HOW TO: Awesome FishTail Braiding!

Fish Tail braids are very current and can really help to pump up your look and give you a current and yet classic style. Here we sourced a great tutorial video for you guys that we know will make the whole look much easier to create. Share this with your friends and practice it on yourselves or on each other, a fast and effective way to get you that fresh style now! As always... Love Yourself!

Get That Roxy Wave!

A very cool way to create the sexy beach look you all want! AND its shown to you by a company that knows beach looks...ROXY. Personally I love their clothes and the company image as a whole. Thought you might wanna check this cool vid cause I got a kick out of it....

Enough Of The Silicone!... Try Silica!

So we are continuously trying to find out ways to better the condition of our hair are we not?  I mean I don`t think I know one person who doesn`t want fuller,  thicker,  shinier, or more lustrous hair.  One of the previously listed is for sure on your wish list.  Men for example are trying desperately not to lose it,  or if that isn't the issue then they could definitely use more shine.  Women always want more of it to aide them in creating more volume,  and if thats not the case then I am sure they too want more softness,  less frizz and a lot more natural shine.  We all know that what we put in IS what we get out and we are sure that we have all heard the little tricks ( "Add more protein to your diet" or "Make sure you take enough Vitamin B").  What we may not have heard is that Silica could be your hair`s secret weapon!

Our Hair at 90 micrograms per gram is almost as rich in Silica as our bones at 100 micrograms per gram,  and is a major component of hair and most of all of healthy hair!  Using a good Silica supplement can make a massive difference in the vitality of your hair.  Make Silica a part of your daily routine to help revitalize limp and lifeless hair,  as it can help to prevent baldness,  stimulate the growth of healthier hair, and provide a beautiful lustre,  strength and shine.

Ponytail Days...

Well,  it finally came.... Old man winter.   On days like this the best thing to do is figure out a great way to put your hair up because under that tuque there is much else to do!  On days when we inevitably have to wear a hood just to avoid our faces being soaked really have we got other options?


I am a firm believer in the side pony,  its simple,  effective and quite stylish.  It can be dressed up or down depending on the attire being worn,  and is a very feminine and flirty.  There are so many great tutorials available on line that show you creative ways to achieve them and then how to hide your elastic and polish them up with some product and spray.  It`s a great option for snowy days and for days when we to get out of the house fast and still look great. 

Just Like A "Pledge"

So today is the last day that I am going to bother you guys about your new year hair resolutions.  I mean it, this is really the last one ( I have a tendency to be long winded... Hehe).  Today we are going to discuss your product cabinet,  I know its a touchy one!  Most of you out there are quick to spend that little extra on yourself when it comes to nice things (Pandora charms, Leather Boots, Fancy jeans etc...)  There is absolutely NO problem with that if you can afford to do it.  I am all for the work hard and play/spend hard mentality especially when its earned.  What confuses the heck out of me is why some of you have not adopted that same mentality when it comes to your hair care regimen.  I mean I continue to hear from some of you that your shampoo of choice is a Drug store brand (Any one of them,  They are all equal!)  Or that you cannot switch to professional product because it doesn't leave your hair feeling silky enough.  I must admit that this really confuses me considering the type of ingredients used in these brands.  Most of you would probably be absolutely stunned to know that most of the "Big Name" brands you find in a drug store are literally only one or two ingredients away from being the same thing you clean your floor with!


What we need to remember is that these companies that are producing shampoo and conditioners along with other styling aids for hair are also producing toilet bowl cleaners and dog food!  Ever heard the old adage " Do One Thing Really Well"  This does not in any way apply to these companies.  How can a major manufacturer that produces everything from toothpaste to household cleaners and tupperware really know how to truly tailor a product for hair and scalp?  I know,  its in the research,  and I can see that BUT there are HAIR companies out there doing the same research... Just specified to what it is they do... HAIR.  I was always under the impression that you not only get what you pay for but that anyone who is a specialist in one area charges more and IS more capable and qualified.  The truth is that the conditioner "feels silkier"  because it is,  its FULL of silicone and therefore is coating your hair shaft and not actually creating any longer term moisture repair or damage control.  To me its never more clear,  in hair as in life what you put in is what you get out.  John Lennon said it best when he said "The love you make is the love you take".   So enjoy those boots and those fancy new charms but remember... Your hair needs some love and affection too!

Who Needs Heat Anyway!

Okay I have to say that I am truly very impressed! I have never ever seen anyone use socks to do this! Never mind the fact that she used socks for a minute (although for me that is tuff to do!) She is soo clever! I mean I would love to say something silly like " Oh yeah we have been using this technique for years!" But That would be bull crap! This my friends is innovation at its finest because she understands that all you need to create any wavy shape in hair is something to wrap it around and a way to let it sit there and dry. I was really taken aback by this girl, please check her vid out! SOOO cool!

Knot That %*#@ !!!!

Wanna know what`s trending and hot right now in the hair world?  Its pretty simple actually... Laziness!


