Thursday, December 29, 2011
Nail Trends 2011
2011 is coming to a close and it is always fun to take a look back before moving forward.
Nails have become a woman’s 10 hottest personal fashion accessories. Affordable, fun and easy to change what you want to say about yourself in a moments notice. Here were some of the best nail trends we saw in 2011.
- Crackle Polish in Black was the stand out, edgy, cool way to express your twisted, tortured soul.
- Stick on Nails: Not for little kids or Grannies anymore. Available in tons of colors and designs.
- Square nails are so square, it’s the Stiletto shaped nails that were really in.
- Gray polish was rockin’ the neutral house in 2011. If you wanted to make a statement but needed to keep it on the down low for work,Gray was the color of choice—from Soft Dove to Dark Asphalt or maybe a Greige tone (A blend of Beige and Gray).
- Metallics were smokin’ hot and came in so many colors that it was hard to choose.
- Half Moon nails were a throw back from the 40’s, two contrasting colors, one for the base color and the other to create the half moon shape. Don’t try this if you have the coffee jitters—your half moon might end up looking like an eclipse.
- Shellac extended wear nail color was and continues to be THE ANSWER to every polish lovin’ fashionista’s prayers
- The New French traded in the original Pink and White and was seen sporting any two contrasting colors for a fresh, updated look.
What was your favorite nail trend this year? Let us know on our Facebook page!
Posted by: Vicki, Spa Director
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Quick, Flawless Holiday Makeup!
My approach to makeup has always been simple but sexy. The ingredients to this concept are a flawless skin as your back drop, a light blush of innocents brushed across the cheeks, and a soft but sultry smokey eye. The lips should always draw them in by adding a tint of pink berry shades finished with gloss.
Holiday parties are a perfect excuse to touch base with one of our makeup artists..let us help you choose signature colors and blend foundation for that unforgettable gorgeous skin!
Before: After:
4 ways to give you a flawless holiday look:
- Skin: Custom Blend liquid foundation, Pure Mineral Powder to set, and Pure Mineral Bronzer to finish.
- Eyes: Burgendy Frost eyeshadow and Lux Onyx eyeliner.
- Blush: Mineral Blush in Fremont Flair
- Lips: Lip Toxyl Sheer in Celeb.
Note: these photos have not been retouched
Posted by: Tracy Marie, Makeup Educator
Friday, December 16, 2011
Holiday Hair--Roaring 20's!
The holidays are such a great time to be able to express yourself with all the cheer and merriment that is in the air. I love it when people have non-traditional holiday parties or theme parties because I feel like this gives us hairdressers a chance to express ourselves as well.
I recently had the great honor of doing the hair for one of my long-time guests for a "roaring 20's" themed Christmas/birthday party. She has the greatest curl in her hair, and this was the first time we did a full themed hairdo with costume and all. As you can see from the photos we did a finger wave with some pincurls at the bottom and set her under the dryer then brushed it out. Below is how I executed it:
1. Start with wet hair; I shampooed first with identity1 nourishing shampoo and conditioner.
2. Next, while the hair is still wet, layer in identity1 thermal protecting gel and identity1 curl forming cream and comb through the hair.
3. Form the hair into waves and use double prong clips to help hold the wave into place.
4. Then, use more identity1 curl forming cream on the edges to form the pincurls.
5. Sit under the dryer for about 20-30 minutes.
6. Take identity1 medium hold hairspray and brush it into the hair, molding the hair into place while adding shine.
7. Finish off with identity1 firm hold hair spray!
Such a fun experience, I wish I could do fingerwaves everyday! If you have any questions or have suggestions for additional hair step-by-step tutorials you would like us to do, be sure to let us know on Facebook!
Posted by: Jennifer, Designer at University Village
Friday, December 9, 2011
Bangs: A Few Tips To Help You Decide!
Bangs, Bangs, Bangs…should I, shouldn’t I, should I, shouldn’t I. A girl could drive herself crazy wondering whether to take the plunge into the world of fringe. So many cute examples out there but are they right for you? Truth is, bangs can be as much of a commitment as a whole haircut! These few tips should help you decide whether or not to go for it! It’s usually worth the risk!
- 1. Trust your stylist! If you love your hairdresser, let her counsel you through the decision. You should be talking about face shape, maintenance bang trims, how to style them, etc. Even your hair color plays a big part! If you have a lot of roots and only color on the ends and that gets cut off into bangs, you may feel like you just went all over dark! All these things play a major role and should be discussed.
- Yes, you need product! No, its not 1989 and you don’t need a whole can of aqua net just for your bangs. But remember, unless you are pinning them off your face, they are there, so styling is a must. For the days you don’t want to spend a lot of time but they are a little greasy, try identity1 hair powder. This will take away the unwanted shine and give a little fluff. If you need to re-wet them quickly but don‘t want to worry about greasing them up with too much product, try identity1 ocean texture spray. This will take a bit of the shine of grease away but still allow you to re blow-dry if necessary.
- Get to know your cowlick! You need to know your hairline! You might split in the middle and you never knew because you never had bangs before. Bangs work great when they are blow dried first and with your hands, pushing them to the opposite side. This usually works to gain a little control over your hairline.
- Try not to trim them yourself! A second pair of eyes is so key! Desperate times call for desperate measures but end in month’s worth of regret if done poorly! Book a bang trim with your stylist! Its worth it!
Posted by: Jennifer, Designer at University Village
