Long Bob Pics

Cropped and Chopped (The Long Bob)

Its that time of the year when you decide to cut your hair off. Sometimes its due to weather, Summer's coming and its too hot to have it long. Or maybe you're just wanting a change. Cutting your hair short can be scary, so if you're not ready to go really short, take baby steps. Maybe you're not ready to take the leap with Katie Holmes' shaggy bob, but maybe you're ready to go a little longer than that with the long bob aka The Lob. This style can be worn with long blunt bangs, soft side swept bangs, or no bangs at all. Celebrities like Heidi Klum and Gweneth Paltrow are seen rocking these looks. Soft and sophisticated but also modern and chic, there's a style for everyone.

Round Face Shapes

If you have a round face shape, your face is as wide as it is long. For a round face shape, finding a style to minimize the roundness is the key. Celebrities like Kelley Clarkson and Kirsten Dunst all share the same face shape. Kelley Clarkson knows how to wear her hair to flatter her face shape. When choosing a shorter cut such as a bob, make sure the hair is longer than chin length, this will elongate your profile. A side part with a swept side bang hitting the cheek bone is a great look for a round face, this softens the wideness of the cheeks. Long hair is great for round faces, just make sure to avoid middle parts. Although this is not a very flattering look on most face shapes, round face shapes should definitely avoid this look, as this will only add to the roundness of the face. Longer layers and face framing is another great way to flatter this face shape, layers and texture will elongate the face. Make sure to give the hair some body, blowdrying it with a large round brush,with a little backcombing in the crown will add some balance to the face. So, if you are wanting a short style, opt for a bob with the front slightly longer than the back.

Square Face Shape

Square and sexy. Some of the sexiest women share this face shape: Keira Knightly, Jessica Alba, and Jessica Simpson, to name a few. Square face shapes have a strong square jawline with an equally square forehead. For square face shapes, try a shorter to medium length style with soft layers framing the face. This will soften the strong squareness of the jawbone. Soft and wispy fringe, full bang, or side bang will minimize a wider forehead. Wearing a side part will balance the face's symmetry. Also height is important. It doesn't have to be a bouffant, but having a little extra body to the hair style will add roundness. Short hair can be worn well with a square face, as long as it is past the jawbone and and there is layering to add texture and body to the hair. Long Hair can look great on someone with a square face. When going with a longer style, make sure to have long layering in the hair, face framing layers around the face, and a side bang or wispy bangs. Avoid a middle part. This is the most unflattering look you could have with a square face shape. Remember square face shapes are extremely strong, so we need add softness to feminize our look.

Heart Face Shape

A heart shaped face is wider through the forehead and cheek bones and more narrow through the chin. The chin can have a slight point or be very pointy. Finding the right hair style to compliment this face shape is key. Reese Witherspoon has the quintessential heart face shape. When her hair is long with longer layers with textured layers framing her face, this adds softness. The side swept bangs draw attention to her eyes. For long hair, this is a great, sexy, and sassy look. It can be worn a little messy and piecey, or it can be worn more smooth and straight. Try a side part; this adds balance to the style. Be careful of styles that are too full at crown, because they will add emphasis to the chin. Be careful of wearing your hair too flat, this is too harsh for a heart shaped face. Highlight the cheekbones, because a heart shaped faces have great cheekbones. Soft layers around the face and wispy bangs minimize the width of the forehead. Chin length bobs are also a great look for this face shape, because they adds height where needed. Try to avoid tappering the nape to closely, as this will only draw attention to the chin.

Oval face shape

The oval face shape is the most versatile face shape. Most oval faces can wear any hair style. Lucky them. Oval faces can wear long styles, short styles, and curly styles. This is the only face shape that can pull off a middle part. Most models you see have this face shape, which is why they can pull off so many different styles. Styles that are pulled off the face look the best on oval faces. Styles that are too long will only drag the face down, making the face look more oblong than oval. Avoid heavy blunt bangs, as this will only make your face look small and lost in your hair. Styles that are swept back look the best for you, but soft waves are also a great look. When going for short hair, textured and piecey looks or bobs are a great look for oval faces. No matter what look you go for, make sure its flattering on your face and brings out your best features.

Hair and Menopause

As if hot flashes weren't enough! Approximately one-third of peri menopausal and menopausal women experience noticible hair loss. This is due to the drop in estrogen in comparison to testosterone. This combination causes hair loss on the head and unwanted hair growth in areas, such as the face. The good news is that it is usually temporary and improves over time. Eating a healthy diet and using natural shampoos and conditioners will help strengthen the hair and prevent breakage. I often give my clients regular scalp massages because this stimulates the blood supply to the scalp and hair follicles which helps to keep both healthy. Sometimes a change of hairstyle can disguise the effects of the hair loss but if it is especially troublesome, I sometimes use a hairpiece that i customize with color and cut which can hide those areas while waiting for your hormones to stabilize.

Next weeks post
How to find the right cut for your face shape.

Hair And That Time of The Month

Don't we all hate that time of the month? Our hormones can go crazy, not only do we not feel good, we can experience weight gain of up to 5 pounds. Our hair and skin are affected by our cycle as well. We may be more oily and more prone to breakouts and our hair can tend to feel dryer and a little more damaged. The scalp can be extra sensitive and you may experience some irritation during color application. Because we are more sensitive to smells at this time, the scent of hair color may seem much stronger than it usually does. If scalp irritation is a problem for you, ask the stylist to use a desensitizer in the color and this should minimize the irritation. Hair can also be stubborn, having a mind of its own, it can take much longer for your hair to accept the desired color. Dry, itchy scalp, and dandruff are also side effects of hormonal imbalance. Using a medicated shampoo, specifically for dry scalp and dandruff, can help the problem. You may want to avoid waxing right before and during you period. Skin is extremely sensitive and nerve endings are so close to the surface of the skin that waxing can cause the skin to tear and be more painful at that time. If that happens use a soothing cream, that is suitable for the face for redness and irritation.