Funny because I feel like that has been a hair trend for years in certain circles!  Anyway funny enough I`m not kidding at all because easy is the new style when it comes to hair fashion.  The best part is it`s not that new because it seems like we have been on this trend for a couple of years.  
The latest in the long line of clever, quick and easy ways to throw your hair up with style is the double knot.  The easiest possible "updo"  I think I may have ever seen or done!  All there is to it is exactly what it sounds like you literally just tie your hair in two knots!  


Start by taking your hair into a middle section at the back.  After you have the two sides of your head separated,  you then wind them up into what feels like two wind wound up ropes.  Then simple tie a knot with the two sides,  once completed you then tie it into another knot,  and place it in the position you want at the back.  Take a couple of bobby pins and pin it down for security,  once that`s done a little spray should finish it off great and you are on your way!  So chic and practical! 

One For The Dudes!

Hey folks,  today were going to put one out there for the guys.  I feel like it `s been at least a couple of months since I serviced the male clients out there.  Now,  I must say it was hard to do an entry based on mens products or questions largely because they weren`t sending any queries.  Finally however we`ve recieved a great one! And It`s great to be able to give some advice to a dude for a change! LOL!

"Hey I was wondering what the best product to use when styling your hair in a comb over is?"

AWESOME to the point like you would expect!  Funny because even though it isn`t a full blown comb over I myself am wearing the comb over slash pompador mix currently.  So considering the fact that I need to style it myself every morning I have been able to get my hands on a great product that works for my thick hair.  Which by the way makes a difference!  If you have fine and limp hair I would probably recommend sticking with pomades and lighter holding products in general.  Otherwise for all the men out there currently wearing this uber trendy look that have normal to thick hair I recommend they look at Eufora`s Hero line for men.  In particular I love the Grooming Cream,  its just enough hold to maintain a well groom look,  has shine and at the same time doesn`t paste your hair to your head.  The way I see,  this is a look that should still have some movement even though it is very polished.  Check it out,  it won`t disapoint,  Hope that answered your question and thanks for writing me at dimauro.jon@gmail.com!

Saturday Night Lights, Camera, Askin!!

Hey Everyone! This week`s Saturday Night Lights, Camera, Askin is more of an invite than anything else so please feel free to join us this Sunday October 23rd at our Yonge St. Location. We will be hosting a Cut A Thon between the hours of 10am and 4pm! All proceeds from the event will go directly to Little Dexter and his family who`s page can be found on facebook. A great little guy who needs our help, we will be performing cuts starting at $25 for just a cut or $50 with a blow dry! Your chance to get a great cut for a great price and support a great cause! Hope to see you there!

Hair in Awkward spots?

Hey folks I hope you guys enjoyed the video I posted yesterday back stage at the Vivienne Westwood show in Paris, thought it was fitting for fashion week :D! Anyway today I am going to get back to answering questions because I gotta keep up over here! Anyway today`s question is a funny one because it is not about any one persons personal needs. The question made me laugh when I saw it and I figured "you know what I have a video of that moment!" Let me show you exactly what I mean...


"Hi there I thought something to myself the other day when I saw a mother braiding her daughters hair in the bathroom at the mall! I wondered where the weirdest place you had ever done hair was?"


That is hilarious because it is right outside the box thinking and I am always happy and thankful for those types of questions! What makes that even more interesting is that we actually shot a video earlier this year that captures one of the many odd moments of me doing hair in an awkward spot. I would have to say though that although I have done hair in bathrooms before this might be my weirdest spot!...

200!!!!

Yep,  that`s right this is our 200th post!  I am soo happy to announce that because for me ( a guy who still types with two fingers)  it was along time coming as you would imagine!  I have however gotten a bit better in that regard,  not because I type with more fingers now but just because I have learned how to move fast while only using the two!

I hope to be creating blog posts that satisfy the questions I am  being asked with good answers.  It takes a lot out of a hair dresser to write a blog everyday and come up with good content so I figured the best way forward was for you guys (my amazing readers) to help me and in turned be helped.  I think that this setup has worked well for both as I am often sent great questions that I am told are being answered well.... Yippee!

Anyway,  a small note to say thank you all for your questions and feedback.  Most of all thank you for inspiring me to get to this 200th post by staying interested and asking great questions!  And remember I am always here to answer them and any other queries you may have at dimauro.jon@gmail.com!  Thanks again guys!

The Simple Truth on Colour

Hey guys!  Hope you all had a great weekend with friends, family or whomever you spent it with.  I think its official that it~s getting pretty freaking cold out there!  I even saw a guy out there with his full blown parka on!  Anyway,  I hope you all enjoyed Saturday Night Lights, Camera, Askin this pat weekend as I truly enjoyed getting back to it.  Speaking of getting back to it lets get to today`s question...


" Hi there,  I am in need of some advice here.  I have recently started to react to the colour that is being used at the salon I frequent,  and never did before.  I guess I have two questions because the first is why all of a sudden I would have started to react?  The second being in light of all of the news that has been coming out recently and the negative effects that hair colour can have on us,  is there a product line that is professional and still chemical free?  Thanks for your time and I hope to hear from you soon."

