Talk to The Scissors hair and beauty blog

Bob Hair Cutting Class Coming Up!

8/8/2018

This year is really flying, and although I don't want to make it go any faster, I am SO looking forward to the month of October, when I will be back at ION Studio in NYC, taking a hair cutting class; all about Bob Hair Styles! As you recall, back in May, I attended a hair cutting class all about Shag Hair Cuts. Well, that was a game changer for me! Messy, lived in Shags, created using a razor - the techniques I learned were so fresh and current. I am sure that this class will be no different. Bob hairstyles are timeless and can be done so many different ways. Being that ION Salon is in the heart of SOHO, NYC - the fashion mecca - and the educators are top notch, world class - I am so excited to see what I will learn at this class! Stay tuned!

Observations from NYC

5/3/2018

So I was in NYC yesterday for my haircut, and as always, it was an exciting trip! I love taking in the latest trends going on in the heartbeat of the city; it can be so inspiring. Here's what I observed yesterday:

BANGS!!! Yes! Heavy fringes were everywhere - (think classic Louise Brooks, Cleopatra, etc.) Really borrowing from Pin Up Girl style - there was lots of long hair with awesome, heavy, blunt bangs! I've always loved that look, although it's not for everyone.
Work out pants with full leg panels of mesh. Yep, so many people had them on. You know, the black spandex-y gym pants and on the sides there are full panels of see through black mesh. I wouldn't do that one, save it for the gym! Not only that, it was 93 degrees and too hot in my book, to be walking around in body hugging black spandex gym pants!
Big, baggy, flowery peasant dresses! Think flower sacks with flower patterns. Nope, not flattering on me. Maybe if you're young, tiny, and have a great hair cut. When I went in Zara girls were flocking to these dresses.
White, baggy peasant blouses, almost looking Puritan-like. I have to admit, I tried one on in Uniqlo...and quickly took it off! Not for me! Been there, did that in the '70s, when I was oh so much younger and care free....no need to re-visit!

The coolest thing/person I saw was a young guy at a construction site, with a flaming (and I mean flaming!) ORANGE mullet! I had to say something, so I said "WHOA.....That is SOME HAIR!!!" Of course he said, "thanks a lot!" seemingly glad for the recognition of his work of art. It takes some guts to wear a flaming orange mullet on a construction site,. Wish I had gotten a photo!

The One Thing You Need For Hair Success

4/26/2018

As I think about it, in all my years being a hair stylist, I can narrow having a successful "hair outcome" down to primarily one thing; having an image (or images) of what you - the client - are looking to achieve! I know it sounds simple, but it really IS that simple! I can't tell you how many times I've done a consultation with a client and I think we are on the same page: "Oh, you want a BOB, then?" "Yes! That's what I want!" Then I show her a photo of a Bob and she almost has a heart attack! "That's waaaaay too short! I could never do that!" LOL Good thing I double checked! Communication is key, but a picture really is worth a thousand words. You know - is it there or their? Is it great or grate? They both sound the same but mean totally different things. So please, please, please....keep this in mind: the next time you go to a salon for the first time, or when you go to your next appointment with a new look in mind, BRING A HAIR PHOTO! This will give your hair stylist a crystal clear idea of what you are looking for and save much time and headache. And with so many websites dedicated to hair styles, there is no shortage of photos and ideas. Keep in mind, however, some looks may not be achievable that day and may take time. It is your stylist's responsibility to explain what can and cannot be done!

Is Ombre' Hair Out?

3/7/2017

Is Ombre' hair out? I've been thinking for some time that the Ombre' trend is indeed an over and done with deal and my latest trip to NYC last weekend seems to confirm my suspicions. Everywhere I looked, I observed natural, subtly contrasted hair. Hair definitely had more of "the way nature intended" kind of look. Really, I can't say that I'm not pleased. For the past year or so I had been noticing more subdued hair color in fashion and celebrity magazines and the introduction of babylights (hilights done to mimic a youthful hair color) has been monumental in achieving this look. Well, yes....I DID see maybe 2 Ombres in New York, but they seemed rather out of place. What does this mean for hair? Subtle! Natural! Dimensional! Balayage is still alive and well and so much fun to do! But with a lighter hand and more strategically placed. Think hair with fine pieces one to two shades lighter, finely woven throughout. Ahhh...perfection! The added bonus of beautifully blended natural hair color is that the grow out is so much more friendly and the maintenance is so much lower. A win-win situation, no?
So good bye Ombre! Hello, natural, subtle, beautiful you!

Why I Charge More For A Haircut

10/21/2016

Do you want an ok haircut or an excellent haircut?
Do you care about your hair and how it looks from day to day?
Do you want ease of styling and a haircut that looks great as it grows out?
Do you want a customized, fit to your features, detailed just for you kind of haircut?
If you've answered yes to any of these questions, read on!

