Subtle Lightening on Dark Hair Color

If your client wants to lighten her dark, artificially colored hair, talk to her about highlights. They might be thinking they want an all-over color and/or have had disastrous results in the past. If they haven’t had a nice subtle highlight before they might think you are talking about putting blonde stripes in their dark hair. Assure them you won’t give her really light highlights and because of that they will blend nicely with her dark hair to give an overall softer look. AND you can do it without it looking brassy.

What she had:

She had a level 2 neutral (almost black) artificially colored hair with 3/4 inch of natural outgrowth (natural 2.5 with 5% gray)

What she wanted:

Something lighter and softer without brassiness.

What I did:

Retouched her outgrowth all over at the roots with permanent level 3 neutral to cover her level 2.5 (2 1/2)natural blended with 5% gray with a slightly lighter color than she had on mid-shaft. (this only works if you are going to blend with highlights).
Then highlighted right over the retouched color and all the way out to the ends. I weaved a LOT of fine pieces with 35volume with bleach as quickly as possible. I remixed more bleach for the back when I got to that.
Put her under a little heat for about 5 min around the 20 minute mark (after the entire head was woven) and then rinsed.
Toned her all over with semi-permanent ashy level 7.5 (7 1/2) for 25 minutes.
Round brush styled her for luxe finish.

Common mistakes:

Stylists don’t take time to really consult with clients about past experiences and what they are wanting. You will often hear clues to what problems might have happened in the past or why they believe something that you know may not be true. Magazines and stylists have passed along a lot of misinformation. Also educating your client about what you know you can do and why it will be better. But don’t use absolutes like, “always” or “never”. Every head of hair is different and will react differently in every different condition. Explain it’s a “process” and that you will work together through it. Making them feel comfortable about you and what you are doing. They are usually scared. It’s understandable. Let them know you know that, it’s ok and you’re on their team.

For this look you need to weave fine pieces to help you lift lighter. Chunkier pieces are resistant to lifting because there will be hair in the middle of the chunky pieces that don’t lift. Also, chunky can end up looking like stripes. Fine pieces help you lift lighter than the target color you will eventually be toning to. Doing this will help you eliminate the remaining warmth (brass).

A lot of stylists rinse toner off very quickly. I believe if you are rinsing it quickly then you are using the wrong toner. I understand time is money but if you don’t use the right color (and level) and processes it at least 15 to 20 minutes minimum, it’s going to fade out too fast. I also think you will get a truer tone for a better looking color. Plus it’s easier to duplicate when they come back in.

ALWAYS finish (style) your clients so they walk out looking and feeling amazing (even if they’re going home to do laundry. Doing the laundry isn’t as bad when you look great.

This was the first time I met her or did her hair. She posted this on social media later that week. Happy clients are priceless!

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and the right clients 🙂

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Your spark may become another’s.

Please excuse me for more than a bit of self indulgence here. I recently received an email from a young woman that asked my permission to do a school project about me. “Um… ya, but are you sure you have the right guy?” Needless to say I was very flattered, honored and happy to be her subject. There’s nothing better to find out you have made a spark somewhere in the world. Thank you so much Chaele Redding. Here’s her letter and finished project.

Thomas,

I am sure you do not remember me as it has been probably about 12 or 13 years since I met you originally. I was a student at the Nancy Bounds modeling agency when I was a freshman/sophomore in high school. During that program, my class spent an evening at T’eez getting our hair and makeup done. I don’t think I knew it at the time, but looking back now, that experience changed my life. It was the moment I fell in love with cosmetology. I will never forget how great I felt about myself leaving your salon that evening and a part of me knew at that moment that I wanted to do the same thing for others. …

… I was accepted to the Aveda Institute Denver in March and I began my 15 week journey toward my cosmetology degree 2 weeks ago, on July 13th. I am so incredibly excited for this opportunity and I really would like to make the most of it.

Part of my first phase in the program is to compose a presentation on an “Industry Icon” and I have chosen to do my presentation/project on you. I have followed you and your work via your blog and social media. I really believe that you have so, so many accomplishments in this industry. Your work is amazing and something I find truly inspirational. Although I currently live in Denver, I am from Omaha and I would just love to show my class, educators and fellow students your amazing work and tell them about your accomplishments.

Chaele Redding

New styles added.

New styles added to Hair by Thomas Sena on Pinterest.

https://www.pinterest.com/thomassena/hair-by-thomas-sena

Bridal Updo.

Why Dave?

Why I think you should watch the last shows of David Letterman.

What could I possibly add to what is already being said about David Letterman? The answer is I probably have nothing original to add but I still feel a need to say something.

