Ambience Hair Studio Blog

Let’s take a moment to breathe.   Times are unsure, we all feel it. Even though we’ve closed the shop that doesn’t mean your hair can’t get the TLC you know it needs. I’ve come up with a little list of things you could be doing that are quarantine friendly.     Give yourself 10-15 minutes/day to feel Frustration, isolation, anger, fear, anxiety about the future, take the time to validate all these emotions. The world is changing around us and it’s hard. Your feelings are valid so let them out in this period of time you have assigned for yourself.   Show yourself some love This is the time to stay away from heat and opt for that much needed hair mask, hey maybe you could fit 2 birds in one home by applying a face mask too.   Pro tip:  In salon we like using our hood dryers to make sure the deep conditioner moisturizes well, but while at home you could use the hot towel method. Also be sure to have a couple towels handy as things may drip. This method requires you to apply your hair mask as usual then cover your hair with a shower cap, have a towel waiting [that is big enough to cover your head] in a basin that you’ll pour hot water into. Be careful lovelies! Wring out the towel and place it on top of the shower cap then secure it with a second shower cap. The heat from the hot towel will act like the heat produced by our dryers. To avoid dripping, try laying down but make sure you have a towel covering where you’ll lay your head. Once your 20 minutes is done, take off the caps + towel and let cool for 5 mins. Rinse with cool water.   Get moving I am a culprit, I love eating and watching TV. It starts out as just sitting on the couch, then the sit turns into a ball and soon enough the ball turns into a full outstretch, it’s a vicious cycle. If you want to nip it in the bud, do it first thing in the morning and watch you’ll power right through your day. If you feel overwhelmed go online and see what fitness classes are right for you. I’ve seen yoga (if that’s your thing) P90X, beach body, Zumba, a lot of gyms are offering classes online too. I don’t know about you but I love me a clean house, find a playlist on Spotify and get cleaning. Anything to get those endorphins pumping through your body and to top it off exercise is a great stress relief tool.   Pick up a good read   I can get lost when I find a good author. I also know there is a wide spectrum of genres, so for sure there is one out there for you. Some of my fav’s include self help books, fantasy series and murder mysteries. Seriously even Shopper’s has a decent selection.   Learn something new                                                             Take up a new skill. I find Youtube to be a great resource where other people can share their experiences and tips. If you’d like to learn how to cook/bake a new recipe it’s there, photography, makeup, history made fun, psychology theories anything you can think of, I am sure there is someone out there in the world that shares your interests. I also have an Instagram video I can link into here on how to curl your hair hehe   https://www.instagram.com/p/B4R-czngI3a/   Watch a docu-series or any series   I know, I know I was just talking about that vicious cycle but when it’s the end of the day and your brain is tired from all the learning or creative thinking. I think it’s time to relax and cut it a break.   Stay safe and be well everyone.

For those of you that are all booe’d up, this ones for you. FIERCE  Deep side part remix with sleep pony My personal favorite lately has been a very sleek pony with a deep side part. Add a little red lip and you’re a shnack.   SOFT Side swept and romantic     Waves or curls swept over to show your “good side” but let’s be real you’re gorgeous ! If you want to spice up the side swept hair use those little barrettes with prints or pearls I know you’ve seen all the internet.   PLAYFUL 2 cute braids that don’t actually involve braiding     Throw on a hat or beanie and you are set.   If y’all liked the little how to collage I made there or tried the steps and liked the result let me know in the comments below.   See ya next month      

I had jet setted of off to Mexico it was perfect, the weather was beautiful the trees were palmy and my tan was glowing. While there I decided to go on some excursions snorkeling with fish in those cenotes (natural fresh water caves or pools)  that everyone yaks about. We even went into a dark cave swimming which was super cool and a little scary. At the resort I swam in the pools I sun bathed you name it I did it. When I got back home I realized I had neglected my hair, it’s blonde and between the salt water, the chlorine, the sun and the upstyles I had to do because of the heat, it had fizzled at the ends and was breaking in other places. I tried treating it with deep conditioners but ultimately I knew what I had to do. I got the dreaded ends cut off. Lets give you some easy tips and tricks that can you can do do prep, and even protect your hair during your sunny get away. Hair masks/Deep conditioners  Prep your hair the week before your go, with all that good stuff your hair mask has to offer it helps minimize any breaking or dryness the sun or chlorine is known to do. As a bonus tip if you plan to put your hair up wet the ends and throw in a mask, your hair is gonna be in a bun anyways, why not reap the benefits ? Leave-in conditioner Our hair is porous it soaks up what we put into it and if you snorkle with fish in salt water it’s gonna suck up all that salt and that is never a good thing. Spritz in your fav leave-in conditioner before heading out to the pool. Accessories  I will forever mention these, as there are so many cute accessories you can use to dress up, hide or just plainly keep your hair out of your face. Any hot place may call for a floppy sun hat ( yes, like Samantha in Sex and the city)  if it’s a dry heat make sure to apply a serum before the stylish hat. Another fabric to keep in mind is silk or satin although it is a slippery its very light weight and you can always secure it with bobby pins.   I hope these tips were helpful, until next month.

