I think the most important thing to pulling off the naturally “unpigmented” look is to make sure that you have the following:

1. A really clean, precise haircut. The sharper the style, the more classy your gray tresses will look. Also, don’t feel like you have to stick with the same haircut you’ve always had - grow it out, or maybe chop it all short! Have fun with it!

2. Good styling techniques. Again, to make your grays shine, you need to either keep hair smooth by blow-drying with a round brush/flat iron, or using good products to reduce frizz if you keep your hair curly.

3. Makeup that matches your skintone. If you’re going gray for the first time, go see your makeup artist to get a new palette of colors that will make sure you don’t get washed out. You might try a brighter lipstick or a new kind of foundation.

4. A style that suits your personality. Make sure everything in your closet is something you LOVE (and really, this goes for everyone) - because those little things that make you feel good will shine through on the outside, too! Picking colors that look good with your skin is also really important because you don’t have the extra color coming from your hair. The great thing, though, is that often having gray/white hair means you can wear any color you like!

Here are some pictures I found that inspired me - I hope they inspire you too!

Peace!

~Bethany

PROJECTS:

Because of the great publicity from the Beauty Battle back in January, I’m working with a few local publications in for their Spring Fashion Features. I’ll be sure to update you with exact dates when I know them.

Ladue News - Late April/Early May
St. Louis Post-Dispatch - TBD (Spring)

I’m also working with some of my colleagues on the looks for the
Wash U Fashion Design Show at the end of St. Louis Fashion Week.
March 29th, 8:00 pm.
Purchase tickets here

CLASSES:

This time of year is great for continuing education classes - and I’ve been soaking it all up!

Discover Show 2009 - Last weekend, I had the great opportunity to learn from several great artists, but my favorite by far was Sam Villa, the master cutter from Redken. I already have had the opportunity to try a few new techniques from him this past week and the results have been great. Looking forward to passing along these ideas on to my clients and making your haircuts better than ever!

L’Oreal Professionnel Method Cutting Class - March 23, 2009 - Another master cutting stylist, this one from L’Oreal Professionnel. Looking forward to refreshing my cutting techniques and hopefully learning a few new methods as well.

Pureologist Certification - April 6, 2009 - I’ll be spending a whole day with experts from Pureology, learning the ins and outs of their treatments and styling lines. I’m especially interested in learning about the “green” aspects of their line - as this topic is becoming increasingly popular with my clients. After becoming a Certified Pureologist, I’ll be getting the latest updates from Pureology and will be able to pass along what I know to you guys too!

Hope this spring is treating all of you well!

~Bethany

Full article here

Image Copywright of Ladue News.

The competitors each created three looks:  a day, an evening, and an avant garde look, each in only 15-20 minutes. It was certainly a challenge, but we went for it and it paid off! We won the People’s Choice Award thanks to all of you who came out to support us!

As part of the award, I will be working with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch in the coming weeks to do a feature on Spring Looks for 2009. The tentative date for the article is April 4th. Look for me in the fashion section!

Special Thanks:
- Nikki Minette (model)
- Cindy Brown (clothes designer)
- Lindsay Garner (makeup artist)
- Michael Pearce (photographer)
- Stephen Kinworthy (PR)

This event was sponsored by CheresseInk:  www.cheresseink.com
Our venue was HOME Nightclub: www.homenightclubstl.com
The St. Louis Post-Dispatch Online: www.stltoday.com

(more pictures in the Gallery)

~Bethany

I told her I would see what I could do about finding some good links for all of you guys/girls looking for a new style.  And then, voila!  The link below popped into my inbox, and I am sharing it with all of you.

L’Oreal Professionnel Hair Inspiration Gallery

This link has also been added to my links column over on the side of the page –>

Enjoy! I will be adding more links as I find them. If you have a favorite site to find hairstyle pics, please leave a comment!

Ciao,

Bethany

A: This is a complicated question, but something that I think most of us deal with. The answer will vary depending on what type of hair you have, and in what kinds of situations you find yourself. Here are a few examples to help you out. (If any of you have specific occasions coming up and need a more specific answer, email bethany@bethanylaska.com.)

Situation: Work (Office)
Hair Type: Long and “young”
Problem: How to look professional and have people take you seriously when you’re so trendy, young, and beautiful.

