Going Dark To Light

Have naturally dark hair and want to go blonde?  It’s a big step, but with professional guidance, it can be done and look great. Patrick McIvor, Matrix Artistic Director, says it takes lot of time and money.
“Dark brown to blonde is a big change, and since hair grows a half inch a month, you need to visit a stylist every 4 weeks to keep the blonde looking good.  And, because of the transition, it takes time to process,” explains McIvor.

McIvor says there are many types of blondes – platinum, light blonde, dark blonde, multi-colored, highlighted, so pick the one that fits the time and money allotted for the job. The lighter the blonde, the more time and money it will take to maintain.  For instance, platinum hair like Michelle Williams requires touchups every 2-4 weeks and for multi-colored blonde like Shakira, hair needs to be lightened in two steps - either all over or with lots of highlights and then a glaze (every 4 weeks).  For hair the color of Beyoncé, products like MATRIX Wonder.Browns can be used to lighten hair all in one step (every 4 weeks). There are many ways of approaching going blonde, ask professional for guidance.

“Many women with naturally dark hair, especially those who have only used a demi permanent color, are surprised at how the texture of their hair changes when they go blonde.  Whenever hair is lightened, it changes the protein bonds in hair, so caring for newly colored blonde hair requires more attention and products,” explains McIvor.

McIvor recommends using a color care regimen such as Matrix Biolage colorcarethérapie Delicate Care Shampoo and Conditioner that has no sulfates which helps color last longer.  In addition, he suggests using a treatment at least once a week like Delicate Care Masque to replenish moisture.  For ultra-polished blonde, use Delicate Care Organic Certified Oil – formulated with organic olive oil and Argan oil from Morocco to restore sheen for optimal shine and smoothness, and long lasting luminous color.

Patrick McIvor is Artistic Director for Matrix, a leading professional haircare and haircolor company in the United States and part of the L’Oreal USA Professional Products Division. As one of the most respected colorists in the industry, the former Color Director for Nick Arrojo and Rodney Culter in NYC, is a cultural junkie inspired by international cosmopolitan influences from fashion, global trends, technology and social networking.  McIvor is featured in the book “50 Hairstylists.”
Website: www.patrickmcivorcolorstudio.com , YouTube: www.youtube.com/user/patrickmcivor

Spring Cleaning... for your hair

From Suzanne Quinn, Glow Communications:

Spring is synonymous with life – plants start to grow, leaves pop, animals give birth…so if hair looks like old man winter, it’s not a pretty sight!
Patrick McIvor, Matrix Artistic Director, offers spring cleaning tips to awaken hair after the long, dark, dry winter months.

• Get sun kissed highlights – nothing makes a girl feel better than a little color.
• Apply a clear glaze to make hair shine – salons provide it as a service and DIY brands offer clear glazes as well.  It magnifies color and helps reduce frizz too!
• Hydrate with a moisturizing treatment - whether it’s a professional back bar treatment like Matrix Total Results Total Treat Deep Cream Mask or an at home deep conditioner, hair will be revitalized.
• Try a new look – get a trim for fresh ends, play with layers, or frame the face with new fringe  (soft and side swept or chunky and straight across).
• Style for spring – it’s getting warmer, try a funky braid, low side ponytail or a messy bun. 

“After the long winter months, it’s amazing how we can find joy in the simple things in life…like a good hair day!” says McIvor.

Get your perfect hair with a little help from the stars

Bringing in a picture of your favorite celebrity hair can help!

Stylists have their fair share of celebrity photos presented, but a good stylist uses it as a communication tool to hone in on a client’s lifestyle so they can create a look that’s a good fit. Krista Beahm, stylist at patrick mcivor color studio, sees stacks of pics, and believe it or not, they pretty much fit into five categories.  Keeping these groups top of mind can help make a match in heaven.

Magnificent Mom: No fuss and is always in a rush, but wants to look good.  May rock the ponytail a bit too much and needs an alternative with minimum styling effort. Think Jessica Alba, Katie Homes. Tip: A product like Matrix Design Pulse Thermo Glide Express Blow Out Crème is good for moms because it helps reduce drying time.  After shampooing, rub a dime size amount in hands and distribute evenly throughout hair and blow dry as usual.

