If you’re anything like us, your stress over gift-giving during the holidays is compounded by stress over how to shape yourself up for holiday parties. A day of holiday shopping in Manhattan is enough to leave anyone frazzled – hair being one of the ordeal’s biggest victims. Often we have to head straight to a holiday party without much time to prep and prime. We say there is still hope. So while you approach the final throes of this mad season, pick up one of these three hair saviors, shove them in your purse and find a clean bathroom to do a 10-minute refresher before heading to your soirée.

If and when your hair starts to get a bit blah, whip this out of your purse, brush through and see an instant improvement. The KeratinComplex Volumizing Dry Shampoo Lift Powder adds volume at the root through innovative technology, creative delivery and an exclusive pure hydrolyzed Keratin that permeates hair to nourish, strengthen and boost. The dry shampoo comes in neutral, brunette, and blonde, to match whatever shade you’re closest to. Available at KeratinComplex.com.

The Mini Vintage Dryer by Corioliss is not only convenient, its tres chic! Its lightweight, quite design is complemented by an adorable floral print. Even if your bag is packed to the gills, we suggest making room for this little guy, and potentially a small brush as well. No need to conceal this one – wait until you get to the party and bring it into the bathroom for a quick blow dry/brush fix on your roots. Anyone who sees it will envy you and your in-style planning. Available at corioliss.com.

This one’s a big bigger and will only be portable if you’re carrying a pretty hefty bag around. Any tote sized bag should fit the new JFC8 John Frieda® Haircare Experts Tight Curls 1” Curling Iron. The reason we suggest bringing this tool is that its 30-second heat time up to 400°F will make it worth the carry. Curling limp strands is one of the easiest ways to make hair party ready, so you’ll be happy you did when it’s time to hit the town. Available at Ulta and CVS.

Gift-giving. It never gets easier. With every year come even more options, making the decision process all the more intimidating. Don’t let it get to you. Accept that every girl in your life, be it your best friend, sister, girlfriend, mom, aunt, niece or grandma, has some sort of hair compulsion, and will love if your gift addresses it. So whatever your favorite gal’s hair woe or whim, we have suggestions for you. Happy holiday hair to you and yours – now get gifting with these…

For the Eco-Friendly Friend

Created by editorial stylist Mordechai Alvow, Yarok products are formulated using only all-natural, wild-crafted and responsibly-harvested plant ingredients that have been chosen for their medicinal and sensory benefits throughout history.

The line of products is created in small quantities as opposed to factory-style production, so as to preserve freshness and integrity. Gifting your eco-minded bestie the Yarok Holiday Deluxe Hair Styling Set will not only make her feel good about her shampoo, it will make her feel like you’re uber-socially and eco minded too as three percent of Yarok’s annual profits will be donated to the Pachamama Alliance, a non-profit that protects over 10 million acres of the Amazon Rainforest. The set comes with products new to 2011 like the Feed Your Roots Mousse and Feed Your Ends Leave-in Conditioner. And if you’re really generous, splurge for the Holiday Premier Total Hair Care Set. Available at yarokhair.com.

For the Hair-Bling Lover

We’re fairly confident that any beauty-loving babe is into a little hair bling – it’s just that there’s really no appropriate time to sport it outside the month of December. Sparkly headbands, feather extensions, bejeweled clips – it all seems out of place when you’re not romping around Christmas and New Year’s Eve parties. But since this month you probably are, we say go for the gold…or silver, or bronze, or multi-colored feathers!

Both POP and Fine Featherheads are bringing you feathers this season – after the trend had such a successful run, why not keep it going? Plus, POP’s offering is cruelty-free. We think the trend’s pretty much on its last legs, but if you never got a chance to give a feather extension a whirl, the holidays are your chance and these brands are making it easy at-home. Visit FineFeatherheads.com and Ulta.com for options.

And for those more traditional holiday goers who tend to choose the sparkly sequin route, Goody has a Glam line called just that. Goody Glam is available exclusively to Wal-Mart through March, so for we city folk, head to the website. No doubt these polished bows and gems are slightly more youthful than we’re used to, but those of us with little ones can always use that as the scapegoat and when it’s time to spice up that holiday dress, little Suzy won’t blame you for borrowing!

