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Hair Color-Mythology and Stereotypes Pt 2
Hair Color… Mythology and Stereotype Pt 2
Catherine, Rhianna, George, Patrick, Penelope, Jennifer
How could we ever believe the stereotype of brunettes as bland or boring when we have the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Rhianna, George Clooney, Patrick Dempsey, Penelope Cruz and Jennifer Lopez? Brown hair color has never been boring. Proof of it…? Talk about smokin’ brunettes! Check out actress Jane Russell from the movie “The Outlaw” back in 1943! She’s on fire!
Jane Russell in “The Outlaw”
Still stereotypes about brunettes persist. They are characterized as boring, average, professional, independent, smart, clever, competent, studious, serious, stable, grounded, pensive, even-tempered, faithful and trustworthy. All that adds up to very dull. But not so fast blondes and redheads… when ready for marriage, polling shows men prefer brunettes because all those ho-hum traits speak to stability. There was even a sequel to “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes”, titled “Gentlemen Marry Brunettes“.
Hephaestus
In Greek Mythology the gods are usually shown as blonde, but Hephaestus, the god of fire is clearly shown with brown hair. His responsibility as a blacksmith was crafting weapons for the other gods; like Hermes winged helmet, Achilles armor and Aphrodite’s girdle. He created the technology for these pieces… sounds like a geek to me.
European folklore describes Brownies with curly brown hair. They’re the little creatures that do household chores at night because they don’t like to be seen. Pretty shy. They fit the brunette stereotype too.
Nerdy Girl Next Door Brunettes.
Courtney Cox, Emma Watson, Joyce Dewitt, Sandra Bullock
Very often the brunettes in Hollywood movies are the girl next door; the one that doesn’t get the boy and goes unnoticed. Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter novels is a perfect example; it’s years before she finally snags Ron Weasley. But then again I see brunettes being photographed with serious expressions, looking mysterious and sophisticated. They are also regularly chosen to play the evil character in a story.
Wicked Brunettes
Jack Sparrow Professor Snape Scarlet O’Hara
Wicked Witch of the West
How about the Wicked Witch of the West, Jack Sparrow, Scarlet O’Hara and certainly Professor Snape! Do we see good and evil in fair and dark? Even when you can’t see their hair color, Maleficent from Sleeping Beauty and The Queen from Snow White have dark head-dresses in place of their hair.
The Queen and Maleficent
Around the globe the majority of people have hair color ranging from black to brown, except in Europe where there is a larger percentage of blondes and redheads than anywhere else in the world.
Brunettes have fewer hairs per square inch than blondes, tend to lose their hair younger and my experience as a hair stylist tells me that brunettes tend to gray earlier. So take extra care of your lovely brown tresses!
When choosing brown for your color… don’t be boring! Ask for dimension… you can go light or dark, subtle or bold, cool or warm. Tones like peanut butter, caramel, ginger and plum look fantastic in brown hair.
Brown Hair Colors
Light-Dark Warm-Cool Subtle-Bold Highlighted
Brown hair tends to fade easily and can get brassy in the sun. If you’re indoor tanning cover your hair, it fades very fast in a tanning bed because the light is direct and intense. Be sure to use a professional shampoo for color treated hair like Biolage Colorcare Therapie.
I guess I would best describe brunettes as chameleons… they can be the girl next door, put on their glasses and play the sexy librarian, or vamp it up and be sultry and mysterious.
If you like this post, please feel free to make a comment below! You can also check out part 1 of hair color mythology and learn about the stereotypes of blonde hair.
Hair Color-Mythology and Stereotypes Pt 1
Hair Color… Mythology and Stereotypes Pt 1
RedHeadDo’s Black Hair
I wanted black hair when I was 15… black as the night, and green eyes to go with it. Mom told me absolutely not, so of course I visited the drug store and bought a box of “natural blue-black”. When asked if my color was natural I’d tell a falsehood, totally normal behavior for females when talking about their hair color by the way. Oh yes, I’d lie; all the while my lighter, reddish-brown roots danced around the top of my head or I had tell-tale black hair color around my hairline tattling that I’d just colored it. Looking back at photos I know there was something just wrong about black with my redhead skin tone and freckles. Why did I hate the red in my hair and run away from it for years? Mythology, mystique and stereotype surround hair color and we all know that hair color presents an image, it can define us. That’s why I hated the red in my hair.
Artists-Flora, Morgan and Waterhouse
Numerous studies have been conducted on the hair color subject. I’m happy to say most studies don’t hold water when scrutinized, but people’s perceptions persist.
- There’s scientific evidence, that because of their genetics, redheads are more susceptible to pain and need more anesthesia; this is actually true.
- Another study suggests there’s some hair color bias related to job promotion; but that doesn’t mean the stereotypes are true, only that people have a tendency to believe them.
