January 2008 Archives
What's going to happen if the writers strike doesn't settle? Can you imagine a year without the Academy Awards? Besides not showcasing the best movies and performances of the year, where would we look for our fashion and beauty inspiration? I mean, let's face it. If we have to look at one more paparazzi shot of Britney Spears, Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, or Kim Kardashian, I am sure people will start to burn magazines, throw shoes at their flat screens, and pray that their computers crash. If the strike continues, people will be forced to run to Starbucks in Beverly Hills to gawk at the stars. The sidewalk to Starbucks could be, lord help us, the red carpet of 2008.
Can you imagine hearing Ryan Seacrest ask the actors about their new hair style and hair colors, and their response is that they needed a touch-up so they threw it back in a pony tail. The ever-present "who are you wearing" question would be answered "Juicy Couture and Uggs.” We could be in deep trouble.
I choose to have faith that the Oscars will go on and we will have another opportunity to watch the "creme de la creme" of fashion and beauty, and sometimes the faux pas that make even more news than those that are dressed well.
The most important fashion accessory besides hair, fashion, and jewels, is the arm candy that escorts you to the awards. The right arm piece can cover a multitude of sins. If you are Angelina Jolie and you look a bit too thin, does it really matter if you have Brad Pitt on your side? Will anyone notice or hear the comments of an ill-fitting dress over the “oohs” and “ahs” of the glamorous couple? I don't think so!
As far as predicting who is going to win the awards this year, I don't have a clue. The actors’ performances across the board were extraordinary. I do, however, think I have a little insight on how they will look: Glamour will prevail. Actors will look like old movie stars. They will be the modern versions of Rita Hayworth and Cary Grant. Hair will have wave and movement. Hair will be worn down, except for the occasional up-do. Hair color will be bright, but natural. Make-up will feature strong lips and eyes. Eyeliner is the most important make-up trend of the season. No woman will be without at least the slightest trace around her lid.
The countdown to the Oscars has begun. We have seen some of the most celebrated faces and bodies look incredible over the years and others who left us thinking, "What was she thinking?" I hope and pray that we will have the opportunity to watch the hits and misses of the “Superbowl of fashion and beauty” on Oscar’s 80th anniversary this year. It is scheduled for February 24th, 5PT/8EST.
Keep your fingers crossed everything is a go. I already bought my 94% fat free microwave popcorn. Let's hope the Academy is ready. I mean, really, guys; it is the best night of the year!
More from Louis Licari
- Try on hairstyles by Louis Licari on Makeover-O-Matic!
Did you miss this week's Ambush Makeover?
We've got what you're looking for right here! Watch these amazing head-to-toe makeovers on two women from Florida on TODAY:
Check back later for Louis' insider behind-the-scenes look at their transformations and tips for fabulous hair!
More from Louis Licari
We've got what you're looking for right here! Watch these amazing head-to-toe makeovers on two women from Florida on TODAY:
More from Louis Licari
- Try on hairstyles by Louis Licari on Makeover-O-Matic!
Before I write the blogs I always watch the "Ambush Makeover" segment on iVillage.com. While watching this segment, I became completely undone. Who knew what stories were about to unravel?
It was another Friday, another makeover. I naively picked the women, as I always do, because I thought they had great beauty potential. Once I started to talk to the women, I realized I was working with heroic women who had courage and strength most of us only aspire to. If the writer's strike wasn't on, I would have thought the stories were fabricated. The more I learned about the women, the more I had to hold my emotions together as they recalled the turn of events in their lives.
The first thing I noticed on the Plaza was a young boy standing next to his mom carrying a sign that read, "My mom really deserves a makeover. Ask me why." The boy's name was Park, and his mom's name was Lisa. I immediately went over to him and he began to tell me the agony and torment of their last year. His dad had a hip replacement that was not successful. It popped out of place after surgery. When it was put back, a staph infection occurred. He passed away a short time later. This was a gut wrenching story, but the boy's concern for his mom’s well being left me speechless. Even though he was obviously heartbroken, his only concern was for his mom.
I am not going to pretend that making yourself look better is a cure all for devastating life changing events. I do know, however, that when you look better it does help foster you through depression until you do feel better. Looking good and acting as if everything is okay until things are better can help everyone through their most emotionally trying times.
Okay, it's time to put the tissues away and talk about beauty. Lisa, fifty three years old, had fine hair with very little body. This is a very common problem for women in their fifties. Women's hair becomes thinner as time goes by. This is usually noticed as a lack of body. Blow dries don't last as long as they once did. Hair goes flat on top of the head.