I’ve had a couple people approach me about this topic and I thought what better way to explain it than on here. First off the two services are in two seperate sections, because of what they do. The Kerasilk in the “Treatment” section and the Liquid Keratin in the “Chemical Restructuring” section. The reason for this is because the Kerasilk is a deep conditioning treatment where as the Liquid Keratin is a healthier alternative to relaxing. Just to be transparent the Kerasilk or Keratin treatment as we refer to it in the salon will not make your hair smooth in the sense that it will loosen your curl it will only moisturize your hair (to avoid breakage) and aid in de-tangling. This deep conditioning treatment takes an extra 20 minutes when added to your other services. With the Liquid Keratin it takes about 70% of friziness out of hair and can loosen your curl by about 50%. The reason this service is so high priced is because it can take 3 or more hours depending on thickness and length of hair. We would recommend coming in for a consult before booking so we can discuss pricing and time, not to mention when you do book we know how much time to set aside. What should I expect with the first appointment for Liquid Keratin? Usually there is a consultation done before coming in, in this consult we try and outline real expectations based on the texture of your hair and what the result will be after the treatment. This is not a relaxer and it will not straighten your hair, only loosen your curls. The straightening system takes out %70 of frizziness, which means not as much poof for you. Not to mention since keratin is fused to the hair detangling is a breeze. Another big shocker is time although the results are beautiful they do take time. A minimum of 3 hours for medium length/thickness is required. Will my hair ever revert to it’s natural state again after Liquid Keratin? Yes, Liquid Keratin washes out over a period of 4- 6 months (hence why we recommend it instead of relaxer) and you can be sure your curl and frizz will be back for more. Is the price the same if you are getting your roots done for the Liquid Keratin? Yes, although the treatment washes out over a period of 6 months and you may feel as though your ends have keratin left but they need to be treated again aswell as the new growth which hasn’t been touched by the treatment yet. All this to say that it will take just as long to do the roots and go over the ends too. I hope this covers it all and if have any questions or comments drop them in the comments section and I’ll do my best to respond. Until next time gang.

Let’s talk perms I know I know you don’t want to hear about them, they were left behind in the Betty White era …. but were they? Perms are constantly getting bad reps, but from my first hand experience I loved my perm, the maintenance (which was nonexistent) the look and overall ease gave my hair just the break it needed. I’ve even done perms on some of my clients and no they weren’t little old ladies they were young men and women. Believe me when I tell you that they are not an outdated practice, here are some of the things you need to know before committing. YOU CANNOT PERM PREVIOUSLY LIGHTENED/BLEACHED HAIR I won’t expand as there is no way around this, your hair will surely break off. Make sure the picture your bring is realistic I am sure you have heard this one before but when I see people bringing in pictures of hair that is curled with a straightener, I cringe. Yes, naturally curly hair will have some frizz and that’s just what makes it natural looking. Of course with the right products you can minimize it. Below is a common hair picture that get’s brought in, this was most likely styled with heat be it a straightener, curling iron or a wand. Please do not think this is what you will look like 24/7 it wont. Day to day maintenance There are two options here If you are a morning showerer I suggest using your hair diffuser A what ? Yes, I said a diffuser this tool is an extension to the nozzle on your blow dryer; instead of lots of air with heat, it disperses the air to deliver more heat than air. I would suggest drying you roots then heading out.   If you are a night showerer then you have your work all cut out for you. Shower as usual, brush your hair with conditioner while in the shower. When you get out make sure your fav product is nearby scrunch with it and your all set. Make sure to lay a towel down on your pillow. Go to bed and wake up with you hair looking flawless! #hairflipbye Can I still blow dry or straighten my hair? Yes, you are able to style your hair as usual. The only real difference is that when it’s wet it reverts back to it’s curly state. Would you recommend this for fine hair? Absolutely a handful of my clients with fine hair have turned to this option and never looked back. For those every so often bad hair days there are hats, buns and ponies. If you liked the new FAQ section I did there then comment and let me know.

