Shoreline Park

Here are our images from the shoot.  We both learned some valuable lessons.  I can see my translation needs work, and the fact that the wind kicked up, really cut a lot of juice from the act.  Next time we both agreed that we need to work with less models, and really get the shot.

Serrahna's Spring Fashion Show at Marica's

My learning curve now feels like the long hike to Half Dome in Yosemite. I styled the hair and make-up for one of Serrahna's Spring Fashion Shows at Marica's restaurant. Her boutique is on College Avenue in Oakland, California. www.serrahna.com. She designs her collections using Indian Fabrics. I love working with Andrea. She is a beautiful, heartful woman, a talented designer, and she knows how to dress a woman. Walking into her store is like walking into a jewel-lined secret room. COLOR is all you see. 

In working with her fashion shows, this will be the third year; I'm trying to integrate what I've learned in my workshops by shortening my timing and setting up my kit to make sense to me on location. Plus, work on being creative and trying to project how things will look on camera.

The show took place at the restaurant next door to her boutique, seated about 50 people, and was packed. Her customers are her models; we had four of them, plus her lovely sister. We prepped the models at Serrahna's; then, they would walk over.

The working space was tiny, and I had to remove one of my lights to be able to plug in a curling iron. It took me an hour and a half for the model, Diane, the brunette with long hair. Beautiful texture to work with, and lots of it. Looking back, maybe next time, I would put half her hair up. I applied colors like Trax Bas and Sketch from MAC.

The second model was Emily, the lovely blonde. She also had lots of hair, but straight. Had I not taken so long for the first model, I would have curled Emily's hair. I put it up in a chignon and used colors like pewter to line her eyes, greens, and Orb from MAC.

The third model was Debra, a lovely woman with curly silver, gray, and white hair. We used plums, purples, and wines on her eyes and lips.

We also styled Andrea's sister; her shoulder-length, fine blonde hung straight. The braid was an excellent choice for dressing her hair up, without much product and manipulation.

Overall, I need to work on speed and color choices for make-up. Sadly, I was out of lashes.

Note to self: Work near the window, or create a light source. Bring a little bag for trash—more color selection for eyes, cheeks, and lips.

Overall, it was a good time. The models looked natural yet finished. And through their changes from cotton to silks, they worked their way around the restaurant. Complete pictures of loveliness sparkling in the night.

Andrea's next show will be on May 18th at Khana Peena on College Ave. in Oakland.  

Juarez Santiago McMiller

We pulled it off!  Everything went really well.  We arrived a t 12:00 pm, I was the first to arrive.  I set up in the living room at McMiller's place.  Then Zavia, one of the models showed, so we got started on her hair, sweet gal, eyes of a doe.  We rolled her hair into barrel curls, with a deep diagonal part, from temple to crown.  Then, our make up artist showed, Shabnam Hariri, fabulous artist, lovely disposition.  There was one other kind MUA, but she didn't have a care, and I can't recall her name, but was talented as well. Then, the five models showed.  The three sisters, Shilonda, Chantel, and Akila.  We had one other model show, and Mika, the owner of the clothing store came in carrying the clothing. 

And, of course Juarez.  He is a mix of fun, serious about his craft, strong ideas, and hip.  He knew what he was going for and he got it.  He definitly pulled together a great team of players.  Check out his work.  www.zrphotography.com. 

I pulled out hair pieces that I had practiced on, and laid out product, brushes, pins, grips, and hot tools.  Even though I had laid out plans of what I would do, I relaxed with it and allowed myself to create with what the models hair would do, could do, face structure, and hair texture.  I had a ball.  The models looked great, and although not professional...they put it on with the final touches of make up, hair, and clothing.

It was a mix of industrial, waterfront, backgrounds.  I was inspired by the water, movement, cultures mixing and swirling, and tried to capture it with the hairstyles.  I know we captured some beautiful, high fashion, beauty shots.

Around 8:00 pm, while the last bit of sunlight drained from the sky, and the freezing wind blew in from the bay, we took our last shot, hair blown barely withstanding the elements, models shivering bare-legged in spring cottons.  All of us, not too tired to laugh at the absurdity.  I called out,  "We must be mad!"

