Do Blondes Really Have More Fun?!?

I honestly don't know the answer to that question but what I do know is that the path of discovery Mirela and I took to create this beautiful color has been a fun adventure for the both of us.

Mirela came to me a few years ago with box colored hair proclaiming that she wanted to be lighter.... and eventually blonde!! Yeah... I know!!!! Fast forward to our most recent appointment and you can see that we not only got her lighter but we've stuck with it. As time has passed, she has been differing shades of blonde but this is by far our favorite.

Mirela is naturally a level 6 with a heavy amount of yellow pigment. I lift her with Mask Bleach and 20 volume in a full foil. Once she's processed, I use the newly concocted Mask 10,12 with 40 volume and a processing time of about 15 minutes to break her base and also tone her blonde and lift out a little bit more of her natural pigment.

I styled her with Oi All In One Milk and More Inside's Curl Building Serum blowdrying with a smaller, vented round brush to give a loose curled texture to her style. She told me as I was pre-drying that she was going to go grocery shopping and then head home to crash after a long day of work. I assured her that she'd have the best hair at Fred Meyers!!! Hehe!!

Sometimes, it's not about the color we've done on your hair in the past, it's about the journey we've taken to get to the best color you've ever had. I love taking that journey with my clients and love even more when "the best color you've ever had" happens more than once.

BEST.COLOR.CORRECTION.EVAR!!!!!!!!!!!

So... Let's just gaze at this picture for a minute and bask in its amazingness....

Ok... Let me know when you're done.

Well... I guess the amazingness deserves a little explanation in that this is far from the color it used to be.

This is my friend Rachel, a natural level 7. I have been coloring her hair black for a number of years and before I got my hands on her, it was colored by someone else (but we won't talk about that....) A few months back she told me that she wanted to go lighter and closer to her natural but wanted to be a different tone. When she told me she wanted to be copper, I freaked!!! I got so excited I did an internal happy dance. The prospect of giving her a new look excited us both and we talked about the process and when we should do it. We decided that staying a raven haired goddess through her wedding was the best idea and eventually came to the agreement that we would take the plunge after the New Year.

Leading up to the day we sent texts back and forth and discussed all of our options. The conclusion we came to was that it would probably be the most awesome thing ever but if it wasn't, we could always go back to black. The day came, she showed up and we got right down to business.

The process was long but completely worth it. After lifting her hair to a banded level 7, we decided that we would do two tones of copper since we really couldn't decide on which we liked better. I parted out a block to go in her perimeter and applied Mask 7,43 rood to ends knowing that the color in that tube was dense enough to give her even coverage. I had to get a little sciencey with the top section and take into consideration the copper that was already happening in her previously colored but lightened lengths. Since the desired end result for this section was Mask 7,34, I applied a straight formulation of that on her root, reformulated for her very copper mid lengths using what remained in the bowl (about 15g of color) and mixing in straight 7,3, applied and in her ends mixed and new formulation of 7,34 because her ends were more shallow than the mid section.

Did your brain explode?!? If you are a colorist, you totally get me. If you are not... well think of unicorns and rainbows and that should make your brain feel better.

What you see pictured above is the end result. After rounds of lifting to get her previous color out so we could put her new color in, this is what we got. What amazes me the most is that it is remarkably even, shiney and still a very strong strand of hair.

Due to the magic of Davines' Mask Color, I was able to make this awesomeness happen for Rachel. We were both so pleased with the end result that our faces hurt from intense smiling. Seriously.... my face is still sore from the over use of my smile muscles!! Ha!! I gave her a fat stack of my cards and people have liked it so much she's already had to ask for more. The greatest thing to come out of this experience is knowing that I was able to give Rachel EXACTLY what she wanted, she LOVES it and it's a wearable color that will allow her the freedom to play with copper tones or grow out her natural if she so chooses with less hassle than staying dark.

BEST.COLOR.CORRECTION.EVAR!!!!!!!!!

A New Year, A New You...

I'm very excited about what 2014 has in store. My first full calendar year of business is behind me and the second has a bright, bright outlook. I've spent the last year working hard and cultivating ideas with the intention of making sure you guys all know just how much I appreciate you.

