Doing the big chop-short hair tips by Mandrill Hardge

Sep 14, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

Thinking of going short with your tresses? NOW, is the ideal time to do it. I have been giving consultations based on my clients’ desire to cut it off! This is exciting, not only to the client but also to the stylist. It shows versatility in the client’s lifestyle as well as the stylist’s skills. Listed below are a few of the reasons why now is the time to go short!

1) It reduces time and stress on the hair! ~ Lets face it, we all HATE getting up early in the morning, especially during the fall and winter months when temperatures are chilly. Going short now will aid in hitting the snooze button one more time…lol. Also, it protects the hair from the need of heat daily, especially if you are rocking a sexy spiked style.

2) A cut shows your confidence! ~ Only a secure lady can go from 14″ to 2″ spiked with confidence! Going short commands the attention of any diva and lets not even mention going short WITH color. Talk about a traffic jam!!!

3) Shorter is more professional! ~ FORGET WHAT YOU HEARD..short hair in the office sets a standard for excellence and lets your coworkers know without a doubt that you mean business. Short hair can be sexy and feminine for those after hour dinner meetings. 

4) Most importantly, short hair has the tendency to make you look younger and more lively! ~ Long hair on some occasions can make you appear matronly and boring. Going shorter or even adding shape can brighten your style as well as personality.

These are all points that I mention during consultations with my clients in the salon and although some choose to keep it long and just add a punch of color for the fall, others are excited about the change and LOVE it!. I challenge you, my readers, to spice it up this fall and GO SHORT!

If you want more information about Mandrill Hardge or will be in Atlanta and want to schedule an appointment with him, visit http://mandrillhardge.com.

PS: I’ve seen one of his short hair cuts and it is fierce!

read more

Back to Basics: What is your face shape?

Sep 8, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

Knowing your face shape can be very helpful in determining the most flattering hair styles, what types of earrings look best and which glasses (sunglasses) you should wear. You may think that there are only a couple different face shapes, but there are actually five shapes; round, oblong, heart, square and diamond.

I wanted to help you find out exactly what your face shape is so you can make better choices with hair styles and accessories. Once I figured out that I had a round face, it helped a lot. It’s a simple thing to learn that will never change. Just think, even if you gain or lose weight, your face shape will never change!

I found a great wiki article about how to determine your face shape. Check it out and take the time to follow the steps. You can find measuring tape at Target or Wal-mart for cheap. If you have any questions, please share them in the comments or visit the contact us page.

WikiHow: Determine Your Face Shape

Happy measuring!

read more

Back to Basics: What season are you?

Aug 31, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

For some odd reason, beauty experts use seasons to describe your personal coloring, which is a combination of your skin tone, hair color and eye color. Once you figure out whether you’re a fall, winter, summer or spring, you will have more insight into what colors you should wear. This applies to makeup, clothes and jewelry.

So, let’s get started…

Winter

This is considered a “cool” or blue-based color description. People who are considered a winter, typically have hair, eyes and skin that sharply contrasts. For example, a fair skinned person with really dark hair and light eyes would be considered a winter. Winters look good in rich colors like black, red, pink and yellow.

Summer

This is also a “cool” or blue-based color description but it’s not as striking as a winter. People who are considered a summer will still have a contrasting look but it won’t be as sharp. For example, a fair skinned person with blond hair and light eyes would be considered a summer. Summers look good in muted pastel colors like powder blue, pale yellow and lavender.

Spring

This is a “warm” or yellow-based color description. People who are considered a spring will have a warmer skin tone and less striking coloring. For example, an olive skinned person with blond hair and brown eyes would be considered a spring. Springs look good in peach, bright green and ivory.

Fall/Autumn

This is a “warm” or yellow-based color description like spring that typically applies to the ladies with olive skin, dark hair and brown eyes. Autumns look good in beige, olive, orange and gold.

Once you figure out what season best fits you, it can be helpful when choosing colors that best highlight your skin tone, however, don’t use this as an excuse to not wear on particular color. All colors can be worn by all seasons as long as it’s combined with other colors that do compliment your particular season. This is a guide to help you look your best in your clothes and with your makeup. When I learned about seasons and figured out which one best applied to me, it definitely helped me when I decided to branch out of my comfort zone and start being more daring with color and patterns. So use these seasons as a baseline. Since I didn’t give a lot of detail, here is a link to an article I found that’s much more detailed.

www.thesoko.com/thesoko/article742-0.html

Check it out if you want more detail. Also, don’t be afraid to send me questions. I will do my best to find you an easy to understand answer. Visit the contact page and post your question there or send me an email to info [at] cluelessfashionista [dot] com. Stay tuned for more basics or join the email list to get regular updates.

read more

Hair Publications-Required reading by Mandrill Hardge

Aug 19, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

With only about 6 weeks left of Summer, I have been asked by several readers and clients what are the best publications to find trendy cuts, colors and styles for the upcoming fall season. With these questions in mind, this month’s blog is a listing of magazines that I feel offer the very best in handling these and other hair/skin concerns.

