clean and soft!  I'll definitely keep it my collection!

What's your go to shampoo?

~Kirsten

I Tried It: Glitter Eyeliner

Part of staying for a few days in a different city that I enjoy is shopping for different types of makeup.  Big box stores each carry different lines of inexpensive, fun makeup.  While in Wisconsin, I met a brand I hadn't seen before at Walmart: Hard Candy.  Their shelves are full of fun colors, glitter filled tubes and pencils with a punk rock feel.  I couldn't resist grabbing a cute little tube of glitter eyeliner: Hard Candy Walk the Line Liquid Eyeliner in Licorice.

The verdict?  A do.  I'd give it 4 out of 5 stars.  It's easy to apply with the brush that is attached to the cap and it has the perfect amount of sparkle - not too much for daytime, but enough for going out.  I did have to apply around 3 layers to achieve the look I wanted, but I appreciate a product that you're able to amp up by layering.  It was easy to take off with an eye makeup remover as well.

I'd say it's worth picking up to add a little fun to your look.  It's available in other colors as well and under $5 a pop.

What's your favorite big box makeup item?

~Kirsten

Overnight Hair Styles: Beachy Waves

Want no fuss hair in the am?  Try this trick Patrick told me.  Take clean, just washed hair (I washed mine with SexyHair's Curling Shampoo), towel dry so you're not dripping, and then spritz with Soy Renewal Beach Spray.  Put your hair up in pin curls and then go to sleep!  In the morning when you let it down, you'll have soft, bouncy waves.

This worked well for me, my hair was soft and fluffy, but here are a few tips.
-Be careful with the placement of the front pin curls.  This area of my hair is very easy to curl, so it was a little hard to tame with my haphazard pin curl placement.
-Use a few, big pin curls for loose waves, or lots of smaller ones (like in the photo above) for tighter curls.
-Spritz again with the beach spray and scrunch your hair for a little definition.  I also used some spray mousse for extra oomph.

Try it and show us how it went!  Post a picture of your style on our facebook page, we'd love to see!

~Kirsten

Secrets to Up-Do Success

One of the questions I get most often at special events is "did you do your own hair?"  It gives me great pleasure to say - yes!  Up-dos have always come naturally to me, very rarely do I have a hair sylist do my hair for an event that requires an up-do!  I started styling my own special occasion 'dos in high school and have slowly perfected my routine while doing my hair for shows.  You can see some of my party styles above.

There's no need to be afraid of styling your own updos for low key special events like charity galas, friend's weddings, black tie/cocktail parties, etc.  (Please though, leave the high stress events like your own wedding, your best friend's wedding, or if you're receiving an award or honor, to a professional).  I've come up with 10 tips to up-do perfection!  Follow these, and you'll be styling your own hair in no time!