Here, at hair design & color studio - we do things differently.
First off, we never double book clients. That means that when you are in our salon, the focus is on you and only you! A typical haircut appointment is booked for one hour, sometimes more, if you have lots of hair! There are no fast, spray and cut appointments. No client leaves with a wet head of hair. Each and every time you come in for your haircut appointment, we do a consult, to see how your hairstyle is working for you and what changes you might want to make. There is not any "same thing again?" going on! With each haircut appointment, you receive a consult, shampoo, conditioning, cut, blow dry, (flat iron, if necessary to the finished look), and dry cutting/detailing to complete your look. As you can see, there is a lot of thought, effort, skill, education, and passion that goes into each and every haircut that we do!
We do not a la carte haircut prices - as in - just a wash and cut - one price, while a blow dry is optional and extra, as well as flat ironing is extra. Actually salons which do that are usually charging MORE than we do, you just don't realize how the services add up!
If you are a salon value price shopper, then we are not the hair salon for you. If, however, you are a hair savvy, fashion conscious client, looking for quality, artistry, and excellence - you will see the value in what we do and we will be a great match!

The old addage: "You get what you pay for" is so very true, and hair is no exception
to that rule.

So...ROCK ON with your hair!

Does Hair Really Grow Faster In The Summer?

7/19/2016

Summer is here and the question of the day is: "Does hair really grow faster in the summer?"
When I first heard this, I thought "Well, that's an old wive's tale if I've ever heard one!" Then I went for a doctor's visit and out of the clear blue, my doctor started telling me that hair grew faster in the summer! Ok! Have to listen to the expert! Many of my clients come in and tell me that their hair grows faster in the summer, and I believe now that they are right! In an article from the Huffington Post, this is what Elizabeth Cunnane Phillips, a trichologist at the Philip Kingsley Clinic in New York City has to say: “There may be a slight increase in the rate of growth,” says Cunnane-Phillips, “but it’s really marginal. A natural hormonal shift and increase in UV may contribute to some changes, but again I must stress it’s marginal.” Hmmm...coming from someone who has studied hair growth for the past 22 years, I suppose you have to consider what she is saying. She goes on to say: mor? “More highlights and sun oxidation can cause the demarcation between base and scalp to be more apparent than in the winter months,” notes Cunnane-Phillips. “This contributes to the myth.”
So....you be the judge. I don't know, I'm kind of siding with my clients and my doctor. Either way, it's a subject that we are all interested in and have varied opinions about.

The same haircut twice...An impossibility?

4/28/2016

"What is this haircut called? I want the exact same thing next time. Will you remember what you did?"
How often I hear this. And I most often hear it from a client who comes in maybe 3 times a year! So what are the chances? Good question, right? And one I am sure everyone has pondered, or has experience with.

Let me start by saying that the exact same haircut twice literally (IMHO) is impossible. Hair designers who are truly artistic tend to look and evaluate a client on an appointment by appointment basis and given that particular appointment, engineer the look best suited for that client's need on that given day. Often times, there is an artistic flow and we can get lost in the moment of creating. What results is a beautiful new look with that designer's personal "stamp" or touch, which is unique to them and special for you. No two hair designers are the same and that personal touch is theirs alone and will not be duplicated. So when I hear "Thank you for cutting my hair -I will have my old hairdresser follow the lines", I am amused, as this is impossible. Just like fingerprints, hair designers have a personalized touch and no two are alike.

Now that we have that out of the way, what haircut and style is working for one appointment might not work for the next appointment. Why? Things change! The artistic eye is never the same from day to day. Did Van Gogh paint the same painting every time? Of course not! But, you can tell his painting style when you see it, and that is his personalized mark. It is the same thing with hair cutting! Now I am not talking about a client who comes in with waist length hair and only wants a trim but walks out with a pixie! That is called not listening to what the client wants. No, I am saying that no matter what length of hair you have, your haircut will not be the same every time and it is best to realize that and make peace with it.

A truly good hair designer will do a consultation with you on not only your first visit, but every visit - to determine your desires. That includes listening and giving input and ideas. Once you are agreed upon a look, I have found the best results are achieved by not constraining the hair designer, but letting them be creative and do their job!

