Jenn Hales presents FLUX. Friday Feb. 8

Jenn Hales grew up in an earth-sheltered home near Apex NC. As a child she spent her time reading books and examining bumble-bees in the front yard.  With no TV, she occupied herself drawing creatures from nature and her own imagination.  Jenn graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a degree in Industrial Design. Before becoming a full time artist/illustrator she worked as a toy designer, a footwear designer, a design researcher, and a welder.  She currently lives in Raleigh NC, where she's been working as an artist and illustrator since 2010.

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"My work portrays animals and young women finding humor and strength in their situations. I try to evoke the way I saw the world as a child while tackling concepts like habitat loss, global warming, and cultural expectations."

Alter EGO Gets Inspired in Miami

“A hair festival of epic proportions.” Front Row’s tagline and a mighty promise to live up to. After three full days spent in the Mana Wynwood building surrounded by the brilliantly colorful Wynwood Art District, I can say that I think they succeeded. As a hair show firstie, I arrived in Miami with very little idea of what the next three days might hold. From what my more experienced hair-show-going comrades said, Front Row reached a level all its own. Day One found us wandering through the warehouse-esque building that is Mana Wynwood, viewing the Luxury Brand Partners’ (the show’s hosts) custom art work designed specifically to showcase their brands for this event. The first hallway faded from art to a line of photo ops set up to represent each of the brands: Oribe, R+Co, V76 by Vaughn, and Smith & Cult. Then we rounded the corner into “The Marketplace” where each brand had a booth filled with goodies and their full array of products so that any salon that didn’t already host one or more of the brands could experience them first-hand.

After thoroughly venturing through the booths and admiring the artistic set up of the space, we had the opportunity to explore the Wynwood Walls, a collection of graffiti filled walls that are rather incredible works of art. The Alter EGO collective of hairstylists includes several visual artists beyond the art of hair itself, so we wandered through, soaking in the inspiration of such powerful art.

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Each day featured a Mainstage collection of “performances” by the renowned creators and educators of each brand. Night one was all about Oribe. We witnessed a variety of cutting and styling techniques by industy-famous artists such as Oribe’s Creative Director and stylist, James Pecis, Creative Cutting specialist Coby Alcantar, and “the hairstylists’ hairstylist”, Vivienne Mackinder.

Day Two began bright and early with a business-minded Keynote talk from author Jim Collins. Jim offered up the ideas that Good is the enemy of Great, and that the people you surround yourself with hold the most significance to your business. This really resonated with us at Alter EGO, as we not only constantly strive to go far beyond good to the greatest we can be, but keeping a positive, growing team is of utmost importance to us. The second Mainstage happened a little later that day and it featured Vaughn, Smith & Cult, and a couple of special guests to the show, actress Rose McGowan and a team of stylists who have branded themselves IGK. Vaughn’s talented team of educators put on an incredible display of men’s cutting and grooming techniques, and the Smith & Cult show was a unique performance all its own showing some fascinating conceptualizations of each of the lacquer’s names.

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Finally, Day Three brought us the incredible trio who collaborated together to birth R+Co—Garren, “the godfather of hair” who’s styled more Vogue covers than any other person; Thom Priano, men’s grooming and style specialist who’s styled more GQ covers than any other stylist; and Howard McLaren, former creative director of Toni & Guy and Bumble & Bumble, long-time educator, and razor-cutting pioneer. The R+Co show began with a conversation where each man shared his “origin story” and how he established himself in the world of hair. Then, we had the opportunity to witness all three at work, cutting, styling, and in Garren’s case putting on a mini-shoot style show all taking inspiration from classic movies and old Holywood looks.

We left Miami later that day with a new depth of knowledge and appreciation for the products we use and sell every day, a renewed sense of inspiration for this craft that we love so much, and a determination to bring both that knowledge and inspiration to our clients each and every day.

African Safari, by Berta GH Adams

Join us this Friday Dec 4 for a special exhibit from Berta GH Adams, "African Safari." Born in Rome, Italy of Dutch Diplomatic parents, Berta was exposed to the art world from birth.  Her parents were avid collectors and would acquire art and antiques from each of the countries in which they lived, including Norway, Argentina and South Africa. Berta studied Fine Arts at the Pretoria Art College where she majored in sculpture; she now works in oils, water color pencils, pencil and charcoal, as well as pastel. She is planning to relocate from South Africa to the US where she will operate a gallery and accept commissions.

