The Bobbed Style Cut / Simple, Classic Timeless

In the 1920s and 1930s American fashion began to assert itself and soon gained world recognition. Hollywood was instrumental in providing the world with the stage to show case the latest looks for concepts of dressing with feminine allure and glamour. Women of all ages demanded the same exciting new hair fashions and beauty products as the film icons and stars wore and so “hair stylists and beauty products” became important in their own right.

You may not know the name but must have seen the picture. Louise Brooks was the famous flapper of her era. She was a model as well as an actress and frequently appeared in advertisements. Louise bore no resemblance to anything vaguely Edwardian and embodied the spirit of the Jazz Age. Her distinctive crisp modern black bob hair style often worn with bangs and makeup was her trademark. The flapper era worshipped young people and Louise Brooks was the Agyness Dyan of her day with her signature image of a modern women.

This simple avant-garde hairstyle with an edgy touch (fringe and color) offers young girls a modern trendy look as much today as in the past. The classic bob (short or long) is adaptable to all hair types, easy to wear and looks crisp and modern, making the jump from long to short as simple as “snip, snip, snip”. With a few adjustments (trims) its easy to find the ideal length and shape for your style. For all those looking to trade in their long "girlish locks" for a new sophisticated, chic trendy hairstyle, a Classic Bob is the perfect place to start.

Blow Dry Styling / Evolution Of Hair Dryers

When Thomas Edison invented electricity the rush to create new ways use this amazing new power was launched. Evolution which is characteristic of human civilization has brought about significant improvements in the way we live and how we style our hair. The modern day blow dryer has come a long way from its humble beginnings. There is no denying the fact that the invention of the hair dryer was a major step in the evolution of the professional beauty industry.

Taking a glance back into the history of hair dryers we can see that the hair dryer was invented in the late 19th century by a French hairdresser. For the next 50 years bonnet hair dryers would become standard beauty salon equipment. The first hand held hair dryer made of heavy steel and wood handle weighed over 2 lb and produced 100 watts of heat. By the 1960s, a space age plastic pestle-grip blow dryer with 1500 watts of power was poised to change the look of hair fashions for both women and men and the professional beauty industry.

To touch on the definition and use of this pestle griped wonder, it is sufficient to say that the blow dryer is a device used to dry “damp or wet hair” by blowing hot air over it. With the aid of a styling brush the damp hair can be transformed into a desirable shape and style. It must be noted that the hair fibers natural shape is attributed to its internal hydrogen bonds, which can be temporarily altered with the aid of heat and traction.

It would take an English hairdresser (guess who) to introduce a shapely geometric hair cut styled with a blow dryer to replace the roller set bouffant lacquered hair fashions of the time. What had taken an hour to create could now be achieve in minutes with a style cut and blow dryer. This was followed by the “dry look” for men and the blow dryer became the must have new styling tool.

Today’s modern blow dryers are a streamlined thing of beauty with all the “bell’s and whistles” you’d expect in the 21st century. With the addition of Tourmaline crystals and Nano-ceramic ionic coatings and a high-velocity motor with 1875 watts of drying power this bad boy can handle any type of hair in no time at all. The Tourmaline crystals inside the dryer’s barrel send out negative ions (good stuff) to seal the hairs surface layer and control frizz. Simultaneously, the ceramic far-infrared heat preserves moisture inside the hair shaft for a super shine. The air flow is increased by 40% while the ionic generator breaks up water molecules to further speed drying time. And if time is money, then this bad boy says….ca ching!

If you’re shopping around for a new hair dryer or thinking about trading in your “old clunker” you’ll no doubt be confronted with a wide range of choices and prices. From inexpensive conventional hair dryers that cost ($20-$40) to the top of the line professional dryers ($75 - $200+). While these are geared toward repeated use by professionals, they can be beneficial for personal use as they will no doubt last longer with professional results. If you are willing to pay the price for a professional dryer the CHI Pro Styling Dryer made in the USA is well worth the investment.

Magic Bubbles / Evolution Of Shampoo

The origins of personal cleanliness and the products designed to achieve it dates back to ancient times. However, it would take centuries of innovations in modern science to truly understand the composition of hair and soil in order to develop a shampoo to beautify hair. By the 20th century personal care products formulated specifically for shampooing of the hair were poised for a breakthrough.