If you know you know, and if not I’ll update you The Bronner Brother’s show has been the “it” hair event for the past 30+ years. Meeting the demands of the hair community it’s grown from 2 people teaching cosmetology at a YMCA in central Atlanta to filling up a whole building in the Georgia World Congress Center. Believe me when I tell you my feet left me. Exploring so many different booths and seeing so many creatives definitely gets one’s own creative juices flowing. The things I saw *sigh*… lucikly I took many pictures to share with you. One of the first things I see when I walked in, how cool is that design. I knew I was in the right place. I had never seen so many wig stands in my life.   Like I said these kiosk owners were not there to play, they brought it. Talk about boss babe! I feel that brands/art and music tend to be integrated into each other so for this DJ to be playing while a hair show was going it was dope. Up until then I had never seen these in real life, the only time I ever saw them was in a textbook. Sad, but true. Like I said art, hair, music and style all fall under the same umbrella. I’ve been seeing these living walls everywhere and I LOVE THEM!   That concludes the wonderous things that I saw at the Bronner Bro’s show. I know this is different than what I usually post about, but if you liked it let me know in the comments. Till next month, toodles.

CALLING ALL 3B – 4C CURLY GIRLS If you don’t know what those letter number things are, check my post down below and get woke. http://www.ambiencehairstudio.com/which-curl-are-you/ Tracee Elliss Ross has just released a new natural hair care brand! Yes you heard me right, a brand for naturalistas! Pattern Beauty (great choice for a name) includes a shampoo, 3 conditioners (hydration,medium and heavy), a leave-in conditioner, a pair of hair serums, a clip, a microfibre towel and a denman brush. Every curly girl’s dream!! She say’s it’s been her goal for the past 10 years and dream for the past 20. She goes on to say that her products are meant to empower and nourish tight coily hair. Being natural means safe products for your curls, not to mention with affordable pricing this opens up the demographic to all ethnicities and social classes. I personally love that she is encouraging girls from any ages to start their natural hair journey, so many young girls struggle to care for their crowns because they simply don’t know how to. As women, mothers and peers we must empower them and give them the right tools to do so. I think it’s safe to say that Tracee has created staple product that will be around for years to come. #Rockyourpattern

Since I wrote my first blog post I have learned and experienced much, as has society in it’s norms. I have seen more women break out of their shell with their hair. If you love empowered women well then this post is for you. Silver hair has not only made a comeback but so has the attitude for women (despite age) starting to see their first greys. I want to be clear if you decide to venture down this path you have to understand it’s about being ready on the inside. Some days it won’t be easy but for those day’s I’m here to help. Below I’ll discuss some ideas on how to make the transition over to being salt & pepper. For some of these I suggest trying them on your days off, there’s nothing like rushing out of the house and realizing you missed a spot with the dry shampoo or root spray. Practice, get comfortable with it, then add it into your routine. Semi-permanent color This option makes going the cold turkey not so cold, rather room temperature. Semi’s wash out over time so if you’d like to make the transition slowly this is your best bet. Changing your part So you part your hair in your fav spot and there they are. You see them, they see you and now it’s become a staring contest. But guess what their gonna lose this one, because you have a trick up your sleeve. Experiment with the opposite side or even a center part, you know change it up. Mascara & eyeshadow Both are good ideas but are only a temporary fix. Mascara flakes so use it only if you’re in a pinch and eyeshadow needs a good rubbing in with either your finger or a small sponge. Hilites When your hair is more than one color it’s harder to tell when the grey’s come in, for this reason I urge my clients to think about placing some hilites where they find it harder to conceal. Root spray This handy little product has started popping up more and more, which makes it accessible for you. I would suggest getting one with a little nozzle to target where the product goes, as an added feature it can help with oiliness on the days you skip washing. Ponie or buns These are useful only if your grey’s aren’t around your hair line, asides from that go nuts. If yes see the hair accessories option. Colored dry shampoo This is another great alternative the only thing to watch out for is the dry shampoo leaving your hair too ashy. Hair accessories Last but not least hair accessories they always add a fun element to any style. Scarves or wider headbands could help hide the gray’s that continue to stare.   Thank you for taking the time and I hope this can help!

