Happy Holidays!!!

Hi everyone...sorry I've been on a lil break...but November and December are very busy.. I basically see my clientele in two months. Hope you all had a great turkey day and are gearing up for Christmas. On a hair note.. It's time to talk WEAR YOUR HAIR DOWN MONTH. The weather, no matter where you live in the U.S. is getting a bit chilly and the humidity is settling down. It's perfect for loose soft curls.. The question is....How do you achieve such great luscious beautiful hair? Answer, well it's all in the product and hair type. If you have wave or curl in your hair... style damp using Bumble and Bumble grooming cream. Take individual sections and twist using the cream... Let it air dry or blow dry on low. Once it's dry separate curls and use a light weight hairspray. Very pretty loose curls. I just attended a bumble class at the salon and I tried this in my curly hair(the babies gave it to me). If you have no wave... my suggestion is go to bed with your hair wet, take a large size barrel curling iron(ceramic of course.. it wont leave metallic in the hair)and use in big sections..spray with a heavier hair spray. Its a perfect thing to do for the holidays...so put away the flat iron for a week and try it.. let me know if it worked for ya..leave me some comments or send me a pic at brekirk@gmail.com...fa la la lala..la la la la

SCARY...too close to home for me!

SOOO, today there was a shooting downtown Orlando. Scary ! Yeah, a guy walked into a building and open fired on the engineering firm killing 1 injuring 5. My sister works downtown, so I quickly called to make sure she was ok. She answered the phone and said she was good, however she was in lockdown. I didn't get off work today till 6 and saw a picture of the gunman. Well, guess freaken what??? He was the guy who made my subway sandwich next to my salon. I could not believe it was really him! He seemed normal, guess NOT!! The moral of the story....don't eat at a subway next to my salon!!! and normal looking people are freaks! Glad to know he was caught and its over....this world is something else right now!

Summer to Fall

Katie has been a client and friend for years...she has been all kinds of colors..however we did a makeover a week ago from blonde to brown. I know to the human eye it looks easy to do, however it's not the easiest, you would be suprised how much of a thought process goes into this formula... I like her both colors. She has beautiful light blue eyes, which tend to show more with the dark hair! In Florida, we don't really have seasons...but we sure like to pretend! If we can't see it turning into fall, then we can sure pretend with out hair.Enjoy! Love ya Kate!Thx for being fun!!

Chemical Bangs!!

Chemical Bangs are another name for what I like to call....bangs that were not supposed to be there, but they had to be. BREAKAGE! I don.t recommend doing all the crazy stuff I do to my hair.. but I do the crazy stuff because I am the hairdresser. I was getting the girls ready for a night out at Mickeys Not So Scary Halloween..and as I was blowdrying my own hair...my long sweepy bang started to break off. Most of you would of cried, however I took the first pair of scissors I could find (orange handled fabric scissors) and cut me some bangs... I like em.. but it wasn't planned. My husband walked in on me doing this, acted like this was the usual in my household..hair around the front of your hairline breaks for many reasons. In my case it was bleach after bleach.The front of your hair is pulled soo much, you are always touching it, pinning it and it has to reach the farthest to go into your ponytial. Snap and it's gone! Don't touch it all the time. Baby the hair by your face..or else you too will have a full bang!

Yahoo Article!! 10 worst shampoo's

Top Ten Worst Drug Store Shampoo's..based on a Yahoo survey...totalbeauty.com

No. 10: Pantene Pro-V Nature Fusion Smooth Vitality Shampoo, $8.33
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.8 (out of 10)
Why: Most readers weren't impressed by this. "I don't think this shampoo and conditioner did anything out of the ordinary for my hair," one reader says. Another reader says it gave her "the weirdest breakouts on my upper arms."

No. 9: Suave Professionals Radiant Brunette Shampoo, $3.48
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.8
Why: Most readers did not find that this enhanced their hair color. Instead it "left my hair rather tangled" and one reader says it actually "stripped away the color!" Others complain that this left them with "straw-like [and] dull" hair. One reader says, "I had colored my hair [and] it went a little too dark. I went to a salon … this is what they used to strip my hair of the color. LOL!"

No. 8: Sunsilk Anti-Caida (Anti-Fall) Shampoo, $4.59
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.6
Why: The verdict: "This stuff dried my hair out and made my color run." Other readers agree, saying even though "I love the Sunsilk brand … this dried my hair out." The final word: "BAD."

No. 7: TIGI Bed Head Self Absorbed Shampoo, $10.50
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.5
Why: Readers feel a bit "blah" about this shampoo. "[Hair] wasn't stripped, but it wasn't very soft or shiny," readers say. While most readers had a so-so experience, one reader says, "my hair [was] so dry and tangle-y that my fingers got stuck in it when I tried to rinse the shampoo out." One reader laments, "Now I have 1 liter of this sitting around. It wasn't completely terrible but I don't use it."

No. 6: John Frieda Radiant Red Color Captivating Shampoo, $5.49
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.5
Why: This was a double-whammy disappointment, readers say. One complaint: "[It] made my soft, silky hair rough and tangled … unmanageable." But the biggest problem: "it did not seem to preserve my color at all," readers say. One reader was so sad that "all it did was stain my fingernails and towels red."

No. 5: TIGI Bed Head Moisture Maniac Shampoo, $10.50
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.4
Why: While readers do concede that this "smells good," they still can't endorse it. Why? "After using it my hair is rough and hard to brush," one reader says. Readers generally agree that this shampoo is "not nearly as moisturizing as its name leads you to believe."