For the (Wannabe) Brazilian Bombshell

Straightening treatments have been catching a lot of heat lately (pun alert) for dangerous chemicals and toxins, but there are still plenty of girls out there who want to go all the way with straightening, no matter what the potential cost. Give them an out this season with the KeratinPerfect 30-Day Brazilian Hair Smoothing System Deluxe Edition. Sure, it’s a commitment, but isn’t that what New Year’s resolutions are for?

The kit has enough products for two treatments, including PerfectPrep Pre-Treatment Clarifying Shampoo, PerfectSilk Keratin Enhanced Conditioner and other shampoos and conditioning products to treat, care for and maintain hair health. In addition, it packs a measuring cup, comb, clips and the PerfectHeat Deluxe Titanium Keratin-Sealing Flat Iron. What more could a straight-shooting (we’re talking hair department people) friend ask for? Available at Sephora.

For the Hay-haired Sufferer

We’ve all got one – in fact, maybe we’re her. That girl whose hair has just suffered too much damage and is now officially dry and brittle. Thank goodness we (or she) has companies like Redken who come to save the dry-hair day.

The brand’s new All Soft like is reformulated with Redken’s exclusive new delivery system, the Interlock Protein Network, and Keratin Enrich Complex, as well as Argan oil – all of which restore hair’s protein and provide intense softness and deep conditioning. A holiday gift set delivers the new line and its All Soft Shampoo and Conditioner, a travel size All Soft Heavy Cream softening rinse-out mask and a sample of All Soft Argan-6 multi-care oil. Visit Redken.com for more.

Bumble and bumble also has a solution for damaged hair sufferers needing a pretty gift set to lift their spirits and obviously their tired strands too. The Mending Affair set includes the line’s Mending Shampoo and Conditioner, which help begin a hair’s repair without stripping color, wilting perms or reverting chemical straightening. The once-per-week Mending Masque will help restore strength and increase elasticity. Available at Bumble and bumble salons and wherever Bb products are sold.

For the City Deal Seeker

If ever there’s a time to splurge on yourself, it’s during the holidays. After all, you’re spending all that money on everyone else, why not spend some on yourself? That’s why your friends will love a gift that will save them a little dough while giving in to such behavior – make them feel a little better during a gift-buying, self-indulgent diversion.

Rita Hazan is offering a holiday promo at her midtown salon: book a blowdry and manicure or blowdry and makeup application before December 15th (appointment must be made from Dec. 15th thru Jan. 2nd) and you’ll get 20 percent off the services. Surprise that friend of yours whose always surfing Groupon, Bloomspot, Gilt City and the like with an appointment and either fork over the dough yourself and save a few pennies or tell her you did her a favor by getting it on the schedule and saving her 20 percent! At the Angelo David Salon, receive a complimentary manicure with a haircut or blowdry (new clients only) during December, a complimentary manicure with a purchase of an Angelo David Gift Card of $50 or more or a complimentary comb with a purchase of the Angelo David large paddle brush. Rita Hazan is located at 720 5th Ave. on the 11th floor, and Angelo David is at 48 East 43 Street, 2nd floor.

Summer is most certainly the LAST season you want to fuss with your hair. The minute you walk outside its practically ruined. So why bother? Because the bright side of summer is that it’s a time when you can sport looks that in other seasons might attract strange looks of ridicule and bewilderment from passersby. A feathered or bejeweled headband in the dead of winter somehow doesn’t fit. Beachy waves in Autumn just seem out of place. So stop getting depressed about summer, and try one of these cute looks on for size. Let the sunshine put a little pep in your morning hair care routine.