One of few ideas is the Indigo Elite Membership program. A few of you asked when I first opened if I would be creating something of the sort and here it is!!!

This program is not only designed to create savings for each and every one of you, it has rewards built into it that honor things you already do. The next time you're in, make sure you ask me about what it means to be a member and how you can go about being among the first to take advantage of a program that's designed just for you.

How do I earn Elite Rewards?
· Prebook (1 point)
· Purchase product (1 point)
· Book an add on service (1 point)
· Refer a new client (5 points)
**each point is worth $1 and can be used toward any regular priced product purchase**

Can I earn Elite Reward points if I am not an Indigo Elite Member?
YES!!!
 

Shear Over Comb

For many of us, beauty school does not teach us much about the different ways to cut men's hair. I believe I got maybe a day or two of basic men's design and then spent the rest of my time PRAYING that I did not get one of our very few male clients in my chair. My prayers were not answered and I sweated through maybe 2 men's haircuts before I was sent into the real world to make Tacoma's hair dreams come true.

Turns out, I'm quite a natural when it comes to men's design. I'm a wiz with the clipper/trimmer combo and learned very quickly that men's haircuts aren't as scary as beauty school would have you believe.

This is James. In the time that I've been cutting his hair, he has kept it on the longer side in a shaggy, almost surfer kind of cut and every variation of the sort. Today, he sat down and said "short" and I immediately went into visual identification mode. We looked through pictures, decided on a length and this is what we came up with. I took his sides up first by cutting most of the bulk and the went in to clean and shape it up with the "shear over comb" method, texturized with my razor and styled him with Davines' Wonder Wax in the Defining line. With James' hair being the texture that it is, I chose to use my shears to avoid the effect that clippers can have textures like his.

After declaring me a "Master" of what I do, James let me snap a few pics and then left with a very big smile on his face.

Thank you for the adventure James!!! This + listening to Earth, Wind and Fire radio on Spotify had made my day!!

What Can I Say... The OI Got Me!!!!

I'm not sure why it's such a surprise to me when I return from an Educator Update and feel so energized and excited about Davines!!! I am so excited about what I've learned over the two days I spent with my colleagues. I can't wait till I can share it with whoever on this planet is willing to listen to me nerd out about the company and products I love so dearly. There are SO MANY good things to come!!! I think I might burst!!!

There are some details that emerged during the update that I CANNOT divulge but what I can share with you is my experience with the new OI!!! THIS. STUFF, IS AMA-ZA-ZING!!!!! I have to tell you, the only reason I can gush about this before its US launch is that it has already launched in Italy and the press is out!! Oh BOY!!!!

Ok... Gush time!!!! Once it finally arrives in the US we will have 3 new products; OI Shampoo, OI Conditioner and OI All In One Milk. I was the first person in the room to wrap my greedy little hands around each bottle and upon receipt, about DIED!!!! I was floored just by the smell, the packaging and its all around awesomeness!! When I sprayed some of the Milk into my hands and ran it through my hair, it served as a reminder of why I love this company so much.

I cannot express how wonderful it is to work for a company that is constantly on a path of growth. There's always a new idea, a new product, an innovative new tool and a quality and excellence that is hard to find in any other hair care company. You may have heard me rant and rave about some of the product lines that are out there. The reason I can do so with such confidence is because I work for and utilize the products of a company that TRUMPS the competition in its efforts to be earth friendly, honest, human conscious and just plain and simply put, beautiful.

If you haven't had a chance yet, please take the time to visit the Davines website to learn more about the many ways this company makes efforts to be as amazing as it is. Hopefully this will give you some insight as to why I can't help but be so madly in love with the tools I have to use and what I do.

My Authentic Routine

People ask me all the time what I do to keep my skin in good health. Authentic from head to toe... SERIOUSLY!!!! It's like my Windex!! Though some would like to believe I wake up with a commercial like glow, it doesn't come without using the right product and paying attention to what my skin needs when it needs it. Authentic has made this very simple.

