Trends in men’s grooming, fashion and…motorbikes from Celebrity Hairstylist, Pearson Knight.

Many years ago men were known for  getting groomed, talking trash, and hanging out at Barber Shops whether urban or suburban. In more recent years, the metro-sexual movement and the boom in hair and fashion reality TV shows have given everyday men comfort and being drawn into salons world wide. This may have been a bit annoying for the ladies in their own temple of feminine freedom. I mean how are they supposed to talk about how their man screwed up AGAIN with the neighbor’s husband in the chair next to them? Not cool.

There is hope! A new trend we are seeing and will continue to see boom, is the return of barber shops. The reason for the movement to salons was the variety of style and education on new trends that most stylists were equipped with. The old school barber just wasn’t ready for David Beckham. The modern barber shop, from the ones I have gone on site to check out, are designed with style and masculinity. They are equipped with salon education as well as old school straight razor shaves, manicures, and grooming. I am very excited to see these launch and become a cultural influence once again. I am personally working on some training on the art of men’s hair and participating as a guest artist periodically on my travels at www.gentcg.com in MPLS. I have the luxury of splitting my men and women being a guest artist at lounge.smartandchicbeauty.com in MPLS, as well.

In regards to men’s hair, I am currently participating in the look of the high fashion man ranging from a sleek Mad Men to the untamed pompadour. The modern pompadour can be completely clean and groomed or have variation of texture and size. I think James Franco shows this well with the sides being a bit unruly and the top wavy in texture. I recently had the honor and excitement of being on the other side of the lens during a shoot with the talented Miami based photographer www.facebook.com/ALisaRaunerPhotography. The theme for the shoot was late 1960′s James Dean feel. We used a 1964 Lincoln Continental just like Drama’s from Entourage. It was so fresh, my favorite part was cranking it up and driving it a bit. Along with the movement of hair change, we are even taking long men’s hair and shorting it up a bit. This reminds me about facial hair. Not so much on the long beard and crazy handle bar mustache (although I participated in this for years!) We are taking it to a clean shave and groomed low cut mustache to a 5 o’clock shadow. We are still working that facial hair but just cleaned up all around.

Speaking of cleaning up, men’s fashion has been and will continue to be versions of the geek or nerd if you will. This means tucked in plaid shirts with mismatched pattern ties, sweater vests, leather belts and suspenders. Color schemes this fall are going to lean a little more towards lavender or hues of magenta and away from honeysuckle pink from spring etc. For more visual explanation this can be researched in any current Details or GQ magazine. The main interest this fall is boots, any boot. I am talking mid/low/high cut boot, motorcycle, Doc Martens you name it. As far as me personally, I have been inspired and will not be looking as put together and clean as most. I am totally inspired by Luke Skywalker in the original Star Wars and Han Solo in Empire Strikes Back. I am wearing utilitarian style pants and shirts with a color scheme of desert tan, light brown, off-white cream, olive to army green, different light greys, and hints of orange. I will be topping it off with some Harrison Ford from Raiders of the Lost Ark. That means the more distressed and dirtier the better. I am pulling out all of my stained white undershirts full of motor grease and dirt. All of the pants that should have become a garage rag by now and flexing them like they’re fresh~!

Motor oil? Garage rags? That is an easy chance to mention this motor oil fans…put away your Super bikes and Harleys and get some fresh fall air on a new Cafe Racer. This can also be achieved by stripping down your sport bike and tossing on a straight bar if don’t want to part with your honey or add more to the entourage in the garage. I am seeing a ton of these race around my home based neighborhood in Miami. I almost thought I was in Europe or something. Some seemed to be tricked out and custom, some new, and some straight up real vintage. This is a ton of fun. I love helmets and going too fast~!!!

