Watch Out! Your Education Is Showing…

October 6, 2015October 6, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

By Danni Gess

This is a Public Service Announcement for all new graduates.

We are a PC world and want everybody to “feel good” with their decisions but I am going to question your intentions in this industry.

(deep breath)

Everybody wants to be special. I get it. We want that instant gratification of having thousands of people pressing the “like” button and tons and tons of followers that write delicious compliments on our brilliance. We want our books filled for months on end with clients clamoring for a chance to be graced by our brilliance. Some of us have a natural gift, like an idiot savant, that requires no work, build up or education. Kinda like Edward Scissorhands.

But let’s face it, these are incredibly far and few between, like one in a million….or kabillion. The rest of us need to go the old fashion route of learning our trade.

In the olden days (like centuries ago), there was usually a skilled or master tradesman that would take an apprentice under his/her wing to teach that person all the trade secrets, one on one, so that the skills can be passed down to the next generation. Oh, and for quite a few years, he/she would get to be a virtual slave to their every whim. Woohoo!

Nowadays I find most people in our trade want to skip the mentoring part. You know, the one where you are virtually a slave until you’ve become the master?

I mean, let’s face it. The pay typically sucks…. I’m running around, sweeping, holding hair pins, doing laundry, washing hair, fetching that freaking Starbuck’s Low fat Caramel Frappachino while placating YOUR client because YOU’RE running late. Do I have to get a different styling product for EVERY freaking client that sits in your chair or are you just trying to torture me?!?!? I haven’t had a lunch break in, like, 2 years!!! I mean what’s to learn from that CRAP?! Then I have to come in on MY day off and take a class and you’re NOT going to pay me? Your mad I didn’t show up?! WTF! I did my time in school… I’m ready, damnit! LET ME SHINNNNNNNE!!!!!!!

<ehem>

Here’s the deal.

You can do this the hard way or the easy way.

The hard way is when you graduate from school and jump behind the chair and start making money. Yes. That’s the hard way. Why? Because I don’t know about you but I knew virtually nothing when I graduated beauty school. I didn’t realize entirely how much I didn’t know, which is dangerous. We get comfortable with our base knowledge, thinking we know so much but the benefits of apprenticeship or being an assistant can be OUTSTANDING. Here’s a few ways you can benefit from taking THE EASY WAY…

As an assistant you have a unique opportunity to get in there and get to know hair without the stress of knowing what to do with it. When you shampoo and condition, are you taking the opportunity to properly identify the clients hair texture? The condition? The density? This is a great time to try different products to get to know what works better on some hair but not others. This goes for styling products as well. Observe what the stylists are using. If you are not sure,ask why they chose that product. What effect are they trying to accomplish.
Blowouts, blowouts and more blowouts! Aside from, again, learning what different textures of hair react to different techniques, this is a FANTASTIC way of observing the construction of a good hair cut. How? Well, as you take controlled, clean sections of hair, and you are working the section, are there any disjointed pieces that are longer than the rest? Ask yourself if it belongs there? When the stylist cuts layers, how are they suppose to fall? Take note of it in the blowout. Are you looking at each subsection and mapping out where you want it to fall or are you winging it? Motivate yourself to ask yourself these questions as you work. Not only will it keep your job interesting but you may start looking forward to the challenge.
Watch and Listen! I know you are running around but see if you can take the time to stand a good 10 feet away (don’t crowd your stylist) and watch how that person approaches their client. Everyone has their strengths so find the person who has a killer consultation. Who has the cleanest and varied cutting techniques? Who can balayage and color correct? Ask questions! If they are that good, they will not be afraid to share.
Practice! Be THAT person who is experimenting techniques on friends and family. Be THAT person who asks to help the stylist blowout their clients hair so you can gain experience. Be THAT person who shows up to every educational opportunity, with a smile on and pen and paper.

There’s a good amount of you that are saying to yourself, “Danni, what the hell?! I can’t find an apprenticeship!” I know. It took me 6 months to find an appropriate apprenticeship back in the day. I got offers from tons of places for stylists jobs though. Yup. They’d train me for a few weeks but I seemed bright and eager and if I had a problem, I could ask for help…..no.

You are not a brilliant master with just 2 to 4 weeks training.

Okay. Bottom line. What do you want from your career? If it’s to be a brilliant master stylist then you need to actively seek opportunities to learn. Not just at the yearly hair show that rolls into town, but in the everyday moments. To this day, I go into work thinking “What am I going to learn today?”. I actively seek it, which inevitably leads me to it.

