Ouch

So we all know waxing is a commonly used way to remove unwanted hair. Sure, there are the obvious things to wax, but there might be a few you haven't thought of that could be VERY nice. Armpits, and noses.

Armpits are my favorite thing to wax and get waxed. Why go to the bother of waxing rather than shaving? Well, if you have light, soft, thin hair in your pits then don't bother, might as well shave. But...if you have dark, coarse, plentiful hair...this could change your life! Even the closest shave doesn't leave you feeling soft and clean, and a dark shadow seems to always be there. When you wax it, you lose everything. The hair, the rough feeling, and the shadow are outta there, and not just for a day! You get these results for weeks, and the more regularly you do it, the better it gets.

As for the nose...sounds crazy but it works wonders! I mostly recommend this for men. Most women don't struggle with unruly nose hair and if you remove the few you do have, you might be left with a constantly running nose. But any man who struggles with this knows the eye watering plain of plucking or the annoyance of trimming. Those methods often leave stragglers and have to be done frequently. Wax it baby! It is long lasting and OH SO EFFECTIVE!  So encourage the man in your life to try it out...the men in my life will never go back!

Now I won't lie and claim it isn't painful. It is. But it is very short, quick pain that doesn't last after pulling off the wax. So be strong and relax...you will be just fine.

No need to hate.

One of the biggest complaints I hear? Cowlicks and crazy growth patterns are ruining my hair life. While I can't actually cure the crazy hair with a mind of its own, I do have a few tricks for coping.

Cowlicks around the front hairline: This can be especially frustrating since they are right up front where you can't hide them. They make obedient bangs feel impossible and can ruin anyone's morning. So what should you do? First of all you should let your cowlick be your guide...to an extent. If it is a really strong one, having bangs that work against the direction the hair wants to go is just asking for sadness. If your hair pushes strongly to one side, consider wearing it to that side. That way you aren't fighting against it so hard. But don't feel like just because you have a cowlick you have to have the same bangs your whole life.

When your hair is really wet, like fresh out of the shower sopping wet, blow dry it with a comb pushing the hair the opposite way the cowlick is taking it. You will be surprised how much power this gives you over that crazy hair. After doing this morning after morning, eventually you can actually take the power of your cowlick.

Make sure your stylist is aware of your struggles, there are many cutting techniques we can do to help you live a happy, cowlick depression free life.

A little pomade goes a long way in slicking down crazy hair that stick straight up. Seal them down with the right product and they will be too scared to move. All day.

Cowlicks around the neck hairline: These are especially frustrating with those of us with short hair. They can make life miserable for sure. So what can you do? The advice of handling them when very wet also applies here.

My main recommendation here might sound a bit scary. Shave them off. AHH right? But it isn't as drastic as it sounds. By having your hair cut just a little shorter underneath around that crazy hairline basically eliminates all problems and NO ONE will ever know the difference. You might want to make sure you and your stylist are on the same page however, because if you just say you want the underneath shaved? Yeah...I won't be held liable for any disasters that follow.

Cowlicks in the crown: These are the easiest to tame. They are more of a struggle for men usually because they have such short hair they are more apparent. If you have long enough hair, you could have cowlicks in the crown and not even know because the weight of your long hair auto corrects them. If you do struggle however, there are some things you can do.

The main cure I think is again blow drying it correctly. Round brushing the hair together, the way you want it to go is the best way to whip this hair into shape.

If you get your hair texturized or thinned, ask to avoid the cowlick area. Removing hair from this area makes it shorter and lighter causing to to stick up and do what it wants even more.

Tuesday How To

Yes this is just another version of a french braid. I am not showing you anything new today, I am really just throwing out a new way to use an old idea. Piece of cake. There are also a few ways to go about this do...you can either do it like this...

Or you can do one french braid from the front to that back middle, then another from the other side and pin them together where they meet in the back. Either way works. Doing it the way I showed in the video can get tricky to when you get to the opposite side. It tends to work best if you are going to turn the other end into a point of interest like a pony or a bun. Just play around and manipulate your hair until you like the way it looks. If you want it to look like elegant half up hair from the front, or if you find it a struggle to do it the way in the video, try the two braid method and meet them up in the back. Just make it fit to your needs! I also recommend either waving or curing the hair that is left out of the braid. Just an easy idea to change it up a bit! 

To be honest I just tossed this in so fast I didn't do my best work or put any finishing work into it, so I am confident yours will turn out way better than mine! Also-I would LOVE to see any pics you all have from doing tutorials on yourself. Send them in to jlundgreen@gmail.com!