Ok... I've got to nerd out for a second so that you know it's not just magic and why it really works. In short, it's all in the ingredients (duh right?!?); Carthame (safflower) Oil, Jojoba Oil, Shea Butter etc. All of these yums are crammed into jars of awesomeness for us to apply to our hair, face and body, all designed with the sole purpose to make us glow from head to toe. Carthame oil was used in ancient Egyptian milk baths and is a long used topical ointment for an array of skin ailments and burns. Jojoba oil mimics the oils we produce naturally. Shea butter is high in vitamins A and E giving it amazing anti-aging properties and has been linked to boosts in collogen production... I could go on FOREVER!!! With their powers combined, they give your skin the opportunity to perform at its best; Carthame oil resolves any topical issues you may have, jojoba oil keeps the skin "fed" to ensure your skin doesn't  FREAK OUT and over produce any unneeded oils, Shea Butter hangs out to make sure our skin stays fresh, young and ready to party.... Are you ready to party?!?

Ok... So here's how I use it:

Authentic Cleansing Nectar- I wash my face and body with it in the shower and depending on my hair's needs, will shampoo with it on occasion. For my hair typically stick to Melu and Love for heat protection and straightening but in a pinch or if I'm wearing my hair curly, I'll use the nectar of the gods and it gets the job done. The Cleansing Nectar leaves my skin feeling refreshed and not stripped and tight like some cleansers tend to.









Authentic Replenishing Butter- I use this as a daily moisturizer for my face and body. It is BY FAR my top favorite moisturizer for my face. It's not heavy at all and leaves my skin still feeling like skin.








Authentic Moisturising Balm- Eye mask, make up remover, curl cream, eczema and dry patch healer, scratchy elbow cure, tattoo cream, floor burn ailment.... should I go on? You can use this for just about anything!!! I sometimes use in in place of or in conjunction with my Replenishing Butter when the weather is extra dry in the Winter. It gives my hair enough moisture that I can use it as a curl cream and add it to flat ironed hair when it's looking a little parched. This is probably my favorite of all of the Authentic family due to its versatility and the fact that it's clearing up the wrinkles that have started around my eyes. I would make sheets out of the stuff and sleep in them if I could!!!

Authentic Nourishing Oil- I consider Nourishing Oil to be my foundation for all things Authentic. It's the purest form of what makes Authentic so awesome, the don of the Authentic Family. I use this my in epsom salt baths (when I get a chance to take one) for the scent as well as the skin soothing properties. It serves as a back up when I run out of my Butter or Balm and is the "go hard" for any ailments that need resolution that the Butter and Balm couldn't take care of.




 Again... I could go on and on about Authentic. It's a true and honest way to take care of your skin, a representation of the intentions of Davines as a company.... It is my crack... Hehe!!!

It's Called a Filler.... I Guess :D

This is a little something I threw together for a client who is getting married soon and wants unbelievably big hair :) I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE big hair, so this was a treat to be able to tell her that her dreams of big hair were possible When I sat her down for her consultation and gave her "the talk" about how in most photos with long luxurious or big hair, there's a lot of hair there that's was added to create a look. As I like to say, "There's a whole lotta weave up in that mess!!!" Haha!!! So I showed her the "filler" I made, she looked at is sideways after which I reassured her that it was definitely going to work and we moved forward with the style.








Here's how I did it:

Materials Needed:
1 or 2 packs of braiding weave to match the hair color (cost $3-$5 a pack... no need to buy the good stuff!!)

netted wig cap or hair net (cost $1-$2)

wig brush/back combing brush ($.49-$5 depending on brand)

crafting thread ($3-$5)

crafting needle ($1-$2) Shhhh... I used my weave needle!! Ha!!!

scissors (Meh... I don't remember!! Ha!!)

  Step 1: Remove braiding weave from package being careful not to let the hair separate. Tie a knot in the hair mid way down the length to create two equal sections of braid-able hair.

Step 2: Combine the braid-able sections and separate them into 3 equal sections.

 Step 4: Backcomb the 3 equal sections you created.

