Take a walk on the wild side…

Have you ever wanted to colour your hair bright pink or purple but just never built up the nerve? Maybe your profession won’t allow crazy colours in the office or you wish it could be for just a weekend. Well, your wish has been granted.

This September, our dear friends at Kevin Murphy came out with a new hair colour that will excite tweens and grown-ups alike: Colour.Bug! It’s a temporary hair colour in powder form – think eye shadow for your hair. It’s easy as pie to apply and washes out with your next shampoo. How perfect is that?

I can imagine you shaking your head in disbelief. Surely this can’t look as cool as it sounds… or can it? And if so, it must only show up on light hair. Well, my lovelies, how wrong you are! To show you just how awesome Colour.Bug is, our very own Carla demonstrated on yours truly (a blonde) and one of our dear receptionists (with black hair) who dared to go pink.

What you need: a smoothing and shine serum like Kevin Murphy’s Young.Again; one or more Colour.Bug colours (we chose pink and purple… there is also orange available); and hairspray (we used Kevin Murphy’s Session.Spray).

Before you apply Colour.Bug, it’s recommended that you have product in your hair in order for the powder to stick easily. We suggest using a smoothing and shining serum – why not beautify the condition of your hair while you’re at it? As you can see, Tanya has a lot of hair, but only one or two pumps of Young.Again is suffice.

To apply the Colour.Bug, simply glide the applicator over hair using some pressure. Because the colour is in powder form, use your fingers to rub the product in, spreading it over the desired area and giving it the trendy ombre look. Make sure you drape a towel over your shoulders to catch the loose powder. Some may rub off on your clothes, but it does not stain.

See, I told you it would show up in dark hair! When you’ve finished applying the colour to your satisfaction (we chose to do all of Tanya’s ends) seal the deal with a dose of hairspray. Again, because Colour.Bug is a powder it is important to use a finishing product like spray to make sure the colour stays put.

And voila! Tanya has pastel pink ends without having to bleach her hair – no commitment!

So now that you know that yes, Colour.Bug is an option for even the darkest of hair. But how does it look on the blondies? Well, you’re in for a treat. Here is my hair after applying the Young.Again serum.

On my hair, Carla decided to do alternating layers of pink and purple colour to give it a rainbow effect.

Because my hair is so light, much less Colour.Bug needs to be used. Layer the colour to play with the vibrancy.

After Carla finished layering the pink and purple, she played with my waves and used the Session.Spray to hold the colour in place.

When all was said and done, I had gorgeous, rainbow tips! Lauren Conrad, eat your heart out!

Colour.Bug truly does do what it claims: it provides amazing, temporary colour, no matter what type of hair you have. However, before using it, there are things you need to consider. Remember, it is a powder which means that no matter how much hair spray you use, if it gets wet it will come out… so you don’t want to get caught in the rain. And for the blondes out there wanting a splash of colour for a day, here’s a warning: it may be visible for a few days. The packaging does say that very light or over-processed and porous hair may be stained by Colour.Bug. In my case, the vibrancy of the colour washed out after using a cleansing shampoo; however, a pastel tint was still very visible after two more washes. Four washes later, there is barely a trace except for a slight purple tint when you look very closely at a few strands. But my hair is naturally blonde and not over-processed, so the staining might be more severe with bleached hair.

Regardless of its drawbacks, Colour.Bug is a fun way to brighten up your look without the commitment of a normal hair colour. For all you nine to fivers, this may be your chance to take a walk on the wild side… for a weekend.

Hair that’s fit to be tied!

Hairstylists are notorious for hating pony tails.

But here’s the real deal: it’s not the ponytails that stylists hate – it’s the lack of style! When you’re lazily throwing your hair up and looking like you’re going to the gym when you’re not, stylists cringe. They hate to see that someone doesn’t care about their hair!

Caring about your hair doesn’t mean you need to spend hours primping, though. Of course it’s unreasonable (not to mention impractical) to sport a glamorous updo for day-to-day life. In real life, people need an easy way to look styled when in a rush. And thus enters the ponytail. But not the gym pony, no way. Let us introduce you to the styled pony – an acceptable (and recommended) alternative to its lazy sibling.

