Bridal Style: Hair Extensions Q&A With Veronica Gomes

Fine-hair genes, styling damage, trauma, hormones: there are a host of reasons why a girl's hair might not be as long and luxuriant as she wants on her wedding day. Luckily though, hair extensions are a quick and easy way to achieve the tresses of one's dreams. I've never tried extensions myself (I just grew my hair out for my own wedding day updo), but Veronica Gomes wears and works with them all the time. Gomes, a Vancouver-based hairstylist, boasts 12 years of experience and launched an eponymous line of hair extensions last fall featuring 11 shades (including 2 different shades of black, one warmer and one darker), 3 lengths, and 2 quality levels, so it's safe to say she's an extension guru and I learned a lot from this interview. Brides-to-be who are looking for more length or volume, take note!

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Product Review: John Frieda Beach Blonde Haircare

The last thing I want to do is blast my hair with a super-hot blow-dryer when the mercury rises, which is why I've been twisting my damp locks into a braided 'do and experimenting with beachy waves lately. The low-maintenance hairstyle keeps me cool and, thanks to the John Frieda Beach Blonde line, is super-easy to achieve sans heated styling tools. In fact, you can think of Beach Blonde as a complete summer haircare system. 4 products, no fuss—not bad!

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TRiM Holiday Hair Tutorial #2: The 3D Braid Updo

If last week's holiday hair tutorial from TRiM Hair Salon whetted your appetite for more, you're in for a treat! Today's tutorial features another lovely braided updo by stylist and owner Sarah Stach. I love how my friend Paula's hair looks here. The upside-down French braid has a raised 3D texture, and gradually thickens and culminates in a ladylike side bun. Talk about drama.

This style is more advanced than the easy braided updo, but still something you can do on yourself with practice and patience. Or better yet, gather some girlfriends at your place, have a glass of wine, and braid each other's hair before your next big holiday party.

Ready for the step-by-step breakdown?

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Lisa's Most Coveted List

This month's Most Coveted list is equal parts wishlist and love list. Enjoy!

1. Contributor by Rachel Comey sandals ($49 online at Urban Outfitters). Flat and low-heeled sandals are much more interesting than flip-flops when it comes to summer footwear options, particularly when they have cool details like colour-blocking, strap loops and a low 1" wedge heel. If red is too bold for you, don't fret: the black version (featured in I'm the It Girl's latest Shoe Wednesday post) is just as stylish.

2. Alice + Olivia petal sleeve blouse ($221.08). Trends may come and go, but a black-and-white tie-neck blouse has perennial appeal. I like how the sleeves and tie have a soft fluttery quality in Alice + Olivia's version, probably thanks to the luxe silk crepe fabrication.

3. Juliet & Company Poudre Noir necklace ($72.35). Speaking of the appeal of black and white, how about this necklace? The design is simple and beautiful, evoking allusions to art deco and Coco Chanel yet still maintaining a sense of modernity. (Translation: I really, really love it.)

4. The trailer for Black Sheep. Has anyone seen this movie? It's a horror film about killer sheep. Set in New Zealand. And yes, I'm being completely serious. I laughed so hard when I first saw the trailer that I nearly cried. Then I forwarded it to my manager and coworker.

5. Goody spin pins. My thick unruly Asian hair decimates regular bobby pins. They either slide out or become splayed and useless after I stick them in a bun, and it always seems to take more bobby pins than I expected to achieve the perfect 'do. This summer though, I've been relying on the Goody spin pins to put my hair up quickly and easily. Just two corkscrew pins that never splay or bend out of shape, one or two bobby pins to tuck in stray ends, and I'm good to go. The spin pins create a bun that stays in place quite well if you're doing nothing more than sitting in front of a computer and going about your day, although it doesn't hold up to an intense workout or a slew of salsa spins. Oh well, you can't win them all!

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My Halloween

Although I didn't go out and party in a skimpy costume, my Halloween was far from humdrum. Here's a look at my day.

I liked my first haircut at Barbarella so much that I decided to go back.

They did a great job, didn't they? I snapped a pic in Barbarella's washroom. Dig the artwork on the walls.

The boy and I met up for lunch at Kwong Chow Congee Noodle House. Here he is fiddling around with his phone. I had watercress and salted rib congee, while he had fried rice and Chinese doughnuts.