Uneven

I have mentioned before that that back of your hair tends to grow faster than the front. But did you know that it is also common for one side to grow faster than the other? Well it is true! It is extremely common for one side to get just a bit longer than the other. So if after a few weeks you notice an uneven cut, don't assume it can be blamed on your stylist. Sure, uneven haircuts happen, but so does uneven growth. If you notice a big difference consistently you might want to consider asking for one side to be cut slightly shorter in the first place, then it will grow out a little easier.

Another thing you might not have thought about is cutting hair uneven on purpose. Sure, it works for the asymmetrical look but it can be good for other things too, especially if you have short hair. If you suffer from a cowlick or other crazy growth patterns, cutting your hair technically uneven can actually make it lay so it looks even. So if you think you are one of these people, ask your stylist about it next time you go in and see if they think it might be a good option for you.

Heads up!

If you haven't noticed by now, I LOVE hair. Love. I love everything about it. But I do love other things too and July is full of exciting things...number one on my list is my BFF sister who has lived internationally for over 4 years is coming for three weeks! So to enable full celebration and quality time, I will be offering a limited amount of hair openings and they are filling up really fast. So please, if you want to get in, please plan ahead and let me know so I can get you scheduled! Thank you for you awesome cooperation and for reading!

It is all about the color wheel.

I have mentioned before that coloring hair is indeed a trained skill. Not just applying it correctly, but formulating it correctly. As hair stylists, we don't walk in the back room, pick a premixed color off the shelf and toss it on your hair. We follow rules, we know when to break those rules, and we figure it out to get the desired result. This is often why home dye jobs end badly. It takes more. There is a reason we go to school believe it or not. Really coloring hair all starts at the basic color wheel. So knowing this, allow me to introduce you to something cool you might want to know about this summer if you are going blond.

It is called purple shampoo. It is just what it sounds like. It deposits a tiny amount of purple on your hair when you wash. Sound scary? Well consider this. What is the opposite of purple? Yellow/Gold. Say you want to be blond, but couldn't quite get there and ended up with a little more warmth than desired. Well this lovely purple shampoo could help nudge you in the right direction! It should be used carefully and only if you have warmth in your blond. If you are platinum, you will start retaining a purple tint. However if you need a little help, this could be just what the doctor, or stylist, ordered. SO because it is the time of year when people start bleaching, I thought it would be appropriate to mention.  Keep in mind there are also blue shampoos to counteract stronger warmth like orange. Just another example that there is always something to help you love your hair a little more.

Tuesday How To

Remember THIS post from last week? Well here are some longer hair examples. Follow the same steps and have some fun changing it up with this super versatile tool. There are still other techniques you can accomplish with this tool that I haven't even mentioned. It is great!      

As always I would like to thank my cooperative models, and especially the beautiful Brynn this week. She thought she was just coming to a hair appointment but agreed to stick around and help me out. Thanks guys!

Feature Friday

So now that I have introduced you to one of my fave curling irons, meet one of my favorite blow dryers. Blow drying is something I think just about every girl dreads doing. It takes time, your arms get tired, and it can end in war when your hair is hard to handle. A good blow dryer will make life a little easier. Professional lever dryers are higher heat, meaning faster drying. They also come with helpful attachments, like a nozzle. Nozzles are fabulous because they concentrate the air flow making it more direct to one area at a time, again, reducing dry time. The nozzle directing the hair one direction also helps reduce frizz.

You can spend hundreds on blow dryers if you would like. However, they do tend to die, especially if you are using them daily (which you shouldn't be because you are only washing every other day right?). For most of us a blow dryer is not where we are dying to spend all our extra cash. So what do I like? I like the lovely Hot Tools one shown below. It gets hot, does the job, and is affordable. And two years later mine is still kickin', which is impressive considering how many heads of hair it takes on in a a week. It is the perfect blend of quality and price. So give it a try and see if it revolutionizes your blow dry. Remember, always use heat protection, especially when using professional grade dryers.