1.  Be Dirty - dirty hair is the key for up-dos.  Freshly washed hair gets slick and hard to manage.  Dirty hair helps secure bobbi-pins.  Don't worry if your hair is a few days dirty and has old product in it, it all helps!  I usually like to style my hair for updos two days after I've washed it.
2.  Don't be afraid of bobbi-pins.  Bobbi-pins are your friends and you're going to need TONS of them.  I use at least 20 when I rock out a pinned back curled style.  As long as you hide them, no one will know.  Make sure to purchase ones that are the same color or slightly darker than your hair.  No gold bobbi-pins on brunettes!
3.  Use a curling gel/mousse.  If you want a curled look, use a gel or mousse that helps your hair curl.  You can also wash your hair (a few days before, see #1) with a curling shampoo like Curly Sexy Hair.
4.  Only blow dry what you have to.  To avoid extra frizzies, don't blow dry what you don't have to.  I always style the front of my hair when it is wet.  It takes product really well, and is easy to manipulate.    Wet hair is also more forgiving if you should make a mistake.  Style what you can, then blow dry the rest, ie - what you want to curl.
5.  Get a hand held mirror.  You'll want to make sure you can see the back of your head when you're pinning and swooping hair into place.  Get a small mirror that you can see the back view in.  Face away from the large mirror and then find your reflection in the small mirror in your hand.  you'll be able to see all angles of your hairstyle.
6.  Don't rush.  Give yourself plenty of time to style your hair.  You don't want to be rushed at the last minute.  I give myself an hour to style my hair for special occasions.  It's better to be done up early, then getting frustrated that you're running out of time.
7.  Call a pro for high stress events.  Please, please don't try to do your own hair for the first time ever on the day of your wedding.  Call a professional for events where they'll be extra stress or when your hair is extra important to you.
8.  Find Inspiration.  If you're not sure what to do, look at photos of celebs, royals, or vintage ads for inspiration.  The 20s, 30s and 40s were a great time for hair.  Look at photos and then try to recreate them.  It's okay if it's not an exact replica, your interpretation is sure to be just as stunning.
9.  Accessorize.  Never under estimate the power of a chic hatlet, fascinator, or flower.  Even little crystal or floral/feather hair clips can elevate a hairstyle from ordinary to extra special.  Just make sure you design your 'do around the piece you want to wear.  If you're wearing a tiny hat, make sure your curls cluster on the opposite side.
10.  Overdose on hairspray.  Once you've finished your look use lots of hairspray.  Apply crazy liberally all over!  This is one time it's okay if your hair gets a little crunchy.  You want to make sure it stays in place so everyone can admire your work.

Most of all - relax and get styling!

He Tried/She Tried: Pureology Silk Bodifier

He Tried - Patrick
Pureology's Silk Bodifier Volumizing Mousse is one my favorite mousses to use. Especially on color treated hair. I asked Kirsten to try out this particular mousse because I knew that it would work great for her texture and protect her colour treatment.

One of my pet peeves about mousse is the one dimensional styling aspect many mousses give. You put it on the hair, and boom, you have one choice. A hard crunchy finish with out the ability to style or blow dry. Pureology's Silk Bodifier Volumizing Mousse does the opposite. It will give the hair volume with a medium hold, shine, and most importantly, protect your colour treated tresses. I explained to Kirsten that it has many diverse styling options. With the diversity of this mousse a person can explore a multitude of different looks.
-Patrick

She Tried - Kirsten
I've become addicted to mousse.  Ever since reading about the return of mousse in a few magazines, I've been using it and loving it, so when Patrick handed me a bottle of Pureology's Mousse, I was happy to try it.  There's not much to say about this product other than I love it!  It's silky, soft, and completely non-sticky (which is a BIG selling point for me, I hate being sticky).  It smells great and applies to hair without creating a sticky or crunchy feeling.  Bonus points, the product brushes right out without any tangles.   I definitely recommend this product for creating body for almost any hair style!  It's especially nice with updos!
-Kirsten

Have you tried it?  Leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Makeup for your Beach Bag

Hooray!  It's beach season.  The weather is warm, the sun is out, which means that you'll no doubt find yourself at a beach day or pool side gathering soon.  And a day at the beach needs its own separate bag of makeup.  Here are our suggestions for your beach bag makeup stash.

First, get yourself a water proof case for your goodies.  I'm in love with the silicone Candy Store collection from Ulta.  These candy color silicone cases have metal frames and are smooth, waterproof, wipeable, and tear/stain/fade resistant, which makes them perfect for water themed days.

Of course, you'll want a sun screen.  My current favorite is Neutrogena's Ultra Sheer Dry Touch Sunscreen.  I'm crazy about sun protection when I'm out all day, so I opt for SPF 70, but they make a whole range.  It's creamy and goes on easily, but isn't too thick to use on your forehead, nose, and ears if you have to, just apply a little powder on top to avoid looking crazy shiny.  Although the Real Techniques blog turned me onto powder sunscreen.  Anyone tried it?  It seems like a brilliant concept.  I also like to stash a stick sunscreen in my bag incase I'm caught without the bottle - it's a burned nose saver!