 Step 5: Braid the 3 backcombed sections. When you get to the end, combine the ends of each section and back comb them together to finish the braid.

Step 6:  Take the braided weave and pack into the wig cap/hair net.

Step 7- Once the enclosure is sewn shut, cut off the excess wig cap/hair net.

 Step 8- Viola'!!! Your filler is now complete and ready to mount on someone's head :D Marvel in your aweosomeness and take a bow!!

This is the end result of Heather's updo practice for her big day. I back combed the front and crown sections, placed the filler in the area where volume was needed most. I sewed it in by placing her curled hair over the top, loosely stitching that in with the same black crafting thread and then picking up the remainder of her curls and stitching that in to the filler as well.

Beautiful right?!? I have to say, I was quite impressed with myself and my craftiness when I was done. Hopefully this is something you can apply to future crazy big updos or at home dos in place of crap tons of back combing. I think this is a great alternative to the God forsaken Bumpit and an easier to hide version of the loofa trick. Try it and let me know how it works out for you!!

Quick Tip: For an even more spectacularly voluminous look, add more hair to the hair net or make multiple fillers to pin or sew in.

So Far, So Good!!

I'm not sure quite why, but it still feels like I just opened yesterday. As I look back on the  month I can see that I've gotten a lot done despite these feelings of brand new-ness. I've been blessed with a group of great clients who have come in to see me and I've also seen a dramatic increase in clients I've seen for the first time. I can't explain why this is happening, or why the sudden influx of new interest but as a new business owner, I'll take it!!!

Indigo is evidence that going forward with confidence and taking the steps you know are right can only bring abundance and prosperity. This is not to say that I'm rollin' in dough but I definitely have a full heart and am currently rolllin' in support and love from my family, friends and community.

Thank you!!

With that said, please stay tuned. I've got it at the top of my list to take more pictures, blog more (hopefully) and send out tangible thanks to those who have been so supportive in this new journey of mine!!

Follow Indigo:

Facebook- www.facebook.com/indigo253
Twitter- @indigo253
Instagram- Indigo253
Pinterest- Indigo253

Notice a theme?!? Hehe!!! Follow away my friends!!!

Aussie Inspired Portland Goodness!!!

Boy has life been busy!!! With my recent visit to New York, teaching Davines classes and keeping my brain sane enough to keep business going with all the "stuff" that needs to be done, I've been running around like a crazy(er) person!!! Amongst the busy, I was able to make it to Kevin Murphy Runway to Reality ft David Bamford show in Portland that I feel like I've been waiting FOREVER for. I have to say, watching the creative mastery of David Bamford was enough to jump start my creative heart and get the juices flowing again. Stylists need ample opportunity to feed off the creative energy of others and I think this show provided enough to last me for quite a while.

David Bamford of Therapy Hair Studio is an Australian born stylist who works his magic out of Texas and is probably the most down to earth "cool hair guy" that I've had the pleasure of meeting. He said things like, "Add me on FB and don't worry, I'll be your friend.... cause I'm friends with everyone, I add everyone". He simplified looks that could very easily be over complicated and turned them into 20-30 minute easy to do looks. Philosophies on retailing and styling were shared and made easy to understand by a certain frankness that can only be accomplished by someone who's done to work to get where he is while keeping a humble heart and keen eye for growth in creativity.

I have since added David on Facebook, follow him on Instagram (his self proclaimed new obsession) and am itching to try out some of the new looks he taught (pictured above and to the left) while throwing my own Tacoma-esque spin on them!!! Yay for inspiration!!!!




Credits:
Pictures: Me and my iPhone :D
Hair: David Bamford
Makeup: I'm not sure but she did a fantastic job!!!

Magic I Say!!!!

Oh Fall... The leaves have turned, the air is crisp with the promise of Winter and if you've got hair that tends to frizz, you hate this time of year!! Well, save the expletives and damning of the hair gods for another day AND get some Momo/Cream in your life. This tube may not look like much but speaking from experience, it's worth every single penny. This tube of magic is designed to infuse your hair with the most amount of moisture possible, protects you from UVA/UVB rays, keeps free radicals from doing damage and smells delicious!!

