Brooke Moinet

February is the most romantic month of the year, and the magazines, fashion industry, beauty industry, and the rest of the world knows it.

Check out February magazine issues for the sweetest and sultry looks to try through-out the year!  Glam it up for a special date, or keep it soft for a sweet night in with your sweetie.  Rip out the beauty tips and keep them for a special date that may come your way in a few months.

Let the romantic fabrics of what you are wearing to inspire your hair and makeup.  For instance, Tulle and lace, and silky fabric is very now, so keep your hair soft by adding loose curls or a soft french twist with your makeup dewy and light.

xo

Ah, how I love to experiment. If you had a moment with my mother, she would tell you all about my little science experiments when I was younger, and the messes I would make. As I got older I turned these experiments onto my hair, coloring it myself in the sixth grade. Yes, it was a disaster but, then like now, when I had an idea of what I wanted to do I wanted it now, and I could not wait for an appointment.
So, if I am out of town and want a change of style I do a quick Google and find the closest most reputable salon.
This time it ended up being Prive at Shore Club in South Beach. My intention was to go lighter and try to keep my length. Yet, upon meeting my colorist I got nervous and ended up going darker in fear that I would end up with fried locks instead of a healthy blonde halo.
She seemed confident but I could tell from her own hair that going lighter may not be the wisest choice due to her pixy cut and poorly toned blonde cut on top her head.
I also should have known this would make it much harder for myself to go lighter in the future , but I needed a change so I dove in and went for a rich #3, darkest brown…

Turns out the girl coloring my hair was in fact an armature (I knew it) despite her rave reviews online. It also doesn’t help that I consider myself an expert in hair color (on others hair) and I am super anal about making sure the hair is saturated when doing an all over color. (I noticed several strands that still had light spots once my cutting stylist blow dried my hair at the end of the service.) To be fair the poor girl didn’t really stand a chance doing my color. When I was an “assistant” to a “top” colorist at the last salon I worked at, I wanted to pull my hair out every time I had to endure the sight of  her doing a color.  Bleeds with high-lights, sloppy coloring techniques, same toner for almost every client, I said “WTF in my head on a daily basis… So this girl at Prive, who probably only has two years out of beauty school (at the most),  didn’t stand a chance once I stepped into her chair.
Thank heaven the stylist who cut my hair was a real expert, who even helped launch Toni and Guy salons, the makers of TIGI and BED HEAD in Europe. Nice work Franck!
So, in the end I was happy for the change but I was left unsatisfied and wanted more.  More Blonde!

 Damn my need for change…

Everyone longs for luscious locks, and unfortunately not even supermodels are blessed with a picture perfect mane.  Lets face it, pretty much everyone fakes it. What I mean by “everyone” is anyone you see in a magazine or on your favorite TV show, who sports long, luxurious, hair. These dolls either have extensions or some sort of hair piece in their hair, and lucky for you, any “girl next door” can too.

Salon extensions can cost you a pretty penny so, a great way for you to get a new look is with adding a clip-in type piece, like what Jessica Simpson, and Ken Paves make. I have tried one myself  and really loved it. Their hair pieces are very easy to clip in and take out, and it’s fun!  It is extremely important that you make sure the color of the hair piece matches exactly to your own, otherwise you might get called out on the fake hair on your head. Not that it should be embarrassing, but it might be if you get called out on it. So, take it in to your salon and get your color matched, or make sure your stylist or good friend helps you match the hair to your own.

Hey all!

 I joined Twitter for anyone out there on the site…http://twitter.com/BewTQween

Hair Implants?  Maybe a guy word for them but, no bud they are called “extensions”… Anyway, at least a guy made some effort and mentioned the noticeable change on my head.  And how can you not notice? Not only does a girl feel sexier with long beautiful locks, but it shows in her confidence.

This is the second time I have gotten Great Length extensions, and I have to say, I love them! Ever since I cut my long hair off last year I have been biting my nails waiting for it to grow back. Thankfully, I knew my stuff on extensions and made myself an appointment to get the Cadillac of extensions put in. I wanted them to last as long as possible, and I didn’t want to have to worry about them falling out or them feeling like a weave. Sorry.