Onto makeup - look for products that don't have a lot of weight or shine.  Cream products tend to have more staying power in the heat, especially cream blush when it's layered over foundation but under powder and then topped with a powder blush.  For face, opt for tinted moisturizers, mousse foundations, or rock out concealer only.  Powder gets a bad rap, but I love a matte look, so I'll buff in a light beige powder to even out my complexion or reduce shine if I know I won't be getting sweaty that day.  Some magazines swear you can't wear full foundation at the pool, but if you find the right color, blend well, and top off with a powder to reduce shine, you can look just as natural.

Don't forget your lips!  Use a lip scrub to get rid of any flakes and then protect your lips with a colored lip balm.  If you're out during the day, full lipstick can feel and look too heavy, while glosses can get sticky in the heat.  Plus, it's easy to find balms that contain SPF - lips can get burned too!  If you do want to wear your favorite lipstick shade, opt for a clear lip liner (yes, they make those now).  It'll keep the color in but not look off when all your lipstick rubs off onto your margarita glass!

And absolutely don't forget water proof mascara!  Know that there is a difference between water proof and water resistant.  If you know you'll be swimming, you definitely want water proof.  I like Lancome Definicils as a splurge or Cover Girl's new mousse line as a more budget friendly option, although it's not completely water proof.

Makeup is also an ever changing field.  There are always new, wonderful waterproof and long wear products coming out.  So treat yourself and try something new for your next beach day...then tell us about it!

~Kirsten

He Tried/She Tried: Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof

Need a perfect summer frizz solution?  Check out Weather Proof: Humidity Resistant Spray.  It's the latest product to get the He Said/She Said stamp of approval! Read on for the stylist/client point of view of this great product.

Partick - The Stylist
Kirsten called me prior to her trip to Michigan to see family and asked that I style her hair for her fabulous weekend. I agreed and thought about elements that could possibly affect her hair style: Humidity!

I knew that I could get into my styling kit and utilize Sexy Hair's Big Sexy Hair Weather Proof as a finishing solution to avoid humidity. This is one of my "go to" products to fight humidity and frizz during the late spring and summer seasons here in Chicago (and all year round too).  This revolutionary product places a protective shield over the hair after you have finished your style.  Because of the technology used to create this product, it can be used to guard against these elements, it will wear on the hair very lightly and not produce a hard feeling.

I asked Kirsten to take Weather Proof with her on her trip and let me know how it held up. I also let her know that she didn't need to overuse the product for protection. This is definitely one of those cases where "less is more."  Over use of this humidity spray may produce a build up that requires a clarifying shampoo to remove.  Although I have yet to meet anyone that has had this issue, I wanted Kirsten to be prepared. With a lot of professional products, a good use of thumb is "the smaller the bottle, the less you use.  The larger the bottle, the more you use."
Cheers,
Patrick

Kirsten - The Client
Patrick sprayed me up with Weather Proof for the first time when he blew out my hair for a weekend long surprise party on a rainy day.  Take this bottle, he said, and use it again if it gets humid.  But, I was to be careful because overuse would have to be clarified to remove.  Armed with my sample bottle and a slight fear of over application, I went on my way.  It was amazing!  My curly hairstyle lasted and looked lovely through a three hour car ride and a rainy walk into the restaurant.  Frizzies be gone!  I used it once more that weekend a couple days later, and although it wasn't particularly humid, my hair-do stayed perfectly in place and frizz free.  Check out the photo (left) of my fabulous hair-do from Patrick - snapped nearly 8 hours after the original styling - when I was orchestrating a family gift.

I definitely recommend this product.  You'll feel like you aren't putting anything on - the mist is fine like hair spray and it goes on top of your finished style, but it works somehow.  Combine this product with hair spray and you'll be good to go!
~Kirsten

Have you tried Sexy Hair's Weather Proof?  Leave a comment and let us know what you thought.