New Product Review

Bumble and Bumble is one of the most fun product lines I've worked with. Whenever they come out with new products, I'm itching to try them. A few weeks ago I noticed some new bottles on our product shelf. Ofcourse, I was immediately curious. Being that my hair is very fine, I have to be careful of the type of products I use. Anything too heavy will turn my head into a oil slick. It doesn't look so cute. I'm the type that leads more towards cream products, so making sure they're lightweight is a must. I tested both of these products out at 2 separate times. They both helped smooth out my hair without being to heavy. Last night, we finally had a product knowledge class to inform us on all the benefits these products have to offer. 

Repair

Repair is great for those highlighted, superfine blondes and those who are addicted to the styling tools. Over time, highlighting and heat-styling can put a lot of wear and tear on someone's hair. Repair is a featherlight leave-in conditioner that seals split ends while protects against further breakage. It works as a heat and UV protector by creating an outer protective layer on the hairs surface, also protecting your color

All-style

All-style is great for those with healthy hair. It can even be used on fine hair that tends to get a little oily. The product contains powders to keep hair clean and oil free, while giving it the moisture and protection it needs. It makes the hair more manageable and effortless to blowdry by fighting frizz and  flyways. The lightweight feel allows a styled blowdry to hold its shape without being weighed down.

This product also contains the heat and UV protection to benefit the hair even more.

Both of these products have great benefits. You can never go wrong with Bumble and Bumble.

Homemade Apple Pie

What's more comforting in the fall than warm apple pie? Absolutely nothing. If you have a different answer to this, I question your sanity. My baking really picks back up in the fall when the colder weather comes around. It's not so fun working in front of a hot oven in the summer. That's when I like to be outside and enjoy the sun while I can. Now, it's all about staying inside and cozying up with my favorite comfort foods. 

My big thing is making food with love. I don't like to take any shortcuts. If you really put your heart into whatever your making, it shows through the dish. I do whatever I can to make everything from scratch and try to use all organic, good quality products. Great ingredients will always produce better results. 

My pie crust is made with 3 simple ingredients. Cream cheese, flour, and butter. My grandma gave me this recipe years ago. It was nice to see a pie crust that didn't require any Crisco (vegetable shortening). It's just something I rather not use. 

My pie filling was made with apples from this years apple picking trip. I used a combination of all the different apples I took home. I find that the more combinations you use, the better it is. Theres a different, sweet flavor in every bite. 

This apple pie has been eaten for breakfast, lunch and dinner the past 2 days. As soon as it's finished I'll definitely be making another one. 

Pie Crust  

1 stick of butter 

4 oz of cream cheese 

1 cup of flour 

1 Egg (for egg wash) 

Pinch of Sugar

Pie Filling

6-9 Apples of  your choice 

2 Tablespoons of Brown Sugar 

2 Tablespoons of Cinnamon 

1/4 Cup of flour 

3/4 Cup of Sugar 

Pie Crust

1. Place your flour on a clean board. Take the butter and cream cheese and cut into cubes. Place on top of the pile of flour. 

2. Take a clean butter knife and chop the butter and cream cheese while combing in into the flour until it resembles a crumbly texture. 

3. With your hands, form the crumbly mixture into a dough like ball. Do not incorporate to much, this way we get a flakey crust. Smooth out any parts that are still dry with flour. 

4. Place the dough ball in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 

Pie Filling

1. Peel apples and cut into chunks. 

2. Place the apple chunks into a large bowl. Add in cinnamon, brown sugar, sugar, and flour . 

3. Work the mixture together with your hands to make sure it is all incorporated evenly.

4. Place into pie dish of your choice. 

5. When the pie crust is ready, roll out until it is large enough to cover the top of the pie dish and hanging over the edges a little bit. While rolling out, add flour as needed so the dough does not stick and tear. 

6. Beat the egg in a small bowl. With a brush, dip in the egg wash and lightly coat the top of the dough. Take a pinch of sugar and dust it over the top of the crust. This will create that golden shine while it is baking.  

7. Cut a few slits in the top for ventilation 

8. Place in a 350 degree oven for one hour. When the pie is done, let it set for 20 minutes. 

9. Enjoy! 

Making apple pie is so much fun and can be easy to do. I love to have it with a side of vanilla ice cream and pour some homemade caramel over the top. It gets me through the cold nights and makes them a little bit more bearable. 