Online Magazine Launch

Yeah!  The Cutting Chair, has officially launched.  We have all been waiting with abated breath.  I know this online venture, as well as a coming out in print version, will do well.  They have high hopes of being a leading hair, fashion, and lifestyle magazine.  I think they can do it. This mulit-faceted site is in it's infancy, but already has come out with some strong visuals, fun content, and tips of the trade, for both clients and professional stylists.  I have written four articles for them.  Two are in this initial launch under articles.   How Green Does Your Salon Grow?  Things you can do to clean up your act.  The other, Interpreting the Runway:  Translating Trends into Wearable Hair.   We will see if others make it in at a later date.  Writing articles is new to me, but I found I enjoyed the research, and getting them in and out. Unlike the book, which is taking eons to bake, writing needs the time to mature.  It calls for a patience, particularly the book, that I didn't know I had.  Kind of like child rearing.

But back to the magazine.  Log on and see what you think.  Let them know what you would like to know more about.  http://www.thecuttingchair.com/.  Let's help make this ambitious project a great success.

The Luckiest Hairstylist Around

I met Rowan Gabrielle at the Jennifer Butler event in Mill Valley.  I thought to myself, this is a woman who walks to her own beat.  She isn't trying to be somebody she isn't, and yet, she was open to learning (a quality I happen to treasure).  She dressed in a unique way, (untrendy), with garments that exuded quality, the made-by-hand kind of quality.  She stood tall, lean, and quick.  Her energy was fluid, her eyes soft.    She wore her wavy hair long, to the middle of her back, the crown was heavy, and limp.  She wanted her hair cut into a shape that would keep her length in tact, and yet freshen it up.  She was open to my ideas.  We talked, as I cut, and I was blown away by her large scope of vision.  In fact, one of her projects which came to her in a dream, was to photograph people in their color, in the elements, on a vision quest.  Check out www.rowangabrielle.com for photos that will blow your mind.  I trimmed her ends, shaped it, and softened the front.  Layers at the crown of the head about seven inches, connecting to the length, down to the middle of her back.  With the weight released, her natural wave moved into "S" curves all around her head.  I cut a soft fringe around the front, opening up the right eye, connecting down into the longer lengths on the other side.  Lovely.

She had so much to say, and yet she exuded a quiet strength, a noticeable regal quality. She was somebody you want to know, and talk with, about everything.  She is a photographer, philanthropist, the head of a eco-leather business, called Organic Leather, founder of Urth.TV, and so much more.  She is from the UK, and has great ideas, but they don't stop there. 

 I've never met a woman, who does exactly what she has set out to do in the magnitude that she does, she travels the distance to see her projects through.  And still, she is full of graceful, solid, energy that is not weighted down by her journey, and she looks forward to the next adventure. 

After a completely satisfying, and compelling conversation, she gave me a copy of a book that her and her husband, Ayman Sawaf, self-published.   This book has me completely intrigued to read, it's called Sacred Commerce:  The Rise of the Global Citizen.  I'm anxious to give it to several people I know.  Check it out.  www.SacredCommerce.com

I have the best job around.  Thank you Rowan.  I'll look forward to the next time.

A New York Calling

I'm having the itch to move to New York.  I know it is a tough place to live i.e. weather, expensive housing, and noise.  Could I actually break into the hair world there?  This desire has nothing to do with practicality.  It's purely a feeling that perhaps I've outgrown this area, and standing behind the chair.  It would not only be a jump professionally, but the challenge could be quite stimulating.  I'm wanting to move into the editorial world, styling hair for fashion photography, and New York is where it's at in the field, or LA.  But LA is still west coast.  In order to go, I must really develop a great "book", and establish and nurture relationships there.  And I still want to freelance write as well. Can a family of three actually live comfortably there?  How much does one need to make to be comfortable there?  If I go, I want to live in the city, just for the experience, although I hear Brooklyn is great.  But I've always lived in the burbs, and if I'm going to go east, I've got to be in the city.  I want to study more with Giovanni Giuntoli.  He is a gifted hair artist, and a kind person, and I think can take my work to a whole other level.  I'm still integrating what I learned in his workshop three years ago.

Three years ago, in that class, I had the feeling that editorial was the direction I would head in.  And now, I am becoming more serious about it.  I told my partner a couple of days ago, don't worry, last month I wanted to move to Mexico, and this month it's New York.  Tomorrow may be Paris...well, as a matter of fact, Paris is one of the cities included in the master plan.

