Happy Holidays from Carol the Colorist

It has been an exciting year for me, and I am overjoyed to celebrate my first Christmas in New York City.  I am keeping my fingers crossed for a white Christmas but I will settle for snow at any point during the Christmas weekend.

I find it almost hard to believe that Baltz and I packed up the cats and a 22 ft truck and drove up to New York only four months ago.  We miss many people and things in Atlanta, but have fully embraced and adapted to our new city.  One of the biggest changes is the commute.  I am very fortunate to live and work very close to the subway, and I am glad to not drive on I-285.  I have acquired the right New York outerwear,  I hope.  I am fortunate, I think, that my current haircut responds well to hat hair.

I love working at Aveda Vandam Salon, and really love working with such an amazing team.  The environment is very comfortable and sophisticated at the same time.  Being Aveda, every detail has the well-being of both the guests and the staff in mind.  We invite our guests to lounge on sofas while they wait for their color to process, and offer Botanical Hair and Scalp Therapy spa services in a VIP suite where one feels miles away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

My business at the salon is growing at a fair rate, and I am getting many clients through the Carol the Colorist blog.  I am thankful for everyone who is reading and I am sorry I haven't been writing as much since the move.  Can you blame me though?  I just moved to a new amazing city, and I am making new friends, seeing new things!

As I welcome a New Year, I would love to welcome some new clients to the salon.  Great hair color requires great chemistry; both in the bowl, and between a client and a colorist.  Until further notice, I will offer 20% off the first color service of any new guest to Aveda Vandam.  Just mention "Beauty Within Reach" when booking.  If you are already a client, you will receive 20% off a color service after three clients that are referred by you, come see me at Aveda Vandam for the first time.  They get 20% off, you get 20% off, and everyone has great color.  So spread the word!

Merry Christmas, everyone, and I hope we all have a happy and healthy 2011!

Beat the Winter Blues with Fresh, Shiny Hues

Every winter, clients come in with the same complaint: their hair is too dry and dull.  For most people this is an easy fix.  Aveda Deposit-only Conditioning Color Treatment can add shine and smoothness to the hair, and add tone as well.  The best part about it is there is no maintenance required.  Deposit-only color fades off the hair over time, leaving no new growth line on the hair.  The color is so gentle, and 99% naturally derived, that it actually is conditioning to the hair.  The essential oils and low pH help smooth down the cuticle of the hair, allowing it to reflect more light.  Tones can be added to the color for a custom look.  If you already get permanent color to cover gray, a deposit-only formula can be applied to previously colored ends at the same time.  If you are a highlight client, your deposit-only treatment can be applied between your foils, or as a gloss after the highlights are processed.  It is the season of giving, after all, so why not give yourself the gift of beautiful, shiny hair for the holidays?  Call the salon today and schedule a single-process color appointment with your favorite colorist.

Fading Fast? How To Make Your Hair Color Last

Most shades of color, even "permanent" formulas, fade over time.  Red shades fade fast, and blondes loose their luster.  Brunettes can get brassy.  So what can you do to reduce or delay the inevitable?  Here are a few tips.

1. Use a shampoo for color-treated hair, like Aveda Color Conserve.  The gentle formula cleans the hair without drying it out too much.  Avoid shampoos that are "volumizing" or "clarifying" because they will strip the color.
2. Don't skip the conditioner.  After shampoo, the cuticle of the hair can remain slightly raised, like an open door for color molecules to slip out.  The conditioner is designed to smooth down the cuticle, locking in the color, and leaving the hair more manageable and shiny.  Some fear conditioner because they used one that left their hair limp or greasy.  There are many great conditioners out there for all the different hair types, so talk to your stylist about which one is right for you.
3. Wash only as often as necessary.  Even with the right shampoo and conditioner, the color will fade a little bit with each shampoo, so the more time between shampoos, the longer the color will last.  The average woman should only need to wash every other day.  If you need to get your hair wet, just use a light conditioner and rinse thoroughly.
4. Protect your hair from the sun.  We all are used to the idea of sunscreen for our skin, so why not use sunscreen for our hair?  Aveda has a product that you can apply every day called Sun Care Protective Hair Veil.  You spray it on like a leave-in conditioner, and comb through for even distribution.  
5. Keep your hair healthy.  The healthier the hair, the better the color.  A good colorist will address any hair health issues and offer the appropriate conditioning treatments to get your hair back on track.  

