Monday Motivator

August 27, 2018 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

Over the weekend I was going through the archives and came across some tales that may help your Monday be a little more bearable. The new school year is upon us and I remember all too well the stresses, the breakdowns, and the tantrums that go along with this yearly event. …not to mention our children’s behavior. Some of these Monday Motivator’s are to help you with your hair woes and also to remind you that in life, you are not alone.

https://thatgirlintheredcoat.com/2016/05/09/monday-motivators-joico-flip-turn-hair-shake/

https://thatgirlintheredcoat.com/2013/10/27/what-does-this-do/ – this gem of a tale is the what’s what of styling products.

https://thatgirlintheredcoat.com/2012/07/21/kindness-101/ – this gem has been my most popular to date. Kindness. Plain and Simple.

https://thatgirlintheredcoat.com/2012/09/25/purge-the-vanity/ – Be your own Beautiful

Beauty comes from within my friends. …of course a good hair day doesn’t hurt.

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Women

Monday Motivator

May 7, 2018 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

It’s Monday. The sun is shining on my part of the globe. The birds are chirping, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee is in the air and my bed head game is stronger than ever this morning. Some mornings I don’t need coffee, just catching my reflection and seeing the state of my hair jolts me awake.

As I was scrolling through my Instagram feed and checking on my notifications, one commonality I found was no one was happy that Monday had arrived. I may not be able to write you a doctor’s note to excuse you from school, nor am I able to mimic your child’s voice calling you at work telling you I am sick and you need to come home. What I can do is offer you a solution to make your Monday a little more enjoyable. Yours truly has decided to bring back the “Monday Motivator” segments. Every Monday I will give you tips and tricks of FAB! products to make every Monday a little less melancholy. As we all know, a good hair day equals a good day, plain and simple. …you know it, I know it.

This Monday Motivator is brought to you by yours truly and Joico! Meet one of my all time FAB! favorites….Joico JoiWhip!

You may remember this gem as IceWhip. …back in the day, before the name change….oh the 80’s early 90’s. This has been a go to of mine for over 20 years, whether I had a perm or a pixie, blonde or brunette. JoiWhip is a lightweight yet potent mousse. A little goes a long way Beauties. Joiwhip is a firm hold mousse (level 7 out of 10 on hold factor scale) but don’t let the “firm hold” scare you. It is not sticky, it will not flake or leave that residue feeling on your hair. Thanks to Kukui Nut and Evening Primrose Oil, essential fatty acids that provide moisture and protection, JoiWhip will not leave your hair looking or feeling dry. Created for all hair types, it truly is fine, limp hair’s bff.

Always give the can a good shake, upside down as you do with whipping cream. Keep the can upside down as you dispense the desired amount *TIP! a little goes a long way!. Apply to damp hair, then blow dry & style. *TIP! for my girls with curls – air dry or use a diffuser depending on desired curl effect and style.

My Monday wish for you…. May your coffee be strong, your Monday be short and your hair be FABULOUS!

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat, Women

Product 101 – Mousse hunting

April 28, 2015 That Girl in the Red Coat 1 Comment

As promised, my tales are aimed to educate and enlighten. Today’s tale is the first chapter in a new series, Product 101. Each chapter will focus on a specific product and it’s hold factor, shine factor and an explanation of how to use the product for the best styling results. Everyday I meet a customer, lady or gent, who tells me “There are so many products. I have a counter filled with products that didn’t work. How am I supposed to know what I need?”. It’s at this moment I tell them they have come to the right place…and now I am telling you the same thing.

Everyday, I mean it, everyday, I meet a woman who believes she is destined for flat lifeless cuts and styles because she has fine hair. I am told that her hair is “too fine” and that all products “weigh it down” or “make it greasy” or “the volume never lasts”. It’s usually at this moment they say “You are so lucky to have thick hair that holds your style.”. When I inform them that I have baby fine hair, just lots of it, they always say “NO WAY!”. Yes way. When they ask what I use, for some reason when I mention I begin with mousse, most women interrupt me, telling me that mousses don’t work because of the reasons mentioned above. It’s usually at this moment I ask them “when you bake a cake, if you miss one ingredient, what happens to that cake?”. They all have the same answer – the cake won’t turn out. Same goes for your hair and styling your hair.

