Nap hair

I love nap hair. Now that she moves around more in her crib she pushes herself into crazy positions and created amazing hair-do's!
Miss blue eyes
and here she is introducing her cousin Addison. She came to visit and I don't think I have seen Isabella more excited! She thought it was so amazing to have a friend at her house.
They are just talkin about stuff over a little music time. Ya know just baby stuff!

Hair: 101

Bad Hair Day??

So recently I have been bugged by television interviews and magazine articles, that all claim to have the latest hottest hair info. Cause then my clients come in and think that it is fact and they absolutely have to follow it! PLEASE DON'T! Realize that 99.9% of the time, it is a paid advertisement which means that the company paid to have that person say that their product is the best. Anyways I have decided to share all of my hair knowledge with you to hopefully help clear up any confusion and answer questions!
so in no particular order..here it goes
1.99% of all bad hair days are from using the wrong product(unless you have a really bad haircut)
2.Just because you have tried one product out of a whole line and didn't like it doesn't mean that the whole line is terrible. Products are engineered so carefully for each specific hair type
Volumizing=fine hair
Smoothing=coarser hair
Everyday=fine hair
etc.. So just ask questions and look for key words. And if you don't like it, take it back! You should know after 2-3 washes and if you have only used that much, anyone will take it back. I don't mind it at all because it is really good information for me to get feedback from the client.
3. Salon products really are worth the money. Look for deals and sales and you end up paying the same as grocery store products because the better products are more concentrated, so you use less.
4.Salon products that are for sale in the grocery store should not be trusted. It is illegal to do that and most times the product is expired, watered down, or something is wrong with it. And they are usually more expensive than in a salon.
5. 80% of my clientele is allergic to Biologe. If the same day or the next day you get really itchy down by your neck in your hair line, it is because you are allergic to your product(usually your shampoo and cond.)
6. Everyone should have a bottle of Head and Shoulders in their shower! It is a great clarifyer and keeps your hair and scalp healthy. Use it every other or third shampoo, followed by your normal shampoo that you use. Don't spend money on expensive clarifyers and don't go generic with the Head and Shoulders.
7. Speaking of generics... I wish they were the same, but they just aren't! When it comes to Hair Products go for name brands.
8. The best summer chlorine/green/buildup remover:

extreme green- 1/2 cup of baking soda, then mix with water until it becomes a runny paste.
Shampoo your hair, rinse, and put the paste all over especially where it is green. Then rub
between your hands so you can actually feel the grit scrubbing the hair. Leave on for about
15 minutes and rub every so often. Rinse that out and proceed to shampoo at least for times
If you don't you will not even be able to comb your hair when you get out. After you
shampoo, put conditioner on and leave for at least 5 minutes. Rinse