Enviable Brunettes: Better Than Basic Browns

Since moving to New York, I find myself coloring more brunettes than ever before.  I love the opportunity to transform the guest in my chair from bland to brilliant in only a couple hours time, without creating high maintenance hair.  Sometimes, it is as simple as refreshing the ends with deposit-only color to add richness and shine.  Occasionally, a few strategically placed low lights a couple shades darker than the base does the trick.  The most important thing with the darker hair is the let the guest know there are always options while still maintaining the healthy, shiny hair that is the envy of their friends.

To remind myself of the variety of choices with hair, I keep up with the collections posted in the industry magazines and online groups.  Planet Salon in Beverly Hills, California, recently debuted a "Brunettes Only" collection.  Above is my favorite image from the set.

Color Clarity: Common Color Terms Decoded

I am going to start this post with a confession.  When I started cosmetology school, I did not know the difference between a highlight and a low light.  In fact, before I enrolled at 22 years old, I never had my hair colored.  I try to keep this in mind when communicating to clients about service options.

As a color specialist, I have a large vocabulary of terms in reference to technique.  The definitions of some of these words may be common knowledge, particularly to clients that already have their hair colored.  I am listing terms that I find myself explaining most frequently.  This is a long list, so I am going to add to this in later posts.

All over color:  One color formula applied to the entire head with either a bottle or bowl and brush.  Also called a single process color, because the final result is achieved in just one process.

Baliage or Baylayage: A highlighting and low lighting technique where fine sections of hair are painted freehand, without foils.

Color Cleanse: A service using a lightener and shampoo to remove color that is too dark or the wrong tone.

Deposit-Only Color: A category of hair color that can improve hair's condition and add depth, tone and shine.  The results fade over time, but can last up to 6 weeks.  The color can stain gray hair, but might not cover it completely.  It does not have the ability to make the hair lighter, only darker.

Foil Highlights: Hair is sectioned out and a piece of foil placed underneath.  Color or lightener is painted onto the hair, and then the foil is folded.  The technique allows the hairs that are being colored to be isolated from the rest.

Gloss: A color that is applied after lightening the hair to change tone and add shine.  Also called a toner.

Gray Blending: Color is applied with the intent that the gray is not covered completely, only stained, usually with a deposit-only color.  Ideal for clients that are not ready to maintain color on a monthly basis.

Highlights: Sections of hair are made lighter than the rest of the head, either with color or a lightener.

Low Lights: Sections of hair are made darker than the rest of the head with color, either permanent or deposit-only.

Lightener: A product that removes color from the hair.  Also called bleach.  Professional versions have conditioning agents that allow the hair to lighten while still keeping it healthy.  Lightener is a necessary tool to achieve pale blonde, and to lighten previously colored hair with predictable results.

Melting: A creative technique where in a section a darker color is applied at the roots then lighter in the middle and lightest color at the ends.

Beautifully Believable Blondes

Image via Wikipedia

Okay, so we have all heard the saying a million times or so.  "Blondes have more fun!"  Well, depending on how light you are naturally, maintaining blonde can be less fun, and more expensive.   So how do you find a balance of blondeness and budget?  Make it a believable blend of highlights and lowlights.

Many women get addicted to blonde, and loose any evidence of their natural color on the ends.  When this happens, the grow out of natural color looks more obvious than it does when the natural color connects through the ends.  Now, I do feel that truly believable blondes are also lighter on the ends than at the scalp, so after I apply a head of highlights and lowlights there are some previously highlighted ends left untouched.