I am a firm believer in giving your hair style a good base and I prefer to use mousse for it gives all over hold and fullness. I have used mousse when I had a pixie cut, a perm and with my current style. There are many mousses to choose from and I know it can be overwhelming. Mousses are created for all hair types, colored, permed, thick or fine. Some offer humidity resistance, some offer shine, some help with static. There are three things to know about mousse;

1 – there are mousses that offer volume with a soft to medium hold

2 – there are mousses that offer volume with a firm hold.

3 – mousse should be applied to damp/towel dried hair

That’s really about it. It comes down to the hold factor you are looking for, price point and scent. Being me I have compiled a little list for you of some of the mousses I have used personally and are favorites of my customers and the clientele of our Salon;

These gems will create volume with a soft to medium hold factor.

Nioxin Bodifying Foam – A lightweight mousse with a medium hold factor created to give your hair a thicker, fuller look and feel. Good for all hair types.

Moroccanoil Volumizing Mousse – A medium hold mousse that creates a fuller look. Created for fine to medium hair types. I found that it gave my hair fullness, but not as much volume (height) as I like.

KMS ADD VOLUME Styling Foam – A medium hold mousse that has a medium shine factor. Formulated for fine hair – a nice mousse for all hair types.

Paul Mitchell Extra Body Sculpting Foam – A long lasting, flexible hold factor that offers brilliant shine. A lovely mousse if you have curly hair – don’t let the “extra volume” scare you off. Many of my girls with curls like the shine and the soft control this mousse offers. Good for all hair types.

Matrix Biolage Whipped Volume – A medium hold mousse that delivers natural shine and softness. Can be used on all hair types.

If you desire a firm hold and mega volume and control, the following gems are right up your alley! *if your hair feels sticky – you have used too much. I recommend dispensing an amount of mousse that resembles an egg, emulsify the mousse in your hands (rub hands together), then distribute it evenly throughout your hair and blow dry.

ISO Daily Foam – Offers a firm hold, weightless volume and control . This mousse is a great tool for setting and sculpting styles from roller sets to faux hawks.

Joico JoiWhip – An alcohol free formula that offers a strong hold factor with long lasting volume and body. A lovely mousse for curly hair. *gotta admit – my favorite. I have tried all mousses and for 25 years, I always go back to Joico.

Goldwell Top Whip – An ultra strong hold factor that delivers long lasting volume with an extra boost of heat and color protection.

RUSK Mousse – A little can that offers BIG volume and maximum hold. Great for all hair types.

Schwarzkopf OSIS Grip – An extreme hold mousse that offers a lasting hold, natural shine and an anti-static effect. It also helps prevent heat damage. A great mousse for shorter styles that desire hold without the fuss.

Sebastian Mousse Forte – A strong hold factor that offers volume and heat protection. This mousse is great for defining waves and curls and offers all day frizz control.

To recap – there are mousses that offer volume with a soft to medium hold – perfect for a more soft, natural look, feel and hold. There are mousses that offer volume with a firm hold – perfect for the more demanding sculpted and textured styles, or for those who want all day volume and hold that we don’t have to check on throughout the day. …or if you are like yours truly, forever in love with big hair, everything eighties and vertically challenged…wait for it…there you go.

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized

You can take the girl out of the 80’s but you can’t take the 80’s out of the girl…

July 21, 2014 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

I have a confession to make. I love big hair. The more volume the better. Being a child of the 80’s I know for a fact that is where my love for big hair began, and the love affair continues to this day. I used to think I had thick hair, so I would purchase products that were formulated to add volume for thick hair. I would skip down the sidewalk and up to my front door, sing my hello to my parents as I ran up the stairs two at a time with dreams of big hair. I would set down my new found products on the vanity, and get to work. Within about 30 minutes the tubes and jars were in the garbage and I was a crumpled mess on the floor with flat, sticky strands dialing the number to the nearest Salon making an appointment to “chop it all off!”.