As I watch the stars line up to get on his final shows I’m particularly struck by the ones that seem genuinely moved and why. See I’m at an age where I fell into the sweet spot of Dave’s career arc. Old enough to have really appreciated Johnny and know why but young enough to have gotten caught up in the genius and originality of Dave when he came on the scene. Both of these things are important to understand why the standup comedians over 40 making their final appearances on Dave are so uncharacteristically moved and demonstrative. It is in this you will find the key to why the end of Dave is to be acknowledged and fully appreciated.

We all know Johnny was the true king of the late night talk show. He wasn’t the first but he was the best and proved it for 30 years. Back then it was just Johnny and no one else. Some tried to compete and they all failed. There were only 3 channels on tv as well. Actors had movies, tv stars had their own time slots and musicians had records and tours but if you were a standup comedian and you wanted to be seen by more than a vegas showroom you had to get on Johnny’s show. That was it. He was the gate keeper for comedians. Johnny launched Joan, Rodney, Dave, Jay, Jerry, Louie, Chris, and a million more household names that are standup legends. But then Dave came on the scene and was totally different. He is very modest about his standup chops but it’s because he was so unique. He didn’t fit into any known style of comedy. In fact he was more of an anti-comedian. He didn’t sound or look like he was telling jokes. He was a slacker ex weatherman making fun of stuff. The everyman. He found his voice in unadulterated snark. Was Bill Murray channeling Dave in Groundhog Day as a weatherman that hated being a weatherman and himself? We may never know but it’s and easy stretch to make knowing what we know now about Dave and Bill.

Johnny left when he knew the institution was in good hands. And I don’t mean the Tonight Show. I mean the institution of the late night talk show. Dave had created the Late Show after Johnny’s time slot and did it in a way that was so juxtaposed from the Tonight Show and Johnny. It was made in Dave’s image and voice. Snark and anti-convention. He redefined the genre and Johnny loved it. I loved it and my parents hated it. He took it in a whole new direction and when the time came Johnny knew it was ok to turn out the lights. Dave was given Johnny’s blessing to take over the tonight show. But it was not to be. NBC executives, later lambasted by Jerry Seinfeld on his own show on the same network for their unimaginative, inane wisdom made the decision to go with Jay instead of Dave. Bla bla bla, we all know that story. Turns out it doesn’t matter. After Johnny it didn’t matter what you called it or on what network.

Dave took it to CBS and the rest is history. His show always had an edge. If Dave wasn’t impressed with someone, we knew it. If someone said something Dave didn’t like, he got pissed and we saw it. But if he liked someone or someone made him laugh or even did the unthinkable and made Dave uncomfortable or embarrassed, it was brilliance. Either way it has always been pure entertainment. Jay always seemed vanilla. Our parents stuck with Jay after Johnny left. That’s about all you need to know about that.

But about those stand up comedians…

Dave had already been on the scene a long time by the time he started his CBS Late Night with David Letterman show. It was a time before anyone was watching Comedy Central or any other cable shows, before Youtube, Twitter, Facebook, Vines and all other social media. Comedians still had to go through the late night gate keeper to get to a national audience. Dave had long since put his snarky stamp on comedy and late night talk shows and in doing so launched a whole new brand of comedy.

These comics making their pilgrimage to NYC to pay final homage to Dave are thanking him not only for giving them their break on national TV, but for many, helping give them their voice.

Like Johnny before him, Dave isn’t being forced out by the new direction of the day. He appreciates it and he knows it’s in good hands now. He’s ready to let it go. So he’s bidding us all a “very heartfelt goodnight,” but in his own voice. I can’t wait to watch it but I’ll surely miss him when he’s gone. Thanks Dave.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hSFp9hkb-ok

Let Me Clarify

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BOGO all Feb on the MorrocanOil line at Beauty First of Nebraska

“As a stylist I get asked about clarifying shampoos a lot. Especially from people that have long, dry or chemically damaged hair but have oily scalps. WHAT TO DO? First of all don’t forget to brush your hair daily from roots to ends with a natural bristle brush preferably (i.e. Marcia Brady). This really does help move oil from your roots to where it’s needed. Try not to shampoo daily cuz it can make your scalp think it needs to produce more oil. Finally, use a clarifying shampoo at least once in a while (every other shampoo, weekly, or biweekly). I’m loving a really great new clarifying shampoo by MoroccanOil. They are well known to be a luxe line for long and/or course hair. This is the perfect clarifying shampoo for longer dry hair with oily scalps. Of course it’s sulfate and paraben free and color safe.”
Thomas Sena, Stylist and GM for Beauty First Salons.

twitter: @thomassena