If I am highlighting a client that has no previously highlighted ends, I make it look more believable by just highlighting the ends in some of the foils.  I then also wait a couple appointments before lowlighting to maintain the look.

The great thing about blending highlights and lowlights, besides the appearance, is that it can actually save you money.  Clients with more blonde and less natural color come in more often, and usually get more expensive services.  I also like alternating services when a client has gray coverage and highlights.  We cover the gray every appointment, and only highlight every second, third or even fourth visit.

Ultimately, the most beautifully believable blondes are close to blonde naturally, and we are just adding to what Mother Nature already provided.  Just remember, they are called "highlights" for a reason. 

My favorite believable blondes right now: Amanda Seyfried, Naomi Watts.

Are You Ready For Red? The Hue For Fall!

Image via Wikipedia

  

Redheads around the world can turn heads effortlessly more than any other color.  They are unique.  There are far fewer redheads around than the usual blondes and browns.  Red done right, be it lipstick, heels, or hair, makes a fashion statement.  That statement can be classic, bold, or fashion forward.  With fashion week upon us, we are all ready to renew our look.  This season, I look forward to an array of reds that can compliment any skin tone and eye color.  

Some of my favorite shades right now are bright coppers.  Think Mad Men's Christina Hendricks.  This particular shade isn't for everyone.  Some clients mights be better suited with a more cool red (with blue or violet undertones) or a more brown shade with a hint of red.  The possibilities are infinite.  Overall, though, I usually recommend shades that are believable on each client.  You know the color is right when others wonder, "is she a natural redhead?"

Aveda Vandam Lifestyle Salon: New Home of Carol the Colorist

I am excited to announce that I will start taking clients on Wednesday, September 22nd, at the Aveda Vandam Lifestyle Salon in Soho.  The location is one of the two company owned Aveda salons, and upholds all the standards that Aveda salons should.

Appointments are available Wednesdays thru Saturdays.  Here is the address and phone number:

20 Vandam St 

NEW YORK, NY 10013-1274

USA

212-473-0280

See you soon!

Where Do Top Aveda Colorists Work in NYC? Answer Coming Soon

I have received a lot of interest since starting Carol The Colorist as to where I will be working in New York.  The big announcement is coming soon!  I considered many salons, and I want to work where I will be accompanied by other service providers that share my standards of professionalism and technical skills.  I believe I have found my new home, but I am waiting to make it public until I have all the details, including the date I will start taking clients.  Thank you, everyone for your support and patience.

Local Love Fashion Benefit 6.30.10: I do more than color hair

I had the pleasure of working a fashion show back in Atlanta this summer.  The event was called "Local Love" and it was a fundraising event for a non-profit organization called Hats for Hearts.  One of my friends started the whole thing to raise money and awareness of a heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot, that her coworker's daughter was born with.  The designers, hairstylists, makeup artists, and dj and dance crew were all local talent.

I was mentioned in Allure as a Top Colorist!

http://www.allure.com/directory/atlanta/alist/alist

I just found this while checking my google rankings.  I thought it was pretty cool.  I will miss working at Van Michael Salons!

Vintage Aveda

This is the cover of Aveda Magazine, Winter 85/86 Volume 1 Issue 1. I recieved this as a gift from a client few years ago.

It is hard to say goodbye to your colorist

One of my clients posted this photo on her facebook.  

The Root Problem: Warnings, advice about root touch-up kits

I am not shy about my stance on home hair color.  I have corrected many mishaps from some of the brave and ambitious that take the color bottle into their own hands.   Regardless of the reason anyone colors their hair at home, it will always look better if someone else does it for you.  There are times, unfortunately, where there is no time, or money to go to the salon.  Maybe you have a half inch of gray showing at the temples.  The big event is tomorrow.  What do you do?

This isn't as easy as "pick the color on the box you like and that is exactly how your hair will turn out."  If that was the case, I probably wouldn't have a career as a color specialist.  So here are some things to keep in mind.  