Fast forward 10 years. I am now in my late 20’s. Thanks to a stylist who took more than a minute to speak to me, yours truly learned that I do not have thick hair. I have fine hair – just lots of it. This is why all the products I had purchased did not deliver the volume promised by the package and the Hollywood Starlet on the commercials. The products were too heavy for my hair type – hence the weighed down, flat drowned rat results. I am about to have my 42nd. birthday, I have had great hair for over 15 years, now you can too. As you know, my goal is educate and enlighten. Today’s tale covers some beautiful products, tried and tested and used by yours truly, that offer great volume and control.

JOICO JoiWhip

This gem is my favorite. I have been using this since the 1990’s when it was known as IceWhip. A great mousse for all hair types, for hold, volume, control…you name it. A little goes a long way – I find dispensing an amount that is about the size of an egg is more than enough. Emulsify in both hands, apply to towel dried hair, blow dry and style. * a lovely product for those with curls looking for hold without having to blow dry. ** It smells heavenly

JOICO Structure Animate

A lightweight styling cream that offers volume, hold and shine. I found the best results when I applied the product at my roots before blow drying (dispense about the size of a quarter, emulsify in both hands then apply). It can be used on dry hair, but can tend to get sticky if too much is applied – on dry hair – stick to about the size of a nickel, emulsify in your hands, then apply were needed. *smells like candy!

Schwarzkopf Session Label Series – Dust It Flex

The newest addition to the Schwarzkopf family of products, the Session Label series. This product is AMAZING. It is a powder, that when applied to dry hair, lifts and holds your hair without a powdery mess or sticky residue. It offers a workable hold, so if you add too much (which for me isn’t possible), you can rework your hair with your hands or a brush. You can apply the powder directly into your hair or shake some into your hands and work it into the hair – I found the latter worked best for me. It offers a matte finish. *terrific for longer styles.

SOMA Volumize Thermal Spray

This finishing spray from SOMA is a gem. It will not leave your hair feeling sticky or crunchy and adds volume, hold and humidity resistance (no frizz!). Although it is a finishing spray, it can be used on towel dried hair and on dry hair as you are styling. *Great for updo’s – holds curls all day.

SENSCIENCE Pro Formance Polish

Lets just say, when I used this, the angels sang. For those of you familiar with my tales, you know a few tears were shed when Joico discontinued Brilliatine, and I was known to stomp my feet when Senscience discontinued Pliable Shine. Well beauties, let me tell you, Senscience stepped up to the plate and delivered a home run with their Pro Formance Polish. This pomade offers great shine with a flexible/workable hold. I love it to add that little extra boost of volume at my roots and to add to my ends to give a smooth sealed look. A little goes a long way – scoop out an amount the size of your thumb nail and emulsify into both hands and work in to hair. For a pieced out/textured look to your bangs – apply to your finger tips and work into hair. *a great product for slick/controlled styles.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women

What does this do?

October 27, 2013 That Girl in the Red Coat 3 Comments

A woman comes into the shop, picks up a can or a tube, looks at it puzzled, then asks “What does this do?” – a phrase I hear everyday. There are many styling products out there that look similar but are quite different. The packaging and the color of the pomade you just picked up may look like the paste your stylist just used but it is quite different. The can of hairspray may be the same shape and color of the thermal setting spray your bff uses, again, it is quite different. Being me, I have compiled a list, a “what it does” list if you will, with some examples, so you have somewhere to begin. * Almost all Professional Salon hair care lines will offer each of these products.

Mousse – A great product for all over volume and hold. Some mousse will foam up like whipped cream when dispensed (metal can), – Joico JoiWhip. Others, Liquid mousse for instance, will have a more watery consistency and pool in your hand (plastic bottle) – RUSK Plumping Mousse, a great option for baby fine hair. *Best results on towel dried hair, followed with blow drying

Root Boost – To be applied directly at the root to add volume – gives lift at the root alone. Root Boosts are in spray format, some foam – BIG SEXY Root Pump, some liquid, NIOXIN Root Boost. Both work well, it comes down to personal preference of a foam or a spray. *Best results on towel dried hair, followed with blow drying.

