Best Beautiful Brunettes Los Angeles

Before

I cannot tell you how many brunettes come into the Cal Martini Color Group, believing that being brunette is a life sentence to boring hair.  Some opt to go blonde, thinking that this is their only real option for glamour. Unfortunately, few brunettes look anything but terrible as blondes. And fortunately, these particular brunettes have it all wrong – brown hair does NOT have to equal boring hair.

These days there are some incredible sexy, modern ways to highlight brunette hair that are a far cry from the old “streaks ‘n tips” of yesteryear.  And by using a combination of innovative highlighting techniques and the most cutting edge hair color products there is a way to turn your boring brown hair into something to envy!

Read more about Beautiful Brunettes 

Beth Minardi is a world renowned hair colorist and hair color creator.  So not only does she continually create the most innovative methods of coloring hair,  her brand new hair color line, Beth Minardi Signature Shades,  is designed to take the most cutting edge highlighting techniques to a whole new level of gorgeous.  These are definitely not your mother’s highlights!

zig-zag partings

Do you want a spicy golden brown?  Or maybe you prefer to warm up your hair  with gorgeous auburn tones. By infusing 3 different , 3 gorgeous Beth Minardi Signature Shades in foil, and by using a hair color technique Beth calls “American Balayage” combined with zig-zag partings, you can get subtle, yet incredible hair color results, creating a look that is better than natural.

American Balayage

For example, using this “trending” American Balayage hair color technique and painting the hair in the first foil the shades of “Fawn” which is a touch lighter and warmer than dark brown, and in another foil a medium balanced brown (what Beth Minardi Signature Shades call “True Brunette”) and in the 3rd foil a little lighter color called “Chardonnay” they take hair color to an art form.  It subtly infuses your plain brown with spicy, exciting colors.  The contrasts in color make your hair look thicker and the hair color has exciting depth.  The Zig-Zag partings mean that no-one can tell where the different colors begin on the head. So no-one knows you’ve colored your hair,  they only know that it looks gorgeous. This is a fashion forward multi-dimensional form of “Shade on Shade” or “Tone on Tone” technique of hair color application.

Using the Beth Minardi Signature Shades not only gives you a wider variety of new hair color choices, the quality of the hair color product, and the way it was formulated ensures that your hair is in better condition after coloring than before.

This is possible because of two marvelous important elements in the formulation of this technology advanced hair color product: the Nutrient Replacement Complex “Phyto-Collagen, which is a protein that stabilizes and replenish the natural fiber of the hair,  and Ceramide 2, which reduces displacement of natural lipids, preventing the dehydration effects of color on hair.

Beth Minardi Signature Shades is the only hair color line that features the latest technology of both Phyto-Collagen and Ceramide 2.  And this means that the end result is super shiny hair and color that doesn’t fade – or worse – change tone in response to sun and other environmental damage.  So your plain flat brown hair becomes more healthy, shimmering, dimensional and filled with subtle warm shades that make your hair color enviably beautiful.

 

Best Hair Colorist Beverly Hills – new trends!

Cal Martini Color Group The best hair colorists understand that the “Beverly Hills” look is the result of both great hair color products and great hair color technique. Current hair color trends are always changing. And since so many of these changes result from the newest technologies in hair color products, the great hair colorists stay up-to-date on the latest products as well as the latest hair color techniques. Some of my favorite new trends in hair color include Balayage and American Balayage. (American Balayage a technique created by Beth Minardi, legendary colorist) Now, I should explain that traditional balayage is actually not new, it is a technique imported from Paris, where they have been using it for several years. The new technique, in the right hands, is a joy to behold. Traditional Balayage is lightener painted directly on the hair. The product lies on the hair and there is a bleed over to other hairs which creates a softer but not distinct definition between light and dark. American Balayage has more definition to it, a bit more modern. One very big reason why quality of both the colorist and the product he or she uses is so important. The best colorist – one who is really good with balayage will use just a brush and a paddle as a canvas, on which to paint the hair.  It looks easy, and many stylists try this without having any formal training in it. But this technique is more advanced than those they usually teach at a beauty school. This is why it is very important that a colorist have specific training. The best colorists for this kind of technique will have experience, taste and be up on all of the cutting edge hair color trends. When you have a stylist laying lightener directly on your hair without the safety of a foil you definitely want them to know what they are doing. You don’t want to have to go to some other colorist in Beverly Hills to fix a botched job. Get it right The end result of a great balayage is that bright, sun kissed look that is so popular now. Best of all, the highlights grow out looking natural and pretty. There is no harsh line between the lightened and non-lightened hair as with traditional foil techniques; the highlights are far more subtle. Right now the Boho trend is huge and there is nothing soft or beachy looking about a visible line where your stripes of highlights stop and you re-growth starts. Balayage is actually economical because that you don’t have to go to the salon every 4- 6 weeks in order to remain looking great!

