Choose any 4 sample size products + receive free shipping with just a $25 purchase at Aveda.com – enter promo code PICK4 at checkout.

Check out their site for a complete Holiday Gift Guide. They have some great sets at affordable prices like the Carry-on Grooming Essentials set for the guy in your life and the Bringing Forth Brilliance set which makes for a great stocking stuffer.

Happy shopping

Photo: Van Michael

This just in for PGH’s Miami Girls…

In lieu of “tricking”, Van Michael’s New Talents Division is “treating” this Halloween with a hair-raising good deal featuring a 2-for-1 happy hour on professional haircuts. Make a date and book a haircut with a buddy for the same day and time and only pay for one service instead of two. Get a new style and cut to celebrate that naughty cat suit or heavenly angel costume before this one week promotion expires.

Van Michael, located off  Lincoln Road, is a premiere destination salon known for masterful haircut and hair color designs and the latest makeup trends to enhance one’s natural beauty. To redeem this promotion, appointments must be booked for the same calendar day.  Space is limited so book your appointments with our New Talents Division today, by calling (305) 534-6789.  Haircuts start @ $25.  Lesser value haircut is free.

WHEN:

Tuesday, October 27th – Sunday, November 1st

Hours of Operation
Tuesday to Saturday 9a.m. – 9:30 p.m. (pending apt. availability)
Sunday 12 p.m. – 7p.m. (pending apt. availability)

WHERE: Van Michael Salon
1667 Michigan Ave.
Miami Beach, FL 33139
305.534.6789

I took this picture mid-day at work. My hair didn’t get frizzy, but definitely did not retain it’s curl like it normally does.

Hair spray can dry out your scalp and cause build-up. Unless you want to go cold turkey (like I attempted) to prevent this from happening, you should try a natural hair spray that contains gum arabic – a natural gum made from tree sap. Gum arabic is used in the food industry and it’s edible! It’s put in hair spray to give us ladies that extra hold!

Try giving Aubrey’s Natural Missst Herbal Hairspray a chance if you’re looking for natural products.

Personally, I’m a big fan of Aveda’a Air Control which contain Flax seed, Jojoba, and Pine resin.

Have a hair spray that you love? Leave a comment and let us know!

Photo: Jon Gurinsky

Sheer black ribbon woven into the hair in a spontaneous and organic way was the look at Jason Wu’s Fashion Week show. Lead hairstylist Odile Gilbert for Aveda wanted a style that is feminine, yet contemporary and edgy.

Photo: Jon Gurinsky

“The collection is rich with different textures and materials, so Jason and I worked together to create a hair look that plays with this idea,” said Gilbert. “The key to recreating this look is to have fun and to be spontaneous. Start by blow drying smooth, create a ponytail with the back section of hair, and weave ribbon and hair against the head, pinning in place as you go. This look can be playful to wear during the day or elegant with an edge for the evening.”

Here are Aveda’s steps to re-create this look:

Step 1: Apply Aveda Smooth Infusion™ Style-Prep Smoother throughout damp hair and blow dry straight.

Step 2: Work Aveda Smooth Infusion™ Glossing Straightener through hair to achieve a straight, smooth, glossy finish.

Step 3: Separate hair into front and back sections. Pull back section into a tight ponytail to the middle/back of the head and secure with a bungee elastic.

Step 4: Tie a 7-foot long piece of 6-inch wide, black horse hair ribbon around the ponytail. Secure each end to the head on either side of the pony with bobby pins the color of hair.

Step 5: Mist the entire head with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray for added shine and workable hold.

Step 6: Weave front section of hair back in smaller, 1-inch pieces, over the ribbon, securing against the head with bobby pins. Continue weaving hair and ribbon, creating loops with the ribbon around back of the head, until all hair has been worked through.

Step 7: Weave ponytail in 1-inch sections in loops throughout the ribbon, securing against the head with bobby pins, until all hair and ribbon are used. Hair and ribbon are looped together spontaneously, creating a sculptural, voluminous updo. Fray the ends of the ribbon and leave exposed.

Step 8: Spray with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray for finish and hold.

As you can see, hair is sleek and groomed on each side of the head and through the ponytail, with a slightly rough, matte finish on top and elegant, textured waves pinned above the pony.

“Christian and I worked together to create a hair look that reflects the inspiration behind his collection: waves and the ocean, with shimmering silks, silvers, and blues. I call this look the “wave” because of the back-combed wave that floats atop the ponytail. Since Christian is a young designer, the hair look is elegant yet very modern.”