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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As any style-watcher knows, nude is the must-have shade for everything from heels, booties, lip gloss, nails, and beyond. However, despite its timeless popularity, the perfect nude nail lacquer can also be a pretty tricky hue to get one’s hands on; after all, it’s relative to your specific skin tone. But what if choosing your shade was as straight-forward as selecting the correct shade of foundation?

Eco-friendly nail artist to the stars, Jenna Hipp, along with her team at Nailing Hollywood LLC, has already has had her work featured in various magazines and on countless celebrity cover girls, but her recent collaboration with green enamel line RGB (and founder Gina Carney) takes trendy, eco-conscious manicures to the next level. With their recent Nail Foundation collection, the power duo seeks to help beauty mavens get that perfect nude shade just for you, no matter what your race – for graceful, elongated fingertips. In-the-spotlight stars Keira Knightly, Michelle Williams and Lea Michele, among others, have already rocked their own specialized ‘nude’ shades in the public sphere – are you curious enough to join them?

- Alex Gambardella

*Guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from my friends at TheFind.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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Guest beauty post from Jessica Krznaric

Are you maximizing your inner celebrity spa treatment? We all try to replicate celebs and their trends from where they’re shopping to how their beautifying, but what about what they are ordering at the spa? I know when I visit the spa, my number one priority is to relax, but I also like to feel as if I’m getting top-notch treatment. When considering how to spend your next spa day, here is a helpful list of spa treatments some of our beloved stars are getting to add a little R&R into their lives:

Lash Extensions
Often a best kept spa secret, lash extensions transform your lashes into a fuller, thicker look. Usually made of a synthetic material, extensions are applied one by one on upper and lower lids. Non-damaging to your natural lashes, the extensions stay on for roughly four to six weeks and fall out on their own. I have to admit, getting lash extensions sounded somewhat painful to me. I envisioned hair extensions but on the eyes. Eek! After my sister-in-law got the lash extension treatment done recently, the entire process had me intrigued. Her lashes were definitely longer, fuller and thicker. She 100% rest assured, it did not hurt at all to apply, and reiterated that they fall off naturally on their own. The “naturally on their own” part was what really changed my mind about them.

Detox
Known as a way to lose weight and become energized, detoxing targets the toxins in your body and breaks up fatty deposits. A common way the stars get their detox on? Seaweed body treatments! Your skin absorsb the minerals in the wrap. The minerals work to make your skin smooth. Detox treatments are great for targeting cellulite or after giving birth. I’ll save this one for after I’ve had a child!

Holistic Facial
The mind, body and spirit focused facial takes your entire body into a deep state of relaxation. Sounding the most appealing to me out of all the celebrity spa treatments, this spa treatment not only beautifies my face but targets my inner self. Based on Chinese traditions, the holistic facial uses “chi” energy to target nerves in the body for incredible revitalization.

Other treatments spotted being purchased by celebs include Oil Massages, the Caviar Pedicure, which uses fish eggs to replenish the skin, and the Geisha Facial. More commonly known as the Bird Poop Facial, this Japanese traditional spa treatment uses natural ingredients including nightingale droppings to improve the skin’s complexion. I think I’ll pass on that last one.

Make sure when you are visiting a spa to look and check if your beauty pro has graduated from cosmetology school or beauty school and has received their cosmetology license. Many salons showcase this in the windows or on their desk, It is better to be safe than sorry, so if I don’t see it, I ask! Now, who’s ready for a spa day!

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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We’re now in the throes of summer (I’m sure Back to School commercials will begin playing any day now…) and that means dry heat, humid weather, finding a way to make your makeup last from day until night. I recently asked Mai Quynh, mark Celebrity Makeup Artist, if she could pass along 3 summer makeup tips (which would include mark makeup of course!) Read on…

Summer makeup should be easy and effortless. Definitely wear sunscreen all year round, not just in summer.  Try mark Get a Tint Tinted Moisturizer, it has a built in SPF 15 and it has light coverage which is great for evening out the skin. Lightly dust, mark Matte-Nificent Oil-Absorbing Powder on the t-zone to set.