Rapunzel-style It

Braids are appropriate in other seasons, sure, but something about their girlish, flirty look screams summer. Easy to create ““ if you don’t know how to braid your hair”¦well”¦we don’t know how to deal with that. Alright, we’ll be nice. Ask a friend ““ we are betting you best gal pal will have no problem helping you out. If not her, try her mom, or sister. Someone will know! Loose, side braids add a bit more flair and a boho-vibe great for summertime. Style beforehand with a product like Shu Uemura Art of Hair Yokan Craft (http://www.shuuemuraartofhair-usa.com) to help make hair more manageable when styling and to tame it while in the loose braid.

Loose-Bun It

Buns are a fave summer go to, but it’s easy for them to look sloppy and not very “planned.” Make your loose, laid-back bun look intentional. Gather hair near the nape of your neck by grabbing pieces and scrunching them as you bring them back into the bun. Use invisible elastics or hair pins that match your hair color to secure the style. Finish it off with Oribe Dry Volume Hair Spray (http://www.oribe.com).

Go Streaking!

Not really. We aren’t encouraging running naked through the streets. Really, we aren’t. But streaking your strands? Definitely. Milani Cosmetics has a limited edition product you can have fun with: Color Streaks. In five colors, this product’s mascara wand lets you paint a little pop onto your hair simply by placing it wherever you feel like and waiting 30 seconds. It comes out in the wash so no need to feel committed. Available ONLY in July and ONLY at select CVS drugstores.

Bring the Bling

Sparkly hair accessories don’t have to be reserved for Christmas and New Year’s parties. Try a spangled headband worn hippie style for a cute summer look. That means around the top of your head, over your center-parted hair. There’s also the option to snazz things up with a brooch, a feather, a bedazzled barrette. Whichever you choose, it’s a no fuss way to glam up your do and look a little more polished. And who doesn’t like a little extra sparkle in their look?

Highlight Away

Summer is still the best time to get your blonde streaks blonder. Despite all the other trends happening in color (red, for one), blonde is timeless, and summer lets you go even a little further with it than you typically would. So to keep your highlights fresh throughout the summer, try products that preserve color and protect you from the sun. Try the Straight Day Styling Spray from Keratin Complex (http://www.keratincomplex.com for salons), a formula that keeps moisture in and forces humidity out while blocking UVA/UVB rays. Need more blonde? In the summertime, you’ll get less flack for bold move, so try some extensions!

Default to the Pony

We understand ““ some days you just have to go for the pony. If it’s one of those days, just try to put a little extra effort into your process so it looks a tad more polished. Apply a styling mousse (try Goldwell’s Top Whip ““ http://www.goldwell.com for salons) and curl loose waves into hair with a 1 ½ inch curling iron ““ nothing fancy, just a few here and there. Leave a small piece of hair down near the nape of your neck, secure the rest in a pony and wrap the hanging piece around the base so you have a clean, polished pony. This will look a lot better than throwing hair up into a hot mess of a pony like we know you’re tempted to do. Or if it’s REALLY one of those days, just make sure to smooth hair with a styling crème and then divide hair based on your part, pull it down toward the nape of your neck and create a smooth looking pony that drapes over your shoulder. Spray to set with ECRU New York Sunlight Finishing Spray MAX.

I have a thing for ocean-inspired and derived products. Maybe my body knows that the ocean is a wealth of naturally balanced minerals and micronutrients and it instinctively reaches to those healing powers. Evolutionary fossil theories suggest that at one point we humans were at some point creatures of the ocean and parallels between the amniotic fluid in the womb and ocean water are a reminder that we must live in symbiosis with the ocean’s flora to help us reach optimum health.

As esoteric as that all may be, the truth is that for thousands of years, people on coastal areas used seaweeds and algae to make their hair lustrous and strong. How to bring these known healing and vital powers of the sea to your hair was the quest of the creators of Aquage Professional Haircare, Dennis Lubin and Luis Alvarez. After researching 25,000 different algae species which have absorbed nutrients and minerals from the sea for millennia, the creators of Aquage selected the eight most strengthening and moisturizing seaweeds and algae they could find, and blended them into the Algaeplex Sea Botanicals Complex, the rich formula at the root of Aquage, an excellent holiday consideration (especially given the brand’s cute gift sets) for those friends of yours who need some rejuvenating hair help. It’s also reminiscent of a seaside trip that perhaps you can’t quite swing this December, but at least your hair can.

