Interview With Hairstylist Sherri Belanger

Sherri — Fri, 05 Apr 2013 15:15:41 +0000

Want to get to know more about me and my hairdressing history? Photographer extraordinaire Tim King recently sat down with me, while I was getting my own hair done, and asked me some stuff about myself…

Read Interview

Tim & I during the interview

11 Clever hair Tricks Hairstylists Use For Themselves

Sherri — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 15:50:21 +0000

Have you ever wondered how the heck your hairstylists hair always looks perfect? For starters, hair is what we do for a living, so we know a thing or two about how to make it look it’s best. You’d be surprised that many hairstylists are quite low maintenance with their own hair though and have ways of making it look good without spending tons of time primping. An awesome hair site I blog for, Latest Hairstyles, recently asked me to divulge some of our secrets for you to use at home. Check them out here.

How To Save Money On Your Hair

Sherri — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 17:23:26 +0000

Let’s face it, the cost to maintain our looks and feel our best can be extremely expensive. Hair, nails, facials, waxing, fancy gym memberships, beauty products, etc. Not to mention the cost of eating healthy, decent quality clothes, even healthcare, life is pretty darn expensive. Throw a mortgage and children into the mix, and how are you supposed to justify spending money on the things we don’t necessarily “need”?

Often times skimping on certain things means skimping on the quality, but it’s not always the case. It’s important to prioritize what’s most important to you and then see where you can cut back on the others. For example, I LOVE getting massages. Not only do I love them, my body needs them from my profession as a hairstylist. In order to budget the multiple massages I like to get monthly, I found a place that does incredible massage for only $25! Yeah I sacrifice the ambiance, the spa extras, and the fancy massage oil, but when my muscles need to get worked out it does the trick. Then when I’m feeling up for it, I’ll treat myself to the fancy $125 massage. I found a way to balance and still get do what I want.

In terms of your hair, unfortunately this isn’t as much the case. With hair you generally get what you pay for, and if a stylist is charging a lot for their services it means they have tons of experience, training, and uses high end (and expensive) products. If their services are very inexpensive you have to wonder how much they’ve invested of their time and own money into their skill. So what do you do if you don’t want to find the cheap massage of hair stylists, but can’t justify spending the extra money on your hair? Here are some ways I’ve come up with that may work for you…

Skip the haircut.

You technically don’t need to get a haircut every single time you get your hair colored. If your hair isn’t too damaged then it’s completely unnecessary to trim it every 6-8 weeks and you can definitely wait at least 10-12 weeks. If you are prone to split ends this may not be best for you, but in general most people can hold off on their haircuts. And if you’re trying to grow your hair out, which 90% of women seem to be doing, you need to hold off on your haircuts a bit so you don’t cut off what grows in. This essentially means 6 less haircuts a year which equals $$$!

Partial Highlight vs. Full Highlight.

Some women just assume they are supposed to get a full highlight every hair appointment. This generally costs anywhere from $15-$50 more than a partial highlight, and often times a partial is all you need! Natural looking hair color is in style and having every piece of your hair with a highlight on it doesn’t even look that good (my opinion). If you’re hooked on full highlights, maybe do them every other appointment, or even every 2 appointments. Again, this cuts costs and saves money over time.

Skip the blow dry.

Now this doesn’t pertain to me because I consider my blow dry complimentary with any of my hair services, but some hairstylists may charge you less if you ask to leave with wet hair. Though it’s a bummer to leave without that bomb blow dry style, if it saves money and that’s what’s important then maybe it’s worth it. Not blow drying your hair saves your hairstylist time and they may be willing to cut off a few bucks. If saving money is important it never hurts to ask right?

Pay cash or check.

Often times hairstylists work for themselves and every time they swipe your credit card they have to pay a percentage for the swipe. They also really appreciate cash for reasons I will not write here and may be inclined to knock off some money if you always pay cash. Again, it never hurts to ask!

Ultimately, before leaving your beloved hairstylist because you feel you can no longer afford their services, TALK TO THEM! See if there is anything they can do to help you out. This isn’t a moment to be prideful or embarrassed because we too are probably trying to save money in our personal lives!

Craving A Hair Makeover? Read This First!