For the eyes, stick to waterproof formulas  This will help keep your makeup on longer and it will stay put.  I love mark Keep It Going Long Wear Eyeliner and Eye Shadow Duos. They come in plenty of colors and they do not budge! They seriously last all day.

My other favorite product for summer are the mark No Place To Run Eyeliner pencils. They are very creamy eyeliners and they go on smoothly, but they also don’t budge. They stay on for many hours.  Also, use mark Lash Splash Waterproof Mascara. This will guarantee that you won’t have smudges or runs from hot, humid weather. Lastly, my other summertime fave are the new mark Lip Click Color Shine Lipsticks. They are sheer but give a hint of color and they have an SPF 15.

So there you have it! (Most important tip here for me is lip gloss with SPF!) Have you used any of mark’s products?

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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New moms may be short on time, but their beauty and style routines don’t have to suffer. Gretta Monahan, spokesperson for Dove and celebrity beauty and fashion expert (and new mom to Kai) offers her expert tips and tricks for staying stylish even when you are in “mommy mode” all day.

• Hair texture changes during pregnancy and after delivery. It can become drier, more susceptible to damage and more difficult to manage. To restore hair to pre-baby glory, the new Dove® Nourishing Oil Care Collection combines almond, coconut and light mineral oils to smooth up to 100% of roughness and frizz. For extra nourishment, the Daily Treatment Conditioner provides the nourishing power of a treatment in the time it takes to use a conditioner, and allows a whole minute of relaxation while the formula locks in nutrients for speedy damage repair!

• If you only have a few minutes to spend on your hair after showering, dry the front and top pieces and pull the rest into a high bun with a clear elastic, or one that matches your hair color, for a polished look in seconds. Remove the elastic a few hours later for – voila! – effortless waves that you can let fall naturally or play-up with bobby pins. Spread a few drops of Dove Nourishing Oil Care Serum throughout to smooth flyaways and add shine to this very “in,” beachy-wave style.

• There are lots of fun ways to keep your hair out of baby’s grasp. Fold a silk scarf or bandana into a bandeau and use as a headband by tying the lengths at the nape of your neck – very ‘70s chic. Be sure to leave some stray pieces out around your face to keep the look feminine, and apply Dove Nourishing Oil Care Leave-in Smoothing Cream to the loose strands so they fall softly and, most importantly, frizz-free. For a softer, more natural look, take the front section of your hair and pull into a side braid, creating a cute crown effect.

• The “mom cut” is a thing of the past – you do not have to chop off long locks just because a little one has entered the picture. Work with your stylist to create a look that is both easy to maintain and reflective of your personal style. Slight changes such as layers or bangs can cut your hair routine down to minutes. Ask your stylist to demonstrate a few simple, no-fuss looks to be replicated at home in a flash – that is what they are there for, after all!

Don’t forget Gretta’s previous feature on A Girl’s Gotta Spa!: Tips to Fight Hair Damage.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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I’m thrilled to give you this guest beauty post for A Girl’s Gotta Spa! from celebrity makeup artist, Shalini Vadhera, who also authored the book Passport to Beauty:

Spring is all about flawless looking skin. Whether your opting for the no makeup makeup look or going for the drama with smokey eyes, everything needs to start with beautiful, healthy glowing skin.

Prepare your canvas and get that glow!

A good face scrub 2-3 times a week will slough off dead dry skin and leave your skin glowing. Make sure you follow with a good moisturizer. Even if you’re oily! One of my favorite products this season is the The Body Shop’s Apricot Illuminating Face Base. It works as the perfect primer and adds an amazing light reflection to the skin. You can also get this look with the Revlon Skinlights. It’s also great to use on days you want to go makeup free. The apricot tone works to even out all skin tones.

