Salon Rouge: Blown Away By My Blowout

When it comes to beauty, few things make me happier than a professional blowout. I always feel my prettiest after someone tugs on my tresses with a round brush and blasts them with hot air. Why? Well, because I can get away with wearing my glasses, no makeup, jeans and a t-shirt – and still look totally fabulous. That's the beauty of a blowout.

So when Salon Rouge invited me to get my hair did over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, you know I immediately RSVP'd with a resounding "YES!!!!"

While Salon Rouge isn't exactly in my neighborhood (it's located in Cherry Hill, NJ), I had such a wonderful experience that I would gladly cross state lines and pay the $3 bridge toll again for such sleek and chic hair.

First, hairstylist Heather shampooed me using Bumble and bumble Tonic Shampoo, which has Tea Tree Oil and Peppermint extracts to soothe my itchy/dry scalp, balance oil, stimulate circulation. I loved the tingle! Then she shampooed again with Bumble and bumble Alojoba Shampoo - a lightweight, moisture-rich smoothie that combines Aloe Vera Gel, Jojoba Seed Oil, Cucumber and Chamomile for soft, shiny hair. She followed up the shampoo with the Alojoba Conditioner, which also smoothes and softens.

Once the conditioner was rinsed out, Heather sprayed Bumble and bumble Tonic Lotion at the roots and all over to detangle and prepare my hair for styling; this leave-in conditioner is a must-have for those with dry, coarse, porous or colored hair. While my hair was still damp, Heather squeezed a couple drops of Bumble and bumble Defrizz into her hands and distributed throughout my hands. She explained that Defrizz is the perfect prep product before a blowout because it protects against frizz, acts as a barrier to humidity and leaves hair silky and flyaway-free – but she warns not to get overzealous because a little goes a long way.

Then Heather gave me a blowout that blew me away. It took almost no time at all, and she has a very gentle technique. My bangs were almost past my nose, so I asked her to shorten and thicken them up - and she trimmed them to perfection. Seriously, I can't remember the last time I was so happy with my bangs. Finally, she sprayed my hair with Bb.Shine before flat ironing to protect and add a polished finish.

If you're in the Greater Philadelphia/South Jersey area, I highly recommend you pay Salon Rouge a visit…and tell Heather that Spoiled Pretty says "hi."

Salon Rouge
Cross County Plaza
2110 East Route 70
Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
856.424.3611

Follow Salon Rouge on Twitter!

Spoiled Pretty Exclusive: Kim Kardashian Fashion Week Hairstyles How-To

Last week while in New York City for Fashion Week, I ran into celebrity makeup artist Mario Dedivanovic in Bryant Park. Sweetie that he is, Mario introduced me to the man responsible for Kim Kardashian's fierce Fashion Week hairstyles.

Lucky for you, I had my Flipcam (along with 10,000 of my other worldy possessions) in my purse - so I conducted an impromptu interview. Watch as Rolando Beauchamp shares how to steal Lil Kimmy's (my new nickname for her) Fashion Week hairstyles. Enjoy!


For more Kim Kardashian news, beauty and makeup tips, click here.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

New York Fashion Week: Band of Outsiders, Spring 2010

For their Spring 2010 New York Fashion Week show, Band of Outsiders opted for minimal makeup aesthetic. Key Makeup artist James Kaliardos described the look as "Cool and healthy sun-tanned surfer girls. Non-glamorous movie makeup."

MAC products employed to create this look include:
Face - Face and Body Foundation applied with Brush 188 to create a sun-tanned look.
Eye - Bone Beige and Shadowy Scupt and Shape Powders mixed together and very lightly applied to eyelids and sockets.
Cheeks - Posey Blushcreme applied to cheeks with fingers, and Pink Swoon Powder Blush layered on top.
Lips - Dim Lip Erase patted onto lips with fingers, and Lip Conditioner layered on top to create a moist look.

Bumble and bumble was responsible for the playful, beachy waves.

#NYFW

Think You're Saving Money Buying Bumble and bumble at Target? Think Again...

Did you know that you can purchase Bumble and bumble hair products at Target? Well, just because you can do it doesn't mean that it's to be done. After comparing the "discounted" prices on Target.com to the actual prices on bumbleandbumble.com, it appears that you should shop the latter if you're looking for a bargain.

For some strange reason, Target is jacking up the prices by as much as $5. Take an 8 oz bottle of Creme de Coco shampoo, for example. On bumbleandbumble.com, it costs $21. But it's priced at $25.99 on Target.com.

And to make things worse, Target has a selection of Bumble and bumble on "sale." Except those products' prices are also inflated - so even with the discount, you're still paying more than you'd dole out on the brand's website.

I don't know what kind of shenanigans you're up to, Target. But I'm on to you...and I'm gonna tell.

