Balayage

2012 saw the continuation of the ombre hair trend - but what's in store for 2013?

The method of balayage coloring emerged in Paris in the 1970s. 'Balayage' is French for “to sweep,” which perfectly describes the art of applying the colouring to the hair in a painting style to create the desired natural look. Balayage became a popular request in salons in the 1990s after the style emerged in the USA.

The balayage technique is a method to subtly apply highlights for a light, sweeping affect that will amp up your hair's tossability and dimension. The balayage technique is a method used to avoid the look of obvious highlights or obnoxious stripes in the hair.

The precise and detailed look of the highlights created with the balayage technique allows for a natural, soft and sunkissed look. These highlights are known for brightening up the face while softening skin tones.

The balayage technique works wonders on both blondes and brunettes. Brunettes can opt for caramel tones while blondes might go for strawberry hues.

Since balayage highlights are created to be subtle and natural, it is not noticeable when they begin to grow out - unlike conventional highlights.

Tinsel Town

When it comes to holiday hair styles, few trends scream Christmas and New Years like hair tinsel. Hair tinsel was made famous by Beyoncé on the red carpet of the 2010 Grammy Awards. Beyoncé wore hair tinsel that was lighter than her hair colour for a highlighting effect.

Hair tinsel is braided into the strands of your hair without any adhesive, and can be washed, styled and blow-dried. When tied into the hair, hair tinsel can last for up to two weeks. Available in nearly any colour, hair tinsel allows for an endless possibility of looks and styles. The strands of glitter suit any hair colour and provide a much needed touch of glamour during the holidays. 

For a subtle sparkle, go for hair tinsel that is close to your hair colour. If you want more contrast and dimension, try a lighter or darker shade. For the more adventurous, pair your red holiday party dress with matching tinsel locks. Hair tinsel looks stunning when woven into braided and twisted hair styles or when simply worn straight and sleek. 

Asides from the aesthetics, hair tinsel is attractive because it is easy to install into hair. Watch this video to learn how to DIY.  

Halloween How To...

Considering making your own Halloween costume this year? Get creative and use whatever you have in your closet or get a few of these items from the thrift shop. Using your imagination and putting different items together is a little more thrilling than tossing a sheet over your head. Here are a few easy-to-do costumes/hair/makeup that we love this season. Hope these inspire you! - Your Shear Style Team

Lash Love.

Eyelashes are much more than a universal symbol of beauty, they protect your eyes. Your lashes keep particles and dust from damaging your eye's surface. Surprisingly, your eyelashes have a relatively short growth cycle, lasting for approximately 30 to 45 days. 

We all want longer, thicker and darker lashes. Many products claim to be able to do so, but in such a short time period it is hard for any product to last longer than the lashes 1 month cycle. The truth is, it's much simpler to introduce your body to a natural routine that will continue to improve lashes with each cycle. Here are some suggestions from all of us at Shear Style ...

1. Diet - Nutirition is key for maintain proper hair, nails and even lashes. Eat your greens and limit your trans-fat intake!
2. Natural moisturizers - olive oil, petroleum jelly (Vasline), vitamin e  and castor oil all work to strenghen lashes. Apply the product around the top and bottom of your lid before bed and wash it off in the morning.
3. Never sleep in your make-up -  Make-up should never stay on your face for longer than 15 hours.
4. Don't touch your eyes! - Toxins, allergic reactions, eye infections, and constant eye rubbing, contribute to eyelash breakage and prevent eyelash growth. Try to always keep your hands away from your eyes when irritation sets in.
5. Vitamins - Here are a few vitamins you can add to your morning routine that will work for you throughout the day...

• Vitamin B-3, also known as niacin, stimulates eyelash growth, eliminates dry and brittle eyelashes, improves blood flow to your hair follicles, aids in cellular reproduction, prevents your eyelashes from falling out and helps your body metabolize keratin, a protein that supports hair growth. (suggested foods: beef liver, salmon, tilapia, tuna, sunflower seeds, peanuts, mushrooms and asparagus)

• Vitamin C is an antioxidant that strengthens your immune system and protects your eyelashes from infections, toxins and diseases that can inhibit hair growth. (suggested foods: cranberries, cauliflower, broccoli, brussels sprouts, pineapples, oranges, tomatoes, grapefruits, kale and strawberries.)

• Vitamin E is an antioxidant that improves immune system function and protects your hair follicles from damaging free-radicals that can prevent your eyelashes from growing, (suggested foods: rich in vitamin E include almonds, hazelnuts, kale, spinach, sunflower seeds, safflower oil, blueberries, peanut butter and avocados.)

How are you treating your peepers protectors? Let us know if this was helpful to you! Tweet us at 

@ShearStyleWpg 

Looking Great In Grey!