A Few Of My Favorite Looks for Spring:

Natural – I love this look. Clean skin, soft neutrals on the eyes, and soft cheeks and lips. Bright lips, especially Coral lips are hot this season! This is the look I love to pair them with. If you’re too scared to go bold, opt for a gloss. I love Boots No7 Tangerine Twist (I’m obsessed with Boots!) and Bobbi Brown Soft Coral.

Pink Cheeks – Love love love this look. You can’t help but look pretty and feminine. The trick to this is to apply it on the apple of the cheeks and blend upwards. I’ve been using the M.A.C. Posey to get this look. If you feel like you need to warm it up a bit use a bronzer!

Smokey eyes – Hot. Who doesn’t love this look? However, smokey this season is not just with charcoal. Color is hot so have fun and play! I’m loving tones of greens. Starting with a wash of light gold green and smoking it up with deep forest green. If you opt for the traditional charcoal, throw in some pink on the lid to brighten it up for spring.

You can find Shalini at TheCulturedLife.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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Finally back at home and working on my next fix. I was on the road for about 5 weeks. I stopped off this season in Minneapolis as I was a Guest Artist in Smart and Chic Beauty Lounge on my way to New York Fashion Week. I was back on Aveda homegrown soil and was able to see friends, the city, and attend a Reef Shoe Graffiti event. I was also impressed with the snow fall this year, WOW!

I got into New York a few days early to prepare my week and double check schedules. I began the week backstage at Christian Siriano’s show that kicked off NYFW. I was only there to style MTV’s beauty Sophia Black as she was a front row guest of Christian’s. I wasn’t working his show but I was able to say hello to some of my favorite models, Aveda stylists and watch the craziness come together. The hair was down with texture. It appeared to be blown straight then braided in 4 sections, sprayed, flat ironed, and let down leaving it with a textured kinked wave. I was invited to watch the show which was a treat being I’m usually deep in hair until it’s over. Beautiful.

Next stop was Jason Wu. He is one of my favorites every season. The hair was creatively put up. The center part pulled back hair was secured with Aveda’s Control Force spray into a low ponytail, then a twist braid with ends fanned out was looped up and pinned. The final touch was 24K gold leaf was delicately added to the ends. So sharp and elegant. I love the creativity of the hair combined with the Batman like lace mask for some of the more elegant pieces shown. As usual I had a great time at this show with some of my favorite stylist, make up artist, models, and of course Jason Wu and Aveda.

The week continued with some house calls for events, media parties, other shows and excellent dinners. I ended up at a venue that was hosting 4 shows that day. I was going to help with the 2nd and 4th show. The teams were well staffed and I had some time to hang around the neighborhood for lunch and head back to wait for the 4th show. I started to notice the designer of the 3rd show was crying and for whatever reason had no makeup team for her show. I asked if she needed makeup done, knowing time to walk would be soon. She replied “yes” graciously and told me the feel for the show was Ghost Geisha. I said “done!” I quickly grabbed 3 talented familiar faces waiting for the next show and built a mini makeup team. This was out of my normal Fashion Week bag of tricks so it was super fresh for me. I had a great time being a part of the solution and she had a great show.

My favorite show every season is Rodarte. I love the girls, the runway, makeup, clothes, hair and inspiration I get from working with them every season. The venue was in the Gagosian Gallery and was beautiful. The hair was organically down with texture. The hair was prepped with Aveda Phomollient and free hand blown out. The top front section to the right of the part was blown forward and hand styled up and back. The rest was free hand blown and given texture with Aveda’s air control. Then it was loosely brought to the right shoulder and secured with a small fishtail braid leaving the ends out. The feel and inspiration was wheat. The texture of the hair and collection went hand in hand of course. After I calmed down from the stimulating show I headed out to Kate and Laura Mulleavy’s apartment to style them up again for their after party. Unfortunately they were beat from the day and needed all their rest for the party and I wasn’t able to dial them in and shoot the breeze.

