Ouidad is known for their specialization in curly hair.  In fact, Ouidad is “all about the curl” and to keep ”curls looking modern-looking, shiny and healthy is as simple as can be.”  Strangely, none of us at TDO have curly hair. (There’s not even a wave among the five of us - stick, straight hair.) Nonetheless, on a cold December evening, I made my way to the new Ouidad Salon in Santa Monica. Opened just a couple months ago, I was excited for appointment especially since I’ve been walking by the construction of this salon for months now.   (more…)

TDO readers, I have a confession to make: Previous to December 2008, I was a hair color virgin, but from that month hence, I am newly reformed and won’t ever be able to go back to my normal one tone hair.  I will be coloring my hair…most likely for life, and a visit to the XAC Anthony Salon swayed me from my previous conservative path of no-dye hair.

I had lived with one tone, (dark,) dark brown hair my whole life.  Although I toyed with the idea of dying my hair to sun-kissed Abercrombie brown in the 7th grade, I deferred because I dreaded having roots, picking the wrong shade, and feared making my hair become one dry, dull mess.

However, the work of Ariane Garcia at XAC Anthony totally changed my mind.  (more…)

New Year’s Eve is the perfect time to get ultra glammed up and have some fun with it! You want your look to be really stunning. But you also don’t want it to be difficult to maintain and to last since you’ll be ringing in the New Year at your party of choice - most likely with no more than a small clutch (that doesn’t leave room for an arsenal of makeup for touch ups). We loved Amy Adam’s retro-inspired look (pictured left) that looks alluring, but not too intimidating to replicate. With a few days left to practice, we know that you’ll be able to rock this look out!

To help guide you through the process, we turned to Farah Reid, the resident makeup artist at Blow, The New York Blow Dry Bar, for her tips. “It’s super easy to re-create this retro glam look at home,” says Farah. Click behind the cut for her step-by-step instructions on how to get this look: (more…)

My hair had been super long for about two years before I got it cut recently.  Even though I knew that it was definitely time for it to be shorter (it was getting kind of straggly and had no shape or style), I was still slightly nauseous at the thought of getting it done because that big of a change is scary.  It could look awful!  I could wind up resembling the “before” picture in a makeover (always a fear of mine)!  So when I was looking for a salon to visit for the big chop, I was really excited to be able to choose Kinara.  Every service I’ve ever had there has been amazing, but I’d never been to the Hair Studio before, so I was really looking forward to it.  I’m happy to say that it more than lived up to my expectations!

The Hair Salon is located in the back of Kinara and overlooks a garden patio area, so it’s great because you can look outside while you’re getting your hair done.  (Plus, it made me feel super happy that I live in L.A. because it was the beginning of December and it was something like 73 degrees outside.  Nice!)  When I first arrived, I talked with stylist Koji Toyoda about what I wanted my cut and color to look like.  It was a great conversation; sometimes, I feel like the stylist I’m talking to isn’t really listening or is determined to give me the cut they want no matter what, but Koji genuinely wanted to hear what I was looking for.  It instantly made me feel more relaxed about the fact that I was getting so many inches cut off my hair because I knew he wasn’t going to go overboard. He even steered me away from getting a cut like Gwyneth Paltrow’s because he said that it was actually much shorter in back than the styles I had been describing to him.  Originally from Tokyo, Koji is a fourth generation hair stylist, so when you visit him, you’re not only getting the benefit of his expertise, but all that he’s learned from the other stylists in his family. (more…)

Sugaring has been around since the ancient Egyptian and Greek times, and while you may have heard the term thrown around interchangeably before with waxing, the primary difference is that sugaring is made out of all natural products.  Additionally, sugaring is rumored to be less painful than waxing, as when “sugaring,” the sugar clings only to the hair and not the skin.

The sugaring kit from the legendary Shobha, who we’ve already raved about here and here, features all of the elements that you need for at-home, hassle-free hair removal.  In the kit are talc free powder (to be applied prior to waxing to help dry out the area), an instruction booklet, 2 different length spatulas (both short and long), 6 long denim strips, and professional grade Shobha sugaring gel in a plastic jar.

The sugaring gel is easy to warm up in the microwave for between 30-45 seconds. (Note: Although you should remove the lid when microwaving, it’s not necessary to remove the layer of cardboard in between the lid and the wax.) And the best thing about the kit is that the denim strips are easily re-usable and washable.  Sugaring/waxing, regardless of what kind you use, will always be messy, but luckily, the Shobha sugaring gel is easily washed away using hot water, on both skin and on the denim strips.

As far as my pain assessment in sugaring versus waxing, I personally found it to be about similar during my at-home demo, but I figured “no pain, no gain” and attributed the cause of pain mostly to my technique.  The kit retails for a very reasonable $30 since the kit provides 8 fluid ounces of sugar gel, which can easily be used multiple times and you can buy it here.

