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HAIRLOOKS - WHAT WE DO
Hair Customers Learn More This post gives an overview of what we do, why we're passionate about hair, and how we're changing the way people have their hair done. Read on to learn more. |
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DETOXING YOUR HAIR
January 11th, 2021 Products like shampoo, conditioners and styling aids add shine and manageability, but they also build up on our hair over time. The results of this build up are brittle hair, discoloration (especially on lighter strands), frizz and tougher tangles. Minerals that collect in our tap water compound this problem. Read on to learn more about what to do about it. |
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THE PUSH FOR SUSTAINABLE BEAUTY
December 28th, 2021 Without fulfilling the need for more sustainable processes and packaging, the beauty industry will face challenges satisfying their customers' growing desire to shop green. In this post I cover two topics every eco-conscious beauty shopper should be tuned in to: carbon neutrality and packaging. Read on to learn more. |
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BEAUTYTECH
December 20th, 2021 Welcome to the apex of technology and beauty, where breaking changes are being made around how beauty products and services are made accessible to the right consumers. The shift in demand for innovation across multiple product and service categories can be seen in 2021. Covid-19 may have hit certain beauty sectors hard, but it has also accelerated the demand for innovation. In this post, I write about the tech advancements that have stood out to me as both a hair professional and a consumer. |
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HAIR CHALLENGES PART II
December 12th, 2021 This is part two of a guide meant to enlighten you about what is really going on with your hair. Move the product marketing aside and step into the mind of the hair professional by learning the science behind your strands, which are fluid and, at times, inconsistent. They can be changed with heat, weather, and chemicals, all agents that can be manipulated to achieve your desired look. As a third-generation hair professional, I'm excited to share this knowledge with to give you more control over your hair challenges. |
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HAIR CHALLENGES PART I
December 2nd, 2021 This is part one of a guide meant to enlighten you about what is really going on with your hair. Move the product marketing aside and step into the mind of the hair professional by learning the science behind your strands, which are fluid and, at times, inconsistent. They can be changed with heat, weather, and chemicals, all agents that can be manipulated to achieve your desired look. As a third-generation hair professional, I'm excited to share this knowledge with to give you more control over your hair challenges. |
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FACE SHAPE GUIDE
November 11th, 2021 I recommend thinking of your face in two sections: (1) upper face and (2) lower face. Doing this will help you understand if you have characteristics from two different face shapes, which is common. Also, remember that the real world is 3D and the shapes in this guide are 2D, which means they can only tell you about the portrait of your face. Read on to learn more. |
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BANGS HAIR GUIDE
November 3rd, 2021 Looking for a more impactful way to change your hair? Bangs can create softness or add edginess to your look, and the types to choose from are endless. In this post, I give you some guidelines around bangs to help you decide what could work for you. |
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INGREDIENT LISTS
October 19th, 2021 Over the last few years, there has been an increase in the annual variety of cosmetic products sold. For some of these new products' ingredients, there is little information available to support safety and efficacy. To help categorize all cosmetic ingredients, the FDA uses a system called the International Nomenclature of Cosmetic Ingredients (INCI). Learn more about it in this post. |
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FALL TRENDS - LIQUID HAIR
October 8th, 2021 I'm always on the hunt for timeless trends. In fashion, the little black dress’s qualities are classic, essential and elegant, but wearable. Like the LBD, sleek shiny hair at any length is an ongoing trend that we've see renditions of over time. The overall effect is reflective, healthy and straight hair. Today it's known as "liquid hair". Learn more in this post. |
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HOW OFTEN SHOULD I SHAMPOO?