Right when I thought that was the end of my fashion week, I was invited to be a part of a collaboration with an amazing team for a photo shoot. We were locked and stocked with wardrobe, stylist, locations, makeup, models, photographer and everyone pumped full of inspiration from the week. We ended up shooting 12 hours starting at the crack of dawn. We shot 5 models with 3 wardrobe changes, 3 different hair looks, and 7 locations including a vintage tavern, NYC rooftop and Times Square. It was fresh! Amazing way to end Fashion Week. I can’t wait to see the shots.

I flew into Orlando and rested with family for a couple days when I was invited to tag team everybody’s favorite food celebrity, Giada De Laurentiis. I headed out to meet up with the very talented celebrity makeup artist, Julie Morgan. We were working off and on throughout the South Beach Wine and Food Festival as Giada was host. She had multiple events to be at with changes of clothes, hair and makeup. My favorite was making sure she was looking beautiful at the Ocean Drive Magazine rooftop party. I couldn’t be too fixated on her hair with great music, all the sushi I wanted, and an amazing view distracting me. I have worked with her and her husband before and they are amazing. In all seriousness I was honored to participate in the parties with Julie, Giada, her family and crew. If your going to do South Beach, party hopping with Giada and crew is the way to go!

Thank you all for an amazing 5 weeks! I love what I do and you make it better. You are the most beautiful version of you so keep it great! PK Hair has exciting news coming soon so keep up or follow @1Pearson1 on twitter and Facebook.com/PKHair.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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It’s almost that time of year again! In just a few short weeks Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week will be upon us once again. As we have in the past, A Girl’s Gotta Spa! will be there to recap beauty trends and try to get you as much behind the scenes info. as possible!

I thought it would be fun to let you in on the inner workings of an expert hairstylist working the shows at fashion week, and who better than my friend Pearson Knight who has recapped trends for us the last few seasons? Pearson works with the Aveda team at some pretty rockin shows. So enjoy some of his backstage photos that he shared with me and hear all of the fun and interesting tidbits of the intense and exciting week that is Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week!

Shannon: When assigned to do hair for runway shows at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week, how much notice are you given regarding which designers you’ll be working with?
Pearson: Fashion Week is such a crazy venue, week and experience that it doesn’t surprise me everything is done on the fly. I usually get my schedule for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week just a few weeks prior to the shows. The schedule, teams and times are constantly changing as we get closer to go time! There are some staple shows every season which gives a chance to get to know the designers style more intimately to help produce better results creatively. Although, having new designers on the schedule is always exciting and challenging.

Shannon: How far in advance does the lead hairstylist prep you on the hairstyle for a particular runway show?
Pearson: I have been fortunate to have been the Lead Stylist, Assistant to Lead and Team Member. The prepping of the team is done on the first model that shows up for the show as it starts. No pre-knowledge goes beyond the Lead, Assist and Designer until go time! 

Shannon: How many tests do you go through and is the designer present?
Pearson: I have been on numerous tests with many designers and each one is different. Usually two days before the show, but the designer is almost always very present and involved in the hair testing. Some designers have been very particular on how it should look or an idea for the vision of their show. Other designers have given total room creatively for the ability to drive a look. Some designers have loved the first look done on the test model and others have been a grueling few hours of banging out look after look trying to find that perfect match for their collection. I have also led some shows where the test schedule was canceled and the looks were created on the spot at show time. Got to be ready!

Shannon: Runway shows at fashion week notoriously start late. Has a runway show ever run so far behind that it intersected with another show you needed to be backstage for?
Pearson: I have definitely needed to be at more than one place at a time during fashion week. Somehow with the teams being amazing it always works out even as stressful as it can get in the moment. So much goes into starting on time. The make up prep, hair prep, wardrobe, the run through, the show previous’ holding crowd and models, models being on time, as well as snow storms and traffic. We share 4 hours together to get all that done!

