Tips for Bringing out Your Best Curls

Curly hair is an eye-catching accessory you can wear everyday. With the correct styling know how you can flaunt your best curls everyday!

• The biggest complaint about curly hair is that you constantly have to battle frizz. The lack of moisture in curly hair is what causes it to frizz. People with curls have 20 thousand less hair follicles than the average straight haired person. This means curly haired people produce less sebum (natural oil).  Shampooing everyday strips your hair of natural oils that keep the hair moisturized, so it’s important for people with curls to only cleanse their hair every other day, if not every third day.  The shampoo selection is important as well.  Choosing a shampoo that is moisturizing and sulfate free such as Pureology Hydrate Shampoo is your best bet.

• Right after shampooing, blot your hair dry, but not with a terry cloth towel. (Using a terry cloth towel on curly hair is like using Velcro… eeek!)  Instead use an old tee-shirt or go to your nearest fabric store and grab a yard or two of jersey-knit fabric.  This will be your new hair towel.  Brushing curly hair equals frizz, so invest in a wide-tooth comb and gently comb the curls to untangle after blotting it dry.

• Since curls are naturally dry, finding a good leave-in conditioner, such as PureOlogy Essential Repair,  is key to getting the beautiful ringlets you see in magazines.  Apply the leave-in roots to ends and comb thru, this will help replace the moisture that is stripped from shampooing and will help eliminate frizz.  Those of you with thicker, coarser curls may need to apply a curl cream on top of the leave-in conditioner such as the Pureology Illuminating Curl 24 Hour Shaping Lotion.  When choosing a styling product pick an alcohol-free product to prevent unwanted dryness.

• Drying curly hair with a blow dryer can cause dryness and will disrupt the curl, especially when using a high heat setting.  The extra heat can create unruly tresses and dreaded frizz.  The trick is to apply enough styling products to make your curls behave, but also avoid using too much and making your curls stiff. By allowing your hair to air dry and using your fingers to manipulate the curls into several neat spiral cylinders will enhance your curls and decrease frizz. If you’re in a hurry, use a diffuser attachment with the lowest heat setting on your blow dryer. To get shape and bounce, hang your head sideways or upside down. Touch your hair gently and put your curls in the bowl of the diffuser. Move the diffuser towards your head, getting the heat up to the root.  Be careful when moving the diffuser around to not disrupt the curl formation. Keep this up, working in sections until the hair is 80-90% dry. Give your hair a little tousle and your ready to go!

Written by Ryan Carrel, Hairstylist at Urban Betty Salon

How to Achieve the Best Results Before, During, and After Your Haircolor Service.

In this day and age most women have or have had their hair colored.  Here are a few helpful hints to help you achieve the best results before, during, and after your hair color service at Urban Betty Salon.

• If getting a high lift tint or bleach applied directly to your scalp, do not shampoo hair for at least 24 hours.  Natural oils will help protect the scalp and minimize the burning sensation.

• Please have your hair combed and easy to brush through.  This will help speed up the hair service and eliminate breakage.

• If your hair is gray and your primary concern is eliminating 100% of the gray, shampoo your hair the morning of your hair appointment.  Gray hair strands can have up to 4 times the cuticle of a normal strand of hair.  The cleaner the hair, the better the penetration.

• Do use a shampoo and conditioner formulated for color-treated hair.  This will help maintain your color and keep it shiny.  We suggest PureOlogy Hydrate Shampoo and Hydrate Conditioner.

• Do not shampoo your hair 48 hours after chemical services.  It takes approximately that long for the cuticle to close back down and seal in all of the color.  Don’t be alarmed when you first shower to see color rinsing down the drain.  There is always some residual color left on the hair and it is completely normal to see it after your first shampoo.

• Don’t swim for 48 hours after chemical services.  The cuticle will absorb any chemicals in the pool and that can have disastrous results.

• Don’t perm and color hair in the same day.  The cuticle can only take so much.

• Brazilian Blowouts and Keratin Treatments are perfectly safe with color treated hair.  However,  you usually need to do the color first and the straightening service after.  You can do the services on the same day as well.  If you cannot schedule your color first, be sure to have the Brazilian Blowout or Keratin Treatment 2 weeks prior to the color appointment.  That way you can eliminate any fading.