Sherri — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:31:05 +0000

One of my favorite things ever is when a client sits in my chair and tells me they’ve been considering a drastic change. Whether it’s a new haircut or a complete overhaul with their hair color, they all light a fire in me. Though I sometimes think I’m more excited than my clients to make this change, I will never just do so on a whim. Truth be told, a lot can happen to a person when they dramatically change their look, and I feel it’s my duty as a hairstylist to know when my client is 100% ready for this.

If you are considering doing something crazy, read my 5 tips first. These are some of the questions I ask my clients, and some of the important questions you need to ask your stylist before taking the plunge.

Before

After

1. How long have you been considering this change?

If you’ve been a brunette your whole life and randomly had a dream you became a bright blonde the morning of your hair appointment, you may want to sleep on it a little longer before jumping. Unless you’ve been thinking about making this dramatic change for some time, you may not mentally be ready for it!

Before & After Hair Extensions

2. What inspired this change? Was it something negative in your life?

Our hair is one of the things we actually have control of in our lives, and I’ve noticed that when someone is going through an emotionally difficult time, they turn to their hair to take it out on. Now this can be a great thing if you’ve always wanted to do something to your hair and once a weight was lifted from your life (ahem ahem) now it’s YOUR time to do so. But if you’re feeling down about yourself, hate your long obnoxious hair, and decide you want to chop it off Miley Cyrus style, you’re probably going to feel even worse when you look in the mirror. In my opinion, you should NEVER dramatically change your hair during an emotional time in your life. Trust me please!

Before

After

3. What will your new maintenance routine be?

Often times these dramatic changes require more maintenance. From frequent root touch ups to glossing your hair color to keep it vibrant, it may mean more time in the salon and more money. Be sure to chat with your hairstylist about this first, and then decide if it’s worth it to you. If it isn’t, maybe your stylist will have some low maintenance ideas that can better fit your lifestyle and fulfill your craving for a change.

Before blonde & After brunette

4. What if you don’t like the new color/cut? How hard is it to return to what you started with?

Color:

Generally speaking, dramatically changing your hair color requires a few steps, and may require even more steps to remove the color from your hair. It’s important to understand that YES eventually you can have your old color back, but it may not be exactly how it once was and it may take a few hair appointments to make it happen. This can also be drying or damaging to your hair, so it’s important to know that your hair will be strong enough to handle this amount of coloring.

Cut:

Once we chop your hair off unfortunately we can’t glue it back on! Growing out a botched haircut can be grueling and test your patience, so be sure you are ready for the change and trust your hairstylist to give you a cute style. If your hair is at least 4 inches long, hair extensions can be an option for you, but this comes with a hefty price tag.

Before extensions

After extensions

5. Will this new hair even look good on you?

Just because Jennifer Lawrence went from blonde to brunette and looks gorgeous doesn’t mean that it’s best for you. And just because Halle Berry looks super hot with short hair doesn’t mean you will too. This sounds kind of harsh, but it’s reality. Celebs have hair and make up artists on hand 24/7 and have the ability to always look their best. With hair color, you need to consider your skin tone and the make up you wear on a daily basis. If you don’t have the right tone of color in your hair it can actually wash your out or age you (future blog story to come on this topic).

Before & After

In conclusion, having a whole new hairstyle can be so uplifting and fun, but it just takes a little thought and research before doing it. Special thanks to my beautiful clients who have trusted me to make over their hair

Have you ever dramatically changed your hair?

Split Ends?

Sherri — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 17:54:58 +0000

Constantly battling split ends and don’t know what to do? Though you may not want to hear it, you have to cut them off! Split ends left uncut will just keep splitting, and before you know it you will have a big mess on your hands. Once your ends are fresh, keep them stronger so you won’t have to deal with splits again, and your hair can grow longer and healthier than ever!

Common culprits for split ends are:

- Waiting too long for a haircut.

Generally speaking, you should be trimming your hair every 8-12 weeks. If your hair is weak, you may need to trim sooner, and if your hair is strong, you may be able to wait longer.

- Heat tool sizzle.

If you flat iron or use a curling iron on your hair, chances are you deal with breakage and split ends. Reduce the use of these tools and save your hair big time. If you must use them, be sure to apply a heat protectant styling product first.

- Poor diet.

If your body is lacking the nutrition it needs, your hair and everything else can suffer. Eating foods rich in Vitamin E, Iron, Omega-3′s, and Zinc are ideal for strong strands.

