Love Your Hair: The Thin Hair Chronicles

When I was all of nine, way back in the eighties, I wanted "mall bangs" more than anything on earth. Being that I was a fourth grader in a strict catholic school, this was a lofty goal, but I was determined. I mustered up my nine years worth of bravado and told my mother's hairstylist what I wanted to happen on my head. What I ended up with was a quasi mullet, with a short spiky top and straggly shoulder length sides. Glamorous*. The reasoning I was given for this interesting take on "mall bangs" was that I had thin, flat hair which wouldn't naturally have any sort of body save for layering it within an inch of its life.

Hmmph.

Thus began my love/hate relationship with these wacky follicles sprouting out of my head. They now had a diagnosis. Thin, flat and to be "dealt with". During the next 24 years, I have followed every piece of bad hair advice and almost always done the wrong thing regarding this mop.

My pampered locks

The sparse reality

However, I feel that I am learning and might even have what some would consider "nice hair". This is mostly to do with where I work, among a half dozen or so of the most talented stylists working today, than to anything I have done of my own accord. Now I would love to share my good fortune with others.

Hair we go:



Big Mistake # 1 Lighter Equals "Thicker"

Blond Ambition circa 2001

I am natural blond. Sure it's dark blonde these days, but it was once a glorious shade of honey with flecks of caramel and platinum. So it made sense for me to dump lightener on my head from age 16 on, right? Especially if the increasingly lighter shade was slowly starting the match the tone of my actual scalp... I mean that meant my hair looked thicker, right? Right?

Actually no. Lightening hair strips more than the color, it makes the strands appear thinner. Conversely, the darker hues add a bulk to wimpy follicles. JoJo (hair guru) compares it too an empty straw versus a full straw. The darker the color the plumper the appearance.

Armed with this knowledge, I am now a red head. Don't get me wrong,  I love blond hair and I am gobsmacked daily by fair haired folks.  For me, it just wasn't meant to be.  The ginger hue is more flattering to my coloring, more befitting of my personality and just generally a better idea.

The difference a dye makes. Red in 2009

*Unfortunately, any photographic evidence of this hair insanity were destroyed for the sake of my own self esteem.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of "Thin Hair Chronicles"... The Myth of Length vs Width

Let It Shine

Back before the cutting, the coloring, the heat styling, the perming (it's okay, we were all there) there was this hair. Hair that had life, bounce, an inner glow even. Hair that was as fleeting and magical as childhood itself.

Hair that had that shine. Remember?

Bumble & Bumble does, and that was the inspiration behind their new line – Let It Shine shampoo, conditioner and Shine On Finishing spray – that manages to add maximum punch, yet leaves hair full of body and life. Shine on, indeed.

With the help of veteran HeaD AreA model Yoko and new face Allison, Lee takes the staff through the finer points of our newest styling addition.

In need of some freshening and a more refined cut, Lee shampoos and conditions Allison's long locks with Bb Shine (This lightweight cleansing duo is ideal for all hair types who want to add sheen without weighing hair down) and begins to map out his plan.

Lee reshapes Allison's heavy fringe to unify it with both her facial structure and the rest of her hair. Precision cuts and an unwavering hand are key to achieving this harmonious effect.

Once her fringe is properly (and beautifully) landscaped, Lee tackles the bulk of Allison's mane. Losing minimal length, Lee continues his refinement by razor cutting long layers into the back and sides of the hair.

This deceptively intricate cut is elevated by Lee's deft use of Bb Shine On Finishing Spray. He starts by spraying the product into his hands and working it through Allison's hair from mid-lengths to ends (Shine On is a silicone-based product and should be applied sparingly and added in stages) smoothing and building as he goes. 

The end result is healthy, gorgeous hair with plenty of natural movement and a weightless finish.

Divine shine. 

Yoko's coarse texture serves as an ideal platform to showcase the versatility of the Shine finishing spray. Again, starting with a few spritzes into his hands, Lee works the product through Yoko's locks, smoothing and shaping the hair to accentuate the lines of her cut (featured on this blog back in March) for a dramatic take on shine.