The key to the wavy pony is lots of volume and texture. In term of getting the right texture, this is a perfect look for day-after-washing hair, especially if you already have it in a wavy or curly style. If that’s the case, it’s as easy as spraying in some dry shampoo at the roots to pump it up and use a product to freshen up your texture, like Schwarzkopf’s Moisture Kick Conditioning Spray or Eufora’s Curl ‘N Spray Revitalizer. If you’re starting with freshly washed hair, apply a volumizing mousse and dry your hair with a round brush. Set your hair in about six hot rollers and use hairspray – this will give an easy, uneven wave to your hair with lots of movement.

When pulling it back, add some lift at the crown by slightly twisting your hair on either side, pushing it up and then pinning the twists in the centre, suggests Remo, co-owner of Haartek. You might also start a braid (just two or three plaits) and pin it, eliminating the need for a hair elastic. If you find that your curls are falling too flat, you can always fix individual waves in the pony with a curling or flat-iron.

If smooth and shiny your style, the flat-iron is your best friend! After washing, apply mousse and a heat-protecting serum and blow dry your hair with a round brush. Flat-iron your hair in small sections and add a shine serum afterwards (Haartek is a big fan of Eufora’s Beautifying Serum and Kevin Murphy’s Young.Again). Whether you want a sleek low pony or a higher voluminous one, try wrapping a section of hair around the elastic as a chic way to add style!

Last but not least, we still can’t get enough of the messy braid. This is hands-down better than a tired ponytail and because it doesn’t have to be perfect, it’s just as easy! Use a shine serum and a texturizing spray before braiding and make sure to leave a few loose tendrils – the messier the better.

As we’ve said before, unless you’re actually going to the gym, there’s no excuse to look like you’re going to the gym. We promise, it doesn’t have to take hours, so show your hair some love!

Five easy ways to be different for a day!

Have you ever gotten that itch?  No, I’m not talking about a rash, silly. I’m talking about that itchy feeling you get when you’re bored with your look. You want to change something but you don’t know how. And sometimes it’s just not possible to do something drastic. And other times you really just want something different only for a day or two.

Well, my lovelies. I have news for you: A change of style doesn’t always have to be drastic or permanent.

Here are Haartek’s top five ways of changing up your look temporarily:

1. ACCESSORIES

From headbands to  fascinators, hair accessories are majorly in-trend. And we’re not talking about little girl barette or bauble hair ties – these are accessories full-grown women are not afraid to rock!

Try a headband with a flower detail or the feather or glitter extension craze for a bit of flair that you can remove anytime.

2. GO KINKY

Are you tired of your normal hair texture, be it straight or curly, but you don’t have the time or patience to weld a styling tool? Well, why not texture while you sleep? Wash your hair before you go to sleep and put it in a loose braid. When you wake up your hair will be mostly dry and have amazing loose waves when you take out the braid. Use a beach texturizing product like Kevin Murphy’s Hair Resort spray and you’ll have a chic, gorgeous, un-done style with little effort! Don’t want to go to sleep with your hair wet? Braid your dry hair in the morning and run a flat-iron over the plait and get the same look!

3. USE THOSE TOOLS

While beach hair is brilliant in the summer, if you want a way to change-up your texture going into the fall, brandishing a flat-iron or hot rollers is the way to go!  If you have curly hair, try going straight for a couple of days. If you have straight hair, try using the flat-iron for curls or setting it with hot rollers. There are countless online tutorials for using these tools (here’s our own Carla demonstrating flat-iron curls) and your stylist would be happy to teach you as well.

An important thing to remember when using hot tools is to always use a heat-protection serum or spray before applying heat to prevent any damage!

4. GO FAUX

Who said you have to be stuck with the length of hair you have? Certainly not me! If celebrities can appear to have short hair one day and long hair the next, why can’t you? And no, I’m not talking about costly and permanent extensions (though, those are an option). I’m talking about rockin’ the faux look. Celebrities with long hair have been tucking and pinning their long hair under, creating the illusion of  a bob – a faux bob, if you will. Alternately, those who already have a bob can use clip-in extensions to add length temporarily or to add a pop of colour (think bright purple).

