dia de los muertos

I use to think the skeletons, (calaveras) associated with the Day of the Dead were kind of macabre. Now that I have the knowledge of what they signify, I love the whole tradition. Perhaps that is why I love Christian Audigier tees with their colorful calaveras. I also wear an apron while applying color at work with the calavera motiff, colorful and fun, that I bought here. In Michoacan, Mexico on the first day of November where Dia De Los Muertos, is a cultural phenomenom there is a little island. On this island is a lake called Pazcuaro, and because of the extraordinary beauty of this lake, it was thought to be the door to heaven where the gods entered to come down to earth. Candles are illuminated to show the way of the dead back to earth, and Copalli ( burning sage as an incense) to ward off the evil spirits. The bright yellow Zempaxochitl (cempazuchitl). with it's unique, distinct scent leads the spirit back home to it's alter. The alter is a beautiful memorial of things that the deceased loved and keeps their spirit alive. There is also water to cleanse and to drink. By celebrating their death we celebrate their lives.
The best teacher in my life has been my beautiful mother. I share her message that comes with a Dia De Los Muertos alter, and all of the beautiful imagery that was reminiscent of my beloved Great Grandmother. My Mother shared this at a workshop during one of her many colorful years as a teacher.
This humble endeavor is dedicated to my grandmother. She was my inspiration and strength in life, from her I learned to be a daughter, a mother, and friend. I remember how
She would take my hand gently in hers, and tell me wonderful stories about New Mexico.
From her I learned how to be a story teller
And share her stories with my daughters, and their children, and their children's children. I carry you in my heart, and feel your love, for you are my Nana,
Who was my Tonantzin. (mother earth)
te amo, te amo.
I leave you on a beautiful note of celebratory events happening all over the city. Here are some of note on the eastside, Self-Help Graphics. In Pasadena, The Folk Tree. I am going to a gallery in Silverlake and then over here to get our margarita on.
La Muerte Realisa La Vida Octavio Paz

images: john rees, emilia garcia, mis cositas, ed hardy

trunk show

Happy Weekend to you! My weekend is a shorter one as I will be working Sunday at this Trunk Show. I am loading up my Sebastian rolling travel bag as we speak, can't tell you how much that bag has traveled with me! From Paris to Mexico with memories of the best hair shows around the world. It has traveled with me teaching and sharing the knowledge I have acquired educating for the last 10 years with this Company. Tomorrow, I will be blow drying and curling and setting and assisting behind the scenes preparing the models who will be showcasing some of the future trends of the season. It's a lot of work but such a great educational experience working with professionals like this who inspire me with their artistry and passion for the beauty business.

image: vintage louis vuitton luggage from here

little black book

Cleaning out my closet or in this case my office and shredding away the old to make way for the new. I came upon this Little Black Book from Sebastian . An industry guide made for professionals to keep us inspired with the latest and the greatest in Sebastian hair care and make up . Such beautiful imagery past couldn't be shredded with out sharing. Neo-Romanticism was the collection of hair and make up reminiscent of La Belle Époque. Robert Lobetta former artistic director for Sebastian, turned photographer deserves credit for the imagery on these pages. Make up collection Powders named after the powder dry formulation yet velvety finish. Love the snow white imagery representing a very matte powdered face with emphasis on eyes and lips. Incredible make up artistry by Nicole Servin and Burke Daniels. Defining a perfectly, pouty, red lip is not easy. The dusting of a powdered white face has a beautiful yet haunting visual quality. Love the floating hair crafted by Michael Polsinelli and Robert DiTacchio.

weekend inspiration

Getting ready for a little business trip to the north bay area again next week. To educate two very successful Salons. It's an educational experience for me as well. I have been in the beauty biz for 20 plus years. I never get bored or ever think I know everything there is to know. It's fun to expand my wings and brush up on new knowledge and it definitely ignites my passion behind the chair. Looking at the recent edition of October's, Beauty Launchpad, colorist, Linda Yodice and Scott Cole jazz it up Fosse style with a millennium touch. This gives me some ideas to share about the Wella color movement formulas I will be sharing. Think Autumn, Amber,Chestnut, Redwood, Sable. Different techniques using foil, and crescent sections, and lots of color! Hope you enjoy the inspiration.

images inspired by: beauty launchpad

sebastian flow

When Sebastian re-launched it's packaging in 2008, some were out. Spritz Forte the spritz that glued your feathers together. Wet, " The brainstorm in the rainstorm," a gel that made your hair look wet even when it wasn't. I have been many favorites through the years. I have upgraded my beloved Shaper to Shaper Fierce. I love it the same. Different packaging but the same great, dry spray, and firm hold. Great for closing the cuticle to show the clean lines on a cutting edge bob or smoothing a teased coiff. These are some of my favorite Sebastian Flow products especially created to be kind to hair. I use potion 9 light to smooth out and de-tangle hair the minute I bring them to my chair after an invigorating shampoo. Consultation leading to a great haircut and my favorite part the blow dry and style which is the tell tale of precision work or possible adjustment with a little more dry cutting, another favorite. Today in the salon one of my clients was amazed at how soft her natural waves looked with a little stylixir. I am a lightweight when it comes to product use. Use sparingly where needed in this case a blow dry with taming elixer A weightless smoothing creme with a little avocado oil to help defrizz and smooth out hair . Whipped Cream looks just like it, but for the hair. Great to blow-dry for tousled bounce or to set hair for glamorous, bouncy curls. What products make your hair swing?