Hair and Pregnancy

Your hair changes drastically when you're pregnant. Sometimes your hair stylist knows your pregnant , even before you do. Why is this? Because of hormonal fluctuations, your hair texture and color can change. If you had fine, wavy hair prepregnancy, you may a notice a little coarser texture and your hair may seem a little curlier. Your hair color may also become a little darker. Women will also notice that there is not as much hair left on their brush. Because hair follicles hibernate during this time, pregnant women don't shed the normal 100 hairs a day. Much like being on your period. During pregnancy, your hair can be a little resistant to color. Highlights can sometimes take twice as long to lift to the desired color. My clients often ask if it is safe to color their hair during their pregnancy. Evidence suggests that it is probably safe to color your hair during your pregnancy. However It's always best to check with your OB/GYN for the final word. You might want to consider highlights, so that the chemicals have little or no contact with the scalp. Any hair coloring agents absorbed into your system enter through your skin, not through the hair shaft.

Bad Hair Day Basics

Bad hair days - what causes them and how to overcome them.

There’s nothing worse then a bad hair day. No matter what you do, you can’t seem to get your hair to behave. It’s like your hair has a mind of its own. How your hair looks plays a big part in how you feel and sets the tone for your whole day. Every time you have a conversation with someone, you become paranoid that they’re wondering when the last time was that you brushed your hair. No matter how much make up I put on or how cute my outfit is, all I can think about is “Wow, my hair looks like a rat’s nest!” All the Aqua Net in the world couldn’t tame that mess.

Weather can have a huge impact on how our hair behaves. When there are 30 mile per hour sustained winds outside, we can easily get that “finger in the light socket” look. When it’s sunny and 110 degrees outside, we sometimes look like we have melted in the sun. Flat, oily, frizzy hair is just not a good look for anyone. When its rainy and humid… well, the drowned rat look takes over, and an umbrella can’t really do much to keep that look away.

Hair and Humidity:

Humidity is everyone’s worst enemy. Nobody’s hair seems to fair well in humidity. Wet, hot, sticky moisture in the air causes fine straight hair to go limp and lifeless, while curly or wavy hair takes on a life of its own, becoming dried out and frizzy looking. Some people with wavy hair try to use a flat iron to straighten it; well, then it’s half frizzy and wavy and half straight and limp. It’s the worst of both worlds.

How do we overcome the humidity?

Using the right products for each hair type is a must! For fine hair that is a little chemically damaged, use a product to control the frizz but nothing too heavy. Fine hair is delicate. Using something too heavy will give a “need to be washed”, greasy look. For controlling the hair in humid weather, a product that gives the hair texture and hold is the best choice. This will help prevent the hair from becoming limp and lifeless.

For curly hair, again use a frizz control product but something a little heavier. People with curly hair usually have thicker and coarser textured hair and need the extra support. If your hair is curly but fine, then you need to use a product that is specifically for curly and fine hair. Curly, coarse hair can be extremely unruly in humid weather. I prefer a gel or wax based product for gaining control, because mousse will not give you enough control on those extra humid days. With hair that is chemically straightened or just flat ironed the same day, use a product to control frizz and another product specifically for straightening. This will give you some extra control, allowing your hair to last throughout the day. Humidity can be a challenge, but it’s a part of everyday life here in Florida. With these little tips, anyone can have a good hair day, even on a bad weather day.

Next week’s topic: How hormones affect your hair.

Welcome - 04/16/2009

Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve loved hair. I would see different styles in a magazine, on TV, or on a person, and I would have my mom try out the style on me. She was my personal hairstylist. I would show her a new cut or color I wanted, and she would try it out. I know I drove her crazy with all the different looks I wanted. It was definitely a foreshadowing of my future career.

I first colored my hair in the sixth grade. It was a temporary dye, but it never completely washed out. I saw Titanic and I was obsessed with Rose's red hair. I was mesmerized by how beautiful the color was. I wanted to be a beautiful red head too, so I went to the drugstore and bought a box and did it at home. I guess it’s safe to say it never looked like Roses did, but I loved the thought that you could change your whole look by changing your hair color. Throughout high school I was always changing my color I’ve been a red head, a blonde, and a brunette. I have changed my hair to every different color imaginable. I have had many at-home hair disasters. When I was a junior in high school, I was a natural dark blonde. I decided I wanted to have auburn hair, so I picked out a color I thought was close to what I desired. I applied it and waited the full thirty minutes. When I rinsed it out, my hair was bright carrot orange. I was horrified, and ran back to the store to get something to just bleach it out. After that incident, I decide I really wanted to become a stylist and help people achieve the hair they desire.

After high school, I enrolled in the Paul Mitchell School. I learned a lot and became even more excited about the career I had chosen. After I graduated, I started working at Salon Panache. I was 19 and a total fish out of water. I trained under one of the co-owners who was also a L'Oreal educator for a year, and then trained under the other salon owner for another year. All of the stylists at Salon Panache take continuing educational classes throughout the year. These classes include hands-on design and color techniques, taught by the top experts in the field. This has been the best opportunity I could have ever asked for. I absolutely love my job.

I have started this blog, to help others with their hair, give some tips of the trade, and provide some insight into why hair behaves the way it does.