New Product Review

When you work in a salon, it almost drives you nuts with all the different products you have to choose from. Everyday I stand there debating which one I'm going to use. When your an indecisive person like I am, this is no easy task. I try and stick to a few key favorite products, that way I'm not procrastinating. However, sometimes I like to venture out and try something new. Being someone who has fine, short hair, I am always looking for more ways to thicken it up. A little over a year ago, a Kerastase product called INITIALISTE was introduced. Before trying it, I waited a while to see what the reviews and results were from consumers. After getting an abundance of positive feed back and earning the award for Product of the Year, I've finally decided its time to add into my at home ritual. 

Here's the breakdown of INITIALISTE. It is a serum that comes in a glass bottle with a handy little applicator. Being that it is to encourage hair strength and growth, it is applied right onto the scalp after you wash your hair. After continuing usage, your hair becomes healthier and stronger, protecting it from breakage. It also encourages growth and thickness. This is especially great for women with fine hair, those suffering from hair loss and women who get highlights. 

Statistics 

9 out of 10 women showed results after 1 week 

89% saw more shine

87% felt more thickness 

86% felt their hair was stronger and softer 

Since I have been using this products for only a few days, I have yet to see the results. After the feedback I've gotten  by consumers and the high ratings of this product, I am so excited to see what this will do for my hair. Every few weeks, I will track my progress and review this based on my opinions from  personal experience. Wish me luck!

Surviving the Cold

Great hair day weather is so hard to come by. There has to be no wind, no humidity, and between 55 to 70 degrees outside. Unless you live in California, this isn't happening very often. At the moment in New York, we can feel the temperature making that dramatic shift and dropping down into sweater weather zone. As much as I love sweaters and boots, I don't love the fact that my hair is static electricity central. As soon as I put my coat on or sweatshirt over my head, my hair sticks out like I'm a porcupine. The lack of moisture in the air doesn't help either. It's brittle hair for days. Unless I really take care of it, breakage and dryness takes over. I try to avoid all of these unpleasant situations as much as I can by having a solid hair regime at home. With the right products and steps taken, you can  keep your hair healthy and manageable during the cold seasons. 

1. Lay off on the shampoo 

                    I'm not saying to never wash your hair or take a shower. Just cut it back to 2-3 times a week and use a shower cap. Washing almost every day strips your hair of its natural oils, causing it to dry out. Our scalp secretes oils for a reason, They are our bodies natural moisturizers. On days you feel a little oily, opt for a dry shampoo. It will soak up the oils and incorporate volume back into your hair. What I like to do is use some dry shampoo on the day that I've washed my hair. This way the oils are soaked up right away and I can wait a little longer between washings. Some great dry shampoos are Pret-a-Powder by Bumble and Bumble and Dry Clean Only by Sebastian. 

2. Deep condition 

                     This is such an underestimated, overlooked task. Deep conditioning really makes a huge difference and doesn't take that long. I have a lot of clients that say they just don't have the time for that one extra task. Deep conditioning can be done in ten minutes while your taking a shower. As soon as you get in, wash you hair and the apply your deep conditioner. By the time your done with your shower, it will be time to rinse it out. My favorite way to deep condition my hair is overnight. I wash my hair right before bed, towel dry very well and apply my deep conditioner. When I wake up in the morning, I rinse it out and continue my usual styling. It's that simple. Some of the conditioners I like to use are Creme de Cocoa and Quenching by Bumble and Bumble. These are for more thicker hair. If you prefer something lightweight, Masque Force Architecte by Kerastase is moisturizing without being heavy. It is also great for women who highlight due to the reparative properties.  

3. Use post-shower products

                       It's common to think all you need is a good shampoo and conditioner to keep your hair manageable. These products are just the first step. Using products after you wash your hair is also important. It's the final step to de-frizz and tame down. 

               

                  For straight or wavy hair- An oil or leave-in conditioner is great. An oil will seal all the fly ways down while the leave-in conditioner provides extra moisture. These products can be used together for hair that is especially unruly. My favorite oil is the Elixir Ultime by Kerastase, which has also won the award for Best Of Beauty by Allure Magazine. My choice for leave in conditioner is the Nectar Thermique by Kerastase. If you prefer something light, Ciment Thirmique by Kerastase is also a great choice. 

