I went from June-December without highlighting my hair and it feels so good to reach the end. This was not easy. There were times when I was like “hey! i want fresh ‘lights in my hair!”, but I held out. I stayed strong. At the end of the six months, I actually started to love my rooty blonde hair more and more, and I would honestly go much longer, but I have a collaboration coming up that I should look a little more polished for. I’m having color done today and I’m thinking of doing a little change. Someone mentioned in a comment the other day that I should consider going dark..maybe I will?

The six month break was the way to go. I feel like my hair grew so much, and all it needed was a tiny trim every few weeks to keep it cleaned up. It would have been much more desperate with some more processing.

My advice for growing out your hair:
Keep your color jobs close enough to your natural color, so that you can stretch them out longer. Your hair and pocket-book will grow right before your eyes!

Also, use tons of this.

(all you colorists out there, forgive me for the above advice.)

I’m so excited to announce this giveaway today! Are you ready?

The lovely people over at Oribe generously sent over their new product, Shine, for me to test out. It’s a finishing spray infused with argan oil and lemongrass, and it’s a game changer ladies and gentlemen. I’m a long time believer in shine sprays to keep my long (and likely dry) ends looking shiny and healthy, and this is the best I’ve ever used. It applies evenly and is fine like a mist, so it doesn’t weigh down your hair. A little goes a long way so the bottle will last you a long time, and like every Oribe product, it smells extremely fancy..like heaven really.

The best part, Oribe sent over two extra bottles for me to give away! By all means, leave a comment to enter this giveaway. If you tweet about this giveaway (with a link to this post), you may leave one extra comment with a link to your tweet for another chance to win. I’ll be picking two winners on Friday afternoon!

Click here to read more about Shine!

Thank you Oribe for this Giveaway, and thank you all for entering!

Two months ago I was flying American Airlines (don’t do it. not worth it. never ever worth it.) and my checked baggage was ransacked. The American Airline agents had their way with my bag that I paid money to keep in their possession while I traveled with them. They stole my Bottega Veneta handbag, a camera, a Bottega Veneta coin purse, my car key, Rayban sunglasses and every single tube of lipstick that I own. The total value of what they stole was almost $4,000. it never occurred to me that a company would rob from their paying customers, which is why I had valuable items in the checked bag that I thought would be safe and well taken care of. American Airlines has been completely unsympathetic, and unhelpful would be an extreme under-exaggeration. I have spent hours upon hours of my life dealing with this mess, because of how difficult their customer service/central baggage department is. They sent me a check this month for $200, yes $200 to cover what was stolen.

This whole experience has really shaken me. I’ve never felt so violated and afraid to travel. I now question that everyone around me is out to take advantage of me. American Airlines doesn’t value their customers, and has no interest in fixing their mistakes. I have felt so sad and frustrated and helpless throughout this experience, and hope that by sharing my story, it can help prevent some of you from feeling the way I feel/have felt. I haven’t cashed my check from American Airlines in hopes that they’ll do the right thing and fix this mess in a more appropriate and considerate manner.

…..Red scrunchy.

I had a friend over when I was making my Thanksgiving pies (Chocolate Pecan to be deliciously exact) and one of the first things she said to me was “are you wearing a scrunchy? awesome.”.

It is awesome. It’s so old. And stretched out. But I never want to get ride of this old thing. I only wear it at home, or to drop something in the mailbox, or to run to the coffee shop. Other than those three occasions, this baby doesn’t leave the comfort (and privacy) of my apartment.

But I guess the secret is out. I still like scrunchies.

What’s your red scrunchy? A banana clip? Cheap products? Sponge rollers? Cap highlights? Lee press-on nails?

We all have something.

I’m beside myself with excitement to introduce a new series of videos on Hairdresser On Fire. This series of tutorials will all be styles that can be done in well under two minutes, you know, for the girl who’s in a hairry!

