Would you clean your hotel room before the maid came?

Should I wash my hair before coming to the Salon?

We don't want to be gross or anything but we love dirty hair. Ok, there is a cut off point of  how many days you can go without shampooing, but you should NEVER (except one instance!) shampoo your hair before you come to the salon.

Coming for your colour done? Always come with dry hair (Professional Tip!) it saves time if you want to be out on time, and means that it won't need to be blow dried before hand!  Dirty hair (second...even third day hair is ok) makes it easier for the technician to place foils.  Oils secreted by your hair also form a type of protection against possible irritation by the colour!

With a haircut...Well having a dry cut is like going to McDonalds for a Salad.  You want the burger but you've cheated yourself out of it, and it costs exactly the same!  You have come to the professionals and it costs no more or less to sit back in our shiatsu massage chairs, and feel the stress of every day life melt away with every knot that is kneaded out of your back by the chair. Pair that with the KILLER head ritual that is done during your shampoo and you will wonder why you cheated yourself out of this experience for so long!

But you should come with your hair styled the way you normally wear it.  Makes it easier for the Stylists to see what you do with your hair, and see what kind of effort and/or style you put in yourself.

Hair Up and Curling appointments should always be washed and dried the day before, then just left.  No styling products...no oils...just your hair. Okay...Maybe a volumising cream such as Forme Fatale or Lift Vertige from Kerastase but nothing else!  It gives a great base for doing hair up and curling, and if we need to change the texture for any reason then we can always do that in the chair :)

And that exception when you should wash your hair....Chlorine.  Always wash your hair after being in a swimming pool...Chlorine reacts with colour, and the results can be...how shall we say...Interesting?  Also if you have put any lightening products such as SUN-IN or other type of thing, let your stylist know!  The results of that with foils and lifting agents can be very serious!

So if you haven't washed your hair when you visit us...Don't worry, it's going to happen anyway.  It's like cleaning the hotel room before the maid comes!

Caroline James Winter Skin Survival Guide

Caroline James is a renowned Make Up Artist who has been lucky enough to work with the likes of Katie Melua, and grace the faces of shows like the X-Factor.  

When the Weather changes, a change in your Skincare routine is often necessary.  Central heating, strong winds, and the central heating that keeps you cosy can really deplete the skin of it's moisture.  So if your skin is misbehaving, simply let Caroline's make-up mantra below, guide you through those dry (and wet!) days.

 

Happy new year everyone, I hope it brings health and happiness to you all!

If you're like me and struggling to keep your skin looking and feeling fresh in this chilly weather then here are some simple tips to winter proof your look!

For skin that's feeling dry and flaky and little bedraggled from the cold wind, treat it to some gentle exfoliating followed by a nice rich moisturiser applied to damp skin.

An extra rich cream or a salve is great to smother on your face whilst out in the bad weather too, it will help protect it from the cold wind and drizzle, like a big soft scarf around your face!!  Opt for tinted moisturisers instead of heavy foundations to keep your skin nourished whilst keeping a nice naturally dewy look to your face.

balaclava available from www.bathing-beauty.co.uk

This balm called balaclava is a must have for those chilly winter walks and it's made by our very own George at bathing beauty right here in the vale of Clwyd.

Waterproof mascaras and liners are a must to prevent eye makeup taking an unwelcome walk down your face whilst out and about in the elements, I think every girl has had the panda nightmare when walking into work in the rain!

Max factors masterpiece waterproof mascara is a perfect everyday non smudge mascara and Laura Mercier tinted moisturisers are my absolute favourite and come in a whole range of colours to suit every skin tone

Follow these simple tips to help battle the winter blues and stay looking fresh faced!

Twenty Crazy Hairstyles

Now everyone knows Lady Gaga for her crazy hair and fashion.  We were having an early morning meeting when I brought this up, Ruth brought up the fact that what Lady Gaga is doing now has all been done before, it's just that she's brought it into the mainstream.

I was intrigued, Kristina joined in mentioning Avant Garde hairstyles, and how they've been around for years, and how there is even a whole league of hairdressers dedicated to the art of making groundbreaking hairstyles.

I could not believe how crazy some of this stuff was.... it made Gaga look like she'd just had choppy layers it was that quirky.  I loved it, and I felt like there was this whole side of hairdressing that not many people knew about in the everyday world.

Think of it as the Catwalk designers of the hairdressing world.  As with Fashion, the colours, styles, and trends that walk down the Catwalk all trickle down into the high street, influencing what people put on, what colour their hair is, and what style is going to be the next head turner.

So below are 20 hairstyles that I asked Ruth and Kristina to compile, with a few celebrities chucked in for good measure, I hope you enjoy!

