Some people change their hair color as quickly as the wind blows. Making frequent dramatic color changes is fun, but it's not really the best idea. Constant color change can take a big toll on the condition of your hair. Making continual small changes from season to season is the sure fire way to make certain your hair color is always your most flattering shade. It's also the best way to keep your hair healthy and shiny.
Fall is a few weeks away, and it's time to rethink your look. Most likely, you're already checking out the new fall fashions, looking for a new shade of lipstick and blush, even picking a new nail polish color for your toes and fingertips.
You will soon be out of the summer sun. Your complexion will become a bit paler. Your hair color can start to look faded and brassy instead of sun-kissed. This the perfect time to re-evaluate your hair color and make the necessary changes.
No matter what the shade, hair color will look incredibly warm and natural this fall. The natural nuances of the hair will be accented with translucent chocolate, auburn, amber and golden colors and glazes. Opaque colors that make hair look monochromatic, drab or ash should always be avoided. Obvious streaks of color are out. Randomly placed soft color to add dimension, depth and texture are in.
Brunettes
You should stay a brunette. This doesn't mean you can't go lighter or brighter. It does mean you should avoid blond shades. (The one exception to this rule is if your brown hair has gone grey.) This usually means your complexion has also become paler, giving you more leeway to explore dark blond shades. The best examples of brunettes for fall 2009 are Anne Hathaway, Sandra Bullock, Katie Holmes and Demi Moore.
Blondes
You should either look like you were incredibly lucky and were born with your hair color like Kate Hudson, or fake, fabulous and glamorous like Madonna. Whether you are trying to look natural or glamorous, you should always have depth at the roots. This is an insider's secret: Depth at the roots helps to guarantee your new blond hair is always flattering to your skin tone.
Redheads
You can be as light as a strawberry blonde or the darkest shade of auburn. Redheads should always have golden or copper undertones. Picture Lindsey Lohan, now that she has returned to her God-given red hair. Avoid all violets or blue-reds. This is a color for cars, not hair. My favorite redheads for fall 2009 are Isla Fisher, Amy Adams and (my perpetual favorite) Susan Sarandon.
Constant small hair color changes are the key to looking your best. Fall is the time of new beginnings. People are back from vacation, kids are back at school and life is back at full speed. This is the perfect time to reinvent yourself. Remember: Small changes are all you need to make a big difference in the way you look!
For more hair help, check out iVillage's Hair Survival Guide!
The Today show let me loose on Fifth Avenue the other day. I was a man on a mission: I had to rescue women who were in the mist of a hair 911. Manned with a microphone, I stood in front of our building with a small crew from NBC. The idea was for me to go up to women who, I thought, would benefit from a change of cut, color or style. My knees practically knocked together as I approached total strangers to suggest they revamp their hair. Some women looked at me like I was a raging lunatic but the other women, who didn't run, loved talking to me about their hair. Let me tell you the hair tales of three of the woman who did talk to me.
At first Helen was a bit reluctant about a change. She said, "When?" I said, "Now!" As she started a very unconvincing dialogue about not having the time at this particular moment, I could tell she really wanted help with her hair. I asked her once more. This time she said, "Yes!" and we ran into the salon.
Helen let her hair loose and I saw that I was right. It was too long, too thick and unmanageable. I introduced Helen to Dana, who is one of the salon's best stylists. Dana cut 12 inches off Helen's hair, still leaving it long enough to hang below her shoulders. She gave Helen long layers to control the excessive bulk of her hair. Helen can now wear her hair down or up, wavy or straight. She is a liberated woman.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
At first Helen was a bit reluctant about a change. She said, "When?" I said, "Now!" As she started a very unconvincing dialogue about not having the time at this particular moment, I could tell she really wanted help with her hair. I asked her once more. This time she said, "Yes!" and we ran into the salon.
