Women’s Hair Tips from a Hip Hairdresser

On Monday, Sept 9th, 2014, the unDONE Boise Hair Salon had the pleasure of hosting, and learning from the world-renowned hair master, Albie Mulcahy! Hairdresser/Stylist-educator, Mulcahy offers over 35+ years of hair & fashion expertise having worked in over 35 countries, and fashion capitals throughout the world.

Master hair stylist and owner of unDONE, salon, Kimberli Denton was excited to share her experience. “The class went very well. Albie worked on three different models with long, to mid-length, to short women’s hair. He shared with us his famous dry cutting techniques where the hair is left completely in its natural state. By doing this, it allows women’s hair to fall where it naturally needs to be. Dry cutting is an art form in itself.  Albie cuts and textures a woman’s hair as he goes along with a visual guide. He was very inspiring and full of energy. Being able to learn from him adds a wonderful element to the collection of techniques we utilize at our Boise hair salon. Many of our clients really like the dry cutting technique as it allows their hair to fall more freely.”

Master of the dry-cutting technique Albie explained that, “Shaping Hair Dry is a refined method. Only 1% technical 99% visual, I call it Visual Balance. Like a new language it must be practiced every day. After shaping dry hair for over ten years, I still learn something each time. Its about creating a personalized look for your client. Its about HONEST hair shaping NOT just cutting hair. It comes from the heart and creative mind, NOT a book.”

unDONE was very happy to have Albie stop by, having inspired us all, and we appreciate his dedication to teaching our stylists new techniques. When a salon professional such as this takes the time to share his knowledge and creativity with the world we all win but in the end, it’s the clients of our Boise hair salon who really reap the benefits!

Boise Hair Salon

The History behind Hairdressing Part 2

The Dawn of the Woodstock Era

Freedom and independence helped liberate women’s rights during the 1960-70s however, sending cookie-cutter, women’s hair styles out the window. Hippies, and African Americans of this era were known for their natural locks, and Afro styles. Women’s hair styles like the angular bob and pixie were also created in order to fall into place without endless hours of primping and styling.

Defining the decade, Madonna owned the 1980’s, and every teenager wanted her frosted, scrunched hair. Mouse was also commercially launched and hair got bigger, and brighter as we all remember the crazy haircolor, curled bangs & glamour shots!

Imperfect or messy locks gained popularity during the early 1990’s while the spirit of “what-ever” eventually gave way to cleaner, bouncier, women’s hair styles like the “Rachel” made famous by Jennifer Aniston that sent women running for blowouts, and flat irons.

Today

Today however women are swapping their go-to styles for new shapes, haircolor, textures, and lengths as there are now products for every design. The variation of women’s hair styles is as wide as the freedom of using anyone of them. No more uniformed values, only subtle general trends. Even advertisements for hair products tend to emphasize on individuality and personal choice. At this time, almost everything is allowed! So don’t be afraid to try something new. Express yourself. You never know. What you & your hairdresser come up with might be the next great trendsetter!

References:

http://www.youbeauty.com/hair/galleries/the-history-of-hair#1

Boise hair salon

The History behind Hairdressing

Part One:

Whether its hair extensions, up-do wedding styles, or haircolor, the history of hairdressing goes back to the beginning of time as a necessary way to keep hair confined while mirroring ones cultural status.

A look back in time – the origins of “hair gel” & “hair extensions”

As early as the 14th Century B.C, divas such as Queen Nefertiti, and Cleopatra among many other Egyptian royals were known for wearing grand headdresses without even so much as one strand of hair showing. However, for the rest of society during those times, men & women alike were known for using perfumed hair “gel” made from the fat of animals to style curls or slick down fly-a-ways.

While the Egyptians were also very fond of wigs, it’s no surprise this was the period when hair extensions were invented as a way of filling out thinning hair or making regular tresses more luxuriant by means of clever weaves and knots that were secured to real hair with beeswax and resin (much like today).

Highlights

Braids on the other hand were very popular with Greek and Roman women. They kept their hair long, and invented highlights by using powdered gold. The wealthier you were, the more complicated the hair style. Numerous slaves were known to braid, and curl a single master’s hair to depict their status in society.

