Susan Peters is originally from Woodstock, New York and has always been a creator. She started by finger-painting on rocks in the creek bed behind her grandmother’s house as a young girl and began acrylics as a mature artist. Susan recently returned to painting after a long hiatus at first as a cold weather hobby, but suddenly began noticing the detail around her: colors, shapes, light, and shadows. And she was hooked again! Susan uses bright colors and images from nature to give life to her paintings. In her spare time, she enjoys practicing hot yoga, riding her Tennessee Walking Horse, and traveling with her family.
Street VIEW with Matt Wong
"Everyday beautiful works of art go unnoticed in plain sight, lines of symmetry dancing into oblivion appear unseen to the daily commuter." -Matt Wong
Join us this 1st Friday as we take a look through Matt's lens to view hidden urban beauty. To preview more of Matt’s art, visit his site here.
Des Idees Simples. Marwen El Hicheri.
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Marwen “Mani” El Hicheri was born and raised in Tunisia and educated in Paris, France. Although influenced by many artists from several different movements, he feels that the cultural background, being born and raised in Tunisia, has given him the greatest inspiration. This North African country is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea and in the middle of a melting pot of civilizations.A photographer and painter, his current focus is on the modeling industry, which he combines with digital art and painting.
Meet and Greet with the Artist- Friday 6-9pm
To preview more of Marwen's art, visit: https://www.facebook.com/marwen.art
We will also have South Wind Designs Handmade Jewelry in the house. You can check out their work at: https://www.facebook.com/andreaswdesigns/
Drawings by Kevin Ponce, May @ Alter EGO
Our very own.
Intelligence and Diversity - First Friday May 6
Evocative, intelligent and introspective, the mixed media assemblages of Marty Matthews invite interpretation. The artist asks the viewer to examine their own ascribed interpretation of each piece and hopefully, discover small truths about themselves.
The Poppiottes & Pin Curls Oribe Experience
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Wednesday morning, Oribe Educator and NYC stylist, Mandee Hernandez joined the Alter EGO team for a brand new educational experience. Pin Curls have been around since the 1940s, but Poppiottes are an Oribe creation. Mandee and Katie refreshed our knowledge on the classic Pin Curl, refining the technique to get bouncy spirals, along with how to tease out the curls for maximum body and fun. The next section of the class focused on Poppiottes, curls using rolled up magazine pages in place of curlers. Using lightweight magazine paper puts less stress on the hair than curlers, and it's sustainable--a great way to recycle old magazines. Poppiotte curls also lend themselves perfectly to updos. Mandee demonstrated both curl techniques, along with an updo style using the Poppiotte curls, then the stylists each got to test out one of the looks on their own models. They had tons of fun learning and practicing, and the results turned out FABULOUS!
Dana Rosa and Shayla Moreira create formal hair styles at Alter EGO Hair Salon in Downtown Raleigh.
Mandy Asberry creates curly hair styles in downtown Raleigh at Alter EGO Hair Salon and Blow Dry Bar.
Aspen Johnson creates bouncy curls at Alter EGO Hair Salon in downtown Raleigh.
Meghann Holland pins curls for couture styles at Alter EGO Hair Salon in Raleigh.
Ashley Shick creates awesome curly hair at Alter EGO Hair Salon and Blow Dry Bar.
Tight curls at Alter EGO Hair Salon and Blow Dry Bar.
Formal Updo Hair Style at Alter EGO Blow Dry Bar.
Glamorous curls in this hair style at Alter EGO Blow Dry Bar.
Couture curls at Alter EGO Hair Salon and Blow Dry Bar.
Formal hair style at Alter EGO Blow Dry Bar.
Throwback pin curls at Alter EGO Blow Dry Bar.
April First Friday: Hoop & Stick
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Rainbows & Oil Slicks & Jewel Tones, Oh My!