• Color stains on the hairline, ears, and neck are normal.  Especially during the winter season when skin is dry.  It usually lasts until your first shampoo.  Please make sure that your hairstylist is applying a blockage cream prior to applying the hair color.  This will help in eliminating some of the staining.

• Most highlight applications can take anywhere from 30-60 minutes.  And all over color or bleaching can take 15-45 minutes to apply.  It all depends on the length and thickness of hair.  The average processing time is 20-45 minutes.  Sometimes a dryer, steamer, or infra-red heat is used to speed up the process.

Last but not least, enjoy every minute of your amazing new do.  Be sure to tell all your friends how much you love it and show it off in lots of pictures.  You deserve to be beautiful!

Written by Chelle Morrison, Owner of Urban Betty Salon

Cuts for a Cause

On Sunday October 2, 2011, Urban Betty participated in the Cut-A-Thon ‘Cuts for a Cause’.  We were very excited to join an elite group of salons participating all over Austin.  A Cut-A-Thon is a day where all proceeds from hair services are donated to a charity.  Why did we decide to have a Cut-A-Thon and choose this charity?  Because it’s a charity that hits close to home.  All proceeds were donated to the Texas Wildfire Relief Fund. The Texas Wildfire Relief Fund is a non-profit 501 (c)(3) committed to generating awareness and garnering support for Texas volunteer firefighters.

On Sept. 4, a wildfire began six miles northeast of the city of Bastrop. It eventually spread to encompass over 34,000 acres. More than 1,500 homes were destroyed.  On that same day, a fire in Steiner Ranch destroyed 24 homes, damaged dozens more and caused the community to evacuate.  Both of these fires were within an hour of Austin, where Urban Betty is located.  Many of our clients were affected as well as one of our associates.  The grandmother of Erica St. Clair, who is a hairstylist at Urban Betty lost her home in the fire.  The sadness of her loss motivated Urban Betty to get involved.

The positive response that we received from the community was overwhelming.  Clients were calling in and booking that didn’t even need their hair done.  6 stylists that day served over 25 clients and we raised $1300.  This entire charity was arranged by Martha Lynn Kale owner of Mirror Mirror, and we couldn’t have done it without her.   For a final total, Cuts for a Cause brought in $6300, which is more than we could’ve ever expected.  Because of this great outcome, we have decided to hold this event on an annual basis and donate to a selected charity.  A big thanks goes out to all of those involved in the Austin community, the contributing clients, and Martha Lynn.

Afterwards we celebrated at Molotov Lounge for an after-party.  It was great to see all the smiling faces and network with some of the brightest business owners in town.  We look forward to hosting another event a year from now and doubling our charity donation!

From Retro to Modern, Bringing Back the Blowout and How to Do it at Home.

50’s Hair Style

In the 1950’s, women visited their salon once a week to set their hair in rollers  and have a style that would last several days.  Those services were focused on neatly rolled sections, hood dryers, time to cool and lots of shellac.  I was inspired by this genre after hearing my clients daydream about having someone at home to set their hair in the morning.  I fashion my blow-dry class to mimic those classic sets.  For now, I have only a few clients that will allow me to round brush their hair with all the volume and hairspray that my heart desires.  This is a new generation with smoothing and shine on the front-line.  Fortunately, “movement” in the hair has made a comeback and I take a lot of pride in marrying the old school techniques with trends of today. You can always benefit from my hands-on coaching, but I have a few key points that can help you at home.

Step-by-Step Guide:

•  Product Application

Product application has endless possibilities.  We all have good hair days and bad hair days that may determine which products we choose.  Use the shampoo and conditioner that best compliments your hair’s needs.  Volume, style, smoothing, and hydration, etc.  Every other product you add is contributing to the structure.  Make a plan for your style by thinking of how each product can build on to this structure.   Combinations can be layered or cocktailed. Consider the product’s use to determine where it should be applied on the section of the hair.  Conserve your products by using them strategically along the strands of hair as well.  For example, keep volumizers near the roots, polishes near the ends and styling products throughout the midstrand.  This is generally speaking, of course.  I have learned that some fine hair can use a finishing hairspray during a blow dry for a root lift.  Try blow-drying a finishing polish into that frizzy part of the hairline that won’t calm down.  Necessity is the mother of invention.  You might be surprised at how many ways you can use your average product.

