Now that Labor Day Weekend is over and the weather has been getting progressively cooler, it seems that Fall is upon us. So what can we expect for hair styles in Fall 09? We got the scoop from the 2009 Autumn/Winter Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week and celebrity hairstylist, Paul Labrecque, shows us how to take those crazy high-fashion runway model hairdos and turn them into something we can manage for everyday living.

Crimping
Crimping isn’t just a thing of the 80s. In fact, we saw crimped-out hairdos all over the runways of designers, like Karl Lagerfield and Stephane Rolland.

If your hair doesn’t have any natural texture, wave or body, LaBrecque says:

• Use a styling cream such as Paul Labrecque’s COLOR STYLE Fade Protection Foam to give hair the grip it needs before blow drying and using a crimping iron.
• To avoid a frizzy mess, lightly spritz dry hair with an anti-frizz spray and pull the front of the hair up into two high twists.

Parting
Ah, the age-old question of the middle part or the side part? The Paris runway shows tell us that both middle and swooping side parts are very much popular hairstyles for this Fall.

To achieve this sleek, chic chignon, follow LeBrecque’s advice:

• Apply a frizz-fighting, straightening cream to wet hair and blow dry in 1 inch sections with a round brush.
• Part the hair in the middle and smooth strands with the Paul Labrecque DAILY STYLE Alcohol Free Holding Gel and a boar bristle flat brush for amazing shine.

For a soft, swooping side part that gives way to a simple, low twist:

• Part hair on the side and use a 2inch barrel curling iron to set the heavier side of the parting in alternating curls.
• When brushed out it will yield big, soft waves that can be formed into a dropping scoop.
• Loosely pull everything back and mist with the Paul Labrecque STRAIGHT FINISH Humidity Control Hair Mist to tame fly-aways and hold the shape without hardness.

The “Poof”
Defying gravity has been a continuing trend over the past few seasons and remains a hot commodity this year. The “poof” could be seen on the runways of designers, like John-Paul Gautier and Cengiz Abazoglu, in boiffants and other exciting hairdos.

To gain some height, volume and drama:

• Spray the Paul Labrecque VOLUME FINISH All Day Holding Mist directly on the root before teasing (back combing) your hair in sections, working from front to back.
• Finish the look by flat ironing only the lower half of the hair shaft for that sleek, straight look.

-Amanda Fornecker

I love reality television. It’s my guilty pleasure. Depending on the type of show, I can be interested in both competitions and shows that document people’s lives. The ability to appeal to an audience is probably best-suited for a brand new idea for a show. We’ve all seen the same old beauty competition shows. Shear Genius had hair stylists vying for a chance to win the title, money, and a career takeoff; Blush got us all interested in makeup careers. But there must be something else.

Here’s where “Beauty School Drop-In” (working title) comes in to play. I think this is a fabulous idea. The proposed show will follow around a few beauty students at the Hoss Lee Beauty School in Citrus Heights, CA. The students won’t necessarily be competing for anything on the show, but we will get to see their real lives. It will document what they actually go through as beauty students and even show their home and work lives. We will get to see what a truly exciting and challenging experience beauty school can be. I think this will be a great way to interest many more people in getting their beauty school degrees, certifications, and licenses. You don’t really know what a particular career involves until you’ve seen someone in action.

The show won’t air anytime soon, as there are still casting calls taking place. However, I do hope it makes it to the air so we can all learn something from beauty school and better understand how our beauty school stylists and cosmetologists get to where they are.

For more info check out: Local Reality Show Hopes to Make the Cut.

-Amanda Fornecker

“I think that the most important thing a woman can have – next to talent, of course – is her hairdresser.” -Joan Crawford

I want to write about the power of a hairdresser. I saw mine last week and I absolutely adore her. A few days before, however, I had gone to a different girl at the mall to get my hair blown out for a Christmas party and realized how much I actually do appreciate my excellent hairdresser. A hairdresser is important for a few different reasons. See a few of them below.

1. Styling Expert
I made a very big change this year. I had had long hair for as long as I could remember. I had also visited my original hairdresser since I was in the seventh grade. But it was time for a change in style and unfortunately with people. So I took my best friend’s advice and went to her hairdresser (my now favorite girl ever!) and I also chopped off my hair. It was a lot to take in one visit. Perhaps I should have tried this hairdresser out before I put my hair on the chopping block, but I guess I thought it would be easier to have all change hit me in one day. I was definitely not disappointed. My new hairdresser listened to me and gave me one of the best haircuts of my life! She continues to do so every six weeks or so.

2. Self-Esteem Booster
Hairdressers can really influence your confidence and how you view yourself. If you are a hairdresser who listens, observes, communicates, and executes a plan of action successfully, you are more likely to build a stable group of clients for your business. When I leave my hairdresser at the hair salon, I always feel like a million bucks. I like to put on my sunglasses, turn up the music, and drive away confidently – I always know that I look good.

3. An Outlet
I love talking to my hairdresser. I feel that I connect with her better because we are closer in age than I was with my last hairdresser. So I feel I have more in common with her. A lot of people love to tell their hairdressers all kinds of things so it’s always good for a hairdresser to be social and friendly. If you’re a people person (and love to do hair of course), a hairdresser career might be perfect for you.

My hairdresser is so important to me. When I went last Monday to get my hair blown out I really realized how lucky (or spoiled) I am. The woman that blew out my hair took a very long time to do it (and I have short hair now), seemed unsure of what brushes to use, and couldn’t make good conversation. It was slightly awkward, but it made me appreciate my hairdresser all the more. Keep up the good work, Deirdre!!

-Amanda Fornecker

Cosmetologists in training: take note. If you aspire to be THE hair stylist to the stars, to see your name in lights at your very own salon on the likes of fancy schmancy Madison Avenue, or to see your work all over the Red Carpet, then take a look at the story of Julien Farel. He’s made $3,600 in the past for completing only 30 minutes of work. Of course, he was styling a celeb’s hair at 2 a.m., but that’s just a minor detail…

MSN CareerBuilder had an article up today about this hair stylist and how he got to where he is today. Seems like it took a lot of training, practice, and mentoring. But eventually Farel was able to open up his own salon. Dreams do come true. While he was star struck at first when he started styling celebrities, he now claims that this job comes second nature to him and that his goal is making all his clients look like celebrities.

Says Farel in the MSN article, “Opening my own salon and seeing my name on Madison Avenue was always a dream,” Farel says. “To see it happen still fills me with such pride.”

And you can do it too. It’s not impossible at all. Farel started out at beauty school, worked in the field, and was noticed by someone with more experience. He just continued to move up from there.

“There is no secret to success,” points out Farel in the article, “there’s just determination.”

So turn that determination into some motivation for a beauty program so you can own your dream salon and make thousands of dollars in just minutes.

-Amanda Fornecker