Getting a Drastic Hair Cut

Decided you want a new 'do?  Planning on chopping off a good portion of your locks?  Allure magazine offered up some tips for "how to get a major haircut" in their September issue.  We've mixed some of theirs with some of ours.  Here are some things to keep in mind if you're planning on drastically altering your hair-do at your next salon appointment.

Think about it
Change can be good, but when you're talking about your hair, it's okay to take your time.  We've all had the tears after cutting more hair off than we thought we wanted, so if you're going drastic, take your time.

Time it right
Never get a seriously different hair cute in the midst of a major life change or if you have an important upcoming event.  You may think getting bangs two weeks before your wedding is a good idea, but trust me, it's not.

Try it on
Allure suggests visiting a wig shop and trying on a style similar to the one you want.  "It's the only way to really see what you'll look like with super short hair or without bangs to cover your face."  No wig shop nearby?  Wear your long hair up for a whole week to see if you like the way it changes your look, if so, you might be ready.

Bring a picture
Make sure there is no confusion about the length you want by bringing a picture.  Just keep in mind the photo is for inspiration only,  your hair texture and color may not lend itself to the look you've brought in.  Make sure to talk to your hair stylist about what you want and listen to his opinion about the styles and cuts that will work with your hair type.

Chat about your lifestyle
Talk to your hair stylist about your life routine.  How much do you work out?  How often do you like to wash your hair?  Do you wear your hair up in a pony tail often?

Get a hair lesson
If you're going from crazy length to uber short, you'll need a lesson or two on how best to style it.  Ask your hair dresser to show you a few tricks or ask if he offers classes (some stylists have classes....ask Partick about his blow-out classes!)

Have you had a major hair change recently?  What's been your most drastic hair cut?  Leave a comment and share your story!

~Kirsten

Photo from: gaylordradioauction.com

Transition Your Makeup into Fall

Fall is almost here!  It's a fabulous time of year, pumpkin spice comes back to Starbucks, oversized glossy fall magazines start arriving in mailboxes, and makeup gets new colors and bold looks!  But what about that strange transition time we're approaching?  It's not quite summer, but not yet fall?  That's the time to start your makeup transition.  Here are three ways to start transitioning your makeup from summer to fall.

1.  Switch your base.
BB creams and tinted moisturizers are perfect for summer because they're light weight and effortless, but fall makeup and colder weather wants a bit more coverage.  Switch to a medium weight foundation like a compact powder, powder to cream, or a mousse foundation.  You'll get a touch more coverage and a better base for starting to experiment with bolder colors and heavier application.  Check out my Foundation of the Moment blog for my current favorite.

2.  Layer your look and contour your cheeks.
Fall demands more product application.  Eyes get a little darker, bolder and cheeks start to see some contouring.  When we stop brushing bronzer on for a sun kissed glow, we replace it with a subtle contour.  You can contour the hollows of your cheeks with bronzer, then color the apples of your cheeks with a pink blush.  If you need even more dimension, apply a highlighter as well.  Another good trick?  Use two different types of blush.   Start with a cream and then layer on top of the cream with a powder blush, it'll give you twice the staying power.  You can also use the cream on the apples of your cheek and the powder blush in a slightly darker pink to contour in the hollows of your cheeks.

3.  Darken up lips.
When the days get shorter, your lips get darker.  Neutral lips are still in style, but feel free to start adding a touch of mocha or berry into your lip color routine.  The hot shades this fall are wine inspired mulberries and dark, vampy reds.  If you start darkening your colors now, the transition will be less jarring.

What fall beauty trends are you looking forward to?
~Kirsten

Photo from EcoTools

Office Essentials Hair Trick

Houzz.com

Running straight from work to cocktails or a dinner date?  If the 9-5 work day has left your hair looking less than fabulous, try this trick from Cosmopolitan Magazine using office supplies!

Three easy items you're sure to have on hand and three easy steps will have your hair going from fried to fabulous:

1.  Hand Lotion - tame any random frizz at your ends with a dab of lotion.
2.  Pencil - wind your hair into a messy bun or twist and hold it in place with a pencil - bonus points if it's brightly colored.
3.  Paper Clip - put any fly aways or loose hanging hair pieces in place by using paper clips as a stand in for bobbi pins.

Have you saved a bad hair day at the office before?  Have any other ideas of office supplies that can double as hair accessories (rubber band for hair tie anyone?)  Leave a comment and let us know!
~Kirsten

5 Everyday Beauty Tips

Fitness Magazine

Looking to add a little finesse to your daily makeup routine?  Try out these five easy tips for adding pop and polish to your everyday makeup whether you're heading to the office, after work drinks, or a weekend shopping spree.

1.  Use eye shadow as eye liner.
If you want to finish your eyes with a subtle edge use eye shadow.  Take an angled eye liner brush, wet it, and then apply it as close to the lash line as possible.  Wet shadow mimics eye liner but without the harshness.   Try a glittery black for a night out or a dark matte chocolate for mornings at the office.

2.  Brush off shadow flakes with your foundation brush.
One of the saddest things is makeup ruined by stray dark shadow or mascara flakes.  If you happen to have some fall on your cheeks or under your eyes, don't use your fingers as they can make the color smudge and streak  Use your foundation brush, it will still have a little product on it and can help hide and color that might stay behind.