Bohemian/Natural:  Loose, soft curls and waves, earthy and carefree, digs simple hair accessories like head bands and flowers.  Doesn’t mind putting a little effort into styling, but it can’t look like it. Think Blake Lively and Ashley Olsen.  Tip: Section hair from ear to ear, clip rest of hair out of the way, and spray with Matrix Vavoom Gold Heat Iron-In Control Protective Dry Mist to protect against heat damage before curling with iron. Then, section from brow bone to brow bone and repeat.

Edgy: Stylish with a unique flair, likes to stand out in a crowd and make a bold statement that gets them noticed. Will put the time into styling hair if the results are worth it.  Think Katy Perry, Rihanna and Megan Fox.  Tip: Molding paste is great for making hair textured and edgy.   Try Matrix Design Pulse Messy Couture Molding Paste - rub a small amount of product around fingertips, and run through ends and swirl around sections to create edgy texture.

Polished: Red carpet ready at all times, not one hair out of place.  Will try new looks if it suits their personal style and will spend a lot of time devoted to achieving the perfect look.  Think Kate Bosworth and Jennifer Lopez. Tip: Polished looks need to hold for hours and products like Matrix Total Results Sleek Blow Down Leave In- Cream holds for 24, so every hair stays in place!   Apply a nickel size amount evenly throughout hair and blow dry. Finish with a drop or two of Matrix Total Results Sleek Silk Wonder Smoothing Oil for a great shine.

World Traveler: Always on the go, yet always looks great whether they’re boarding or deplaning. Savvy – they have inside scoop (from their stylists, of course) on styling tricks that take them from day to night, plane to event or meeting to photo shoot.  Think Angelina Jolie and Kim Kardashian.  Tip: Reworking and freshening hair is important for travelers, so a product like Matrix Design Pulse Fiber Shuffle Fibrous Play Paste is great because it stays pliable and hair and be reworked throughout the day…and night. To use, apply product to fingers tips and work through dry hair to style. Later in the day or after a flight, simply rework hair to freshen.

Hot and Cold Color

Thanks to the ever-brilliant Suzanne Quinn for this color-decoder!

What makes haircolor hot? Tone! Determining the correct haircolor tone, either warm or cool, is simple with these tips from Krista Beahm, colorist at patrick mcivor color studio. Rule of Thumb: Natural cool tones look best with cool haircolor and natural warm tones look best with warm haircolor.

“Colorists are trained to choose a haircolor that matches a client’s natural skin tones. It’s a process that yields complimentary haircolor results – haircolor that makes eyes shine and skin glow. Choosing the wrong tone can result in skin and eyes looking washed out and tired. So, when choosing DIY color or consulting with your stylist, it’s important to take tone into consideration. I advise looking at childhood photos, if someone had warm tones in their hair as a child, go warm now – cool tones, then go cool,” explains Beahm.

Skin

• Tan easily and veins tend to be bluish green - WARM
• Burn quickly and veins tend to be bluish purple - COOL

Eyes

• Golden flecks in eyes - WARM
• Grayish flecks in eyes - COOL

Natural Hair

• Red, orange and yellow – colors evoking fire and sunshine - WARM
• Green, blue and purple – colors evoking water, sky, sea and forests - COOL

Jennifer Lopez (warm brunette)

Megan Fox (cool brunette)

Kate Hudson (warm blonde)

Cameron Diaz (cool blonde)

“If skin, eyes and hair are all the same tone or two out of three are the same, a person will most likely look best in that same tone of haircolor. If tonal results vary, they can usually pull off either tone,” explains Beahm who uses Matrix color products exclusively for predictable tonal results.

There are ALWAYS exceptions! Some warm toned people don’t like warmth in their hair and some cool toned people don’t like cool tones in their hair. When this is the case, try a neutral tone or ask a professional colorist’s opinion.