Helen let her hair loose and I saw that I was right. It was too long, too thick and unmanageable. I introduced Helen to Dana, who is one of the salon's best stylists. Dana cut 12 inches off Helen's hair, still leaving it long enough to hang below her shoulders. She gave Helen long layers to control the excessive bulk of her hair. Helen can now wear her hair down or up, wavy or straight. She is a liberated woman.
Continue reading Ambush Makeover Takes Fifth Avenue.
Not for nothing, but after doing "Ambush Makeover" for more than a couple of years I have only gained more respect for hair color. I am constantly overwhelmed by the power and importance of hair color. I think that hair color is the quickest way to dramatically change your looks. You can look younger, prettier, sexier, completely natural, or incredibly chic and stylized. The true miracle of hair color is that in most cases it takes less than an hour to complete the process. On the Today show's Ambush Makeover I color hair in less than half that time. Hair color truly is the quick fix that works. I am fully aware of that hair color is only one part of "Ambush". I truly believe it is the most significant change that sets the tone for the makeover's cut and style, make-up, and clothes. I know this statement might ruffle a few feathers in the fashion and beauty community, and maybe even with the other members of the "Ambush" team. I am not trying to emphasis my importance or underplay the significance of a great haircut, perfect make-up, and a great looking outfit. I am solely talking about the power of hair color.
I have made many dramatic color changes on young girls over the years. Many times the change was for young actors playing a movie role or an attempt for a real girl to look like her favorite "it" girl of the moment. I think hair color on young girls is fine but I do suggest subtle changes. I always think of hair color as make-up. You and your hair color are most likely beautiful as a teen. Very little needs to be done, you are perfect already. But if you want to have fun and color your hair I only have one comment. Color it! A touch of hair color is no different than trying on a lipstick. It's a fun way to try a different look. It always grows. Now is the perfect time to experiment. By the way, you can also get away with color choices that probably won't work when you are a bit older.
I have made many dramatic color changes on young girls over the years. Many times the change was for young actors playing a movie role or an attempt for a real girl to look like her favorite "it" girl of the moment. I think hair color on young girls is fine but I do suggest subtle changes. I always think of hair color as make-up. You and your hair color are most likely beautiful as a teen. Very little needs to be done, you are perfect already. But if you want to have fun and color your hair I only have one comment. Color it! A touch of hair color is no different than trying on a lipstick. It's a fun way to try a different look. It always grows. Now is the perfect time to experiment. By the way, you can also get away with color choices that probably won't work when you are a bit older.
Continue reading The Power of Hair Color.
August is a rough month for hair. Even the people most careful with their hair often find that the summer's sun and elements has wreaked its havoc. Almost all hair is lighter than it should be, a bit drier, and definitely more brittle. Sometimes it tangles more, is more difficult to comb or brush out, and tends to dry frizzy or fly away. It's quite obvious that your hair is in an altered state, but many women enjoy the look of their end of summer hair. I find that many women will overuse self tanners, wear more makeup, or do whatever it takes to wear their summer hair color and style as long as possible. I always have the sinking feeling at this time of year that women are avoiding me because they don't want me to tell them to trim or tone down their hair. This never fails to amuse me. I always think of hair as a fashion and beauty accessory that you should always have fun with and enjoy. Your hair grows every day. It is ever changing. Your hair cut and color are for right now, not forever. Now that we are approaching the beginning of September, it is time to rethink your hair. What looked golden, vibrant and sun kissed midsummer can look brassy, dried out and brittle by Labor Day. There are some simple steps you can take to make the summer/fall hair transition as graceful as possible.
STEP 1: I know most women want their hair long, especially in the summer, but it is probably time to get a trim. The ends of your hair are the most porous. Exposure to the sun and elements makes them dry and brittle. This makes a hair cut essential to restoring the condition of your hair.
STEP 2: Reduce the amount of coloring on your re-growth. The bright color you loved this summer probably will start to give you a washed out look by Labor Day. When you do color your hair you should make it a bit darker. If this is more than you can bear, at least touch up the root with a more subtle color. The color of the rest of your hair will look more appropriate once you have depth at the base or roots of your hair.