3.  Fill in your eyebrows.
One of the easiest ways to look instantly put together is with well groomed, filled in eyebrows.  Use a lash and brow grooming brush to tame any out of place brows, they using an angled eye liner brush or a detailer brush, apply a brow tint gel, powder, or pencil and fill in any sparse spots.  Eyeshadow works in a pinch too, just make sure the color is a perfect match or one shade darker than your brow color.  Use small, short strokes to mimic real hair growth instead of one steady line.

4.  Upgrade your lip routine.
If you're like me, you had no lip routine before.  Some makeup artists swear by a scrub with a soft bristled tooth brush, but I happen to love a lip mask.  Get rid of all the little flakes on your lips with a gentle scrub (especially important if you're wearing a bold lip color) and then apply a lip primer.  They really do make a difference in how long your lip color lasts.

5.  Apply blush second.
Many people apply blush last to get just the right amount of color (as blush should always be a graceful transition from eyes to lips), but if you're not sure how much makeup you want to wear, apply your blush after your apply your foundation.  Blush instantly brightens up your face, you may find you need less eye makeup than you thought.

What beauty tips and tricks do you find yourself using everyday?
~Kirsten

7 Days of Short Hair Ideas

Photo from Sexy Hair

Want to cocktail the products you learned about in Tuesday's blog posts for 7 days of styling?  Read on!  Patrick has written up a list of how to mix and match these products for short hair.  You can use the tips regardless of what kind of hair you have, but keep in my they were designed for a shorter haired, colored treated woman.

Day 1~ Shampoo/Condition. Add Moroccan oil and either comb through hair or rub with hands and fingers to apply. Add Root Pump Plus.  Emulisfy in the hair at the scalp and blow dry, or air dry and curl. Once dry and curled add Powder Play, Layer with What a tease, Style as needed by following directions below in the product section. Finish with Morrocan Oil Hair Spray, and Final spray of Weather Proof.

Day 2~ Curl to refresh, but may not be needed. Add Wired, a small pearl size drop is sufficient, style hair as needed. Finish with Moroccan Oil Hair Spray. If you feel your volume isn't sufficient add a little of the Play Dirty to the Scalp area and pump up the root.

Day 3~ Follow the directions for Day 1 "styling portion only". Add a pearl size drop of Texture twist to the ends of hair only, to refresh. With the exception of Shampooing. You won't need to do that for a week.

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Day 4~ Curl to touch up and Add a couple of drops of Moroccan oil. By this point in the week you have layered your hair with product and because Sexy Hair products re-activate you might not have to add any more. The Moroccan Oil will refresh and add a little softness. It will also break down the build up slightly so you can refresh with heat by Curling.

Day 5~ Follow Directions of Day 2. Style as needed

Day 6~ Follow directions of Day 1 with the exception of shampooing and conditioning.

Day 7~ Follow the directions of Day 1 in it's entirety.

Did you try all seven days?  Or even just one day?  Upload a photo of your hair style to our facebook page!

~Kirsten & Patrick

Product Cocktails: How to mix and match your hair styling products

Good hair products can work in perfect harmony together, and in fact, are often created to layer with one or more from the same line.  Mixing products at first can be scary, but you shouldn't worry!  Patrick says: "You can play around with the use each day to find what works best for you. You have a base of products that will last a long time. Don't be afraid to try new uses for each product." 

Here are seven common products and how to use them with each other for the best effects:

Moroccan oil shampoo and deep conditioner

Maintain use when cleansing and conditioning hair

Sexy Hair Root pump plus spray mousse

Use this product when styling, spray on to the base of hair near the scalp. You can air dry with this or add heat with a blow dryer by breeze drying or styling with your brush. You can also let it airdry and then use your new curling iron as your heat addition after hair has dried. This spray mousse is designed to be placed at the root of the hair at the scalp. 

Pureology Texture Twist

Texture twist can be cocktailed with the Moroccan oil to add volume to the root when touching up in extreme humidity. It is designed as a finisher to add texture. This product can be cocktailed with any of the listed products.

Rusk Wired

This can be used as a refresher alone to maintain control of the hair with out a lot of weight added to the hair when dry styling. A little goes a long way!  This is a great product to add control when dry styling to give texture and movement. You can cocktail this with Moroccan Oil for a lighter weight air dry as well.

Big Sexy Hair What a Tease

This productis designed to have backcomb in a bottle. A little goes a long way.  Spray at the base of hair where ever you feel you need extra volume. This will be used once you have airdried, blow dried or curled hair, prior to using any finishing spray. This product is not meant to be used on a daily basis, it's more of a twice a week addition. You will use this prodcut when first styling, after you cleanse and condition and then again a day or two later to refresh the hair.

Big Sexy Hair Powder Play

You can couple this with what a tease for extreme volume by placing it on the base where volume is needed, remember to rub this into the hair at the sclap so it activates the product. Then spray the what a tease over it. Once what a tease has been sprayed you can then seperate hair in four different directions to get the backcombing effect. 