I go to NYC for my haircuts. I always bring photos of what I am looking to have done. I don't think I have ever walked out with my hair looking exactly like my photos, but I always walk out with awesome hair - a look created with artistic skill and expertise, suited to MY features and personalized just for me. After I show my photos, I give my stylist creative license to do what she sees best and to create it in any way she chooses. It wasn't always this way. I had to learn the hard way. When I used to "direct" my hair stylist and offer suggestions on how to cut my hair and what to use to cut my hair, it was almost always a disaster. No matter how famous the salon, no matter how talented the hairdresser, when I didn't give creative license, it never worked. So... I learned. I keep my mouth shut, go with the flow and I now LOVE my hair...every time! :)

I say this because I know it works. And I want you to know it works. And I want you to know that if you are in a hair designer/client partnership with me, I work this way. I care about and love doing hair and because of that, you will get my best every time. You need to trust me and put your hair in my hands. Does that mean the same look every time? No, but let me be creative and do my job and I think you will love your hair.

Undone is the new Done!

4/14/2016

Fast, easy, carefree - Undone hair is a hot trend and it is easy to see why.
On my last trip to NYC for my haircut I observed two things; bright red lipstick and messy, undone hair.
My amazing stylist, while giving me one of my best haircuts ever, also encouraged me to let my hair dry naturally and to not style it so perfect, as I am prone to do. It was hard for me to get used to at first, but...she was right on. It is so freeing!
A couple weeks after my trip, I started noticing undone hair on the cover of almost every fashion magazine. It all looked so good. I was sold.
I started to think about it, this is nothing new, of course. Think back to Janis Joplin's hair - talk about undone! It was awesome. And here it comes again, only now on all lengths and textures. Don't get me wrong, I am a "every hair has its place" type of person at heart, and that has its place with precision haircuts. But this is something that can look good on everyone. AND it takes so much time off your beauty routine. What used to take me 30 minutes, with round brush, flat iron, etc,. now takes me 5 minutes - a quick blow dry of the bangs, the proper product application and leave it alone!

Of course, this all works if you have the proper hairstyle, cut with skill and worked to your individual features. That is KEY. Then you can shampoo, condition, apply your styling products and either rough dry with your hands or simply air dry and maybe fine tune your fringe or face frame, if they are uncontrollable like mine.
So don't limit yourself - give it a try! Come Undone and you could find you are looking at a whole new you!

NYC Balayage Class @ Wella World Studio

7/24/2015

Hey! I'm back from my Balayage class @ Wella World Studio, NYC, and I thought I'd share some of what I learned while I was there.

First, I have to say that staying in SOHO was pretty cool; Walking the streets and hanging out in the small parks, I got to see what was going on fashion and hair-wise and it was inspiring! I saw a lot of natural hair color, an occasional ombre here and there, but not many. So many cool haircuts! Bobs everywhere - especially dramatic - flapper style bobs with straight and textured bangs. LOVED it!
Chuck Taylors were everywhere! I mean just everywhere. Worn with dresses, skirts and jeans - they were worn in unusual and cool combinations. Couldn't wait to come home and wear my sneaks with some skirts. AND...so many pairs of black yoga/running pants! Hated that. It was a bit too hot and humid to be entrenched in all that spandex and I thought it looked sloppy. Not for me, at least not as a fashion statement. Confine this to the gym, only...PLEASE! lol

As far as my class went, it was intense, inspiring and fun! A lot of theory, then working on mannequins the first day, live models on the second day. What I learned was that Balayage - or Hair Painting is fun and a great additional technique to know for when the client is looking for a natural, grown out hilighting effect. To me, it is most suitable for someone with medium to long hair, who wants to look like she has been sun kissed, while at the beach. Someone in my class said that Balayage will replace foils and I disagree. Foils have their time and place and can be used to create effects that you can't get any other way. Foiling is also an art, when done in a creative way. Since I have been back from my class, I have been Balayag-ing up a storm! I have done this technique solo and have also done it in combination with foils. Either way, it is a beautiful effect. You really have to decide if it is right for you, based on the look you are going for and what you have going on with your hair. It is fun, fresh and worth a try!

BALAYAGE CLASS!

6/5/2015

hair design & color studio education update!

We've been so busy doing and creating, here at the studio, it has been impossible to post anything lately. We had a moment and would like to post an exciting update!

In early July - Melissa will be attending a 2 day intensive Balayage class at Wella World Studio, NYC! It is so exciting, we can barely contain ourselves. As you may or may not know, Balayage is a free form highlighting technique and is French for "sweep!" While Balayage does not replace traditional foiling techniques, it is a great addition to color techniques for a sun-kissed, natural highlighted look. It has been used in Europe for many, many years and is becoming increasingly popular here, in the USA now, too.

So....give us a call...come and see us and find out if Balayage is right for your look. Hair ideas...it's what we are all about!

TALK TO THE SCISSORS
a ranting of hair & beauty

Author

Melissa J. Fabian...hair salon owner and beauty enthusiast

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