No. 4: Burt's Bees Rosemary Mint Shampoo Bar, $5.99
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5.1
Why: While this may work for short hair, readers with long hair say, "you'll do what I did and give up in the shower the first time." One reader says, "it was pretty difficult to get enough lather to completely get my hair clean, and I ended up in the shower for way longer than I wanted to be." The ultimate un-endorsement: "It made my hair look and feel like pubic hair," one reader says. "Nuff said."

No. 3: TreSemme ColorThrive Brunette Shampoo, $3.99
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 5
Why: Our readers' major complaint with this was its lack of cleaning power. "I have fine, oily hair and must shampoo daily. With this product, I find myself wanting to wash my hair twice a day," one reader says. Another agrees, saying "my hair doesn't feel as clean after I rinse." Other annoyances: "the smell isn't that great" and "three times after I had used it, my scalp was all itchy," one reader says, adding "I'm not [usually] allergic to any shampoo."

No. 2: TreSemme Vitamin B12 & Gelatin Anti-Breakage Shampoo, $6.99
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 4.9
Why: This left readers perplexed: "You'd think that a product that's supposed to inhibit breakage would help moisturize hair, but this really didn't at all," one says. She adds, "This ? actually seemed to dry my hair out even more." Other readers didn't like that "it left my hair feeling waxy (from the gelatin in it) and dry."

No. 1: Samy Smooth Shampoo, $5.99
TotalBeauty.com average reader rating: 4.3
Why: Smooth? Not so much, readers say. Instead, "it completely left my hair feeling heavy and dry," one reader says. Another adds, "It doesn't smooth, and it leaves hair funky feeling and dry." Fine, oily haired readers didn't like it either. "Made my fine hair greasy," and "made my hair limp and unmanageable, and it always felt dirty," readers say.

FINALLY!!

Hey everyone!!! FYI I'm at the new salon starting Monday!! I am sooo excited.. it will be a great change...things are a bit different..but you gotta come see me to know!! Im located off of Sand lake Road and Dr.Phillips Blvd. upstairs from the Melting Pot. It is beautiful..champagne colored walls, dark wood...modern yet a bit traditional..I'll snap some pics and post them..LOVE YOU GUYS..thanks for all the support. If you read my blog, be sure to sign up and become a follower for my holiday give-a-away!!! xoxo, Bre

More Keratin talk

Keratin Talk Part 2
This treatment has caused many conversations lately from my blog post. This is really a break thru for our industry. Old straighteners were perm solutions combed thru and that was it. Total damage. Bio ionic is a chemical straightener that leaves a line of demarcation. The keratin is pure protein, which our hair is made of. It does not leave a line of demarcation. If you do it once, and you would like your curly hair back...guess what?? It comes back. If you love it and want it again...guess what?? The more you do it...the better is works. Everyone that has had this done....loves it. Including myself. My husband loves it because it takes half the time to get ready.. I should market this treatment to them. The starting price is $350.00. It is based on how many ounces you would use. For those of you that don't want to spend the money..I have gift certificates for the holidays available. Tell your loved ones you need a life changing experience...because I believe it is and was to many of my clients. If you see someone who would benefit from it...if they book with me, I will take $50.00 off the treatment for yourself! Now when you get this treatment, you need to use sulfate free products or else you wasted your money. Pureology is sulfate free. They also have a keratin line. People, listen up....you get what you pay for in my chair!!! THE BEST..LOVE YOU ALL good night!!O.K. I feel like I'm a car salesman here, but it really does sell itself. Be part of my referral program and you will be rewarded. It's time to turn the streets into smooth,straight silky hair! Any more question?? Leave me a comment

Crazy Stef....Facebook mail

Hey girly-
So, I'm only asking you this, because I know you're the color bomb! :)

I tried to go dark by myself with a demi. I mixed a 5N and a 4RV (half tube) for a little red highlight and ended up with DARK purple! AHHHHHH.

I know, I know...this is why people don't do it at home. So, I had a friend that honestly, I wouldn't normally go to for my hair for help and she tried to lighten it and then put a gold to counter act the purple. It's still purple. Well, it worked slightly, but I just want the purple out and a lighter brown. What do I do?

Help your poor pathetic friends that try to color by themselves. :)

By the way, I keep up with you and your blog. Looks like you're doing great and your girls are so cute! Congrats on your fam.

Oh Stefanie.....hair is on a scale from 1-10...one being black and ten being the lightest. You mixed a very dark color that when placed on pre-lightned hair or very porous hair, it will do one of two things. 1- it will soak up the color and go darker than expected...2-it is so porous it spits the color out. you mixed a natural color with a red violet..which means purple! This is called major dollars and a color correction. Dang it...if you went somewhere it would of saved u money and hair drama mixed with a lil breakage. If you don't have bangs now, you will when your done! They need to do a soap cap, which consists of bleach and peroxide and shampoo. Then add some heat..it should lift, not even thru out the hair but it should lift. The formula would depend on the ending color. If you hair isn't dead by then, I would high light it with a peroxcide 10 volume and tone to a light caramel level 6-7. That would give the appearance of a lighter brown. End of story! Good Luck, you can always fly down to ses me..lol miss ya xoxo, bre

Static??

Hey Bre,

So I am currently experiencing something I haven't had to deal with in a while... static. What is the best way to control it? Today's high was about 42 and it is currently 39... burr. It is only October... yikes, can't imagine what the Winter will bring me.