It was such a gorgeous day outside we decided to stroll up and down Main Street and window shop. We popped into Two of Hearts to say hi to Tabitha Savoie en route.

The boy and I stopped for coffee and tea at JJ Bean and figured out our next activity...

...and decided on the Stanley Park Ghost Train! Every year the miniature railroad in Stanley Park is set up haunted house-style. Kids and adults ride the train and enjoy the theatrics and ghoulish fun along the way. This year's theme was the underworld and the afterlife in different cultures.

After the train, we went to eight1/2 on Main and E. 8th for gourmet mac n' cheese and hot butternut squash soup. Our dinner was punctuated with texts from my friend Felix, who wanted to know what we were up to and jokingly expressed his willingness to play third wheel for an excuse to leave his house.

The three of us watched Zombieland and I swear, I haven't laughed this hard in a long time. Columbus's rules for surviving Zombieland will probably be stuck in my head for days.

What did you do on Halloween?

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Barbarella Salon Party

I'm one of those girls who lets her haircuts grow out much longer than I should in between trims--not because I'm too cheap to go to the salon regularly, but because I'm always busy. A haircut falls lower and lower on the priority list as I find other stuff that needs to be done. I left for San Francisco before I could get to a salon and spent the entire trip with my bangs clipped up and my hair in a ponytail; by the time I came back I was dying for a new 'do. Luckily for me, Miranda had arranged a hair party for the ladies of Stylefinds and Jenn Wint from The Conveyor Belt at Barbarella Salon (3277 Main Street, tel. # 604-876-1414).

By the time I arrived, the party was already getting started. Each stylist had paired herself up with a girl. Serena and Miranda sat patiently in their chairs as their stylists put foils in their hair. Shallom and Jen were chatting, and Karen was in the corner with her head under a blow dryer. The hum of pleasant conversation and laughter filled the air.



Over pizza and a refreshing Pimm's, my stylist Barbara and I discussed what to do with my hair. I'm fairly low-maintenance: I like a wash-and-wear style that doesn't require tons of time with a straightening iron or multiple products to look good. My hair also has to be long enough to put up in a ponytail when I'm dancing. I warned Barbara about how thick my locks could get. She grabbed a handful of wet hair and said doubtfully, "The individual strands are probably thick, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of hair." We decided to trim 3" off the ends, layer out some of the bulk and heaviness, and freshen up my bangs.

Barbara shampooed my hair and cut off a lot of the length, then blow-dried my hair before moving on to my bangs. About halfway through the blowdrying, though, she collapsed into a fit of giggles: "Okay, I take back what I said earlier. I just dried your hair and there's twice as much as there was before!" Inspired by my "really classic" look, she curled the ends under for a retro-inspired touch.

The appalling before shot (my hair looks extra weird here because I'd just shaken it out of a hairclip)...

...and the adorable after!

A big, big thank-you to the ladies of Barbarella, and to Barbara in particular, for a great job hosting the party and doing our hair! I love my new cut.

The Barbarella crew

The post-makeover results

Want to find out what the others thought of their hair? Hop on over to Stylefinds for the full re-cap!

All photos in this post by Yvonne Chew.

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Style Advice: Wedding Hair Accessories

Today's post is brought to you by a very special guest blogger and my coworker, Tea of Everyday Sugar. I received a reader request for advice on wedding hair accessories, and having never been married or given this subject much thought, I was admittedly stumped. She very graciously agreed to do a guest post when I swivelled my desk chair around and asked her. I can't think of anyone else better qualified to write this: Aside from being a stylish married lady, she sells gorgeous handmade hair accessories out of her Etsy shop, Sugarlotus Designs. So, without further ado, let's welcome Tea!

Should I wear a modern hair accessory or a veil on my wedding day?

These days, when choosing a hair piece for your wedding there are so many options it's difficult to choose! Here are a few things to consider when you’re deciding what to wear in your hair.

Hair accessories

The dress - If your dress is very ornate, or has fantastic details like beads or ruffles, you may want to choose something simple for your hair to keep attention on your gown. Alternately, if you are wearing a very simple dress, you may want to choose a large hair piece as a focal point for some extra drama.