Before:
While this girl obviously LOVES her job, people are going to notice her over-voluminous sexy waves before they notice her impressive sales pitch.

After:
While she still has her youthful charm - simply pulling hair back into a simple, low, chignon will help keep everyone focused on her intellectual assets.

Situation: My Best Friend’s Wedding
Hair Type: Short and Sweet
Problem: Everyone else is wearing their their hair up and curly! What to do?

Before:
While this well-defined cut usually stands on its own - to feel dressed up, a little “zing” would be nice.

After:
Adding a soft fingerwave makes this crop classy and very black-tie worthy. In my opinion, red lipstick is almost an essential accessory to this type of hairstyle, but for summer weddings, a red-tinted lipgloss will do the trick without upstaging the bride.

Please send me your feedback and your suggestions! I’d love to hear from you! bethany@bethanylaska.com

Happy August, guys!

~Bethany

Special thanks to Jack for helping me with web stuff!

~Bethany

Summer is a great time of year - we all have more time, the sun stays out longer, summer vacations await us. But this is a dangerous time for those locks you’ve been perfecting all winter.

Here are some tips that can help this be your most beautiful summer ever:

• Protect your Color. Stock up on color-preserving shampoo and conditioner, and also Hair Sunscreen for vacations and long days out in the sun. All Pureology products have Anti-Fade complex in them, even their styling products, for the maximum in color protection. My Top Two color protectors:
  • Pureology ColourMax This fabulous spray detangler conditions, repairs and protects against thermal styling and UVA/UVB damage.
    
  • Aveda Color Conserve Sun Protector A color-preserving foam, with sun filters derived from cinnamon bark and wintergreen.
    
• Un-Do Pool Damage Swimming laps is great for your body, not so great for your hair. To prevent undue damage from your favorite water activity, make sure you 1) Get your hair wet with clean water before entering the pool. This prevents chlorinated water from soaking into your hair as easily. You can also put in a leave-in conditioner before you swim for protection (the two products above would work great!) 2) Have a proper after-swim routine:
  • Step 1: Detoxify - remove chlorine as soon as possible w/ a clarifying shampoo like Pureology’s Purify or Aveda’s Hair Detoxifier.
    
  • Step 2: Replenish Put moisture and protein back into the hair with a deep conditioner like Pureology’s HydraCure or L’Oreal Professionnel’s Absolut Repair Masque
    
• Smooth those Frizzies! Even those of us with the slightest wave can feel the effects of humidity on our hair. Those who have lots of curl have a lot of hair on their hands when that hot, humid air comes mid-summer. Depending on your amount of frizz control needs, there are several options:
  • Light - Seal and Smooth Using a smoothing serum or a humidity-blocking hairspray might be all you need to keep your hair looking fresh and beautiful if you have a slight frizz problem.
    • Aveda Light Elements Smoothing Fluid - A fluid styling formula that adds shine and movement as it restores a healthy look and feel to hair.
      
    • L’Oreal Professionnel Infinium Hairspray Ultra fast drying, satin shine and weightless frizz defense with maximum humidity protection. (Available in regular, strong, or extreme hold)
      
  • Medium to Strong- Perfect Your Blowdry In addition to using the products above, drying your hair well helps fight the frizz. Make sure you take small sections and use a 100% boar-bristle brush - not metal! If desired, smooth ends with a flat iron to seal down the cuticle for humidity protection.

  Brushes:

  

  Flat Iron (My favorite is the CHI):

  

  • Extreme - Consider a Smoothing or Straightening Treatment When your hair is causing you more grief than joy, it’s time to think about a more long-term solution. I offer a range of smoothing services, from just a soft smoothing, to perfectly straight hair. Treatments typically last 4-6 months. Call the salon to make an appointment for a consultation - 314.721.4230.
    

(all products mentioned are available at Dominic Michael Salon in Clayton, Missouri.)

Have a Beautiful Summer everyone!!

~Bethany

Click here for full article

Girls, grab your favorite red lipstick and head to the salon!! Redheads officially have more “fun”! Seriously, though, reds are really a lot of fun to wear, and they are everywhere this season. If you’re afraid to go all-out red, try a few hilights or lowlights, or maybe a “peek a boo” piece underneath your hair (also a hot trend this year). Who knows, maybe it’ll liven up your life in more ways than one!

Cheers,

Bethany