While many natural hair care lines rely on cheap, standardized formulas (to which they add a tad of herbal ingredients to justify a “natural” label), Aquage”˜s basic formula is rich in authentic ocean-derived, organic compounds which are brought to their maximum potential by a special technology of extraction and diffusion. Seaweed harvested off the coast of Brazil, found to have an affinity for Keratin, Ascophyllum, Irish Moss, Dulse, Wakame and Neptune Kelp are the basic ingredients retained for their extraordinary moisturizing, strengthening and rejuvenating properties. The end result of using the product is healthy, supple and balanced hair that glides through your fingers.

The collection includes 40 hair care solutions to perfect your hair what ever its character: the Sea Extend Silkening Shampoo and the Silk Extend Silkening Conditioner worked wonders for my coarse and frizzy hair. The line also has a shampoo and conditioner for chemically-treated, brittle hair and for fine or lifeless hair. You will also love the Sea Extend Silkening Oil Treatment that guarantees frizz-free results and does not contain any of the yellow artificial dyes common in most oils; Beyond Shine, an ultra-light silicone polish that gives brilliant shine; Illuminating Gelade, a texturizing gel pomade infused with liquid crystal creates dramatic textural effects without adding weight; and a Fortifying Ultragel conditions with sea pearls for fragile hair.

At a recent Blue Sky Communications event for the product, I was invited across the room by stylist Shawna Parvin to test for myself the transformation that Aquage can have on hair. My hair is dry, frizzy, you get the idea, and apparently something about its troubled appearance called for an immediate Aquage treatment. Shawna divided my hair in sections and sprayed a little Beyond Body Thermal Spray, a heat-activated styling spray to protect the outer layer of hair with polymer and fortifying proteins. Then she used a flat hot iron and transformed my rigid strands into a light crown of glistening soft, smooth hair.

Stylists carrying the brand in their salons are educated to train the customer so that they can use the product efficiently and easily recreate looks at home. This is a great advantage to many of us who have no clue how to start once we are home with a load of products. Step-by-step styling and finishing techniques are available at http://www.aquage.com, as well as lists of the salons that carry Aquage. Gift sets are also available for the holidays.

Mermaids everywhere: you now know what to do!

It’s difficult to say it. The words don’t want to come out, but they must. Summer. Is. Over.

In September, it’s easy to hold on to summer since its last day technically isn’t until late in the month (contrary to popular opinion that it’s Labor Day). But once October hits, there’s no more denying it ““ we’re dead in the middle of fall. The bad news is that we can no longer justify a third trip to the salon in a season to “keep up those summer highlights” and get a futile blow-out that will last five seconds. The good news is we don’t have to take that third trip to the salon because our hair might actually start to behave.

Yes, with that fateful 21st day of September, summer came to a close and while we all were saddened to bid it farewell, there’s another feeling we women all shared: we all simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief that the lift of humidity might bring a lift of hair, and more importantly, a lift in our spirits about doing our hair. Any girl with the slightest wave, frizz or flyaway was haunted this summer by perhaps the worst hair of life. Now that fall is here, we can use some of the best tools without frustration when we’re looking to straighten our hair ““ or use a straightener for those gorgeous Olivia Palermo-style curls.

Here are some of the best straighteners for you to enjoy in the many fall weeks to come. Just remember to always pre-treat ““ winter will be here soon and you’ll be dealing with dryness that’s almost as painful as the humidity.