5. COLOUR FOR A DAY

Do you wish you could partake in the pastel hair trend but are just to chicken to make the committment (or have a job that wouldn’t allow it)? Well, your wish will soon be granted. In the fall, Kevin Murphy will release Color.Bug, a temporary hair colour (think applying eye shadow to your hair) that adds body as well. It will come in pink, purple and orange and will last until you wash it out… so you can have crazy coloured tips for the weekend and be back to normal for the office by Monday. Sounds pretty sweet to me.

So now you know five simple ways to change your style, even just for the weekend! Go crazy… at least a little. Why not, right?

It’s summertime, and the living is easy…

The long weekend is here. And chances are, you’re spending time in the (hopefully) beautiful, sunny weather… preferably on a beach in Muskoka.

It’s no chance that this summer’s top hair trends like braids and messy top knots are perfect for a laid back cottage weekend. Here are some tips for cute, low maintenance hair styles, whether you’re enjoying a beer on the dock or having fun in the water.

Tie it up

Forget the boring ponytail this weekend and go for something a bit more fun – the top knot! Extremely low maintenance, the top knot only takes seconds and ensures your hair is out of your face while you’re having fun in the sun… plus, it’s perfect for the-day-after-washing hair! And with helpers like Goody Spin Pins, all it takes is for you to twist your hair into a bun, insert the pins, and you’re ready for the beach!

Braids

Braids have been hyped enough in past posts that you get the hint why we love them. Because it’s “the messier, the better”, they’re perfect for the beach, the boat or the campfire. Plus, you can wear a cute hat to protect your colour from fading and your face from getting sunburned! Our fav? The messy, side fishtail braid.

Beachy Waves

What could be more low maintenance than embracing your natural texture and letting your hair down? Textured, beachy waves are super sexy, trendy and perfect for lounging around the cottage. The key to success if you aren’t lucky enough to be frolicking in an ocean? A texture spray like Kevin Murphy Hair Resort Spray or KMS Sea Salt Spray. Psssssst… Wanna know a secret? These products are also perfect to add texture to your top knot or braid.

So now you know our favourite styles for the cottage. But even though your hair should be low-maintenance over the weekend, don’t forget you still need to take care of it! Bring a leave-in conditioner with UV protection to prevent your colour from fading and your hair from drying out in the sun. And if you don’t have a shower? Bring some dry shampoo to add oomph and texture to your summer style. No matter what your plans are for the long weekend, show your hair some love!

To wash or not to wash? That is the question…

The question, “Should you wash your hair everyday?” will be debated until the end of time. Or until the human race evolves into a bunch of baldies. Either way.

The thing is, there is no definitive answer to the question, no matter how many people emphasize either “yes” or “no”. Just like there are different body types, there are different hair types. Some people are blessed with thick hair that just doesn’t seem to look oily, even after a week – an obscene amount of time to those of us with baby fine manes who cringe in the mirror the day after washing, looking at flat, listless hair.

I'll bet Giselle doesn't have to wash her hair everyday. Curses!

“There’s no rule,” says Tasso, a Director at Haartek. “It depends on the person’s hair and scalp. Some hair you have to wash everyday. It’s whatever your hair needs.”

And these days, if you’re being good to your hair and using salon products that have no sulphates and leave little residue, washing often is not going to damage or strip the hair.

However, if you’re on the fence about whether you can go a few days without washing or if you need a quick way to freshen up your hair, dry shampoo just might be an option for you!

Most of the ladies working at Haartek think dry shampoo is the greatest thing since sliced bread. Originally invented for hospital patients who couldn’t wash their hair, dry shampoos are usually matte sprays that soak up excess oil, add texture and bulk, add volume at the roots and leave the hair smelling and looking refreshed. How could anyone be against that?

So for those lucky ones that don’t need to wash their hair everyday, dry shampoo is a quick way to give their hair that extra oomph in the morning. And for the unlucky everyday washers like me, the good thing is there is a way to refresh our hair quickly right before a night on the town or after working out. “It’s really great for a girl on the run,” Tonya, a receptionist at Haartek, says. “Just spray it on your roots and shake it up and you’re good to go!”

Our favourite dry shampoos at Haartek? KMS Makeoever Spray and Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair really do the trick! And they both smell great.