Gels – A very versatile product. Great result on damp or dry hair – depending on the style/look you are after. Gels can be used on towel dried hair for volume and control while blow drying, or on dry hair for a more slicked back look or for control for a more funky style. Gels can be an awesome tool for roller sets as well. Usually available in medium – JoiGel Medium and firm hold – AG Hard Gel, and some to offer a shine factor. *If you have darker hair, look for the product to say non flaking, like KMS HAIRSTAY Styling Gel & QUANTUM FixGel.

Shaping/Styling Sprays – A hairspray that comes in aerosol and pump format that comes in 3 hold factors, (Aerosol) soft – AG Aerodynamic, medium – Sebastian Shaper, and firm hold- Goldwell Magic Finish. (Pump – Joico JoiFix Medium). A workable spray = able to brush and restyle your ‘do as needed without giving yourself a beehive or a breakdown. * A firmer hold can get too sticky if too much is applied, so if you like to brush your hair throughout the day, stick to a soft to medium hold.

Finishing Sprays – A hairspray that is exactly that – a hairspray to be used to finish off your style. A firm hold – Joico JoiMist, or an Ultra Firm Hold – BIG SEXY Spray and Play Intense. These sprays are not as workable and can tend to get sticky when too much is reapplied. Available in aerosol format (see above) or pump – Joico JoiFix Firm or Matrix Finishing Spritz. ** Joico’s newest addition – Joico POWERHOLD is a very versatile hairspray – it is a finishing spray with a hard hold factor that can be brushed through and the hair restyled without a sticky residue or matted mess, and offers 72 hour humidity resistance. ***Some offer a shine factor such as KMS HAIRSTAY Maximum Hold.

Wax – A great styling agent for sculpting certain styles. Waxes can offer great texture and definition. Some waxes offer a matte finish – American Crew Matte Wax, some offer shine – AG WAXX- the label will always state the hold factor and shine factor. Most waxes will appear hard in the container (not liquidity – is liquidity a word? …sounds good to me).

Styling Glue – Exactly that. A styling glue for the hard to hold style, think Mohawk circa 1982. Joico Ice Spiker is the best I have come across-holds up in a hurricane.

Clay – A medium hold styling product. Offers a matte finish – Sebastian Craft Clay. A product that looks and feels like, well, clay. Quite workable and best for shorter styles. * Hair Paste is very similar to Hair Clay, has a firmer hold factor and matte finish – KMS HAIRPLAY Molding Paste.

Pomade – A pliable/workable styling product. Usually a watery consistency – d:fi d:tails Pomade. Great for separation and slicked back looks. Most pomades have a high shine factor, so a little goes a long way. Use too much and you could end up looking like Danny Zuko.

* Pomades/Clays/Waxes – all mimic each other – it really comes down to the hold factor/shine factor you are looking for and how you feel about products in your hands. Pomade/Wax tend to be a little more sticky, Clay tends to be more dry.

Thermal Sprays – A spray that offers thermal protection while using a blow dryer or flat iron. Available is aerosol – bain de terre Magnolia Spray, and pump bottles – Redken #11 IronShape, GOLDWELL Sleek Perfection & Quantum Heat Shield. Some thermal sprays offer a shine factor and offer little to no hold factor.

Thermal Setting Sprays – A spray that is to be used to help set a style, such as curls or an updo – Matrix Biolage Thermal Setting Spray. Most thermal setting sprays will offer a medium to firm hold factor. An awesome tool to use with hot rollers or a curling iron to keep the curls all day. * Not recommended to be used with a flat iron.

Shine Spray – a great addition to any vanity. Shine sprays will add shine to your ‘do. Shine spray do not have a hold factor, their job is to add shine. Some shine sprays will offer thermal protection – SOMA Prism & bain de terre Glossing Spray.

Cuticle Sealer – A serum to be applied to towel dried hair (for best results) to tame frizz and flyaways and lock out humidity. Offers a low shine factor and thermal protection – SOMA Solace.