You are building a career. Make sure that foundation in solid.

Salon Life: Why Invest In Shears?

October 1, 2015October 1, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

“Every artist was first an amateur.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson

By Misti Blu Day
Think about purchasing a purse. I never gave a crap about brands and just wanted something to carry my belongings. After breaking several purses every year from zippers to straps, I decided to start shelling out money for a decent purse that would last through my abuse. Shears are similar in the sense that being in this career for years or a lifetime, you want and need tools that have your back.

Hattori Hanzo Shears is one of the fastest growing companies in the industry. Blah blah blah. Who cares. What matters to me is that they are a culture and a crew and give a shit or two about us in the industry and want to see you better yourself and grow.

They offer a lifetime warranty and also just came out with a program called “Stay Sharp Inshearance” that protects the shears if lost, stolen or damaged beyond repair. They use a few different metals. Molybdenum and carbon are the most popular. What I especially love is that they are all passionate about the industry and build amazing relationships with fellow stylists while providing education, which is a high priority with this company. It is almost as if you get your own personal Hanzo human with your set of shears! They provide you a set of shears to use while they sharpen your set so that you are never without the Hanzo Force.

Do you have shitty credit? Because I do. They do not check your credit and they don’t bury you with intrest rates. In fact, their is no intrest rate! They have an easy pay online system.

I am fortunate enough to have seen Hanzo at Premiere Orlando, living here in Orlando, as well as working with Steven Lightfoot, the Artistic Directorand Technical Director of Product Development and Education for Peter Coppola. Lance from Hanzo came in and dropped off shears based on what I was currently using. I got to test drive these bad boys and was instantly in love and could not imagine giving them back their shears… So I bought them! I am now the proud momma bear owner of the HH8-6.0: 6.0 Inch Talon and the HH14T: The Shimatta.

Many of their educators from all over the US are celebrity stylists that take the time out of their busy lives to educate stylists and share their personal knowledge on the craft. We had Elijah Mack who came from the west coast to do a class at our salon, The Big Bang Studio in Cocoa Village.

“My “4 to 1” technique is a truly progressive approach to shear over comb. I created this technique based on my extensive training with true master “traditional” barbers.

It is this technique that brought me to Hattori Hanzo Shears and my current position. I travel the country teaching this technique and it is changing the way “we” cut hair.

“We” being the key word. I see barbers and cosmetologists as one in the same. In fact I believe we should all receive one license and a separate certificate should be given for straight razor shaving that is regulated to the standards of tattooing and piercing.”
-Elijah Mack

Hattori Hanzo Shears launched a non-profit organization called Support The Trade in 2010 to support the training of women in the art & science of hairdressing as an alternative to prostitution and human trafficking. They collect your old shears as donation, clean them up and sharpen them so that these women can have tools for their new future. I think it is an amazing cause and I love the fact that I am supporting a company that helps women with less fortunate opportunities and gives them hope and skills to support themselves and their families.

I donated two shears to a good cause. Pretty bad ass. I also purchased the pair of shears (The HH9T) that were the scariest to me, but now that I understand them and what they do, I can slay some domes.

Confessions of a Hair Snob.

September 21, 2015September 27, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

“Get an education. Learn as much as you can because no matter what happens in life, no one can take that away from you. Nobody.” ~my Dad

By Danni Gess

I am a Hair Snob.

I was going to use a more PC term but there it is; out there for you to judge.

The truth of the matter is, my snobbery began a week into beauty school. Completely out of my element and fearful of being mediocre in yet another aspect of my life, I had made the decision if I was going to do this, I was going to be the best at it.

I know. A little obnoxious but why shoot for the moon when you can reach for the stars?

I organized study groups in my classes. Made flash cards and associated myself with the most driven students in the school. I would drill myself for hours by working on my clean partings. Practicing the basics over and over until I could do them in my sleep. When I graduated, I immediately applied to some of the most well known salons in Manhattan only to come to the quick realization that, with my commute, it was an eighty hour week. With small children, it was not a commitment I could make (it was a bitter pill to swallow but we all make our choices). So I applied to the most prestigious salons on Long Island and was accepted at an Intercoiffure salon with a minimum 2 year education program.

