Ambience Hair Studio Blog

Ugh I remember how it was when I tried growing out my undercut hence the picture. Back then there was no how to’s, no Pinterest pins, even Youtube videos to help me with the little hamster I had growing on my neck.  It was weird too how no one as much as I looked I found precious little. Let me give you a page from my book of life and hopefully help you with yours. 1. Wear your hair down We gotta’ do what we gotta’ do and although undercuts are still a thing if you feel you’re ready to move on let your hair down. 2. Try low ponies or buns Depending on where you are in your journey you can get away with placing your hair at the nape of your neck with the scruff going unnoticed. If you do insist on wearing high ponies check the next tip. 3. Wear a scarf or headband  Like I say all the time accessories ,accessories, accessories. They are your best friend whether you are trying to hide that hamster on the back of your neck or trying to look cute and sophisticated. 4. Take up braiding  This tip is for the intermediate braider, but hey it’ll give you practice and hope until it starts growing longer. 5. When it gets long enough, pin it Even if you’re having trouble with gathering all the tiny sections make it easy for yourself and use those teensy elastics (that come in varying colors too) to bunch up hair, then pint it. Autumn is here friends, let me know what tip you liked the best in the comments or just email @ ambiencehairstudio@gmail.com

Let me start with this story A few years back I had bought one of those little hair donuts and had left it in the kitchen, my mom had seen it and instantly thought it was a dish sponge. Although I could see where she is coming from, it’s not for dishes. Since then I felt so awkward using one, the truth is my hair isn’t all that thick and sometimes I want to do cute space buns or just a fuller bun BUT since I don’t have that kind of volume I tend to put more strain on the hair I do have to make it look thicker (cuz who doesn’t look a big bun? Am I right?). Of course, you could always go to the salon for some treatment, but if you do make sure you are sure that they have the proper salon equipment before booking an appointment.  Let’s start with that little “dish” sponge I see these everywhere and when you have long hair like moi but not tons of volume this little sponge creates a good base for your bun and avoids you having to use tension on the rest of your length.   Topsy tail   These little handy tools have been around since the 90’s and never cease to amaze me. They are super easy to use and take your regular ol’ pony from being average to elegant.   Spin pins I LOVE THESE ! They are typically used for ballerinas/dancers and as you see with they’re cork screw shape they twist right into a hair bun. They are totally worth buying especially is you need to have a clean look to you. Now that I’ve told you my embarrassing story, I challenge you to pick up some hair tool or hair accesories you’ve had laying around and rock it ! YOU CAN DO IT SISTA! PS: Sorry I’ve been MIA as of late we’ve been so busy at the salon trying to adjust. I’ll be taking some time off over the summer months to give myself a creative reset, as well as attend to our wonderful client in our busiest season. Talk to ya in the fall !

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. People can check out Mark James Hair Studio Townsville, to get the best the best hair treatment. 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. Get top treatment from experts here and know what needs to be done. 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!