Since we can finally straighten our hair, walk outside, get to work and NOT see that our hair’s gone completely frizz-ified and curl central (a plus of the windy, cool air), we can consider a straighener splurge ““ like the SalonTech Silicone 450. Custom-designed and made in house at SalonTech, this super luxury, patented three-bar silicone technology iron heats up to 450 degrees in 17 seconds, no more, no less. And it’ll beep when it’s ready so you can run back to the bathroom from fixing your coffee ““ though at 17 seconds, you might as well stick around. (Available at high-end salons or http://www.salontech.com)

If you’re looking for a little more fun in your straightening process, you might want to go for a daring pattern made popular by a famous brand name, Ed Hardy. Sound familiar? Sure, the clothes are a bit garish, particularly for fall, but no one sees your hair tools other than you and maybe your adoring partner ““ so why not go all out? Especially since this super fun and adorably patterned iron is quality: it’s got free-floating, tourmaline plates, features a nine-foot cord with 360 degree swivel connection and comes with a handy thermal lined travel pouch. Just be aware that whoever you do share a home with might find it fun too and before you know it, your Ed Hardy Vintage Collage Styling Iron has been nicked. (Available at Ulta Stores and online)

Does the name Hot Tools ring a bell for you? It does for me ““ I think it was my first straightener. Or maybe that was a Revlon. But I digress. Hot Tools has a whole new look, and with its new one-inch NanoCeramic Flat Iron featuring pulse technology, it’s a brand that’s back on our radar. This sleek looking black iron creates a polished look, straight or curly, that lasts all day. It maintains a heat of 450 degrees and features a control dial with separate on/off switch, LED power indicator light, and a tangle free cord. (Available at beauty supply stores and http://www.hottools.com)

Gold is always in fashion, particularly when paired with the right blacks, tans, royal blues, or, in hair’s case, really any color. Hence the Prosilk Gold Flat Iron, which was designed with gold and black accents for an immediate attraction. The iron’s proprietary scratch resistant ionic plate technology disperses heat evenly and properly to eliminate hot spots which can damage hair. Ionic technology preserves shine, and an ergonomic design makes it easy for you to handle. Doing your hair is hard enough, you deserve a tool that feels good in your hand. (Available through select beauty distributors or online at http://www.prosilkprod.com)

Here’s to wind blowing in your hair ““ and keeping it safe from frizz.

In need of a new look for summer, we headed to the new PRIVE salon in Malibu, CA. Located in the Malibu Lumber Yard ““ the epitome of luxe So Cal shopping – PRIVE is a gorgeous salon with breathtaking mountain views.

Having never been blonde before and a bit nervous, our colorist Amanda quickly put our fears to rest. During our first visit, she wove lots of blonde highlights into our naturally dark brown hair using the French technique, balayage. Then, on our second visit, she added even more golden blonde. The result was a gorgeous blonde head of hair, just in time for summer!

Our stylists, Antonio and Darnell, made our hair silky and enhanced the shine using the salon’s own line of products. We especially loved the Intensive Mask, Relaxing Gel and Shine Serum.

PRIVE offers cuts, colors and straightening processes. Married couple Chelby and Simone Delfourg opened the salon with the main focus of taking care of Malibu’s residents. The duo had the vision two years ago. Having a huge Malibu clientele commuting to their LA salon, they figured it would be smart to offer a more local option.

Chelby says customer service is what sets his salons apart. He mixes his famous sangria every weekend for customers, and always has wine and cappuccino on hand. Chelby says the goal is always to “exceed the value of what you paid for.” Haircut prices at PRIVE are comparable, but he wants customers to feel like they would have paid thrice the bill. PRIVE strives to get “customers for life.”

Mission accomplished.

PRIVE Malibu
3939 Cross Creek Road
Malibu, CA 90265
310-456-7600

June in New York City is typically”¦well”¦perhaps typically isn’t the right word anymore. This year, June seems to be worse than August, which doesn’t bode well for the heat and humidity the next few months will surely dump on us. And through the hot mess that is the NYC summer, our feet will be beset with flip-flop scars, our shirt pits sweaty pools, our skin a constant sheen and our hair completely irreparable.

