The right hairdo is essential to any good holiday party. You may be able to snag a coveted appointment but it may be tough at this time of year. If you can’t get an appointment that works for you or would rather spend money on those holiday gifts, then don’t worry. Hair stylist Sam Brocato has got you covered with a few tips and tricks of the trade.

Salon Straight Talk: How to make the most out of your hair appointment
Need to talk style with your stylist? Bring photographs, tear sheets and all the visuals you can get your hands on when you see your stylist. And, says Sam Brocato, “don’t forget to explain the nature of the events you are planning on attending as well as the clothing you intend to wear.” Guide your stylist to the feel and sensibility of what you are trying to achieve and let them work with you to come up with a style that suits your needs. The end result: a style that won’t need to be restyled.

Pony Up: Insider Tricks of the Trade
Looking for an updo that won’t undo? Sam Brocato says, “Split your hair into three sections down the middle of the back of your head and create loose pony tails. Braid each section and secure with a small elastic. Spray each braid with a light hair spray and push it back gently onto your head. Pin each braid loosely over the other and tuck in at your neck.” The end result: a romantic and modern chignon that can work with jeans or a cocktail dress.

The Pin Up Girl
Need a quick and easy way to take your look from day to night? Here’s Sam’s tip: “using a large bobby pin, slide a section of hair through the pin and rotate it as if it were a roller. Affix this section firmly at the nape of your neck and repeat the steps.” The end result: a sophisticated and romantic look in less than five minutes.

About Sam Brocato
Sam Brocato brings a truly fashionable approach to his work, seeing hair as a fabric from which he cuts patterns to produce haute coiffure and ready-to-wear styles. Sam has shared his vision and immense talent throughout the globe and has been honored as “World Top Fashion Hairstylist,” by the World Hairdressing Congress in London as well as “Editorial Stylist of the Year,” at the North American Hairstyling Awards.

Sam blends Southern hospitality and Soho chic at his latest salon venture. The loft-style industrial space is staffed by artistic individuals who treat each client as if they were a part of the Brocato family. An up and coming New York destination, the salon will raise the bar on shampoo services in the city by offering first class seating as well as custom-blended treatments, showcase local emerging neighborhood art and offer cuts and color from established industry professionals.

I’m always weirded out by the eyebrow threaders in the mall. I, myself, am an eyebrow tweezer – even intimidated by the eyebrow waxers at the nail salon. But I’m pretty sure that if I went to either, I’d want the eyebrow professionals to be licensed and skilled in what they’re doing, considering their close proximity to my eye and the fact that they’re correcting something on my face.

So what are the requirements for eyebrow threaders? Well, of course, it varies from state to state and it’s always important to first check with your state licensing board before you go for your degree so that you know what you’re in for. Some states require eyebrow threaders to have a cosmetology license; others require an esthetician license; and some may not require any type of licensing. But what happens if the state decides to change the law and require a license all of a sudden Businesses are stuck, especially if they have a group of unlicensed individuals on staff.

This is what has been happening in Texas, recently. Eight businesses have challenged the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation’s new rule that all threaders must be licensed in order to practice, deeming that this is unfair and imposed without warning. In fact, many unlicensed threaders have received fines as high as $2,000, according to the Houston Chronicle. The businesses don’t think licensing is necessary because there are not many eyebrow threading courses offered in cosmetology schools.

It’s interesting to see both sides of the story. Some clients may say they wouldn’t care if a threader was licensed or not. However, I can’t really say I feel the same. Let’s go back to the main idea of what a license is. In order to obtain a license in any field, you must achieve success in a particular course of study and have put in a certain amount of hours of both study and practice. This means that you’ve passed and learned in the amount of time that the program dictates you need.

Yes, it is oftentimes the case that you learn by doing more than sitting in a classroom. This is why I think that there is a required practice part in a beauty school program. But you’re working with instructors who have been there before and have paid their dues. Why shouldn’t an eyebrow threader be licensed? They are still in the beauty profession, working with clients and providing a (somewhat invasive) service for which people are paying.