Could I just travel there instead of moving?   Perhaps.  I do plan to do hair for fashion week, once or twice a year.  I can see how it feels,  how viable,it is.  Does anybody have a relative there, or currently travels there regularly?  Are there any hairdressers reading this who know the industry there?  I'd appreciate any feedback.

Going feels like an expansion into fully realizing myself as a creative person.  It excites me to no end right now.  Creating beautiful hair, inspires me.  

Editorial Learning Curve

I'm working with hair pieces for this shoot coming up, now on six models, instead of the original five.  I just got the photos of the models dressed in some of the clothes.  Very trendy!  My goal is to execute hair that completes the picture.  I want the finished styles to compliment the total look, but I also want to challenge myself to be creative, and think high fashion.I'm looking forward to this shoot, to developing my skills of hairdressing for camera.

I just completed a shoot on Thursday.  The team-talented photographer Christian Pollock, stylist Krystle E. Hatchett, and her wonderful assistant, and I, are all in the process of developing strong "books".  We tested two models, one lovely female, and one Italian male.  It took me four hours to complete the models.  I felt less pressured about time, even though I know I must improve my time, and will, eventually.  More important to me right now though,  is the ability to execute the concept. 

Now, the stylists were more involved in assisting, and assuring I got the concept, which I was really grateful for.  I don't know if it is normal to have the open dialogue, but it felt necessary to know what the picture was in their head.   I was grateful for the feedback, and communication, I don't know how it could have happened any other way.  Krystle had a strong sense of what she was doing, and what she was going for, and her lovely assistant Kory was a dream.

We had fun, and I learned a great deal.  In case of low lighting, bring readers that are at least 200's.  Practice, practice, practice on as many , and as many looks as possible.  I experienced utter discomfort at times with my learning curve, humbling to say the least.  I need to develop my eye, to know what I am looking for, and how to achieve the end result...only through experience.   I certainly was unabashed to ask for advice.  It's just the way it is right now.  But also I felt self-assured in my abilities to communicate, and work with a team.  Christian was great to work with, easy going, and I like his work a lot, he's got a great eye, and definitely an upbeat manner about him.

I didn't stay for the shoot itself, as it was after 8:00 pm, and I needed to head back to the East Bay.  But the models looked great.  We created a 40's look, i.e. soft wavy hair, on her, with moist, clean makeup on her, and rough, gangster look on him.  I look forward to seeing the shots, and will be sure to post them.  And I want to work with Christian again.

Delfina Piretti

She is one of the most lovely, beautiful, talented people I know, and she is a client.  When she sits in my chair, I know I am in for a rich time.  She is an artist, and just returned from Xuahaca, Mexico, and other small towns, like Juchitan. She loved it, walking the streets, going to local markets, and seeing how the women dressed.  The land is barren, and yet the women wear the colors of a rainbow.  You won't see them wearing jeans and tennis shoes, but rather, embroidered dresses, ribbons and flowers in their hair.  And if they are feeling down, they will be sure to dress in the brightest colors.  And, as only traveling to another country can do, she was led inward to her own soul.  Delfina offered, ""Chronicles of travels through the Isthmus of Tehuantepec (which Juchitan is a part of) inevitably speak of fascination. Oddly enough, however, rather than express their wonder at the place, the architecture or the natural surroundings, chroniclers confess to having fallen irremediably under the seductive spell of the women." (La Tehuana /Artes de Mexico)

Juchitan is known for being a place where the woman are a cultural phenomenon in and of themselves, with their bodies, their clothing, their community rites and everyday activities, they create an environment, and rhythm of life that is unique to it. They are mythical in the most classical sense of the word, because their worldly existence and living rituals sustain and reproduce that myth. Thought these women are clearly Mestizas, the mythic voyage toward the Tehuana is a voyage to the roots,to the origins. An awed leap not only into the cultural wellspring constituted by the idea of Mexico, but to the buried mythic foundations of culture where matriarchy was apparently the rule. 

When i asked Na Marcelina about this she said it shouldn't be misunderstood that the women 'rule' the men. It's a place where the women are equal to the men, and mostly hold the position as the  primary  breadwinner.  When i asked Na Marcelina about this she said, 'It shouldn't be misunderstood that the women 'rule' the men. It's a place where the women are equal to the men, and mostly hold the position as the primary  breadwinner.'"