•  Sectioning

The Trials and Tribulations of the Round Brush

This is the most entertaining part of the blow-dry class I teach.  It’s always the most improved subject by the end of the class too.  When it comes to sectioning, there’s a lot of slacking off that really sets you back.  Do your self a favor and get a good supply of jumbo clips and duckbill clips.  When you section, imagine drawing the line on your scalp.  Twist and tuck the whole strand of hair into the area so you can avoid tangling that hair in your brush.  Neat sections will save you time and avoid tangles and tearing of your hair in the brush.

1.  Breakdown the head into five major sections.
2. Start with the top of the head and create a section centered around the part.  This should be no wider than the brush you are using and it will be the last and most important section you do.
3. Divide the rest of the head into four major sections.  Blow-dry using subsections that are not larger than the brush you are using.
   

   The Finale of Your Own Blow-out

4. Start at the bottom and work your way towards the top and the front of the head.  When you are blow-drying the bottom section, just pay close attention to setting the ends since the rest of your hair covers the roots.

• Setting

1.  Set the hair by thoroughly cooling each section with your dryer after it is heated dry.
2. As it is cooling, set down your blow dryer (in a secure place where it won’t fall off the counter) and brush through the section several times while maintaining the shape.  By doing this, you “freeze” that shape of the brush into the section.  That what we call setting the hair.
3. Repeat this all around the head and run a cool dryer once over using your hands to separate the section lines that may still show.
4. Apply your favorite finishing products and celebrate a job well done…or another practice session survived.

I always welcome new clients for blow-dry sets and for my Round Brush Techniques Class.  You can find me at Urban Betty Salon, Monday – Friday and our front desk staff is available all week to answer questions about my services and classes.

Written by Veronica Gonzales, Stylist at Urban Betty Salon

The Graduated Bob, and the Pain of Growing it Out.

Ah, the graduated bob. This haircut exploded on the salon scene and seemed to me, the most requested style since 2007. Depending on your age, you may remember the origins of this short cut from the 1970’s when it was referred to as the wedge or more commonly the Dorothy Hamill.  The wedge cut is a classic short hairstyle that became very popular in 1976 when champion figure skater Dorothy Hamill sported it as she won the Olympic Gold Medal at the age of 19. Her signature look became popular with young women across the globe and soon the “Dorothy Hamill do’” could be found nearly everywhere. Oddly enough, although Hamill’s signature hairstyle is the wedge, the hairstyle evolved and has continued to remain popular.

Fast forward to the last couple of years and you have the reverse bob haircut (also known as the inverted bob). It quickly became one of 2008’s most popular hairstyles. The look first showed up on Victoria Beckham, and was immediately a fashion standard in New York and Los Angeles. It then morphed into the Posh spice bob and women of every generation began requesting it.

So, here you have a cute, fun, and trendy short haircut. So what’s the big deal you ask? Well, being a cutting specialist, I have not only had a chance to cut this bob, many times, I have also had the difficult job of trying to help women grow it out. There were so many clients coming to me when the craze was over, wanting to know what their grow-out options were. I was asked how to make the transition from short to long hair in the best way. One of the most challenging things is having to explain to my clients the painstaking task of growing it out. Most of them were in disbelief, and still are today, when I would tell them what was in store for them and their hair. I became obsessed with trying to explain how to grow out this cut. I’ll never forget the one night I came home from the salon and told my boyfriend how I wanted to create some sort of diagram or 3-d chart to let the clients see this haircut the way I did. Meaning, if I could explain it with geometry, an architectural approach to it, then they would see what I was talking about. After all, that’s really what haircuts are. They are shapes, all dependent on proportion. I never made the diagram, but still today find myself, on almost a daily basis, trying to explain and help people move on from this haircut. Now that I have a public forum on the Urban Betty page, I can take this opportunity to help clients understand more about this cut and how to grow it out. I used to and still joke around that this haircut was so difficult to grow out, the client should sign a waiver form. Don’t get me wrong; it’s a great haircut for many reasons. The upside of it would be that it keeps its shape and doesn’t take a lot of styling, with the right hair type. Whether you wore it smooth and polished or even curly, the cut was the shape itself. It’s definitely a 6-week haircut, max, so it would require consistency on the client’s part. But now, here we are, ready to grow it out, hence the name of this blog.