With the holidays just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to learn a few new (beauty) moves and get glammed up for all those holiday parties.  We took inspiration from Heidi Klum’s Emmys look, which is influenced by the 40’s.  We loved how she transitioned between two looks: soft, controlled waves and an elegant ponytail. It’s really perfect for anyone who is hopping from one soiree to the next, but want to change up their look through the night.

Naturally, we had no idea how to replicate this look - but we called for help from Helena Faccenda, Klum’s incredibly talented personal hairstylist.  “Veronica Lake inspired hair adds instant glamour to the holidays,” says Helena.  She’s kindly provided step-by-step instructions so you can recreate the look! (more…)

I’ve had really long hair for a few years, but just last week, I cut most of it off (scary!) leaving me with hair that hangs just past my shoulders.  I love the cut - and by taking off all the dead ends, it’s super healthy and shiny right now, a look I’m determined to keep for as long as possible. 

That’s where Carol’s Daughter’s Tui Hair Smoothie comes in.  An intense conditioning treatment that comes in a jar perfect for the shower, you can use it in two ways - as a regular conditioner every time you shampoo, or as a deep conditioner that you leave in for 5 to 15 minutes whenever your hair needs it.  I’ve been using it in the shower (mainly because I’ve been busy and haven’t had time to try the deep conditioning yet) and even as an every day conditioner, when I only leave it in long enough to shave my legs, it works great.  It leaves my hair soft and silky (from the moisturizing oils in the Sunflower Seeds, Rapa Seeds, and Olive Fruit in it) and remarkably free of tangles, so brushing it out when I get out of the shower is no longer the torture it used to be.  And it smells amazing - the mix of guava, mango and passion fruit is hard to describe, but it’s sort of fresh and fruity; the scent lingers all day, so my hair smells good long after I rinse it out.  Between my new cut and the Hair Smoothie, it’s like I’m living in a hair commercial!

Get your own Tui Hair Smoothie at Sephora.com for $19.

Jennifer Behr is famous in the beauty and fashion world for her stunning line of hair accessories. You’ve seen them in practically every magazine and on countess celebrities.  What you probably didn’t know is that Jennifer honed her skills stitching custom headpieces at a tiny custom millinery shop in the suburbs of Baltimore after getting her college degree in sculpture and art history. Eventually, Jennifer was recruited to design the hair accessory collection for Frederic Fekkai, who at the time was in partnership with Chanel. Later, when the line was discontinued, a buyer at Bergdorf Goodman told her to start her own line and would buy her pieces sight unseen…and that’s how the Jennifer Behr line began! Jennifer is “inspired by the richness of silks, feathers, stones, pythons and leathers,” in her quest to create elegant and vibrant pieces, which are all produced by hand in her Brooklyn studio. So what is this beauty insider obsessing over this month? Find out behind the cut! (more…)

For New York gals who like a little zen and a blowout with their morning coffee, head over to Bumble & bumble’s uptown location for their new Early Bird Blow Dry.  I decided to treat myself to this service one morning before work, and it was so worth it!  Unlike the hustle and the bustle of your usual B&b visits, the early bird service is quiet and you’ll only have to share the massive space with a few other people.  Plus, they even give you coffee and breakfast treats.  I got my hair done in the quiet comfort of a large space while drinking a huge mug of coffee.  Is there really a better way to start your day?

The Bumble & bumble Early Bird service runs from 7:30 - 9:30am and no appointment is necessary so just walk right in.  I love the uptown (original) Bumble & bumble salon.  It’s a large warehouse-y space but manages to look really cool and chic.  And since I spend my life trying out different tricks to get my hair to curl, I can never say no to a round brush blow dry.  It seriously makes my day! (Or 3, now that I’ve learned how to maintiain a blow out). Plus, Bumble’s fabulous lineup of hair products holds my style without making my tresses greasy.

Bumble & bumble’s uptown location is 146 E. 56th at Lexington Ave.  Another perk I have to add is that this location is easily accessible to most midtown locations.  And if not, it’s right off the 51st or 59th St. subway.  Because of the prompt service - even after an 8 am blow out - I had ample time to walk across town to my office. And there’s nothing like a good hair day that puts me in the best of moods!

When I heard about the Instyler hair gadget, I decided I had to try it to see if it actually worked. This tool, which looks like a curling iron on one side and a bristle brush on the other promises to curl, wave, or straighten hair with ease. Does it deliver? Well…it can, if you know what you’re doing.

The idea behind the Instyler makes sense. The rotating barrel delivers heat while the bristles separate hair so the heat delivers evenly throughout. If you want to straighten hair, simply pull hair through the bristles and if you want to flip the ends just wrap it around the barrel! Super simple right? Curling is a little bit trickier because you have to use the same techniques as using a real curling iron, which is having to wrap the hair around the barrel. That’s always the problem I have with curling - so that didn’t go away. However, if you can master wrapping hair, then the Instyler delivers great results faster.

Another perk about the Instyler is that it delivers results using less heat than traditional styling tools. This is because the bristles separate each hair and allow the heat to be used more efficiently. Plus, you can even use this on damp hair! Perfect for people who are in a hurry. To watch videos and learn more, head over to GetInstyler.com.