Author: seriouslyjenna

All About BALAYAGE

All About BALAYAGE

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I get the most requests from new hair guests for balayage. It usually comes with a ton of questions as well.

What is Balayage (Bah-lay-age)? Is it right for me? Why do so many pictures of balayage look so different?

Balayage has been around for years and years. It comes from the French word meaning “sweeping” or “to sweep”. It’s a way of creating depth in the hair by sweeping a lightening agent (usually bleach) throughout the hair to create a natural sun-kissed look. It’s great for someone who doesn’t want to actually change their natural hair color, but only add some interest to it.

So let’s start with the process.

Balayage is applied with a brush to hair with more saturation at the ends and becoming softer at the root. Ends naturally lighten from the sun so this keeps it looking natural. There is no foil involved with traditional balayage, therefor, minimal “lift” meaning more of a natural look. It’s suppose to mimic what the sun would do. Putting your hair in a foil allows the bleach to work it’s best, both by keeping it warm and wet. When your hair is out of a foil, it dries faster and doesn’t get much heat. That’s why with traditional balayage, you can only expect about 2-3 levels of lift on average. Which means if you come in with a level 5 natural base, you WILL NOT be a bright ashy blonde on your ends. That’s not what balayage was created for anyway…. There are some great tools out now like foam foils or plastic wrap specially made for hair to keep the heat in, but it’s still not “traditional” balayage and is more work. This picture below is a traditional balayage.

Her hair is a natural level 4. We were able to lift her balayaged pieces to a 7.

*Keep in mind that these levels of lift will vary, sometimes MAJORLY, when you have artificial color on your ends. Never lie to your stylist about what was put on your hair previously. The truth always comes out during the lifting process.

That brings us to, “Is balayage for me?”

If you want to be a blonde with only some dark roots, then no, balayage (traditional at least) is NOT for you. Not unless you are ok with multiple sessions to get you there. If you want a big change, your stylist will do a combination of balayage and foils. When I have a guest who is pretty dark and wants the most change, I will full foil their head and then balayage some of the leave out. Then at the bowl I will take a root color and “tap” their roots to give a shadow effect. That look is often labeled as balayage, all though it’s really not.

The root “tap” or “stretch” is also used when someone has previously highlighted hair and wants to transition to a balayage look or a softer, more natural look. I have created my own technique for this which took a lot of trial and error. It’s NOT as easy and just putting a darker color on your roots and blending it down. Dark color shows up WHEREVER it touches and will leave dark spots or shadows if not done correctly. I can do a post on that technique if any of my stylist friends would be interested, just let me know!! This is a great option though for my blonde clients that are happy with their end color and want to take a break from highlights. See photo below, this guest had a root stretch from a full foil

A question I get A LOT is “What’s the difference between balayage and ombré?”

The short answer is “Ombré is a look, balayage is the technique”. Ombré is dark into light, with no depth in the bottom. It’s much more noticeable and also more upkeep. It leaves none of your natural or dark throughout the mids and ends of your hair. Balayage is sometimes how I get to the ombré look, but not always. It depends on how much lift the client desires. Below is an ombré that I achieved by darkening her roots and balayaging her entire head with no hair left out and saturating her ends completely and then wrapping in plastic wrap to get the desired lift.

So now, who is this NOT right for?

I think this “look” is great for all ages, but not all hair types. If you have grey, just know that this blonde will not camouflage the grey like traditional highlights will. A lot of my grey clients love that highlights help the blend when your roots come in. Most of my grey clients that tried balayage ended up going back to highlights. Also, if you have very fine, straight hair, just know that balayage shows best with movement. It’s hard to see dimension and depth when you wear your hair straight. We can’t see all of that beauty that’s going on throughout or underneath the blonde surface, balayage shows best with a soft curl in my option. Also, if you wear your hair up most of the time, it’s just going to look like you have roots. So if you are a ponytail lover or head band wearer, this may not be for you.