Shannon: Can you describe to the readers a typical day backstage during Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week?
Pearson: As soon as production has the space ready and we can enter the backstage we get set up. We typically eat a little of the catered food and meet each other as we wait like hunters for the first model to start the prep frenzy. As soon as the first model arrives the Lead Stylist will do the look as the team gathers around to learn the look. Usually we set up in teams of 2 or 3 stylist per model to get the work done as fast as possible. Everything usually goes smooth as butter for a while as we laugh and enjoy the work. Then production people start yelling for first looks and we have to stop what we are doing and let the models go. You only hope the model finds you so you can finish what is running around backstage half done. The Lead starts to feel the pressure as most of the press starts to file in right about the same time production tells us Marc Jacobs’ show ran late and 7 models will show up 5 minutes before they walk. The press interviews, photographers and camera crews are filling the space as we get cramped while production people are constantly yell how many minutes we have left. If you’re anything like me, you live for the pressure of perfection and precision in the final 20 minutes before show time. It is so intense!

Finally the models head to wardrobe and begins the line up as we run around doing last minute touch ups as they get dressed and line up. The Lead is right up front typically with the designer being the last to overlook the creation before it hits the runway. The 3 hours of prep is done and the show starts. There is an energy backstage that is indescribable the whole time, but especially right when it ends. Live it, love it!

Shannon: Of all of the designers you have worked with, who has been the most creative when it comes to hair and why?
Pearson: This is a tough question because some designers are more aggressive and some more elegant, but hands down my favorite show is Rodarte every season. The sisters are so creative and make sure the runway, make up and hair are just as amazing as their collection. It is always so fresh!

Shannon: Who is one designer that you have not yet worked with, but would like to?
Pearson: Although I unfortunately will not be able to meet him, I would love to work for Alexander McQueen. My favorite. He is brilliant for so many reasons.

Shannon: You always give A Girl’s Gotta Spa! readers a great hair trends recap each season, this time we’d love a prediction! What do you predict the look will be for AW11/12?
Pearson: I predict for Fall/Winter 2011/2012 we will continue to see a lot of texture in hair. The trend of wave, curl and natural texture in daily wear is still on the rise. The blend of 40′s styling with 80′s texture and size was great, but we will move more towards modern appeal all the way. This runway season will be a mix of hair being styled up creatively with big texture and some naturally down staying soft. Looking forward to a great season.

Be sure to follow Pearson Knight on Twitter: @1Pearson1

Like him on Facebook: Facebook.com/PKHair
Check out his website: www.PKHair.com

To keep up with all of our fashion week ramblings like us and follow us, as well!
Facebook: A Girl’s Gotta Spa!
Twitter: @AGirlsGottaSpa @ShannonNelson and @GailSLewis

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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I think we can all clearly say that celebrity hairstylist, Nick Arrojo, had us at hello back when he was on TLC’s What Not to Wear. I was always mesmerized by the way Nick could turn the ordinary into something extraordinary. Then one day in March of 2009, me and my 22 inches of hair decided to visit him in his New York City salon. It was quite an experience of a lifetime. Nick has a lot going on these days; a book, a product line, his salon, his academy and his new co-branded effort with Giella for custom-made cosmetics.

Shannon: Your passion for the hair industry is so apparent in all that you do from your newsletter to your salon to your academy; what drives you to educate and create innovation among salon professionals?

Nick Arrojo: I love the business that I’m in; my work is a labor of love. And I’m very fortunate to have such a varied, rewarding and successful career. This gives me a sense of duty to use my knowledge, experience and skill to raise standards in the whole hairdressing craft. It’s also something that has been instilled in me from my early days in the industry. I’ve worked for top-notch companies like Vidal Sassoon, Wella, and Bumble and Bumble. At all these places the commitment to education and excellence is strong, and this helped me see that the best chance of success for you and those around you is to continue to grow, innovate, inspire and improve. I take ownership of what I do for the benefit myself, my business, and those around me. And if I do that, it means I’m contributing to a stronger, more dynamic hairdressing industry, which is exactly what I want to do. 