The first week I was there, they shut down the salon and had a three day Sassoon class. (I KNOW! Crazy.) I went to classes every week, attended every education seminar, balked when they would want a week off classes for holidays, and had my best friend drive me in for class when I broke my foot and on pain meds (my manikins had very creative haircuts those first two weeks).

I received daily examples of excellence from my boss, who at one point was the creative director for Intercoiffure USA, and from my coworkers and former instructors, who took the time to watch each other’s handiwork everyday and spoke of their craft with words like excellence, quality and drive.

They were deliciously and unabashedly snobby about their education. And I loved every one of them for it.

Why?

The knowledge that I needed to hold myself to a higher standard was empowering. Knowing that in between clients I could watch someone slice through hair like their shears were an extension of the hand was something to marvel at. Or witness a carefully crafted updo that defied the laws of gravity for a photo shoot. Every. Friggin. Day.

On the flip side….

It was terrifying. I could not coast through, bluff it, nor slack off. There were expectations to learn techniques that were at times, intimidating. And everyone was aware of what you were doing. I mean…we were snobs. If you weren’t keeping up, it was noticed and recounted.

Prior to my salon life, the thought of being held to such possible ridicule was not only horrifying but my soft mushy heart would have broken. The experience of having to absorb so much information and perform was, at times, anxiety filled but it mostly toughened me. Made me stronger.

I remember when I left that salon and ultimately moved out of state, I made the conscious decision to go to a salon that did not have that level of elitism. I felt I needed a break from the high intensity and perhaps the high expectations that were always carried with me. My co-worker had warned me that I would regret not being in this environment even though I was getting weary of it. And you know what?

I miss it.

At first it was liberating. I began breaking “rules” that lead to experimentation. I exposed myself to things outside the carefully constructed elite bubble that I was existing in. Unfortunately, the high of “being on my own” slowly faded and I was left with Now what?. I was booth renting. Education was not handed to me on a silver platter. I had to find the motivation to aggressively seek it, every day.

Sad face. Trying to drum up motivation.

If I cannot find a way to grow then what the hell am I doing in this business?

Part of this blog’s purpose, for me, is to capture that thirst for knowledge…. nurture it, and spread it around to as many people who will listen. I want encourage other stylists to raise the bar because greatness can be in one’s grasp if you are driven. I want YOU to be passionate about our craft and perfecting it.

Why?

Because I am a hair snob.

The Social Media Renaissance of Artisan Stylists

September 18, 2015September 27, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

By Danni Gess

I don’t know about you, but since the mainstream acceptance of fashion colors, I’ve been seeing an incredible evolution in the hair industry. An artistic freedom has been unleashed that can only be described as a Renaissance.

Skilled in their craft, creative, and highly motivated, the Artisan Stylist is what I call the exciting new kind of beauty professional that was born from the likes of Instagram, Periscope, and YouTube.

By definition, an artisan is a person who has the creativity and trained skill to create an exceptional product. We, as beauty professionals, have always understood our value but the embracing of these social media artisans speaks volumes to the level of increasing respect for our industry’s artistry.

Though there are hundreds, if not, thousands of stylists that have showcased brilliant work worthy of mention, I decided to feature three whom I follow, that are predominately creative color.

Ash Fortis, aka xostylistxo, is an Instagram sensation with 57k followers and a ton of recognition from major publications such as Modern Salon, Beauty Launchpad and The Colorist Mag. The first time I saw her work was when a co-worker showed me some pictures from Instagram. The juxtaposition of modern edginess and sweet feminity of her color choices had me eyeballing my tubes of fashion colors with unbridled glee.

this part of her collection she named Moonstone.

She shared with me some of the current looks she is working on and what direction she see the trends are going.

“Hologramic hair is with a silverized base. I choose colors that would help give the look a three dimensional effect. I also place blocks of colors through the hair…I predict that silver and metallic colors will be very popular…Dusky Metallic. I think more hair stamping, like what I am doing with the digital hair feathers and pixels”

I’m not going to lie, I’m a sucker for the digital feathers. It’s a brilliant, modern take on that popular feather trend. I’ve heard more than stylist say they missed that trend. Come on!… Admit it! You want it back. Ha! Well, the feather trend has sailed on BUT, I can see this catching on.

My inner geek completely fell in love with the Pixel Project spearheaded by Philip Ring, aka Philipdoeshair. Shockingly bold and modern, Philip shared that his inspiration came from an old Vidal Sassoon Bauhaus book that featured Annie Humfrey and Mark Hayes creation in the 1980s. A Sassoon devotee, that drive for excellence shows in every delicious detail in his creations. The concept of taking a flat graphic and somehow create a fluid design is, to me, ground breaking.