• Consider a temporary option first, like eye shadow or hair mascara.  If it doesn't look like it will be enough, get a root touch up kit.
• Focus on just coloring the roots, specifically at the front hairline and the part.  Don't pull the color through the ends, even if the box suggests it. This color likely has ammonia in it, and your ends already had ammonia on them before.  More ammonia can lead to more damage.
• Study the color of your hair now, and not what it was when the color was fresh, this will make it easier to match shades.  I do not recommend changing your color yourself.
• Understand the tone terms.  Cool tones are also "ice, steel, platinum, ash."  Warm tones include "gold, cream, bronze, copper, auburn, mahogany."  Neutral tones are also "natural, beige."
• If you are just trying to cover gray, buy the box for gray coverage.  
• If you are making your natural color lighter, your hair will likely look more warm than the box.  
• If you are trying to make your natural color lighter, and covering gray, be prepared for variation in color where there is gray versus where there is not.  
• Be neat.  Apply moisturizer on skin around hairline to reduce stains.  Wear gloves.  
• Process color for full time recommended.  Many mistakes are the result of color not processing fully.
• Don't make a habit out of coloring your hairline and part more than once between visits with your colorist.  A good colorist can put you back on track if you made a couple mistakes, but I am a beautician, not a magician.  Also, if you end up needing corrective color, the money and time you saved before might not seem worth it anymore.   

Permanent Perfection: Why I use two different color formulas on one client

My boyfriend’s mom has been a client of mine for three years now.  She has been getting her hair colored for probably most of her adult life.  However, the first time I colored her hair she was amazed that I applied two separate formulas to her hair.  I was covering her gray, and making her hair lighter than her natural color, so I needed to use permanent color where her natural color was exposed.  I explained to her that the permanent haircolor formula that I was applying on her regrowth has ammonia in it, and that if I used the same formula on her ends that have already had ammonia on them before, it would potentially damage her hair.  Instead, I used a deposit-only color to refresh the previously colored ends.  Deposit-only color, sometimes called semi-permanent or demi-permanent, is usually very conditioning to the hair, and leaves it often more smooth and shiny than before the color service.   After I finished her hair that first time, she was thrilled with how healthy her hair looked and felt.  She called my boyfriend immediately after leaving the salon to tell him how great was!

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Hair Don't: Bad color, bad hair.

I think everyone knows which person is guilty in this photo.  If this is you in this picture, or someone you know, consider this a hair intervention.

Corrective Color Part 2

Part 2: Care for your new hair.  

After many corrective services, it is recommended to do a conditioning treatment as well. This may be necessary in some more severe cases, or when the hair was already very damaged. Occasionally, conditioning treatments may be needed before the client’s hair is in healthy enough condition to accept the new color. Remember, when every client leaves the salon they are a walking advertisement for the colorist and the salon as a whole. So if you want to leave with damaged hair, it will not reflect positively on the service provider, even if your hair was already damaged before you came in.

In any case, if you are unhappy with your hair color, and unsure how “corrective” it would be to get your new look, call your colorist and set up an appointment for a color consultation so you are both prepared for how much time and money you will need for the service.

Color after Chemotherapy

As a color specialist, I have worked with several clients over the years that came to me after fighting cancer.  Once they have gone through all their chemotherapy, I am thrilled to see them in my chair, and even more excited about the opportunity to help them find their new look.  In some cases, the client wants to recapture the color they loved before chemo.  The first time after chemo, clients always have a lot of questions, and rightly so.

I am a color specialist, not an oncologist, so I always recommend that clients discuss their concerns with their doctors.  If they are finished with treatment however, and their hair is growing back at least a couple inches, it should be ready to color.  The hair texture after treatment is often different than it was before.  Many clients refer to their “chemo curls” affectionately. Others may just want to look like themselves again.  Although it is considered safe to color the hair at this time, there are a few things clients should be aware of before starting the coloring routine again. 