Beth Minardi Signature Shades

If you want great results in hair color you need a great colorist like Cal Martini of Beverly Hills, using a great hair color product like Beth Minardi Signature Shades.  So often we 
think it is all about having someone apply the color, or choosing the most flattering shade of color for your hair, or getting highlights or Ombre hair color technique.  Indeed these are all important elements.  But just like cooking something delicious requires both an excellent cook and high quality ingredients, so does coloring your hair.  If your hair colorist does not use the new hair technologies, the highest quality hair color line then your hair and your hair color is missing out!

The legendary Beth Minardi created her cutting edge Beth Minardi Signature Shades line “…out of a desire to make hair color better, more beautiful, more easily controlled, and more easily created by the professional colorist for any client”. As a colorist herself, she created her line, knowing the challenges she faced over the years trying to not only create gorgeous hair color, but help her clients maintain that vibrant color in between visits.  She wanted more flexibility in how to lighten and deepen existing color.  She wanted hair to be at it’s healthiest every time color is applied, not just the first time.  The result was a line of products that “allows us to lighten or deepen the hair, turning out everything from very rich, cool color to softer neutrals to the brightest shades around.  “ And these rich, dimensional hues are over-the-top shiny and silky.  Best of all there is scientific proof that hair color clients who use the complete Beth Minardi Signature Shades color line – AND the Minardi Luxury Hair Color Care, hair gets stronger and healthier after each use.  It seems impossible, but it’s true.

When it comes to hair, nothing is more aging and unsexy than frizzy, dull, over-processed hair.  No new application of hair color will help it, and no hairstyle will conceal it – unless you simply cut your hair off.

If you are lucky enough to live near Beverly Hills, then you can get this incredible technology, expertly applied by master colorist Cal Martini.  Because Cal Martini was at one time a protege of Beth Minardi’s, Cal was one of the first colorists to debut this line of extraordinary hair color line.  When you wed a great hair colorist, using the latest techniques of application, with the most cutting edge hair color technologies, the results are ….SO MUCH better than natural!

 

Hottest Hair color Trends 2014

Shade on Shade Color – only at Cal Martini Color Group The hottest hair color trends in 2014, as they have been in the past few years are most often inspired by the cutting edge techniques created by the great stylists – hair color trends like ombre hair, which was all the rage in 2012 & 2013.  Every year these artists create new ways to add dimension to hair color.  So in the past few years we have seen the biggest hair trends to be not so much in hair color but in hair color techniques.  We’ve seen dip-dyed hair and we’ve seen color blocks.  The ability to add multiple colors to a head of hair, to use ever more shiny and color-rich technologies, and to create movement, dimension and color fuels this trend.  So staying on top of the latest technologies is just as important as staying on to the hair trends. One of the hottest trends of 2012 was ombre hair color.  The idea that hair color could transform up and down the hair shaft was a breakthrough that allowed for incredible movement and dimension in hair.  Even on a cloudy day brown hair could look sun-kissed and shiny.  Which is why in 2014 ombre hair is not as popular as before. But the hair industry never sits still!  The hottest trend in hair color 2014 was just debuted by Cal Martini of Cal Martini Color Group in Beverly Hills California. Cal Martini is a master hair colorist / hair artist who has been working closely with famed hair colorist Beth Minardi as she developed her break-through hair color line, Beth Minardi Signature Shades and the Shade-on-Shade application technique.  Designing this technique of color application to perfectly compliment this hot new hair color product, Beth Minardi came up with the Shade-On Shade color technique of mixing four to six different but complimentary shades of hair color, each just a little different from the other, this tone-on-tone technique is painstakingly painted onto tiny sections of hair.. Cal, utilizes both Beth Minardi Signature hair color and her Shade-on Shade techniques working with both the style of cut and the type of hair to achieve the most gorgeous dimensional results in color. This process is painstaking but well worth the time. Tone on tone is a brand new way to get rich dimensional color, subtle shading and hair color that looks better than natures! The Beth Minardi Signature Shades line is the newest in hair color technology. Shade-on Shade color is the newest technique of hair color, designed to compliment this fantastic product line and make your hair look outrageously great. Inspired by working with Beth Minardi, Cal Martini is constantly exploring new ways to exploit the breathtaking color and shine you get from Beth Minardi Signature Shades hair line. Shade on Shade color will be just the first of many exciting trends that will be right there at 421 North Rodeo Drive in the Cal Martini Color Group.