I remember when Philip was working on his pixel technique because I was trying to figure it out at the same time. My first attempt was, shall we say, uh…unimpressive, so I was green with envy when I saw he cracked the code.

S’all good, my friend. I bow to your brilliance. <grin>

Jordan Glyndmeyer, aka PinupJordan, came to my attention in an education forum over a year ago. I feel like I’ve watched her artistic “voice” develop to the point that I can spot a PinupJordan creation in a lineup. A prolific Instagramer, Jordan has quickly accumulated nearly 20k “Mermaid” followers that embrace a bold color story with a classic pin up bent.

My favorite thing about following Jordan’s feed (aside from the obvious)? I love a good success story. From a small town hairstylist to a booming entrepreneur, she is always looking at new ways to expand her knowledge; how can you NOT be inspired to push yourself?

Much like the difference between a Monet and a Rembrandt, each of these professionals have a unique artistic voice that have striking differences and yet they all have legions of fans that await their newest creation. Social media has created a platform for gifted professionals to share their work independently without having to partner with a corporate name. It’s a brave new world!

How long the fashion color trend will last is uncertain but one thing is for sure; It has unleashed a movement that, I believe, is here to stay.

Are you an Artisan Stylist showcasing your work on social media? Comment below and tell us your experience!

Salon Life: Peter Coppola Refinishing System

September 12, 2015September 27, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / 1 Comment

By Misti Blu Day

Peter Coppola is not just a product line. This is an all encompassing haircare brand that is here to galvanize the beauty industry with something real. For me, it is a culture.

Peter Coppola is the reason why the term “unisex” exists. In the 70s you could not step foot in a beauty parlor if you were a man. It was illegal! Women could not go to barbershops. Peter Coppola took this to the Supreme Court and fought for a change. He won the case and the next day, unisex was a word.

When I first began my career in cosmetology, I noticed how cutthroat other stylist were. They would talk poorly about their peers behind their back to make themselves look better and more skilled. They would take clients and keep their knowledge to themselves like secrets. I love that this industry has grown so much over the years and changed in such a positive way. Now, we have each other’s backs and share our knowledge and education with each other. In my salon, we even share our clients sometimes and it is no big deal! I love that companies like Hattori Hanzo Shears and Peter Coppola are the package deal and inspire passion, education and giving back. We are in this industry together and share a passion together. Be the change!

What I love about this product is that is is simple, safe and versatile. Other treatments require you to open the doors in your salon and plug in a fan at your station while you try not to breathe in the toxic fumes and fog up the room. Peter Coppola Keratin Treatment has a step that requires the product to be rinsed out prior to applying heat. This also means that your client can leave and wash their hair whenever. No more waiting three days with a filmy residue and avoiding clips. They leave ensured with a perfectly manageable texture that will leave them constantly running their fingers through their hair for up to 90 days.

Sasha before:

Sasha after:

What you need:

Blow Dryer
Flat Iron

Clips

Bowl

Cape

Towel

Brush
Fine Tooth Comb

Prep:

-Shampoo the hair with the Peter Coppola Clarifying Shampoo. Shampoo the hair, not scalp, by sliding down the hair as opposed to rubbing, which prevents tangling. Shampoo once or twice and towel dry hair to 80% dry by patting like you do with a perm.

Treatment:

Part the hair in four quadrants and start in the back right, back left, front right, front left.

Apply product with a comb or color brush. Comb through at the end as close to scalp without applying to scalp.

Processing time is minimum 20 minutes to maximum of 50 minutes. You can put under dryer for first 10 minutes for very highly texturd hair.) Comb every 5-10 min to make sure it is straight, creating mechanical manipulation and tension.

Rinse the hair and blowout their hair out the way they want, straight or volumized. Flat Iron hair the same way was applied. Comb followed by flat iron for 3-8 passes at 350-430 degrees and refinishing the texture your client desires. The range of the passes and temperature vary based on desired results and condition of the hair giving you control of the clients end results.

Follow up with a trim if needed.

Additional notes:

Oxoacetemide and carbo-cysteine are the main active ingredients, making this product an acidic 1.8 pH, whereas formaldehyde and aldehyde based treatments are alkaline with a high pH. Hair has an approximate pH of 4.5ish. Pure h2O has a pH of 7.

