"Mom" hair

It almost seems like a rite of passage: become a mom; get a bad "mom cut." You know the one -- the short hairstyle that's way too short and not flattering for your face shape. The one you got on an "I need a change!" whim.

Hey, I get it. You're suddenly busier than you've ever been, which means zero time to create polished, bombshell waves. So what do you do? You tell me... or your stylist,  to chop it all off and give you a short cut that's wash and go.

The problem is that "wash and wear" short hair can be really tough to pull off. The secret is getting a short hairstyle that works with your hair's natural texture. It can take a few trail and error cuts to get that perfect short hair look! Maybe that's the excuse for Kate Gosselin's reverse mullet, Sharon Osbourne's feathered mess, or Katherine Heigl's granny bob?

Thankfully, some moms have sailed through new mommyhood without getting the prerequisite awful short haircut. Just look at Michelle Williams' amazing pixie, Reese Witherspoon's gorgeous layers, and Michelle Obama's chic bob. Short hairstyles don't get much better than these.

So, to celebrate Mother's day, I decided to take a fun look back at some of the most famous triumphs and cringe-worthy mishaps in mom-haircut history. 

Worst

 There are no words to describe how bad this is! It's basically 2 haircuts mereged into one! Cant believe it lasted as long as it did!

 I dont think Hillary Clinton's hair has ever changed... ever! Haha! This Carol Brady inspired hair needs to go back to the 80's! And she was seen recently wearing a scrunchy! 

 Sharon Osbourne proves you can have too much of a good thing. Her cut has too many layers, which can look frizzy. Although I do like her red hair!! :)

A stiff, voluminous cut can sometimes have a granny vibe. Thick hair that is cut into heavy layers can require a lot of curling to add texture and movement. She should stick with hair below her chin!

Best

 Audrey Hepburn may have made the pixie famous, but Michelle Williams' modern interpretation is a refreshing take on the style. If I had the guts... I do this in a heartbeat!

 She is always looks so put together! Michelle Obama always looks so classy and elegant in her minimal layered cut.

 Moms don't always have to opt for above-the-shoulders styles. Reese Witherspoon's medium-length hairstyle is simple and youthful. This girl never looks bad!

This is a fun, sassy haircut that is pretty low maintience! Can't commit to the bangs? This cut looks great parted down the side with no fringe! (Yea... sometimes I like to sound fancy and use the word fringe instead of bangs!)

Hope you all have a wonderful Mothers Day! Cant wait to go down and see my mama... my brother and I are surprising her with a fun filled day! So excited!!

Photo Shoot Fun

I recently had the opportunity to work with Miss Teen Minnesota Sunday at a photo shoot for her head shots for the Miss Teen USA pageant in a few weeks down in Florida! It was a lot of fun... we did a couple different looks, and she rocked them all! Here are a few pictures the Sarah, the photographer (www.smorreimphotography.com)sent me. Isn't she cute!!??

 Here are a few action shots my friend Tatum (who did the wonderful makeup) took! I think she looks a lot like Leighton Meester in these pictures!! :)

Overall, it was a really fun day... lots of work, but definitely worth it! Hopefully she wins!! 

Braids, Braids , & more Braids!!

Celebs like Ashley Greene, Audrina Partridge and a million others love to wear the Alexander Wang inspired side braid. It’s a cool, effortless style that’s here to stay. 

Here's how to recreate the look in four easy steps:

Step 1: First, pull all of your hair over to one side. If you want your hair to be behind the ear, be sure to shift the hair in that direction before starting to braid.

Step 2: If you have straight hair, spritz it with a texture spray like Brocato Back to the Beach(or any sort of ocean/sea salt spray) to give it a ‘not so finished’ personality. Smooth the top with your hand and start to braid. A typical three-strand braid works perfectly, but the more you experiment the more personalized the look will be.

Step 3: Once the braid is in place, tie the end with an elastic hair tie. Now, hold the braid in the middle with one hand. Then, with your free hand take one or two strands of hair at the end of the braid and pull on these strands of hair. Now gently tug on 3 braid strands pulling them away from each other. Repeat a few times. This gives the braid a chunky, disheveled appearance.

Step 4: Finally, take very small pieces of hair near the end of the braid and pull them free so there is a sort of unfinished, messy look to the braid. That’s right, the look is supposed to be messy, on purpose!

In order to get some side braid inspiration for summer, let’s check out some cute side braid action:

The always adorable Kristen Bell. I like how the front part of her hair appears to be clipped back along with the side braid, also her hair color is gorgeous.

Shantal Vansanten’s amazing super undone side braid! I’m not even sure who she is, but her hair is phenomenal and that’s all that matters.

I love this side braid on Nicky Hilton because of the loopy knotty effect in the middle section.

Kim Kardashian in a clean, neat side braid.

Selena Gomez looking absolutely perfect. She looks like a doll! It’s freaky. I love her hair here. Totally spot-on in its effortlessness–although you know some stylist sweated to get it just right!