The land, the color, the people, the conversation, hearing another language, eating the food, all of it stimulating the mind, the psyche, and remembering what has happened before, and seeing, for brief moments, what the future holds.  Delfina is an artist, and is open to what life brings her, and is not afraid to go after what she wants.  By being open, she was led to an 78 year old Shamana, a wrinkled-faced woman with eyes full of life. She gave a healing, and repeated several times, ""you are the architect of your life".  She then fed her soup, and shared her own story, and gave her a healing.  The "session" lasted four hours and left Delfina changed.

Delfina added, "I needed to hear this for my own healing.  In shamanic tradition they teach that we co-create the universe.  For women it is important to feel empowered to realize our dreams against all odds. This is my wish this for all people. In my work as an expressive arts therapist, I use many mediums to assist in healing and finding greater ease and clarity on the journey called life."

Changes can be hard, and painful, and not to be taken lightly.  Delfina is brilliant at being right where she is, and feeling.  By telling me her story, I feel changed and open, and was reminded, our soul takes us on a trip we can't always understand.  Somehow though, I believe we are led to what we need and ultimately desire.  Upon returning home, and feeling a bit blue, and getting a haircut, she said, "Maybe I will go get a flower and put it in my hair."

Thank you Delfina.

To see some of Delfina's art, check out :  www.delfinapiretti.com/painting.html

The Dark Side of the Beauty Industry

I read this today and thought to myself, bravo, another mother writes about how the beauty industry is perpetuating in our young girls, the desire for it's products.  It frightens me! Referring to the 6-to 9-year old, as the "starter market?"  It almost makes me sick.  The issues that this presents is huge, and completely sad to me.  The fact that they will not allow our girls to be girls, but forces them to be concerned about image long before they are prepared to deal with the issues it presents, is truly maddening.

And, I would agree, it starts at home.  Most parents indulge the fantasy way more than I am comfortable.  I've seen it, and I know from personal experience, it is difficult to say no, to the young girl who spots pink sparkling heels her size.

What to do, but to continue to talk about it, and write about it!

Check out the mom blog for more info on this article.

Flat Iron Allure

I've been at war with what I do for a long time.  The beauty industry can seem so shallow, and full of itself, everybody taking themselves much to seriously.  At times, it can feel as though I am participating in the this large web of nonsense, which can make most women feel like they are on the outside.  And yet, for 27 years I've been standing behind the chair, helping women feel good about the way they look, is a very powerful act.  Because some of these women don't get approval, or made to feel beautiful at home, or at their work, it's vital to their self-esteem that they get it somewhere.  And if I haven't achieved this one thing for my client, than I have failed at my job. I had a client come in the other day, who I've seen for a couple of years.  She's made a couple of changes with her style, usually encouraged by her.  And when she does, she is firm about it.  The last style change, she brought in a picture of herself, long ago.  Her hair just sat in a long, bowl shaped, heavy look, almost looking like a wig.  "Outdated."  I thought to myself.  But I went with it, knowing I'd be able to update the look by letting her know it would look that much better if we made some adjustments. The idea of growing her hair frizzy, curly, hair out was unappealing.  But we began a six month process of growing it out.  We have achieved what she was going for, a feeling of more femininity.  We continue to talk about cutting off the medium brown, colored hair and letting her white hair show.  The color is pretty, I just wonder about the texture and being white.  I would like to see it.

The other day, I decided to flat iron her hair.  She has so wanted straight hair, and yet, she has only chemically straightened her hair once.  I'm relieved, perfectly smooth hair has always been difficult for me to accept.  Well, you would have thought I had made her world perfect.  She loved it!  Ohhing and ahhing out the door.

Then the calls started.  One the next morning, one that afternoon. She could only speak to me.  I called her back and got her machine, after a couple of rounds of calls, we spoke.  "Rebecca, I love my hair."  I laughed, and said, 'Great!'  "No, you have to understand.  I feel pretty.  I have never felt this way about the way I look."  Her husband dropped his jaw.  Men are looking at her.  The calls continued about setting up appointments to flat iron her hair, and then having to change them.

She feels conflicted about this, and I do to.  Her hair needs to be cut, if she is going to be wearing it straight.  Will she do it?  And, she feels at some level, she is fighting her hair. And, now with all the phone calls, it's a lot to manage if I have to be the one to make and move her appointments.  Regardless, the fact that she feels pretty, makes it all worth it. 