You feel like jumping in but don’t want to ruin your hair. We know the feeling

While the concrete jungle of NYC is certainly up there on the list of hot cities, almost everywhere in the country women suffer with this dilemma: how can we muster up the strength, motivation, etc. to do our hair when by the time we arrive at our desks in the morning it looks worse than after running the half marathon? As it turns out, companies are privy to this “situation” and have tried to remedy it for us ““ thank goodness. In fact, there are so many products worth noting this summer that BN will bring you two parts to this story, Part II coming next month. These are the brands who have devised tools that will keep our hair in check, even through this hottest of hot summers (global warming anyone?) The irony is that in order to keep said hair in check, we must often add heat to it, which of course is the last thing we want to do in a 90+ degree apartment. Alas, this may be the only way to conquer the beast, so duck into an air conditioned room and make use of some of the following tools this summer.

If you Must BlowDry, Blow Dry Right
We understand that for some gals, the idea of NOT blowdrying before leaving the house is sacrilegious, a hair crime of epic proportions. If you are one who can’t even dream of exiting your home without perfectly and fully dried hair, consider the Paul Mitchell Pro Tools Express Ion Dry v.2. While it’s not terribly new, (launched in April of last year) it’s a real performer.

At 1875 watts, this is true professional grade, suitable for preparation to brave the humidity-soaked air. With a powerful air flow and an extra dose of Express Ion Complexâ„¢, this high-speed styling tool cuts back on your drying time to maximize healthy results. Far infrared heat protects hair from damage, and super-charged negative ions break up water molecules to infuse them into the hair shaft, restoring moisture and sealing the cuticle. The dryer is available only at professional salons, so you’ll have to do some digging, but the find will be worth your while.

Another 1875 watt-er, this time from Gold “˜N Hot Elite, is a bit more in-reach at a much lower price point and still a very effective dryer. It has an ionic generator that can be turned on and off, which is rare to find at this price point on the pro level. If you have fine, thin hair, you don’t need this do-dad, but the rest of us can certainly take advantage. Available at http://www.belsonproducts.com

But Remember: with Heat Must come Brush
If you unabashedly admit to being aforementioned woman who must blow dry even in the thickest of heat, please remember to accompany your blow dry session with the right brush. A great all-for-one, one-for-all option is the Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy Curved Vent Brush developed especially for Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy.

The curved design allows more heat to flow to the hair shaft, reducing drying time and potentially reducing heat damage too. Grab one at select salons or on the Keratin Complex online store at http://www.keratincomplex.com

Straigtener Adicts…sigh…We Forgive You
If you’re on the blow dry bandwagon, you’re probably a hair straightening addict too, aren’t you? We sigh only because we know how hard it must be for you once summer comes and that moist air hits those ironed out follicles, curling them right back up again. Oh, the frustration. You’re going to need some serious power and high-tech straighteners to combat this, something like the Salontech Silicone 450 Iron.

Salontech’s tools are all custom-designed and produced in-house, after extensive research and development processes. The silicone bars on the plates heat up to 450 degrees in 17 seconds and beep when the high temp has been reached. The three-bar silicone technology is patented and made to grip hair in sections one at a time to lessen damage. This high-end tool can be found through the brand’s online store, http://www.salontech.com

With many a straightener on the market, perhaps you’re looking for something a bit “different” this summer, something that will really get your hair juices flowing, get you moving, shall we say. If so, you might want to give Sam Brocato’s VibraSTRAIT Iron a go as it will do much of the moving for you. VibraSTRAIT is the world’s first vibrating straightening iron, available from the Sam Brocato Salon, http://www.sambrocatosalon.com.

The combination of heat and up to 7,500 vibrations per minute smooth and straighten to keep hair shiny and healthy. While many flat irons are created with ceramic coated plates, the VibraSRAIT has nano-silver coated plates that retain their slip through repeated use. It also uses an integrated sensor that enables a flash heat-up and rapid cool-down.

Or the Easy Alternative: Don’t Fight the Curl, Embrace It
A simple solution to the hair conundrum is to let the humidity work in your hair’s favor by playing up any and all curl you have. If you’re blessed (or cursed) with ultra-straight hair that doesn’t hold a curl, then forget this option. But if you’re like many ladies out there and have hair somewhere in between curly and straight, now’s the time to let the curls take over. Before bed and after a shower, put in a set of Remington Colossal Curl Setters while you watch late night TV or browse the Internet.