Moroccan Oil Hairspray

This is a finishing spray that can be used daily for hold and pliability of styling when finishing the hair. This product can be layered over all your products for extra control.

Short Sexy Hair Play Dirty 

This product can be used as a layering product when you want an edgy finish with a lot of peiceyness and movement. You can use this product up to 3 times a week. This is a product that you don't need much of. A little goes a long way and works well in humid weather when using the weatherproof as a protectant.

Big Sexy Hair Weather proof

This is your absolute last product to use after styling the hair or retouching the hair. This product will last for a couple of days at a time. When in extreme heat and humidity you can use this everyother day as your last product to place a protective shield over the hair.

Want seven days of hair ideas with these products?  Check back Thursday!

~Kirsten & Patrick

Pre-Fall Hair Idea: Slicked Back Center

This hairstyle is technically a fall trend, but the slicked center look is perfect for poolside drinks when you have no intention of getting in.  Although the look was called "edgy," "severe," and "rock and roll," backstage at fashion week, Allure Magazine declares them to be quick, easy, and practical.

For the look in the photo, shown from Versus, the trick is to slick back just the center of the hair.  This gets rid of the face framing layers allowing you a low maintenance style when you don't want to fuss with your hair.  Hairstylist Guido's inspiration for the Versus model was a 1970's look popularized by Catherine Deneuve.  To copy the look yourself, section off and pull back the center of the hair.  Use a gel to keep everything in place.  Patrick likes Short Sexy Hair's Hard Up, a super strong gel with a bit of shine.  Hold the hair in place with two bobbi pins or a cute barrette (like the "Glam Girl" ones shown above from Goody.)  You can then flat iron the rest of your hair, put it in a low pony tail, or just let it do it's thing.

What's your go to hairstyle for going out?
~Kirsten

He Tried/She Tried:Finishing Touches

Today's He Tried/She Tried focuses on the final finishing touches of your hair style: hair spray, shine spray, and anti-humidity spray.  We all know that styling your hair is half the battle, what you put of when you've finished is what will help you keep your hair looking fabulous for hours to come.  Read on for three of Kirsten and Patrick's favorite finishing products from the Sexy Hair line.

Sexy Hair All Nighter Hairspray
Patrick:  When Kirsten told me she had a show to do in the summer heat, I knew this would be the Hair Spay that would work best for her. It has a strong hold and is used to create strong memory and remains in tact during an all nighter perfomance. I explained the usage to Kirsten and let her know that it would hold her hair in place and give it a solid finish. I explained that she wouldn't have to worry about her hair falling out of place once styled and finished.
Kirsten: Hair spray is crazy important to me, especially when I'm doing shows, so when Patrick asked me to swap out my Tresseme 24 Hour Body hairspray for his bottle of Sexy Hair Hairspray, I wasn't sure.  My fear proved to be unfounded though, as the All Nighter spray did just what it advertised.  It kept my hair in perfect place.  It does get a little crunchy when you pile it on, but it brushes out quite easily.


Sexy Hair Big Shine Spray
Patrick:   This product is amazing and I knew Kirsten had to try it. It has a hold factor of a 1 and a shine and pliability factor of 9, and places a shine over the hair after, you have styled and finished with hair spray. This is a non-greasy, non-oily shine spray that does not break down product that has been used to finsih. It has a lightweight feel and will not weigh down the hair. Even the most delicate fine hair will benefit from this shine product.
Kirsten:  There's not much to say about this product, it's easy to use, smells pleasant, and leaves your hair with a perfect finish and extra shine!


Sexy Hair Weather Proof: Humidity Resistant Spray
Patrick: 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.
Kirsten:  Frizzies be gone and stay gone!  This product goes on the hair light, non-sticky, and magically seems to keep your hair in perfect place regardless of rain and humidity!  A must use for outdoor updos.  See more of our thoughts on Weather Proof here.


~Patrick and Kirsten

Kirsten's Secret to Long Lasting Blush

I received the best compliment the other day - "your blush always looks fantastic!"  My friend wanted to know my "secret" so I gladly shared my blush routine with her.  Want to know?  I keep my blush long lasting and perky pink by using two different kinds and layering it!

After applying foundation (I'm currently obsessed with Maybelline's Dream Smooth Mousse and Maybelline's Dream Matte Mousse) I apply a cream mousse like Maybelline's Dream Bouncy Blush with my Real Techniques Stippling Brush* using small circular motions on the apples of the cheeks.  I love this brush for its densely packed bristles and its ability to buff in color, it works great with cream blush.  Then immediately on top of the cream blush I use a multi-deminsional colored powder blush, a palette with some pinks, peaches, and nudes works best for me, my current favorite is NYC Color Wheel.  Use a soft blush brush, I like the EcoTools Blush Brush*, to swipe color on the apples of the cheeks and blend upwards.  If the look is a little too bright, use a Buffing Brush* to buff in and tone done the color.  Voila, doubling up on blush helps ensure you'll stay bright cheeked all day long.  If the top layer wears off, there's always something underneath!

~Kirsten
*Full disclosure, I do work for a company that has Real Techniques as a client, but I purchased and tried this brush all on my own.