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!

Let's get Creative

A fantastic perk of this job, and working with people that are so incredibly passionate about what they do, is that  I get to go places with them and support them in what they do.  YAY!


Here in the Salon, we have a very busy calendar when it comes to Awards.  Our Stylists and, in fact the whole team, work really hard to make sure that we deliver the best service, and hair that is individually tailored to fit each and every Guests lifestyle, entering internal, local, and National Awards, helps us make sure we are constantly striving for the highest standard in everything we do.

Keeping our head in the game is vital, not only to make sure that we are constantly pushing forward, but also to make sure that we are on top of the latest techniques and fashion to maintain looking ahead, and not behind.

Of all the Awards that we enter, and competitions that we get to take part in, I think the Creative Team Awards are by far my personal favourite.   Every March / February, we get the letter from Schwarzkopf Professional, that lets us know that the deadline for entries will soon be imminent.   As soon as you see that letter, you can almost hear the Creative Cogs whirring around the stylists brains and dreaming up the next Style and fashion concepts that will win them the Award.  These are put on to Mood boards, and then we wait to see if our mood board has made the grade to be selected to enter the final of the competition....

The competition is for Salon Team Members only, no input on any level is accepted from the Management or Directors of the Company.  This is the people that work on the floor, showing what they think will be trending through the seasons ahead.  Schwarzkopf give the stylists guidelines in essential looks (see a taster video below!), and then it's artistic licence to interpret those looks and turn it into double take hair fashion.

A few weeks ago we headed off to Manchester to take place in the Creative Team Awards, and it is one of the highlights of our year.   Above is the video of 'flux' from S/S 2012 Essential Looks.  We get images that Schwarzkopf predicts are going to be cutting edge (it's like having a sneak peak at Fashion Week!) and then we interpret a chosen collection and turn it into our own! The show is very strict with rules and regulations, each Team has a 2 minute Cat Walk show, and 2 minutes to present their work, any difference and there will be penalties, as well as one of the models needing to be male, the hair can be coloured and cut pre-show, however ALL final prep must be done on the day!

Sally getting excited outside the Midland Hotel!

The team have 4 minutes live stage time to influence the panel of judges (from journalists of influential hair and beauty magazines, to directors of global hair companies and fashion) using their creativity and passion.

Our  Team contains the elite of our salon's creative mindset, with all levels at the ready to make it a fantastic show, steered by Camilla Whines from my home Ruthin Salon, she directs Sally Matischok (Ruthin), Calum Henderson (Llandudno), and Amie Brierly (Chester) to create a fashion popping, head turning, trend setting, electrically glittering hair and fashion 4 minute FRENZY!
To show you what we did here are some photo's of our day!

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.

London Fashion Week!

Hello guys, this is Camilla!  I thought for this Fridays blog we would try something a little bit different, you could call it a 'Special Edition' for you!  As myself and Amie from our recently crowned Salon of the Year in Chester, have been down to the one and only LONDON FASHION WEEK!! Yeah baby!!


Now we were instantly hitting the new and emerging designers as we wanted to see what was going to come strutting down that Catwalk with the freshest ideas, and we saw 5 showcasing their up and coming collections for S/S 12 (S/S means Spring/Summer just in case... like me, you couldn't figure it out!  Thanks Amie!)


But we weren't only looking at the clothes... Ohohohoh No!  Make up and hair was also on our Fashion Week agenda and we were eager to see what the designers had in mind for the Catwalk shows, so that we can report it all back to yourselves for A/W 2011 and S/S 2012, and you can be ahead of the trend!

Our First designer was Eleanor Amoroso

The consistent theme through this collection was the gorgeous wedges that the models where wearing. 

Doesn't matter what colour, texture or size, furry or material, they are going to be massive in A/W 11.  Go peep toe if you want to add a little bit of fun to your footwear.

Next we had the amazing   Jayne Pierson

                                  

Get Leathered... In the clothing sense of the word!  Whether it be hot pants, jackets, or ( I think this is going to be amazingly in season) 

ankle swinger pants.

