"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