An article published in the New York Times in May 1908 outlined a number of “simple rules” for “How to Shampoo the Hair” to give it a soft and glossy appearance and texture. It should be noted that many “beauticians” now recommended shampooing the hair “as often as every two weeks,” instead of once a month to remove the gradual build up of soils both natural and environment. And that washing the hair was now safe because new improvements in hair shampoos were just emerging. With this new understanding of “hair hygiene” and women trading in their long locks for the modern bobbed hairstyles a shampoo industry was born.

In Europe a Berlin chemist Hans Schwarzkopf (does that name ring a bell), opened a drugstore with a special section dedicated to creating new products for the care of hair. From the world’s first liquid non-alkaline shampoo in 1933 the Schwarzkopf Institute for Hair Hygiene has remained a leader in hair product innovations for the professional hairdressing industry.

As the saying goes; if you are thinking of a solution to a problem you can bet someone else is also. Indeed, at the same time Dr. John Breck also a chemist introduced the first pH-balanced shampoos to America and hired an illustrator to create pastel portraits of what was to become know as the “Breck Girls.” The portraits mirrored the hair fashions of the time and the campaign would become one of the longest running in American history reaching its peak by the 1960s.

It would take a hairdresser with a background in chemistry to point out that the hair is made of “protein” and would respond well if treated with protein and modern shampoos took a leap forward. In the late1960’s Jerry Redding teamed up with Hollywood starlet “Paula Kent” to introduce the first organic Ph Balanced protein shampoo and protein treatments sold exclusively through beauty salons under the name Redken Laboratories. Besides manufacturing the first protein hair care products Redken also introduced the concept of “salon retailing” which was considered un-professional at this time. This opened the door for dozens of new shampoos each laced with every type of additive imaginable and a multi-billion dollar professional beauty industry was born.

Although they have many things in common, the chemistry of shampoo is an “art and science” making each shampoo formula unique. The innovations in shampoo in the past one hundred years are due to the concern for hair hygiene and the development of “surface-active cleansing agents called surfactants" designed to break down and distribute healthy natural oils and improve the texture while washing away contaminants.

Shampoo has been formulated and marketed to treat specific types of hair since the mid 20th century, but modern shampoos have reached a pinnacle of performance and specificity in resent years. There are now countless shampoos some with rare or even nano-sized ingredients to magically transform your hair into a thing of beauty. If you want to look like a star or celebrity and feel you’re worth it, L’Oreal has you covered. For the Fashionista’s set, dozen’s of fashion designers and celebrity hair stylists have designed a special shampoo to give you the look. However, if you’re looking for professional results you can’t go wrong by “asking your hair stylist” to select the perfect shampoo for your hair. After all who knows your hair better then a hair stylist?

Consultations

This topic is all about consultations from Professionals and Clients.
*Clients- Do you like a thorough consultation from a Stylist? Do you like when a Stylist shares his of her suggestions or would you rather tell them what you want.
*Stylists- Do you prefer to take your time with a consultation? Sort through magazines? Talk about the latest trends?

I find that this is something that can be improved on and each Stylist has a different approach. I tend to suggest what I feel looks good in my eyes and talk about what's in style right now. I feel that clients are looking to us to share that with them and leave it up to us to help them keep current.

Please share your comments.
TheSalonGuy wants to know!

The First Hair Style & Styling Tool

As long as humans have had hair they have needed some way to tame its tangles, remove pests and, most importantly, show off their personal style. Combs and brushes have been around for thousands of years, but they've changed dramatically from simple bone or shell picks to modern, ergonomic styling tools. Unlike animals man would not be content to let his mane grow wild and free for long. So he had to find some ways to tame it. First on the list of combing operations must have been the use of fingers. So in a way the “Five Finger Comb” is the oldest grooming tool dating back to the Stone Age. This was about the time of the first hair style a look we now call “Dreadlocks” a matted clump of hair and breading ground for lice. If necessity is the mother of invention then imagination is the father. Over time the comb took on the shape of the “hand and fingers” in its evolution and later with a handle and bristles and the hair brushes is born.