The Insipid Pair of Jeans

Nobody dresses anymore, men or women.  Jeans is all I see, and I find them utterly boring!  I find it very sad.  Everybody looks the same. I do love fashion in and of itself.  The eccentricity, the fabric, the design, the minds that think up new twist on old themes, all delight me.  Even if it is something I don't like, I can appreciate the idea, the concept, the color, or the fabric.  It's pure fantasy!  I appreciate beauty, I always have, and I always will.  When I go to work, with thought to what I am wearing, I feel I adds something to my environment.  It makes me feel connected to my own creativity, to myself, more grounded somehow.  It makes me feel as though I am participating with the life, and the world around me.

I'm not trendy by any means, and I certainly don't buy what other's say is in fashion.  I will look at magazines for inspiration though.  What is happening in fashion does dictate what is going on with hair, they are connected.  And I feel it is my job to inspire my clientele with these images, to inspire them to change, to grow.  And if  I am wearing jeans, I just don't see how it can happen.  Jeans are not me.

I'm not talking about people being uncomfortable, I'm not talking about people buying, buying, and buying.  I'm talking about caring, and tending to their own inner life, to their own joy, to the place that inspires them, and dressing from that place.  Jeans feel to easy.  And, are they a cop out?  Are people just to afraid to look different from anybody else?

Have people become apathetic?  The world is filled with violence, and hatred.  Beauty, love, and speaking up to injustice is the anecdote.  And it starts with ourselves. 

Possessed Hairstylist

I can't get enough.  It may be time for therapy.  Hair and beauty is an obsession.  Reading articles, writing, building a make-up /hair kit, wanting to photograph every client, and finally craft a portfolio, producing my own fashion show, doing hair at the LA and New York Fashion Weeks, traveling to Paris to rest, study and be inspired, giving to groups of people around the globe.  The ideas don't stop!  Even the thought of owning my own salon ran through my mind over the last couple of months, but how could I?  I wouldn't have time for all the other interests I have.  Are these all manifestations of one and the same?  Or am I completely psychotic? My creative energy overflows into my sessions with clients.  Today marked by awesome color combinations, and silhouettes made clients, and I, swoon.  And yet, I  raced the clock all day long.  I want a day with some clients, hair color in the am, lunch, and then haircut, style, make up and photograph in the afternoon.  I want to illuminate the beauty inside people.  It sounds so civilized. 

I am ready to let go of the pictures I have put in place about my life as a stylist.  I am ready to walk in the shoes before me, and break them in.  Unchartered territory is where I am heading.  I trust what I know, and I know I will take me wherever I go.  I want to meet with beauty professionals in the industry who are working the runway, who really get team work, who work to bring out the best in people. 

 I want to create beauty.  I want to bring out the beauty that resides in people, and it's not tall, thin, and blonde.  It's wrinkles, it's grey, it's whatever a person brings to me, and allows me to work with them.  I want to tell their stories.

To Go Grey or Not

I finally understand why some people look better without their grey hair showing.  Year ago, I was trained in a salon that believed no one should color their hair...I went with it for awhile.  But then I grew as a stylist and trained myself in hair color, I liked to learn, and frankly would get bored just cutting.  Providing hair color services in the salon created variety and more range in my skill level, a stream of income I wouldn't have had, and a whole world of creativity opened up for me.  Even so, I am very open to people showing their grey hair.  I've never said, "you must color your hair." It took a long time to understand the nuances of hair color shades, and tone, in short, I made a lot of mistakes and learned from them.  But it's not until recently, that I learned why some people absolutely should color their hair.  I never put together why some people look amazing with grey or white hair.  I knew it had some to do with these people usually were Winter types.  I never asked myself, why?  Winter types, or Summer types, or people have cool tones in their skin.  Grey hair, in all its varying tones, is cool in tone.  You put the two together and it's fabulous, especially when they have a great hair cut as well.  The look is congruent.

But, then you take a person who has warm tones in their eyes and their skin, and they are wearing grey hair, it's all wrong.   The warm tones in their skin and the cool tones of the hair, don't mix, so the person wearing it feels "Off" somehow.  These are the people that really ought to color their hair.  Warm, or natural tones look best on them.  This realization is allowing me to look deeper into the question, should I grow my hair color out?  And, if a client has been coloring their hair for a long time, and they don't know what they have underneath, I suggest they grow it out to see it.  Then reevaluate.