September 28th, 2021 As a stylist, the most frequent question I get is “how often should I shampoo?”. My response always is "first and foremost, it's important to know how to shampoo properly so when you do, it counts". From how shampoo works to the most common ingredients, I answer all of your shampoo-related questions in this post. |
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HAIR DISCRIMINATION UPDATE II
September 16th, 2021 The CROWN Act is a bill founded in early 2019 that prohibits race-based hair discrimination in the form of denying employment or education opportunities because of hair texture or preferred style. "CROWN" stands for "Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair". An update on the progress of this critical bill is included in this blog post. |
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2021 HAIR TRENDS
August 24th, 2021 In this post I give an overview of the top hair trends for 2021. They include (1) Curtain Bangs, (2) Hair Dryer Brushes, (3) Brad Mondo, (4) Money Piece, (5) Dimethicone, (6) Hair Plopping and (7) the Wolf Haircut. Read on to learn more. |
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STYLING GUIDE FOR MEN
July 1st, 2021 This step-by-step guide is designed to help men figure out which products and styling tools to use. If you want to learn more about products beyond the overview I give here, you can check out my posts on Simplifying Hair Products and Simplifying Hair Products II. Read on to learn more. |
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HYGRAL FATIGUE
June 9th, 2021 Hygral fatigue is a phenomenon thought to occur when you over-condition your hair, leading to excessive damage from moisture entering and exiting your hair’s cuticle too many times. However, there is technically no concrete scientific evidence that hygral fatigue exists. That being said, a balance between protein and moisture in your hair is important. Read on to learn more. |
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SHOULDER LENGTH HAIR GUIDE
May 26th, 2021 In this post I break down the concept of "shoulder length" into three categories: (1) just above the shoulder, (2) on the shoulder and (3) collar bone length. Use it as a guide to help you plan what your next haircut will look like, and to learn what transitioning from short-to-long, or long-to-short, hair will be like. |
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POST-WORKOUT HAIR
May 4th, 2021 Matching two of my major obsessions in one blog: hair and the gym. With my own major hair color and length changes, I've had to navigate leaving the gym with polished hair in creative ways that shorten styling time plus avoid damage. Read on for options that daily gym goers can take advantage of, whether you wash your hair daily or don't. |
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DMDM HYDANTOIN
April 23rd, 2021 Consumers are searching for shampoo and conditioners that do not contain DMDM Hydantoin, a popular preservative. At the beginning of 2021 there was a trend on social media linking this ingredient with hair loss. People are being advised to check not only their drugstore hair products, but also ones from high end salons, to ensure it's not on the ingredient list. Read on to learn more. |
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GET THE CUT YOU WANT IN 2021
April 13th, 2021 I wanted to write this post to help people enter into 2021 with a splash. Everyone is spending time and money on their hair right now to make up for all the haircuts they missed and bad hair days they had in 2020. Check out my last post on this topic, titled How to Get the Cut You Want, to get ideas on how to talk about length, layers and texture. Then use this post to figure out what you're looking for and expand your haircut description verbiage. |
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TEXTURED BOBS
March 27th, 2021 I've always believed in becoming the master of one core skill in your profession, and using that to differentiate yourself from the rest of the market. For this reason, I chose to specialize in haircuts around one year into my hairdressing career. I recently had the chance to do a haircut on influencer Aimee Rancer, who you may remember from our blog post in August last year titled Q&A with Aimee Rancer. Understand more about her look through my run down below! |
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HAIR PRODUCT LABELS
March 19th, 2021 According to the the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) webpage on cosmetics labeling, there are no requirements in the U.S. for cosmetic manufacturers to print expiration dates on the labels of cosmetic products. However, companies (and individuals) who market cosmetics have a legal responsibility to ensure the safety of their products. This shows in the symbols used on their packaging, which is what this next post is all about. |
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HAIRLOOKS - WHAT WE DO
March 3rd, 2021 I wrote this post to give people a better idea of who is behind the HairLooks company, what we do, and why now is the time for everyone to think about what the future looks like for the hair industry. Read on to learn more. |
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PURPLE SHAMPOO
February 23rd, 2021 During COVID Google searches for purple shampoo have increased. The salon industry, having limited opportunity to tend to the warm shades in lightened hair that show up in between maintenance, have people searching for solutions. Sharing some info here on purple shampoo and conditioner to help our blonde, silver and white haired friends out. |
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HAIR PRODUCT DIVERSION
February 4th, 2021 For decades there has been a silent battle waged between salons and big-box retailers when it comes to selling professional hair care products. Read on to learn more about the diversion of hair products and to understand the key types of players in the ecosystem. |
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AT HOME HAIR COLOR
December 16th, 2020 If you're looking to change your hair color, you'll need a personalized formula, and it's often best to leave this to hair professionals. Stylists take your hair's health, starting color, tone, density, texture, plus desired result into consideration to come up with the perfect color formula for your hair. However, if you're considering a DIY drug store solution, here are some things to think about. |
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MYANMAR'S HAIR MARKET
December 4th, 2020 Myanmar is a leading source of human hair, and part of a delicate network that services the global demand for products like extensions and wigs. According to CNN, much of the sourced hair from Myanmar is sold to China, put through manufacturing processes, and then exported to the west. Check out CNN's Google AMP Story on this here. |
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APPLYING HAIR PRODUCTS
November 13th, 2020 Hopefully my earlier blogs on simplifying hair products (Simplifying Hair Products I and Simplifying Hair Products II) cleared up any confusion about hair products and their ingredients. Now let's review how to apply hair products. The application technique and amount of product used have a big impact on attaining the desired results. Consider your starting point, or the state of your hair before applying products, by asking the following questions. |