                                                        

Living in the past

Have you ever noticed some people (or yourself) having a hard time letting go of certain things? Be it bangs from a previous era, ratting from the 80's, or perhaps chunky contrasted highlights, sometimes it can be hard to let go and move on. I always had a hard time understanding how people could not realize styles had moved on. Then one day I heard this theory: People tend to hold on to the hairstyle they had when they thought they were at the prettiest. This is usually somewhere in their 20's. It is just a theory but it TOTALLY made sense to me! If you look at someone with dated hair, think about what was in style when they were in their youth, whether it be just a few years passed or decades ago, their style will almost always match up. I have seen this theory proven time and time again. So. Are you feeling like you need a change? Evaluate your style. Are you living in the past? Holding on to the glory days? Sometimes you need an age appropriate update. I am not saying you have to give in to every trend, but just consider what is current and maybe make a few changes. It will feel liberating to let go and move on. Don't hold on to how you once looked, embrace your look now and make the best of it!

Tuesday How To

This is sort of a how to and a product feature in one. This is also part one of a two part installment, the second half will be coming soon. I know I have already addressed how to curl both long hair and short hair, but this new way gives a bit of a different look. Today I will show you the short hair and later will come the long.

The key to success today is the tool. It is a high heat, tapered rod curling iron. It is just a rod, you you have to wrap the hair in manually. This little tool is such a gem. It can do anything from tight ringlet curls to large beach waves and everything in between. It is very user friendly and very fast acting. Because it is high heat it gets the job done in a fraction of the time. Its unique shape and style makes for optimum versatility and produces kink free, perfectly shaped results. I really can not say enough good about this tool. It is my new go to guy for almost every style I do. Short hair to long this will become your new BFF. Another perk? I like THIS one, which is very affordable. SO it is not a huge investment, you can try it even on a budget. I don't see a need for $100 curling irons (flat irons are a different story). This one brings the heat and performs fabulously. Do yourself a favor and get one! You won't regret it.

I do wear make up most of the time I promise...sorry for the nast look. 

1. You can follow all your usual steps you would do it you were planning to curl your hair. The tool is really what makes this a little different, as well as the technique of wrapping your hair. Depending on where you wrap, and how long you hold, your curl will be different. Wrapping higher and for less time will give you more of a wave while wrapping towards the end and holding longer will give you a tighter curl. You can play around with different wraps and times and how large of sections you take. This tool is SO versatile I promise you will love the results.
2. After you have wrapped every section run you hands through your hair with a bit of serum to separate and add shine. You can also go back with a flat iron and curl any ends that might have stayed straight. It is wise to use the protective glove that comes with the iron so you can afford to be a bit clumsy.

Here are a few picture of short hair results. The first are the results from a shorter hold time and the next set shows a bit longer hold giving more of a true curl rather than a wave.

For the long haired results, stay tuned!

And the winner is.....

Chessie! The random number generator heard your prayers. Email me with your info so I can send the winnings your way! Congrats and thanks to everyone for reading and for all the nice comments!

Catch a wave!

Congrats everyone! We all made it to Friday! AND it isn't just Friday...it is my little boy's half birthday! And since you know how I feel about those...you can guess we will be celebrating. So if you happen to see him be sure to wish him a very happy first half birthday. Today will conclude the week of tutorials, but don't fret! Tuesday How To's are sure to continue. Today's style is one of my favorites. One of the things I love about the world of hair is that there are always new things to learn. Styles are ever changing and there is no cap on creativity, so things just keep getting better. This little technique is one I learned from a girl I went to hair school with. It is SO simple, I wondered why I had never thought of it. It is perfect for long hair, short hair, and any other kind of hair you might have. Check it out!

That is really it! Biggest tip for success? Keep the flat iron contantly moving to avoid harsh creases and kinks in the hair. It is so quick and so versatile. Play around with it by trying bigger waves, smaller waves, and alternating directions. After you finish, run a serum through it all to separate the waves and add shine. Then spray for perfection. What better way to welcome summer than with a bit of wave?

Still sideways...so sorry. Next time I post it will be from the comfort of my own computer! Hooray!

One last reminder to enter the giveaway! It will be closing tomorrow! Make sure you write a separate comment for each one you earn!

A little twisted.

Hope everyone is having a fabulous Thursday! Today's tutorial uses concepts from other tutorials but adds a new twist. Pun TOTALLY intended there. It is really easy to execute because we are not going for perfection. It is also great because you don't need super long hair to do it, so it is a fabulous tool to get your hair up during awkward growth stages. Wanna see it? Here we go!

1. Before we begin please note: never be swayed by my models. Just because they have bangs or no bangs, or a certain length hair does not mean it is mandatory. All the tutorials I post can totally be adapted to your hair's situation. So personalize it! The demo here I have done as a side do. Totally not necesarry. You can easily repeat the step shown on each side and bring it back to the middle rather than the side. I just love side do's and let's face it, they won't be "in" forever so we gotta take advantage while we can! Here's what you want to do...