She's done it again!

I love Drew Barrymore, her style is always perfect (eh, well... most of the time!) and she is always a trend setter with her gorgeous hair! Plus, one of my top 5 guilty pleasure movies is Never Been Kissed, and she is hilarious in it!!

Last year Drew Barrymore‘s beachy waves and ombre hair color got a lot of attention. But like anyone, Drew grew bored of the look and moved on. What was once old news, was new again…

Red! Drew went for an all-over light auburn shade this time. It looks great with her pale complexion! I personally think the red is my favorite color she's done! 

As you can see, Drew has dabbled with every color and style imaginable over the years. She is one of those lucky souls who can pull off most any hue. That said…

Do you like Drew Barrymore‘s new red hair?

Bright Colored Hair!

Have you guys noticed the trend with bright colored hair? Celebs like Gwen Stefani, Lauren Conrad, Katy Perry and the craziest colored hair celeb... Lady Gaga have all had the fun color vibe going on! 

Whether it's permanent color, wash out, hair chalk, or even clip in ... its a fun new way to bright up your hair. 

Here is a picture couple pictures of my friend Jenna's hair that I did a couple months ago. We put in teal, pink, orange, and purple... Looks great with her long beautiful hair!

Here are a few more pictures of colored tips I found on Pinterest

I just did pink tips on my friend Lindsay's hair tonight and it looks awesome!

 Maybe after reading this, I've inspired you to maybe try a fun new look for summer! I'm thinking I'll be trying out a few colors in my hair soon!

Half Up Fishtail Braid Tutorial

Hey guys! Sorry this video is a little long... I'm still new at making videos, and I can't figure out how to speed it up while I'm braiding! 

This is a popular braid, and is pretty easy to do! Even when you have shorter hair like myself! Hope you enjoy! 

My favorite show now has my favorite hair!

I absolutely love the show on NBC, The Voice! I am addicted to it! So much talent on that show. 
Lindsey Pavao not only has an amazing voice, but she has AMAZING hair! I am in love with her shaved on one side, long, dark hair! I definitely have a little girl crush on her! Hope she makes it to the finale!


So... who wants to be daring enough to do this!?! I will offer a free haircut to the 1st person who wants to get this haircut!! And you have to let me style it, and do makeup on you, and take a bunch a pictures... hey, who doesn't want to be a model for the day!?


If my hair was a little longer, I'd do this in a heartbeat! It is hot!!!!

Lindsey Pavao

Mousse ~ Not just an 80's thing!!!

 

Hair Mousse – Not Just an ’80s Thing!

I was doing my hair this morning, and was so busy I forgot to put anything in my hair, and it air dried! I hate when I do that! I tried to curl it... that didnt work, tried straightening it... that kind of worked, but my hair was so flat I hated it! So I re wet it and put a little mousse and viloa!! My hair instantly had lift and a little hold! If there is one product that does the most for you and works on the biggest variety of hair types, it’s definitely mousse.

Let’s talk about what it does.

Mousse builds a foundation for styling—I use it to prep the hair for blow drying, straightening,  curling, pinning, you name it. Hair is much easier to form and style if there is a good product foundation.

It creates volume—Mousse is nearly weightless, so it won’t drag your hair down like heavier products. It’s awesome for fine-haired ladies who love some lift (like me!).

It gives hold—By adding a little bit of grittiness to hair’s texture, mousse allows curling to “take” better, styles to last longer and it even prevents frizz!

All mousses aren’t created equal, so don’t give up if you haven’t found one you like. Some are stickier than others and can leave an unwelcome visible residue in your hair. Once you’ve found the right one for you, you will notice that your hair feels less slippery and a little more workable than normal. This is good! It means you have your foundation! It might take a little time to find the right amount for your hair and styling preferences, so don’t be afraid to use more on the days you are going for bolder styles! Sometimes I use two or three handfuls depending on the style, hair type or length of the client I’m working on.

Hope this helps you ladies! 

Here are my top picks for mousse.

    Redken 07 Full Frame                                                                          Big Sexy Hair Root Pump                                                                                                                             

      

                                       
                                               Prive Weightless Amplifier (We sell this at my salon!!)

Roll Up Twist Tutorial

I wore my hair like this the other day, and had a surprising amount of compliments... so I thought since it's pretty easy, I'd show you guys how to do it! Enjoy!

Thanks!

Oh the Oscars...

I had so much fun watching the Red Carpet specials last night. Everyone looks so beautiful! Here are a few of my favorites.

Mila Jovavich was tied for my favorite head to toe. Her dark hair with her deep lips and textured white gown were all a hit with me. She is so slinky and just looks plain hot.

Rooney Mara is my girl who tied with Mila. You can probably see why, with her having the same color scheme as Mila, I guess that’s what I was feeling last night. I think Rooney may have done better because her colors contrasted a little more. Her hair is so dark, her skin is so white, her lips were the perfect plum and her gown was just beautiful. I loved her bangs and her little bun in the back. 