Continue reading 5 Steps To Take Your Hair From Summer To Fall.
Two lucky ladies were picked from the Plaza to get Plaza Ambush Makeovers from TODAY's beauty response team of Louis Licari and Jill Martin.
Watch the segment from TODAY
What do you think of the ladies' new looks? Leave a comment or question below!
Related Content:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
What do you think of the ladies' new looks? Leave a comment or question below!
Related Content:
- Missed an Ambush? Catch up here
- Try on new hairstyles from Louis Licari with Makeover-o-Matic
Change is in the air, or should I say in the hair. In the last five years, we have seen straight hair regarded as the envy of most woman. I have seen hair blow dried straight, flat ironed to death, witnessed the rise and fall of the Japanese straighter, and now the escalation in the popularity of the keratin treatment.
The keratin treatment is now one of the hottest selling salon services that I have witnessed in all my years as a salon owner. The keratin treatment is a revolutionary process that softens, shines and makes hair feel healthy. It will relax the curl in your hair, not totally eliminate it, and make it much easier to blow dry. Most clients tell me they spend a fraction of the time finishing their hair after the treatment than before. The reason for keratin's success is its ability to maintain the hair's body and shine while eliminating frizz. Hair dried poker straight is too harsh a look for most women. Fuller hair is softer and more flattering.
A change has begun and we have yet to see where it ends, but I have a strong suspicion we are in the mist of a huge transition in the look of hair. I have a well-founded feeling that girls with curls will soon be the envy of all straight-haired woman. I might be as bold as to say that next spring/summer will bring the return of the permanent wave. Not the old-fashioned frizzy perm, but a soft curly wave that most women can only achieve after hours at the hair salon. I know right now many of you are thinking that I have completely lost it, but let me explain my thinking.
Number one is that all fashion is cyclical. Straight hair styles are old news. They have been around for years now. Slowly we have seen hair styles with waves begin to dominate the Hollywood and model scene. Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Aniston, Hayden Panettiere, Madonna, Julia Roberts and Jessica Alba have all been sporting wavy hair. On the fashion front waves rule supreme. Super models like Giselle Bundchen, Petra Nemcova, and Coco Rocha's new wavy hairdo's have set the trend. Waves can't be ignored and I am sure that curls are just a season away.
The "new" permanent wave will be a combination of soft curls and waves. Most likely it will be done on hair with long layers. The look will be soft, romantic, tousled and carefree. It will work best on mid-length hair. Perms will also influence the look of hair color. Hair must be healthy to have a pretty permanent wave. People with hair that is overly colored or highlighted would not be the best candidate for this procedure. This means we will see many more single-process colors and only the gentlest highlighting procedures.
Women with curls, this is your time to rejoice. In the near future you will be putting your blow dryers and flat irons in storage. Your time is about to come. Soon you will be the envy of all your friends. Be kind to those who have to make appointments for expensive perms. Always remember to be grateful you won't have to blow your hair straight everyday!
The keratin treatment is now one of the hottest selling salon services that I have witnessed in all my years as a salon owner. The keratin treatment is a revolutionary process that softens, shines and makes hair feel healthy. It will relax the curl in your hair, not totally eliminate it, and make it much easier to blow dry. Most clients tell me they spend a fraction of the time finishing their hair after the treatment than before. The reason for keratin's success is its ability to maintain the hair's body and shine while eliminating frizz. Hair dried poker straight is too harsh a look for most women. Fuller hair is softer and more flattering.
A change has begun and we have yet to see where it ends, but I have a strong suspicion we are in the mist of a huge transition in the look of hair. I have a well-founded feeling that girls with curls will soon be the envy of all straight-haired woman. I might be as bold as to say that next spring/summer will bring the return of the permanent wave. Not the old-fashioned frizzy perm, but a soft curly wave that most women can only achieve after hours at the hair salon. I know right now many of you are thinking that I have completely lost it, but let me explain my thinking.