Here’s Aveda’s steps to recreate this look:

Step 1: Create a deep side part. Draw a horseshoe-shaped section of hair along the top of the head, from each brow-line. Isolate this section of hair and pin in place with a single-pronged hair clip.

Step 2: Pull the bottom half of hair into a ponytail and secure with a bungee elastic. Divide ponytail into sections with fingers and spray with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray for workable hold.

Step 3: Use a flat iron to straighten the ponytail section by section, creating a smooth, sleek finish.

Step 4: Unclip the top section of hair and comb it back and over the ponytail. Sprinkle Aveda Pure Abundance™ Hair Potion and massage into hair to create volume and matte, rough texture.

Step 5: Working with the same top section, divide hair into smaller pieces and spray with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray. Wrap each piece of hair around a ceramic Curl Rod, creating spirals, until the entire top section of hair has been curled.

Step 6: Brush through spirals, loosening curls into soft waves. Loosely backcomb waves to create fullness, volume and texture, and shorten the length of hair.

Step 7: Pin the sides and ends of wavy hair against the head, close to the base of the ponytail. Hair is sculpted into a voluminous, undulating chignon adorning the ponytail.

Step 8: Work Aveda Light Elements™ Texturizing Creme into palms. Smooth hair along the sides of the head and above the ears to create a sleekness and shine.

Step 9: Finish the look with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray for shine and hold.

Lead Hairstylist Odile Gilbert for Aveda says this is a great look for day or evening that can easily be re-created following the steps below:

Step 1: Prep hair with Aveda Phomollient™ Styling Foam to add body, volume, and shine.

Step 2: Brush hair through and create a deep side part.

Step 3: Divide hair into three sections: bottom, sides/top and middle, and secure in place with hair clips.  Spray each section generously with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray (one of my fav products ever!) for shine and hold.

Step 4: Starting with the nape of the neck, curl small sections of hair using a 1 inch barrel curling iron.  Once curled, roll each piece into a loop using your index finger, and hold in place with a single-pronged hair clip.  Continue curling hair, working around the sides toward the top of the head, leaving a one inch piece of hair untouched.  Spray each curl with Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray for added hold. (This is how I styled my hair for my sister’s wedding last weekend. Great method but time consuming if you have a lot of hair)

Step 5: Curl the one inch piece of hair forward and secure with a single-pronged hair clip to allow the hair to cool.

Step 6: With the exception of the front curl, remove all hair clips and brush curls (brush with your fingers unless you want medusa-head) through to create soft, full waves.

Step 7: Rub Aveda Light Elements™ Shaping Wax between palms and smooth over the top of hair to reduce flyaways and add shine.  Hair is now smooth from crown to cheekbones becoming full, loose curls.

Step 8: Remove clip from top curl and twist slightly to create volume and lift in front.  Secure hair in place with two small hair pins, and then pull back with a larger barrette that matches hair color. Spray Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray directly on the lifted section of hair to add volume and hold.

Step 9: Finish the look with a final misting of Aveda Air Control™ Hair Spray.

By purchasing Aveda’s $10 Earth Month candle, you can support the company’s global efforts to help make clean water a human right. Aveda will donate 100% of the proceeds to its global Earth Month partner, Global Greengrants Fund for global and local clean water projects.

Need more of a reason? This limited-edition candle is:

• stress-relieving aroma of 100% certified organic ingredients
• clean-burning soy wax base
• 30+ hour burn time
• 95% post-consumer recycled (PCR)—and reusable—glass container, packaged in a 55% PCR carton printed with soy ink

Thank-you Aveda for caring about our Earth!

Photo: Hairstyled.com

Now is the time to re-evaluate your budget and determine where and what to cut. I know it’s hard, but in this economy, you have to start somewhere, especially if you’re trying to save. Is the $95 haircut really necessary? If you decide no, here are a few money saving options when it comes to your hair.

* Schedule an appointment with an Aveda New Talent Stylist. Click here to find a salon near you. Cuts start at just $20.

* Give Empire Beauty School a try. You can get highlights here for under $40.

* CitySearch has compiled a list of high-end quality salons in NYC with cuts priced under $50.

* Check out Bumble and Bumble University. You can qualify for a free haircut and styling. Now, this is only if you want a whole new look. No free trims or touch-ups here.

* Google it! Be adventurous and use key words like free, cheap, affordable, specials, promotions in Google to find some good hair deals in your city.

And just one more tip…bring some pictures of your desired look to your appointment.  This will help the junior stylists know what you want. Trust me when I say that they’ll most likely really appreciate it too.