Check out http://ewg.org/ to look up ingredients in any product if you are a nerd like me and want to know what and how chemicals work.

You can even do treatments on beards!

Beautiful Thursday: Truth and Lies About Olaplex

September 10, 2015September 27, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / 8 Comments

“Olaplex is a bond multiplier containing a single active ingredient, Bis-Aminopropyl Diglycol Dimaleate. Olaplex works by finding single sulfur hydrogen bonds and cross linking them back together to form disulfide bonds before, during and after services. Disulfide bonds are broken via chemical, thermal, and mechanical processes.” ~ Olaplex.com

By Danni Gess

In the hair industry, there is a mystical aura surrounding this product. Over the past year we have seen Youtube videos, Instagram pictures and glossy magazine articles that extol the products benefits, but is it really the stuff of fairy dust, unicorn blood and dragon scales or is it just another product promising the world and delivering nothing?

Let me first preface this by saying that I use this product, not only on many of my clients but on myself as well. I am a natural level 5 and have an obsession with being REALLY blonde. Over the years, particularly before I became a colorist, I had pushed limits to try and achieve this blonde including an unfortunate incident where my hair fell out like needles on a old Christmas tree.

For many blondes this is a real thing. Over highlighting, too strong a lightener, flat ironing, can create a big fat plate of spaghetti hair.

Spaghetti Hair : /spəˈɡedē her/ (n) Hair that has a disintegrated cuticle which leaves the hair feeling slimy when wet. When dried, this hair typically falls away.

When presented a new product, I am the first person I test it on. Nothing goes on my client’s head until I am certain that it is a product that will add value to their service. For An addition to a color service starting at $15 ($30 for the take home) I wanted to feel confident that Olaplex is something that will bring results. So, based SOLELY on my own head of hair (though I’ve done hundreds services with the product) here is what it can and cannot do.

It CAN protect your hair from unneccessary damage….when used responsibly. When I do my roots, I am using Olaplex. There are times when, inevitably, the lightener overlaps onto my previously lightened hair. In the “old days” this would create some hair breakage. Luckily, having a short funky haircut helps with this because it goes unnoticeable. However, now I can honestly say I have no breakage. To the point that I’m seriously considering growing my hair out, which I will only do if I have healthy hair.
Olaplex is NOT a conditioning treatment. My hair is still dry. This does not shock me. Not once have I read that Olaplex claim it is a conditioning treatment or a mask. So if your stylist is claiming it will put moisture in your hair…refer him/her to this blog.
Your hair will NOT be Teflon after using it in a chemical service. Olaplex has strengthened my hair over time because I use the #3 home care product. Olaplex IS going to give extra insurance when lightening your hair BUT when you get home and style with heat and exposure to environmental elements, your hair gets damaged. If you need to strengthen your hair, maintain what you invested in by using the number #3 at home product. It last about a month (I have short hair so it lasted MUCH longer)
Olaplex works BUT if you are putting olaplex/lightener onto spaghetti hair and expect a miracle, I have a bridge I can sell you! Do yourself a favor. If you have mushy overprocessed hair, go to a salon, do an Olaplex treatment, purchase the at home #3 and a good mask. Stylists, when they come back in a month, not only will you be able to SAFELY work with their hair but you will have a client for life!
Alas, It is NOT made of unicorn blood, fairy dust nor dragon scales. It’s just science which is equally awesome. However, don’t get confused. It ain’t magic. When people start claiming it can do stuff that it is not designed to do, it makes my job difficult. Not only do I wind up having clients that are disappointed when rainbows and sparkles aren’t glinting off their noggin, but as an industry, it creates a culture of mistrust.

Lastly, I have a little bit of friendly advice for my fellow stylists. I understand that we all learn differently and sometimes having someone TELL you how to do something seems reliable but seriously, not everybody knows what they are talking about. AND you are the person that suffers the consequence if you do not use the product correctly. Personally, I did this crazy thing called “reading the directions” and “research”. You’d be shocked at how awesome these two actions can be!

Have you used this product? What was your experience? Have questions?

COMMENT! LIKE! FOLLOW!

