Fantasia Salon / Spa and Wig Specialists

What is one of the first characteristics you are likely to notice about someone? Their hair. Hair has caused controversy, hair has caused fights and hair has inspired artists and creative souls worldwide.

Hair is a personal matter, a point of bonding for many. I’ll bet you spent at least five minutes messing with your hair already today. Some of us spend hundreds and even thousands of dollars per year on our hair.

What is interesting about all of this is, that considering what hair really is, all of this would seem odd. Hair is essentially a dead item on your head. Sounds kind of gross huh? But, in the final analysis, that is what hair truly is. That said, let’s talk about what is going on with hair in America today.

Just like everything else these days, hair is “going green”. You may have noticed that it’s organic everything for hair. But, buyer beware as are there are big discrepancies in organic claims. Not only do you have to read your food labels these days but all of your product labels as well. There are some great lines of products out there. For example, at Fantasia, we love Pureology by Redken. The ingredients are botanical and it’s wonderful for maintaining hair color.

The look for hair is both short and long. Hair is softer today, wider instead of fuller. Simple long ponytails are in for proms and weddings as well as soft wavy hair. Swoopy bangs are in again and brushed-out curls for a relaxed look. It’s kind of like back to the 70’s for simplicity. Would you believe hot rollers are back? (Darn, I threw mine away months ago.)

Tone on tone coloring is popular. If the customers don’t want a trendy cut, perhaps they want trendy color instead. For the young, faded -out punky colors are in.

Wigs are big and Fantasia has the largest inventory of any salon in the area. Extensions are also popular, inspired by Hollywood. Celebrities are not hiding the fact that they are wearing extensions. Fantasia uses Great Lengths Extensions which are what many of your favorite celebrities are wearing.

Natural is in. Instead of “blowing out” your curly or wavy hair, embrace it. Most stylist want to work with the air as it is naturally. Most good stylists can make any haircut work with the customer’s natural hair. That’s where they really can get into the “artistry” and creativity.

It’s all good. We don’t have to spend so much time on our hair these days so that leaves time for other things!

To blow dry or air dry, which is better, which is right? Well… actually its a matter of personal preference. Some people don’t have much time to devote to styling their hair and want to achieve maximum styling so they opt for blow drying their hair. On the other hand, there are some who think blow-drying is a total waste of electricity and is a quick way to damage the hair, so they are all about air drying their hair.

Which is better? Both ways of drying the hair have their advantages and disadvantages. And, there proper ways of doing both.

Air drying. This is usually done by people who have short, low maintenance hairstyles or those with curly hair. There are also some people who have long hair yet have their hair air dry as air drying does not subject the hair to excessive heat. Therefore their hair is not as susceptible to damage as hair which is blow dried.

If you are going to air dry your hair, you must remember that the hair is at it’s weakest when it is wet. So, be very cautious not to rub your hair dry with the use of a towel. The friction caused by rubbing the hair with a towel with make the hair brittle and eventually break. Rather than rubbing it, you should instead blot the moisture out of your hair with a towel. As I’ve mentioned several times, at Fantasia we sell a chamois like towel with will help gently remove most of the moisture from your hair when washed. Be careful not to tug or pull at your hair much when it is still wet. Once the water is blotted out of the hair, you can fluff it with your fingers.

Blow drying the hair is the most convenient way of getting it dry and; because most people today live fast-paced lives, blow drying is typically the way it’s done. Also, blow drying adds volume to the hair. While it’s the most convenient method to dry the hair, it can also be dangerous to the hair, especially if it is over done. Blow drying can actually make the hair very brittle.

If you blow dry your hair, make sure that it is not soaking wet when you start. Blot the water out well first. Don’t hold the dryer too close to your head; keep it at least six inches away from the hair and move the dryer constantly around your head. Protect the outer strands of your hair from being over-dried by bending over and blow drying your hair with your head hanging upside down. Also, try not to dry your hair completely with the blow dryer, stop while the hair is ever so slightly damp.

Whether you air dry or blow dry your hair is your choice and should be based on lifestyle and preferences. Whatever method you chose, remember your hair is fragile. Handle it with care.

Long hair, short hair. What’s cool, what’s not? Earlier this year, the runways predicted darling haircuts for summer and fall and now we are starting to see it.

This season, hairstyles will incorporate a variety of textures, from curly to crimped. Rodney Cutler, celebrity hairstylist, is excited about this. It’s all about blending evening elegance with a casual sensibility, he says. It should look like something a woman could create herself, at home. He says ” the beauty of fashion these days is that it really is attainable, it is quite manageable at home, with simple styling techniques and the right products.”

By fall, according to Cutler, think “deconstructed glam” -brushed out, disheveled waves and curls, high ponytails, messy buns, all with a 1970’s airy, matte texture. He says the hairstyling world is undergoing a significant change.

International Hair stylist Rick Lee, feels that short hair is the best style statement for a woman. “Short hair shows a woman’s full face and makes her look more beautiful and confident. People have a perception that short hair looks boyish on women. I think nothing can be more feminine than short hair.

Cutler, mentioned above, talks about some of his favorite celebrity hairstyles. “Demi Moore gets it. Her hair is long and heavy on her face but it looks amazing. Donald Trump knows how ridiculous his hair is but he likes it. Culter would love to dig his shears in to Cameron Diaz’s hair. He says, with really short hair, she’d be fantastic!

The everyday woman shouldn’t be a slave to fashion. She doesn’t have to be trendy, she just has to look amazing!