Hugs,
Rhonda

Hola Rhonda,
Miss ya here in the 95+ degree weather...the best thing you can do for static electricity is to use a dryer sheet. The kind you would use in your dryer for your clothes. Rub it softly on top of your hair and you won't believe it!! It really works. It will also make your hair smell good. I am jealous of your cool weather, I am really tired of sweating my butt off here in sunny Florida. Try the dryer sheet and return and report for all my followers! xoxo, bre

The ANSWER to your PRAYERS!!

October is supposed to be a getting better in the hair category month...meaning NO FREAKEN humidity..however it has been the complete opposite. YUCK huge, nasty, frizzy hair! So in case you dont know I do a straightner that is a pure protein based product called Coppolla Keratin Complex. YES it is amazing, it can be done on color treated hair, in fact it even locks in the color. It is great for the hair. It takes about 2 hours to finish on a client. It speeds up the blowdrying time big time! It is perfectly straight and last from 4-6 months.. no chemicals...and gradually fades out of the hair.. doesn't leave a line of demarkantation. It is expensive, soooo save your dolla bills yo! Take a 20 out at the grocery store each time u go shopping and then you can save up enough..lol don't tell your husband I said so.. you can still curl your hair with a curling iron if u wanna, this truly is the best thing you could do to your hair. Google it, do what cha gotta do, but just know I wish I invented this product...AMAZING!! Get it done, you will be soo happy no matter where you live!

Hollie Bollie!

Question:
Ok so you know my hair is SUPER Thin - I have a lot of it - but still thin. I wash my hair at night and condition, towel dry and usually turn my head upside down to blow dry to give some volume,
I got some mouse the other day and use that and it helps but I never know how much to really use or if thats the best volumizer for my hair type.
Any tips?


Ok second question - can you over condition your hair? I LOVE conditioner and probably use way too much (like 2 half dollar sizes). is this bad?


gotta make an appt soon too

xoxo Hollie
To my dearest Hollie,
Even though your hair is thin it is still good hair. Anytime you blowdry the hair in the opposite direction where it lives,you will get volume, so upside down is great! Now I love mousse, however please make sure it is not sticky,heavy or has too much hold is a no go. But as for volume, I like the Big Sexy Hair Root Pump. or Pureology root lift. Spray it at the root into damp hair and then blowdry. It works great!
As for conditioner, please don't use alot. You are just wasting it. Focus on the ends of the hair shaft not the roots. Conditoner is a type of moisture that will weigh the hair down.. Love ya, bre

P.S. people Im not moving Monday, it has been postponed till hopefully a week from next Monday...in case you ask Bennett after you read my blog!

Sand Lake Road here I come!!

I have an announcement to all my clients in Orlando! Bennett is opening a new salon in Orlando off of Sand Lake Road! It's called Xander Blue..the name is still the same. It is right next to the melting pot upstairs with Antonio's Italian Resteraunt! I am soo excited for a new great change. I love the location and love the food choices...LOL I start next monday so get ready for a change in scenery and stylists. It is beautiful and is going to make all positive changes, besides the fact that you have to climb a flight of stairs... Come see me!

Kitchen Hair

I love to do hair at night.... for some reason my creative juices flow.. I'm also a night owl... not a morning person. Well, tonight I did some kitchen hair at mi casa..So you wouldn't know by the pic.. but I cut off approx. 11 inches from..........GUESS WHO? for those who know Mary Reynolds Burden.. I cut her hair off!! And I love it, why I love it,, because she has an oval face shape. Its ideal for just about anything. Long, short or even shorter... so we did an A-line modern bob.. I love it, and she does as well... it's gonna take time to get used to , but she can sure blow dry it faster. What's most important , is her husband like's it! Even though I could care less what a husband thinks...the client sure does. A husband should like what the wife likes... if your husband needs lessons or classes on this topic, my dad is great in this category! Here's some pics...beautiful Mary!!!!

Chemistry 101

What happens when your hair dresser takes you from light to dark? Whether it be all over color or simply low lights...it's actually a chemistry kinda thang! I'm not gonna tell you all the secrets, however pigment in hair consists of red, blue and yellow. When you lighten hair, you are removing the red pigment molecules from the cuticle. Therefore if you put an allover over blonde hair with no red its gonna go green. So, if you look dishwater brown...it's because there wasn't enough red in the color formula. So, for all you followers that live out of state and you decide to go darker for the fall and winter, add some warmth to that brown! I promise we'd rather see red than green! If your hair dresser turns you ugly..well your just gonna have to fly down to see me :)

October 10,2009

My client C.J. is the greatest. We have been friends (well first she was my client) for 6 years. She used to go tanning next to my old salon and watch me cut hair from the window. She sent her co-workers to test me out first! She was very picky with her hair. She watched me for a few weeks and then decided she could trust me. Long story short, I have watched her relationships go from good to bad until she met the love of her life. I mean really, this last year she has had a beautiful glow. I knew he was for her. I told her if she wasn't engaged by the new year she needed to propose to him. Well at 12:00a.m. sure enough I received a text saying.. "I said YES, I'm engaged!" I was sooo excited for her. She was graduating college in April and this was her year! She set the date for October 10, 2009 and has been planning ever since. Last Friday she called me and begged to get in for high lights... she had major regrowth for her bachelorette party. I for sure said come on in... but you have to bring wedding plans so I can see the bridesmaid dresses etc. She did...everything was perfect, until the night of her Bachelorette party. She received a call that would crush her dream, her perfect year. her fiance Jimmy was at a stop light on a motorcycle and skid in the rain. He got up to get his bike, he told his buddies he was fine and then a truck couldn't see thru the rain and hit and killed him. A co-worker and client of mine called me this evening to tell me this devastating news. C.J. 's life that she had planned was no longer going to happen. The prenatal prescription she showed me on Friday doesn't need to be filled. Please know this blog post is in memory of Jimmy. I love you C.J. you are in our family prayers. My clients aren't just my clients, they are my friends She promised to bring him in to meet me after the honeymoon...Until we meet again. You are a strong woman C.J.!!

