City Sidewalks Scavenger Hunt

City Sidewalks Scavenger Hunt

Win $1,200, $600 or $400 in South End gift certficates!!

SoWa Sundays!

Friday, December 4, 2009 at 12:00am

Sunday, December 20, 2009 at 3:00pm

South End Boston - As part of City Sidewalks, sponsored by SOWA Sundays, South End Business Alliance and Washington Gateway Main Streets, the City Sidewalk Scavenger Hunt kicks off December 4th and runs through December 20th.

Grab a passport (or print one at home) and go around to the shops, restaurants, galleries, etc in the South End looking for the golden reindeer. When you find a reindeer, alert the cashier and they'll stamp your passport. Buy something and they'll give you a bonus stamp. Once you've earned 18 points, turn your passport in, fill out a raffle card and wait until December 20th for a chance to win a stack of South End Gift Certificates.

Grand Prize = $1,200 in S.E. Gift Certs

Second Prize = $600 in S.E. Gift Certs

Third Prize = $400 in S.E. Gift Certs

Turn in your Passport at:

Anita Kurl - 1661 Washington Avenue

Peekaboo hair color for the holidays

This morning my client Mia came in for her yearly color, a color that will last and fade gracefully over the next twelve months. A tall order for a Saturday morning, but a welcome challenge. So, I took tiny slices along a Mohawk parting alternating between a light golden blond and light caramel brown. Then I drew and applied color to giant triangles of the same colors below the parting. As the color grows out she will have no visible roots where the triangles are and very little at the top. The big triangles of color create sort of a peekaboo effect that you can see when I pulled her hair behind her ear.

The new soccer mom

A large portion of our clientele here at Anita Kurl are Mom's just like me. Well, not exactly, but I have a unique insight into the world of Mom's hair. Almost every Mother comes into the salon at one time or another asking for a hairstyle that will not make her look "like a Mom"? When did it become a bad thing to look like a Mom? I know what these woman are afraid of looking old or out of date, but most of them don't. In the earlier days of my career, the bob was labeled "the soccer Mom look", which I learned was a very bad thing. What does that mean today, I wonder as I look around at the Mom's in my two year olds music class? The instructor has her wavy hair in a cute layered style reminiscent of a brunette Kate Hudson, the petite girl on my left has a trendy layered bob and me...well I spent so much time on my hair it is almost embarrassing, except that I am a hairstylist. The Mom's in the Boston area I meet are pretty hip, I think the only improvement needed is a better blow dry or a different hair product. On the other hand if you are asking for "chunky highlights" or you have the same hairstyle you had in your high school year book picture please come in for a consultation!

The only acceptable mustache

Facial hair or "face salad" as Derek here at Anita Kurl calls it, has been a hot topic at the salon this week. Derek, it seems is channeling his inner Tom Seleck and growing his own. A few weeks ago The Boston Globe's Wesley Morris wrote a hilarious story entitled, "Who took my 'stash?, The sad and curious exile of the American mustache."In it he says, "For most of the 20th century, the mustache was a serious option for follicular self-expression - an elastic emblem of masculinity", but now "As far as pop culture is concerned, the mustache remains trapped in the land of porn and irony." For the first week of Derek's mustache I had a difficult time making eye contact with him with out bursting into laughter, but if he continues to listen to Kelly's words of encouragement he should be in full bloom and ready for viewing by this weekend!

Am I the only one that thinks this is pretty?

Most people will remember this years VMA"S for a different reason, but hairdressers across the country noticed this beautiful "etch a sketch" hair do. This is one of the moments I wish I had a more diverse clientele and could draw designs on my clients scalps. I imagine this same look would probably look creepy on someone with a pale scalp, but if anyone out there wants to give it a try, I am the girl!

Another idea for the long haired gals

Someone told me to check out Carmen Electra's new look and I discovered a model named Alice Dellal (on the right) who may have inspired her new hairstyle. I guess it is a way to combine the femininity of long hair with the edginess of a punk look. What it reminds me of was the time my friend Amy, Marie and I skipped school junior year and did the same thing to the back of our heads. Our goal was to go school with our hair down so our parents wouldn't notice, but once at school put our hair up in a ponytail. We wanted to freak out the nuns and impress the girls who were more concerned with 80's style big hair with what rebels we were. So I guess it is a similar objective, and another idea for those long hair girls who have run out of new ideas on how to change up there look!

Urban Dictionary definitions

Check out these hilarious hair style definitions I found on Urban Dictionary.com:

Mufro:

Is a hairstyle that is a combination of an afro and a mullet.