Some of the early combs were made from hard wood but the most popular were made of ivory and bones because they were pliable and could be easily molded into different shapes. In the late 19th century two brothers, Isaiah and John Hyatt tinkering around in their laboratory for some time discovered celluloid which would replace ivory and wood. By the 20th century a new material called plastic consisting of nitrocellulose and petroleum could be injected molded into any shape imaginable (flat, narrow, round, curved) and a revolution was kicked off in the world of combs and brushes.

A number of years ago while working in my studio and on motion picture sets I found the need for several types of styling tools and thought why not design one tool that could do all most everything. Drawing inspiration from the original “five fingered comb” (the hand and fingers), I set out to design a styling tool that combined a “comb and brush” and functioned like our hand and fingers. With technology being what it is today, I discovered a new heat resistant flexible “rubber-like” plastic material used in the aerospace industry that made the design and functions required possible. I christened it the Hair Flex Studio Styling Brush “the world’s most versatile hair brush”. And once again necessity was the mother of invention.

The Studio Styling Brush combines a “paddle brush, round brush and shaping brush” with a built in comb, and air flow vents to make blow-drying faster and a retainer clip to hold it in a closed position when not in use. Its unique adjustable design allows you to “lift hair for volume, pull to straighten, crimp and wave, turn hair under or up. scrunch and spike, defuse, detangle, tease, comb and create any number of styling effects with ease. Like the original “five finger comb” this "bad boy" is made for today’s easy wear haircut styles. To see how the Studio Styling Brush works take a peek here: http://www.hairflex.com/

Famous Stars Short Hairstyles

Hollywood's red carpet has become the place where hair and fashion trends resonate. Often the inspiration for “new hair styles" is derived from the stars of the past, and re-introduced with a new cast of characters. Movie star hairstyles are preserved for posterity in the films where they first appeared and so is the history of hair fashions. When Louise Brooke appears on the silver screen in 1920 with a bobbed hair style woman traded in their long locks for this ultra modern look. Jean Harlow’s stunning short platinum blonde hair style had women around the world bleaching their hair. There's nothing quite like a movie star or celebrity hair style to turn a style or color into a trend.

Audrey Hepburn immortalized the short Pixie Hairstyle in the film Roman Holiday, which actually featured a sequence of her having a haircut. Elizabeth Taylor, Lana Turner, Doris Day and many other cinema beauties over the years have made short styles fashionable. When American figure skater Dorothy Hamill showed up on the ice with her bouncy short wedge haircut many girls lopped off their long locks to look like her. It’s no surprise that so many stars and celebrities opt for versions of short bobs and pixie cuts. Aside from being low-maintenance, a short style puts more focus on the face and adds attitude to their overall look.

The key to “creatively borrowing” celebrity hair styles is to first make sure the look you choose suits you - the shape of your face, hair type, the thickness, density, hair color, skin tone, and even your body shape must be considered. If you’re up for a new short hair do’, before taking the plunge take a look at how these Hollywood Stars wear short hair styles for the rolls they portray and their own personal style.

One star whose short hair styles have inspired women of all ages is Meg Ryan. A trend setter without trying, Meg Ryan is best known for her short perky hair styles and the reason why many women have opted for a short hair do’. This contoured silhouette can be easily adjusted to fit all hair types and is best suited for those with small face shapes, pate’ bodies and features. Talk about easy, this perky do’ almost styles itself. Just comb in place to dry au natural or give it a quick blow dry and a few twists around a curling iron and your ready for any occasion. If you’re one of those that have consider trading in your long locks for a fresh new look this would be an excellent choice. With a few adjustments (tweaks) as it grows you can easily find the ideal length and shape for your personal style.

Halle Berry’s super short hairstyle has “versatility” written all over it. This short sculptured silhouette is made for easy styling. Best of all it can be adjusted to work for most face shapes but is best suited for those with small facial features. Its a great option for wavy to curly hair because the curl provide texture and volume. For those with straight hair and larger facial features a few twists around a curling iron will work as well. To spice it up, subtle highlights can be added through the top and front to compliment the skin tone. If you’re the time challenged type, Halle’s style is made for you. With a few adjustments (tweaks) as it grows you can easily find the ideal length and shape for your personal style.