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Alright, fellow Pinterest fiends. Let’s talk rainbow hair. Pinterest is well-saturated with gorgeous, long, colorful locks that give us all a hearty case of #hairenvy, but are they real? What’s the reality of achieving #mermaidhair status? Stylist Elizabeth Croft and I are going to take you through our 9 hour journey of “replicating” our very own “Pinterest-worthy” hair. Now, “replicating” deserves the quotations because we went into this with the understanding that exact replication when it comes to hair is nigh impossible due to differences in hair texture, health, starting color, etc. along with the fact that every stylist utilizes different coloring techniques. Not to mention a little thing called Photoshop, infamous on Pinterest for not only enhancing, but completely altering the hair color. (Ever seen the same photo in six different colors? Yeah, that's good ol' Photoshop.) Inspiration is awesome, but expecting precise replication just isn’t realistic.
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Hair color is a journey, and mine came to this new leg of the adventure with an extensive history already. It sported a heavy balayage/ombre with a demi-permanent purple over top for seven months, along with a root color 2-3 levels darker than my natural color. To top that off, I had approximately five weeks of regrowth. All of these factors play into how your stylist formulates your color, and for a project as big as ours, it required several steps.
Step One: All over foiling of the Center of the Hair Strand
First, we needed to lift the existing color from my hair. We used lightener on the center of my hair, leaving the roots and ends.
Step Two: Bleach wash on the Ends
Next, we washed the lightener off of the center and then did what we call a bleach wash—a combination of lightener and shampoo—to remove the purple from the ends of my hair. Elizabeth says, "I chose to do it that way because it gave me more control over how much color lifted and kept lightener on the ends for the least amount of time." She added that, "It's less damaging that way."
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Step Three: Lighten the Roots
Elizabeth explains that, “Previously colored hair and virgin hair process lightener and color differently. Because of this I chose not to include the root in the initial foil. Once I got the midshaft to ends, or everything but the root of her hair, to the right levels I went back and lightened just at her root.”
Step Four: Toner Time
Next we toned all over to create a more even surface for the color melt that was about to take place. Elizabeth adds, “You might notice that I didn't lift all of her hair to a very pale blonde. I wanted some remaining pigment in her hair so that the fun colors I used would process more as rich, jewel tones rather than very bright, shocking colors. The "oil slick" look has been on trend so that was part of my inspiration.”
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Step Five: Color Melting!
For the next two hours, Elizabeth created an artistic masterpiece on my head, blending four colors onto every strand of hair. “When I started the color melting process on her hair I used a brighter magenta at her root because I wanted a surprising pop of color in an unexpected place. The contrast between the deeper purples, blues, and greens against the more vibrant magenta added the dimension I needed to keep the color very interesting, but also wearable.”
Considering drying time in between each step and how much hair I have (a lot!) it took the better part of nine hours to complete the entire process. We chose to do this all in one go, but often this process would have taken 2+ visits to fully achieve the look. Having rainbow hair is pretty amazing, and it was totally worth it, but any color this extensive should definitely be viewed as an investment. The cost involved, along with the more frequent salon visits necessary to maintain the look should be considered when deciding if you want to jump into the creative color world.
Talking through what you want, along with what’s possible for your hair is always the best way to begin a new step in your hair journey, whether that’s going lighter, adding in new colors, or creating a whole new look. We offer complimentary consultations with the stylist of your choice for any service, so whenever you’re ready to take the next step in your hair journey—give us a call!
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Alter EGO brings Raleigh a new color palette. MEET WELLA.
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Alter EGO is proud to debut our new color line, WELLA. Because we believe that the best hair comes from creatively inspired artists crafting bespoke styles, we've launched a new color line with a broader color palette allowing our stylists to practice the latest trends in hair design. With WELLA, your imagination is the limit, and our stylists can deliver it. WELLA color science brings an unparalleled level of service, allowing our stylists to paint their vision to life, often without foils, to increase artistry and save you time. Their scientifically proven and patented color molecule, ME+ was invented to prevent color bonding with T-cells and causing color allergies. Healthy, beautiful, inspiring. We are WELLA.
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!