Balayage is bleach, and it’s hard not to overlap each session, and sometimes over lapping of the lightened pieces are necessary, so if you have fragile hair with foiling…. balayage will not help your ends at all. Use good products and get yourself a deep conditioner for inbetween sessions as well as basic maintenance. I never understood how someone can spend so much on a color and cut only to go home and put $5 shampoo and conditioner on their hair.

Balayage and similar looks are my absolute favorite things to do, no two looks are the same. It allows me to be creative and problem solve. It challenges me on occasions which I actually do NOT enjoy (I don’t enjoy a challenge like most)… but seeing a great outcome and a happy guest makes all of the stress worth it.

If you have any specific questions feel free to ask me, and feel free to share this post to help other woman thinking about trying this trend.

xoxo Jenna

What NOT to say to pregnant women…

What NOT to say to pregnant women…

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It’s crazy that out of all of the funny memes and blog posts that this still needs to be said, but here it goes.

What should you say to a pregnant woman?

“You look great!”

THATS IT.

90% of the inappropriate comments while pregnant with Scarlett came from woman. Woman who have been pregnant in their life. It’s crazy to me that they don’t remember not to say these things.

Seriously, buy me a fucking Snickers and tell me I’m pretty. No need to do any more then that. If you absolutely feel the need to comment on my body, tell me how well I’m carrying and that I make it look easy, even if you are lying.

We know we look tired. We got up 500 fucking times last night to pee. Then we got uncomfortable or had heartburn and couldn’t go back to sleep.

We are usually nauseous on some level, so we may vomit on you at anytime. Stand back and don’t touch us.

We know we are walking funny. Don’t fucking mock us by holding your stomach or back and waddle, I’ll punch you. We are off balance and usually feel like we just ran up 10 flights of stairs.

Just don’t. If you think something in your head, say it to yourself…. then tell me I look amazing.

Or don’t say anything at all, that’s fine too.

Let’s review some of the most irritating lines.

I had help from my recently pregnant friends.

“Wow you look miserable”

“Is your husband happy?”

“How much weight did you gain?” JUST NO

*when eating “Awe, is baby craving (insert food)?” You know I had to fucking eat before I got pregnant, right?

“Wow, eating for two?” Yes Karen, and I will fucking eat you too.

“You look like you are getting ready to pop”

“You still have (insert number) months to go?! You’re not going to make it”

“Did you plan this?” MIND YA FUCKING BUSINESS

“Are you sure there aren’t two in there?!”

*if they really are having twins….

“Are you happy to have twins?” Nope, getting rid of the ugliest one.

“Did you conceive naturally?” In the words of my friend “Nope… expensive, painful, didn’t even orgasm”

These are just some of the many examples that piss me the hell off. I’m not usually a sensitive person AT ALL, but being super small my whole life, I became very self conscious while pregnant.

WHILE I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION….

Let’s just talk for a second about what not to say to a woman in any part of her motherhood journey…..

Once you get married people love to jump into your sex life.

“When are you going to start trying for kids?”

Actually Susan, we tried this morning that’s why I was late coming into work.

Or when you do announce a pregnancy.. “You didn’t want to enjoy married life a little bit longer?”

You never know what a woman is going through. She could have taken a negative pregnancy test for the 100th time that morning and you just stabbed a knife right back into her heart.

If someone wants to talk to you about their pregnancy journey, they will.

Or how about adoption…. I consulted and researched the top comments for this… just wow.

“I couldn’t do it, but that’s great that you are trying that route”

“Are you going to still try for one of your own?”

This is soooo fucking offensive and assumes that this adoptive child will not be “there own”.

“What kind are you going to get?”

Once again, you never know what someone is going through…. just piss off.

If you have to ask your self if you should be saying this, don’t.

If anything falls on this list or even close, don’t.

So to summarize….

TELL ME IM PRETTY.

or fuck off.