- Fact: When a man sees a group of women all the same age, all with different hair colors, they automatically think the blonde is youngest. Why? Apparently this goes back to the cave man days… you know, back when if you were blonde it was natural? Blondes naturally darken with age, so a mans natural instinct is that if you’re still light blonde you’re young and fertile.
What about Blondes in history?
In Greek mythology Athena, Aphrodite, Apollo and Hera were all described as being golden-haired.
Even all the way back to the Ancient Romans sexy, “blonde bombshells” were associated with prostitution, coloring their hair blonde was a law. As a result many Romans colored their hair black to avoid the “lady of the night” label. Later on the Greeks who lightened their own hair influenced the Romans to bleach their hair blonde. They even began making wigs from the hair of blonde slaves because they were damaging their own hair lightening it! Sounds a lot like modern civilization to me!
Norse Mythology from Modern Artist- Allison Jae
In Norse mythology the goddess Sif, Thor’s wife, was a blonde but had her locks cropped by Loki the mischievous Norse god. Remember Loki in the movie “The Mask” with Jim Carrey?
People see “light” in blonde hair color so they think of goodness and beauty. In Northern Europe elves and faeries are depicted blonde for that reason.
So what about all the current blonde stereotypes and where did they come from? Blondes are described as, ditzy, flighty, outgoing, playful, flirtatious, approachable, all-American, happy, friendly, naive, vain, innocent and high maintenance. Wow! That’s a lot of personality to hold down!
Reese, Britney, Paris, Goldie, Jessica, Suzanne
You may think Marilyn Monroe started the whole dumb blonde standard in the 1953 movie “Gentlemen Prefer Blondes“; Marilyn certainly made the dumb blonde iconic, but that movie was made from a 1925 best selling novel of the same title by Anita Loos. That was quite a while before Marilyn ever arrived on the scene. Loos wrote her book after watching her friend, the famous writer and scholar, H L Mencken turned into a love-struck schoolboy by a sexy, gold digging, blonde bombshell. There was also a movie and then a Broadway musical starring Carol Channing from the same book before Marilyn made it popular.
Marilyn Monroe
There are more crazy, smart blondes than there are “dumb” blondes… they know how to take advantage of their image! : ) And don’t forget, most of them aren’t really blonde anyway. I know… I’m a hair stylist. Come see me for advanced highlighting techniques with Matrix Vlight and Colorgraphics 2 and create your blonde image with color ranging from the frostiest platinum to delicious caramel.
Do you have an interesting story about how hair color has effected your life? Go on then and make a comment on this POST! Just scroll down this page.
Want to know about Redheads and Brunettes too? Watch for Part 2 of this post!
WHAT HAIR STYLING PRODUCTS SHOULD I USE
What Hair Styling Products Should I Use?
There are literally hundreds of hair styling products on the market, something for everyone! Picking the correct product for your hair can be confusing. Using a styling product or a combination of them is important. Products help style and protect your hair from heat. Let’s look at styling products categorically and how to use them.
- GEL – Gel is usually thick, clear and gives firm hold. I like to use it in wet hair, but it can be applied to dry hair also. Use a small amount, (less than a dime) on your “fingertips” so you can easily get the gel in the root area of your hair for style support. Start at the thickest area of hair on your head. It’s better to take a small amount several times, making it easier to distribute. When used in dry hair it will be stiff and give a wet look.
- MOUSSE – Mousse is a foam and can be light or dense depending on how much conditioner is in it. It has a medium to light hold. It’s used for both blowing out the hair and diffusing curly hair. If your curly hair feels to “crunchy” when you use mousse you may be using too much. You can soften it by scrunching with your hands after it’s dry. Try scrunching a little mouse on curly hair if it gets frizzy while you’re drying it.
- CREAM OR LOTION – The name says it all… creams and lotions are creamy and they have a light to medium hold. Use them in wet hair for a blow out or diffuse in curly hair for a soft natural curl.
- SETTING SPRAYS – Setting sprays help to give firm curls that will last all day. Spray into wet hair, then dry. If you want a very firm curl you can spritz again when your hair is dry before you curl it. Works great for curling iron curls, hot rollers and dry sets on velcro rollers.
- WAX – A milky, soft consistency. Doesn’t have much hold but will give some shine. It’s for finishing your style, will separate strands and show off texture. Helps to create flicks and twists in the hair. Warm in your hands before applying to your hair.
- MOLDING PASTE OR PUTTY – Stiffer and tackier than wax, light hold with a matte finish. Very good for defining layers, texture and creating flicks. Warm in hands before applying.
- KERATIN BASED CREAMS – These styling creams work particularly well for flat ironing the hair especially when they contain argan oil. The keratin and argan oil protect the hair from heat styling; damaged cuticle areas will be filled with keratin. When keratin is ironed onto the hair it gives amazing natural shine that isn’t heavy.