There are in fact several different types of extensions you can get. Some with metal clamps that last approx. 6 weeks (and I hear are painful for a few days), sew-in extensions that last about as long as you can stand not washing your hair.  Bonded ones like Great Lengths that can last up to six months, (mine lasted about 4 months), and several other ways to extend your length.

It all depends on how long you want the hair to last so, ask all the questions that concern you. If you have had short hair for a while, try a clip-in type of extension first to see if you even like your hair longer, and to find the right length. Different types call for different price points, so check with your stylist or salon for more details, and shop around.

If you are like me, a change of season calls for a change of  hair color. Example, I tend to go a bit darker in the cooler months and brighten up as it warms up. But you shouldn’t just change your hair color, you should also keep your lip color in mind as well.  Here are a few tips.

Brunettes : Sheer colors, nudes, and plum tones work best with darker hair.

Blondes: Fair haired beauties always look great in pastels (don’t forget a little bronzer ), pinks, and punchy reds.

Red: Lips stains are a nice subdued choice next to the vibrant hair color, as well as subtle peach tones, and rosy lip shades.

I understand there can be confusion when it comes to tipping in the salon/spa. My belief has always been to tip a solid 20 percent to the stylist. Depending on how much work the assistant does, tip no less than five to ten dollars, especially if the assistant does more than shampoo your hair.

It is not customary to tip salon owners who also perform services. Some actually refuse tipping, yet I have known salon owners who gladly accept tips. The reason for not tipping a salon owner is because the owner receives the payment for services rendered in full, as opposed to stylists working within the salon who only get a percentage. Whether or not you tip your stylist who also owns the salon is up to you. If you love your style there is nothing wrong with showing appreciation with a tip, if accepted. Also, there is no need to feel guilty about not tipping your stylist who also happens to own the salon. 

Tipping doesn’t get thrown out the window when it comes to going to the spa either. So, please don’t forget to pay gratitude to your facialist, brow specialist, makeup artist, masseuse, waxer, and nail tech.

I am watching the Red Carpet for the SAG Awards and I have seen some really bad hair!

Rachel Evan-Wood has a faded orange hair-color with dishwater blonde roots coming through…. Who told her this was ok? It’s award season honey, go get your color done!

The gorgeous Penelope Cruz must have gotten stiffed by her hair-dresser tonight. Poor girl had to sport the rough dried, and half pulled up look.

Lastly Angelina, Angelina… I give her credit for trying something different, but this time I think she should have left the hair down. Her loosely pinned back do, only made her look fifteen years older. But, I am happy her hair was pulled away from her face, when you’re that stunning there is no need to hide behind hair.

Static and the bitter cold go hand in hand. So, if you are one of the lucky ones and live in a place where it gets cold enough to snow, you know what I’m talking about. It’s not just your dress pants either, your hair suffers as well.

One way to fight the cling is to spray static-guard onto your brush and take it through the stands. Spraying it on the brush rather then your hair will help you distribute the static-guard more evenly, throughout the hair.  

Also, try switching your conditioner to a heavier treatment, during winter months. Lack of humidity on the outside and the turning up of the heat on the inside really drys your strands out, along with your skin and nails. So, pack in the extra moisture.

Is coloring your hair at home a good idea? Sure it’s cheap, the economy is going bust, and finding a good time to get into your stylist can be impossible. But, before you say screw it and head to the supermarket for that box color with Eva Longoria on the cover, let me give you some advice.

1. If you want to go lighter, know that “color” does NOT lift color. So if your hair has been previously dyed don’t even attempt this application. If your hair is natural, at home color usually only lifts about two levels or shades.
2. By all means please lease do not try to highlight your own hair, believe me it will look hideous. There is a reason stylist go to beauty school and continue their education throughout the years, it’s all about technique.
3. If wanting go red, please know that RED is the hardest to remove from the hair…
4. Know your tones. All hair color comes in a level or shade plus the tone of the shade. Meaning brown/gold, brown/violet, brown/ash. etc. So, learn your tones and remember which one you use on your hair in-case of a mishap and you need your stylist to correct it.
5. at home hair color is notorious for containing metallic dyes. Metallic dyes make it very difficult to change or correct a color. And layering these dyes create build up and usually end up looking “muddy” or “flat” over time.

Hopefully this helps you in your decision over whether or not to color your hair yourself.