Lipstick Lust

September 8, 2015September 27, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

By Misti Blu Day

1) NYX Soft Matte Lip Cream in Monte Carlo: High pigments and soft with lasting wear that does not crack or peel. This line is my favorite matte series. Shop

2) Sigma gloss in Lip Vex: The Lip Vex contains a smooth, creamy finish and long-wearing shine for versatility and everyday glamour. Paraben-free. Shop

3) Revlon Color Burst Matte Balm in Audacious: Another great matte series that does not flake unless you are like me and wear it for days. If that is the case I suggest with any lipstick to apply a chapstick basecoat so your lips do not dry out. And instead of reapplying, wipe off and start over or any product it will get cakey and gummy overtime. I love the bright pigment. Perfect orangey shade to mix it up. Shop

4) Baby Lips by Maybelline in Crystal Kiss: This is my go to basecoat to prevent drying out my lips and also for evening, before bed wear. Lipcare is important to maintain moisturize so that you are able to wear highly pigmented lip colors on the daily. Shop

5) MAC Lipstick in Rebel: I go through this color like I do my hot sauce. I am already almost out again. I love this rich plum shade. Hands down my alltime favorite. Shop

Top 5 Tuesday – Our Top 5 Favorite Photo Apps

September 1, 2015September 3, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / 1 Comment

One of our favorite things is to take beautiful pictures that captures our favorite moments. Luckily, Misti Blu is an accomplished photographer but let’s face it, having the equipment to take all these pictures on the fly is just not an option. That’s where our handy dandy phones come to the rescue, but what do you do when you’ve captured a beautiful shot but it looks flat and uninspired?

Photo Apps to the rescue!

Many of the best photo Apps have a wide variety of options from preset adjustments to full autonomy where you can choose what the picture needs to adjust. I’ve also been known to use multiple apps on the same picture if I’m looking for a certain effect. Here are the ones we are playing with now but tell us your favorites!

1) Autodesk Pixlr

This is a free app that gives tons of options for presets and is one of my favorites for selfies. Why? Because it has a lovely button to create a smooth glow to the picture. I also love their text options, borders and overlays that can add anything from laser beams to pretty morning light flecks that add a touch of magic.

What I don’t like is their stickers. Though I’m not one to use them on the regular to begin with, I personally find their options cheesy.

*Bonus Feature: If you have a blemish there’s a “heal” button that will eliminate it. Sigh…if only there was one in real life.

2) VSCO

My son turned me on to this free app about a month ago. Though their options for presets are limited in the free version, I do love the many easy to use options to adjust the picture by hand. I find this app particularly helpful when I take a picture that is too dark. Sometimes just changing the lighting and contrast won’t cut it. The color and sharpness may get lost in the process which is where this app really shines. From tint colors, saturation, sharpness….I’ve taken pictures that were unrecognizable to wow in moments.

*What I don’t like? There’s no add ons, like writing text or overlays but as a straight up photo editor, it kicks ass.

3) TextsPhoto

Admittedly I’m just starting to play around with this one. I’ve tried several apps that add texts along with the option of banners and stickers for my advertising. Though you have to pay .99 cents to get all the font options, they still give you enough for free to feel like you can mix it up a bit. I love their banners, seals and scrolling that you can add to the picture however I’m still figuring out how to adequately shrink the text with out tilting it. I’m a bit of a perfectionist so to see a line of text ever so slightly askew and I keep overshooting to make it straight again, I get frustrated and trash the whole project.

Again, this one has been superior than some of the other “just add text” apps but still has its quirks. I still use Pixlr Express because its a little more user friendly but it definitely does not have all the options that this app has.

4) Afterglow

Afterglow is Misti’s go to app. You can resize images into squares for Instagram, play with filters, add light leaks or film scratches, record actions and save them for easier and faster use. I love how artsy you can make an image. If I could change one thing about it, it would be that there was a text option.

5) Diptic

Diptic is a collage app that also lets you adjust filters, borders, color, text, etc. I especially love that it does not add it’s logo to your collage when done, like the other collage apps I have tried. It is great for personal as well as professional. I use it a lot for before and after shots and for marketing. Super simple and saves your favorite templates.

Shoutouts:
ABM: Cute and quirky fun photo app with filters and stickers and texts to dress up and photo on the fly.

Hipstamatic: Artsy film style camera that let’s you collect and use different lenses, film, flashes, etc. Great for the film nerd who misses their old camera.

Street Style Saturday – Biker Babes with Electric Oranges

August 29, 2015August 29, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

Electric Oranges is Carly Sinigoi and Sarah Starling from Brevard County in Florida. It is a pop up style shop filled with vintage, up cycles and couture clothing straight from the Sunshine State. Their collection features items that span several decades and their tastes are impeccable and fun.