*touching of the belly is a personal preference. I surprisingly don’t mind it. Which is weird because I usually hate being touched, but do NOT TOUCH MY FUCKING BELLY BUTTON… I will slap you. Dead serious, it has happened. Ask my family/friends.

XOXO Jenna 💋

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

Mother’s Day Gift Guide

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This is for all of us “Bad-Moms”.

The ones that don’t want flowers, or handmade cards, or jewelry.

This is not for the grandmas…. go ahead and give them cute stuff.

I know I can’t speak for every mother, but I wanted to make a list for all of the clueless Dads out there with wives like me. I reached out to my other “bad-moms” and came up with a great list of things. I can be an asshole when I’m given a gift I don’t like, so I usually always tell Brandon what I want.

For me, Mother’s Day is not like Christmas. Gifts are great, but lets start with the things you can DO for us instead. This is what Moms really want.

  1.  A FUCKING NAP …. like take the kid(s) out of the house so we can sleep and not have to hear every breath or see their little fingers under the door. Take them outside, take them to McDonald’s, the park, Chuck-E-Cheese, literally anywhere where they forget about us for 2 hours (but also somewhere that wont require an emergency room visit please)
  2. Clean our car out. Wipe it down……  vacuum out all of the old french fries, goldfish, crackers, and whatever the hell else is living under the car seats. Then spray some shit to make it smell nice for us. A little love note on the dash is a plus.
  3. Make us breakfast and clean the entire kitchen before you wake me up or serve it to me. Clean as you go, its possible…. Nothing will help us start the day off better then walking out to eat our breakfast and there is nothing on the counters, the dishwasher is running and you can smell the cleaner. When we are looking around and eating, we wont be thinking about everything that has to be cleaned up.
  4. DO ANYTHING that I usually do on a Sunday without asking. Do some laundry, clean the bathroom, mop, start cleaning up the flower beds.
  5. Have all of the meals planned that day. DON’T FUCKING ask me what I want, just plan and do it. Go to the grocery store (WITH the kid(s)) if necessary.

Most Moms will be very pleased with any (OR ALL) of the list above.

But its still always is nice for the kids to have something for her to open.

That brings us to our next list. These are things you can buy her that she will actually enjoy.

  • Silk Pillowcase. EVERY WOMAN should use a silk pillow case. The hairdresser in me feels the need to tell you how much your hair benefits from a silk case. So much less damage to the hair from tossing and turning at night. Plus it feels amazing on your face and doesn’t hold as much bacteria as cotton/blends. It also pulls less on your facial skin while you sleep which means less wrinkles! Trust me, she needs one. She might look at you crazy at first, but send her here and explain the benefits. Shop Here
  • SILK ANYTHING (or silk blend/satin for us non-Rockefellers) Satin Pajamas, a Robe, Sheets.
  • Black Leggings. All moms I know wear solid black leggings. My boutique has the most amazing ones for an amazing price.  Shop Here
  • Bath Bombs, Bubble Bars, or Oil Bars. Lush and Amazon have my favorite. ALSO, actually give her time to use them. I love these from Amazon Bath Bombs Gift Set
  • Chocolate Covered Strawberries….. As long as she likes them……. If not pick up her favorite candy, and don’t make her share it (BRANDON… I’m looking at you)
  • Body Scrub. The number one defense against wrinkles, stretch marks, and aging is EXFOLIATION. You have got to get rid of those old skin cells.
  • Replace her old curling iron or blow dryer for her. Try to match the exact size that she currently has. Shoulder length hair usually needs 1 inch or 1 1/4 inch. Longer hair usually takes 1 1/2 or 1 3/4. These are some good ones-  RUSK Engineering W8less Professional 2000 Watt Dryer    & BaBylissPRO Nano Titanium Spring Curling Iron, 1-1/4 Inch
  • Last is the obvious but still always appreciated, gift cards! I love Sephora/Ulta gift cards because I love makeup & beauty products. Where does she love to shop? Us bad moms also love TJ Maxx & Marshalls because your gift card can get you a bunch of random shit at those stores. Then give her a day or 5-6 hours to use them in peace.