One star whose hairstyle is emulated by young girls around the globe is Paris Hilton, the diva of style, glitz, and glamour. Her asymmetrical layered bob haircut is a very versatile style. Maybe that's why so many big-name celebrities have been sporting cute layered bobs. This flexible style cut with a few adjustments will suit most face shapes. The overall silhouette is rounded with low side swept bangs to accentuate the eyes and softens sharp angular facial features. The shape is sleek and chic, perfect for a day wear or a night on the town at the trendiest party spots. And as Paris will tell you it’s also the perfect style for adding extra length with hair extension when you want a long sexy look.

If you’re still wearing the same long hair do’ for what may seem like forever and are thinking about getting a short trendy hair style for your time challenged life, try Annette Bening’s sexy wind blown’ style with sun kissed accents and watch heads turn when you show up looking years younger in a grown up way. For those that might have second thoughts about cutting their long locks because you think it may look to masculine, trust me this tousled style with soft feathered sides and neckline is an ultra feminine look. Talk about easy, this perky do’ almost styles itself. With a few adjustments (trims), as it grows you can easily find the ideal length and shape for your facial features.

The Back Room Syndrome.

Where is the back room you might ask? It's usually the room that is what professionals call "The Dispensary". This is the room usually in the back of the Salon or hidden from the main Salon area. Unfortunately, many employees spend way too much time there. This seems to be a common issue with many Salons and it needs to be addressed more by Owners and Managers.
Whatever an employees role may be, they are usually ALWAYS needed for a task or to simply help the operation run smoothly. For the most part, you will find Assistants in the back room or hidden somewhere if they are not actually busy working. Many Salon Owners face this dilema. Some address it and some ignore it, meanwhile their Salon is not running up to par because of a lack of work ethic.
Employees need to be seen and must present themselves to be busy at all times unless they are taking a break. Hiding in the back room, kitchen, outside or anywhere where you have to search 15 minutes to find them is not acceptable. If you do find them, they are usually on their cell phones texting away.
Do any Salon Owners suffer from this issue?
TheSalonGuy wants to know!

Famous Hairlines

The vast majority of men will eventually lose some of their hair and that’s a fact of life so this is nothing to be embarrassed about. Most of men don't depend on their hair’s appearance to pay their mortgage bill, or to ensure their career. As a matter of fact many guys look great with a mature hairline or sporting a bald pallet. After all man does not live by hair alone, right?

However, there are those in the entertainment business that feel their hair is important to their on screen image. In this very competitive society where ones livelihood depends on physical image the stakes are even higher. As a result, many famous actors have embraced the concept of “surgical hair restoration / hair transplants” in order to create a youthful look and the illusion that time has simply stood still.

Celebrity hair loss is becoming an increasingly hot topic in the media. The continuing demands on celebrities to keep their youthful good looks, seems to be of great interest to the tabloids. This is evidenced by the recent interest in the hairlines of stars. When Sir Elton John had his hairline filled-in the tabloids read; “Tonsorial Wizard Grows Hair on Rock Man”. Elton John is perhaps the most famous hair transplant recipient. He underwent a series of replacement procedures after becoming fed-up with years of wearing toupees and wigs.

Hollywood heartthrob Mel Gibson had a decidedly thinning mane and receding hairline in recent years. Today he is the proud owner of a full head of hair. While Mel has not publicly admitted to having had a hair transplant, he is not the first celebrity to undergo this hush-hush procedure. Kevin Costner known for his movie star good looks has always had a thin head of hair. Not liking the way his thinning crown looked on film and spending thousands of dollars having it “digitally added” in the editing room he settled for the real deal and had a hair restoration procedure.

Jokes about hair loss are as old as dirt, but not as old as rocks. Two comedians, Tom Arnold and Dennis Miller are the first to tell you they’ve had it done and that it was a “hair razing experience”. Both look much younger with thicker hair and lower hairline.

Known for their handsome boyish good looks both Mathew McConaughue and Jude Law showed early signs of hair loss. And both had spent thousands of dollars on hair treatments to slow the process. They finally settle for the real deal “a hair replacement procedure” and it looks totally natural even up close.

Hair transplants are not just reserved for film and television stars, but for all kinds of professions in the public eye. Politicians, fashion designers, musicians, and now even top business executives recognize the importance of hair to their image. Sport star Tom Brady, the two-time Super Bowl MVP is said to have had some kind of “hush-hush” cosmetic procedure on his hair. It looks so natural that it has women asking, “has he or hasn’t he”?