* My number one publication for cut, color and style trends would be Sophisticates Black Hair. Not only because I’ve been featured in it, but because it is written with you, the client, in mind. It breaks down the cut, emphasizes the placement of color and gives step-by-step style guides.

* Hype Hair Magazine is also an excellent source for researching the hottest trends. This publication also has product reviews and expert advice on how to use them. This magazine also has a section for Q & A with an expert in that field.

* My third recommendation is going to make you think I’ve lost my mind..Vogue. I send my clients to this publication mainly for color and trendy cuts. Vogue is a fashion magazine, however, it tends to be an excellent source in the beauty industry for inspiration and direction for pulling it all together (fashion, color, cut and style).

Again, these publications are the ones that I subscribe to as well as send my clientele to review. They have never let me down in regards to being trendy and keeping me in the know with the beauty industry and new products.

For more information about Mandrill Hardge or to schedule an appointment with him, visit his website www.mandrillhardge.com

read more

Healthy Hair Tips from Curlformers

Aug 6, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

How much do you value your hair?

Your hair isn’t referred to as your crowning glory without good reason! The way it looks and feels can have a profound effect on your sense of well being so if you value your locks and want to banish bad hair days forever, there are some simple steps you can take to keep it looking tip-top.

Invest in the best!

Terry Calvert, award-winning hairdresser, President of the Fellowship for British Hair and founder of the Clipso Salon Group says: “Always use the best quality shampoo and conditioner you can afford. It may sound obvious but it’s amazing the number of women who spend a fortune on moisturisers that promise to keep their skin smooth, supple and wrinkle-free but who skimp on their hair, which needs just as much TLC if not more!”

Luxe Locks Begin With a Good Shampoo

If you can only afford to invest in one product Terry’s advice is to buy a good quality shampoo. He explains: “Cleansing is the first step to creating shiny, manageable, healthy hair and if you get this right, you’re half way there! There’s no point applying a good conditioner to hair that hasn’t been thoroughly but gently cleansed – it would be the equivalent of wall papering over the cracks and you’ll just end up with build-up and lifeless, lack-lustre hair.” Ask a professional stylist to recommend the best products for your hair type and condition and that way you won’t be left to make potentially the wrong choice from an overwhelming supermarket selection. Terry says: “A good shampoo is kind on the scalp and gently cleanses, removing dirt, oil and build-up, without leaving any unwanted residue. It also contains some conditioning ingredients and will go a long way towards improving the look, feel and manageability of your hair.” We recommend Kevin Murphy Angel Wash, Pureology Hydrating Shampoo, Kerastase Resistance Bain de Force and Alterna Caviar Moisture Shampoo. If you’re a colour junkie or you constantly subject your hair to damaging heat styling irons you need to use nourishing treatments like Redken Extreme Deep Fuel to keep your hair strong and healthy. Aussie session stylist Kevin Murphy’s Born Again Masque is excellent for rehydrating parched locks and celebrity brand Alterna, whose fans include Victoria Beckham, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Aniston, has just launched a super-nourishing Overnight Hair Rescue, which completely revitalises stressed-out hair.

The Candy Addicted online store stocks many of these and more and is a great place to shop for some of the best haircare products around.

I hope you enjoyed and learned from this great guest post from the team over at Curlformers. If you want more information about Curlformers, visit the website at www.curlformers.com. The company is based in the UK, however, you can purchase their products online. Curlformers look like a really cool way to give your hair long lasting curls!

read more

Back to Basics-What is my skin tone?

Aug 3, 2010 by Clueless Fashionista

Before you even put on any type of makeup, you must first determine what colors look best on you. Short of going to the drug store and buying one of every color, there is a way to determine the types of colors that will compliment you.

While applying makeup isn’t rocket science, there is a science to choosing the best colors. Now don’t worry, it doesn’t require you to go to college and get a degree in chemistry or biology. All it really takes is for you to spend a little time in the mirror. The first step to finding the colors that will look best on you is to determine your skin tone.

In essence, your skin tone is simply the color of your skin along with the color underneath. Now you may be wondering how is it that you have color underneath your current skin color. This is where the science comes in but you don’t need a PhD to figure out what it is. All you need is a white piece of paper and some good lighting.

Take the white piece of paper and hold it up to your face. If there is a yellow, orange or reddish shadow being cast on the paper, you have a warm skin tone. If there is a blue or greenish shadow being cast on the paper, you have a cool skin tone.

The best lighting to use for this test is natural light from outside. Also, the mirror should be a decent size to give you enough reflection so that it bounces back onto the paper.

Good luck! This color test is helpful for makeup colors as well as clothing colors. Check back regularly for more back to basics tips or join the email list to get updates in your email.

read more