Number one is that all fashion is cyclical. Straight hair styles are old news. They have been around for years now. Slowly we have seen hair styles with waves begin to dominate the Hollywood and model scene. Kate Hudson, Anne Hathaway, Jennifer Aniston, Hayden Panettiere, Madonna, Julia Roberts and Jessica Alba have all been sporting wavy hair. On the fashion front waves rule supreme. Super models like Giselle Bundchen, Petra Nemcova, and Coco Rocha's new wavy hairdo's have set the trend. Waves can't be ignored and I am sure that curls are just a season away.
The "new" permanent wave will be a combination of soft curls and waves. Most likely it will be done on hair with long layers. The look will be soft, romantic, tousled and carefree. It will work best on mid-length hair. Perms will also influence the look of hair color. Hair must be healthy to have a pretty permanent wave. People with hair that is overly colored or highlighted would not be the best candidate for this procedure. This means we will see many more single-process colors and only the gentlest highlighting procedures.
Women with curls, this is your time to rejoice. In the near future you will be putting your blow dryers and flat irons in storage. Your time is about to come. Soon you will be the envy of all your friends. Be kind to those who have to make appointments for expensive perms. Always remember to be grateful you won't have to blow your hair straight everyday!
Two lucky ladies were picked from the Plaza to get Plaza Ambush Makeovers from TODAY's beauty response team of Louis Licari and Jill Martin.
Watch the segment from TODAY
What do you think of the ladies' new looks? Leave a comment or question below!
Related Content:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
What do you think of the ladies' new looks? Leave a comment or question below!
Related Content:
- Missed an Ambush? Catch up here
- Try on new hairstyles from Louis Licari with Makeover-o-Matic
Did you ever feel like you were fading away? You know that horrible feeling when you look in a mirror and you feel as invisible as a ghost. This usually happens when your hair color and skin color are the same tone. This can occur when your hair color starts to go grey or simply when your natural hair starts to fade as time passes.
It can also happen when you pick the wrong hair color. When your skin color and hair color blend together, you have made a wrong color decision. Most people think about hair color when they start to go grey. The actual reason most people start to color their hair is because their skin and hair color turn a similar shade, making them feel washed out. The usual solution to this problem is to pile on more and more makeup until they look alive again. This is simply a Band-Aid to hide the problem. The best solution is to pick the color that will provide contrast with your skin color. This will instantly put the color back in your complexion.
Blah brunettes are boring. Brown hair is one of nature's most beautiful colors. Darker hair colors almost always have more shine than any other color. Upon closer examination, you realize that dark colors are multidimensional and often include subtle warm chestnut and chocolate tones. This makes brown hair anything but boring. In fact it can be one of nature's most flattering shades.
But brown hair does change over time. The hair color you have at 20 is different from what you have at 30, and it only continues to dull with passing years. It is essential that you maintain your vibrant brunette color. This is an instant age-eraser that will keep you looking young. You probably should not color your hair as dark as it once was, but you must keep it a rich brown to maintain the perpetual glow of youth.
It can also happen when you pick the wrong hair color. When your skin color and hair color blend together, you have made a wrong color decision. Most people think about hair color when they start to go grey. The actual reason most people start to color their hair is because their skin and hair color turn a similar shade, making them feel washed out. The usual solution to this problem is to pile on more and more makeup until they look alive again. This is simply a Band-Aid to hide the problem. The best solution is to pick the color that will provide contrast with your skin color. This will instantly put the color back in your complexion.
Blah brunettes are boring. Brown hair is one of nature's most beautiful colors. Darker hair colors almost always have more shine than any other color. Upon closer examination, you realize that dark colors are multidimensional and often include subtle warm chestnut and chocolate tones. This makes brown hair anything but boring. In fact it can be one of nature's most flattering shades. But brown hair does change over time. The hair color you have at 20 is different from what you have at 30, and it only continues to dull with passing years. It is essential that you maintain your vibrant brunette color. This is an instant age-eraser that will keep you looking young. You probably should not color your hair as dark as it once was, but you must keep it a rich brown to maintain the perpetual glow of youth.