Bumble and bumble Partners with Rock Musical HAIR

Here’s a little something I bet you didn’t know about me: I’m a musical theater nut. Since I was cast as Gretl von Trapp in Merion Mercy Academy’s 1985 production of The Sound of Music, I’ve been passionate about plays... particularly ones where the cast spontaneous erupts into harmonized song and choreographed dance.

Needless to say, as a beauty buff and musical geek, I was very excited when the following email arrived in my inbox:

Last summer’s twice-extended, sold-out production of HAIR: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, is moving to Broadway and Bumble and bumble is along for the ride, continuing their relationship with the show as its exclusive hair care partner.

As part of the relationship, Bumble and bumble granted Michael McDonald, Costume Designer for HAIR, full access to its services and products. McDonald said, “The 60s hippie hair never had it so good. With Bumble and bumble cut and color and their gentle shampoos and conditioners, “hippies” for the new millennium can get that natural look that never seems to go out of style.” Bumble and bumble stylists worked closely with McDonald to make sure the hair of HAIR remains true to its concept – locks with great natural texture, with a flower child edge.

Bumble and bumble editorial hairstylist Rolando Beauchamp, who has worked with Mary Kate Olsen, Kristen Davis and Christina Applegate, provides some styling tips for anyone who wants to get this loose, natural flower child look that’s great for spring:

For wavy or curly hair:
The key is keeping the hair’s natural texture, just helping it out with some product that gives it some support. Spritz Bb Surf Spray ($22) onto damp hair, and work about a quarter size amount of Bb Styling Creme ($23) into hair, mid-shaft to ends. The combination of Surf Spray and Styling Creme gives the right texture – a bit dry, not greasy. Dry with a diffuser or let air dry if it is warm out. The key is not to brush or comb out, just finger style and let it be free!

For straight hair:
Begin just like curly/wavy technique with Bb Surf Spray and Styling Creme, but you’ll need at waves to the hair. Using a 1 inch barrel curling iron, take 1 inch diameter sections of hair and roughly wrap the hair around the iron. The goal is to create bends and waves in the hair, not perfect curls. Then scrunch the section up and pin to the head. Continue curling sections, wrapping the hair in alternating directions, then scrunching and pinning the sections until the entire head is pinned up. Let the hair set for a few minutes, then undo sections. Don’t brush the sections out, just finger style.

Products available at bumbleandbumble.com.

Photo credit: Joan Marcus

New York Fashion Week: Reem Acra, Fall 2009

Backstage at the Fall 2009 Reem Acra collection (held at Reem's showroom),teams from Bumble and bumble and MAC were busy at work styling hair and crafting makeup to compliment the collection’s Grecian theme.

“The inspiration is goddess-like,“ said Polly Osmond, Key Makeup Artist of MAC.

“So the face is highlighted and shaded. We’re doing a greasy, taupe-y eye with highlights on the cheeks and a pale lip. The only specification Reem had for the makeup was to make the girls look beautiful. The entire look took about a half hour to conceive because it’s very simple and easy.”

To replicate the look, prep the face with MAC Face and Body Foundation. Then apply MAC Butter Nutty Shadestick to temples, bridge of the nose, and chin. Brush MAC Powder Blush in Taupe on eyelids and under eyes, MAC Nylon Eye Shadow in the inner corners of the eyes, and MAC Root Cream Colour Base under eyes. Layer MAC Gloss Texture on top of the Root Cream Colour Base - then curl lashes and coat with MAC Mascara X in Black.

Apply concealer to the lips then follow with the Root Cream Colour Base. Top with MAC Shy Girl Lipstick and MAC Boy Bait Lipglass. Finally, swipe some MAC Gloss Texture on the cheekbones.

When I approached Laurent Philippon, Lead Hairstylist for Bumble and bumble, he was scrambling because the electricity had gone out - which left him and his team without power for their styling tools. But he was so calm and gracious, and gave me his full attention for a quick interview.

“This is a red carpet kind of hairstyle. Reem wanted something quite sophisticated. It’s a side chignon with a really, really low side part. It frames the face and brings a geometrical shape to the hairstyle, but with softness as well. It’s a very clean and finished hairstyle but it’s not glued. I don’t want it to look glued. I still want it to feel like it’s hair. We’re drawing the part with a comb, then using Styling Lotion and drying hair really flat. And we’re putting it into a side ponytail - no backcombing involved. The twist is really about securing it with large pins. So it’s really tight, but it doesn’t look tight.”

Angi Wingle, and her team of Creative Nail Design technicians, put the finishing touches on models’ tips and toes. The nails were filed to a naturally rounded shape (to echo the bustlines of Reem’s draped gowns) and polished with a coat of Cocoa.

Product Polygamy Week: Hair

Woo woo! Party over here! Party over here!

Welcome to day three of Product Polygamy Week, Spoiled Pretty’s celebration of the beauty items that get big love from me and my girl, Amber.