Well,  lets start with the first question which is why the change all of a sudden.  I would have to say that the salon may have recently A) Changed their in house colour brand or B)  Introduced a new range of products to the salon that your colourist has recently started working with.  Generally,  if you have been a guest of their for a while and are simply asking for the same look,  they may have decided to go ahead with the new stuff as long as they could still achieve your same old shade.  If they have changed the colour line then you may want to find out about it because you will continue to have reactions after every use.  A simple phone call to your colourist should answer those queries,  have you started taking any new meds?  Because that may have an effect on your chemistry and have you react to the chemicals in the colour line.  To answer your second question I must say NO,  "Chemical Free" is a very strong term to use because in professional hair colour lines you must have some form of chemical that will open the hair`s cuticle layer and allow for the dye to develop onto the cortex layer.  Without some form of chemical to get the hair shaft open in the first place then the dye cannot penetrate the interior of the hair shaft and develop itself.  Natural lines like Henna and some other vegetable dyes work well enough by staining the outer layer of the hair shaft,  they do not penetrate.  This is a good enough system I just find that most people end up going a little more red than they had hoped.  There are some lines that are lighter chemical based like Davines or Organic Colour Systems,  But chemical free.... No,  they still need to work.  Hope that answered your question and thank you for sending it to me at dimauro.jon@gmail.com feel free to send any more you may have!

Looking For The After Party?

Hey Folks!  Hope you loved little Mariah`s Tutorial video yesterday!  I thought it was hilarious, and super cute.  Considering that she is only like 4 years old she did an absolutely amazing job of those pigtails!  Anyway  as we move into the end of yet another long week today`s  question has been needing addressing for the last couple of days.  So lets get to it because Margherita has been waiting soo patiently....

"Hi there,

 

I'm trying to find out where I can purchase Bed Head by Tigi (After Party smoothing cream).  We received a container as part of a loot bag for a birthday party our daughter attended and we absolutely love it for her hair.  Do you carry this product?

 

Thanks for your help!"


Okay so Margherita,  I can say that no I do not carry this particular product however I may need to start if you are feeling like it is the perfect product for your little ones hair!  Funny enough I do carry quite a bit of the Tigi Bed Head line just not the one product you are asking about!  Anyway lets get to some options here because I would love nothing more than to make sure you get what you need.  I can go ahead and special order that product from my manufacturer and have it in by early next week if you are in the area,  I can also ship it to you if you are not.  However I should be honest in saying that quite a few drug stores in the Toronto area have started carrying the Tigi brand and may carry that exact product.  Alternatively I may just look into carrying it from now on any way,  so having said that thanks for the tip!  Anyway let me know when and if you would like that ordered,  it would truly be our pleasure.

Nonna Maria's Day at the Salon

Okay for an Italian Canadian kid who is in the salon industry this is the funniest thing I have ever seen! This is a parody that I found about an Italian nonna (Grandmother) who is going to the salon for her big makeover. For me, this was a meshing of two very different worlds and I had to bring that to you all. I mean, When was I going to get the chance to show you guys a little snip of what childhood with my nonna was like and have it tie into the salon world enough to be able to blog it and bring it to you all! This video is a real classic for me and although the english isn`t really there for you all to understand you will have no trouble figuring out what she is taking about. As they say Italian often do a lot of talking with our hands so as you would expect this video will be clear as day! Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy it because I was in literal tears when I found it and thought to myself I have to blog this... It was just to sentimental! I hope you enjoy it!  Oh by the way... the man beside her is her husband chef Luigi!

Timing Is Everything...

WOW we have a hot day here today!  Amazing that we are into September and even though the days are obviously getting shorter we at least still have some really hot weather out there!  It feels today like its 30 degrees out there!  Hopefully this is a sign of things to come over the next month and a half,  we get that stretched out summer we all love.  Today I have a pretty good question to answer for you all so here we go!

"I`m trying to grow my hair out a little longer and am a wondering when the right time to come in for a cut again is.  I was at the salon about three weeks ago and was told I should be there in six weeks,  so I guess I would like some confirmation from you.  Is it normal to get your hair cut every six weeks if you want it to grow?  I have a long bob currently and would love to grow it out long,  Thanks for your response."

The simple answer is NO!  Just like you cannot tailor a suit that fits every man perfectly,  you cannot tailor a women`s hair cut schedule.  I generally recommend to my clients that they book they`re cuts every 8-12 weeks for that very reason.  Although your stylist is correct in telling you that your ends need maintaining if you want your hair to grow,  the timeline (for me) seems a little off.  When I have a guest who is trying to let it grow out I generally recommend that they stay as far away as possible from me for as long as they can.  Although your ends should be neat in order to see your new length growing in,  hair DOES NOT GROW FROM YOUR ENDS!  It grows from your roots!  My best advice would be that you should eat clean and get all your vitamins and then stay away and wait until you just can`t deal with the ends anymore.  When that time arrives you need to see your stylist fro a MILD trim to tidy the ends and continue to allow that new length to come in.  Lighten up you're styling a little and don`t fuss much with your hair,  this has its place in helping new growth also.  Hope this helped out,  and that you end up with luscious "Pantene" like flowy locks!