AE Presents: Robert Pettus, Sunsets & Landmarks

Robert Pettus, a professional photographer based in Raleigh NC has been snapping interesting and relevant photos since he received his first film camera at the age of 11. Recently published in Our State and The Walter magazines, this show will feature recent studio work and NYC photos from his latest excursion over the skies of Manhattan, Raleigh and San Francisco.  Photos for sale and display.

We are hiring.

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Alter EGO is looking to add to our customer service team! Candidates must have open availability, be able to work in a fast pace environment, a "can do" attitude and a caring heart. Salon front desk experience preferred but not required. Interested applicants can email their resumes to yourego@alteregoraleigh.com

Mandy's Hair Tips & Tricks

Our stylists at Alter EGO love to share their hair knowledge. So much so that when I asked Mandy to share her favorite hair tips and tricks, she wrote up a huge list of all of her best styling tricks, shampoo & conditioning advice, and product tips because she didn’t want to miss a single thing! Thus, I would like to introduce… Mandy’s Hair Tips & Tricks!Shampoo & Conditioning Tips

-Brush your hair BEFORE you take a shower - it will be easier to wash/condition and it will save your drain from getting clogged.

-When shampooing, focus on your scalp!

-Don't shampoo everyday; it strips your scalp of its natural oils so then it works double time to replace it.

-Rinse your conditioner out with cool water. It seals your cuticle with all the goodies your conditioner is packed with.

-Clarifying shampoo is your friend! Your shampoo didn't stop doing its job. Hair gets bogged down over time with product buildup especially if you are putting drug store products on it. Giving your hair a good clean will give your hair life!

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-Pantene, Herbal Essence, Tresseme and other drug store brands might claim "color protection, heat protection, shine" but it’s really wax.wax.wax. If those products did what they said we would be using them in the salon or they wouldn't be as cheap! For example: if you spend $140 on highlights & a toner and you use a product that cost you $12 for shampoo and conditioner- your toner will be stripped off by the 2nd wash, if not the first. So $30 down the drain... literally! (I don't like to push people into) The products we sell here at Alter EGO aren’t the only ones that will take care of your hair, but we’ve selected the best of the best to (what I care about is) maintain(ing) the color we just spent 2 hours perfecting.

-Conditioning treatments! If you color your hair a lot, swim, or flat iron excessively then you should do a treatment once a week. All others, once a month! It helps with frizz, manageability, tangles, and increases shine!

Styling Tips

-Spray bobby pins with hairspray before putting them in.

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-Make sure the wavy side of the bobby pin faces down towards your scalp. It is designed to grab hair—the straight side holds it down.

-Want a fuller pony? Place two bobby pins on the bottom, pushing your pony up!

-Pony tail curls= less time to look FABULOUS!

-After you blow dry your hair, push the cool button to set it in place !

-Curl your hair different ways to add texture

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-Know your hot tools! And use heat protectants. Never put a flat iron/curling iron on wet or damp hair. Fine hair should not be flat ironed at 450 degrees. Don't go over a strand too many times or you will cause breakage! -If you flat iron your hair straight up towards the ceiling you will create volume. -BANGS: 1) if you have a cowlick use a fine tooth, heat resistant comb to control the cowlick! 2) When blow drying straight across bangs start by pushing them from one side to the other with the brush following through the hair dryer. When they are 90% dry, blow them straight down until completely dry. 3) To get side swept bangs to lay across your forehead , blow them dry on the opposite side of where they lay. If you use a round brush put the brush on top and roll up instead of under. When they are dry push them over to "their" side with the brush and round them under one last time.

Product Tips

-Apply dry shampoo the day you wash your hair--Right before bed will start to absorb those oils

-Most hair products should be applied at the ends first then work your way up... but not to the root!

-Don't waste product! A pearl size amount of gels, creams and serums go a long way! I rub mine on my hands like lotion and begin at the bottom and underneath. Each strand that touches any part of my hand gets product! Mousse is a little different... the type of nozzle has a lot to do with that. If you can spray it directly on the root in a line, put it where you want/need lift (all around the hair line, down the part and a few sections at the crown); no need to put mousse at the bottom of your hair. If it is a foam dispenser I would say start with a golf ball size and begin patting where you want the volume. When you are finished rub it all in!