Continue reading Don't Let Your Beauty Fade Away.
Two lucky ladies were picked from the Plaza to get Plaza Ambush Makeovers from TODAY's beauty response team of Louis Licari and Jill Martin.
Watch the segment from TODAY
What do you think of the ladies' new looks? Leave a comment or question below!
Related Content:
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
What do you think of the ladies' new looks? Leave a comment or question below!
Related Content:
- Missed an Ambush? Catch up here
- Try on new hairstyles from Louis Licari with Makeover-o-Matic
Over the years I have worked with some of the best hair dressers in the world. I mean world-class professionals. You know, those people who make the women on the covers of Vogue and Bazaar look so effortlessly glamorous. I am endlessly impressed with their talent. I am often left speechless as I watch them morph the models' hair from style to style. Of course, you would expect these hair mavens to have magic in their hands.
What really surprises me, however, is the seemly God-given ability for almost any woman with long hair to painlessly mimic the most complicated hairstyle. Braids, up-dos and variations of the partial up-do are extremely popular hairstyles, especially in the summer. I have often stared in awe as I watched long-haired women carry on conversations with other salon clients, never even peeking in the mirror as they twist, turn and tuck their hair in place. I am humbled by their talent as they finish their hair in minutes and run out the door looking great. If I say anything about their ability to whip their hair into shape, they simply laugh and thank me for the compliment.
Watch the segment from TODAY
After seeing woman after woman put her hair up in just moments, I realized it must be easier to do than it looks. I talked to Lena, one of the salon's top stylists, and asked her for the lowdown of simple and effortless long hairstyles that I can't help but notice every day in the salon and on the street. She agreed that they are easy for almost anyone to do and gave me a quick demo on three models.
THE HIDDEN BRAID
THE BRAIDED BUN
TWIST AND TUCK
You don't have to be a hair genius to keep long hair looking great all summer long. All it takes is a twist, a tuck, a few pins and a little imagination. With a little practice, your hair can always look beautiful and like it was done by the pros.
What really surprises me, however, is the seemly God-given ability for almost any woman with long hair to painlessly mimic the most complicated hairstyle. Braids, up-dos and variations of the partial up-do are extremely popular hairstyles, especially in the summer. I have often stared in awe as I watched long-haired women carry on conversations with other salon clients, never even peeking in the mirror as they twist, turn and tuck their hair in place. I am humbled by their talent as they finish their hair in minutes and run out the door looking great. If I say anything about their ability to whip their hair into shape, they simply laugh and thank me for the compliment.
Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy
THE HIDDEN BRAID
- Lift a section of your hair from the crown and clip it out of the way.
- Place a braid on each side of your head to lift hair up and off your face. Join braids in the back and secure with a hair elastic.
- Release hair that has been secured with clip and let cascade over braids.
THE BRAIDED BUN
- Part your hair with a side part.
- Make two mini braids starting at the part and continuing in a slight upward direction. This gives hair a shape that is flattering for most faces.
- Join braids together into one and continue braid into a ponytail. If hair strands should pop out, don't worry. It will give your hair a more carefree and less serious look.
- Twist the ponytail braid into a low bun. Accessorize with a flower, a real one if possible. After all, it's summer!
TWIST AND TUCK
- Start with a low side part.
- Make a section from the part to just behind your ear.
- Start to twist and tuck, continuing to add hair as you go around the head.
- Gather hair together behind your other ear, fasten with pins and fan out ends to create a feathered look.
- Add a fresh flower or a hair accessory to finish the look.
You don't have to be a hair genius to keep long hair looking great all summer long. All it takes is a twist, a tuck, a few pins and a little imagination. With a little practice, your hair can always look beautiful and like it was done by the pros.