I.G.U hairstyle:

Is a short mannish hairstyle that is typically worn by middle aged woman. By adopting this hairstyle a woman sends a clear message that "I give Up" on trying to look either stylish or attractive.

Faux Horn:

Is a hairstyle that occurs when a Faux Hawk goes wrong, and instead of imitating a mohawk, it ends up more reminiscent of a horn, giving the wearer the appearance of a unicorn.

What is a good tip nowadays?

It is a topic which can make both customers and stylists uncomfortable, but I will attempt to share our feelings on the subject here at Anita Kurl. The short answer to this question is that you should tip the same way you would in a restaurant, 15 to 20% depending on the quality of your service. We would like to say that we don't expect it...but, well that's not true. We depend on tips as a part of our income, and we set our prices with that in mind. It is however, important that we make you happy, and a good tip lets us know if we are doing a good job. We have a tremendous amount of pride in our work, and hair styling can be very creative and personal work. In in a perfect world we would be getting 20% tips from all of our clients and leave each day feeling like we did good work that made us both happy.

Eyebrow Bleaching, Really?

My friend Jen sent me an article written by William Van Meter from the NY Times, that recommends we, "Forget shaping and plucking. The newest trend in eyebrows is to get rid of them altogether, either by bleaching them into oblivion or by shaving them off." Well, I wrote this whole article off as a trend that would live and die in the pages of high fashion until I watched the season premier of America's Next Top Model. Tyra Banks apparently loves this trend because she had three of the contestants bleach their eyebrows during their makeovers. I can't imagine this look crossing over into mainstream culture, but for those of you who keep asking us for a totally new look but without trimming more than an eighth of an inch and with no layers, maybe this trend is for you?

Why Drugstore Shampoo Sucks...

Is there a difference between the shampoo and conditioners you buy in a drug store and the ones you purchase in a hair salon? The answer is yes. The biggest difference is the concentration of the product or how much water is added, and the quality of the ingredients. I started to read the labels on the bottles and realized I need a little Chemistry tutoring first, so thank you Google. The most important ingredient in shampoo is the surfactant, or cleansing agent. The most common are Sodium Lauryl Sulfate or Sodium Laureth Sulfate, the second choice being the more gentle, but the first being responsible for that bubbly lather that we all love. I checked a few labels and from what I can tell most professional shampoos have more of the good and less of the bad. The conditioners are all about moisture, and there are a lot of different possibilities for the ingredients added to the bottle. The reason we hate certain brands is because the ingredients used in their conditioners are so heavy that they actually adhere to the scalp and cause such a heavy buildup that you can scratch it off the scalp, and it often even repels water. I have had clients complain, and read many accounts online which claim this buildup has lead to the hair actually falling out.

What's the story with Henna?

Back in my college days, I used to be what us pro's now call a kitchen beautician. I colored my own hair everything from black to purple and back to blonde so many times that no one was very surprised when I decided to become a professional hair stylist. Along my journey I found henna, and from what I remember it looked like mud, smelled even worse and left me with pinkish tangerine colored hair. Clients have asked me what I think of henna as a natural alternative to traditional hair color, and I have always been cautious. When asked recently I decided to do a little research, and what I learned surprised me. There are two types of henna on the market, pure henna, made from the actual plant and another type of henna that has metallic compounds. The metallic compounds can be anything from lead, silver nitrate, copper, nickel, or iron salts. This is very dangerous to your health and your hair. I remember seeing someone's hair smoke and nearly disintegrate when color was placed on previously hennaed hair in my early hairdressing days. The difficult thing about henna is that it is hard to tell the good from the bad stuff? I have seen it sold anywhere from Whole foods, to Indian groceries and even Lush. I guess if you insist on experimenting yourself, I would recommend reading the ingredients if they are listed, and if they are not don't buy it!

This was made with human hair!

I was scanning the internet today and I found a creepy website advertising jewelry made with human hair. Upon futher investigation I learned that during the Victorian times jewelry was made with the hair of a deceased loved one as a token of love and remembrance. There are a few techniques used, and on the right is an example of "palette work". This design was created by laying the human hairs flat and up against each other, then gluing them to a base similar to tissue paper. When the hair is dry, they would then cut out a pattern and create a delicate piece of artwork which would be placed in a brooch or pendant. Apparently, there are only a handful of people doing "hair work", and this could become a lost art?

"Bumpits"? You know you secretly want one!