The good news is, it can be done. I have seen it and worked with clients over the last few years to make it happen. The bad new is, out of all the haircuts, in my opinion, it is indeed the most difficult to grow out. And here is why. A graduated bob is all about the proportion and angles, like most cuts, except this one would be considered on the extreme side. The back of the hair, starting at the nape of the neck is cut at a 45 degree angle and builds weight as it goes up the head, mostly all the way to the crown. Meaning each section of hair is dependent upon the section before it, creating a wedge like shape. Then when you get to the top of the head, the hair is left long and most of the time blended into an ‘all one length’ style. An A-Line bob would be when the short back connects to the long front, creating an ‘A-line’ shape. Any way you wore it, you had hair that was super short in back and long in the front. And herein lies the painful task of growing it out.

People have come to me in the beginning stages and sadly I would have to tell them there was nothing I could do until the back was grown out more, the hardest but most important part. Then there is what happens when this hair does start growing out. It turns into the old, 1990’s Jennifer Aniston ‘friends’ cut. Without getting into that, let’s just say most people are not happy about having to sport that do again. But because of the proportions, this is exactly what this haircut turns into. So what do you do? I tell my clients that the first thing is they have to let the back grow out. There is no short cut to this and it can be quite unflattering, for lack of a better term. Then, regular visits to the salon to do what I call ‘reversing the proportions’ comes next, after you have enough hair in the back to work with. You see, it’s all about letting the back grow out, that’s where your length comes from, and shortening up the front and sides. This is a gradual and slow process that takes months, but it can be done and if you are reading this right now, wanting to grow out your graduated bob, just know, you have to commit to the decision to do it. A lot of people get halfway there and give up, because of all the different stages your hair has to go through to get this shape out of you head. However, it can be done. It just requires patience, commitment and regular trips to a stylist who will work with you on this hair plan. Don’t make the mistake of having someone keep cutting on it in the wrong areas. That will just set you back each time. It’s knowing when and where to cut, and when and where NOT to. I hope this blog helps those out there who are looking for answers and support in taking on this task. And like I always say, when you know WHY hair is doing certain things, then you know what you can do about it.

Written by:

Mercedes Mancillas, Stylist at Urban Betty Salon

The Rules of an Updo

For most ladies, year round, there is always an occasion calling for an updo.  Events could include weddings, holiday parties, or any of Austin’s endless parade of fashion soirées.  We can help by inventing fresh ideas that keep you ahead of the trends and on top of the red carpet.  Here are a few tips from the professionals at Urban Betty Salon to ensure you have the best up-do rather than an up-don’t.

Rule number one, please make sure that your hair is at least shoulder length.  If it is not, the use of temporary extensions is going to be your best bet.  These can be easily pinned into the updo and come in a wide variety of colors that will match your hair perfectly.  Next, make sure that you have given yourself a great blow out prior to the appointment.  This is especially important for curly and frizzy hair.  However, DO NOT use a flat iron before getting a updo.  That can make it hard to hold curl and stay pinned in place.  Please leave the flat ironing to your stylist on the day of the event.  Another great rule is to arrive to your appointment early and with DRY hair. This allows time to look thru magazines and have a proper consultation, while cutting out unnecessary time for hair drying.  The night before your appointment, make sure not to over condition or apply a mask to your tresses.  This can result in hair that is too soft and weighed down.

Last but not least, the weeks prior to your appointment are crucial. Freshly highlighted and colored hair is a must.  New growth (dark roots) can show up dramatically in an updo andcan sometimes be even more emphasized by certain cameras and show up exaggerated in pictures.  Going an extra shade lighter can help your hair look perfect and camera ready.  Having the ends of your hair trimmed neatly also keeps the finished product smooth and impeccable.  The final important tip is to wear a button down shirt to your appointment on the day of the event.  This will keep you from damaging your beautiful new do when you are trying to get dressed later in the day.

Modern Updo on Jessica Alba

Written by: Chelle Morrison, Owner of Urban Betty Salon