ROUND BRUSHES EXPIRE TOO!

Round brushes......they are great. I dont own a curling iron due to round brushes at work. In fact, they act as my curling iron, all different sizes. It's important to choose a good one. It's not true..the more expensive the better. Some of my cheap ones from Sally's beauty supply I love! I tend to lean towards the hard bristle nylon brushes. Yes they take longer to break in, but they act as my heating tool. They might cause a client to bleed..lol kidding. I hate the boar hair bristles. They do nothing for me or the client. Ceramic ionic round brushes...ROCK IN FLORIDA. They help remove static and help with the humidity and the frizz aka FRO! My fav are the CHI turbo ceramic brushes, they come in all sizes and will last a long time. BUT, I said yes there is a BUT....brushes expire. If your bristles are bent really bad or burned time for a new one, they will cause breakage and damage the hair. AND please clean them for sanitary reasons, nothing like creating your own hair piece out of the hair in your brush. YES I knew a lady in hair school that was a client that did such a thing. SICK, yes it was gross and it smelled. She bobby pinned it in her bun to create an illusion for thicker hair. those days were something to write home about, thats for sure! I like to have all sizes based on how I am styling the clients or my hair for that matter. They are great for volume, and even bre has a hard time round brushing her own hair. not to mention I would have 80's hair. That would be fun!

GROCERY STORE BOX HAIR COLOR= A NO NO!

I get asked this question a lot lately (must be the crappy economy).. What hair color from the grocery store is the best to buy? "I know it's not the best Bre, but can you tell me if you had to which one you would use?" ANSWER....NONE I wouldn't freaken color my hair. The color in the BOX contains a metallic dye that continues to process in the hair everytime you add heat...like a blow dryer or the sun.. and never leaves the hair unless it is cut out. Once again it suffocates the hair as well, however the color in a box is a one size fits most kinda deal...well guess what ? There is not one color I do besides bleach ...I always mix 2-5 different colors to make one. So, please for the love of everything that is holy....don't ask me which one is the best..they all suck! And if you wanna know why your hair turns green after you put brown on top of blonde...that's another blog post. BOX COLOR=HELL IN A BOX for a hair dresser. it can chemically react with the proper color I use! I saw it in hair school when I foiled a girls hair with bleach and the color from the box she used bubbled and fizzed up in the foil...it was creepy, needless to say we stopped coloring her hair and she had what I like to call.... Chemical Bangs, they weren't cut she didn't want bangs, but she got em!

DRY SHAMPOO...thx Michelle

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AQhZhUu58NQ

This is the dry shampoo that all of you want to know about!!! My client Michelle told me about this product, she found it in Ulta... here in Florida. She liked it so I tried it. It has it's pro's and con's. It smells great, like a florida citrus smell, it has natural oats that absord the hair oil. However I still don't feel clean, it masks it. But really thats what I need. Watch the you tube link I posted on here to see how it works! It's pretty cool stuff. There are many of these dry shampoo's on the market, I liked this one the best soo far. I have the aerosol can... I think it works better and it's not as messy.

Brand:
Oscar Blandi
Product Benefits:
Solves the dilemma of dirty hair and product build up in between washing
Refreshes, revives, and recharges hair and scalp
Absorbs excess oil and product build up without weighing hair down and without stripping the precious oils from the scalp
Increases volume at the roots
Strengthens hair and nourishes scalp
Available in nozzle to enable application directly onto the roots or aerosol for ease of application
Perfect for use between washings, in a rush, as a midday hair pick-me-up or when you overdose on styling product
Key Ingredients:
Natural Rice, Oat Starches and Tapioca Starches - Absorbs oil, dirt, and product to effectively cleanse hair and scalp
Tea Tree Oil - Treats the scalp to reduce occurrence of dandruff
Lemon Verbana - Provides a fresh, clean fragrance
Directions:
Apply Pronto to dry hair on the days you don't shampoo. Using the point of the cap to separate sections of hair, tilt bottle and lightly squeeze to release product onto the root of each section throughout entire head. Massage into scalp using fingertips. Follow with a natural bristle brush. Restyle hair as desired.
Oscar's Tip:
"For a quick fix, pour Pronto into the palm of your hands, let it travel to the fingertips and massage

Sunscreen???

OK, I know its the end of the summer, but its still freaken hot as He** here, however some people need a little help with what not to do when you are in the sun!! My client, no names decided she didn't want her hair to fade in the sun,(I color it a copper-red) Well on her boat she decided to load it up with Sunscreen. Yes the type you put on your body NOT YOUR HAIR! Needless to say, she tried washing it out, which she couldn't and then the color faded.. REALLY? huh. Well, I'm no chemist people, but I do know sunscreen contains Zinc. It's not for the hair. Your hair is a living thing people, it needs to breath. How would you feel if I put your head in a pillow case and told you to breath for an hour? Got me? Zinc does not allow your hair to breath. So to top it off, she didn't tell me what she did until after I put the color in. SO, yes you got it right, the color stayed on the surface of the hair and it never penetrated the cuticle. It didn't even come close to looking red. It didn't even color her gray. I had to redo the color and shampoo with a clarifying shampoo. The moral to this story is.... They make special hair sunscreen products to use when you wanna have fun in the sun. Keep body sunscreen on your body...not your freaken hair. Thanks for listening. p.s. you could always use a hat? Never thought I'd have to blog about this one!