Miscellaneous Tips

-Bring pictures to your appointments when going for a new look! Communication between you and your stylist is key to you loving your hair!

-Before getting in the pool wet your hair with water from the shower... You know, the one in the corner we are suppose to use before getting in the pool? Having your hair wet reduces the amount of chlorine it sucks up in the pool leaving your hair soft and healthy.

-The sun is super damaging to your hair! Cover it up or use a uva uvb protectant

-Don't forget about your scalp at the beach! If you have a part that is exposed to the sun it can be burned! Spray some sunscreen on it!

-If you have well water, buy a water softening shower head at a home improvement store! It will cut back on the chlorine and other minerals!

-When combing hair out of the shower use a wide tooth comb or a wet brush (a brush designed for wet hair that has flexible bristles to easily slide through knots!) don't just rip through those tangles!

-When washing your face, be aware of your hair line! Some face washes are pretty powerful and can't strip the color right off!

-About 6 months after having a baby you will start shedding... A LOT. Calm down, it’s normal. While pregnant you don't shed your typical 100 strands a day, so after your body starts getting back to "normal" it starts the shedding process. All the hair you accumulated during pregnancy starts to "fall out.”

-Color cannot lift color. If you have color on your hair it is a process to change it or lift it.

-Be open and honest with your stylist. If you color at home... let us know. If you are a get up and go… let us know. Getting a high maintenance cut or color is not for you.

-Camouflage your roots by zig zagging your part! And then book an appointment!

-Know what you want before heading to the salon. A big change needs discussing. When booking your appointment let the front desk know you would like a consultation or if you book online write it in the notes section. It helps us as stylist get prepared for what we are doing. After we get to know you ( 3+ appointments) we will get a better understanding of you and your hair and we will then be able to tell you what we think would look great on you.

Have fun with your new tricks, and enjoy your hair! Give your hair the life it deserves!

Live Music by UP @ Noon Friday August 7

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Owner Dana Hunter Rosa Featured in Oak City Hustle

Raleigh's Oak City Hustle interviewed Owner and Stylist, Dana Hunter Rosa, about what defines Alter EGO and how Dana has cultivated a creative, expressive environment here.  In their own words, Oak City Hustle "provide a platform for innovative creative culture in Raleigh to be nurtured, developed, documented and shared as a catalyst for cultural pride."  We are so thrilled for Dana and Alter EGO to be featured, and would love for you to read her interview to learn more about both Dana and AE. Q & A with Dana Hunter Rosa of Alter EGO

Friday 9/4 Artwork by Denise Gunter alongside the Stylists of AE

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Behind the Brand: Smith & Cult by Amanda Gallegor

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"Smith & Cult is an expression of our unrefined thoughts and feelings." 

When it comes to the beauty industry, three things come to mind: Hair, Skin, and Nails. While hair and skin have always been in the spotlight, it was only recently that people started paying attention to their nails and what they are putting on them. Nowadays you can't watch TV or read a magazine without seeing advertisements covered with beautiful colors and promises of "A Salon Manicure at Home." While these all seem exciting, the promises are usually cut short and people find their nails not staying as flawless as the advertisements promised. Getting a "Salon Quality" manicure at home is hard, but with the right products and a little bit of patience, you can have beautiful nails from the comfort of your own home, and lucky for you, we sell these products at AlterEgo!

Smith and Cult was created by Dineh Mohajer (anyone remember Hard Candy from the 90's?!) who wanted to create a high performing lacquer that was also a 5-Free formula (which means it doesn't contain Dibutyl, Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor.) After creating Hard Candy in the 90's, Mohajer joined forces with Jeanne Chavez. The duo became a beauty industry powerhouse, creating trends and selling Hard Candy to LVMH in 1999 to go on to their next project: Smith and Cult.

When using a high quality lacquer, patience is key. You don't want to rush, so make sure you have some time to spend on yourself. The whole point of painting your nails is to enjoy it, not make it into another chore!

Step One: Prep your nails.