                    For curly hair -  Bumble and Bumble has an awesome line just for curly hair. From shampoo to mousse, they have it. Curls get especially dry in the winter due to the natural oils not being able to travel down the coils of our hair. When I say our, I am speaking from experience. My hair is a curly mess so I understand the struggles. My favorite product to use is the curl cream. It holds curl while adding extra moisture. They have the cream for both fine hair and coarse hair to give you a variety of options. 

Following these simple steps are easy ways to keep your hair manageable during the upcoming seasons. Good luck and stay warm!

Easy Homemade Caramel

Finally, the crisp fall weather is here. I have this weird thing where I can't make any fall related foods unless the weather is in tune with it. I don't want to eat an apple or pumpkin pie when its over 70 degrees, it just doesn't feel right to me. Even though caramel isn't only meant for fall, it still falls in the category of what I think fall foods contain. Caramel is one of those indulgences you cant get enough of. I can easily eat a whole jar by itself and still want more. When I took a dessert class at Sur La Table back in January, caramel was one of the topping I learned to make. Being someone who likes to play in the kitchen, I took the recipe home and moved around some measurements and ingredients. I like to try and figure out ways to make original recipes better and put my own spin on things. After tweaking things a bit, it finally came out with the perfect caramel sauce thats quick to make when i'm craving a sweet topping. 

Caramel Sauce

6 Tablespoons of Granulated Sugar 

2 Tablespoons of Water

1 1/2 Tablespoons of Salted Butter 

1/4 cup of Heavy Cream 

Place a saucepan onto the stove. Combine the sugar and water together and turn the flame on medium high. Watch until the sugar and water starts to boil. When you see the mixture bubbling, swirl the pan occasionally until it turns a deep amber color. Once it turns deep amber, remove the pan from heat 

and whisk in butter. After butter is incorporated, whisk in heavy cream. Transfer the caramel to a non-plastic container and cool to room temperature. The caramel will last in the fridge up to 2 weeks.

If more is needed you can always double or triple the recipe. I hope you enjoy this caramel as much as I do. I warn you, it's very addicting.

Turning over from the dark side

As a professional, it's my job to tell you what is realistic about your expectations for your hair. Even though we want instant gratification when we want to make a drastic change, it doesn't work out that way. Making a big change doesn't always take a two hour appointment in a salon and then you are set for the next few months. Most clients think all it takes is to throw on some color onto what you previously had. Trust me, I wish my job was that easy. Every now and then, I get that client. She's that client who has been coloring her hair black for 3 years and then expects me to make her a sun-kissed blonde within an hour. No, that's not how it goes. It's a process, a time consuming process that you should be prepared for. 

1. Color does NOT remove color

                   Many clients think that after they have been coloring their hair dark, all it takes is to throw on a tube of the desired color they have been hoping for. This is not the way to do it. Color does not remove and lift already colored hair. The colored part of the hair must be treated with a lightener or bleach in order to remove. 

2. You have buildup

                    Having dark hair for a consecutive amount of time probably means you have a significant amount of color buildup. When the color is dense like that, it can be time consuming to break up all of the buildup with a lightener. Sometimes it takes 15 minutes before the color even looks like its starting to budge. When it finally starts to budge, the colorist has to make sure the color is lifting out evenly. This will ensure that there will be no bands and unevenness in the process. 

3. Your hair WILL pull up red or orange 
                    I understand that we all hate red or any other warm tones in our hair and expect to go lighter without the visibility of any of these colors. I really wish I could do that for you but, unfortunately, I don't have the power to reinvent the color wheel. Each level of color contains an underlying pigment. Anything from medium brown to black has an underlying pigment of red. Anything from light brown to blonde is red-orange, orange or yellow. When lifting a client who has dark brown hair, the red underlying pigment will be exposed and it will go through each color phase until to desired lightness is achieved.   


4. It can be damaging and drying 
                   Going from dark to light shouldn't always be done in just one appointment. Putting bleach/lightener on someones hair and stripping the color out can be very damaging. It can weaken the hair, causing breakage and severe dryness. Doing it gradually will ensure that your hair is kept in good health.

Going from dark to light should always be a gradual process. You may not get the results you were hoping for right away, but it will ensure that your hair stays healthy through the process.