Danielle Gess, Theresa Lanno and Misti Blu Day where the hair and makeup team for this shoot. We got ready at The Big Bang Studio and took this set outside of the studio. Photos are by Misti Blu Photography and of course wardrobe and styling by Electric Oranges. We came together to collaborate on a few ideas. Stay tuned for our Street Style Saturday, which will be dedicated to sharing these delicious shoots as well as including information on how to track down Electric Oranges.

Upcoming Electric Orange trunk shows:

September 5th 10am – 5pm

Electric Fall Events

Rehab Vintage Market Melbourne, FL
(Parking lot)

Pop up $5 Holler Sale

(EVERYTHING is $5)

October 10th 9am-5pm

Rehab Vintage Revival

Highland Ave, Downtown Eau Gallie

Large variety of vendors

October 17th

Salty Sweet Women’s ProAM Surf Contest at the Cocoa Beach Pier

Over 100 Women Surfers

Including Electric Oranges’ Shay Mahoney

Beautiful Thursday: Are You Getting A Proper Blow Out?

August 27, 2015August 27, 2015 / Blu Owl Gypsy / Leave a comment

“It doesn’t matter if I do the best haircuts in the industry if I can’t showcase it with a beautiful blowout.”

A few years ago, the world was introduced to blow out bars. Popping up in metropolitan areas like Manhattan, Los Angeles and D.C., it was a marketed as the “it” experience for professional women to get their hair coiffed in a long lasting hairstyle in a luxury setting. Oftentimes, cocktails would be served while pursuing through a glossy menu of style choices, giving the client the feeling of being in an episode of Gossip Girls where Blair Waldorf could breeze in at any given time.

It’s a business model that reminds me a little of the nail salon industry. Very specifically catered to a woman who will slap down $35 to $50 a week for a polished and finished look. The funny thing is, salons have been offering this service for generations and the introduction of blow out bars had only created a rise in requests.

If you have crazy thick curly hair that you only wash a couple times a week (because who wants to blow all that out everyday?) the investment of having someone do it for you and it lasts for a few days? Hellyeah!

Or if you have an event like a wedding, a reunion or a night on the town, and you want to look gorgeous but not like you tried too hard? Yup. A banging blow out.

But are all blow outs the same?

First off, and many of my colleagues may get mad at me for saying this, not all stylist are trained to give a quality blowout. It seems like the simplest of hair services and is often approached that way by many salons but in truth, it’s far more complicated than one would think. Aside from having an understanding of what the client desires; the cut, texture, density, length, and quality of the hair all influence how the stylist approaches the blowout. Each factor will determine what product to use, what brush, the direction in which they hold the hair, how much hair they take in each subsection, what heat to use. Every head of hair mapped out so that each strand falls to its desired location.

This takes training from a knowledgeable educator, patience and a lot of practice. Sadly, not something all professionals want to commit the time to. Why? Time and money. Blowouts are often included in haircuts or color services which adds 20 to 30 minutes to the hair service so many people devalue its importance.

Time is money…..but quality is King.

So how do you know you got a value out of your investment?

First, you should be able to get your fingers through your hair. If the stylist is putting heavy sticky hairspray in your hair (or layers upon layers of product after you are dry), the chances are, they did not properly seal the cuticle or work the hair enough. A little serum and a light working hairspray that still leaves your hair with movement and bounce should be adequate.

Second, your ends should be smooth. Many stylists work on smoothing out the hair (creating that beautiful shine) but give up by the time they get to the ends of your hair which typically needs the most help. The ends of your hair is the oldest part of your hair and is subjected to the most damage. The point of a good blow out is to smooth the hair thus giving it the appearance of healthy hair.

Third, your blow out should last 2 to 3 days. What does that mean? Your hair should maintain it’s smooth texture and with just some light brushing, it should get somewhat back to it’s original style. Granted, there are exceptions to every rule. Some people have over active sebaceous glands but a little bit of dry shampoo at the scalp should put things back in order.

When I worked in New York, the demand for a perfect blowout was so high that it often monopolized my book. Once my clients came in for a cut and had a proper blow out they became excited about their hair’s potential. They were accustomed to that rough dry followed by a flat iron which left no body. It’s an experience they never had with their hair before and It’s a little addicting.

So, now that you are armed with all this information, the question you should be asking yourself is….

Are you getting a proper blow out?