KMS Makeover Spray

Kevin Murphy Fresh Hair

I was once an unbeliever when it comes to dry shampoo. I thought all of them were gross and powdery that left a residue that looked anything but fresh. I have to say I was pleasantly surprised and have changed my tune. It really does the trick when it comes to adding body and texture after the gym or a long day at work. While it will never replace washing my hair daily normally, I will sure bring a can to my cottage on the long weekend. Maybe I’ll even share it. Maybe.

Love that cymotrichous hair!

There’s just something special about beautiful, wavy hair – almost something better about it.

It’s not straight… it’s not curly… it offers the best of both worlds: extra fullness and bounce, but a polished look as well. You can dress waves up, or go beachy casual for weekends or day-to-day.

Yes, I know what you’re thinking. With naturally wavy hair comes frizz. And if you have straight hair, it’s too much effort. So how can you get effortless, envy-worthy, shiny waves?

If you already have naturally wavy hair and just want to enhance it all you need are a few great hair products, a blow dryer and a diffuser. Techniques for the perfect wave vary slightly from person to person, but here are a few tips from our stylists!

Debra and Lan, Associates at Haartek, share their secrets for  full waves:

1) Shampoo and condition with Kevin Murphy’s Hydrate Me Wash & Rinse – but make sure you rinse your hair very well.

2) Towel dry your hair, but blot and scrunch only – don’t rub.

3) Apply mousse to wet hair – make sure you use enough product or you won’t have the desired effect – and comb through evenly. Kevin Murphy’s Body Builder is a great mousse. Debra prefers a curl enhancing product like KMS Curl Up Creme.

4) Lean forward and blot with a towel again.

5) Dry with a diffuser, going section by section, spending 30 seconds on each, then repeating until you get the wave you want.

Both Debra and Lan agree that in order to get great waves, the less you touch and disturb your hair, the better!

And to keep your waves going throughout the day, it’s important to refresh your hair with a revitalizing product or even with just water, according to Susan, a Director at Haartek. She is a big believer in wetting your hands with water and running your fingers through the waves to keep down the frizz. “It also helps to reactivate the existing product that’s in there. Schwarzkopf’s Moisture Kick Conditioning Spray and Eufora’s Curl ‘N Spray Revitalizer are great as well,” she says.

If you want that beachy texture, products like Kevin Murphy’s Hair Resort and KMS Sea Salt Spray are great to use before diffusing in addition to a mousse for a messier look.

This is all well and good if you have a natural wave to enhance, but what if you want volume and wave  for the day after washing or if you have straight hair? Associate Carla demonstrates on how to get the look with a flat iron.

 

So don’t be a slave to flat, straight hair. Embrace any wave you have and enhance it for the summer. If you can’t actually be sitting at the beach with a soft breeze blowing through your ocean tousled hair, at least you can look like it!

Crusaders in the life-long quest to de-frizz…

Taming frizzy, unruly, poofy hair is a life-long quest for many women, especially in damp and humid climates. Just ask female Torontonians in the middle of July.

Straighteners and relaxers are not new to the beauty industry, but in the past they have been very intense and full of chemicals. Although the results from last year’s breakthrough Keratin treatment, The Brazilian Blowout, were amazing, the product was later pulled from Canadian and European markets due to unacceptable levels of formaldehyde compromising the health of consumers and stylists applying the treatment over a long period of time.

Four months later, there is now a formaldehyde-free Keratin formula promising to grant the wishes of the frizzy haired. Dióra Professionnel has introduced their Keratherapy line of treatments and products as a safe alternative to traditional keratin treatments. Keratherapy is free of formaldehyde, urea, aldehydes and other harsh chemicals and is in compliance with The European Union, Canadian and other international health and safety regulations worldwide.

It boasts a formula that is derived from a blend of orange peel oil and Natural Certified Organic ingredients including: jojoba oil; aloe vera; green tea; and pomegranate and marigold extracts. The products also use Moroccan argan oil, pure keratin, collagen, amino acids and proteins to rebuild, and add strength and elasticity to the hair.