Most of us do not have the patience to grow our hair very long.  However, if you are one of the few who do, then you also know that styling long hair can be a real pain.  You cannot over stress your long hair or you will end up having to cut it off.  Which is why many women who do grow their hair long end up wearing it in a bun most of the time. But what is the point of having it if you can’t show it off?  So instead of hurting your lovely long hair with curling irons and flatirons, or hiding it in a simple bun, you need to find hairstyles that both show your hair to its best advantage and don’t require heat and other forms of hair torture.  This year the hot look for longer hair is The Fishbone, Fishtail or Herringbone Braid.

Unlike the pigtails and braids of our childhood, the fishbone braid is a stylish and sophisticated look.  One of the great things about this very pretty and unusual braid is how versatile it is.  You can choose to pull all of your hair into one long tight braid, you can do two braids for a cute pigtailed look or you can use the braid as an elegant finish for any number of up-dos.  You can wear it tightly plaited or more loosely woven.  However you decide to style your hair, this complicated-looking braid adds a touch of the unusual, and more than a little touch of elegance to your look.  It is popping up on the red carpet everywhere this year, and getting a lot of attention.  If you want to know how to do it, click here for more detailed instructions on the basics of the fishbone, fishtail or herringbone braid)

For example, one braided hairdo that is currently a hit on the red carpets is the side

fishtail braid, as in this picture of Ashley Greene in her loose fishtail braids. Sexy and tousled and yes still elegant at the same time.

A very different application of the fishtail braid is in the very pretty updo sported by Diana Agron. Here, instead of the usual French braid, she opted for the Fishbone, giving a fairly standard

up-do a unique twist.

 

This is actually one of the few Herringbone braid styles that do not require particularly long hair, since you are braiding along the crown of the head – even shoulder-length hair is long enough! And as you can see, it is an elegant, upscale way to wear your hair.

To duplicate her look, just separate out a three-inch band of hair along the hairline at the forehead, going from ear to ear. This is the section you are going to braid, starting above one ear.

 

For women with longer hair, a classic way to wear the fishbone or herringbone braid is

shown here, where it is more of a casual and beachy look, pulling all of the hair off the face, and creating a particularly lovely profile. One reason I mention that it takes long hair to do this braid is that it has to be at least long enough for a decent ponytail, as that is what you start weaving from in this particular hairstyle.

However my absolute favorite fishbone or herringbone braid look is this one, where colorfully dipdyed locks is woven together in a lovely braid. Whether you choose one accent color (for example Rhianna usually chooses red) or several, the bright colors accent the braid brilliantly, and the braid enhances the look of the colors in your hair, making this a particularly great style for 2012.

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The Fishbone or Herringbone Braid

Some call it the Fishbone Braid, others refer to it as the Herringbone Braid – some even call it the Fishtail Braid.  Despite the ugly names this is a very pretty, very striking hair style.  Although the braid is a very specific kind, there are many ways to wear your hair, incorporating this unusual-looking braiding.  So you can approach the look in an ultra-casual way, with textured, slightly messy hair, and pair it with jeans and a silky top, or go upscale with smooth, shiny hair tightly braided and worn in an up-do.  Paired with a white dress and veil it is a gorgeous look for your wedding day! There are just so many pretty ways to dress your hair using the fishbone, fishtail or herringbone braid, and all of them have a touch of elegance.