Remember when we first started seeing the beginnings of ombre on Khloe Kardashian? At first I honest to God thought it was dip dye. All her sister’s are known to sport different styles from wigs ( which is a huge headache for us colorists’ ) to blunt bob’s to braids. Of course as beauty goes people will follow. Then new trends starting popping up like ombre,sombre, balyage and babylights. As colorists began experimenting with different tools, techniques, color formulas and even color consistencies these new looks progressed. With media being everywhere clients (like you) will pick up on the trends and request these things in the salon, without realizing how long they take and how much of an investment they are. For that sole reason I am writing this blog. Expect a break down of the latest hair coloring techniques and why they might cost a pretty penny. Ombre Ombre is where just the tips ( yes, almost like dip dye but prettier) of the hair are colored. Usually a contrast to the base or natural color of the client. For most if not all of these techniques working in thin sections of hair is essential as they provide blending power. Sombre Soft-ombre get it? This coloring technique is like a shy cousin of ombre that doesn’t want such a drastic change but still wants to do something. Where ombre is usually a clash of color, sombre is more soft and only a couple shades lighter than the base or natural color. Babylights These barely there hilites are just that, a technique of hiliting used for a smooth blend or transition from one color to another. They can also be used to do some face framing. Balayage This technique has become one of my most requested. Balyage when first invented was free hand painting. A thin section of hair was taken and held taut then the colorist would use their brush to paint on the lightener. For processing it’s left out in the air. Let’s pause a moment because I feel I need to explain some things. I work with an ethnic clientele and I haven’t come across a lightener strong enough to do the balayage technique. Most of the time ethnic people have a lot of warm pigments in their hair so for me to do a balayage it may not produce the result they’re looking for. If that is the case I would use another technique called the foilyage. Foilyage In a foilyage (yes, you guessed it) foil is used to create a pocket of heat to enhance the lightening proccess. Much like it’s sister balayage, a thin section of hair is taken and placed in a foil, very much like a hilite. With that being said I should move into cost, this is a tricky thing to talk about as everyone has different thickness and length’s of hair. With many of these techniques thin sections of hair are required. At the salon we consider these double process’ that means that one process is lightening the hair the second proccess is toning the hair. That being said when working with thin sections it takes a very long time to get a full head done. When charging we take into consideration that two colors that were used, how much color was needed depending on thickness and length; as well as how much time it took. Coming in for a quote is always recommended because let’s face it I need my hands in your hair to get a good feel of what I’ll be working with. I think that just about covers it. I am deeply sorry this blog took longer than it should’ve, because summer is such a busy season here at the salon I think I’ll have to step away until the fall rolls around. I hope this was informative and as always feel free to drop some comments.

So it’s the 3rd day you haven’t washed your hair because let’s face it you haven’t had the time and you’re starting to realize that your ponytail or bun is starting to hurt your crown and hairline. Why? Across the board the same answer is given, when you skip out on washing then scratch, your hair follicles along with the surrounding skin get inflamed therefore causing irritation. This combined with the fact that when our hair tends to get oily we use tight styling (ie. high ponies, buns and braids) which in turn aggravate the already tender scalp. If we’re speaking scientifically our scalp produces yeast (no, not that kind) its called malassezia yeast, which we have all over our bodies. When we apply products such as dry shampoo, hairsprays or texturizing powders it adds another layer on top of our scalp. As days go by sebum (our natural oil) and products mix, which then increase the levels of yeast that cause itching and inflammation. All that to say after you’ve had a long day at the office or a stressful day with the kids literally let your hair down. If you can, try brushing your hair always starting at the ends and working your way up, then brush your scalp too. Trust me I know it sounds weird but your scalp will thank you, and then you’ll thank me too. If the itching persists I would recommend seeing a physician as there are medicated shampoos that can be prescribed. Also you suffer from tension headaches/migraines please seek help from your GP, as there are medications that can help. Sorry that this blog was a little late but I felt quality over quantity was necessary and as always I want you guys to have a take away from any of the information I put out there. Below is a source that may have more in depth information. https://www.harklinikken.com/pages/about-us