-Products.

I say it all the time, your hair products are the foundation to healthy hair, starting with a great shampoo and conditioner. If your hair needs more moisture, consider adding a hair mask to your weekly routine. Your hair will be very happy.

Hair Color Inspiration Courtesy Of My Clients

Sherri — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:16:00 +0000

Bored with your hair and need some inspiration? Here are some of my favorite looks I’ve done recently on some of my beautiful clients.

Hairstylists appreciate photo inspiration so don’t ever hesitate to bring photos of the color you’re wanting to achieve!

5 Steps To A Star Quality Blow Out

Sherri — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 14:57:43 +0000

I don’t care who you are, I KNOW you love getting an amazing blow dry style from your hairstylist. Heck, even I love nothing more than to sit back and have someone take care of it for me. Hairstylists can make your hair look perfect, they do it so quickly and effortlessly, and you leave the salon feeling like a million bucks. You probably even wait more days than you’re willing to admit to wash it, just to savor this blow out for as long as possible. Sound familiar?

What if I told you you too can style your hair just like your hairstylist? In this story I wrote for Latest Hairstyles, I break it down into 5 easy steps. Check it out below…

5 Steps To A Star Quality Blow Out!!!

Fun & Easy Twist On A Simple Braid

Sherri — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 14:52:53 +0000

Braids are undoubtedly one of the hottest trends this summer. They are perfect for dirty hair days or when it’s hot outside and you just don’t feel like fussing with it. Though some braided styles may seem impossible to create on your own hair, I have a technique I love that is easy and looks super cute…

: My hair

How to recreate my braid:

1. Separate hair into 3 sections, per usual with a braid.

2. Braid 2 of your 3 sections into small braids and leave your third section as is.

3. Braid the 2 braids and the section you left out together loosely and secure with a hair tie.

4. Once secured in a hair tie, loosen your braid to make it look fat by gently pulling on each side of your braid and mushing it up.

Piece of cake!

Going gray? Flat hair? Damaged hair? I’m here to help.

Sherri — Wed, 16 May 2012 14:35:15 +0000

I get emails constantly from followers reaching out for help for common hair issues we all have or will have at one time in our lives. In this story I want help you with 3 of those hair issues- What to do when you start getting grays, how to handle flat hair, and what to do if your hair is damaged.

Gray Hair?

What causes graying? Look to your heredity. If your mom and dad started going gray in their 20′s or 30′s, which is considered premature graying, then chances are you will too, though this isn’t always the case. Age does play a large part in the graying process. The pigment in the hair shaft is generated from cells at the base of the root of the hair and as we get older these cells start producing less pigment until there is no pigment at all in the hair and we end up with the transparent hair. Not sure what to do once you start going gray? Read THIS article I contributed to for TheBlush.com.

Flat Hair?

Do you find that even after spending 30 minutes oomphing up your hair that it always falls flat by mid day? You’re not alone. Most women have this problem and it can be so frustrating that you don’t even want to put in the effort! I’ve talked about my love for hair powder before, but I dig deeper in this article here.

Damaged Hair?

If you color, highlight, blow dry, tease, curl, or flat iron your hair, chances are it might not be in the best shape. Luckily there are ways to help prevent further damage when doing all this fun stuff to your locks. For starters, you need to treat your hair like it is a delicate little flower. People can be SO rough when styling and brushing, and when you have weakened hair to begin with it can easily be broken and split. Think “delicate hands” anytime you touch your hair. Click here for more of my tips.

Do you suffer from any of these hair issues?

Trend Alert- Hair Shadow!

Sherri — Mon, 07 May 2012 15:33:11 +0000

Ever dreamed of highlighting your hair some fun bright color, but don’t have the guts to do it? Or maybe you have the guts, just don’t have the lifestyle to support this wild flair in your hair? What if I told you there is a way you can add some soft pink highlights in your fringe just for the day? Then maybe some purple within your layers, and a splash of blue, green, and aqua just at the tips and you can wash it out once you’re over it? This isn’t a dream, it is finally reality thanks to a new hot trend, Hair Shadowing. I recently wrote all about my experience with one of the shadow brands on the cutting edge for Latest Hairstyles. Learn all about it here!

My hair with a little "Je Ne Sais Quoi" by Colorsmash!