I've taken it upon myself to make sure that I apply this goodness to my hair just about daily and I am thoroughly amazed at how shiny and frizz-less my hair has been. With the weather being all Washington like, my hair's typical reaction is to freak out and fro. Momo/Cream keeps all this craziness under control....  Fo real!!! It is definitely quite magical!!!

I HEART CHALKBOARDS!!!!

Knowing that I have a limited budget for decor, I took it upon myself to hit up Pinterest for some easy DIY projects to spruce up my space AND keep me busy during down time. This first project I embarked on was a "5 Minute Frame Fix" on a DIY site called The Yellow Cape Cod. Honestly, this is only one of many projects that I found that I want to try but I chose this one first because it was easy and let's face it, I HEART CHALK BOARDS!!!! Now that I have a whole can of chalkboard paint, expect that many of the surfaces in Indigo will be coated with said awesomeness.


Ok... So here's how I did it:








Step 1: Buy a picture frame!! Easy enough right?!? I chose this one because I couldn't find a vintage-y one that still had a paint-able surface like the original tutorial. This Ikea frame is perfect since all the pieces come in an easy to access package!! Ha!!













Step 2: Take the frame apart, prime and paint the glass with chalk board paint. To ensure an even surface, I used two coats of the chalk board paint.

Step 3: Once the chalk board paint is dry, put the frame back together. At first I was going to leave out the white piece but last minute decided to keep it cause it gives my lil DIY project a nice classy finish.








Step 4: Remember to bring your chalk with you so when you take a picture of the finished product you can write something cool on it to showcase your awesome project!! Haha!! I left my chalk at home so I'll have to wait until the next time I'm in the shop to write something clever.... I should be able to come up with something good!! ;)










Well, there you go!!! This was a really fun project that kept my self diagnosed ADD in check because I was able to do 5 other projects simultaneously while the coats of primer and paint were drying. Try this at home. I originally intended to make this an "open/closed/BRB" sign but I think I'm gonna set it on my station so I can bask in its awesomeness!!! Can't wait to write cool stuff on it!!!!

And So It Begins...

T-Minus 1 hour until I can officially say that Indigo has completed its first day of business. Crazy right?!? All of this has happened so fast but also seems like it's taken forever to get to this place. I'm feeling quite blessed to be able to say that I am open for business and am excited for the journey that lay ahead.

I had my first official client today. A simple haircut on a client who I've seen for a long time. I think the biggest worry for most stylists when they move on is that their clients won't follow. I'm glad to know that I have a good group of peeps who love what I do and love that I love doing it for them.... Say that 5 times fast!!! Ha!!

Also...

I received a visit from the gal who owns the salon upstairs, Azarra. I totally planned on popping up there once I got some stuff done but she beat me to it!! Ha!!! She introduced herself and even said that if I did relaxers that she could have sent me a client. Sadly, I don't BUT it was reassuring to know that I have her support and things don't have to be weird!! Haha!!

All in all, today was a good day. I got a lot of stuff done and feel good about my future here. Best part is, I get to do it all again tomorrow!!! Yippeeeeeeee!!!!

6 Days and Counting

Today was an exciting day filled with business decisions and errands... Fun you say?!? It actually was :D Each decision was made knowing it was right for Indigo's future and the errands were a labor of love. All prep for opening day in t-minus 6 exciting days!!!

I am overwhelmed by how excited everyone is. The Indigo FB Page was launched a mere 4 hours ago and there are already 40+ "likes". WOW right?!? There is no way to express how much I appreciate all the love and support.... Now all I need to do is get all these folks on the books so I can continue to make Tacoma a beautiful place to live!!

A New Beginning

So it begins...

The steps have been taken, the ducks are in a row and now all that is left is to execute the plan. The shampoo bowl is here, the styling chair is waiting impatiently to be assembled and the shampoo chair is in root. In less than a month, the doors will be open and those who are in need of "good hair" with come flooding through the doors.

This is exciting and I can't wait to see how this business grows!