- SMOOTHING SHINE – Oily liquid that should be used sparingly for shine. Apply to dry dull ends and hair shaft, avoid root area. Helps to smooth frizz and reduce static. Also comes in a lighter aerosol form.
- HAIRSPRAY – A finishing product that comes in both spritz and aerosol; light and firm hold. Use on dry hair, not so effective on wet hair. Be sure to lift and spray into the root if you want volume. Can be used to emphasize layers, texture and flicks.
Play with your products and don’t be afraid to make a “cocktail”; for instance you could mix a little styling cream into a mousse to make the hold a little softer. Be sure to warm the product up in your hands and distribute evenly. You want your styling product to be effective; choose the correct product for how you’re styling your hair, be it curly or straight; blow-out or flat-ironed.
Can you make your hair do “tricks” like you see in the photos in this post? With the right product your hair WILL behave, be protected from heat styling and have awesome shine!
DO I NEED PROFESSIONAL HAIR CARE PRODUCTS
Do I Need Professional Hair Care Products?
There are plenty of shampoos, conditioners and styling products on the market. So many in fact it will make your head swim! Why are there sooooo many? Are professional products better than over the counter? I’ll try to de-mystify this subject so you can make an educated decision about what you need for your hair care.
Let’s talk about professional products versus over the counter… there IS a difference.
- Professional products have gone through intense research and development. More money is spent on development and less on advertising with professional products. A lot of thought has gone into making the product high quality.
- Water is generally listed as the first ingredient in shampoo, even in professional products. The ingredient list doesn’t indicate what percentage of that product is water though. There’s less water in a bottle of professional shampoo, it’s concentrated and will last longer.
- Professional products contain finer ingredients and a higher percentage of those ingredients. For example, you may feel that a professional shampoo doesn’t lather as well as a drug store product. That’s because a gentler lathering agent is used and it’s less drying to your hair and scalp.
You’ve just been to your favorite hair stylist and you have a great new color that’s vibrant and shiny and a haircut that falls right into place! Sure a professional blew it out for you and it’s their job to make you look fabulous, so they better be good at it! But do you know how much hair stylists depend on good products? We know exactly the right product to make your hair behave. There are MANY products that do all different things. Let your stylist suggest the right one.
What about cost? Are you already spending money on salon services? Why not protect your investment with the proper products? Professional products are hair and skin pH balanced and loaded with moisturizers. They also protect your hair from heat styling.
A word on purchasing professional products from your corner drug store.
- Firstly, on average they are priced 10% higher than what you would pay at your local salon or spa. You’re not getting a deal.
- Secondly, there’s no beauty professional there to help you choose the correct product for your hair type.
- Thirdly, did you know that professional products are 100% guaranteed? BUT… not if you purchase them anywhere other than a salon or spa.
Next time you visit your favorite salon ask your stylist details about what they’re using and why. Don’t be afraid to make that purchase, it’s guaranteed. You just may find yourself having a lot more “good hair days” when you have the right tools!
BEACH WAVES FOR SUMMER HAIR
Fun Beach Waves For Summer Hair!
It might not have felt like it this past week, but summer IS coming. Even though you’ll be having a good time at the beach, hosting backyard parties and maybe heading out for a summer vacation, there’s no reason NOT to have carefree hair that looks like you’ve spent hours on it.
You may have noticed the “beach waves” many celebrities are wearing… the loose, soft, tousled waves that look effortless and youthful. This look can be achieved in a number of ways and looks great on medium and shorter lengths as well as long.
1) If you already have natural wave or curl use a good hydrating shampoo like Biolage Hydratherapie Shampoo to keep your hair from frizzing. If it’s coarse and dry you may need a super hydrating conditioner like Biolage Ultra Hydratherapie Balm.
2) My favorite combination of styling products for beach waves on natural curl is Pure NV Versatility mixed with a little of the Pure NV Curl Gel. Always distribute the product evenly making sure to get the roots and ends too. It’s difficult to work with hair that’s half dry… it’s already taking on an “undesirable” curl pattern. It’s hard to distribute styling products evenly in dry hair, so re-wet your hair if you need to.
3) I like to flip my head over and dry the root area with warm heat on a higher fan speed with my dryer, only drying my hair about 60%. Let your hair finish drying naturally, you’ll have less frizz. If your hair is more wavy with less curl, try scrunching while you dry, it’ll help bring out more curl.
4) Once your hair is completely dry you can tousle it with your hands and break up the curl a bit.
For those who have straight hair you’ll have to work a bit more at it, but a curling iron or flat iron will get the same look for you.
1) Use a firm styling gel such as Biolage Gelee’ or Vavoom Forming Gel on your fingertips so you can work it in to the root area. Now use a setting spray like Biolage Thermal Activating through out and completely dry your hair.
