American Salon AUGUST 2012 : Page 33

2012 Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge phoTography: geTTy IMages (DuChess of CaMbrIDge); CorbIs (Mary pICkforD) American: The Beautiful Iconic looks that made hair history 1920s Mary pickford Curls have always reigned as the royalty of hair fashion, but their shape has changed with the times. Victorians sculpted their tiny ringlets into cascading updos; flappers wore their bobs in Marcel waves; and the proper 1950s housewife roller-set her home-permed hair nightly. Today, almost anything goes, from big, bouncy curls to texture in its natural state, and—thanks to today’s hair professional—almost anyone can ride this wave beautifully. ➥ Celebrating 135 years with

American: The Beautiful

American Salon staff

American: The Beautiful Iconic looks that made hair history Curls have always reigned as the royalty of hair fashion, but their shape has changed with the times. Victorians sculpted their tiny ringlets into cascading updos; flappers wore their bobs in Marcel waves; and the proper 1950s housewife roller-set her home-permed hair nightly. Today, almost anything goes, from big, bouncy curls to texture in its natural state, and—thanks to today’s hair professional—almost anyone can ride this wave beautifully. American: The Beautiful The history of curls is the history of beauty. Ancient Greek statues depicted Aphrodite with face-framing curls, proof that they considered the style fit for a goddess. Fast forward to the 20th century: Film sirens from Mary Pickford to Scarlett Johansson have enhanced their glamour quotient with curls. The look has survived the Jheri Curl of the 1970s, the spiral perm of the ’80s and the crispy “scrunch” of the ’90s. Today’s curly looks are all about making the most of your clients’ natural gifts, says Paul Mitchell Systems Global Artistic Director Robert Cromeans. “My personal preference on naturally curly hair is cutting strong graduated lines, either round or square,” he says. “One key factor is being able to let the hair dry naturally while still having the ability to inflate or deflate to exaggerate the shape.” For this season, Cromeans likes creating a ropelike effect by applying a curl definer like Paul Mitchell Twirl Around in a twisting, twirling motion. He reminds stylists to be mindful of the challenges faced by their naturally curly clients. “To say curly hair changes with the weather is an understatement,” Cromeans says. “Frizz is public enemy number one.” He recommends Paul Mitchell Full Circle Leave-In Treatment to replenish and hydrate hair, advising stylists to always apply styling products on wet curls for proper saturation. Wise Guy Old School At Christian Lacroix’s fall 2012 men’s presentation in Paris, lead stylist Holli Smith for Oribe Hair Care molded models’ hair into a cropped style that was longer and voluminous on top, and short and flat on the sides. The look paid homage to the late 1980s and early ’90s Christian Lacroix styles. “This hairstyle is perfect for a cool, modern guy who doesn’t want his hair to look too fashioned,” Smith says. To achieve the look, Smith sprayed Oribe Maximista and a small amount of Dry onto damp hair, and then blow-dried it using her hands to flatten the shape. Finally, before the hair was completely dried, Smith blew the front up and off the face, then applied Rock Hard Gel to select areas to make them look wet and polished, creating contrasting texture. —A.E. Aussie Arrival Mr. Essentials, a high-end men’s skincare line from Australia, is making its way stateside this fall. Fortified with healing indigenous plant ingredients from the Land Down Under that have been used by Australian Aborigines for hundreds of years, such as tea tree oil, lemon myrtle, ivy, witch hazel, jojoba oil, aloe vera, centella and almond oil, the range was developed in 2007 by George Cupac along with Dr. Jacob Vromen, an expert in native Australian plant use and emulsion technology. The comprehensive line consists of seven products—Eye Firming Gel, After Shave Splash, Cream Body Cleanser, Liquid Body Scrub, Hand & Body Moisturizer, Foamless Shave Cream, Facial Moisturizer, Facial Cleansing Scrub, Facial Cleanser, Skin Protector and Lip Balm—specifically formulated to address men’s skincare needs. mressentials.com —L.A. The brainchild of Eufora Hero for Men Global Team Educator Jay Fata, Valor Men’s Grooming Lounge in Phoenixville, PA, is the go-to spot for guys who want to get their groom on. In addition to a masculine decor punctuated by leather seating, the space boasts six plasma televisions, a cigar lounge—the perfect place for a stogie and a beer—and an outdoor patio featuring a fire pit. But the real standouts are the services, which include men’s cuts and straight-razor shaves. “Our concept is to provide technical excellence through a combination of old-school barbering techniques and modern-day trend cutting,” Fata says. “Above all, it’s a great place to hang out and kick back. I can’t tell you how many cool people I’ve met.” —K.D. True Grit

Previous Page Next Page

Publication List
Using a screen reader? Click Here