images:

sebastian professional

Coco

Coco before Chanel, just saw this lovely movie that covers the early life of the legendary French designer Coco Chanel from orphan to fashion entrepreneur in a whirl wind of heartache, heartbreak, and Love of beauty, in horses in houses as in French Chateau. Glimpses of Coco with cigarette in hand as she pulls feathers out of a hat for less is more. She defies the fashionable corset at the time, claiming women to be embarrassing little cream puffs in them. Her style, beauty in it's simplicity as in the little black dress she wears as she swirls around the dance floor in the arms of her lover, the irresistible Alessandro Nivola (Boy Capel). Audrey Tautou, the dazzling star as Coco exudes the self-confidence and allure that made Coco irresistible to men and women alike. Today on a rainy shopping spree, I found myself drawn to lace tights to be worn with a skirt or little black dress rather than leggings. I am taking more time to look for the perfect white blouse whether it be ruffled or not. One delicious scent to wear rather than two. I am still on the hunt for my fall perfume. I loved Lola but the scent doesn't seem to love me. Currently wearing Michael Kors lovely and long lasting but gave me a little bit of a headache.

A women who doesn't wear perfume has no future ~ Coco Chanel

dog day weather

This wet weather portrait of golden retriever's in puffy Moncler attire is the genius idea of photographer Bruce Weber. I like how he incorporated his sense of play into the images as these Moncler down jackets were especially made for his golden retrievers. Along with the darling imagery is a generous token of about $140,000 donation from Moncler to Mr. Weber's favorite charity, Green Chimneys. Green Chimneys provides animal assisted therapy to young people. Thumbs up to that. Loving the imagery especially the doggie licks here and there. Snuggle up, here comes the rain!

shear genius

This time last week I was in the north bay area preparing for my Wella Color Movement class I would be teaching at Beauty Boutique in the lovely city of Concord California. Dedicated salon owner Nekisa Addis is also a fellow colleague, on the Sebastian Design team, and had her claim to fame on last season's Shear Genius. Wella Color Movement is a class formulated for the professionals to be able to experience haircolor education like never before using Koleston Perfect's new color collection as well as demi color formulation with Color touch and the new relights to refresh faded highlights. In layman's terms giving a hairstylist the knowledge and skills to think outside the box and use creative discretion with exciting new techniques. Using mannequin heads to achieve the color process allows for creative expression to demonstrate techniques that are still new and need a little refreshing. With 5 hairstylists attending, the class was completed in 4 hours, with 2 to 3 colors used on each mannequin and a little presentation by each hairstylist talking about the color movement and thought process behind each look. Amberwood, butterscotch, and redwood were the new fall colors. A little truffle or chocolate brown with cinnamon tones were the preferred brunette tones. Blondes had more gold spun colors woven in to brighten up bleached out strands. The end result, A very successful class with a very supportive staff and new knowledge to share to keep clients happy and coming back for more.

images: bravo tv

think pink

Happy National Breast Cancer Awareness Month! Beginning October 1st and for the rest of the month, organizations dedicated to helping prevent and cure the disease will be going all out to raise awareness and funds. So in an effort to raise awareness and give back. Here are some of my favorite think pink items. As a hairstylist, a new blow dryer does wonders for the hair and the flick of our wrists. This light weight limited edition Barbie T3 version was used by spokesperson Orlando Pita for the Barbie® Runway show at Mercedes-Benz fashion week in February. The concept, now just like Barbie®, women can create flawless and fabulous hairstyles every time, quickly and easily. Although bigger hair is better this fall, nothing like a new flat iron like this one from T3 a Mini Pink Flat Curling Iron to tame wild stresses when the weather gets fierce. Bright pink colors like this one from OPI, Strawberry Margarita, make my tootsies stand out in my stilettos. Loving the new Juicy Couture fragrance, with the fragrance of vanilla and patchouli in a luxury bottle wrapped in a pink ribbon. Dreaming of this pink Chanel handbag I can borrow it here. But the item that would give me the most pleasure would be this pink dog collar with a little bling on my Lanadog. Perfect for our morning walks.

ode to joy

Tonight I was fortunate to attend the community concert at the Hollywood Bowl to welcome Gustavo Dudamel, the 28-year-old Venezuelan celebrity maestro as the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra. Special gratitude goes out to my make up client, Martha for gifting me the tickets. What can I say, it was definitely worth every aggravated moment I spent in traffic toward my destination the L.A. Zoo park and ride to the Hollywood Bowl. With CPK margarita pizza, with basil and extra garlic alongside a mixed green salad with pears, pecans and gorgonzola, a perfect accompaniment to our vino, Elyse Petite Syrah. This 4 hour concert started with a variety of genre inspired music from Cuban pianist, Alfredo Rodríguez, to funk inspired Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, along with David Hidalgo from Los Lobos and my favorite Cubano Andy Garcia as a guest M.C. The incredible music line up led to the climax of Gustavo's entrance. What’s really jaw-dropping is the way his gestures on the podium embody the music – the way he is able to communicate every detail to his musicians through his hands, his eyes, his balletic footwork, or even a flick of his mop of black curls…” Such Pasión. As the concert continued he was joined by the LA Phil's Youth Orchestra Los Angeles (YOLA) project, Beethovan "Ode to Joy."
A great prelude to a grand weekend, Bravo!