Shannon: Which do you prefer, styling hair for celebrities or styling hair on the everyday person?

Nick Arrojo: I get asked this all the time and the only answer is there is no answer. I don’t prefer everyday people or celebrities. To me every client is as important as the last, and the next. Whoever the person in my chair may be, my goal is to do the right thing for the individual––make them feel special, and make them look their sensational best.

Shannon: In your book, “Great Hair,” you say you can tell someone’s texture and hair shape in 30 seconds. Do you often find when you are out and about in New York City that you are sizing up everyone’s hair and thinking up their perfect style and cut?

Nick Arrojo: No. In the book I was talking about when a client first sits in my chair and I’m assessing their hair so I can understand how to achieve the best style for them. But when I leave work I’m good at switching off and not worrying too much about the hair of people around me. I don’t feel it necessary or appropriate for me to give advice to every head of hair; but if a person asks my advice, be it in the salon or on the street, I’m happy to help. Otherwise the only time I give a style a close inspection is when I see something that looks really creative, new, innovative or different (in a good way). In New York City you do see some fantastic hairstyles walking around the streets, and I like to use this as inspiration for my own new ideas.

Shannon: What do you feel is one of the biggest myths about hair care and why do you think people still believe it?

Nick Arrojo: There’s quite a few and they do make me laugh. I’ll give you two of my favorites, which are closely related. First: Hair grows faster if you trim it. I’m sure this myth is born out of the idea that trimming ends makes your hair look healthier. True, because you’re cutting off all those nasty split ends, but hair grows at the same rate no matter how often you cut or trim it. Second: The notion cutting your hair short makes it look thicker. No, cutting hair short gives the illusion of thickness. When hair is on the longer side, the extra weight pulls it down, making it appear fine and thin. Conversely, when cut short, hair lies on top of each other and with it comes the illusion of thicker hair. For anyone conscious of fine or thinning hair, a shorter style might be just the ticket.

Shannon: What’s next for you; new products, working on your cosmetology school?

Nick Arrojo: Yes, I want to continue to grow and improve all the elements of my business: the salon, the advanced education academy, the cosmetology school, and the product company. My commitment to education is a huge part of my business. We’re already booked for major hair and beauty trade shows in 2011 and we’re hosting our own hair show called ARROJO Expo this month. It’s the first time we’ve done an event on this large of a scale; we’re looking forward to welcoming 300 hairdressers and salon owners from across the country to our salon in downtown NYC. It’s going to be a weekend full of education, inspiration and if you know hairdressers, a lot of fun. Basically my plate is full, just the way I like it.

Places you can find Nick Arrojo:

www.arrojostudio.com
www.arrojoproduct.com
www.arrojoeducation.com
www.arrojocosmetology.com
@ARROJO

(And yes! That is me with Nick in 2009!) If you are interested in seeing my transformation checkout my makeover with Nick Arrojo.)

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

Website - Twitter - Facebook - More Posts

As beauty addicts, we often want to know how to duplicate a celebrity’s hair style (Jennifer Aniston anyone?) or rush out to buy the lipstick Scarlett Johansson wore on the red carpet. But what about their nails? Surely there’s got to be a well skilled manicurist behind the scenes making sure those hands and nails look as well groomed as the rest of their appearance! Naturally there is, and I was able to track down very busy celebrity manicurist, Jenna Hipp, who has not only worked with some of the best in the business, she is also passionate about using nail lacquers and treatments that are green.

Shannon: Everyone who focuses on a particular niche in beauty seems to have had that one moment in their lives that evoked that passion. Can you recall the moment you knew you wanted to be a manicurist and more specifically one that focused on green nail lacquers and treatments?