Although Dióra calls this “the evolution of brazilian keratin,” the Keratherapy available in Canada is not a straightening treatment like the Brazilian Blowout. Its results can’t be compared to the old Keratin treatments that contained formaldehyde, or even the Intense Renewal Keratherapy treatment that is only available in the States; it will not eliminate curls or waves in the hair. It will, however, smooth, tame and de-frizz unruly hair for up to 12 weeks and the treatment reduces drying time in half. It can be used on coloured or highlighted hair and it, in fact, helps to lock in the colour and extend the vibrancy of blonde or “high fashion” shades.

At Haartek, the whole procedure takes about two hours and you can’t wash or put any product in your hair for 48 hours. Dióra offers a Keratin Infused Moisture Shampoo and Conditioner that is free of sulfates, parabens, sodium chloride, propylene glycol, DEA and TEA, but any shampoo or conditioner that is sulfate free, like Kevin Murphy or Eufora, is safe to use after the treatment.

If you’re interested in getting any kind of straightening or de-frizzing treatment done, it’s best to consult with your stylist to see which is the right one for you.

But to all my fellow frizzy-haired friends, at least we know there are options out there that can help solve our dilemma, even just temporarily… ‘cos shaving my hair off is just not an option – my head is far too big.

Attached to your hair? Be good to it!

So now that you’ve thought about what you put your hair through (most of us, anyway), let’s talk about trying to fix the damage that has been caused.

If you blowdry, flatiron, curl or colour your hair, chances are that it’s coming out of the winter months a little dry, brittle or fried. And I think we can all agree that hair in that state is not very cooperative or great.

But rather than abusing it some more just hoping that the summer will fix the problem, why not try a treatment?

There are several options for coaxing your hair out of its fragile state – and the good news is that there are options for at the salon AND do-it-yourself.  The two most popular in-salon treatments at Haartek are the clay pack and a fabulous cocktail of minty-tingly revitalizers to repair and seal the cuticles of the hair.

In both cases, the time the treatments stay on your head varies, though with the cocktail the longer it stays the better.

The clay pack is great for fine hair needing some extra care and craving volume. There are three different kinds: a generic one that can be used on any hair colour; one with a lilac toner for cool blonde hues; and one with a gold toner to refresh golden hues in blondes. In all cases though, this treatment adds oomph, strength and fantastic shine.

In terms of a customized treatment cocktail there are a couple of options. Stylist Yuliya’s favourite in-salon treatment is Kevin Murphy’s Born Again. “It’s great for tortured, frizzy, unruly or chemically abused hair.” Like the clay pack, it adds great shine, but can also be customized by your stylist, tailoring the cocktail to your hair needs –  more protein, conditioning or moisture can be added. These additions are only available in the salon, as something like protein in the wrong amount can be extremely damaging to your hair.

The second option is Eufora’s Urgent Repair treatment. Unlike Born Again, which may weigh down fine hair, Urgent Repair is great for everybody. And it can also be customized in the same way – plus Eufora’s Beautifying Serum can be added too.

Treatments are especially recommended for those who colour or highlight their hair. Susan, a Director at Haartek, says, “It’s very important to have a treatment after your colour services. It helps to seal in the colour and condition your hair.” This means that the colour gets locked in and lasts longer because it won’t have any open cuticles to escape from.

Leave-in conditioners are also a great way to protect your hair from all the abuse it takes, and they’ve come a long way in the last few years. Gone are the days when a leave-in cream or spray would leave your locks greasy and weigh them down. Not only do they provide excellent UV protection, but they also seal in any conditioner that you have used in the shower. Remo, co-owner of Haartek, insists that a leave-in conditioner like Goldwell’s Kerasilk Instant Silk Fluid, Kevin Murphy’s Staying.Alive, KMS’ Colourvitality Colour Protect Spray or Eufora’s Hydration Leave-In Conditioner should be the first product you use when you get out of the shower. “It should go on before any other styling product and before combing your hair to evenly distribute the conditioner and to help get through tangles.”

The nice thing about these treatments is that you can use Born Again, Urgent Repair, Beautifying Serum and the leave-in conditioners for hair maintenance at home, ensuring that you always have healthy hair. And when you come into the salon for your services and need that extra TLC, your stylist can add a customized treatment that your hair will thank you for.