Not so green but hair feels slimy when wet and tangled when it is dry-
Put a handful of baking soda in your hand and a handful of shampoo in the other. Mix
together and apply to wet hair. Scrub and leave on for about 3-5 minutes and rinse.
Shampoo 2 more times then condition. So this 1-2 times a week in the summer and about
once a month to remove product build up. Especially if you have fine hair.
9. Cutting your hair does not make it grow. It keeps it healthy so that it doesn't break of as it grows. Still get your hair trimmed if you are growing it, just stretch out your visits a lot. It will make you a much happier person as you grow it out and keep some type of shape to it. It also keeps you from getting bored and giving up. Just trim and 1/8 of and inch when you go, just that little amount can make a huge difference, I promise.
10. Grocery store color is about the worst thing for your hair. If you are going to do it at home, at least go to Sally's and buy a color and a developer . It is the same price and so much better for your hair. Buy 1-2 bottles of color and 20 volume, mix equal parts together and leave on for 30 minutes. That works for most colors. DO NOT mess with ASH when going darker, especially if you are lighter/blonde to start with.
11. Round brushing your hair dry can help any ones hair and is worth the time!!!!
12.A good hair dryer will save you about 10minutes off your drying time and give you way better results! I swear by this! My favorite is the Elchim SuperPolo 2000. Search for it on Google. It runs about $60-80. look for deals on line. IT IS WORTH EVERY PENNY. Heating elements will go out on hair dryers often. A test to see if yours is too hot and causing unnecessary damage is: put your hand about 6" away from the nozzle and turn your blow dryer on all the highest settings and if you can't leave your hand there for 6-7 seconds without it getting too hot- throw it away. It will burn your hair.
14. If you have curly, thick or coarse hair, a good flat iron is also worth every penny! You usually have to spend $80-100. There is a pretty good one at Sally's for about$50. It is by Jose Jibere and it is a black and red box with a velvet-ish covering on the outside 1".
13. Why do people spend $100 or more on their hair and then spend $3 on the product they use on it???????
14.When trying to decide what product to use I always say to match the consistency of the actual product
Mousse= light and fluffy- therefore it will add body and give you light and fluffy. You can use any strength depending on what you need. For fine hair I would go with light hold and thick curly hair go with a strong hold. Everyone else go with medium
Gel= slick, heavy, shiny, stiff- therefore that is what it will do to your hair. Its great for curly hair and men but I really don't use it on anyone else
Cream= well it is a mix of mouse and gel. Really you can't go wrong with this product for anyone. It is good to put in even if just for protection from your blow dryer!!!!!!
Pomades= sticky- for use on men, short hair, or the ENDS of longer hair as a styling finisher. It can add texture and define your layers. There are also different strengths. Go for strong hold on Men/boys and short hair and light hold for long hair. It is a great product because it is re workable all day. Perfect for little boys because after naps you can smooth the hair back down. Also a little goes a long way
Root boosters-do exactly what it says- Spray it in the crown for added volume and try to keep it in the roots because most of them will make your ends feel dirty.
15. Use flat iron sprays. They add shine and protect your hair from getting damaged by the heat.
16. Oily hair is usually from a dry scalp. When your body senses something is dry it sends out extra oil to lubricate that area. So the problem is when your hair is oily you think, Oh I need to wash it more, which actually makes it dryer and adds to the problem. Start by getting a shampoo for a dry scalp and a really good conditioner that will help moisturize. Then instead of washing your hair every 24 hours try and go 36 hours. Do that for a couple of days and then move to 48 hours. It is hard at first but your scalp will neutralize and learn to not put out so much oil. This is easier to start in the winter when you aren't sweating so much. Doing this is better for your scalp and your hair! This will work for almost anyone although there are a few out there that just have oily hair. But all you can do is try. Also using a mousse will help absorb some of the oil(and again a salon brand product)
17. Your consultation at your hair appointment is the most important part, especially if it is a new person. Your inch and my inch may be two different things, same goes for what I see as golden may be what you see as brassy or redish. The best thing to do is use pictures. Point out colors that you like and and styles so that you are both on the same page. And ask her how much an inch is then you can gage how much you want cut off by what her standards are and not yours. Also sometimes from my experience, after a client has been explaining what she wants for a while, by the end it sometimes does not make sense. So try to have her repeat what you said and summarize. When looking at pictures try and pick people with the same hair texture as you, that way your results will be more realistic and way more manageable. Almost anyone could have any hair cut, it just depends on how much time you want to spend. I have curly hair so if I pick a style that is straight I need to plan on 20-30 minutes to style it.
18. Products out there for especially for kids, is usually what is causing all of those tangles. As soon as you can do with out "No Tears" use better brands on your girls. 70% of my younger clientele have the same head of hair as I do, and I know that if I used suave or Johnson and Johnson with no conditioner, I would be screaming at the tangles as well. It is up to you, but really, it will make comb out time much better for both of you.
19. Don't be afraid to trim your own bangs. In order to keep them at the right length they need to be trimmed every 3 weeks. Just pull them down and "nibble" at them. Take your scissors at a pointed angle instead of straight across and take 1/10 of an inch of one little triangle at a time.
20. Hair will always grow back and life is too short. If there is a hair cut or color that you have always wanted but are scared just do it. It will be fun, and even if you don't love it you will have no regrets later and it will be a good learning experience for you and your hair!!!!

Well that is all for now. I know that I left out a ton but we will start with baby steps. I don't want to overwhelm you. Please send me questions or a topic you are wondering about. I would be more than happy to answer them for you. And share the knowledge, the more people we help the happier we will all be(cause we won't have to stare at bad hair anymore! jk)
p.s. Hair 202 will follow at a later date, so please stay tuned!

9 months old(and 11 days)

She is 9 months old! So fun and so sad all at the same time. She is still so happy and such an easy baby. She loves people and needs an outing daily so that she can socialize. She isn't crawling yet, which worries mommy, but she just doesn't care if her toy is across the room, she will just play with the carpet or look at her hands! But we think she is close! She has started giving kisses, but only on her terms, and loves to say Da da. Why say mama when she is around ALL the time! We love her so much and are so blessed to have her!!!