***I suggest picking at least one from each list to be safe.

Most importantly for the great moms that might turn their nose up to this post…..

MOMS LOVE THIER CHLDREN!

I LOVE MY CHILD!

Sometimes though we need a break, and what better time to give us that break then Mother’s Day? And don’t forget, there is a reason Mother’s Day comes before Father’s Day, we hold grudges. How ever much effort you put into our gift, is what will go into yours….. usually more though lets be honest.

So treat your wife/baby-momma this year and see how it changes her and makes her whole month.

XOXO Jenna

My Makeup Bag

My Makeup Bag

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Jenna’s Makeup

Mary’s Makeup

Now this list is forever changing… Makeup is the only thing I spend money on like it’s nothing. I like to try new products and sometimes that new one replaces an old favorite. Sometimes for only a week or so, sometimes until the next new thing comes along.

This list is of my current favorites. I have oily, but dehydrated (seasonally) skin and these work great for me. I understand that what works for my skin may not work for yours, that’s why I brought on my friend Mary who has extremely dry skin to share her favorites as well. Mary is my salon makeup artist and so talented. You can follow some of her work on her Instagram . I’ll go mostly in order of how we apply them and list both of our faves. I hope to have my first makeup tutorial video in the next couple of weeks (I’m still learning how to edit 😂).

I will tell you that I think the most important thing though is your tools. So I’ll start with that. You will never get that beautiful eyeshadow-crease-transition with out a blending brush. Invest in a good set of brushes, they really aren’t pricey anymore. The brush world has come a long way. I will have a more in-depth video soon about applications and tools.

Im not going to go in-depth about the products or why I love them, except for the tools. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask us.

Brushes/Tools-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*Real Techniques sponge- a sponge has been my go-to for almost 6 years for all skin types and liquid foundation. It makes your foundation sit properly on the skin without any brush strokes or harsh lines. (Also Mary’s favorite)

*Morphe Brushes- these are the best, most affordable brushes I have found. Here are some of my “must-haves”

Mary’s Favorite-

*Stippling brushes, these start out dense at the neck and taper out to a more feathered texture at the ends. This helps the product spread softly and evenly to ensure it doesn’t stick to any dry patches.

Primer-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*Maybelline Master Prime

*L’Oréal Infallible Matte

Mary’s Favorites-

*Becca Backlight

Foundation-

Jenna’s Favorites-

* L’Oreal Pro Matte full

*Urbana Decay Weightless Naked

*Sephora powder

Mary’s Favorites-

*Covergirl Vitalist Elixir

*L’Oreal Pro Glow

Concealer-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*Maybelline Age Rewind Eraser.

*Tart Shape Tape (Also Mary’s favorite!)

*Urban Decay Naked

Mary’s Favorites-

*NARS Soft Cream Matte

Setting powder-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*RCMA No Color Powder

No Favorites for Mary, dry skin+powder= cakeface

Bronzer/Contour-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*Too faced Chocolate Bronzer (Also Mary’s favorite!)

*ABH (Anastasia Beverly Hill) Bronzer

Mary’s Favorite-

*NARS Laguna Bronzer

Blush-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*NARS (Orgasm is my absolute favorite of all time)

*ELF

Mary’s Favorites-

*Milani Luminosa

*Tarte blushes

Highlighter-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*Urban Decay Afterglow

*ABH Amrezy (Also Mary’s favorite!)