BEAUTY TIP - Cut and color your hair. Color adds the illusion of body to hair. Your hair will look fuller and more vibrant. It will look better than before you colored it.
I added warmth to Lisa’s base color.
BEAUTY WARNING - Your hair color starts to fade to an ash tone at around 30 years old. This drains the color from your face. Warm hair colors are essential to great looking complexions. The hair stylist, Arsen, made Lisa’s layers shorter. This also added to the illusion of more hair. Lisa's side swept bangs enhanced her softer, younger look.
The next group of women I noticed were in the party hardy mode and it was 6:30 in the morning. They were in town to celebrate the 60th birthday of their oldest sister, and I promise you it looked like she was going to have the best birthday of her life. They were having such a good time, I wanted to join the fun!
I introduced myself to the women and that's how I met Jeri. It was Jeri’s first time in New York from High Springs, Florida. She was thrilled to be in New York at the TODAY show on her sister's 60th birthday. Being part of this party was the best present she could have given her sister. Jeri had open heart surgery six months ago. Today was a miracle!
Okay, ladies, let's put the tissues away again and talk about how we helped Jeri look better. She had admitted that she had not taken care of her appearance for a long time and then when she became ill, she totally ignored herself. Her once blond hair was now grey and desperately needed a hair cut. Arsen cut at least six inches to give her a long layered bob. I gave her back her blond hair.
BEAUTY TIP - Unless you have a perfect face and skin you must cover your grey hair. This will make you look younger than a face lift and will cost you a fraction of the price. What are you waiting for? It takes less than an hour to color your hair, and you can do it at home!
The point of today's blog post is to emphasize how important it is to make an effort to look your best. It will always cheer you up and it is great for your self esteem. Remember, with very little effort, you can always look prettier tomorrow than you do today.
Watch these magical makeovers on some most deserving women:
Watch the segment from TODAY:
More from Louis Licari
It was another Friday, another makeover. I naively picked the women, as I always do, because I thought they had great beauty potential. Once I started to talk to the women, I realized I was working with heroic women who had courage and strength most of us only aspire to. If the writer's strike wasn't on, I would have thought the stories were fabricated. The more I learned about the women, the more I had to hold my emotions together as they recalled the turn of events in their lives.
The first thing I noticed on the Plaza was a young boy standing next to his mom carrying a sign that read, "My mom really deserves a makeover. Ask me why." The boy's name was Park, and his mom's name was Lisa. I immediately went over to him and he began to tell me the agony and torment of their last year. His dad had a hip replacement that was not successful. It popped out of place after surgery. When it was put back, a staph infection occurred. He passed away a short time later. This was a gut wrenching story, but the boy's concern for his mom’s well being left me speechless. Even though he was obviously heartbroken, his only concern was for his mom.I am not going to pretend that making yourself look better is a cure all for devastating life changing events. I do know, however, that when you look better it does help foster you through depression until you do feel better. Looking good and acting as if everything is okay until things are better can help everyone through their most emotionally trying times.
Okay, it's time to put the tissues away and talk about beauty. Lisa, fifty three years old, had fine hair with very little body. This is a very common problem for women in their fifties. Women's hair becomes thinner as time goes by. This is usually noticed as a lack of body. Blow dries don't last as long as they once did. Hair goes flat on top of the head.
BEAUTY TIP - Cut and color your hair. Color adds the illusion of body to hair. Your hair will look fuller and more vibrant. It will look better than before you colored it.
I added warmth to Lisa’s base color.
BEAUTY WARNING - Your hair color starts to fade to an ash tone at around 30 years old. This drains the color from your face. Warm hair colors are essential to great looking complexions. The hair stylist, Arsen, made Lisa’s layers shorter. This also added to the illusion of more hair. Lisa's side swept bangs enhanced her softer, younger look.
The next group of women I noticed were in the party hardy mode and it was 6:30 in the morning. They were in town to celebrate the 60th birthday of their oldest sister, and I promise you it looked like she was going to have the best birthday of her life. They were having such a good time, I wanted to join the fun!
I introduced myself to the women and that's how I met Jeri. It was Jeri’s first time in New York from High Springs, Florida. She was thrilled to be in New York at the TODAY show on her sister's 60th birthday. Being part of this party was the best present she could have given her sister. Jeri had open heart surgery six months ago. Today was a miracle!Okay, ladies, let's put the tissues away again and talk about how we helped Jeri look better. She had admitted that she had not taken care of her appearance for a long time and then when she became ill, she totally ignored herself. Her once blond hair was now grey and desperately needed a hair cut. Arsen cut at least six inches to give her a long layered bob. I gave her back her blond hair.