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KEEPING YOUR LENGTH
November 5th, 2020 You may remember one of my most popular blog posts, titled Shoulder Length Hair Guide. If you're in love with your long hair then this new post is for you. Here we'll explore your options for maintaining your length while switching it up a bit to give you a change during your next haircut. |
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THE GLOBAL DEMAND FOR HAIR
October 30th, 2020 It is surprisingly difficult to learn where hair extension brands source their hair from. As I dug deeper into the global supply chain behind hair extensions, I was inspired to write a post detailing where these products come from. It’s the first in a series of posts I’ll be working on related to the global supply for hair. |
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Q&A WITH AIMEE RANCER
August 13th, 2020 Aimee is an Instagram Influencer and blogger in San Francisco. She also works as a Creative Strategist at Pinterest deploying lighthouse creative activations for some of the world's most admired brands. She’s constantly on the lookout for brands that have inspiring stories, which is the drive behind her loyal Instagram following. In this post, we interview Aimee about her hair journey since moving to San Francisco 8 years ago. |
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YOUR HAIR + STRESS
July 30th, 2020 People are undergoing one of the most stressful times of the 21st century to date. In response to COVID-19, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has dedicated a page on their website to dealing with this titled "Coping with Stress". Your hair is likely feeling some pressure from the pandemic as well. Telogen effluvium is temporary hair loss caused by chronic stress or a traumatic event. Hair typically has three cycles: (1) a growth phase, (2) a transition phase and (3) a resting phase. Read on to learn more. |
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HAIR DISCRIMINATION UPDATE
July 18th, 2020 The CROWN Act is a bill founded in early 2019 that prohibits race-based hair discrimination in the form of denying employment or education opportunities because of hair texture or preferred style. "CROWN" stands for "Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair". An update on the progress of this critical bill is included in this blog post. |
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SUSTAINABLE HAIRCARE
July 5th, 2020 The products we use to beautify ourselves also unfortunately decay the earth, particularly our water systems. Certain sunscreen ingredients have been proven to deplete coral reefs. Micro-beads and micro-plastics are scattered throughout the ocean, with the former commonly used in face wash and the latter constantly shedding off our clothes in the wash. Hairspray and fragrances containing Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCS) evaporate in the air and dissolve in water. Read on to learn more. |
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POST-PANDEMIC HAIR TRENDS
May 11th, 2020 Hair trends shift with major world events as they alter the habits of those that are impacted. As a result, a haircut can become less functional, socially acceptable or trendy as people seek to express themselves in response to the shifting environment. In this post, I'll share some of the hair trends that occurred at that time. Is hair history destined to repeat itself in the wake of COVID-19? |
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SIMPLIFYING HAIR PRODUCTS II
April 26th, 2020 I want you to take a look at your hair products, and get rid of anything that is expired. Check out this video on why throwing away, and avoiding, old hair products is a must. Now, determine if the product "expands" or "condenses", and whether that is working for the way you currently style your hair. Most products can be classified under one of those two categories. Read on to learn more. |
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A DAY WITHOUT A HAIRDRESSER
April 15th, 2020 COVID-19 has led to Shelter-in-Place mandates across the USA, and is preventing stylists/barbers from providing services to their clients. The idea of not getting your hair done for a while may sound like torture, but you're better off waiting and trying to take advantage of the time you have out of the public eye. Read on to learn how to cope, and what your hair professional is doing during your time apart. |
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SIMPLIFYING HAIR PRODUCTS I
April 8th, 2020 I want you to take a look at your hair products, and get rid of anything that is expired. Check out this video on why throwing away, and avoiding, old hair products is a must. Now, determine if the product "expands" or "condenses", and whether that is working for the way you currently style your hair. Most products can be classified under one of those two categories. |
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ZOOM CALL HAIR
April 2nd, 2020 Grab your coffee. During the days of “Shelter-in-Place" it seems like everyone is “phoning it in” to work. My favorite of the conferencing apps is Zoom. Since we all need a laugh right now, I'm sharing a few funny stories about Zoom below, plus tips on getting your hair ready for video calls. |
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HOW TO GET THE CUT YOU WANT
March 10th, 2020 If you've ever raced out of a salon with tears in your eyes, you already know it's hard to explain to a stylist exactly what you're hoping to get. While it's not always this dramatic (and possibly good for your personality to have at least one bad haircut in your life), rest assured the struggle is over. In this post, I'll explain haircut verbiage and give tips for communicating the haircut you want. |
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CLEANING YOUR HAIR TOOLS
February 24th, 2020 Both hair professionals and customers should clean their hair tools on a weekly basis to keep them working as long as possible. Professionals also need to use disinfectant to be compliant with California State law. The majority of this article gives advice for customers on how to care for their tools at home. |
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HAIR DISCRIMINATION
February 13th, 2020 As of January 2020, in the United States it is not illegal to discriminate against someone's hair type at school or in the workplace. Only California, New York, and New Jersey have passed laws protecting employees and students from this blatant form of bias. The CROWN Act is working to change this. Read on to learn more. |
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WHAT'S YOUR HAIR ERA?
January 13th, 2020 Have you been looking to change your look? Are you looking for something modern but true to your style? Enjoy this quick quiz that will help you find out a little about what decade inspires your style most. When you get to the end, we'll suggest a modern style that embodies your era! |