I don't buy that everybody should color their hair, and I don't think it necessarily makes a person look old.  If there is a vibrancy going on inside, a youthfulness, a positive attitude, a person will shine even more so, if their color is right for them, even if it is grey.  It is a look of elegance and simple beauty on the right person.

Sometimes the obvious takes awhile to sink in.

Color Analysis

I attended an evening about image for men and women.  The event is called "A Follow Up."  Anybody who has ever had their colors done by Jennifer Butler, and guests, may take a bag of outfits that they question whether or not they work, and Jennifer will say yeah, or nay.  Watching this process is quite remarkable.  She invited me along to talk about hair, and the changes I would make with the hair of volunteers who were willing to get up on stage.  Jennifer is the queen of color analysis.  I have seen many artists, and she is fabulous at identifying what to accent, finding the feminine within a woman, and the masculine within a man, not to mention what that person's color palette will be, what line designs work best with a particular body type.  This, I'm sure only scratches the surface of Jennifer's repitoire.

Her art seems to consist of her ability to see the essence of a person, and also what quality in that moment does a person want to emphasize, i.e. maybe the client is job hunting, dating, on the board of a women's league, or a high- powered corporate leader.   She seems to operate from a high level of intuition, along with years of training, and a background in fashion. 

She will put together a book for you, that is all about you.  It becomes a valuable resource, whether you are just now dusting of the precious jewel of you, or a veteran fashionista.  Just the few events I have attended, I have seen major transformations occur in people.

The evening was filled with laughter, and ahahs.  I was able to witness not only somebody who is truly gifted, and is living from her essence, but I also saw a generosity that spilled from her to her guests.  Part of the evening consists of the opportunity to let go, and give away the outfits in the bag.  At first, you can see the reluctance of some to let the garments go.  Then, as Jennifer gave the item to somebody else, and seeing how it was so right for that person, people began to see the magic in letting go.  People gave away everything from very expensive, designer clothing, to T shirts and purses.

I think it is a vast body of knowledge that can be helpful to the hairdresser.  Knowing the line designs of clothing, proportions, color, tonal values and how they work with hair, and why is vital information to a hairstylist.  I want to know more for own self-expression, but also in being even more skilled at my craft in helping people manifest their inner beauty on the outside.

I walked away with a confirmed feeling that although color analysis has been around a long time, it will continue to change people's lives as they step into who they really are meant to be.  And, the person who offers the service with as much experience, knowledge, and intuition as Jennifer, is the professional I will see. 

Make Up Class

I just returned from LA. My friend and I attended a make up class for hairdressers at Fred Segal. I loved learning a bit more about how to apply make up. What seems so easy, is quite difficult and takes lots of practice. Once again, I was humbled, as the teacher corrected me on the way I was holding the brush, smudging away the make up I just applied, or correcting color choice. It's not as if I don't know how to appy make up, but it felt as if I knew nothing. My fingers fumbled as I brushed under the eyes, as if I had n ever held a brush before. I either brushed on too much contour on the cheeks, or not enough. I glued eyelashes to her forehead, or they fell off onto the lap of my model, or I yanked them off before opening the tweezers. There is really an art and finesse to it all, isn't there?

Seeing how make up can enhance a person's beauty, and not detract, is absolutely amazing. And, it's not as if we have to wear it everyday. But to know how and why, so that you can do it if you want. Education is freedom.

This one model came in, she was 56. She was a classic beauty, but surrounded herself with people who told her she needed to do something to change her looks, even plastic surgery. She was sabotaging herself with her make up...black liner under her eyes, no mascara, dark brown shadow on her lids, blush bright circles mid cheek area. Terrible!

I'm telling you, she was a changed woman. Natural make up made her look not only younger, but gorgeous. The green of her eyes is what you wanted to gaze right into. Her spirit became light, she twinkled as she left the class, wanting to call her boyfriend, and kids.

Layer upon layer, of smoothing, shaping, emphasizing, brightening. "Up and out." Our make up instructor, Rebecca DeHerrera, would say, over and over, and over. Rebecca was fabulous. She is not only a talented working artist, but she knows her stuff, enjoys her work, and is a great teacher.