BEAUTY TIP - Unless you have a perfect face and skin you must cover your grey hair. This will make you look younger than a face lift and will cost you a fraction of the price. What are you waiting for? It takes less than an hour to color your hair, and you can do it at home!
The point of today's blog post is to emphasize how important it is to make an effort to look your best. It will always cheer you up and it is great for your self esteem. Remember, with very little effort, you can always look prettier tomorrow than you do today.
Watch these magical makeovers on some most deserving women:
More from Louis Licari
- Try on hairstyles by Louis Licari on Makeover-O-Matic!
Another year has passed and we are already a couple weeks into 2008. The political caucuses have become the hot news and the best reality TV to date. Unfortunately, there are not many fashion or beauty tips to gleam from the candidates. The writers strike in Hollywood reduced the Golden Globes to an hour-long news show. We can only hope and pray that the strike is resolved by the academy awards.
How dreary will it be to watch Ryan Seacrest announce the nominees and winners without the red carpet stroll? No offense, Ryan, but you have to admit, it does sounds like a bit of a yawn. I think this means that Friday's "Ambush Makeovers" might be the hot beauty and fashion event of the season. My work is cut out for me. I want women across America to be thinking, "Wow! Did you see that? Will that work for me?" The pressure is on!
Last Friday's makeover took place in the pouring rain. Some people had umbrellas, others here soaked to the bone. To my amazement, wet or dry, people where still screaming for makeovers. I walked through the crowd and I found the perfect makeovers. Two slightly damp sisters that longed to refresh their looks.
Both sisters have busy careers. Susan is a 53-year-old physician from Cleveland, Ohio. Renee is a 46-year-old credit manager from Lincoln, Nebraska. Beauty and fashion was not a top priority for either woman. This was about to change!
The aging process is not always very obvious. It most often tiptoes up so slowly that you are not aware of any changes. Then, one day glancing at a mirror, you notice that something is different. It's nothing you can put your finger on, but the glow of youth has dimmed. The bad news is no one can escape the aging process, the good news is we can easily erase years with very little effort.
Susan’s natural hair color was medium brown. She was starting to go grey. It did not show up as grey hair, but it made her natural chestnut highlights disappear. Her hair was starting to look mousy brown. It was time for Susan to put the chestnut color back in her hair.
TIP - Be bold! Make color more vibrant than its original natural color. This will instantly rejuvenate your look.
Renee’s husband always wanted her to go darker with her hair color. I thought this was a great idea. The new darker color complimented her skin color and gave her a sexy, sultry look.
TIP - When going dark use a semi-permanent color, this will allow you to "try on" a color. If it comes out a bit too dark it, will lighten in a few shampoos. It always fun to come home looking like a new woman. It's a guaranteed way to add excitement to any relationship. I promise you, it works better than Victoria's Secret!
The hair stylist, Arsen, gave both women bobs. Bobs are back and bigger than ever! The big difference this year is that every bob is unique. No two look alike. Susan's bob had layers and bangs. Renee's bob was more one length with a deep side part. Basically, both women had the same hair cut, but both women looked entirely different. This is the reason why the bob is the haircut of 2008.
TIP - Every bob should be customized to your face shape, features, and hair texture.
The right hair color and cut can easily make you a prettier, younger, and more vibrant. It usually takes just a few hours of your time.
What are you waiting for? Time is passing. Make your appointment today!
Did you catch our latest Ambush Makeover? These sisters never looked so good!
Watch the segment from TODAY:
More from Louis Licari
How dreary will it be to watch Ryan Seacrest announce the nominees and winners without the red carpet stroll? No offense, Ryan, but you have to admit, it does sounds like a bit of a yawn. I think this means that Friday's "Ambush Makeovers" might be the hot beauty and fashion event of the season. My work is cut out for me. I want women across America to be thinking, "Wow! Did you see that? Will that work for me?" The pressure is on!
Last Friday's makeover took place in the pouring rain. Some people had umbrellas, others here soaked to the bone. To my amazement, wet or dry, people where still screaming for makeovers. I walked through the crowd and I found the perfect makeovers. Two slightly damp sisters that longed to refresh their looks.Both sisters have busy careers. Susan is a 53-year-old physician from Cleveland, Ohio. Renee is a 46-year-old credit manager from Lincoln, Nebraska. Beauty and fashion was not a top priority for either woman. This was about to change!
The aging process is not always very obvious. It most often tiptoes up so slowly that you are not aware of any changes. Then, one day glancing at a mirror, you notice that something is different. It's nothing you can put your finger on, but the glow of youth has dimmed. The bad news is no one can escape the aging process, the good news is we can easily erase years with very little effort.
