My Work: Balayage Highlights

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This client came in with level 5 colored hair – and mixed in was a little wisdom on her roots.
She wanted her gray covered with some red and blonde balyage highlights throughout.

1. I started by applying Wella Kolestone 5/0 and 20vol to her roots
2. Next I foiled in a few red highlights with 30 vol and Wella Kolestone 7/34 and a few highlights using Blondor and 2o vol
3. I took her straight to the bowl and balayaged highlights on between the foils and in the back
4. While I was letting that process I did a soap cap starting on her ends and worked my way up to lighten up her ends
5. Once everything was done I toned just her roots with 6N Redken Shades to soften up the highlight lines around her face
6. I finished up with some long layers and face framing and she was good to go

 

Hair Tips: Common Short Hair Styling Mistakes

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Don’t make yourself look old and dated by styling your short hair wrong.

Your hairstylist can give you the trendy hair cut that you’ve always wanted, but it is up to you to learn how they style it.

Learn from your stylist, watch them, ask questions, read my blog 😉 and put those styling tricks into practice.

1) I love Volume
Use a mousse on your crown, because after all, the higher the hair the closer to God. No but for real, volume makes your face look thinner and is pleasing to the eye.

2) Shiny Healthy Hair
When your hair is short it is imperative that it be healthy [or appear healthy] There is nothing worse to look at than a dry, dull, short, frizzy ball of hair. This is one of the main reasons I colored my hair from blonde to brown. Changing the color of your hair isn’t the only way to add shine. Another way to achieve optimum shine is to use a moisturizing serum before and after you blow dry. This will coat the cuticle letting the light reflect off of your hair.

3) Section Your Hair
With short hair you only have so much room to go lax on your styling. When you section your hair it makes you hair more manageable. Start in the back at the bottom and work your way up.

4) Handling Your Brush
Here is the kicker… You want volume on your crown BUT NOT ON THE PERIMETER OF YOUR HAIR. If you see in the above picture on the left you will see where the sides are very rounded under. This dates you! Direct your nozzle straight down and do not turn your brush as you are blow drying. Get the sides as straight as possible.

For goodness sake do not blow dry your bangs full of volume and straight forward. If you are going to blow dry them forward make sure that you don’t put volume in them. You can do this by using your round brush to get the kinks out and hold your nozzle straight down. I start by blow drying mine straight forward and while they are still warm manipulate them and push them to the side. Then I round brush them going backwards to get the extra lift to the side.

5) Touch Up The Edges
I section off the top section of my hair and flat iron the perimeter to make this haircut look trendy.

6) Finish Off With a Spray Wax, Shine Spray & Hairspray
I love spray wax vs a pomade. It is so workable and weightless. It gives your hair a piece-y look.
The shine spray will close your cuticle and protect against humidity while leaving your hair shiny and youthful.
You can never have enough hairspray. Hold your bangs back, spray some hair spray, and manipulate them before the hairspray dries.