The set comes with 12 flocked velvet rollers to reduce potential damage and a thermal wax core which allows the roller to retain high heat longer and set curls faster. Take the rollers out, go to sleep and in the morning your hair will be tousled and curly and ever-so-sexy. Add a bit of mouse, gel or styling spray to give it a beachy look and you’ll be ready to go. The curlers are readily available at your nearest Wal-Mart or similar value stores.

Stay tuned for next month when we bring you a whole different set of tools to set you on your summer way to good hair that you won’t want to throw into a ponytail”¦at least not immediately.

Do you love to change your hair color and to experiment with different hues but are sensitive to chemicals, fumes or concerned about the health consequences of putting ammonia in your body? In this world turned green, it is not surprising that more and more eco-friendly, natural hair dyes are surfacing. But do they measure up to their chemical sisters? Susan Henry, a top colorist in Beverly Hills has developed Susan Henry’s Natural Color-Process a line of chemical-free hair color that delivers rich permanent color and holds up well to the challenge.

A hair color specialist who served A-list clients in L.A for 30 years, Henry was inspired to research plants as a basis for hair color after getting poisoined by the fumes of traditional hair dyes at work. Her line is the result of long research delving into the secrets of plants and experimenting in her kitchen for many months. The basis of her ingredients is composed of wheat germ, sea weed, flower and beet extracts. Alcohols are used instead of metals or formaldehyde.

You can visit her hair salon in L.A., Shades Natural Hair Studio, the first green salon in the area where her top clientele has followed her or orders at-home kits which come in black, dark brown, medium brown, copper red, golden blond and light blond. To achieve light brown with blond undertones I mixed a quarter dark brown with three quarters of blond. The color is buyoant and rich like the natural hues it is extracted from. My hair feels vibrant and pliant without the smell of ammonia or chemicals.

Add to your color kit the hair treatment Shades that Henry recommends to use after dying your hair, made out of jojoba, organic olive, apricot kennel, orange, Vitamin E and almond oil. The organic oils are hand blended and the carrier oils help enhance the medicinal properties of the essential oils. Your hair just sponges it up and turns into the smoothest baby hair ever.

Henry’s Natural Hair Color collection is available in her eco”“friendly Natural Hair Studio in L.A or online at http://www.susanhenry-ncp.com

On a recent sunny afternoon, we headed to Malibu to check out the brand new salon opened by top stylist Chris McMillan and leading colorist Michael Canale. The McMillan Canale salon is a gorgeous space that feels both luxurious and comfortable. It oozes California confidence, without feeling overdone. It is an escape from the everyday.

The new salon offers top-notch hair styling, color, cuts blow outs and Brazilian straightening. We decided to get a fresh cut in time for summer, and were quite pleased with the result: a bouncy bob with face-framing layers. Our stylist smoothed out our shaggy locks and gave us exactly what we were in need of: a new summer look.

Off to the beach!

McMillan Canale Salon
3835 Cross Creek Road
310-456-9973

In search of the perfect blow-out for a party on a recent Saturday night, we headed straight to the newly-opened Drybar in Brentwood. “No cuts. No color. Just blowouts.” We knew we’d be in good hands.

Upon entering, we were warmly greeted and offered a glass of champagne. True to its name, the salon is set up like a sophisticated bar: The space is clean and bright, with vases of lemons and bouquets of bright yellow flowers throughout. A large flat-screen TV screen in the back of the salon shows movies (Vicky Christina Barcelona was on when we were in), and tons of glossy magazines are available so you can take advantage of the full salon experience.

There are a number of blowout options to choose from: the Manhattan is sleek and smooth, the Mai Tai is messy and beachy. Our lovely stylist, Sadaf Azimi, told us she had something special in mind, so we sat back and let the master work. We loved what she created: equal parts part chic uptown lady and California surfer girl.

And at the reasonable price of $35, we are certain to be Drybar regulars.

Drybar
11677 San Vicente Boulevard, Brentwood
310-442-6084
http://www.thedrybar.com