Mary’s Favorite-

*Pat McGrath highlighter stick

Eye Shadow-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*Morphe X Jaclyn Hill palette

*ABH Soft Glam palette

Mary’s Favorites-

*MakeUp Geek shadows (“Bitten” is her fav)

*MAC shadows (“Cork” is her fav)

Eyeliner-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*Kat Von D Tattooed Liner (Also Mary’s favorite)

*Urban Decay 24/7 liner in “perversion”

Mary’s Favorites-

*MAC Fluidline in “blacktrack”

Mascara-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*L’Oreal Telescopic

* L’Oreal Lash Paradise

Mary’s Favorite-

*L’Oreal Voluminous

Brows-

Jenna’s Favorites-

*ABH Dip Brow

*ABH Clear Brow Gel to set

Mary’s Favorites-

*ABH Brow Definer

*ABH Colored Gel

Setting Spray-

Jenna’s Favorite-

*MAC Fix+ (Also Mary’s favorite)

Mary’s Favorite-

*Urban Decay Quick Fix

Lips-

Ok, Ok…… confession…. I don’t wear anything on my lips, ever. I talk too much and never stop drinking coffee so its pointless for me. If I do on the rare occasion wear it, it is ABH liquid lipstick.

Mary’s Favorites-

*Lancôme Juicy Shakers

*Burt’s Bees chapstick

I hope this was helpful! Like I said, this list is forever changing….. and if you need any specific recommendations, feel free to ask!

XOXO Jenna

My Bun, My Oven

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Pregnancy & guilt.

That’s right, I’m pregnant. And for anyone close to me, their first question was “is it yours?”.

They ask that because as of December of last year, I was in my final stage of becoming a Gestational Carrier (surrogate) for an amazing couple. It’s something that I have always wanted to do.

My life plan; be done having children of my own by 28, then join an agency to be a surrogate. Sometimes though, life doesn’t go according to plan. In 2014, one year after having my daughter, I found out I was having a miscarriage and required a D&C. I wish I could say I was sad, but I wasn’t. I didn’t want another baby. I didn’t want to be pregnant again, it was too soon. I was in the process of working with insurance to get approved for an IUD. Then we had a “whoops”, so 24 hours later I bought Plab-B and went about my normal life. Plan-B usually makes your period a week late, it’s no big deal. But after 10 days I decided to take a test and immediately felt a feeling I had never felt before. My daughter wasn’t “planned”, but I wasn’t upset. This time, I was devastated. My husband tried to console me, but it was useless. Everything about that pregnancy felt wrong, so when I got the news that we had lost the baby, I actually felt relieved. That was my first “pregnancy guilt” moment.

I can’t change my feelings, I’m not a good liar. Everyone around me knew my feelings. I didn’t want another baby, but in that moment I had a small glimpse of what many woman fear each month. I decided to do something to help those woman, so I filled out an application to donate my eggs. I won’t go into too much detail of the process, but it was a long one. A very small percentage of woman who apply actually qualify to be able to donate. It was a very positive experience for me, and I could do a blog post with more detail if you guys ever want me to.

Right before my egg retrieval, I was asked by a close friend if I still wanted to be a surrogate at some point in my life. They had someone they knew that was looking for a gestational carrier (surrogate that has no genetic relation to the baby) for her and her husband to have a baby. I immediately said yes! But then said I better talk to my husband lol. He was totally on board, he knew it was something I always wanted to do. I met them weeks later and knew they were the perfect couple for me. Talking with them felt so natural. They are amazing people and deserved a baby more then people I had ever met. Meeting them confirmed that this was what I was suppose to do.

Not everyone was on board though. My mom took it really hard. My other family members were worried about Scarlett and her attachment to the baby. They were also worried about my health and back problems, and putting them on the line for someone else’s baby. I understood their concern, and I took it deeply into consideration, but ultimately it was what I needed to do. After months of test and psychologist appointments, I was officially cleared to be a surrogate. The psychiatrist said that my test and interview showed I was one of the absolute most sane people they had seen come through (even though Brandon said I paid her to say that 🙄). Not to toot my own horn, but I was the “perfect” surrogate. I couldn’t wait.