How to do The Fishbone, Fishtail or Herringbone Braid

This is a great look for women with long hair.  It is easiest to create with coarser hair, so for women of color, this is a particularly successful braid because your natural hair texture is perfect for the complicated looking weave of this braid, and perfect for creating many of the up-do’s that look so elegant with this braid.  If you have smooth slippery hair I suggest that you use hair products like Minardi Luxury Hair Care’s “Finish Flexible Finishing Spray”

to add texture to your hair first, to help you get the right outcome.  It may take first-timers a few tries to get the weaving just right.  It is a simple braid but it takes a certain amount of dexterity to manage the many sections of hair you are weaving at the same time.

Before you Begin

It is important to remember to do your best to separate your hair into even sections so that the braid is balanced-looking.  Once you get the hang of the braid itself you can have a lot of fun creating your different looks

Step 1

Decide on the kind of Herringbone braid you want – loose and messy or tight and neat.  Do you want the braid to be loose and casual and your hair to be full and textured, with a lot of loose tendrils?  Or do you want the braid to be smooth and woven tightly before you either drop it over a shoulder or wind it around your head?  Are you going to weave all of your hair into the braid or are you going to braid some of the hair and leave the rest down?

Step 2

Prepare your hair! No matter how you decide to approach the style, make sure your hair is clean and tangle-free.  Decide on the right hair product to use to give you the best results.  If you are new to this, or you want to give this look a casual/sexy feel, then use hair product so that the act of braiding your hair is easier, and so that the braid itself is thick and lustrous when you are finished.  However, if you want a

very tight fishbone braid, you want to make sure your hair is smooth and shiny, so use a smoothing cream such as “Subdue” by Minardi Luxury Hair Care to smooth the hair before braiding.

Step 3

Part your hair straight down the middle from forehead to neck and divide your hair into two large sections. Beginning on the right side of your part at your forehead, twist a one-inch section of hair away from your face.

Step 4

Use a comb to separate a 1/2-inch section right below the first section along your face and twist that piece away from your face, combining it with the first piece.

Step 5

Continue adding these approximately 1/2-inch pieces along your hairline down to your neck. Use clips or to hold the hair in place at the nape of your neck..

Step 6,7,8

Do the exact same thing on the left side, starting at your forehead – start by selecting a one inch piece of hair and then twist it away from your face, continuing with the 1/2 inch sections, twisting and combining with the upper pieces.

Step 9

When you reach the nape of the neck, unclip the right side and hold both the left and right sides in two separate sections.

Pull a 1/2-inch section of hair from the right section and add it to the left section. Repeat with a piece from the left section, adding it to the right section.

Step 10

Continue adding 1/2-inch pieces down to the ends and secure with an elastic.

Note that you can use smaller sections of hair than 1/2 inch. In fact the skinnier the strands, the more intricate your braid.  It takes more effort but it looks the most effective.  In general, try to use the same thickness for each strand throughout or your braid will look uneven. For a beginner, pulling it tighter helps you to learn the method properly.

The fishtail braid can be as neat or as messy as you’d like, depending on the occasion.  Weaving the fishtail braid while your hair is wet will give you a firmer grip, creating a more precise braid. However texturizing it with product like a mix of Minardi’s “Subdue” and Minardi’s “Gel Cocktail”  is another way to get more traction while weaving these pieces of your hair.

By the way, if you currently have dip-dyed your long hair, this is a great look for your hair.  The woven colors will make this intricate-looking braid even more exciting!

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Best Hair colorist Beverly Hills – seeing red

Red is one of those hair colors that everyone wants to try but traditionally it has been a very difficult color to wear well.  Even with the best hair colorist applying color, it can be challenging to maintain because it fades very easily.  It is also a tough color to really get right, because too often not so great hair stylists tend to make it too carroty or too violet. Even worse is the disaster of do-it-yourself hair color that leaves your hair purple or pink.  However new technologies in hair color, new formulas, new techniques for application, and new products for hair care, have combined to offer us a second chance at being a red hot red-head.