Oil is the enemy here. Clean each nail with Polish Remover and remove all old polish. This is a good time to file and trim them as well! Definitely avoid lotions in this step.

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Step Two: Super prep your nails.

Yeah, you just took off all the old stuff, but we're humans and we create a lot of oil. Grab some rubbing alcohol and clean each nail; it will ENSURE the lacquer sticks to your nails and no oils will ruin them.

Step Three: Base Coat

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Use the same brand. Each nail polish line is created using different formulas, so using the same brand will ensure even application and a solid fusion between the coats. You don't need to glob it on either; a quick, even coat is all you need. Make sure to coat your ENTIRE nail.

Step Four: Color

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Pick your favorite. I picked Psycho Candy, but the cool thing about S&C is that they have soooo many different options! Make sure the base coat is dry (takes about a minute) and start. Don't rush this step--use the ball method. Make a small ball of polish at the top of the nail and pull it down, then swipe once more on the left, and once on the right. Once you get this technique down your nails will ALWAYS look like you got them done professionally. You don't want to glob the polish on; it needs to dry, so thin layers work best. Let this dry for about 5 minutes, then apply coat #2, staying thin and consistent throughout. Take your time. Doing your nails should be fun!

Step Five: Top Coat

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ALWAYS follow with a top coat. It ensures the color is sealed in, but many are also formulated to stay shiny and resist chips. Coat your entire nail (and go over the free edge a bit) to lock in the lacquer. LET THIS DRY. This step is crucial, so give yourself 15 minutes or so to let them air dry. Blowing on them will create bubbles and putting them in cold water will crack the polish, so just be patient. Trust me, it's worth it

Once everything is done, sit back, and stare at how awesome your nails look. When anyone asks who did them, you'll smile and know it was yourself, and you can tell them to come to AlterEgo in Raleigh to pick up their own bottle of Smith & Cult.

Right now, we are offering a Buy Two Get One Free deal for all Smith and Cult polishes--definitely take advantage of this special to get your base coat, top coat, and favorite S&C color!

Guest Author: Amanda Gallegor, Salon Assistant and Polish Connoisseur

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Tips & Tricks to Make Your Color LAST!

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“If I pay for a color, I want it to stay, ya know?” An exact quote from a conversation with a friend recently, but anyone who has ever paid to color their hair (and even if you’re a box color DIYer, you pay for it) has either said or thought these words. Whether you were born to be a redhead (but genetics made you brunette), or you’re convinced blondes have more fun (but the sun just isn’t working fast enough) once you decide on your hair color and invest in it, you want it to last. And really, when you think about it, your hair color IS an investment. The saying goes “you get what you pay for,” but I’d like to rephrase that to, “When you invest in quality, you get quality in return.” If you want your color to last, there are a variety of actions you can take to increase the longevity of your investment.

1. Embrace the idea that water is the enemy. 

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We’re talking in terms of hair here—you better be drinking that 64+ ounces a day. When it comes to hair color, water is the number one cause of color fade. Why? Short answer: science. Long answer: hair color is essentially a manipulation of the pigment molecules in your hair. Different levels of color work in different ways (Demi, permanent, etc) but ultimately, they all have to do with influencing or altering molecules. Water, particularly hot water, opens the hair cuticle, which allows the color molecules to escape more easily—which is why you see your color draining away into the bottom of your shower. If you want your color to last, reduce the amount that you wash your hair. Invest in a good dry shampoo that will prolong your clean hair, and if you have medium to long hair, learn to work that day three updo (my personal fave trick).

2. While we’re talking water… let’s talk about the COOL factor.

As mentioned above, hot water opens the hair cuticle the most, so washing your hair with cool or cold water will reduce the amount of color leakage (though not eliminate). No matter what, washing your hair is going to lighten or fade the color eventually. That, again, is a matter of science.

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3. Rolling with the washing topic… Every shampoo was NOT created equal.

