Flattering Fall Hair - Best Advice 2014

Pat Alessi - Salon 1580 was honored by being recently chosen by Best Self Atlanta magazine for its "Best Advice" column in its October 2014 issue. We were asked to provide beauty advice for what’s "flattering for fall" in terms of hair style and color. The column features excerpts from Pat's replies. We have provided the complete content here for your review. Hope these beauty tips help you find your "best self" and fabulous fall hair style and color!

What hair color and style trends do women tend to get stuck in? 

Pat says: "Wearing the same style and color for years because women are creatures of habit, afraid of change, or because the men in their lives say that they like long hair. As a general rule, any lifestyle change that necessitates a new wardrobe also necessitates a new hair style. A subtle transformation can yield as much impact as a total makeover — or is a good start for more dramatic changes in the future. If you are stuck in a style or color rut, begin with baby steps, like face-framing highlights and soft, eye-grazing bangs."

What are the current trends for hair color and style for the fall?

Styles: “I love the sleek looks that are on trend for fall; they're refreshing, and a well-tressed contrast from summer's undone beachy waves. Try the look with a smooth ponytail or bun, adding a middle or side part for a modern twist. The trick is getting Global Keratin hair-taming treatments, which retains smoothness for three months! Using your heat styling tools, like your blow dryer and flat iron, activates the products and locks in the shine."

More Fall Styles:
-- Loose, textured waves. Bohemian waves with polish is popular for the fall.
-- Perfect center parts
-- Every take on the pony tail, knots, braids and twists
-- Glamorous ‘60-inspired styles, like mega volume paired with stick straight strands
-- Crops and wavy bobs

Color:

-- “Creamy Yellow,” “Honey Blonde,” and “Buttery Blonde”: pale, golden tones and/or honey tones added to blonde hair
-- Light brown with blonde contrasting highlights
-- Blonde hair with rich brown and/or auburn lowlights
-- “Champagne Red” and “Strawberry Gold,” a great enhancement for dark blondes
-- “Cinnamon” or “Copper” strands are perfect for fall.
-- “Medium Chocolate with Caramel Highlights”

What are the most important factors when selecting a hair color and style?

A) Your hair type:

1) Hair Texture (coarse, medium or fine)
2) Density (the number of individual hair stands on one square inch of the scalp)
3) Porosity (the ability of the hair to absorb moisture and is directly related to the condition of the cuticle layer which is a compact layer of the hair that is naturally resistant to being penetrated by moisture), and
4) Elasticity (the ability to stretch and return to its original length without breaking. It represents or indicates the strength of the side bonds that hold individual hair fibers in place.) 

B) The pH levels required for your hair type for proper hair care products
C) Growth patterns of your hair
D) Face shape, facial features, length of neck, skin and hair tones, etc.

Choosing the best possible hairstyle and color that enhances our good features and distracts from the not so attractive ones.

What hair colors and styles are best for women in their 30s? 

"A woman's 30s are a busy decade — careers take off, dating gets serious, and families get started. Your haircut needs to keep up. Softened pixies, graduated bobs, blunt lobs (a collarbone-length cut with blunt ends), tousled layers, long layers with soft bangs are perfect for the woman in her 30s.

Colors: Your 30s are a turning point. You're not really young, but you're not super mature either. It's time to start thinking about enhancing your natural beauty.  Crazy colors like blue hair, and extreme changes like going from black to platinum blonde, can look cheap. You can get by with cheap when you're 20, not so much when you're 30."

  

In their 40s? 

"Bangs, layers, and highlights are your best friends. Tousled pieces hide regrowth, so you won’t need frequent touch-ups. A choppy cut with long bangs and bold, sunny streaks immediate age you. Short hair: short shags, layered bobs, long bobs with bangs; classic shoulder length; long and straight; long waves. If you’re thinking red, go blonde.  Red hair, unless it’s natural, is rough on mature skin tones. It will expose and exaggerate blotchiness, brown spots or sallow undertones. But a honey blond with golden tones works every time." 

50s and beyond?

"TLC is key. Heat styling and chemical processing make hair porous and prone to breakage. Global Keratin hair-taming treatments are ideal. Smoother, straighter hair reflects light, diminishing the appearance of lines and creases in your face. Spend on moisturizing and hair-taming treatments as you would on wrinkle creams. Your 20-something brunette shade won’t work when you’re 50. Extremely dark hair can look hard and fake next to mature skin. Downshifting from espresso brown to a softer shade like maple or chestnut can erase years. If you want to show off your gray, remember that your best gray may not be your natural gray. Adding cool, ashy highlights can improve the color and is one of the best-kept secrets of stylish gray-haired women."

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  PAT ALESSI - SALON 1580 10800 Alpharetta Hwy., Suite 240 Salon Lofts, Lofts #11 and #13, Roswell Market Place Roswell, GA 30076 678-361-4247 pat@patalessihair.com www.patalessihair.com   Copyright © 2015-2016. All Rights Reserved.   Created by: Susan Leonard, Communications Marketing Specialist, Writer, and Graphic Designer