Movie Stars like John Travolta and John Cleese filled in there fading hairline and you can also. Fortunately, with recent medical breakthroughs, the image that is conveyed by a full, healthy head of hair is something that can be achieved, even by people like me. Having had this done myself, I can tell you first hand that it’s painless, lasts a life time and is well worth the expense. Hair restoration is a simple out patent procedure that involves hair follicles being taken from the back and side of the head, where hair is naturally thickest and resistant to loss, and inserted seamlessly into the thinning spots for a totally natural look even up close.

Hair loss is a state of mind, “if you don’t mind _ it doesn’t matter”. With today’s modern technology, it's now possible to do something about it. If it will make you feel better about yourself and how you look, then it’s worth looking into. Hopefully, this information will help you to make a decision or at least gives you a starting point for your personal research. My procedure was done here in Hollywood by Dr. Michael Elliott, the foremost hair restoration specialist in the world, a true artist. For more information see http://www.elliotthair.com/

Does Your Salon Have A Computer Management System?

Should it? You bet cha’ … To start a salon, you need top quality stylist’s and to grow your business, you must invest in technology. A salon software program can maximize productivity, streamline operations and give you more control over your business so you can focus on making your clients look their best. Running a salon today without a computer salon management system is like flying blind.

The world’s first salon management software program was designed in 1984 by Dallas hair stylist Jon Maples. Frustrated by a lack of computer applications suitable for his salon business, Jon turned to his wife, Renee, a successful business woman, and his brother, Tom, a computer programmer. To serve the needs of Jon's salon they created a “hairdresser friendly” salon software program dubbed “Salon Transcripts" to run on an Apple operating system. Within a year, Jon had formed an exclusive alliance with the Sebastian hair care company. The newly formed entity, known at this time as "Sebastian Salon Transcripts," and almost overnight became the leader in salon software systems. In the early 90s, the Wella Company bought Sebastian, nullifying the exclusivity contract between Sebastian and Salon Transcripts and Jon changed the name to STX "the art of salon & spa management".

I was fortunate to meet Jon and Renee in 1987 shortly after they started the company and had them install the Salon Transcript management system in my hair styling studio and have used it ever since. With a click of the mouse making payroll and inventory management was a snap. Although there are now many salon software programs on the market nothing comes close to the STX system. Today’s STX software is the most powerful, advanced, flexible, and yes, down-right beautiful salon and spa operating system in the beauty industry. It’s built with the future in mind and packed with powerful sophisticated booking capabilities taking full use of the Internet allowing your salon to send e-mail clients and them to book appointment online.

It come with a cool DVD training program that make start up a breeze even for those of us with “zero” computer experience making it the easiest salon system to learn and use. It books appointments, manages inventory, tracks receipts, manages cash, payroll and much more. And their 24-7 technical support is a phone call way.

Take a quick tour of the STX “art of salon management” online at www.salontranscripts.com . Or see STX in action up close a personal at a trade shows and while your at it say hello to Jon Maples for me.

Famous Whiskers / Facial Hair Styles

Nothing can reshape a face or add a dramatic look like facial hair styles. All facial styles, “Sideburns, Mustaches, Goatees and Beards are governed by the natural growth pattern and density of your beard. This simple yet dramatic addition can "accent facial features", "mask its irregularities" and defiantly adds an "artsy stylish look".


Whiskers can be shaped and styled to cover a ruddy complexion, shorten a wide upper lip, add width to a narrow face, balance a large nose, soften or accent sharp features, cover a scare, strengthen a weak chin or cover a double chin, make receding hairlines less noticeable and add years to a young face to name a few. Depending on the style you chose whiskers can give you a mature, stylish, artsy, rugged, dashing, sexy, intelligent, friendly, decisive, bold, aristocratic and distinguished look. What more can be said about the style power of whiskers?



Because whiskers grow quickly it only takes 7-10 days of growth to get started. Shaving around the edge will keep it looking groomed while growing out. If you like the look of a close beard use a clipper on the closest setting twice a week for a 5 o'clock shadowed look. At this point begin experimenting by removing the sides and keep a mustache or include the chin whiskers for an artsy goatee. To find the best looking shape and style for your face and features a visit with a salon stylist would be a excellent starting point.