Utilizing a color-safe shampoo is essential for prolonging the life of your color. There’s a variety of ones available—our favorites, of course, are R+Co’s Gemstone, and Oribe’s Shampoo for Beautiful Color. Or for blondes… Oribe’s Bright Blonde Purple Shampoo. When it comes to the topic of shampoo, there’s a lot of terms thrown around that can make the search for the right one confusing. Sulfate-free, clarifying, paraben-free to name a few… but the reality is that you should focus on the quality of the ingredients in your shampoo. Sulfates are what make the suds in cleansing products of all kinds, but like most everything else in life, there are extremely low-quality sulfates (the kind that can irritate your scalp, and can contribute to a quicker loss of color), and there are extremely high-quality sulfates as found in some of Oribe’s shampoos along with other salon-quality brands. Clarifying shampoo is another case of quality DOES count, and sparing use will not have a significant affect on your color. For more info on parabens see this article (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/08/image/la-ig-beauty-parabens-20110508).

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4. Your hair needs sun protection as much as your skin!

Sun darkens skin, but lightens hair, and that includes colored hair. Find a styling product that includes UV protection or buy yourself a really cute pool/beach hat. Just as your skin is damaged when out in the sun for too long with no protection, your hair can be affected in the same way. Not to mention, the term sun-kissed highlights came about due to naturally sun-lightened hair—the sun will do its best to lighten your hair whether colored or not.

5. Speaking of summertime… Chlorine is a chemical and it WILL alter your hair.

Avid swimmer? Live at the pool? If you swim for fitness and have colored hair, embrace the swim cap! Even if you don’t have colored hair… chlorine dries and damages hair, so strongly consider protecting it either way. If you just love to soak in the cool water… pin that hair up on top of your head and keep your head above the water. Refer to preservation tip #1… water is the enemy! Same goes for the beach, even though there’s no chlorine. The more you wet your hair, the more color will have a chance to escape whether there is shampoo involved or not.  If you do swim or want to dunk your head, consider investing in a chlorine neutralizer.  You can spray this on before, after, or both, and it will work to counter-balance the effects of chlorine.

6. Glazes/Glosses/Toners are your FRIEND.

If you love the shine of newly colored hair, or want your color freshened up without paying for another full on coloring session… ask your stylist about glazing or glossing your hair. Known also as toners, these are non-peroxide sheer colors that can brighten or subtly change your color, along with conditioning your hair. They last approximately 4-6 weeks, and are a great way to prolong the time between highlights or full colors.

7. INVEST in a deep conditioner or masque for your hair. 

Coloring or lightening your hair automatically alters it. Remember the manipulation of molecules? Science-y stuff happens no matter what kind of color. Thus, you want to make sure to treat your hair extra well following the color to improve its health. Using a deep conditioner once a week will add some hydration back into your hair, and helping to maintain the health of your hair.

8. Hand-in-hand with deep conditioners, heat protectants keep your hair healthy!

If you style your hair with heat of any kind—blow dryer, straightening iron, curling iron, etc… you should invest in a good heat protectant. This can come in the form of oils or a variety of sprays, and will act as a shield between your hair and the damaging effects of heat. Healthy hair takes color more evenly, so if you color your hair regularly, you want to take the best care possible to ensure your hair is healthy enough to smoothly accept the color treatment.

Natural progression of fashion color utilizing these techniques.

IN SUMMARY: Prolonging the life of your color requires an investment of more than just the actual color service. By design, color treatments alter your hair—ever heard the phrase “Every action has an equal and opposing reaction”? Coloring your hair requires a “reaction” (see: steps above) to ensure the integrity and health of your hair. If you have any questions about what might be best for YOUR hair… talk to your stylist!! They love to educate clients about the coloring process, and how to extend the life of their work… aka your hair!

Love is all there is.

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So much of our inspiration here at Alter EGO has derived from the great works of our local artists, and none more compelling than Mathew Curran.  This image takes hold of our hearts and lifts us away into an experience of all-consuming joy mixed with unconditional, unabating love one can only have for  a child or sibling.  A younger brother.

This month, the Alter EGO team celebrates the life of Simon Curran, and the love he inspired, which lives on in our hearts, in our art and continues to move us.

July First Friday: MID CENTURY

Alter EGO continues this exhibit for July and welcomes you Friday night for live music from local band

Up at Noon

. Conall Callen was born in Washington, DC in 1971 and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree from Carnegie Mellon University in 1994. Conall works predominately in abstract painting. He relocated from Portland, Oregon to Raleigh in 2010.

