Young Poor & Angry Press

Yeah, that’s right guys, I’m writing just for you this week!  If you’re feeling frustrated with your ‘do, then continue forth and check out my tips and tricks.  You’ll be well groomed in no time!

Just cause men tend to have shorter hair, doesn’t mean that a quality haircut doesn’t matter.  Unless your head is pretty much shaved all the time, a well executed cut will make a world of difference.  When hair is cut only with clippers and a guard, the result will look alright at first, but deteriorate over time as it grows out.  That’s because clippers operate very similarly to a lawn mower, and cut the hair to the same length, no matter what.  This would work out well, if the head was perfectly round or square.  It’s not.  Thus, the hair will be uneven - a fact that will magnify as it gets longer.  You need to see someone who will either use scissor-over-comb or clipper-over-comb;  the techniques that inspired clipper guards to begin with.  Read the rest of this entry »

I have noticed many clients of mine, many of whom have been blonde for years, are asking to move toward a more natural, darker color. When handled properly, going darker can have lots of benefits. Your hair looks thicker and shinier, you might be able to stretch the time between your appointme

nts more easily, and the fewer highlights or high lift colors used, the less damage done to the hair. With all of the concern about money, this could be a good way for you to save some cash in the long term.

You need to talk to your stylist about your best route to a darker or more natural shade. If you have been blonde for years and years you need to make this change gradually. As much as you may want to just go for it and dye all of your hair a chocolate brown, you will most likely hate it. You will think your hair is black (even though isn’t) and it is likely you will want to go back to blonde immediately. Unfortunately, color is nothing like painting a wall, so if you decide you need your blonde back, it will involve lightener (bleach). Chances of getting the hair as blonde as it was before are pretty much non-existent.

Going dark gradually has another advantage as well, color can get layered onto your hair a little bit at a time. When hair is blonde (by way of color) the hair shaft is porous and damaged allowing color molecules to dissipate easier. This is your hair color fading! The first time you color hair over blonde, it usually lightens up quickly, sometimes completely fading out by the next appointment. Each time you layer the color, more molecules stay, so it can take a few visits before your hair stays as dark as you would like. Flip side of this, is if you get low lights and hate them, wait it out. Wash your hair with hot water and a clarifying shampoo if you want it to lighten quicker, but chances are you will not hate it in a week, when the color has shifted and changed.

Testing the waters with family and friends isn’t a bad idea either. If your significant other hates your darker hair, it’s going to make going back to blonde any easier. Sometimes what people say about how we look really effects us, so go get their opinion first!

Okay, so think about it, ask around, and do NOT attempt to go darker on your own. If your hair is blonde enough and you dye it was a nice neutral brown, your hair could turn green. I had a girl who did this and that literally ran over from University of Florida, about three miles because she realized in the harsh overhead lighting of the bathrooms of her dorm that her hair was green. Just come to the salon for a consultation (Salon La Did Da, the salon I’m a stylist) so you can discuss you opinions. There are several different techniques for going darker so you guys can really figure out which one is best for you. Bring pictures that you like, to show how dark you want to be, and discuss your fears. Move slowly, don’t try too much, and enjoy the road to darker hair that actually looks natural.

Now that the summer rains and humidity have begun, wearing your hair wavy can be a nice alternative to your usual styling regime.  Beachy waves are sexy, practical, and relatively easy to attain.  As long as you hair has some wave and curl to it, this technique should work very well.  If you have super straight hair, I’m sorry, you will have to use some sort of hot tool, preferably a flat iron, to create waves.
Start with hair that has had a little bit of time to air dry.  Spray your choice of foundation product, (something with at least a little bit of hold) my preference is Styling Lotion by Bb., all over the hair.  Next layer Bb. Grooming Creme (a product with slight hold and a satin finish) all over as well.  Go ahead and skip the Grooming Creme or just concentrate it on your ends if you have very fine hair.  Really make sure you coat your hair with the product, separate the hair into sections to make this even easier.  Next, spray Surf Spray by Bb. (a wave/curl enhancing texturizing product that replicates ocean water) all over, especially at the root if you need a bit of extra lift.
Now that you have your products in, its time to do the drying.  I recommend using a clip to section the hair a bit, I find that getting the hair all dry is very difficult without separation.  Now take a large section and twist it to the root.  In general, the bigger the section, the looser the curl will be.  If you find that your hair doesn’t curl well, try taking more smaller sections.  Then collect the twist up in your hand, holding it roughly parallel to the section, and apply heat with the blow dryer.  It is best to have the dryer on high heat but low blowing intensity, you don’t want to agitate the hair a whole lot.  Get your section almost dry (80-90%) and then let it down.  The curls will not lay together well at first, but kinda separated and dread-y.
When you complete this process all over the head is when you can get a little creative.  You can just rake your fingers through with some of the Grooming Creme on your hands to polish out the curls and give them a little more weight.  You can spray a little more Surf Spray in and break it up for a more dirty and separated look.  If you feel like your roots are too flat, flip your head and diffuse the rest of the water out.  Just play with it and see what you like that day!
Good luck guys!  I’ll have another technique for curly/wavy hair next time that might even be easier!

Last article we figured out if we were warm or cool and the implications for hair color.  Today, I am going to go into more depth in the warm tones.  If you are warm, you are either a sun or an earth (Color Me Beautiful calls these spring and autumn).

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