Both Pieces from Twigs and Honey - Flourish (Left) and Veneta (Right)

Hair style - Are you wearing your hair down, in an up-do, or half-up? If your hair is down, a clip-in flower or rhinestone hair clip beside your ear is very flattering. If your hair is up, you can still wear a hair clip near your ears or tucked in near the back. You can also opt for sparkly or floral hair pins scattered in or near your up-do. If you’re wearing your hair half-up, anything goes.

Oh My Deer

Adding color - A hair accessory is one way to add a little color to your wedding attire. You can pull in colors from your wedding theme, bouquet, or bridesmaids dresses. You can ask your florist to reserve a few extra blooms from your bouquet and ask your hair stylist to pin them in for you. Fresh flowers look great but can wilt if you’re somewhere hot or it’s going to be a long day. They can also bruise if they are handled too much. Colored hair accessories or flowers are a good option in this case.

Photos via Coco + Kelly

Headbands - They come in all kinds of fabulous flavors: rhinestone, embellished, floral. They look great if your hair is up or down, curly or straight. If you’ve got a pixie cut or short hair, headbands are a great option!

Be Something New (Left) and Jennifer Behr (Right)

Veils

Tradition – Is this a special part of tradition to you or your family? If that’s the case then you should consider wearing a veil.

How long will you wear the veil? In most of the weddings I’ve attended lately, brides have worn a veil for the ceremony but removed it for the reception. Some brides use a floral hair accessory to anchor the veil, or wear hair accessories under the veil (which they will remove later on).

Unveiled Bridal Designs

The dress - If your dress has an ornate design on the back you may want a very simple veil that is mostly transparent (with few ruffles) or a shorter veil so that the details are visible. If your dress is short and you still want a veil, pick something short. A birdcage style would also work well.

Face shape – A veil frames the face. It’s also soft, romantic, and adds a little bit of mystery. Different types of veils are flattering to different face shapes. Here’s an article from Weddingbells that goes into more detail about this.

Modern twists on the wedding veil - There are also some fabulous designers who make hair pieces with detachable veiling material. This is a nod to tradition minus overwhelming clouds of tulle – and you can take off the netting later on in the evening.

5eizen (Left) and Twigs and Honey (Right)

Here are some more modern wedding veil ideas: A combination of birdcage and tulle veil, and a bandeau style tulle wrap.

Photo via OneWed

Image via Kiss the Groom

In the end it comes down to one thing...

If you love a particular hair piece, forget everything else I wrote here and go for it! It’s your wedding day and your hair dresser should be able to make it work.

Thanks Tea! For more wedding style advice, check out these posts on picking out the perfect wedding dress and appropriate guest attire for different types of weddings. And remember, if you have any requests or style questions, email them to me at solo.lisa.blog@gmail.com.

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40% Off Love Peace the Planet Haircare

Show love for the planet and your tresses with Toni&Guy's new eco-friendly haircare line Love Peace the Planet! To celebrate the launch, Toni&Guy are offering 40% off Love Peace the Planet products on Friday May 15th (that's tomorrow!) to anyone who walks, bikes, or takes transit to a Toni&Guy location in Vancouver. For more infomation about the products, click here.

P.S. If you haven't done so already, check out Toni&Guy's handiwork in Stylefinds's 80s-inspired Madonna photo shoot!

This post also appears on Stylefinds.

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EvelineCharles Cut & Colour Special

Like a thorough spring cleaning of your house, a good haircut can make you feel like a new person as you face the warmer seasons! The folks at EvelineCharles (1495 W 11th Ave and South Granville) very kindly notified me of their Cut & Colour Special on until April 30th. Print out this coupon, mention it when you're making your appointment, and receive $25 off your new 'do. Now might be a good time to take the plunge and see what you'd look like as a redhead with a blunt fringe...

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Haircut Dilemma Resolved (Finally!!)

You may remember me lamenting the sad state of my hair two months ago and asking for your opinion about which haircut I should get. Well, I finally found the time to go to the hairdresser today. Laziness and soccer mom phobia won in the end and I wound up going with #2. Oh, and your votes may have had something to do with that decision as well. :)

Before

Me in Montmartre. For the past month I've resorted to clipping my bangs back and slicking my hair into a high ponytail to keep it out of my face. (Thanks to Nance in France for snapping this pic!)

After

I'm pretty sure I lost anywhere from 5 to 7 inches of hair. By the way, that ghostly blue glow is there courtesy of my laptop screen.