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Defining Hair Color: BALAYAGE

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If you pay even the teensiest morsel of attention to the fashion world, the obnoxious to spell and ever more challenging to pronounce, BALAYAGE is probably on your radar. If it’s not, it should be. Balayage, pronounced, Bah-lay-ahj, comes from the French word meaning “sweeping.” The coloring technique is thus named due to the nature of painting or sweeping the color onto the hair. Like most things in the fashion world, balayage has been around for a while (since the 70s), but has made a fierce comeback in the past couple of years due to it’s many enticingly fabulous qualities. The painted, free-hand technique of balayage is super cool for many reasons; first, it’s entirely customizable. Just like the ombre, we’re a huge fan of anything that can be catered to the individual. The tone of the highlights, the amount of painted pieces, and how bold or subtle they are can all be designed for your style and preference. No matter your hair color, balayage can be molded to suit you! The artistic technique of balayage also allows for a really natural looking highlight. Remember when you were a kid and your hair used to get those gorgeous natural highlights in the summer? Balayage can mimic that sun-kissed glow.

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Also like the ombre, balayage has more of a “grown-out” look than traditional foiled highlights. This means it’s a low-maintenance style that can be worn for much longer. In the fast-paced, always busy world of today, getting into the salon every few weeks can be a challenge. Those every-four-weeks root retouches can go out the window with balayage!

Take note though, balayage is not ombre. Despite the fact that they have many commonalities, the ombre and balayage styles are quite different. The ombre is a full color gradation going from one solid color gradually to another. Balayage is a type of highlight, where strands are chosen and painted. Due to their widespread popularity, stylists have experimented with a combination of the two so you MAY see the terms put together -- a balayage ombre. This would be lower balayage pieces that have a gradation of their own. The effect of lighter ends and darker roots, but not from one full solid color to another full solid color. The highly customizable nature of both color techniques, along with the artistic emphasis allows stylists to really experiment and create variable looks.

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 This brings us to our final favorite balayage feature. Hair stylists are essentially artists, especially here at Alter EGO. They love to create customized looks for their clients, and are inspired by each person’s uniquities. Because balayage can be done so many different ways it gives the stylist some flexibility to really be creative and design a look that is just perfect for YOU. It’s the perfect season for beachy sun-kissed highlights, and it’s always the perfect time for a new custom look. Now that you know how to pronounce the darn word, and what exactly it is, come in and see one of our balayage experts to enhance your summer style!

For more information about balayage, check out these two fabulous articles:

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/545771/so-what-exactly-is-balayage-why-do-we-love-it.html

http://www.vogue.com.au/beauty/hair+insider/what+is+the+balayage+effectr,13857

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Defining Hair Color: OMBRE

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The hair world loves to come up with all sorts of names for different styles of color: highlights, lowlights, balayage, ombre, sombre, babylights, ecaille… the list goes on, and that doesn’t even touch on the different shades of color: warm, cool, golden, reds, etc. But what exactly do all of these labels mean?! Understanding what defines each color type can help you better communicate to your stylist what you are looking for. We wanted to explore the differences between these color types through a series of posts explaining a little bit about each one and then differentiating it from the others. Let’s start off with the OMBRE. An ombre is literally a graduation from light to dark. This word has become all-important in everything fashion from hair to nails to clothing fabric: ombre is everywhere. Some people would have you believe that the ombre is fading away, but it’s definitely still relevant, and there’s a few reasons why we still LOVE this trend.

First, you can completely customize it to suit your hair and style. Ombre can be vibrant and bold, or a subtle fade (aka sombre); it can be done on long hair, short hair, or in between, and each way gives a totally different vibe and style. The ombre is so versatile that people have taken it in all kinds of creative directions… there are red ombres, extremely dark to extremely light ombres, and even multi-colored ombres as well. Whatever your color preference and style, the ombre is the chameleon of hair color and will match YOU!

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Our second favorite aspect of ombres is the low-maintenance factor.   Because it’s designed to look like a “grown-out” color, the 4-6 week root retouch goes out the window, and you can wear the color for a much longer time, stretching out your salon visits. While this does mean that the ombre is significantly more work up front—expect approximately three or more hours in the salon—and comes at a slightly higher price tag, it’s totally worth it if you prefer the low-maintenance hair life.