These are really strong looks from Jayne Pierson.  She is the winner of London Graduate Fashion Week, Ecological Design Award.  

She is also the Vogue Italia New Talent.... so Keep your eye on this one!  (Can you tell she was my favorite?!)

image courtesy of coterie

 Crimping!  Get your crimping irons back out guys, because it is well and truly back, crimped and put up high...simple but SO effective as you can see... 

Hair Colours are starting to get FUN FUN FUN!

Seeing lots of pastel blues and pinks, and even some peachy tones which have recently been seen sported by the likes of Fearn Cotton and Lauren Conrad 

We didn't see too much colour on the Catwalk, however there was an abundance of these pastel shades in the audience, which I think is always a big sign that the trend is changing, as sometimes the Fashionistas influence the season as much as what trickles down from the Catwalk!

I hope you enjoyed our London Fashion Week blog! With Love xxx

X Marks the spot

Sally our Academy Stylist, is a young lady who certainly has her finger on the pulse, as I was in London last week with Tommy and Esther at The Most Wanted Awards, I received a little phone call from Sally as I was on the train.  "Gavyn I can't believe it's been 4 weeks since the X Factor started.... and we haven't blogged about it yet?!"  As I hung my head in shame into my Virgin Rail Chicken Sandwich I realised she was right... So I put her on the case straight away, here she is!

4 weeks and no posts about X Factor?  I think it's about time we changed that!  Where should we start?  Well obviously there was massive controversy over Cheryl leaving, and also regarding her replacement... Tulisa from  N-Dubz.  Gavyn and some of the other crew are a bit too old to remember N-Dubz first coming on the scene but I remember her, and she certainly has changed since those first days with her blonde hair, and if I'm honest, she looked like any other late teens girl wanting to be different.  I probably would of passed her in the street and thought 'trying too hard'. 

But then she went brunette... and WOW the difference a hair colour can make!  She went really dark, and with striking lipstick this really brought her style completely up a level, and gave her a level of sophistication that she had previously been missing.

Then came the new look of rich browns, and the flash at the front of blonde mixed through a subtle rich red.... I think it really adds something different without going for the block flashes which can sometimes look like a disaster if not done correctly.

I have young ladies coming into the Academy with longer hair, looking for something different, but wanting to keep the length.  I feel like colour statements such as Tulisa's on the right, are a really great way to give longer hair a new lease of life, without having to completely change your style.  The colours work well, and it's an easy way to make a statement without going over the top!

Then we have my new style icon.... 

Kelly Rowland

The Destiny's Child singer just oooooozes style, fashion, and brilliance every time I see her!  The singer has had some style changes over the last 18 months, but her new stylist Mekel Bailey is doing an amazing job!

            My favourite outfit on the left, the gorgeous lace dress, with Copper belt and her bright red Giuseppe Zanotti wedges.... AMAZING!

      She has been seen in figure hugging body con dresses, mini dresses, and skirts that nip in to show off her tiny waist. And why wouldn't  you with a body like hers!!  

      She has apparently been working hard at keeping her body in trim, on the X Factor this weekend, Tulisa made a joke how at 1am the judges where having drinks down the bar, when Kelly Rowland walks in with a skipping rope and starts working out before heading off to the gym! AT 1AM!! You go girl!

      When I discovered Kelly Rowland was going to be on the judging panel, I must admit I was a little dubious, and I wasn't too sure what she was going to bring to the table, but she has an air of maturity and sophistication topped with killer style that makes her absolutely the right choice to be an X Factor Judge!

      So all in all I think the new X Factor Judges are doing a fantastic job, and I'm really enjoying the show so far.  I can't wait to see what the competition is going to turn into in the coming weeks.... but in the meantime, I will be enjoying the fashion show and hair ideas that are hitting my TV every Saturday night.  

       Hope you enjoyed my first blog!  xxxx