Sweaty dirty girls=sweaty dirty hair

Hi Bre,
So, as if you haven't covered the dirty hair topic enough! I have another question about it. What if someone exercises everyday? Does sweaty hair make dirty hair dirtier, quicker? And when you shower on the in-between days can you get it wet if you are not washing it or does that mess it up? I have heard the concept about dirty hair before, it does make sense to me, but I have never been able to figure out the logistics.
Another question, similar topic. If you go a few days in between washings, and you are styling everyday, is there an order that works best in styles. Like straight hair, curly hair, etc? Does that make any sense? Just something I have always been curious about!
I love your hair blog, it's fun to read and full of great info!
Lianne Barr

Dear Lianne,

This seems to be a topic that will never end and it's ok to ask more and more. The truth about hair is .. "Shoot, if I could style my hair once a week like an old lady and sleep sitting up, it would be allll good. " Well, no thanks cause old woman that do that stink!! I don't care what anyone says. I don't do that once a week they come in for a shampoo style! I did that in hair school and pretty much vomited everyday cause I couldn't get that stinky smell off my hands! P.S. wanna know why the old ladies have purple hair?? Tell ya later. As for your question, sorry I tend to veer of topic, this dirty hair talk is one reason why I never liked working out! When you sweat it makes it oily. The heat that is released from your head (my fat head) is alot and boy is it HOT. They do make a dry shampoo spray that is talc based that when sprayed it absorbs the oil. That can get you in between your shampoo's, (if u want to know the best one let me know, I'll blog about it) . As for me Lianne. I tend to go longer between my washings when I wear my hair curly.. dunno the scientific reasoning behind it, just know thats me. BUT...once again the silk pillow case comes in handy... when I wear it curly the pillow case at night keeps it from having a mind if its own and keeps the curl in enough to where I only have to do touchups.... try it.. Patrice did.. she said she loves her new silk pillow case!

NO Gray??

This email is from one of my good friends..mama Sue... she is my friends mom..she writes...

Ok I love your blog and I bet I will be the oldest one toask a question, but I hope still one of your favorite clients ha ha.I was reading a Star magazine and someone wrote aboutgray hair always showing through no matter how often theycolor their hair. They suggested a new product calledNo Gray. You simply mix it in with any at-home hair dye ortint (before coloring) and it will keep grays from breakingthrough for up to six weeks. The mixture penetrates thecuticle layer and reduces the surface tension of water, enabling the dye to cling to the hair far better than theat home color on its own, also adds pigment to your hair dye's formula. Now I know it says at home color but sinceyou do my hair, and I love it I was just wondering it this could work. I really don't mind coming every four weeks, butthe last 4 days kills me looking at the gray. Of course on the bright side my eye doctor the other dayasked we why I don't have gray hair when looking at mychart she notices I will be 60 in December, she couldn'tbelieve it and of course I told her I have the best hairdresserin Orlando. Thanks hon, Love Nana Sue Spensieri

Mama Sue,

Of course I know about this product... I'm all about the up and coming!! lol anywho, they make a professional product just like this. It supposed to blow the gray stubborn cuticle up and dig the color further into the hair..I have tried it. Some love it some think it's a bunch of poop! However I like to use color that has double coverage for gray hair. When you color gray or any hair permanent..there are two kinds of color..think of it as a tight vs. panty hose... when you wear tights its a solid color where you dont see your legs and no sun can enter....when you wear panty hose it's shear, it covers the legs, however sun can shine thru...so when you use a tight coverage color it tends to look fake....great gray coverage, but looks soo not real... when you use panty hose color it covers 80% gray leaves a few natural hairs and looks more realistic.. so BRE does this... I mix the two colors together to get your color and many others.. I love breaking hair color rules, they always look the prettiest. So your answer to your question?? You wouldn't see the difference...the color is still gonna grow out ..you will still hate those last 4 days.. they make mascara color wands at sallys beauty if u wanna try those..some people love them. Did I confuse you guys??? FYI...mama sue is one of my fav's!! on a side note.. I wish i could invent a pill for you mama sue that lets you pick your hair color and grow in that color.. no more gray!! then I'd make millions!! Geez that would be cool...I bet I'm better off thinking of 6 lucky numbers and playing the lottery, that's more realistic than a pill!!

Going Bald??

Hey Bre! So I have a question, and wonder if you went through this too! My hair is falling out. And I don’t just mean a little…A LOT! I had bald spots around my temples, and now it is growing back in, with baby hairs everywhere! I know this is due to pregnancy, but I am wondering if there are any products or advice you have for me. I am so reluctant to do the “mom thing” and chop it all off, cuz I know it will never grow back again as long (my hair takes forever to grow)…did this happen to you? Should I be using a particular shampoo/cond. that will help thicken it up again? Or some other product to help it look half way normal? I look kinna scary….ok very SCARY…. Lovely babies, what a sacrifice we all go through right? And it doesn’t stop even AFTER you have the kid! Man! Good thing Zanin is so cute…=) Hope you and Mark and you sweet girls are doing great. Luv Karlie