The two-day class was set up pretty well. We had plenty of models ranging in age, ethnicity, and looks. It could have easily been a three day class. First day, theory and kit introduction. Next two days, models. I think they were free-forming it a bit. My friends kit, which cost $1600. didn't come with what a working make up artist uses. The brushes were not good quality.

The lighting needs an overhaul. It was terrible! Not enough of it, and shadows everywhere. The Fred Segal complex itself is very unattractive, but inside was quite something with high-end retailers, a great luncheon counter, and wonderful art in the salon.

Overall though, I learned plenty! Now, I feel more confident doing make up in the salon. Next, I will pursue make up for editorial. Next, I will pursue make up for editorial. And meanwhile, I can't wait to help others bring out their essence even more, and help them shine.

Barbie

Okay, I've been avoiding telling you this. But admission has to do with beauty, in some twisted way. On Sunday, my daughter had her fifth birthday party. All was well, her three friends, her Nana and Bapa, her nanny, and her two kids, all came to celebrate her day. Her auntie came as well. Well, this auntie had different values and struggles to keep in alignment with her values. Who am I kidding, we all do. But there is a way, she resists my boundaries with my own child. She has been wanting, and lamenting, that I do not want her to take my daughter to a Princess Ice Show. She says in front of the group, something like, "I've been thinking about this, and I think you need to not make this a big deal." Okay. I should mention, that she has a masters in social work.

So, we have the cake, and then the gifts. I have to admit this makes me uncomfortable and feel out of control. We all watched as my daughter, painstakingly so, unwrap her gifts, legs crossed and all. She is not a ripper, she, with care and ease, removes the tape, and so on. You get the picture.

She gets to the bag my sister gave her. It is full of individually wrapped gifts, excess is what she knows. First, there is a four-strand bracelet, chunky in style. Then, a necklace, a jewelry box, a large floral print shirt that cinches in at the waist, with a three-inch-in-diameter sparkling, rhinestone ring, right underneath a bra line, is she had one. For a grand finale, a Barbie.

She unwrapped it, and, of course, she hadn't seen one before, as far as I know. She exclaimed, "Barbie!" like she was a long, lost friend. She wanted to open the box then, and there. I whisked it out of her hand so quickly, and said "Later, we have guests now."

I wanted to cry, die, and pummel my sister. I felt betrayed, and like her actions were passive-aggressive. I couldn't even look at this Barbie. I flung it high up into the closet. The gifts felt like they were for a woman, not a FIVE years old. Not my five-year-old.

I did cry. I talked to clients at work. My grounded older clients said, don't sweat it. Let her have them. There is no harm done. The more you resist, the more your daughter will want them.

My partner said he overheard our daughter playing in her room. She was sitting on the bed, looking at her valentines from school. Of course, there were a few Princess theme valentines. She told them, "You know, my mama doesn't like you."

I laughed, and then I felt sad. I can't get anything by her. She is tuned into me, more than anybody I know.

I came home from work on Monday, pulled the exiled Barbie down out of the closet, and gave it to her. It is disgusting for me to look at, nothing real about her. My daughter is playing with it a bit, she complains that the plastic shoes come off too easily.

This is worth a therapy session I am sure. But for now, Barbie has made her way into my home and I am bereft. and still digesting it all.

Thrills

There is nothing more exciting to me as a hairstylist than to help a woman feel beautiful.  On Saturday, I had a client who wanted to play.  We had determined ahead of time that we would do some hair color, which we hadn't done in a very long time.  We also decided we would take a photo. She had white and gray hair, mixed with 20% of her natural level 5 to 6, with a cool tone.

This was my approach.  I sectioned off the hair with a Pleating section, a type of zigzag section around the parietal. Pleating is from one of Teri Dougherty's collections.  Then, instead of using one color on top, I used a brick laying pattern, with the same size sections.  I used a Majorel, level 4, 20 vol. on the bottom of the zigzag, and 8.13 (1/2), 8 (1/2), 20 vol. on top triangles.

The results were wonderful,  a little more dramatic than her natural look, with a sparkle.  She loved it, and I think she left feeling a bit better about herself.

I'll upload the photo as soon as I figure out how.  

