Purple fire

Purple is the color this season, especially for hair. Because it sits in the middle of red and blue it has the versatility of being a warm or a cool color while still maintaining it vibrancy. Katherine is a second year NYU student in the Tisch school for the arts who had been trying to achieve the the right shade of violet in her dorm room but had only achieved true staying power on her bathtub. 

When Katherine came to the salon, we discussed what she was looking for and went over some options. Because Katherine's 

curls are so tight and she always wears them natural, I gave her lowlights at her crown to give her style more movement and color definition. Then I went through the rest of her hair with a violet filler to set a foundation for purple which I applied right over it. 

The majority of fashion colors are made as semi-permanent. Semi-permanent colors such as Manic Panic, Special Effects, Punky Colors, and Jazzing are produced

 with a small dye molecule that is able to partially penetrate the hair shaft, but it will not enter the hair completely because it does not contain peroxide or ammonia. This makes for a more shiny and healthy-looking result. Because these colors are essentially stains for the hair, the color that you start with is very important. Katherine is naturally dark blonde which means that she 

does not have a lot of natural pigment to fight with. If her color had been any darker or if her desired effect had been any lighter, this project would have been much more difficult. If your not a blonde, fashion colors generally work best on pre-lightened hair, however if you use a bleach or lightening product the color will tend to fade out faster. To truly lock in the color, try a second application (don't be afraid, it won't damage!), or a clear gloss. 

Stylist: Rain

Client: Katherine

A Little More

If a modern bob sounds too simple and you want something with a little more personality, try this cut with more interior layers. This option works best for people with thick or naturally curly hair, a la Jennifer Hudson at the 2008 Grammys. 

That is the picture that Sabrina brought. Sabrina's hair is dense but soft with small loose curls. When she came in it was all one length and just to her shoulders. Sabrina had been growing out a previous short cut, and now that she had some length, she was ready for some style. Keeping in mind that she liked her length, I didn't touch the perimeter. Instead I focused on creating square layers throughout the interior while remembering to maintain the natural curl. The result was bold, piece-y layered bob that Sabrina can flatiron, blow-out, or wear 'au-natural'.

Stylist: Rain

Client: Sabrina

Cut It Off!

Tired of the cold weather and dark days? What better way to shake off that winter slump that to try a new look? Even a few inches can make a big change. Cutting your hair up above your shoulders can open up your face and give you a contemporary new look for spring. 

The trend this spring is a lightly graduated mob (modern-bob). It starts as a traditional one length bob, then long layers and fringe can be added depending on your desired look. For a soft classic look wear this style with a side part anda long bang, and opt for connected smooth long layers. For a fun dramatic look try an a-line perimeter (longer in the front) or piecier layers. Keeping the layers long enables you to wear this style straight or with large curls or waves. Check out these celebs who took the cut: Eva Longoria Parker, Reese Witherspoon,  Heidi Klum, Hayden Panettiere, and Ginnifer Goodwin.

Loud Silence

Matthew plays guitar in a punk band. He has had his hair all different colors and styles and when we met he had a mohawk with a blonde chunk in the front. 

I started by cutting the back close with a lot of texture all the way up, then I gave him a long top and fringe heavily textured as well that he can wear in his eyes and to either sides. 

Then I lightened a few smaller pieces in front, covered the unwanted blonde, and finished it with the blue glaze.

Stylist: Rain

Client: Matthew

The Extremes

The people who can handle bold extreme haircolors usually have bright eyes and clear even skin. Don't forget that you can adjust the tone of your blonde depending on your coloring and don't be afraid to go bright. Also, dark doesn't always mean black. In face, pure black can sometimes end up looking flat. Instead, try the darkest brown, unsweetened cocoa. If you do opt for the intensity of pure black, finish it with a clear gloss. These girls did it right: Rachel Evan Wood, Charlize Theron, Brittany Spears, Ashlee Simpson, Lily Allen (she

 even pulls off hot pink!). 

A Burst Of Color

Before:

After:

Lianna wanted some funky color that would be fun and easy to maintain. I lightened pieces throughout her hair with varying degrees of boldness. I placed the highlights away from her scalp to create a softer effect as they grew out and underneath her natural part so that she could make the color subtle or bold. I was also careful not to lighten the pieces too much so that the overlying red would grab stronger and hold longer. I glazed her whole head with the red tint which gave her vivid red highlights and a rich 'red-velvet' glaze (yum!). 

4-weeks later the overall glaze had faded but the shine was still there and the hi-lights were still clear and bright. 

4-Weeks Later:

Stylist: Rain

Client: Lianna

Blonde or Brunette?

Here are a few examples of the right ways to go between bright golden blonde to rich warm brunette. Always try to stay in the same tonal family and do brunette with hi-lights for a softer more natural look. Mina Suvari, Nicole Richie, Emma Roberts, and Brittany Murphy.