Dear dear Karlie,
You are screwed...start buying wigs, you are going to be officially BALD! Just kidding. Here's the scoop. Hair falls out for many reasons. As for you and I.. we both had children this past year. So in our sweet loving sacrifice kinda people that we are... prenatal vitamins hold on to the hair that we typically shed on a daily basis.. hundreds... so when our body is no longer getting those vitamins , it falls out. It is also a hormonal thing for woman, especially us who just pushed or in my case cut a baby out! Its start around 4 when the baby is 4 months and can go for up to when the baby is a year old. I know.. put the gun down....It looks like I can fill Ziploc baggies. I swear Mark I smear the hair on the wall...to then twirl it in a circle to throw away... however at times I forget and it's all on the bathroom shower floor.. but it WAS on the wall.. he he he..So the solution is....Nioxin shampoo and cond. They make it for color treated hair as well. It's amazing, it helps restore the hair I swear by it. Kinda pricey but soooo worth it. It also has a product called scalp therapy..rub it in the scalp..massage the scalp. Blood circulation promotes hair growth, so when u are watching TV or whatever...rub your scalp, it will help bring blood to the follicle and then surface..Great invention but there is a BUT..... you have to continue to use it for a long period of time or the hair you are restoring will fall out. This product my friend...will save your life.. I mean your hair. P.s. if u are dieting or exercising like a freak(I do neither) that will also make your hair fall out... be careful moderation in all things.:)

Hi Olivia!

Hi Bre~ im a friend of Erin Minner and saw your blog listed on her 'friends & family blogs' column.. the title was cute, so i checked it to see what it was and it just so happens i need a new hair stylist in Orlando!! i thought i'd email you and ask where your salon is and maybe set up an appointment!
My childhood best friend Tamsin, owns a salon in panama city. she has an amazing eye for cut/color and is soooo creative..when i saw the blog about your sisters, i thought "that is exactly how my relationship with tamsin is!" i can show up, she can assess, then cut/color/texturize and i can 100% trust that it will be fabulous.. i love that!! You seem to have a creative eye for cut and color and im totally game to be a guinea pig ;) i use to have short hair a-la Gweneth paltrow in "Sliding Doors" or i guess pretty similar to Posh spice.. but got tired of upkeeping it every 4 weeks, so for the past 3 yrs its deteriorated to just plain jane hair with some highlights and dark low lights peeping out...
looking forward to hearing from you :)-- ~Olivia~

Dear Olivia,

Thanks for checking my blog out...Become a follower so you can sign up to have a chance to win free product. I would love to do your hair. I love guinea pigs! LOL my cell phone aka work number is 407-376-0432.. My salon name is Xander Blue Salon.. Can't wai to meet you. Hopefully I can be your next Tamsin!

It's cool to be dirty...

Your hair is like a pet...you gotta train it. I used to shampoo my hair on a daily basis..in fact twice a day! Those days are over. Here's why... A) I have two kids B) one is named STELLA

C) The oil produced is very good for the hair. It constantly nourishes with protein and oil to protect the scalp and hair. If your hair is dirty everyday it's probably because your hair is trying to produce enough oil for the shaft. Now see, if you wash it every other day, eventually its will stop producing so much oil. It will only produce more if you continue to deplete it. TRAIN it, try it this winter, this isn't for everyone, however those who have listened to me... it has worked unless you've got other problems a hair dresser can't fix...see a doctor. Don't wash everyday. I promise it will be hard but it really works. Your body is an amazing thing and it listens to what you tell it to do i swear, (it doesn't lose weight when I tell it to) So I now go 2-4 days depending on how I style it...Don't be grossed out..I'm not a dirty girl! Just a smart girl that depletes all the oil from everyday wear and tear and of course bleach!

Blow DRYER Madness

I have purchased 3 new blowdryers within the last 6 months... and what do ya know they have all started on fire at work with clients.. yeah it was quite the sight. One client had to dodge a flame..how professional..it was out of my hands. I think it's my electrical outlet.Therefore I decided to buy a $50 dryer rather than a $300 one. Until it gets fixed!! PS fill out the warrent cards.huh thats a no brainer BRE.Anyways Its still ionic which is very improtant. It produces a ion charge opposite of your hair ionic charge.. It smooths, reduces blowdrying time and helps with frizz. I for sure notice a difference with my $50 dryer...you get what you pay for... kinda stinks, so Im on the look out for a new dryer... Ill keep ya'll posted. You want a dryer that has ...a) a ceramic plate instead of a heated coil inside the dryer b) IONIC c)blows heat, not tons of air... heat dries the hair, not crazy AIR. Nite nite Im on the search for a new cute blow dryer that is gonna cost me a fortune!!!! WOW whatever,it comes with the industry

Bobby PIn Fun

Weekend Hair....

I don't work weekends, so I feel like I don't have to do my hair on the weekends. My hair needs a day off as well... so rubber bands, bobby pins, hair spray mixed with a lil grease does the trick. As for my hair, bleached out the the max, I prefer the dirtier the better. It tends to do better when I wear it up. I am sure whenever you went into get your hair done for prom or homecoming etc. the hair dresser said, "Please come in with your hair dirty." Its true, it works better and doesn't slip and the pins hold in better. (we don't like greasy drippy hair) PS it looks bad for pics, and who wants to dig in greasy hair to pull it up!! Spare me please! Yuck, and it can smell ewwww! So for all my long hair advocates... pull it up its cute. Bobby pin tip of the day...push the open end of the pin in towards your head or the hair you want to hold in. it will stay I promise. Sound confusing? Open it up before you put it in the hair. Attach an embellishment on the bobby pin for cuteness... this week I'm posting my hair bows for you and your lil girls to wear.. I love them! I have had a great response and I am excited to launch the bows on my blog!