The best hair colorists, inspired by Beverly Hills celebrities who love a fresh look, have found ways to layer colors together, offering dimensional color in every shade of red, from light honeyed reds mixed with golden tones to deeper hues flashing with copper.  It’s all in the technique and the taste of the hair colorist.

So here are a few ideas to take to your favorite hair colorist, next time you are thinking about going red.  And by the way, red is so many shades now – from the most delicate strawberry blonde to the deepest mahogany auburn.  By using combinations of highlights and lowlights you can find that perfect balance of warmth and depth for you

Celebrities who have decided to change up their color for the fall include beauties like

Bella Thorn, who avoids any hit of the dreaded “carroty red” with light golden red tones woven with deeper russet lowlights.  The result is a light and lovely red that is dimensional and filled with light.

Alyson Hannigan’s Irish beauty is the best foil for a strong red, and her Beverly Hills hair colorist does her hair with a blue-based garnet shade tempered with strawberry-blonde highlights.

And if we are talking about stunning red-headed actors we cannot skip Julianne Moore, who’s signature gold-based red

has been emulated by fans everywhere.  The secret to her warm hair color is again, just the right mix of red and gold.

A much stronger statement in color is Ellie Kemper’s dark,

almost maroon roots which her hair colorist combined with slightly ombre’d tips.  The overall effect is both glamorous and stylish.

Beverly Hills celebrity hair colorist Cal Martini is known in particular for his gorgeous reds, something the timelessly beautiful Rene Russo discovered early on.

Every year the fashion headlines scream that some hair color is in vogue.  The truth is, all colors are in vogue all of the time (how could anything else be possible??)  The best hair colorists in Beverly Hills and anywhere else, are always keeping ahead of the trends, in fact they are creating them. Keeping your look fresh is all about the technique for applying color, and they just get better and better.  If you have a great colorist you can have great hair.

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Best Hair colorist Beverly Hills – going blonde

Blonde hair never seems to go out of style and in 2012 there are so many new ways to achieve a blonde look!  This spring and summer, the best bevy of golden hues incorporates a range of trendy touches, from subtle highlights to brassy roots.

Celebrities have access to the best hair colorists in Beverly Hills and Los Angeles, but don’t despair.  You can be inspired by these incredible hair color experts and benefit from their artistry.  Just collect pictures of your favorite looks and bring them in to your own favorite hair colorist and stylist.  Discuss with your colorist how to get the right tones for your skin color, and the kind of effect you think this look will create.  If your hair colorist is up on the latest techniques and the latest technologies available in hair coloring, then they will be able to re-create your favorite celebrity look.  Below are some blonde inspirations.

Here is an example of the 2012 blonde.  Dark roots, sun-kissed ends and medium-blonde lowlights in between.  Reese Witherspoon is a flaxen blonde, but she decided to add something new to her classic look.

Madonna has long since backed away from her Marilyn wanna-be peroxided locks.   She is savvy enough to understand that those extremely ashy tones combined with the inevitable damage to the hair shaft would only make her look old now.

So instead, her 2012 blonde look includes buttery blonde highlights and darker reddish lowlights to keep her color dimensional, and create the illusion of lots of hair.

Emma Stone loves changing her hair color and she certainly has committed to the look with all-over, warmer-

than-usual ash blonde Her delicate coloring make her a perfect candidate for this flaxen shade.

Joan Rivers is best known for comedy, and her cheeky attitude never goes out of style.  However she also cares tremendously about maintaining a fresh, youthful appearance and here she has a classic bob that has been dyed a delicate ash with slightly darker tones to the roots. For added fun she’s streaked in a subtle shade of cotton

candy pink.  It is a tribute to her hair colorist – from Beverly Hills of course – that I can even write that phrase “a subtle shade of cotton candy pink” with a straight face!  But somehow under his expert care her hot pink highlights are indeed subtle and tasteful. They certainly go well with the fur coat.