Susan’s natural hair color was medium brown. She was starting to go grey. It did not show up as grey hair, but it made her natural chestnut highlights disappear. Her hair was starting to look mousy brown. It was time for Susan to put the chestnut color back in her hair.
TIP - Be bold! Make color more vibrant than its original natural color. This will instantly rejuvenate your look.
Renee’s husband always wanted her to go darker with her hair color. I thought this was a great idea. The new darker color complimented her skin color and gave her a sexy, sultry look.
TIP - When going dark use a semi-permanent color, this will allow you to "try on" a color. If it comes out a bit too dark it, will lighten in a few shampoos. It always fun to come home looking like a new woman. It's a guaranteed way to add excitement to any relationship. I promise you, it works better than Victoria's Secret!
The hair stylist, Arsen, gave both women bobs. Bobs are back and bigger than ever! The big difference this year is that every bob is unique. No two look alike. Susan's bob had layers and bangs. Renee's bob was more one length with a deep side part. Basically, both women had the same hair cut, but both women looked entirely different. This is the reason why the bob is the haircut of 2008.
TIP - Every bob should be customized to your face shape, features, and hair texture.
The right hair color and cut can easily make you a prettier, younger, and more vibrant. It usually takes just a few hours of your time.
What are you waiting for? Time is passing. Make your appointment today!
Did you catch our latest Ambush Makeover? These sisters never looked so good!
More from Louis Licari
- Try on hairstyles by Louis Licari on Makeover-O-Matic!
It was Friday, January 4th, and the temperature was below freezing. It was 6:45 a.m. and I was checking out the crowds for the best possible makeovers. There was one big problem. It was such a bitter cold New York day that people where so bundled up, I couldn't see a thing except the whites of their eyes and an occasional red nose. I didn't know what to do, so I went around the plaza and asked people to take off their hats and scarves. To my surprise, the hats and scarves came flying off and I found my makeovers.
The first makeover was easy to find. She sort of stuck out in the crowd—she was wearing a down parka with a wedding veil on her head. I immediately ran to find out her 411. Her name was Mallory and she was in town from Buffalo, New York. She was with her girlfriends for her bachelorette party. She wanted a makeover to look absolutely beautiful on her wedding day. Mallory had medium brown hair, cut below her chin. She needed a definite style and her color needed a boost.
We were lucky to have Kim Lépine as the hair stylist for this makeover. She is one of the best and most respected haircutters in the business today. Kim cut Mallory's hair in a short bob with a tapered back. Mallory's new hair cut had effortless style that flattered her face and was the epitome of chic. She looked like a new woman. (Click her "after" photo to enlarge.)
I wanted to make her color brighter for her wedding day. The problem was she had brown eyes and dark brows. The solution was to make her hair color lighter on the ends of her hair and leave depth at her roots. This gave her the brightness of blond, but her darker roots kept her skin color in check. Remember, hair color must always provide contrast with skin tone. This also eliminated the problem of having to lighten her eyebrows.
BEAUTY WARNING - Lightened eyebrows often turn a bit orange and wreak havoc on your skin tone. Eyebrows should only be lightened as a last resort.
TIP - If you have the coloring of a brunette and want to go blonder, leave some depth at roots and make the tips of your hair lighter. Keep your eyebrows their natural color. This will allow you to make your hair color light and still compliment your complexion.
Vicky was the next makeover. She is from Portland, Oregon and this was her first visit to New York. She is a mental health consultant and never has much time for herself. Vicky admitted to me that she barely has time for a hair cut and she often cancels her appointments at the last minute. She had all the makings of a great looking woman who never tapped into her own natural beauty.
Her hair was begging for color. Vicky had thick, dark blond hair that became dull as she approached forty. I made her hair into overall honey blond, and then added a few highlights to add depth and definition to her color.
TIP - Subtle highlights on all hair colors keep it real, looking like they grew from your head, not out of a bottle.
Kim gave Vicky a chin length bob with a few layers for movement. Vicky never looked more beautiful.
We hit another home run! Two good looking women who needed a little fine tuning to look as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. I want you to be my next makeover! Dress warm and come to the plaza.
See you next Friday!
Watch this Friday's fabulous makeover on the plaza!This future bride from Buffalo and mom of two from Oregon never looked so good!
Watch the segment from TODAY:
More from Louis Licari
The first makeover was easy to find. She sort of stuck out in the crowd—she was wearing a down parka with a wedding veil on her head. I immediately ran to find out her 411. Her name was Mallory and she was in town from Buffalo, New York. She was with her girlfriends for her bachelorette party. She wanted a makeover to look absolutely beautiful on her wedding day. Mallory had medium brown hair, cut below her chin. She needed a definite style and her color needed a boost.We were lucky to have Kim Lépine as the hair stylist for this makeover. She is one of the best and most respected haircutters in the business today. Kim cut Mallory's hair in a short bob with a tapered back. Mallory's new hair cut had effortless style that flattered her face and was the epitome of chic. She looked like a new woman. (Click her "after" photo to enlarge.)