High Heels

I've often wondered why it is people find high heels attractive to women.  It visually seems off balance to me.  It makes women look like they are teetering, distorting their bodies into a forward position.  They certainly can't run.  Although maybe they would just kick them off.  Or, maybe they would be dropped at the curb by their lover, so they wouldn't have to walk.  Not so attractive either. The idea of heels on hairstylists is another idea I haven't been able to wrap my mind around.  So we stand all day, at least four days a week at the least, and wear heels?

 I remember when I first started doing hair 27 years ago, I wore spike heels to work every day.  The older stylists I'm sure thought I was crazy.  They wore cowboy boots.  Oh, yeah those are better for your feet.  There weren't many options for fashionable, comfortable shoes then.

A couple of the stylists at work wear heels every day.  I marvel at how they do it.  They can't walk very fast.  They have beautiful legs, and no apparent varicose veins, unlike my legs, which have squiggles all over the place. 

 Is it cultural?  Both are the second generation from other countries.  Some of it seems like they just don't think it's sexy to not wear them.  I missed that part of the beauty school program, where we needed to dress sexy for work. 

These same stylists tell me that in the large, more prestigious salons, you are expected to wear high heels.  And they are unkind if you don't adhere to the off-kilter, sexist, misogynistic, dress code.  I guess I wouldn't last two minutes in a salon like that. 

Yes, as hairstylists we get to play, and be creative with our dress as our self-expression.  It's fun.  Where I draw the line is when it comes to discomfort and deformity.

These Z Coils are my favorite!   They are an example of my kind of shoe for work.  I'm not saying I don't wear heels, I just don't wear them 24/7 at work, where I stand most of the day. 

Alopecia

I pass up most Google alerts, but this one caught my eye.  A premature bald woman takes her mother into a salon for her 77th birthday to have her hair and nails done.  A situation that would have traumatized her before.  In fact, she gave up going to them, thinking they were places for people with hair, and she didn't belong. I am moved by her courage, and the inner work she must have done on herself to be confident enough to walk into the salon.  A situation that could have turned heads. 

 Although, I like to think of hairstylists being sensitive to all types of people with all sorts of obvious physical differences, it depends on where you go.  Not all salons are friendly, and in fact, are quite full of themselves and give the profession a bad reputation.  Salons can intimidate and make people feel unfomfortable.

As I read Cheryl Carvery's post, I recalled a client I once gave a haircut to, rather, I gave her very expensive wig.  I worked in one chair salon.  It was private, and I know she appreciated the quiet.  She developed alopecia right around sixteen years old.  She too, seemed to have courage and an inner strength that I felt moved by. 

The wig sparkeled with a level 7, a mid-blonde, with honey highlights.  We were about to shampoo, she held the sides to keep it one her head, and it slipped off.  Her pale, bald head exposed, she reached for the wig with a quick hand and put it back on.  The moment seemed longer than most, discomfort made me tighten and want to take care of her.

As I combed and cut, she shared her history.  I felt honored to be with her.  So much wisdom wrapped up in one woman, who I thought was attractive with, or without hair.  We cut a very modern shape into the hair, long strands fell to the floor.  It was then that she decided to tell me that this beautiful wig was $2000.  I trembled at the thought.  One wrong snip could drain my bank account.   What if she didn't like the cut?   The pressure felt heavy on my chest, until I realized I could sink or swim.  My choice.

We dried her hair and she loved it.  I felt I was given a gift of tenderness, a rare opportunity to expereince her vulnerablity, and therefore experience my own.   I had no choice to look at my own discomfort, and own fear at seeing baldness. 

I think the more women like these can enter salons, own their baldness, and allow us into their human condition, the greater the healing.  One act of courage after another frees us all.

More on the Aging Stylist

Now, I can see the other side.  My post the other day about being an aging stylist, the crone of the salon, and talking about the assistants and young stylists, has led me to this:  these younger additions to the beauty industry who have no fear of tattoos, (a California fetish), or changing their hair as often as they can, and pierce their bodies, will be sixty years old someday as well.  (I wonder what their tattoos will look like)  How they will defy their age?  Sixty will look completely different for them, as it will for me from my mother's generation.  Kudos to them for doing what they please with their look.  For being willing to look different from everybody else, in terms of their hair. I can't tell you how sad it is for me as a hairdresser to see older women, say around fifty years and older, who start restricting themselves, telling themselves they need to look older now.  They don't play anymore,they dress down, then they give up completely, barely changing out of sweat pants. It doesn't have to be this way.