Discuss with your own favorite stylist the best shades of blonde for your skin tone.  Decide if you want to be an all-over blonde or a streaky blond with dark roots.  There are so many different techniques available these days to color your hair!  Have some FUN!

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2012 hair color – hot new trends

2012 hair trends are all about color.  Any color you can think of – from bright, bold primaries, to richly textured highlights to teensy little glitter-lights around the face. Choosing your best hair color and your best highlighting style has a lot to do with your hair cut, and your skin tones, but it is also about your personality and lifestyle. Can you walk into a client meeting with a bright pink head of hair and a briefcase and expect them to stay and do business with you?

Here are some of the most interesting trends in 2012 (Warning – do not try this at home without the help of an experienced professional!)

SPARKLE LIGHTS Hot of the presses! This IS the hottest new trend in 2012 – so hot that only a handful of stylists even know how to do it – and so inexpensive that anyone who lives in LA or NY (the only two cities I know of that even have salons that can do it) should run to Cal Martini Color Group in Beverly Hills or Mark Miletti of the Beth Minardi Team in New York City and check it out. It features tiny little highlights around the face that are so bright and light they glitter and sparkle! Fast, fun and very inexpensive!

BRIGHT BEAUTIFUL HAIR COLOR Outrageous colors are becoming more and more mainstream. Colors such as purple, blue, red and green are seeing a strong reemergence in the hair coloring market – in fact, they are no longer even considered that cutting edge. Instead the hottest trend in hair color in 2012 is blending stripes of your choice of all of the crazy colors you have to choose from – peacock blue, bright teal, Pepto Bismol pink, fiery yellow – all mixed up. So you have a lot of bold choices to make. You can do a Katy Perry and just drench your hair in a primary blue (truly her signature color) or you can have some fun with both color and application. Many hair fashionista’s are requesting these daring colors mixed in with browns, blacks, reds and blondes to give them a bolder, more original look.

Artistically applied swatches of hair color that turn your hair into a painting, or carefully applied shades of one color that you then dip dye into another make your hair into a fabulous evening accessory.

GREY LIGHTS However, even more unusual than the big bright bold colors that are all the rage right

now, is the new fad for gray highlights. Yep, believe it or not! Trendsetter Kate Moss has been sporting this hot new color choice that has fashion bloggers furiously weighing in on this new look with their opinion. Strangely enough “gray lights’” and white/gray color bases mixed with pale ash tones are gaining traction as a fashion choice – other models and celebrities that are loving this look include Lady Gaga and Jamie Lee Curtis. TONE ON TONE Choosing 5 or six shades that are all somewhere around your base shade, some darker some lighter, some warmer and some cooler is a gorgeous look that pushes the envelope on sizzle and sass in your look without forcing you to change jobs. [SFBSB]

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The Hottest Trend In Hair Color 2012

For those of you that are bored with your hair or your “look”; for those of you that yearn to reinvent yourselves, and are looking around for the hottest trends in hair color in 2012  you have some great choices.  The hair color trends for 2012 are so diverse that virtually every type of look is in.  You can opt for candy-bright hues or subtle shades; you can toss in a few brightening highlights around the face or layer 4 or 5 shades together for complicated, dimensional color. You can be a peacock or you can be a swan – it’s all up to you! So find the hair color trend that lets you bring out your inner hottie.

In 2012 the ultra trendy hair color that looks utterly gorgeous without the shock factor of a Katy Perry blue or purple, is tone-on-tone color. Only a handful of the top hair colorists can really do this well, so choose wisely. If you are a brunette who wants to go a little red, your colorist will mix up several pots of color – some deeper than your base, some lighter, some red, some copper-in short a rainbow of shades that he will streak in, layer by layer. From brown dove to swan!

If you are feeling more like a peacock then don’t just settle for an all-over blue, or bubble-gum pink. Enjoy having your hair colorist streak in a rainbow of bright shades, turning your hair into a work of art. This is a look that works particularly well with smooth, asymmetrical cuts . Hair highlights are back in a big way this year, so enjoy the drama of a fiery red/blonde section of hair mixed in with your auburn base, or shades of blue and teal layered over your midnight black tresses. 2012 hair trends are drenched with color and shine.