Jenna Hipp: Five years ago, I personally experienced formaldehyde poisoning (while on a job!) from breathing in and overexposure to nail polish. As soon as I got home, I began researching alternative, high-quality polish options that would still meet the expectations of my clientele. This is how I discovered SpaRitual and ORLY, both free of harmful chemicals, while also being mindful of the environment, thus beginning my passion for spreading the word.

Shannon: What is the one mistake you find women make when it comes to their nails?

Jenna Hipp: French Pedicures! (I know so many women are gasping for air right now!) But seriously, do you really want to pay good money to give the illusion of grown out toenails? Just say no! Also, not using a base coat is a big mistake a lot of women make. Base coats not only give the polish a tough foundation for staying power, but they also protect nails from being stained by the lacquer and create a guide for the nail polish so it can glide on and grip to the nail much easier. Be sure to use nourishing base coats free of DBP and other harsh chemicals as it absorbs into your body.

Shannon: You recently said that applying a lacquer that complements your skin tone is just as important as matching the right foundation. Are there colors in general that don’t look good on any skin tone; and which colors are universally appealing on every skin tone?

Jenna Hipp: Just like eye shadow or lipstick, you should choose the right nail polish to complement your skin’s natural undertones. The right lacquer color can elongate the fingers and beautifully enhance the entire appearance of your hands and feet. But be careful! Accidently painting the wrong color could cause an effect that’s, um, not so flattering.

If you have fair skin like Winona Ryder or Kirsten Dunst, try neutrals with pink or blue undertones, tawny and beige’s with a white base, and coraly reds if you like an extra pop.

Medium skin like Jessica Alba and Vanessa Hudgens should wear toffee beiges with warm undertones, plums, berries, and coppery cinnamon with gold undertones.

A dark skin tone such as Halle Berry, Rhianna and Beyonce can get away with more color options than the rest of us. Consider coffees, and shimmerless bronze as a neutral. Plum and mauve will always be a safe bet, but choose a cherry red sometime, just for fun.

Because there are so many colors out there, choosing a color for your skin tone can be a little intimidating. I suggest bringing in your favorite lipstick, eye shadow, and/or blush and choose a nail lacquer that blends in with the same family of colors as your makeup.

ORLY’s Enchanted Forest is my absolute favorite color right now. I’ve used it on all skin tones and have yet to be disappointed. Black, of course, looks great on everyone and is still the only color you can get away with wearing a little bit chipped.

To add depth to any color, just use black as the first coat of a lacquer layer. For example, I layered one coat of black and topped it with “Enchanted Forest” on a shoot with Anna Paquin from “True Blood.” The final color was much deeper and darker than the original and can be described as “black with a hint of green.” Not only did she love the final color, it set the perfect tone for her outfit and accessories.

Ultimately, the rule to remember when it comes to color – you don’t have to follow any rules! The most important thing is to get out there and paint with a color outside your norm. You’ll never know unless you try!

Shannon: You have worked with a lot of celebrities, is there any one in particular that stands out that you have enjoyed working with? Can you tell us a little bit about your experience working with her (or him)?

Jenna Hipp: I actually get most star-struck by photographers and hair and makeup artists sometimes because I admire their talent so much! To answer your question though, Jessica Alba and Fergie are so awesome. They were some of my very first celebrity clients and they’ve been hiring me ever since. I owe them a lot because by requesting me on jobs, they opened up a lot of doors for me in the industry.

Shannon: Do you have any collaborations or projects you are currently working on (or coming up)?

Jenna Hipp: I have a little something in my back pocket right now, but that’s top secret and will have to be continued! You didn’t ask me this but, I would love to work with Dolly Parton. Actually, I would probably faint. She’s my all time favorite and how she can play guitar with those nails, I’ll never know! Unless, of course, I meet her someday. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!

You can check out Jenna’s portfolio online at www.JennaHipp.com.

Shannon Nelson

Shannon Nelson launched A Girl's Gotta Spa! in 2005. She currently works with beauty brands as a social media consultant, freelance writes for magazines and is a public speaker at beauty industry conferences.

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