Now to January 2018. I got a message from the intended father to please call him when I had a chance to talk. So in between clients at work, I called him. I could tell in his voice that something wasn’t right. He told me that they were pulling the plug on their surrogacy journey. It was a decision they came to after the intended mother’s final testing, with the advise of the doctors. They were exhausted, physically, mentally, and I’m sure financially. I understood completely and just felt so bad for them.

After talking to Brandon, I told him that I still want to be a surrogate. But I wanted to go back to my original plan, done having my own babies by 28. So we decided for me I get off of birth control that next month and to stay off until my 28th birthday in September. Whatever happens, happens.

Well it happened…… the first cycle off of my birth control. I was pregnant. I knew it, even before a test could tell me. Then the test confirmed, I was pregnant. Then the feelings came…… I felt terrible. I had just spent the last almost 3 years of my life helping women who struggle with infertility, and I get pregnant the first month trying. It didn’t seem fair, I wasn’t even as happy as I should have been. I thought about the couple I was going to carry for. I was so nervous they would be mad at me, or have bad feeling towards me for getting pregnant so fast.

I took a month to process it all. I didn’t tell anyone right away except for Brandon. Slowly I’m coming around…. I’m excited for Scarlett to have a sibling, she is over-the-moon excited. I’m excited to design the nursery and go through pregnancy again.

I know so many woman that are struggling. That’s why I wanted to make this blog post. I’m here for you. I have been through both the egg retrieval process and the “transfer” process (even though mine was a “mock” transfer). I have done all of the injections and medications and will gladly answer any questions that I can.

I also made this post, selfishly, for myself. I needed to write this down. I haven’t talked to anyone about my guilt yet.

I was terrible about documenting my pregnancy with Scarlett and since this is my last for my own children, I will be sure to document this process a lot more.

I will still be a surrogate one day, health permitting. I know I am the perfect person to do it. Anyone with questions about surrogacy, feel free to message me. It’s a long process but it’s becoming less “taboo” and there are so many more resources out there to help guide you as both a surrogate or as an intended parent.

I really am excited to be pregnant. I just have a whole lot of extra emotions with that excitement.

So this is my bun, in my oven.

Early November 2018.

and it’s a girl 🎀

Hair Washing 101

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Ok guys, here it is.

One of my absolute favorite hair topics. I know it’s not so exciting for everyone, but it’s so important. It’s the foundation to any hair style. It’s your starting point…

No one needs to wash their hair everyday……

Yes, you read that correctly, no one. I understand that it’s a tough habit to kick. I’m not trying to change anyone, but if you want an easier life…. stop washing your hair every day and continue reading.

You see, your scalp produces oil naturally (how much depends on your skin type, hormones, age, and sometimes even medications). That oil protects your hair from the elements. When you wash your hair, you are stripping your scalp of its natural oils (that’s not all bad, no one likes the smell of hair oil). But your body still needs that oil, so it gets to work producing more. When you don’t wash your hair every day, your scalp doesn’t work as hard to make oil because it knows it’s safe for a little while. That’s why it takes some time to “train” you hair, but skipping washes IS possible, and most find that their hair condition improves.

So what’s the best way to wash my hair you ask? Wash twice, condition once (or none depending on your hair type.. we’ll get into that later) Wet your hair and take one pump, or a nickel-quarter size dollop and work it onto the top and front sides of your SCALP. Add water if you don’t feel it bubbling up, the first wash is just about loosening those oils and dirt. Most times I don’t feel a good lather on my first shampoo. Next, take two pumps or a quarter-silver dollar size dollop and work it in the same way. You should feel the lather now. Give yourself a good scalp massage, don’t focus too much on your actual hair but more so your scalp and more oily spots. Once you have a good lather, act like you’re going to put your hair in a ponytail and work the rest down to your ends… DO NOT scrub the ends of your hair in a back and forth motion. You only need the gentle squeezing motions of you putting in a “ponytail”. Make sure you rinse the second shampoo THOROUGHLY….. Then take your conditioner and start on your ends (make sure you squeeze the extra water from your ends first). Distribute it through your ends in a gentle combing motion with your fingers. Once you have your ends saturated, you can take what’s left on your hand and run it towards the top of your hair but avoid the roots. If you have fine or extra oily hair, actually skip putting conditioner anywhere other then your ends.