I don’t think it’s fair that the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation didn’t give the businesses fair warning before they began issuing fines. You can’t just decide all of a sudden to change something that has been in place for a while. But with the rise in popularity of eyebrow threading, I think it’s important that professionals be licensed. What do you think?

-Amanda Fornecker

What do you get for a beauty professional who seems to have all the right miracle beauty products this holiday season? Check out some of these products below that will kickstart your favorite beauty professional’s new year in just the right way…

Hair Stylist
If smooth, straight hair is what you’re after, then Living proof’s frizz straight making no frizz styling cream is just what you need. Attempting to beat the evil known as humidity, to keep split ends down to a minimum, and help cut down on drying time, this no frizz styling cream is seriously a no-brainer. For the professional and amateur hair stylist alike, you’ll love to have this in your repertoire of secret weapons.

Buy the 4 oz. bottle of frizz straight making no frizz styling cream at Sephora for $24.

Esthetician
Even those with flawless skin can get a blemish on their face from time to time. Don’t let it get you down. That’s what CoverFX’s Camouflage Concealer is for. This concealer really camouflages anything from a pimple to redness to signs of a sleepless night. It’s high-definition ready and helps to even out skin tone. It even comes in six different shades. What more could an esthetician ask for?

Buy the 0.5 oz. bottle of Camouflage Concealer at Sephora for $25.

Nail Technician
We’re always looking for the longest-lasting manicure that will help keep nails at their strongest. Perfect Formula’s Nail Guard System does just that with some gel and crystals. The gel coat, also known as a “Suit of Armor” helps to thicken and strengthen the weakest of nails as a base coat. The crystal nail file helps to shape and seal nails to keep them looking fabulous even longer.

Buy the kit on http://www.perfectformulas.com for $33.50.

Makeup Artist
Most girls long for longer, fuller lashes and that’s usually what mascara is supposed to do for us. CARGO goes one step farther by helping grow your lashes with LashActivator. By using products like Marine Algae extracts, citrus-derived Flavonoids, and Peptide-biotin, LashActivator helps promote better looking lashes with a slow lash loss rate. Perfect for everyday use, you can expect to see a difference within 30 days.

Buy LashActivator at Sephora for $35.

-Amanda Fornecker

I wear beauty products every day. But not just on my face to mask my blemishes and imperfections. I wear perfume and deodorant and nail polish and hair products. But maybe I should be a little more selective on which I choose to put on my body daily. After all, the skin is an absorbent organ and whatever you choose to put ON your body is what ends up IN your body. Ick!

I was reading an article on The Med Guru this morning and was completely disgusted by the data and findings of a new report. Do you know that the average woman puts about 515 chemicals onto her body each day? That’s a choice made through your own will. So we’re essentially killing ourselves and opening ourselves up to more disease possibilities willingly. I can’t imagine that I’m doing that to myself just by keeping up my appearance. Of course, all the products on the market have been tested and claim to have a safe amount of whatever toxin it has, but it’s scary to think that when you combine all these products you may be poisoning yourself!

One particular product that is harmful to your health is paraben. Think of parabens as the preservatives of makeup and beauty products. We try so hard to eliminate products from our food diet that contain preservatives because they aren’t good for you. This is exactly the same. And why do we need paraben-containing products when really you’re supposed to replace your makeup every few months because it’s unhealthy, and just plain old gross.

This news is not new, however. In fact, there was a study done on permanent makeup and how researchers are now warning that this could cause certain disfigurations, creating a black mark on permanent makeup.

We’re talking about long-term here. And yes, I’m guilty of thinking that this one time couldn’t necessarily damage me. Well, maybe not now, but in the future who knows what damage this may cause. I’m not advocating that you stop your normal beauty routine. All I’m saying is to think about what you’re using each day. Switching up certain parts of your regular beauty regimen may help you down the line. I understand the negative association with natural and organic products. They’re too expensive; they don’t last very long. But think of it like this: can you put a price on your life?

-Amanda Fornecker