Alongside the low-maintence aspect, ombres are pretty easy to transition away from once you’ve decided you’re done with the look. If you’ve kept your roots and mid-lengths at or close to your natural color, you can choose to either chop off the lightened ends if you’re up for a fun, shorter ‘do, or you can color the ends back to your natural color. Either way, there’s less of a growing out, transitional process as sometimes occurs when you’ve decided to grow out, say a full head of classic highlights.

We definitely still dig the ombre, and are looking forward to customizing YOUR ombre look. Look for our post about BALAYAGE coming soon!

Wedding Hair Wednesday!

Wedding season has its slow beginnings in April, but by May it is undeniably the season of updos and curls as people choose this not yet too hot (in NC) month to get married.  Whether you are the bride-to-be or simply a wedding attendee, getting the perfect updo or hair style for that special day is absolutely essential!  Our updo specialists love to design a look just for you to suit your hair and style. This gorgeous curly updo was created by Updo Designer, Danielle.  We love this slightly messy red carpet worthy look!

Updo by Danielle Duarte.

Braided updos are perfect for Summer weddings!  Alli designed this braided 'do for a medium length bob.

Braided Updo by Alli Carter.

Our stylists love to work with your style!  Updo Designer, Mandy, created a fun, spunky updo to compliment her client's multi-colored hair.

Funky Updo by Mandy Asberry.

Rainy Day Hair Cures

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As the saying goes, April is the month of showers and it has definitely proven to be so thus far. We all know that the rain doesn’t end when the May flowers arrive, however. Here at Alter EGO we are armed and ready with all of our favorite tricks to combat the Spring air-induced frizz and the dreaded grey rainy days. Our newest favorite rainy day cure is the unstoppable FOIL spray from R+Co. Foil is as multifaceted in ability as the shiny silver bottle. It vanishes static, smoothes stubborn flyaways and frees your hair from frizz!

Our other Spring-Summer obsession seems to have been made for the North Carolina humidity. ORIBE’s Anti-Humidity Spray does its best work on those sticky humid days that we all know are right around the corner. The spray actually has advanced polymers that push moisture away from the hair.   It allows your hair to hold its style, even through our humid NC days.

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We are head over heels for Foil and the Anti-Humidity Spray, but sometimes you just need a really good thunderstorm afternoon hair-do. On those days, our fabulous stylists suggest the following tips and tricks!

Dig out those headbands and rock them in style! Alisha’s rocking her retro polka dots, but we also love the bandanas as headbands trend. The coolest thing about headbands is that you can mix and match them to your outfit. Simple gold headband for the office… switch it out for your favorite stretchy headband on your way to the gym.

Our other classic rainy day hairdo is braids and twists. Learning to braid your own hair takes practice, especially for people with slightly less coordinated fingers (aka me). If you’re not yet up for braiding your hair, twisting it back is something that everyone with a few bobby pins can do. Either choice gives you a styilsh updo that even walking to work in the rain can’t destroy.

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And of course, sometimes you just need to embrace the natural texture of your hair. With thick wavy hair, Alli knows the struggle of rainy days, but she looks absolutely fabulous sporting her rained on waves. Finding the right product to enhance your natural hair can make all the difference in being able to love your curls, waves, or straight locks on those days when the weather just doesn’t cooperate.

As always, if you need some hands-on help mastering your fave rainy day 'do just ask your stylist at your next appointment for some quick pointers and ideas.  Surprise surprise, Saturday's forecast is calling for rain... which look are you going to choose?

It's the Season of Pastels...

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Springtime brings sunshine, warmer weather, and a reintroduction of brighter colors into our wardrobes. Easter in particular sees an abundance of pastel shades everywhere from clothes to candy. In honor of the holiday weekend, we wanted to feature some of our favorite pastel hair, and talk a little bit about what it takes to reach the elusive shades of lavender, periwinkle, mint, and coral. The steps to attaining pastel hair are extensive, so stylist Aspen Teal helped break it down simply. According to Aspen…

Step One: Any piece that you want to be pastel must be lightened to white or almost white.  This requires a bleach application, and depending on how much hair you have or want to be pastel, this first step can be quite extensive.

Step Two: The first round of bleach often requires a toner (not quite a full hair color, toner removes unwanted tones from the hair… often used on blonde hair to remove the brassy/yellow tones).