The new hair color products give you more flexibility than ever so you can go from light to dark and back again in a few weeks if you like! If you don’t like a color then change it! The best brands of hair color offer a huge selection of semi-permanent as well as permanent hair dye formulas. So you can checkout some of the more exciting colors without making a commitment. However, when you do decide to go permanent, do it with a great colorist so you love the results!

 

 

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Hair styles for men – the scruffy look

With the very groomed, shorter, often closely clipped hair cuts that are so popular right now, we are also seeing the resurgence of the unshaven, scruffy look.  Although it is a sexy, casual look, it actually requires a lot of careful maintenance.  But today’s shortest hairstyles for men look great with the scruffy look.  I don’t recommend the scruffy look for a job interview, or even for the office, but when it is on the right facial type it can lend a guy sense of mystery and sex appeal – particularly when paired with an Armani suit and sports car!

So what is the right facial type for this look?  In general, it’s the guys with square,
more angular faces who look the best.  The classic chiseled 
features of Gerard Butler,or angular faces like Hugh Laurie’s do
very well in this look – even men with more boyish features, like Jake Gyllenhaal can look great in this look, because clean-cut “boyish good looks” take on a more sexy, dangerous quality with a day or two of beard.

Men who should not wear this look include any men who have patchy facial hair, men with receding chins (it will emphasize them) and men who have soft necks. In addition, if you wear your hair at all long do not do it – that is just too much hair. With today’s hairstyles for men the scruffy look only works because the styles are short and groomed. And I must point out that lots of women – me included – are not big fans because it scratches our faces up.

How to get it

Easy, let your hair grow. Carefully. Make sure it grows evenly, and keep it neat and clean. You don’t want to look like a slob with terrible grooming habits, you want to look like an elegantly groomed man who just rolled out of bed and was too busy making money to shave.

The unshaven look still means you have to shave!

Despite its appearance, the scruffy look, like all of today’s hairstyles for men, is actually achieved with effort. You have to shave your neck each and every day, as well as the areas on your cheekbones. It’s more of a sculpted area that you let grow out, than the whole thing. Some guys go much lower on the cheek, leaving only a small trail up to the sideburns – if you have thinner hair in the lower cheek area, this could work better for you.

Remember – when it gets too long, trim or start over

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Current styles in haircuts for men

Tips and Trends

How many men out there have a hair stylist?  Well evidently that number is growing. Because with today’s hip and complicated styles, men can no longer just whip out a comb and some gel or do a buzz hair cut.  The shortest haircuts still need to be styled to show definition and texture, which is the hallmarks of current styles in haircuts for men.  And in today’s men’s hair styles the cut, the color and the hair product are all equally important when it comes to what makes these looks for men so three dimensional and appealing.  However, the beginning of every good hair cut is…the hair cut.

Very Short Cuts For Men

OK, it’s true, there are always a couple of guys who will continue to pull off the hai

r-so-short-it’s-almost-shaved look that David Beckhamsports. But that doesn’t mean it’s really in style any more. In fact the short hair look that is currently most popular has been dubbed “The Cluny” –

for obvious reasons. And George Cluny’s hair looks great. He wears it clipped about as short as it can get without shaving. However, part of the reason his hair looks so great is because it seems to be turning silver quite perfectly.  No Grecian Formula for him (and by the way, if you use it, please read my blog on why that product is a scourge, and learn just how hideous men actually look to women when they use it) And the contrast of his dark, almost black hair with the threads of silver makes him look distinguished, not older. He clearly uses a product like Minardi Luxury Hair Care’s Gel Cocktail  because his ultra-short haircut is styled but there is none of the dandruff-like flaking of product that I see with other hair gels.