In addition, when it came to the ancient world, who could forget Lady Godiva? Having let her hair down to ride naked through the streets of Coventry, England she forever associated flowing locks with sexy self-confidence.

A new profession is born

In the 1700’s, Marie Antoinette took hair to a completely new level (literally). Not only did she wear extravagantly high, powdered wigs but decorated them with trinkets such as model ships, feathers, and even birdcages. The time, and effort that went into these wigs gave birth to a new profession that actually paid: hairdressing! Up until that point servants or slaves were used to tame their ladies hair.

By the 1800’s women finally began shedding the powdered wigs, and letting their real hair down. Styles of this era included tight buns, and long drop curls decorated with fresh flowers or ornamental combs. This was also the era in which crimping was invented and hot irons were introduced as hair styling devices.

The Permanent

During the 1920’s flappers made the liberating statement of chopping off their locks into a bold new style called the “bob”, while the first successful permanent was introduced in the 1930’s to feminize their bobs in a sassy, sultry style.

Long hair started making its comeback by the 1940’s and women styled it themselves into elegant up-do’s like that of the Victory Roll that fashion icon’s like Bettie Page, and Rita Hayworth rocked. In the 1950’s however, women returned to their domesticated lifestyles after the war by bulking their hair into bouffant styles like that of Marilyn Monroe.

(Stay tuned next week for “part two” of the history behind hairdressing!)

The truth behind your favorite hairstyles

We’ve all heard or experienced hair disappointment horror stories. Perhaps you finally worked up enough courage to try something daring and new only to look in the mirror and realize short or colored hair wasn’t meant for you. New hairstyles are something you want to consult with your hairstylist before doing anything drastic or permanent.

Unreal Expectations: Would the real hairstyle please stand up?

Be realistic. When it comes to women’s hair we always want what we can’t have. Over the years it’s become harder, and harder to define what “natural” hair actually is and how hair enhancements like wigs, weaves, and extensions play a huge role in how we view, and define beauty these days. In reality, we all know the number bleaching or haircolor can have on your hair. Ever wonder how Gwen Stefani’s platinum locks always looks so healthy and silky smooth? Think about it. When you bring your stylist a picture of a hairstyle you’d like to try keep in mind that the magazine tear-out may either be photo-shopped or the celebrity you’re looking at is actually wearing a wig.

Most celebrities these days wear front-lace wigs or hair extensions. From Beyonce, to Rihanna, to Lady Gaga, and Katy Perry, rarely do any of these women expose their real hair to the camera. There’s also the magic of Photoshop. Not only does this tool give celebrities the option of adding final touches providing them with flawless looks, it is also used to erase imperfections and undesirable details.

Keep it real when it comes to your next salon visit. If you bring your stylist a photo of a haircut with pin straight hair, and light wispy layers but you have thick curly hair, you may just be setting yourself up for disaster. In reality, if you want your hair to look like that of a celebrity you’re going to have to put forth some major effort in order to maintain it. Instead, embrace your hair’s natural thickness and texture before finding photos of hairstyles that may be impossible to recreate. Talk to your stylist about hairstyles that will work with the hair you actually have.

Keep an open conversation with your stylist

We all know it’s important to sit down for a chat with your stylist. If you’re thinking about trying something fresh or permanent, the consultation is the most important part of your new look. Schedule at the very least a 10-15 minute consultation when you book your next appointment. It’s important for your stylist to see what your hair looks like dry, how you style it, how healthy it is, and how much time you really put into it.

Even if you’re meeting with the same stylist you’ve used before, a consultation is important. The goal of a consultation is to make sure you and your stylist are on the same page before any drastic changes are made. Think about it. Would you not want to consult with an architect or contractor before remodeling your home? The same goes with your hair.

Lastly, trust your stylist & their judgment. Know that you are in good hands, and they want you to be happy with your hair. Chat about what you liked and didn’t like from your last visit. Were the bangs too short? Did you want more of a face-frame cut? Was the shoulder length perfect? Talk about those details with your stylist so he/she can grasp where to go next.

Ciao!