Step Three: The hair must be blow-dried before the color can be applied.

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Step Four: If the hair was lightened enough with the first bleach out and toner, then the chosen pastel color can be applied. If not, Steps One through Three must be repeated.

Step Five: Haircut. If you don’t want to cut your hair, you should probably reconsider going platinum/pastel. The bleach can sometimes compromise the ends of hair, and a trim is almost always required with this extensive process.

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All of these steps add up in time, and achieving pastel hair can often take several hours in the salon. Aspen says, “minimum four!” but she stresses that depending on the length, thickness, starting color, or if you have box dye on your hair, that it could take much longer and may even need to be broken up into two sessions.

Pastel hair is gorgeous, and once achieved, we love the look, but anyone considering pastel should also know that it requires quite a bit of upkeep. If your hair is not already a very light blonde, you will need regular root touch ups, and if you want to keep the color, pastels fade within approximately three weeks. Plan to get to know your stylist really well, as you will probably visit them at least once a month.

If you're considering platinum or pastel hair, check out this awesome article from BuzzFeed about the process of going platinum.

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This Friday, April 3rd, Alter EGO is proud to bring back Ervene Boyd. Join us for her opening from 6-9pm as a part of First Friday in downtown Raleigh. "Being a creative person all my life, I find emotions to be part of the sensory experience of art. I experience joy and sorrow and myriad emotions emanating through color, pattern, and texture. I consider art "wall medicine" because I imbue my paintings with intentions of love and healing vibrations. As a healing minister and Reiki teacher for over 20 years, I find emotions radiate from art and are silently perceived and received. Paintings possess an 'energy' signature, similar to the way wind and rain are seen or felt as soft or hard, cool or warm." - Ervene Boyd

Alli & Meghann Become Minardi Educators!

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At the beginning of March, amidst snowflakes and freezing temperatures, two of our senior stylists travelled to Indianapolis, IN for an educational conference to become Joico/Beth Minardi Educators. Beth Minardi Signature is one of the two color lines we use here at Alter EGO; its namesake, Beth Minardi herself, is an incredible artist and industry icon. The Minardi line pairs so well with A.E. because of a shared belief in putting the health of hair first. Alli and Meghann have been busy putting their new knowledge to work since their return, but I was able to find out a little more from them about what their new certification actually means. Alli Carter and Meghann Holland are officially Joico/Beth Minardi Signature New Hire Educators. Alli explained that this means, “first being an advisor, teaching basic color classes, including how the color works, Beth’s methodology to hair color, and helping [new hires] understand formulas.” Initially, they will train new stylists in our salon, along with being a reference for the entirety of the A.E. team. They will then work larger events such as hair shows and bigger classes with special guest artists. More than just teaching the color, Meghann explained that being an educator means, “representing the Joico/Beth Minardi methodology of “do no harm” and showing what an amazing product she has created.” Favorite moments in their training came in the form of learning experiences. Alli loved “learning in depth about the chemistry of hair color,” along with being “challeged by presenting in front of a room of people.” Alli said, “I already love all aspects of education, so I’m excited to learn how to teach others.” Meghann’s favorite takeaway exemplified the Beth Minardi “do no harm” concept. After performing a “strand test” (testing a color or lightener on a small section of hair) using different levels of developer (an agent that activates color and opens the cuticle), they were able to see the difference between the lowest and highest levels. Typically, one would expect to see a drastic difference, but the Minardi color line employs a chemistry that essentially gives a little more power to the color itself rather than relying on developer. By using a lower volume developer to achieve the same results as a higher one, the risk of damage to the hair is reduced.

For Alli and Meghann, the next step is furthering their education, sharing what they’ve learned with their fellow stylists, and working on the ever-challenging ability to speak to a crowd. Both plan to conquer that challenge in order to meet their ultimate goals of becoming platform artists and working on the hair show floor. Alli summed up their continuing involvement with Joico/Minardi explaining that it will be, “a lot of hard work, dedication, and long hours, but mostly it will be such a fantastic learning experience.” Meghann and Alli are ready and waiting to beautifully color your hair in true Beth Minardi fashion—with health, quality, knowledge, and of course, a bit of sparkle and shine.