SHAMPOO
The Barb: Frederic Fekkai Technician Shampoo For Dry, Damaged, Color-Treated Hair
Looking for a shampoo that will nurture your tortured tresses and restore their good health? Then look no further than Frederic Fekkai Technician Shampoo For Dry, Damaged, Color-Treated Hair. Your hair needn’t be dry, damaged, and color-treated to enjoy this product. As long as your strands are one of the above, they will reap the rewards of this sublime shampoo.

The Nicki: Barry Fletcher Moisture Therapy Honeysuckle Moisturizing Shampoo
This is all I have to say…Barry Fletcher’s Moisture Therapy Honeysuckle Moisturizing Shampoo left my hair so silky smooth that I almost didn't need conditioner. What more is there to say? Oh yeah - an 8 oz. bottle is only $7.

The Margene: Bumble and bumble Creme De Coco Shampoo
Made with coconut oil and murumuru butter, Bumble and bumble Creme De Coco Shampoo gently cleanses, supremely moisturizes, enhances shine and tames frizz. Still need convincing? Peep this - it smells like a frothy pina colada. Bottoms up!


CONDITIONER
The Barb: Barry Fletcher Moisture Therapy Revitalizing Conditioner
Nothing makes my hair softer or more manageable than Barry Fletcher's Moisture Therapy Revitalizing Conditioner. It hydrates, strengthens, and leaves my strands implausibly silken. Plus it smells just like a pina colada (are you noticing a pattern here?) and costs $10 for a tub.

The Nicki: Moroccanoil Masque
The people responsible for the Moroccanoil hair care line must practice magic and wizardry. That’s the only explanation I can come up with that could possibly account for the products’ supernatural powers. Moroccanoil Masque is a rich, creamy treatment, designed to hydrate and repair damaged hair. With continued use, it revitalizes hair, restoring shine and manageability.

The Margene: Joico K Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor
If your hair is over-processed, severely damaged and/or you suffer from breakage, then Joico K Pak Deep Penetrating Reconstructor is the answer. This is not - and I repeat NOT - a moisturizing product. This is a hair reconstructor; it rebuilds and improves the structure of your hair. After just one use, you’ll notice that there’s less hair in your comb/brush, your hair looks healthier and it feels stronger. Just remember to follow this up with a moisturizing treatment, because too much protein can make hair strong but also brittle.


STYLING PRODUCT
The Barb: Moroccanoil Oil Treatment
If you go out and buy just one thing off this list, let it be Moroccanoil Oil Treatment. There aren’t enough hours in the day for me to accurately describe how this magical elixir has changed my life. I’m a beauty blogger, so I have to test and review a plethora of products. Which means that I have to switch it up all of the time. But the one hair product I CANNOT take out of the rotation is Moroccanoil Oil Treatment. This amazing oil strengthens brittle hair, softens unmanageable manes, nourishes dry scalp, restores shine, eliminates frizz, protects against UV damage, speeds styling time by 40% and provides long-term conditioning to all hair types. I don’t know one person who’s tried it an thought, “meh.” Use it once and you’ll want to buy it in bulk so you’re never without it.

The Nicki: Redken Extreme Iron Repair
You’ve heard it time and time again…take it easy on the thermal styling tools. But your hair just looks too damn good when you’ve had a nice blowout and you touch it up with the flat iron. I know, I know. I’m guilty too. So if you’re like me and determined to be a blowdrying, flat-ironing badass, please invest in a thermal protector like Redken Extreme Iron Repair. This lightweight, heat-activated lotion protects hair from heat-styling damage while strengthening the internal and external fiber. And it eases your guilty conscience when you’re putting hot tools in your hair every five minutes.

The Margene: No Frizz by Living Proof
Okay, I lied. Remember when I said if you buy one thing on this list, make it Moroccanoil Oil Treatment? Well, I forgot that I would also be including No Frizz by Living Proof on said list. No Frizz is a revolutionary new hair care line that contains a brand new molecule that does what silicones can’t: eliminate frizz by blocking out humidity. No Frizz by Living Proof is the winner of Allure Magazine’s most coveted beauty honor: the ‘beauty breakthrough award’ of 2008. Already an insider favorite to stylists and celebrities, it hasn’t been available to the general public until recently. Then it hit the market, but you couldn’t find it anywhere because beauty zealots were snatching it up in bulk, like they were on an eppy of Supermarket Sweep. Sounds crazy, but this stuff is serious; it was created by a scientist at MIT!

Since I’ve been using this, frizz isn’t even a word in my dictionary. I forgot what it meant because - rain or shine - my hair looks exactly the same. Hot mess, puffball hair begone! And one thing I absolutely love about these products…it instructs you to apply as much as you want, that you can’t overdo it. I love glopping on some styling products, so a product line that lets me go hog wild (but won't let me overdo it) gets an A+ in my book.

My partner in crime, Amber, is hair obsessed. So you know she’ll have some great product picks. Go check her out and I’ll see you tomorrow…same time, same place.