Mea gets 2 blog posts... she must be special!!

Well girls...you are right on! Geez, your hairdresser must educate her clients... Mea has a long face, which is great for just about anything. However Polygamist length hair is a no no. Longer hair elongates the facial structure. So, Mea my dear who I love and miss deeply... Short hair would be soo cute on you. I'm not talking an A-line bob (long in the front , shorter in the back) I am talking short. We never did that. You got to be brave! I hate to post a pic of Victoria Beckham, but her hair in this pic is exactly what you should go for. I love the color for your skin tone. the texture in this cut is amazing. It can be achieved by thinning texturizing shears or a texture razor. Now if your hairdresser tells you she doesn't know how to texturize..? RUN! How cute would you be with this style wearing cute headbands? Love it.. please try it.. send pics. we all want to see!!! P.S. If Mrs. Beckham is reading my blog, I have one favor..."Can you please share your husband?" He's a hottie!!

My friend Mea...(u r not frumpy!)

Hi Bre! I love, love, love your new blog. It's so cute and sassy, just like you my friend!! How I wish we were still in O-town so you could be my personal hair dresser. You always cut and colored my hair like no one else :) In fact, I haven't had a decent cut or color since you last did my hair. Pretty sad, huh?? Anyway, I'm happy to hear that you're doing so well and keeping busy at what you do best... hair! My hair life is pretty sad right now. I was looking at the pic of your two cute sisters and they always have a fun haircolor and cut. I wish I was that daring and would take chances with my hair more often. Can you give me any suggestions on what to do with my hair? I can send you a pic if you want to see my hair now, at this moment in time. It's pretty pathetic! I just need a desperate change, and just when I think I've totally changed it, it's still so frumpy. Help me Bre!! Miss you guys, Mea

WHAT IS ONE THING ABOUT MEA IN THIS PICTURE THAT ALLOWS HER TO HAVE ANY LENGTH OF HAIR? TUNE IN TOMORROW AND I'LL HAVE THE ANSWER.. (or you can comment if you think you are smarter than me.. ha ha)

A Baby Story

Im working my booty off today and I'm with my second to last client..she say's,"My daughter was picked to be on the baby story for TLC." Ok, how cool is that?? Until she told me her daughters actual birth and crotch will be on Nat'l TV. WOW a brave soul! So, they white out her you know what, but still.. I'm not ready for that. However, her mom will be interviewed and will be part of the show...so once again my hair will be on Nat'l TV. Im excited. She has cute short hair and the color is great. I will find out when it airs and we can see the baby story.. starring my client and her daughter. Ok kinda gross, but when you watch it...pay attention to the hair on my clients head..lol have a great night everyone

Halloween=Favorite Holiday

My Bride of Frankenstein!

My husbands Pumpkins he carved!! ( had to give him a shout out)

The time is creeping closer and closer.. My favorite holiday.. Halloween! This is the time of year my talents really play a big role in well, non-paying customers MY FAMILY! But I truly love it. Stella was the bride of Frankenstein (as shown above). It took 30 minutes to flat iron and pin her hair up like that.. and yes its all her own hair. Lots of ouchy's from her, but she lived through it 3 times that long..and we sprayed it black and white. I used pipe cleaners in the middle of her hair and booby pinned it down and put pins in her hair around it. Try it for your Halloween costume! She won our church costume contest. She got 3 snickers bars and I ate them all...p.s. I was prego in this picture. So, tip for the day.. when styling hair for events like this.. dirty hair works great. Not a freaken grease ball where you can lube a car, but dirty with product. So, whats in store for this Halloween...I'm afraid you'll have to tune in. Oh and by the way...it's gonna be a good one. Let's just skip September . Whats going on this month besides my parents anniversary? October here we come!

Dream about Silk

Don't you hate when you do your hair for the day, and then you go to bed and when you wake up your hair is a disaster? I have a solution for you and I think you should try it. I personally do not wash my hair on a daily basis.(I'll explain on a different blog post) Sleep on a silky pillowcase. It allows your hair to glide and not snag and pull on the cotton. I have used one for the past 5 years and it truly has made a difference. My hair doesn't look like a lion's mane! You can buy them at Target $ or you can get the real deal $$$. It helps with breakage if you have damaged hair. A side note: if you have a newborn.. use a silk blanket or a pillowcase to put under their head...to prevent the balding spots on the back of their cute lil heads.. (my Ivey's head ain't that lil) it will keep the baby hair from falling out. Dream silk girls..you will have better hair days!

Chicago or bust????

From the City Beautiful...

To the Windy City!!
My client Rhonda.. whom I love and miss, recently moved back to Chicago.. I loved her, not to mention we are the same height, emailed me this message..

Hey Bre, It's Rhonda. So at the end of my last hair cut, you placed a product into my hair to control frizz and to help straighten my hair... what was it called? And could I find it at

Ulta?

My dearest Rhonda... first of all, move back!! Ok you can be by your fam. I put a smoothing non-silicon based serum from Profound Beauty called Linear Serum. It also speeds up the blow dry time and can be your thermal protectant. Its great, however Ulta does not sell this, but a similar product is skinny serum by Paul Mitchell. It's actually the same thing, a fruity smell vs. the clean profound smell. The skinny serum is cheaper. Obviously for all you non-Floridian readers you are catching onto the trend of products that can help with the humidity and help your hair in this moist, wet State of Florida.(basically repeated myself).. lots of bad hair days here. We can't get enough of this stuff, for real! So Rhonda, enjoy the product, but just know your favorite hairdresser exists in O-town.. Not Chicago.. Go Magic.. Love ya!