In A Hairry – Hairdresser on Fire – Hairry 1 from Joe Varca on Vimeo.

Step by step instructions:

Flip your head upside down.
Start a french braid at the nape of your neck.
Braid until you get to the crown of your head and gather all the rest of your hair into your hand firmly.
Tie up into a pony tail
Twist or stuff into a bun and pin/tie into place.
Pull down your mancatchers.
Go about your business.

This video is also special, because it’s the first time having my new theme song featured! My sister/brotherinlaw’s great band, Imagination Head, wrote this little jingle for my videos and it makes me feel like Hairdresser On Fire is finally complete. I love my job.

Thanks to Imagination Head and Joe Varca for another great video! See our other videos here!

ZaraCardigan
StylemintTanktop
WaxedJeans
MarniShoes (can’t find the backless ones!)
ChloeHandbag
MadewellStacked Rings
KateSpadeBangle
LonewolfHand Chain (my favorite thing ever)
Nailpolish

The half up topknot is my winter version of the all up topknot. Last week I wrote about it on Divine Caroline..Read here!

I’ll be in and out of blogging this month. I have high hopes that December is going to be fabulous here on Hairdresser On Fire. I have some projects and collaborations that I’m excited to share with you. Including more videos! That’s right, plural!

My friend Sam Adams came in for a man make over last week. He recently left the world of male modeling for a more corporate career that requires him to wear suits and look a little more clean cut. I think we can all agree that all that blonde hair is amazing, but I was dancing around the salon with glee when he came in for the big change. Sam’s long hair is one of the first things people think of when they hear his name….also this…so being the one responsible for the change was a big job.

He came in asking for something a little retro, that could be worn different ways, and something that didn’t look like every other guy walking down the street. I cut the entire thing with my straight razor to give it the right texture, and left lots of length on the top so that it can be worn all kinds of different ways. It looks pretty clean cut here, but the top is quite long and looks very ’90s punk if worn down. I’ll have to take some more pictures of it!

I cut his sides really short towards the front, and gradually went longer as I got towards the back, so that he can comb his sides back for the Don Draper look.

Rumor has it he loves it, and equally as important, so does his wife

Do you call the person who does your hair a “Hairdresser” or a “Hairstylist”?

My friend Sarah and I used to insist that people called us “hairstylists” or “stylists” back when we were assistants, because hairdresser sounded old fashioned. We would joke that it sounded like we did perms and sat old ladies under dryers all day. Now I kind of like it, for the same reason of it sounding old fashioned. We’re dressing the hair up, making it pretty. It’s kind of cute. Plus this blog is obviously called Hairdresser On Fire, rather than Hairstylist On Fire, but that’s mostly because it’s named after the Morrissey song.

Anyway, I started thinking about old fashioned industry terms recently, and kind of laughed at the ones we don’t use anymore. For instance, it’s called a Hair Salon, instead of a Beauty Parlor. It’s called a blow out, instead of a  curl and set. And when I was little, my mom called conditioner, “cream rinse”.

When I started writing this post I was curious if she still called it that, so I texted her….

What are some others I’m missing? This is fun.

PS I say muh-chew-wer.

A few months after I started at Whittemore House, we filmed this movie to tell the story of the salon. You think you’re going in to any old salon to get your hair done, but crazy things happen in that place! I had fun playing the part of the waitress, a color client, one of the leg ladies, and a dancing girl in the mirror. It’s fun to remember the two days of filming and how silly we all got by the end of the second day.

Also, Hey Anna and Rubi!

I have been spending a lot of wonderful time with friends and family. Particularly in Yonkers, NY. I have some really great projects cooking up for Hairdresser On Fire…an interview with a great colorist and a new video that is half shot! I can’t wait for them to be up, hoping for next week. It might be silent until then, I’m feeling a little un-motivated at the moment and just want to cozy up with this chilly weather and something pumpkin-y!

See you soon!

PS alright, alright..I wont cut bangs.