So what type of shampoo should you be using? That depends on your hair type and needs.

PROFESSIONAL shampoo is what you need, I promise you that. I know it’s not always in the budget, but if you change your shampoo, you change your life. I always tell the story of my Mom converting from “drug store” shampoo to professional. I lived at home and since I go a couple of days between washing, I didn’t notice my shampoo and conditioner was missing for a while. When I discovered it, it was in my moms shower. After going back and forth for a couple of weeks, my mom came up to my salon and softly whispered “I need some dirt”….. she always said that my Aveda smells like dirt….. I couldn’t believe she was asking for Aveda. She said she couldn’t believe the difference it made in her hair and scalp. To this day she still uses her “dirt”.

I recently did a “test” where I bought 6 “color safe” drug store shampoos and put them up against Aveda Color Conserve . The results were amazing (not going to lie, I was nervous when it got to the Aveda shampoo 😂). I will show the results below, and can you can view the full experiment on my salons Facebook page Signature Salon & Day Spa .

Now seeing that, let’s start with color treated hair. Not lightened hair, but hair that has actual hair color or anything that darkens or add tones to your natural hair. Usually as a rule of thumb, frosted or milky looking shampoos are usually more gentle and clear shampoos are more abrasive (you can actually see the only clear shampoo above didn’t hold up so well). Color treated hair truly benefits from less washing (usually means less fading). Again, professional shampoo will always be your best bet. There is actual SCIENCE behind a color line and it’s matching shampoo that make it last longer. That’s with any brand. Your stylist doesn’t just want to make retail commission and sell you anything. Using the shampoo of the color line you use makes a big difference. But if drug store is only in your budget, look for “color safe” or “sulfate free”. The Tresemè actually didn’t do too bad 🤷🏼‍♀️ .

Next up is blondes, or hair that has been lightened with bleach. You need love, you need nurturing, you need protein. Look for something that has the words “restructuring” or “strengthening”. Although I do not lighten my hair, I have been using Aveda Damage Remedy for 10 years and will never stop. I have “sissy hair” and it needs to be treated like it’s been bleached 😑. It has quinoa protein and a bomb-ass conditioner that glides through my lions mane. Also, if you tend to turn a little yellow, a purple shampoo once a week is a great treatment. I use Pravana Blonde, it’s a bit drying though… so I do my weekly conditioning treatment the day I use it. Shampooing isn’t a huge concern with blondes, just making sure you get it nice and clean….. conditioner is key with us. Treatments and more treatments on those ends is the secret to blonde hair health.

Now for volumizing. This is for the woman that need a lift. Not just for the day, for everyday. This is for limp, lifeless hair. Very few people actually fall into this category, even though it’s a popular concern with my guests. Volumizing shampoo (which is usually clear) HAS to be used with its matching conditioner. Conditioner is what can hurt fine, lifeless hair. Conditioners for volume are usually very light and won’t weigh your hair down. Sometimes, actually skipping the conditioner altogether may be your best bet.

Let’s talk about curly girls… if you have curly hair and you wash it everyday, you are killing your hair. Curly hair is hair that should never be washed everyday. They have these “co washes” now that are a cleansing conditioner. These are great for in between washes to remove some oil but leave moisture. Curly hair NEEDS moisture, focus on conditioner and treatments rather then shampoo. Just make sure your shampoo is formulated for curls or texture.

Finally, it’s time for the best shampoo….

