Hey gang, happy Friday! This week in the salon I did some really fun live streaming via Facebook over the process of yours truly getting the Brazilian Blowout treatment. First let me say, that I am so in love with my hair and I have received so many compliments on my new mane! So let's get down to how to care for your blowout once you're home so that you can get the most out of your investment!

When you come in to receive your treatment, i'll introduce to, and inform you on all of the take home products that you will need to keep these results on point!

1) Brazilian Blowout Shampoo....this shampoo is so important to use every time you do cleanse your hair. It contains gentle botanical cleansers that get the hair clean without any parabens, sulfate, or sulfites. The lack of these harmful chemicals also means that the shampoo isn't going to give you that luxurious lather that you may be used to but don't worry, your hair is still getting clean!

2) Brazilian Blowout Conditioner...this is the daily conditioner to be used after shampooing to help with tangling and smoothness just the same as any daily conditioner. This conditioner is special in that it contains small amounts of acai and amino acids to continue nourishing your hair with each application.

Fun in the sun is effortless, as should be your beach waves. Living in Austin never disappoints but we aren’t on the beach; or close enough to the coast to achieve that beautiful vacay hair on the daily. The new Oribe texture products have made it easy on us girls not so ‘blessed with the best’ effortless waves to achieve that lived-in look. Aside from the gold packaging and the original Oribe scent, each product is its own little texture treasure. After trying these products out on myself and my clients for the past six weeks, I have fallen madly in love. It’s the perfect line meant to style, finish, and refresh that lived in beach bum (aka Victoria Secret model photoshoot) look.

These products can be used in conjunction with one another, or separately, depending on your hair type and desired look. You can ‘use them as directed’, or get creative with how you apply and style.

There are benefits to each product, no matter how you use them.

Matte Waves was created to be applied to damp hair to help give your natural texture a little extra definition, banishing all frizz. Basically, this can be used as your ‘salt spray’ equivalent without the threat of drying out the hair. Matte Waves is neither salty, or a spray, but a perfectly light cream with a low shine element, and a medium hold! This product comes in pump-form, with a milky texture making it easy to spread throughout the hair. The anti-frizz element comes by way of the ‘Wave Resin Compex’ made up of the Yacón plant (which helps nourish the hair), the Brazilian Nut extract (high in fatty acids and vitamine E to protect from damage and the elements), and the Tara Plant (heals damage hair by thickening and moisturizing). So basically, you get that natural lived in textured style with all these added benefits! Too good to be true? Nope!

One of the most frequently asked questions I get as a stylist is, "What is a toner?" The easiest way I can explain this is to show them a platinum blonde client. After their foils came out they didn't have that hue magically. They were most likely a pale baby duck yellow. So, what cancels out yellow? Purple.

Therefore,to achieve those platinum locks a "toner" with a violet base was applied after shampooing out the highlights. Now usually the next question is, "Will it dry out or damage my hair?" This is a definite NO! Toner/glosses seal the cuticle, add lustrous shine and tame frizz. They also SEAL your hair color just like a topcoat for your nails, making your investment last longer.

Toners are not just for blondes either; a toner can even out a patchy colored or dull brunette or redhead, create a softer blend between roots and highlights, and change color direction if you'd like to be slightly more ash, golden, or red. One thing a toner will not do is lighten the hair.

After a toning service it is recommended to wait 24 hours to shampoo and use a sulfate free shampoo. My new favorite is BLNDN Brighten You. It's a non-stripping purple tinted shampoo. Follow it with their 3 minute Tone You mask and your highlights will be as fresh and shiny as the day you got them!

Balayage /balā yäZH/ is a technique for highlighting the hair in which the dye is painted on in such away as to create a graduated, natural looking effect. You may have seen this new hair coloring technique in fashion blogs lately. The French inspired, free hand painting technique is up and coming. The maintenance is less than the traditional foil method more common for precise highlights. Unlike ombré which is focused solely on the ends of the hair. Balayage is ideal for adding depth and dimension to the hair without having a line of demarcation. Stylist are able to customize to each clients personal overall look.

I’m sure that you have heard the phrase…”It’ just hair.” But as a hairstylist when a person says this to me I am quick to defend that it is indeed more than just hair. I do not defend it only because it is my passion and livelihood, I defend it because our hair says so much about us as individuals, it has the power to accentuate our most amazing feature, and because there is so much tangled up in the way we wear our hair.

Let me start by saying that the first step to the most amazing and authentic hair is to find your person...as in your stylist. This is a serious relationship and there is no shame in wanting to get it right! After all, you need to trust this person to be honest with you at all times and to share some common ground at least in all things hair! By choosing a stylist that fits your personality, not only will you totally look forward to you appointments, but most likely the stylist will be able to craft a style that’s unique to you. As the professional, we know how to tweak your desired look to accentuate your best features and to adjust color formulations that best suit your skin tone and eye color. All of these things are apart of giving you a look that can not be duplicated by just anyone.