2) There are irons in many shapes now; cones, ovals, round and you can even curl the hair with a flat iron. They all work. Here are a couple of tips for getting the beach wave look with a hot iron.
- Make the curls random by using a couple of different iron sizes or shapes.
- Don’t curl all the way to the root.
- While the hair is still warm from the curling iron, pull the curl out away from your head for a moment. It will elongate the curl and soften the look.
And finally for straight haired people. If you want the waves, but not the curling iron fuss you should consider having a salon professional put a permanent wave in your hair, it’s NOT your grandmother’s perm. Large rods are used, 15 at the most and placed randomly to give a very natural loose body wave.
Hair has been very straight and flat for several years now… and that’s fine, but change it up a bit and put some wave in there. Make it flirty, young and fun!
How To Find A New Hair Stylist
HOW TO FIND A NEW STYLIST
So you NEED to find a new hair stylist… people switch salons for many reasons. Maybe you’re new in the area, you no longer “click” with your stylist or you’re bored because they haven’t offered you a new color or cut idea in years. Never fear, there are plenty of excellent stylists out there!
One of the easiest ways to find a new hair stylist is to look among your friends and acquaintances and see who has great looking hair, especially if their hair type is similar to yours. Be brave! If you see a stranger with fabulous hair go right up to them and ask where they had it done. They’ll be flattered, and will likely talk up their favorite stylist or salon.
If you have a favorite professional product you can search the company website for a local salon or spa that carries their products. Manufacturers provide amazing education for hair stylists and salons on trends, hair color and cuts.
Okay, now you have the name of a stylist or salon. Call and make an appointment for an image consultation. Here are some things to look for.
1) Were you greeted politely and is the salon clean and reasonably organized?
2) Was your stylist on time for your appointment?
3) Did the stylist assess your hair, looking at it’s condition and ask about treatments you’ve had done including color, perm or relaxing services?
4) You’re lifestyle is important to your haircare routine. Did she talk about a maintenance schedule? Cost for the services you’re interested in? The need for professional products and how much time you have to spend styling your hair at home?
If you had an agreeable meeting, take it slow and have a trim for your first appointment. Get to know your new stylist better and see what ideas they have for you. Every single appointment should begin with a consultation no matter how long you’ve been a client. As a stylist I am always open to pictures from my clients. If there’s a style or color you like then it can be discussed. A professional stylist will always explain to you what will and won’t work for your face shape, hair type and how much time you’ll need to spend on the new style. They’ll also teach you the correct products to use and how to style your hair at home.
The end result should be hair that makes you look and feel like a million bucks. YOU are now a walking billboard for your new stylist and will hopefully, happily pass their card out! And I always reward new client referrals with a free professional product!
CRIMPING IRON FOR TEXTURE
Using a Crimping Iron for Texture
From the comfort of home I attended a KMS California Webinar class tonight. Brian Bode and lead artistic director Simon Miller presented “Celeb Inspired Texture”. They used some interesting techniques to achieve the textures you see in the pictures above.
Curling the hair with a 1/4 inch curling iron and separating the curls gives the hair a 70’s inspired fullness as you see in the blonde style and the brunette at the top. You must gently separate the curls though so you don’t make them frizzy.
Using a crimping iron gives plenty of texture and volume to the hair. You can hide the crimping underneath as you see in the example with the redhead to the right. If you just crimp the root area you can add fullness at the crown. Another technique is to crimp the hair, but then use a large barrel curling iron to soften the crimp. Play with the texture… you don’t necessarily have to crimp from roots to ends!
ME RE-INVENTED! alias RedHeadDo
Me Re-Invented! Alias RedHeadDo!
Shirley Aubin/RedHeadDo
My alias has been RedHeadDo online since I first got on the internet 15 years ago. So it was natural for me to use it in “rebranding” myself! It began with needing a new business card, which meant I needed a logo. I wound up with a fantastic designer from Michigan who created a unique character logo. Her name is Kathy VanHorn and her business is Red Lamp Design, http://vanhornwebdesign.com. From there I designed my business card and sent it off to Norm at http://mrprint.ca. Norm helped with some font issues and has been readily available to answer any questions and has great print pricing.
So then of course I needed a webpage… HOST MONSTER here I come! My boyfriend Don has been able to help me learn the rudimentary workings of WordPress, with great patience I might add. The internet community is amazing, you can learn how to do anything with the help of so many people willing to share their expertise. I still have work to do: a page with pictures from educational events I attend and pictures of client hairstyles… if they’ll let me post them! : ) I’ll be posting fun tips about hair and whatever else strikes my fancy.
My fun new illustrated logo is the basis of my re-branding… everything will have my new logo. In the near future you may even see me driving around in my sporty, yellow car with my logo in the back window!