This is that extra kick to move you out of the every day washing into the every other, or longer…. DRY SHAMPOO!! Dry shampoo is life changing. It’s how I went from every other day to every 4-5 days. My tip with dry shampoo is a “preventative” approach. I use dry shampoo at night before bed. I start on the second day. I don’t have a lot of oil at that point, but the dry shampoo is there, ready, for whenever the oil decides to show it’s ugly face. It’s easier to put it on before the oil starts, rather then trying to soak it up once it set in.

This is just scratching the surface of he shampoo world. There are so many other factors and hair types/concerns that can come into play. Always ask your hairstylist what shampoo and conditioner combo is right for you. Just like most things in the beauty industry, these are GUIDELINES NOT RULES. These are what work for me and my guests. If you have something you use that goes outside these guidelines, good for you… keep doing what you are doing. But if you’re looking to stretch your washing days, remember to get a good shampoo and SCRUB.

If you have any specific questions feel free to reach out to me.

If there is anything you want me to touch more in depth, let me know.

Happy hair washing 🤗

Seriously Jenna

seriouslyjenna2 Comments

“Seriously Jenna?”

A line I say to myself almost daily.

When I lose something that I just looked at 2 minutes prior.

Or when I remember something that I walked out of the house without but I’m already 10 minutes from home.

My life at times feels like I’m standing still and everything else is moving so fast around me like in a movie. Sometimes I’m so stressed out with a to-do list 1,000 miles wide and all I can do is sit back and stress some more. If you’re looking for time management help, this blog may not be for you. But I try hard, really hard to be the best wife, Mom, and boss I possibly can. I have a lot to bring to a blog.

I have a 4 year old daughter with so much personality it’s not even right. When people meet her they always comment on her huge personality and adult like vocabulary. You never know what will come out of her mouth and I can’t wait to share our life adventures.

I also a run a salon working as a full time stylist/makeup artist. I love the beauty industry. I have been in this industry for over 10 years and I only fall more in love with it each year. I love teaching my clients hair/makeup tip and tricks. I don’t brag on myself much, but I’m a damn good hair stylist. Even if you don’t come to me for your hair, I want to be able to help you. I’m so excited to start blogging my passion. What do you guys want to see? Easy hair styles? A hair extension over view? Make up tutorials? Maybe some coloring tutorials for fellow stylist? Beauty will be a huge part of this blog.

I recently started a new adventure July of 2017, a clothing boutique! Blush Boutique came from deep in my bones. When I was only in 6th grade I wanted to be a fashion designer. I started making my own clothes and accessories shortly after. It wasn’t until I started working in a salon that I realized it wasn’t for me, and that I was really meant to do hair. My love for fashion, however, never left me. After buying a new wardrobe solely at online boutiques after having my daughter, I though to myself “why don’t I just open my own?” So I did. I love that I can have trendy, affordable clothes at mine, and my salon guests’, fingertips all day. It has fulfilled me in ways I didn’t even know I needed. I love picking out outfits and finding the newest clothing trends. This blog will feature not only my own clothes, but other brands that I love and wear often.

I am a mess, both physically and mentally most days, but I have the best intentions. This blog will mainly be for myself. I tend to keep my emotions and thoughts to myself and I know it’s effecting me. I need to put myself out there. I have a bit of a “bitch” image that has followed me, and in some ways it’s with good reason. I don’t let people walk over me, or my friends. My mom will describe me as “Jenna would give someone the shirt off of her back. But if you take it, she will kill you” I have a good heart, but I hate someone that thinks they are “entitled” to something. And unfortunately that’s something we see more and more these days. I’m working on myself to be nicer and more tolerable of people. I hope this blog allows me to connect to people in new ways and become more tolerable of personalities I tend to not understand.

I’m not perfect, I’m not a writer (so please be kind, grammar police). I curse like a sailor (also working really hard on that). I am human. I hurt, and I cry, although most will never see that. This blog will make me vulnerable, but I think I’m ready.

Please share and follow me in my newest adventure. And please let me know what you want to see on the blog.