Medium Hair Cuts For Men

With the right hair products, this length of hair looks very trendy, whether you are wearing your hair with a slightly tousled look, or perhaps in the kind of contemporary pompadour associate with Andrew Garfield.  Other great celebs to check out with this style of hair are Colin Farrell, who wears his hair straight and tousled, and Andrew Pattison, who’s medium-length cut is worked into a messy, spiky style that looks very contemporary – perfect for going out at night. With all of these looks, great hair products and knowing how to use them is key to the stylish look.  Although I do have a blog or two on how to style this length of hair, always ask your hair stylist to show you how to blow dry and style whatever cut he or she gives you. It isn’t ever that difficult, you just have to get used to it.

Very Long Hair Cuts for Men

Fist of all long is a relative term. Although there are always a few holdouts in every generation – those occasional guys with long hair that they wear in ponytails, long hair is not a look you will find anywhere near the red carpet or in GQ this season.  The longest hair I’ve seen in Hollywood recently has been collar length, and compared to the other current trends in hair length, it looks long.  This style will only work with a very good cut and lots of hair product, keeping it casual but groomed.  When this look is combined with facial hair, it must be even more meticulously groomed, or it ends up looking very back woodsy. Ashton Kutcher after his split with Demi is a pretty good example of how NOT to wear this look, because the only reason he got away with his overly long hair and whiskers is that he is a celebrity. Johnny Depp on the other hand, is a great example of how to wear this long hair look well, because although he wears his hair slightly longer than truly fashionable, it is always in a superb cut that he keeps it carefully styled. His facial hair is also extremely groomed, so overall he looks eclectic, and not like a mountain man.

It’s no surprise that shows like Mad Men have ushered in this very groomed appearance for men, but I have to say I am surprised and pleased at how long it has lasted.

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Great Haircuts for 2012 part 2

When we think about how to cut our hair we are weighing so many factors. First and foremost, we think about how our hair frames our face. But upkeep, maintenance, is equally important, since we are going to be in charge of the styling until our next visit to our hair stylist. Another consideration for our choice of haircut is how it fits our lifestyle – where we work, what we do. And finally, sometimes we just need a change, and nothing shakes our look up like a new haircut or hair color. So here are some more things to consider when you want to shake things up with a great haircut for 2012.

Bangs revisited!

Blunt cut bangs

No look is more polished and elegant than blunt cut bangs, and they go with any length of hair as long as it is past your chin. Any shorter and the bangs overwhelm the hair do-but once past the chin they are balanced by your smooth and shiny tresses. I noticed that Sandra Bullock has updated her own long brown locks with blunt-cut bangs. Another beauty who is rocking this look on the red carpet is Jennifer Hudson and she has never looked lovelier.

In my other blog on great haircuts for 2012, I mentioned that one of the challenges of choosing to have bangs is that we so often get sick of them long before they have grown out. And no matter how much you love them, you will probably want a change eventually. But don’t sweat it. Just disguise your growing bangs with a cute center part and then blow them out with a product like Minardi Luxury Hair Cares “Pieces” soft hold pomade, to keep them loose and pretty but still out of your face! Trim and even layer the rest of your hair to compliment the look and suddenly you have a lovely, put-together, layered look instead of awkwardly growing out bangs hanging in your eyes.

The classic Blunt haircut-growing out

The bob is always in fashion, which means you can either update it or grow it out. Fortunately this classic look grows out beautifully, as long as you keep it trimmed and styled, making this look just another great haircut for 2012. Wear your new, longer bob so that it is just grazing your collarbone and you get both the softness of the added length, and the youthful quality of a shorter ‘do.

Long Loose Curls

There is more than one way to wear your long hair, and if you like the soft freshness of a long loose curl, then take your cue from Madonna or Drew Barrymore, both of whom are currently rocking long and lovely waves. The hair should be slightly layered to lighten it up so it holds the curl and creates an attractive shape.

For an update on another iconic look, wear your medium to long hair with choppy layers and loose curls that mimic Farah Fawcett’s sexy look from the 70’s, (minus the tired, curling–ironed ends)

With all of these cuts you can add volume, definition and flash with dimensional color – highlights, dip-dying, ombre color – you have so many choices! So when you talk to your hair cutter about your best haircut also talk about your hair color to define your haircut, your highlights – all of the things that will work together to give you a great look for 2012. And then protect your investment with great hair products, that help you sculpt, smooth and volumize, while nourishing and protecting.

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