Hair immediately after chemotherapy is different than hair before, during, or years after.  The new hair is usually described as “fuzzy” and it seems fragile and thin.  This usually changes quickly, maybe a couple of months.  Human hair grows at an average rate of half an inch per month.  Hair also goes through three stages; a shedding phase, resting phase and growing phase.  Not every hair on the head is in the same part of the cycle at once, so when a head of hair is starting over after chemo, it could take six months to two years before all the hairs are growing again.  With that in mind, it could take a couple of years for someone’s hair to be the length and color they had before treatment. 

Some clients have more grey in their hair after chemo, and some have less.  The same goes with the darkness of their hair.  This may determine the options with hair color. Also, while the hair is less than three inches long, it will be hard to get a really thorough head of highlights so an all over base color may be the wiser choice.  If you do opt for highlights though, be sure that they are evenly distributed throughout the hair to keep from looking spotty.  This I find is more attractive on curly hair than it is on straight hair when it is short. 

If you opt for the all over base color, I would consider a gentle semi-permanent color first.  This not only is very healthy on the hair since it has no ammonia, but also gives you the freedom to try a different shade every couple months.  Semi-permanent colors fade off the hair usually in about six to eight weeks depending on how often you shampoo.  The limitations, however, are that semi-permanent color cannot make hair lighter than it is naturally (because there is no ammonia), and it does not always cover gray completely.  If covering gray and/or going lighter are priorities, then you will need permanent color. 

As always, I recommend you have a detailed consultation with your colorist before getting your hair colored. This is to assure that you are comfortable with the process and prepared for the results.  Finally, I am so proud of all the women I have known that have victoriously battled cancer.  You are beautiful inside and out.  I am just happy to help you look even more beautiful than you already are.

Beauty Does

Making People Feel Good: The Best Part of My Job

I have always been a people pleaser.  I believe this is why I have been so successful as a colorist.  I love to make other people happy.  Sometimes this requires doing things you wouldn’t usually do. 

As a professional, I feel it is necessary to inform a client when they ask for a color that I do not think will flatter them, or is outdated.  At the same time, if they are determined to achieve that look, they will get it, whether it is done in my chair or someone else’s.  Most of the time, I would rather give the client the service they want than lose them.  Hopefully, once I have gained more trust, that same client will let me personalize or modernize the color.  For the rare client will not change their look for years and years, I can at least promise the consistent results they desire.  Again, it's all about making people feel good. 

The value of this really hit me last winter.  I was visiting my family in Ohio for Christmas.  My 90-year-old grandmother had been sick in bed for over a week.  She didn’t leave the house to come celebrate the holiday with the rest of my family at my parents’ house.  My uncle who lives with her said that her hair was one big tangle from not brushing it for the last week.  My sister and father and I planned to go over to her house and visit while I was in town.  I decided to stop by the beauty supply store on my way so I could buy a boar bristle brush and maybe help untangle her hair.

When I arrived at my grandma’s house, I was not prepared for her appearance, even with my uncle’s descriptions.  Her fine, thin hair that usually fell halfway down her back in a ponytail or braid was all on top of her head like a big hairy bird’s nest.  She looked more frail and weak than ever before.  I told her that I would like to fix her hair, and she wished me luck.  My uncle tried to detangle her hair before but she made him stop because it hurt too much.  “Well it’s a good thing I am a professional,” I assured her, and she smiled. 

First, I had my uncle fetch me all the scissors they had in the house.  I really do not like cutting hair, but this was the closest thing to a haircutting emergency that I have ever seen.  My grandma did not have high expectations; she said I could shave the whole thing off if I needed to.  I didn’t want to do that to her, so I started brushing the nest.  I brushed, and brushed, and cut the knots that I couldn’t undo.  I spent two hours brushing and cutting her hair, and it was worth every minute to just be there with her.  She commented how lucky she was to have a hairstylist come all the way from Atlanta to cut her hair. 