Going grey has never been so hot! Grey hair usually coincides with getting older,ageing,wrinkling and weakening, however in the past year stylists have seen a number of young women asking for the silver locks. Like most trends, it all started in the fashion industry. Models could be seen with grey hair in many variations, from matte to silver grey. Younger style icons like Lady Gaga soon picked up this stand-out look and as it trickled down the pipe of popularity we say more and more shades.

If you have it,embrace it and if you don't here is what you need to know about getting it...

1) Your hair will need to be decolourised, otherwise known as "striped". This means all the colour will be pulled from your hair in order for the proper shade of grey to hold. This is a rather harsh chemical treatment.

2) Your hair will need to be washed with Blue or Purple Shampoo. This is to prevent a yellowish undertone, and keep your greys from tinting.

3) Because this is a harsh process you may require weekly conditioning treatments and regular trims as the process as a while can cause hair to break,tangle and become dry.

All in all, we think it's a great look! But weight out the pros and cons before you choose to go grey!

Retinol Magic

Highest Over-The-Counter Retinol Concentration 

Trying to fight signs of ageing? What about blemish scaring or uneven skin tone? If you haven't already heard of the benefits of Retinol than let us at Shear Style tell you!

What It Is...

Retinoic acid is known to plump wrinkles, release collagen and battle sun damage and the breakdown of collagen.

How Fast It Works...

After 4-8 weeks of daily application (preferably at night, as intensity degrades in the light), skin will appear less wrinkled and more even-toned, however 2-6 months is your goal with upkeep!  www.besthealthmag.ca quote's Dr. Alastair Carruthers, a Vancouver dermatologist saying... 

"This is a lifetime commitment; if you stop, age spots usually re-appear within weeks and wrinkles deepen again." 

The Side Effects...

Irritation, peeling, dryness and redness are common in first- time users. 

Where You Can Get It...

Many cosmetic skincare lines offer anti-aging creams containing retinol. Ask a skincare specialist in your local beauty department for more information.

Helpful hint : Product Packaging Matters

• "Because retinol degrades with exposure to light and air, you should choose one with packaging that blocks out both. One-dose capsules that you apply to skin, such as Philosophy Booster Caps ($50 for 60) or products packaged in aluminum, like Vichy Liftactiv Retinol HA ($49, 30 mL), or in opaque glass bottles, like RoC Retin-Ox Wrinkle Correxion Intensive Anti-Wrinkle Serum ($50, 30 mL) or a three-layer tube under a nitrogen blanket protects the retinol in Olay Professional Pro-X Deep Wrinkle Treatment ($55, 30 mL)."

Helpful hint : Highest Concentration Product

• "SkinCeuticals (available through skincare professionals) Retinol 1.0 Maximum Strength Refining Night Cream ($56, 30 mL) contains 1.0%—uniquely, that’s printed right on the package.

One percent is also the highest amount of retinol allowed by Health Canada for over-the-counter products.

• Canadian brands Alyria (sold at physicians’ offices) and drugstore brand Dermaglow Nuvectin Retinol-Px face cream ($75, 45 mL) contains 0.15% retinol. Alyria Retinol Night Complex 1 ($50, 30 g) contains 0.15%, while Night Complex 2 ($60, 30 g) is stronger, at 0.30%.

RoC, L’Oréal Paris, and Vichy do not have any mention of concentration and refuse to release any such information.

Your True Colours | Hair Chalking How-To

Are you familiar with the latest trend in hair today? "Hair Chalking" has been around for a little while now and it’s a fun way to temporarily add color to your locks.

Create the look without commitment.

There are several things you need to know before you go Picasso. So, from our salon mirror to yours, here are the Shear Style tips…

 

What You’ll Need…


1 soft pastel chalk set ($5 or under at your local craft store)


1 spray bottle (filled with water)

1 
A flat iron/curling iron


Rubber gloves


An old towel/shirt

How You’ll Get The Look...

Step 1: Spray about a 1-inch section from the tip of your hair with water. The wet section is the section where the colour will be released.

*** If you’re blonde or you have blonde tips, DO NOT wet your hair before chalking. I will stain if you do because adding water to pure pigment creates a real dye.***

Step 2: Twist the hair and begin to chalk as you do so. The texture from twisting makes the chalk release more pigment.

Start with the lightest shade first, since, as you can see, the color gets all over your gloves and you'll end up with a muddied version of the same hue throughout if you go dark to light.

Step 3: Wait for your hair to air dry.

Step 4: Using the curling or flat iron, go over each colored strand. This sets the colors in your hair, so it will last longer.

Step 5: Then brush out excess and style away!

***If your not wanting to the colour to last over a day skip Step 4***

Getting Chalk Out

Shampoo regularly. A conditioning treatment is strongly recommended to replenish the moisture the chalk has dried out.

Now get going and show your true colours this summer 2012! Here are some great looks...