If your up for a totally new look, before you start “sprouting whiskers” take a look at how many notable Hollywood actors use facial hair styles for the rolls they play and to enhance their personal appearance.



Throughout his career Errol Fynn used his thin "mustache" to complement his angular features and a small goatee for rolls as a dashing buccaneer. The handsome Clark Gable sported a shapely “chevron style mustache" to shorten his wide upper lip and full sideburns to mask his large ears.



To give his boyish good looks a mature look Leonardo DiCaprio sometimes wears a mustache and goatee. When Johnny Depp grew out his thin mustache and goatee for his roll as the swashbuckling pirate of the Caribbean young men begin sporting his “style pirate look”. Each hair style is based on the growth direction, coverage and density of the beard. A goatee is a “stylish way” to cover a double chin or widen a narrow one.




To accent his angular chin Sean Penn wears a stylish thin mustache and small goatee. Ashton Kutcher's baby face gets a mature rugged look with a close clipped beard. To keep a close styled beard or goatee in shape use a clipper on the closest setting twice a week and shave around the edge. Facial hair is a quick way to add a mature look and balance facial features.



For a classic Wild West look Sam Elliott let his thick whiskers grow out for a long full handlebar mustache. For his roll as a gun slinger Viggo Mortenson wears a full mustache with wide lip goatee. Both of these styles were considered stylish for the time. If you’re the urban cowboy type or the real deal either of these stylish looks would be an excellent choice.

Tom Selleck’s trade mark mustache is widely considered the gold standard among mustached celebrities. He recently shave it off for a film but grew it back proving that you can't keep a great looking stache’ off for long. Jack Black puts on a happy face and gives his round features a slimmer look with a mustache. Sporting a stache’ is a "stylish way” cover a wide or narrow upper lip and balance both large and small facial features.



For his bad ass image Bruce Willis shaved his head and added whiskers for a 5 o’clock shadow. Bruce occasionally sports a shapely goatee to fill out his chin and colors his beard. For those with hair loss shaving or clipping your hair super short and wearing a mustache, goatee or beard can add a bold stylish look.




When a movie roll calls for a distinguished look Anthony Hopkins wears a full brushed beard. For a rugged look George Clooney’s close clipped beard plays up his strong chin and jaw line. Wearing a shapely beard is a handsome look for both young and older men.

If you’re one of those dudes with a thick dark beard that looks like a 5 o’clock shadow by noon you may want to consider using those whiskers. Because facial hair styles are limited by the growth pattern and density, men with thick beards can wear any style imaginable. Blessed with movie star good looks and a thick beard to boot Mel Gibson often uses his whiskers for many characters he portrays.




Vote the sexiest man alive. The handsome Sean Connery is well known for his stylish whiskers. To define the shape Sean has always colored his mustache and eye brows and wears full sideburns to mask his large ears. This secret agent is loaded with panache'.




If this is your first time wearing whiskers you may be surprised to see it has grayed in spots. For some this can add a distinguished look. If you don't like the gray you can use a eye brow pencil (the same shade as your natural color) and make-up brush to temporally cover over the gray or darken the edge to accent the shape. Because facial hair is course and resistant to hair dye its best to visit a salon colorist if you chose to use a permanent hair color. The stylist can guide you through the process and select the best shade to match you natural color.

When asked, women for the most part said they love the look of men with facial hair as long as it was well groomed. Care and shaping play a major roll if you want your whiskers to be a "turn on" not a "turn off". To keep your whiskers clean and soft to the touch use a "shampoo instead of bar soap and hair conditioner" after to soften it. If the whiskers look a bit dry or frizzy a dab of styling cream will tame it. If you’re up for totally new look grow your beard out for week and visit a salon hair stylist to find the best style for your unique face shape and features.

Ever been to a Celebrity Stylist? Please share your experience!

There are so many famous Stylists in the world now such as Nick Arrojo,  Frederic Fekkai, Jonathan Antin, Warren and Edward Tricomi, John Sahag, John Barrett, just to name a few. There are many many more talented Celebrity Stylists out there and TheSalonGuy wants to know your experiences with them. Are you currently a client, have you paid top dollar for a visit, do you love your Celebrity Stylist?

Please share your positive experiences with us!

TheSalonGuy wants to know.