The haircut was not perfect, but it was the best chin length bob I could have hoped for with the tools available.  Most stylists would not be proud of such an average haircut, but it was one of my proudest moments in eight years of hairdressing because of how it made my grandma look and feel.  Her spirits were perked up, and she didn’t look as weak and frail anymore.  Still, I had no illusions that she would suddenly not be sick anymore.

That day was the last time I saw my grandma alive.  She passed away the last week of January.  I grieved, of course, but I took comfort in knowing that I was able to give her that last haircut, and make her a little more comfortable during that final month of her life.  I’ll say it again, it's all about making people feel good.

What is corrective color?

Part 1: What makes color “corrective color?”


On a regular basis, I receive a new client to the salon that is desperately in need of corrective color. The term “corrective” can be thrown around as a scare tactic in some salons. It is generally a serious matter, however. There is not a single definition of what constitutes a corrective service. If I had to sum it up most concisely, I would say any service that requires two or more steps and will leave the client with a noticeably different look. Sometimes, a corrective service needs to be done in steps, over a few appointments. This all depends on the individual situation.


Some corrective services are when clients have been getting their hair colored one way for a while and decide that they want it to be all over lighter, but without highlights. Or there are also clients that want their hair more than a couple shades darker. Here are the rules:


If you have all over base color on your hair, and you want it a lighter shade, but without highlights, you need a color cleanse to remove the old color and put on a new one. Artificial hair color cannot be removed without using some sort of color remover.


If you have lighter hair, either naturally or highlighted, and want to go significantly darker, you need you hair colored two times in a row on the same day so the color lasts. The first step will put warm tones in your hair and get it closer to the desired end result. The second step will balance or enhance those warm tones to the give a rich, even end result. If you have ever seen or heard of someone who colored their hair darker but it turned green, blotchy, or muddy, it is because they didn’t follow this rule.


Suppose you have very uneven tones and different levels of color throughout your hair. Maybe you did it yourself, or someone else without experience played on your hair. If you just want to look highlighted, then you may need a very thorough head of highlights and allover color between all those highlights. This can be a simple process for the colorist, or it could be very involved and time-consuming. It is up to the colorist if this qualifies as corrective color, and therefore should cost more than the usual highlights and base color service.

Guide to a Great Color Consultation

Any client can have a satisfying color experience if they discuss certain details in their color consultation. Pictures are an essential part of the process. At the end of the consultation you and your colorist should have an agreement on the expected outcome and the cost of the service.

The best way to assure a great hair color is to have a great color consultation. At the beginning of every color service there should be a color consultation. Be ready to answer questions about your current hair color and how the look is working for you. Here are some examples:

Is your color …

· fading too light?

· looking dull?

· tone changing too much?

· dimension fading?

Are you …

· wearing bangs the same way?

· changing your haircut?

· happy with the amount of gray coverage?

I refer to my portfolio pictures to confirm the look. Some clients like to change their look, even slightly, at least once a year. My portfolio is always available with new ideas.

Pictures really are worth 1000 words, and more. My idea of “golden brown with natural blonde highlights” could be very different from what you imagine for yourself. A picture serves as a visual agreement of the expected outcome. Sometimes it takes more than one picture to show all that a colorist needs to know:

· amount of highlights

· level of contrast

· color of highlights

· color of base or lowlights

A great look is worth maintaining. The difference between your natural hair and your desired color determines how often you should return to the salon to maintain your look. Some services are recommended to touch-up every 4 weeks, some every 6-8 weeks, and some every 10-12 weeks. Also, you should receive recommendations for shampoo and conditioner that will keep your hair looking great as long as possible.

Dramatic changes may require more than one visit. If the look you want is not possible in one service, the colorist should find a picture you agree upon for the outcome of the first visit. In the event of corrective services, a waiver is filled out by the colorist and signed by you so you understand the cost of service, expected outcome, amount of visits required to fully achieve the look, and any possible risks of service.

At the end of a great color consultation, both you and colorist should be excited about the service. You are now free to enjoy the whole experience at the salon!