I wanted to make her color brighter for her wedding day. The problem was she had brown eyes and dark brows. The solution was to make her hair color lighter on the ends of her hair and leave depth at her roots. This gave her the brightness of blond, but her darker roots kept her skin color in check. Remember, hair color must always provide contrast with skin tone. This also eliminated the problem of having to lighten her eyebrows.BEAUTY WARNING - Lightened eyebrows often turn a bit orange and wreak havoc on your skin tone. Eyebrows should only be lightened as a last resort.
TIP - If you have the coloring of a brunette and want to go blonder, leave some depth at roots and make the tips of your hair lighter. Keep your eyebrows their natural color. This will allow you to make your hair color light and still compliment your complexion.
Vicky was the next makeover. She is from Portland, Oregon and this was her first visit to New York. She is a mental health consultant and never has much time for herself. Vicky admitted to me that she barely has time for a hair cut and she often cancels her appointments at the last minute. She had all the makings of a great looking woman who never tapped into her own natural beauty.Her hair was begging for color. Vicky had thick, dark blond hair that became dull as she approached forty. I made her hair into overall honey blond, and then added a few highlights to add depth and definition to her color.
TIP - Subtle highlights on all hair colors keep it real, looking like they grew from your head, not out of a bottle.
Kim gave Vicky a chin length bob with a few layers for movement. Vicky never looked more beautiful.
We hit another home run! Two good looking women who needed a little fine tuning to look as beautiful on the outside as they are on the inside. I want you to be my next makeover! Dress warm and come to the plaza.
See you next Friday!
Watch this Friday's fabulous makeover on the plaza!This future bride from Buffalo and mom of two from Oregon never looked so good!
More from Louis Licari
- Try on hairstyles by Louis Licari on Makeover-O-Matic!
Are you sick and tired of bad hair days? I mean, really, is there anything more heartbreaking? There is nothing more frustrating than trying to get it together for a special night and having your hair flop. You can have on killer shoes, perfect-fitting jeans and your favorite top, and still look like a Lindsay Lohan mug shot!When your hair doesn't look good, it doesn't matter what you are wearing, you don't look good. Your hair is your most important fashion accessory. To help prevent this beauty tragedy from ruining one more night in 2008, I came up with five simple tips to help guarantee great looking hair all year long:
1. First thing's first! A great hair cut and hair color are key to looking extraordinary all year long. This provides the foundation to ensure your hair will look good every day.
TIP - Keep it real! Pick a color and cut that works with your hair texture and hair color.
TIP - Note the two year rule. If your are wearing the exact same style and cut for two years or longer, it's time for a change. This does not mean you have to have a dramatic change every two years. The smallest changes will keep you looking modern. It can be as simple as a change of part, bangs or no bangs, or trimming your hair one inch.
2. Stay within a few shades of your natural color. This is the perfect way to make sure your new color compliments your skin tone.
BEAUTY WARNING! - If you have to wear more make-up to make your new hair color work, you have picked the wrong color. That added plus of staying within your own color range is that your re-growth will be minimal.
3. Use the correct styling products for your hair. Use lighter products on fine hair that add volume without weighing your hair down. Mousses and root lift products work best on fine hair. Heavy creams work best on thick, coarse hair. They add control without making hair look stiff or frozen in place. Silicone serums and light creams work best for controlling frizzies on all hair textures.
4. Mood swings! The easy way to instantly change your look is with a hair accessory. You can change the look of your style in a split second. This is a great way to go from day to night. Hair accessories are appropriate for almost any age. Rule of thumb, over forty, keep it simple.
5. It's okay to cheat! Clip-on hair is perfect for everything from bad hair days to party nights. Pony tails are always in. Tie hair back, and clip on your fantasy hair. You will look perpetually chic.
TIP - Avoid thick hair pieces. Thin pieces look much more natural when clipped on your hair. The best part is you take it off at the end of the day. Clip on hair is not harmful to your hair.
I think the first tip of today's post is the most important: A great hair cut and color is the best way to look good every day, all year long.
Play it safe. Work with your hair texture and accent your natural color and you will look great every day. The rest is easy!
Want to learn Louis Licari's five secrets to improve your locks in 2008?
More from Louis Licari
- Try on hairstyles by Louis Licari on Makeover-O-Matic!
