The Secret to Longer Thicker Hair

I know, I know...
All good things come to those who wait, 

Pam with her new long hair

and patience is a virtue.  
But when you're trying to grow your hair out... 
When you want long hair you want it now.


I just spent the day getting certified by 
Peter DeRosa Celebrity stylist and 
director or education for
Platinum Seamless Hair extensions .  


My model Pam showed up with fine, collar bone length, naturally auburn hair.   We discussed what she was looking for and decided to add four inches of length and thickness.   


I started by carefully sectioning the hair and pressing the double adhesive 3 inch wide wefts on the part and sandwiching fine sections of Pam's own hair between the extensions.  I mixed in a few highlighted wefts to add some dimension and shine through the ends.  It took me about one hour to give Pam a full head of Victoria's Secret worthy locks.  She was tempted to keep the super long tresses, but we thought better of it and trimmed 5 inches off the length and cut face framing layers.


We were both amazed at the quality of the hair and the great color match.  It totally looked and felt like her real hair.  In the past Pam was always reticent to try extensions because of the lumps, and bumps and hair breakage.  As I stylist I was always searching for the perfect extensions.  I wanted something you couldn't see or feel, easy to care for,  great quality hair and a good price point.  


Pam left feeling great about the way she looked.  That made me feel amazing.  

Hair today, gone tomorrow.

Everyday I get asked about hair loss.  As someone who is shedding his way to male pattern baldness I can completely relate with the panic surrounding hair loss.
So why do people lose hair?

Hair loss can be caused by many things including genetics, stress, diet, medication and most commonly hormones.  Typical male pattern baldness can be held at bay and often reversed by daily use of  Propecia.  The original drug Finasteride is currently used to treat enlarged prostate but was found to increase hair growth so it was re-packaged as a much more expensive hair loss drug.  Another weapon against hair loss is a topical solution or foam like Minoxidil or Rogaine that is applied twice daily to the scalp. Other topical, over the counter treatments for thinning hair are shampoos such as Nioxin.  The latest and FDA approved fight against the chrome dome uses red laser light therapy technology like those used in the hairmax laser comb.  The comb has mixed reviews and doesn't seem to work for everyone.  Several well known dermatologists tested it and shared the positive results on the Today show.  Basically the comb is brushed against the scalp three times a week for 15 minutes,  and on most testers there was noticeable new hair growth.  I'll let you know how it works once I save up the pricey 500 bucks.
As a general rule the less hair you have the shorter it should be cut, don't do the pony tail, mullet, comb over thing!  I always cut thinning hair dry so I can see how it falls naturally, it's a fine line between too short and just long enough for coverage.  If you have a good head shape and nice features you may be a good candidate for just shaving it off.  If you're thinking about shaving your head, go see a barber and cut it very short with a 1" or 2" guard that way you can see your head shape before going full Kojak.

Annual Fall Art Opening - October 23rd, 7-10pm

Join us for an evening of music, cocktails, wine & mingling. Our expansive walls will feature a brand new arrangement of beautiful and groundbreaking work by local artists.

As always attendance is free!

Featuring Artists: John Kraft, Taylor Wessling, Lynne Anderson, Dan Tran, Vee Caragay, Vivian Chen, Ian Ross, Joseph lambert, Filipe Rodriguez, Tobias Tovera, Hilary Williams, Michah Crandall-Bear, David Childress, Crystal Rainwater, and Elizabeth Williams

Live Visual Art Performance by Ian Ross. Smooth beats by DJ Joseph Lee.

Sponsors include: Blue Angel Vodka, Barber Cellars Winery, & Firestone Brewery

The Brazilian Blowout Blow Up

I've been offering the Brazilian Blow Out at the barber lounge for over a year now.  All the controversy about the ingredients and the potential dangers of doing this service for both the client and the stylist have made my nappy hair stand on end.  Despite the online rumors and supposed dangers, there is no denying the amazing results from this trendy service.  Its no wonder its the hottest in salon treatment favored by celebs like Nicole Richie,  Halle Berry and Lindsay Lohan. Who doesn't want fabulous, frizz free, glossy locks without the work?

There are a number of keratin treatments on the market that I've researched.  They all promise frizz free, shiny hair lasting anywhere from one to six months, but at what cost?  Some of the products do contain trace amounts of formaldehyde or a derivative of the harmful chemical.  Some companies actually refuse to release a list of their "proprietary" ingredients, so who really knows what they contain.  All I know is that I've experienced burning eyes and a tightness in my chest from the fumes while performing the service and several clients have reported some hair loss and skin irritation.

I've called the manufacturer a number of times trying to dispel my worries.   They tell me again and again that their product is formaldehyde free and there is no danger to my clients or my staff.   The latest post on their website claims that the Oregon tests were faulty.  Check out what they have to say on the Brazilian Blowout website

The majority of my clients still ask for the service despite the controversy and my staff still wants to perform the service.  It just makes me wonder how well the FDA is really watching these cosmetic companies and how much they really care about our safety?  As a stylist who works with these products everyday I dearly hope the Keratin treatment isn't tomorrow's Asbestos.  In the meantime I guess I'll just hold my breath.

Oh, where oh where has the "IT" haircut gone?

Vicki'

Over the years there's been the Twiggy, the Jackie O', the Dorothy Hamilton, the Cher, the Farrah, the Rachel and the Rhianna.  Every year there seems to be the one "it" haircut.  Unless I'm mistaken the last women's haircut that caused a stir was the "Victoria" as in Ms. Beckham.  First she got the choppy bob and then once Moms in middle America started to copy her she chopped it off into a stylish Mia Farrowish boy crop. 

They can come in Shags, long layered cuts, beveled bobs and faux hawks.  We get our beauty inspiration from the media and those that rule it.  I've been in the hair industry for 20+ years and I can't count the times a client has brought in a picture of a celebrity for their new look.  

Don't get me wrong I love getting inspired by "cele-beauty".   In fact we dedicate two walls at the barber lounge to Hair Icons, one for men one for women.  They include style movers and  makers like Linda Evangelista, Madonna, Audrey Hepburn, Elizabeth Taylor, the Beatles, the Stones and David Beckham.  Trends for men are big the past few years.  We've seen the Zach, the Brad, the Chase, the Don and heaven help us the Bieber.  They But not since Vicky Beckham's crop top have we seen an "it" haircut.   Hello?!  Calling all celebrity stylists.  We need a new it girl.

Website Update

I'm happy to announce that barberlounge.com now works perfectly on the iphone & ipad - we upgraded the spa menu which used to be in Flash. Now, you can contemplate our menu anytime & anywhere. Stay tuned for more enhancements.