This is where the MAGIC happens!

I know what ya'll are thinking... the magic happens in your bedroom, however not for me.. lol well it does there too. My second home from home is here! Call me a magician, although I'm a beautician. I've have rented my chair for 3 years and love it here! Bennett is my salon owner and he is fab. I followed him over from Grape Fish Salon. I work 3 days a week and a full time mommy! It's a perfect job to have with a family. Love all my clients, but my girls come first! Now as for being a cosmetologist... it really is tough sometimes.. I'm supposed to make a woman feel better than when they came in. And if they just hate themselves, well not my fault. PS I don't have a lipo machine in the back! Oh, but if I did... I'd really be in the money! My job is rewarding, I love to make people happy and feel good about themselves. I do this job because I truly love it! My major in college was art, and I can truly say... I don't have a degree but I create! Have a great labor day weekend my friends, and stay tuned next week we start makeovers...before and after! Can't wait!!!!!!

Heaven in a Tub!!

Jenny Neveras aka (More hair than anyone I know) . She has sooo much hair, its as curly as the doll you played that had the tight yarn curly hair. Tons of texture absolutely gorgeous. Yes, my assistant Tara has to help me blowdry so I can be home from my 8:00 scheduled appt. with her by midnight...just for a haircut! LOL I love you Jenny. She has been a client and friend for a long time. Her color is another day of blogging! However, her hair needs a great deep conditioner that is going to help moisturize, control frizz and and smooth the hair down! I got one for you! Moroccan Oil makes a non-greasy deep cond!! Jenny, it will speed up your blow drying time by 40% . Use it for me ok? Its amazing, it comes in this round tub that is the size of a cereal bowl (ok, not that big) but its big! it smells divine, for those of you that buy only things that smell good...shame on YOU!!! Use a hydrating shampoo and follow with the deep conditioner. Leave it in for a few minutes. I use this product weekly. We sell it at my salon Xander Blue. I don't think you will be disappointed. Get ready for your hair to say, "thanks for the drink, a pina colada drink"! How corny am I!

My hair made Nat'l Television!!

Jen Isham was on the reality hit series The Next Food Network TV Star (duh on Food Network of course) . She is an elementary school best friend and an excellent chef! I love her culinary point of view..housewife 2.0..(Im one of those as well.) We jazzed her up with some highlights, golden lowlights and extensions!! Love the bangs. I feel kinda special that my hair was aired, even the production team in New York loved Jen's hair.. well if you loved it soo much fly my butt up there already, lets get this show on the road! My kids can travel! I know people..autographs later... there will come a time when you can ebay the hair I cut!! Just Kidding! She also appeared on HSN or QVC..forget which one, but I watched it..this time we added some copper lowlights, however the stylist made her look like she was from freaken Texas...HUGE HAIR! Check out her blog at www.jenisham.blogspot.com she has some fab recipes for all you mommies and wifey's out there. (wifey, that's what my husband calls me) Jen you are too darn cute, she has a bright feature ahead of her:)

FREE HAIR+SISTER=whatever I want to do!

These two gals are actually my younger sisters. WHEN YOU GET FREE HAIR, you have NO SAY! But they love it. The hair consultation is no talking and all in my head. They get to find out after the service. It's a good darn thing I'm good at what I do! I'm not sure they would come back even if it was free if the hair sucked! In this picture Taylor on the left, is in college at BYU. She came home from college with shoulder length red copper hair, hmmm changed that up a bit, after like 9 hours! LOVE IT, she loves being platinum, she just wishes I was with her in Utah to fix it! Davis, on the right is a natural level 4. (Based on a scale from 1-10, 10 being the lightest hair color and 1 being the darkest) is now the copper blonde with bangs. If I had a dollar for every time she gets stopped I'd be a millionaire!!! Everyone wants her hair. PS NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TRY TO DAMAGE for body.. she tells me too, it's still freaking shiny and silky! Amen to good genes. FAB Hair LADIES. Kudos to your hair dresser, now only if I can screw my head off and do my own hair!

What Economic Crisis?

Ok this picture tells ALL! I'm getting ready to sign in on my email account and this picture made the front page of Yahoo! That's right, our country is in turmoil and this picture is up with the caption.. "Why Michelle Obama's hair matters"? Click here.. so I did. Unreal, this is exactly why I am still working my A off! HAIR IS FREAKIN MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUR ECONOMIC CRISIS! Hair is a symbol and I quote,"Beauty, Acceptance and Power". Forget war and disease, think hair people. Now, all I need is to figure out how to do weave!! Going to hair school in Utah didn't help in that department!!! So work it Michelle, don't talk, just wear great hair. Thanks!! On a side note.... Why can't us white girls have the luxury of weave at it's finest? I'm so jealous of all the different hair styles and textures they can wear and change.. if I did that my hair would fry off!! Stinks.

Let the "HAIR DRAMA" begin....

Hi everyone! I am sooo excited to start a blog based on my career as a cosmetologist. I'm ready to give you tips and stories from the life behind the chair. Lets blog about favorite products and what truly works for you! Ill even tell the drama that is in the everyday life of a client (don't worry I won't use names). So lets get started and please feel free to share my blog to your family and friends. WHAT WOMEN DOESN'T WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT HAIR AND GET FREE ADVICE... So sit back relax and enjoy the life of Bre as a hair dresser!!