True Colours

Hello Tommy’s blog buddies! Sean signing in to talk colours... I’m a trainee for Tommy’s, you may have seen me in the Ruthin or Chester salon as I float around both. I’m here to fill you in on celeb colours and what to expect for A/W 2011

Anyone who I’ve shampooed will tell you I’m the biggest Gaga fan ever! (I always manage to fit her into the conversation!) Recently she returned to the UK for a quick round of promotion sporting her new fave colour... Mint Green!

I don’t see this catching on with the British public, but I love it, she’s always surprising us with amazing hair shapes and colours.

   

Jessie, another hair icon inspiring this season’s highly requested hair cuts/colours recently went from black to purple for a while, but didn’t like the change and went back to her trademark black high-shine bob.

You may be wondering how she keeps her hair so amazingly shiny... well there are products and colours out there that provide amazing shine, such as the organic colour Essensity available in salon, and shine products such as Magic and Sparkler

Now imagine yourself, just minding your own business on the Jubilee Underground line, avoiding glares from crazy people on the tube when.... Sorry What?  Rihanna just got on the tube??

   

Yes she did!  With her own Oyster Card the 23 year old Barbadian beauty, jumped on at the North Greenwich line, to get to her own concert at the O2 Arena!

That wasn’t the only surprise though, she also premiered her new hair! She’s ditched the red and gone a warm brunette with some funky colours thrown in the mix!

Autumn / Winter 2011 Forecast

   


Autumn/Winter 2011’s hair colours will most certainly be much warmer. While we are getting into our cosy winter clothes ready to brave the cold, we will be doing the same with our hair by putting warm, rich tones in such as...

For darker tones, look towards plums, purples and aubergines to really brighten up those winter mornings, a brave choice but an amazing colour can really bring a whole new life to a fresh cut.




If you are not so brave but still feel your colour needs a new lease of life, then you could opt for the organic colour Essensity.  This colour has rich tones and if you are a brunette, then let this colour turn you from dark and dreary to rich and ravishing with deep chocolate tones, not to mention the softness and shine!


Blondes don't fear!  If you feel the life has left your blonde locks, then why not soften them with some deeper sandy blondes, this will help give your main colour a lift, and add some depth to your overall look.  To avoid the 'tiger stripes' that happen with high or low lights, ask for blocks underneath or comb-in highlights to show through, this way it gives your hair lowlights without making the colour stripey.

Curly Wurly

Curly Hair... The Do's and Don'ts

Bouncy and defined curls is what we all aim for when trying to style our naturally curly locks. But other factors can rudely interrupt us getting to that desired look; such as heat, humidity and products. To help you get your desired look every time we have created the do’s and don’ts of looking after your curly hair.

The DO'S

Get your hair cut regularly

Don't let your hair get out of control book an appointment online

            Trim your hair every 3 months to keep those ends looking fresh and healthy and to rid any split ends.  After around 12-20 weeks of growth, hair branches at the ends (split ends) this causes hair to look frizzy and wispy, by keeping these ends in one piece, you are also strengthening the hair shaft and keeping it looking healthy.  For the longer hair add long layers, this will help to make your hair look less bottom heavy

Get specialised Products

available at www.tommysonlinestore.co.uk

If you are having some trouble with unruly curls, then follow some simple steps.  Use a water spray and distribute evenly over the hair, then use a product to help curls such as Osis Twin curl.  Simply place a small pea size amount, and spread over your palms and fingers, then scrunch into the hair and leave to dry naturally or diffuse and watch as your once wild springs are now a tamed curly mane.

     

 Stay in the shower for a few moments longer.

This may seem stupid, but by standing in the shower for a couple of minutes after you've hit the tap off, the humidity helps to bring the bounce back in to your hair,  then simply scrunch dry with a towel once you step out.

      

      

Use moisturising hair products 

Organic Hair Care

To keep your hair in best condition, use moisturising products.  The newly packaged Essensity range we sell in the salon, has a moisturising family which is a deeply moisturising product collection. They immerse dry, coarse hair in moisture and nutrients.  They are enriched with Organic Olive Oil, organic essence of Aloe Vera, and Panthenol.

The DON'TS

     Don't -    

Brush your hair, brushing curly hair can cause breakage and frizz.  Be gentle with your hair and scrunch dry, only using a brush when combing through a rinse out conditioner.       

  

   Don't -   

Shampoo your hair too frequently, for the finer hair stick to every other day and for the thicker hair types keep to twice a week but can rinse in between on the other days

Don't - 

 Use to much heat on your hair. Leaving moisture in your hair will help you shy away from frizz.

 Don't -

Get your hair layered to short or razor cut. Shorter layers can cause overly puffy hair and razor cuts can make your hair prone to frizziness.

By following these simple list of do’s and don’ts you will be on your way to create the curly look of some of our most idolised celebrities such as Beyonce, Julia Roberts and Leona Lewis. 

Calum xx