Lee then breaks down the glass finish with even more product, combing it through and rough styling it for a tousled bed-headed effect.

Even with a healthy dose of the Spray, Yoko's hair is still light and malleable this second time around.

(Special thanks to our models, and the wonderful Judith Robinson for bringing the Bb knowledge to HeaD AreA. For more information on the new Shine line, please call 215 829 0699 or stop into HeaD AreA. Shine on!)

Texture

Grit. Oomph. Chutzpa.

Thanks to Bb Texture, we can now use these words to describe not only our attitudes but our hair as well.

The HeaD AreA team was lucky enough to have a hands on product knowledge class taught by our Creative Director, Lee and our wonderful Bb rep, Judith. These demonstrations are a vital part of our overall understanding of how to get the most out of our product line and your hair.

For the first part of his demonstration, Lee used Bb Texture as more traditional styling tool, working it through Mindy's damp curls and then using a diffuser to remove excess moisture.

 

The result is loose, relaxed waves appear look effortless. Hair (un) dressing indeed.

Being the consummate boundary pusher, Lee went a vastly different route for his second demonstration. This is Audrey, naturally beautiful with a great sense of style,  her fuss-free look needed a bit a of a boost.

After cleansing and towel drying her hair Lee added his first dime-sized amount of Texture, working it through roots to ends, then spritzing with Prep for a touch extra moisture.

Audrey's hair is then smoothed out, lightly sectioned and the cutting begins. 

Precision slices enliven the fine layers around Audrey's face and make the most out of each strand.

Bb Texture's inherent moisture allows Lee to cut organically and let the hair's natural bend dictate the layers.

As the weight is lifted from her locks, Audrey's hair becomes fuller and the color more defined.  Had the cut ended here, it would have undoubtedly been a success, however product inspiration spurred Lee to take it further. 

By wefting, or carving into the hair at the root and mid-lengths, Lee is able to create a whole new element of inner lift and body into the cut.  

 

 

 The result is tousled and somewhat deconstructed, allowing the focus or the style to be Audrey's natural texture. 

 

Bb Texture is a versatile product and works well with absolutely every hair type.It performs best when worked into damp hair and doesn't really require any sort of heat styling. Use as a change from Surf Spray, Sumotech or Defining Creme or mix it with Bb foundations along with virtually any other Bb product.  During you next visit, ask your stylist to design a personalized Texture product cocktails. Experiment and let us know what you think!

Special Thanks to Judith and Mary from Bumble and Bumble and, of course our fantastic models, Audrey and Mindy.

Inspired: Remi & Lee

A razor cut is divine. Using a blade, a comb and the smallest about of product, it is hairstyling in its purest form.  Simplicity. Precision. The delicate edges lift and layer hair in a way scissors just cannot mimic; pulling the weight out of a heavy curl and making-face framing pieces completely organic.


Remi's hair lends itself wonderfully to this technique. Left long and layerless, her curls get lost and so do the delicate features of her face. Lee deftly lifts away all the excess bulk, leaving her and her curls lighter and brighter.

 

Happy Anniversary

Stephen, Lee & JoJo; 2006

JoJo Clapson, Lee Clapson and Stephen McFalls opened a small salon five years ago today. They strived to build something through education and a keen focus on the fundamentals of the craft.  It was a risky move, but one that paid off not just for them, but for the many stylists they've taught over the years.

Stephen, Lee & JoJo; 2011

The space has grown,  some faces have changed but the goal is still the same: Create something better, always push yourself and your talents, always be learning, always be growing.

Happy Anniversary, HeaD AreA, thank you for everything.

Stay Inspired: Yoko & Lee

This is Yoko and Lee.  From her first visit to his chair in 1995 all the way through last Friday, the two have  pushed the boundaries of hair cutting techniques. The constant evolution of their ideas translates to never repeating a cut in over 15 years.  As both stylists and clients know, this is a unique and envied relationship. Watching their ideas unfold is a amazing thing and I'm happy to be able to share a bit of it here.

 

 

  

I can't thank Lee and Yoko enough for allowing me to photograph this process. It's inspiring to see people have so much fun with their creativity.  Hopefully, this will be one of many posts about them.