Errin was wandering through Target last week when she discovered a hair device we have all been curious about called "Bumpits". For those of you infomercial enthusiasts who might remember the "Revo Styler" or "Topsy Tail", the Bumpit is the newest addition to these past "inventions". With the help of a few Anita Kurl stylists, we have researched this one for you. From what we have learned, this product provides the structure to create a beehive like look reminiscent of the 1960's, as seen on Dusty Springfield above. On the website for Bumpits they claim to "give you perfect volume and style, effortlessly in seconds". They give the same effect as pieces of rolled foam we were trained to use in hair school, or in updo classes. I remember learning from Mrs. Costello, my cosmetology instructor, that women in the sixties would sometimes use a coke can or pantyhose stuffed with human hair for the same purpose. Our first instinct in the salon after seeing the infomercial was to make fun of the Bumpit. But, to be honest, the smaller size does give you that full in the crown ponytail that all the girls are wearing right now. The "Hollywood" Bumpit however, is a little too big for anyone not wanting to look like Amy Winehouse.

PS. I swear the news anchor I am watching on channel 7 is wearing one right now!

Face Shapes and Haircuts

For a long time, clients have been asking me how the shape of ones face influences which hairstyle they should wear. This is a difficult question to answer. Often times my answer is not what people are looking for, as there is no magic formula. When we were in Cosmetology school, we were taught some pretty old fashioned guidelines about which styles worked for which face shapes. I have always disliked face shape rules. I hate to say it, but the younger, hipper and more attractive you are, the more you can experiment with different hairstyles. I do however, feel there are a few exceptions. If you have an oblong face or a prominent nose, I would advise against wearing a center part, if you have a very round face, you should not wear a short blunt bang, and if your face is very angular, I would recommend a soft style. I think it is important to find a balance between what is in currently in style and what is flattering on you. All of us here at Anita Kurl love when you bring in pictures...pictures of yourself, pictures of celebrities. We can almost always find a way to tailor the hairstyle in the picture to a style that will work on your face shape and also with you hair's texture. Another important factor when determining what style to give you is what you, the client, is capable of doing at home in terms of styling. We like to know the amount of time you spend on your hair and the level of skill you have when figuring out if you can duplicate what we have done in the salon at home. Lastly, do your homework. It is sometimes difficult to determine what would be the perfect hairstyle within a few minutes of meeting someone new!

South End Favorites

In the post move craziness that was last year for me and Anita Kurl we forgot to remind you to vote for us in the South End News competition for "Best of The South End"... and we lost! There are a few more days left to vote this year and we are hoping to regain our title. If you would like to vote but are intimidated by how few businesses or people you know in the South End we have help for you. Follow this link to a copy of the poll... http://www.facebook.com/amiee.parco?ref=profile#/note.php?note_id=217586480643&ref=mf

Elle Magazine's article, "America's Best Hair"

Miley Cyrus is on the cover of August's Elle magazine, but you should still read it! They featured an article on top star hair styles, and their choices are very similar to what our clients have been asking for. The first cut is the long bob, or "lob" shown on Anne Hathaway and Gweneth Paltrow. I have done this haircut at least twice today alone, and it is perfect for a woman whose hair has gotten too long and heavy. The best part is that it still fits back into a ponytail for these hot humid Summer days. The next trend Elle mentioned was bangs, which have been very popular here at Anita Kurl for a while now. The picture of Katy Perry here on the right is an example of a large bang section that is slightly layered to keep it from looking too blunt or heavy. The last category is the "wave", which is a soft pretty long layered haircut which is either blown out with a round brush or curled with a large barrel curling iron shown on Gossip girl's Blake Livley.

Scary Straight?

In the last few months we've had a lot of clients ask about the latest straightening service for hair known as "Escova Progressiva" Progressive Blowdry or more commonly, Keratin Hair Treatment . We've actually had a few clients come in after this service and were impressed by the results. But, as in life anything that seems too good to be true, usually is.

The service started in the humid country of Brazil where urban legend tells of a mortician who realized formaldehyde was straightening the hair of the corpses he was embalming. It arrived stateside in 2007 and was skewered by beauty magazine Allure. see article http://www.allure.com/magazine/2007/10/scared_straight?currentPage=1

The process involves the application of the straightening solution, followed by the application of a flat iron. This is where many people have concerns over the safety of the products. Formaldehyde is a known carcinogen and the FDA considers .2% to be safe for humans. Most of the formulas actually contain 2% to 15% formaldehyde which is way out of the "safe" range.

Until more info is available about the safety of these products, Anita Kurl will stay formaldehyde fume free!

What in the world is Moroccan hair oil?