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Haircut Dilemma

It's been about 3.5 months since I got my hair cut and tried a perm for the first time ever. I enjoyed the results and I loved the fact that I didn't have to spend ages blowdrying my hair. Just a dollop of leave-in conditioner and some hand-scrunching, and me and my wavy hair were good to go in the mornings. However, as autumn settles upon Vancouver, I am getting sick of my long wavy hair for these reasons:

1. My hair is growing out and starting to become very thick and heavy once again, which weighs down the curliness. The waves aren't as pronounced as they used to be.
2. Wavy hair looks best when air-dried, but I really don't feel like walking around with wet hair during the cold early morning hours of the fall season.
3. Is it weird that I keep picturing how my hair will look with a hat on? Because I don't like having long straggly locks poking out from under a cute knit toque, whereas a shorter style with bangs would look more put-together and not like I just threw on a hat to disguise a bad hair day.

Once again, I found myself checking out the hairstyle pictures on Rasysa for inspiration. I found 3 front-runners which could serve as my potential fall hairdo. And yes, all three hairstyles would look excellent under a hat.

1. Loose bob with sideswept bangs. This is my favourite of the three so far. It's cute--polished but not too uptight, and relatively low-maintenance. Plus the model's hair texture looks a bit like mine. The only thing I'm afraid of is that this hairdo will look a bit soccer mom-ish on me.



2. . Medium-length cut with some front layers and blunt bangs. This style is basically a bit like a shorter, straighter version of the haircut I'm sporting now. It's fail-safe because I know it'll suit my face shape. However, do I want to play it safe or try something new?



3. Asymmetrical bob. I love the sleek in-your-face cool of this style, but a part of me is groaning over how high-maintenance a hairstyle like this one would be if I want it to look good. This hairdo would require a lot of fuss with a straightening iron and hair products in the morning--and I am definitely not a morning person, nor am I fussy with my hair. Plus, I don't know if a really bold cut like this will suit my face.



What do you think? Which haircut do you prefer?

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Guess Who Has A New 'Do...

All my life, I've had straight black hair and a fear of dying, perming, or otherwise chemically processing it. I'm really lazy when it comes to grooming: I love clothes, but when it comes to hair and makeup, the former is more wash-and-wear than anything else, and the latter basically consists of a daily routine of moisturizer with SPF 30, lip balm, and mascara. Anything that could potentially damage my hair or require more maintenance than I was willing to put in was not for me.

I spent yesterday combing the pictures on Rasysa looking for a longish hairstyle with sideswept bangs that would complement my face shape and hairstyle. I never bother looking through conventional Western magazines for hairstyle inspiration because my hair is so much thicker than standard Caucasian hair that I have a hard time picturing how celebs' haircuts might work on me. Rasysa is great because 1) it's free, 2) it has thousands of hairstyle pictures, and 3) all the hair models are Asian. Rasysa was a serendipitous Google search find from a couple years back, and it's been one of my favourite bookmarked sites ever since. The picture below isn't what I printed off and brought to my hairdresser, but it's very similar.



I wasn't intending to perm my hair, but after 10 minutes of Q&A about how much maintenance a look like this would require and how damaged my hair might be when he's done, I decided to go for it. This was my first time getting a perm, and I was really surprised at how long the cut and perm and took; almost three hours went by before he was done! The process involved layering some of the bulk out of my hair, applying a relaxant and setting solution, blowdrying, more cutting, and finally a bit of styling. The result was a slight all-over wave that was subtle yet striking.

As he was working his magic, my hairdresser gave me tips for how to ensure the curly ends will look their best. As it turns out, less is more when it comes to curly hair and it would be even lower maintenance than what I was used to. Sweet!

The tips:

• Conditioner is your friend. Apply conditioner to the ends and don't worry about rinsing all of it out; whatever's left in your hair after a quick rinse will help make it soft and define the curl. Or better yet, use a leave-in conditioner.
  Instead of rubbing your hair, grab a section of it and squeeze the water out with a towel. This will keep your hair from frizzing.


• Blowdry the roots and let the ends air-dry. Don't comb or brush it because you'll break up the curl and create frizziness.


• For added definition, smooth a bit of gel on the ends and finger-scrunch your hair.

I'm still getting used to the 'do because this is the first time I've ever had curly hair. It definitely turned some heads as I headed home, so maybe I'll get used to it quicker than I thought.

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