2. The lighting in the video is sort of hard to see, my apologies, but hopefully you get the idea. After you have twisted as far as you would like, tie it off with an elastic. A bun or pony both look great. You might also want to secure pieces throughout the twist with some bobby pins just to hold everything a little tighter. Don't over complicate this do. You literally can just blindly grab chunks of hair and keep twisting. Much easier than even a french braid. Piece of cake!

Yes. This picture is sideways. I am using a dino of a computer and I am officially out of patience so this picture will be remaning sideways. Please tilt your head to accomadate. I should be home using my own comp in no time. Thank you for staying with me:)

Fresh fish.

While eating my delicious Rubio's fish tacos for dinner last night (Tuesday nights they are only $1.50...you should probably try them) I thought hmmmm...a fish tail braid sounds nice. I think about hair around the clock, even while eating fish tacos with my fam. Pathetic? Maybe. I prefer to think of myself as passionate rather than pathetic though. Anyways, onto the fish tail! 

1. I like this best worn to the side because it features the braid best, but you can do it anywhere you like. Wherever you want it, put your hair in a standard pony to begin.  Then do this...

2. It really is that easy. No complicated sectioning of confusing crossovers. Just trade one section to the other side back and forth! Just make sure you always only have two strands. When you get to the bottom it should look like this.

3. The final step is actually optional. I like to remove the top elastic after the braid is done. It makes it look more like a natural flow. You actually don't even need to put in the top elastic but the braiding is much easier if you tie it off at the top as you work. Ta-duhhhhh!

SO easy it hurts.

Ok today's tutorial is SO easy and probably completely obvious to a lot of you. But sometimes it just takes someone to point out the obvious, allow me. What is the quickest, easiest, fastest way to transform your ponytail into something a little more special? By covering the band!

Any ponytail, anywhere, can benefit from this oh so simple detail. It really takes your pony up a notch without adding any real time or effort to your routine.  I think it looks extra nice if your pony has a bit of curl to it. So let's think about it...when would this do be ideal? That's right! Second day, dirty hair! Perfect. Curl one day and enjoy the benefits the next but without doing the work over again!

 Want a way to change it up? Take it to the side. Adorable. Simple. Fabulous!

Oh and can I just point out the beautiful Kels had a baby only 6 weeks ago? Does she not look completely amazing? Yes. Yes she does. AND I almost forgot, run a bit of this through you pony to add shine and sleekness. 

Add some interest.

Whether you want your hair out of your face, or just want to add something new to your do, this braid is sure to please! it is simple, fast, and fun. Perfect? Yes. Oh and no fancy braiding skills needed. If you can do a simple, standard, three strand braid, you are set! Oh and please forgive the setting of all these tutorials. Being out of my house for the flood also means I am forced out of my salon...

1. Style your hair however you please. Then.....

2. You can use a bit of pomade to define the pieces you leave out. It does tend to show up a bit more on straight hair, but curly is great too! You can also use it when putting your hair up either half way or all the way.  As always, you have options.

I love tossing these in to spice up a do. They are ideal for second day dirtier hair as well. Enjoy!

So many reasons...

...that today is a PERFECT day for a giveaway!

1. Due to my flood I have not been able to blog for years.
2. It is my half birthday! Anyone else suffer from December birthday depression? Ever been a victim of a combo present? You know the type, the "this counts for your birthday AND Christmas ok?" What if I gave you a present for your July birthday and said this is for Christmas too? Totally lame. So for all you December birthdays, please start living it up on your half birthday. It will change your life. So I thought why not give something away to celebrate!
3. This will kick off my big come back week! A tutorial a day! Yes, you read right! EVERY day! Trust me, you won't want to miss this next week!
4. Last but not least, it is JUNE! I love June. Summer. Wedding season. Happiness. Giveaway!!

So what will I be giving away today? Not one, not two, but THREE of my favorite feature Fridays! 

A bottle of this:

A little of this:

AND a whole lot of this:

So how can you become the proud owner of a new hair wardrobe? Simple. Anyone can enter by simply writing a kind comment. Want to enter more than once? Official followers get an extra comment. If you blog about this giveaway on your own blog you can enter again and if you Facebook or Tweet about it you can get two more. So let's recap. You have a chance to enter FIVE comments! Everyone gets one, followers get another and blogging, facebooking, and tweeting can earn you three more. Here we go! Contest closes in a week (June 11) at 11pm MST. Good luck!