We have been hearing buzz about this miracle hair oil for a while now so I decided to find out more. The description on their website says that it has the ability to restore over processed hair damaged by chemical or environmental factors. The active ingredient is argan oil found in endemic argan tree in southwestern Morocco. The indigenous people of Morocco would collect undigested argan pits from the waste of goats back many centuries before modern times. Nicole has been experimenting with it on one of her new clients who came to her with very damaged hair and is quite happy with the results, but the rest of us are waiting on some free samples from the manufacturer in Canada!

Five interesting facts about your hair

1. The average person loses between 60 and 100 strands of hair per day.

2. Woman's hair is about half the diameter of men's hair.

3. One human hair can support 3.5 ounces.

4. The average human has 1000,000 hair follicles, blonde's have the most followed by black hair, brunettes and lastly redheads.

5. The average lifespan of a human hair is between 3 and seven years

Put those flat irons down!

So Summer hasn't exactly been what we hoped for so far but one thing that the fortcasters got right is the humidity. It is time to embrace this moisture and find the right product to enhance you hair's natural "texture". In the June issue of Vogue they point out that frizzy manes are making a comeback and that we should embrace the textured look. The Prada fall runway shows featured Guido Palau, who sent models out with fuzzy hairdos spoken of as "a broken silhouette" or "beachy." There are a few us here at Anita Kurl that have hair ranging from wavy to very curly hair and we each have a favorite. To attempt that look at home here is what you need: for fine wavy hair Sebastian's "Mousse Forte" is great, for thicker courser hair Wella's System Professional "Hyper Curl", and for very curly hair that needs more control Wella's "Curl Definer" which also has SPF. I think I see the sun peeking out now?

Who stole my hair clips?

Check out the genius design of these new hair clips that have been floating around the salon. While my friend Kelly from Pinkergreen, the company who designed our new logo was in a few weeks ago she noted how they look just like the bones of a finger. The best part of these clips is that they can hold the thickest heaviest hair up and out of the way so that we can create perfect sections while cutting or coloring a long or thick head of hair. For those of you who ask me why your blowdrys don't look as good at home as they do when they leave the salon this just might be your answer. Clip up your hair and never take a section thicker than the diameter of your brush! Here is a link...http://shopping.instyle.com/browse/womens-beauty/Color-Trak

The modern day bob

The bob sometimes gets a bad rap, being called the "soccer mom" look or that hideous hair cut we keep seeing on the cover of recent tabloids, but we think it is actually a timeless and classic hairstyle. The hair cut became popular in 1914 when ballroom dancer and silent film actor Irene Castle cut her hair into a bob before entering the hospital for an appendectomy. She did it for convenience, but with so many woman in the workforce while the men were at war it became desirable to simplify their hairstyles. It has come in and out of fashion almost every other decade since. For a lot of modern day hair stylists Vidal Sassoon is what we think of when we hear "bob". We might picture one of the precision haircuts he did in the 60's pictured above on Nancy Kwan in the black and white photo. Over the weekend we gave that hair style a modern interpretation in Melissa's haircut above, which captures the geometric look Vidal Sassoon made famous, but with a little more movement and texture.

Sexy new hair clippers

For those of you looking for a short Summer haircut, we have a new tool to use on you. Wella has updated their Xpert clippers with a sleek new design and some exceptional features. These clippers actually have a micro processor that controls the cutting speed, as well as steel cutting blades and settings that adjust the cutting length from between 4 to 20mms. Our clients are already telling us that they enjoy the fact that they are quiet and have a very low vibration, but most importantly the hair cuts look amazing!

Braided Updo

This weekend one of Errin's clients and her bridal party came in to have their hair styled. Nicole did this beautiful braided updo inspired by the trends in Hollywood towards the Bohemian look. Celebrities like Jennifer Anniston at the
2009 Oscars and some of our favorite leading ladies like Drew Barrymore, and Jessica Alba have also been sporting this unique, casual but dressy look.

New Sebastian products

For those of you missing discontinued Sebastian products, stay tuned. We just got three new products in the mail yesterday that will be hitting the shelves in the next few weeks. The new Microweb Fiber reminds us a lot of the old Threads, and the Texturizer is simply repackaged in a new smaller (easier to travel with) size. We still need to experiment with the Matte Putty, but the literature says that it will "gently hold the style and softly shape".

Wella color class

This past Monday we had a Wella color class here at Anita Kurl. The new technique we learned was called color sequencing and it gave us a multi tonal blonde. This new color application is a great alternative to traditional highlighting. Shannon our newest hair stylist was our model for the class and you can come in to see it on her in person Tuesdays, Fridays and every other Saturday/Sunday.