Something else I loved about Rooney, is that she is still new to red carpets, and has no idea how to pose. I mean that in a good way. She looks like a normal person instead of the same old hand on hip, over the shoulder peek that we always see.

I love Rose Byrne for having a cute bob with heavy bangs. I saw people ripping her bangs on twitter, but I thought they went great with her overall look. I just love her anyway.

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Michelle Williams wins for best dress color. I am obsessed with this tomato red gown. The fabric, the texture, the peplum, the broach..all perfect. And that blonde with the red. I just love her. I wanted her to win. I still haven’t seen her as Marilyn, but I’m dying to.

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Jessica Chastain had one of my favorite gowns on. I thought the pattern was beautiful, and only wish she would have had a low bun at her nape. Her hair color looked much better than a blonde would in this gown, but I like hair up when there is such a busy pattern. Those are my little adjustments, but she did look gorgeous anyway. Also, I loved her in The Help.

Angelina Jolie looked gorgeous. Her make up, her hair, her velvetylicious gown….but her posing had me going bonkers. Her leg sticking out in every single picture just started to bother me. She’s beautiful and talented and still on my best list, but just because your gown has a high slit doesn’t mean you have to do the splits down the red carpet so everyone can see your leg. Ok?

I’m so relieved to not be doing a worst list. Everyone just looked to good to rip on. Even the correspondents! Kelly Osborne! Giuliana Rancic! Some other blonde girl that I never heard of!

The show was okay this year, I actually saw about half the movie nominated.. so that made it more entertaining! But as usual, I enjoy the hair/dresses the most.

Who were your favorites of the night?

Volumized Ponytail Tutorial

Hey guys! This is my first tutorial, so I did something easy. But I have had a few clients ask me what I do to get volume! Here is it... check it out!

Dimension!

I was looking through pictures from my wedding last May, and came across a pic of my beautiful friend Leah. It is a pic from our photobooth and it captured her hair perfectly!

Got me thinking... and I came to a conclusion that dimension (different tones and colors in the hair), adds so much shine and luster to hair! Brunettes and blondes and even reds look so much richer with different tones! Now I'm not saying that women with one all over color is a bad thing... if your hair is healthy its always going to have shine! I personally love multi colors/tones in hair!

Look at how beautiful, rich, and shiny Leah's hair is!! I think I'll give myself a little pat on the back for this color! :)

Hope you all are having a wonderful day! Let me know if I can spice your hair up with a few lowlights or highlights! Even a glaze for you all over color ladies!

Golden Globe faves!

Loved the Golden Globes this year... mostly because I actually watched a lot of movies and shows that were nominated!! Really glad Modern Family won a few, and Homeland won also! Anyways back to the hair!! I was pretty impressed with the celebs hair and makeup compared to last year... but I wasn't blown away! Noticed the trend in dresses were very pale! Pale pinks, greys, and tans! Kind of boring for my likes, but still chic! Comment and let me know what you all think! Celebrities are here to be judged, right?!

Here are some of my faves...

 Oh Angelina, you've done it again! Beautiful, classic updo, and flawless makeup! Well done!

 Loved the simple classic updo... done by the Prive salon. (So, if you want to use the same products Angelina uses... you can buy them at my salon! )

Charlize Theron, probably my favorite look all together! Love her hair! The headband is a perfect accessory! (Also got her hair done at the Prive salon!)

 I just adore her! So quirky and fun! Great dress, and bangs... but I probably would have had her hair all the way up!

 I have a feeling I'll be seeing this updo in my salon for weddings and prom! Very chic! 

Classic old Hollywood look! Love the red dress!! Hair is done to perfection! Bravo!!

Big hair!

 Anyone who knows me, knows I love me some big hair! The bigger the better!! Here are a few pictures of fabulous big hair!

All of these include teasing!! So, I thought I'd let you all in on a few teasing secrets!!!

Monroe Styling Brush

# 1 tool I couldn't live without is my Monroe styling brush! Boar bristle comb that grabs all those little hairs (without breaking them, like normal combs can do) and gives you ultimate body!! Plus a major bonus is that everyone I've ever bought is under $10!!! So go out and buy one! You wont be sorry!!

Prive Finishing Texture Spray

#2 Texture spray! It will hold your teasing creation, and make it easier to style your hair in general! I love Prive Finishing texture spray! Its more lightweight, and you dont need to use a lot! Spray on dry hair before and after you style it!!

The best way achieve the perfect volume for a cute pony, or just wearing it down, is to tease in sections. Grab all your hair from the crown and lift it straight up, then about 3 inches from the root, brush down to your scalp. Do that about 3 times, and spray it with texture spray or hairspray. Brush over the top to smooth out your hair, and viola! Volume! Hope this helps you all achieve big hair!