Style File: Fight the Frizz

Sarah Jessica Parker at the "Hamilton" Broadway Opening Night with hair by Josue Perez. Photo: traceymattingly.com.

Sarah Jessica Parker at the “Hamilton” Broadway Opening Night with hair by Josue Perez. Photo: traceymattingly.com.

Frizzy hair is one of the unfortunate side effects of summer. Luckily, we have frizz-fighting solutions from stylist Josue Perez. He is the stylist for big name celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker, Karlie Kloss, Abigail Breslin, Cameron Diaz and Rosario Dawson.

Here are Perez’s seven foolproof tips for getting sleek and smooth blowouts.

 

  1. When you get out of the shower, towel dry hair 50%, leaving it still half-wet.  Hair has “porosity” so the leftover dampness/moisture help close hair pores giving it natural shine when blow dryer.

 

  1. After towel drying, never forget to use a heat protectant spray. Try the It’s a 10 Miracle Leave-In Product. It protects against heat damage but will never weigh down the hair.

 

  1. Ionic blow dryers are crucial to not just frizz-free blowouts, but they also protect the hair. I use the Rowenta Inspiration Pro Dryer when styling because it cuts drying time up to 20% without using too much heat. The ionic generators protect hair from styling damage and seal in cuticle for fast, frizz-free results.

 

  1. Using a concentrator on the blow dryer allows you to control the air direction, giving you a smother look.  Without the concentrator, the dryer will puff the hair cuticle, leading to frizz.

    Rosario Dawson, for her "Kids" 20th Anniversary Screening, with hair by Josue Perez. Photo: traceymattingly.com.

    Rosario Dawson, for her “Kids” 20th Anniversary Screening, with hair by Josue Perez. Photo: traceymattingly.com.

 

  1. Use a smaller ceramic round brush.  The smaller brushes will achieve tighter curls and help the style last much longer.  Also, ceramic brushes lock in more heat and they stay heated longer for a styling bonus, unlike wood brushes, which loose heat faster. Try the Moroccanoil Ceramic Ionic Round Brush.

 

  1. Most people don’t know how/when/why to use it, but when you blow-dry your hair, you’re essentially opening the cuticle allowing it to form (style) in any shape. (Open cuticle = frizz).  So, when hair is dry and wrapped around the brush, finish it off with a shot of cold air. When you remove the brush and it’s slightly tougher to pull out, that means cuticle is sealed in the shape of that brush (frizz-free).
  1. Celebrity Stylist Josue Perez, courtesy photo.

    Celebrity Stylist Josue Perez, courtesy photo.

    Take a break if you have to and practice! So many people give up halfway and say it’s too much to do. It’s good to do as much as you can and go do something else that you have to do. When you come back to it, you will feel more eager to finish it and once you love the results you will become a pro.

For more information about Perez click here.

—Leslie Dinaberg

Originally published in Santa Barbara Seasons Magazine on August 27, 2015.

Raise Your Hand for Right Hand Rings

© Evaletova | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

© Evaletova | Dreamstime Stock Photos & Stock Free Images

Your left hand says “we,” your right hand says “me,” according to a recent ad campaign sponsored by the Diamond Trading Company, the world’s leading diamond sales and marketing company. The “women of the world raise your right hand” campaign encourages modern women to buy themselves the diamonds they deserve. According to local jewelers, many of them already are.

“Absolutely, right hand rings are certainly something a lot of women are looking at,” said Scott Harwin, sales associate for Bryant and Sons. “That left hand is kind of reserved for the engagement ring, so that right hand is open.”

“People buy right hand rings all the time for different reasons,” said Laura Givertz Gibbings, owner of Fibula Daniel Gibbings Jewelry. Gibbings said that about 80 percent of her customers are women buying for themselves, while Harwin estimated his sales to be about evenly split between gifts and purchases for self.

“Typically women will buy more of wider band to compliment what they are buying (on the left hand). People tend to put more color on the right hand as well,” said Gibbings.

Her customers do collect rings, “a lot of them,” along with necklaces, bracelets, and ensembles. “Generally they want to get a whole set and they tend to buy in color coordinates.” Emeralds and pink sapphires are very popular, as are golden colors.

Women are buying just about everything, from watches to diamond stud sets to three stone pendants, said Bryant.

In addition to the ad campaign, celebrities are also driving the right hand ring craze. Cynthia Nixon, Debra Messing, Gwen Stefani, Jennifer Garner, Joan Rivers, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Mary Louise Parker, and Sarah Jessica Parker sported right hand bling at the Golden Globes, while music divas Beyonce, Queen Latifah, Madonna, Ashanti, Sharon Osbourne, Patti LaBelle, Faith Hill and Mary J. Blige were among those “raising their right hand” with diamonds at the Grammy’s.

Jewelry trends follow the award shows, according to Gibbings. “Chandelier earrings were very popular (after last year’s Academy Awards show) and Indian jewelry.” She expects this weekend’s Oscars to set some new trends.

“Platinum is not as strong right now. Besides the fact that it’s gotten incredibly expensive, things are just swinging toward a little bit more dramatic statements in jewelry. … And I think people are tending to be more sentimental about their jewelry purchases,” Gibbings said.

Women of the world, raise your right hand.

Why a right hand ring? You’ve earned it!

Your Left Hand Feeds the Family

Your Right Hand Takes the Cake

Your Left Hand Knows the Limits

Your Right Hand Knows no Boundaries

Your Left Hand Holds the Keys

Your Right Hand Drives the Car

Your Left Hand Weeds the Garden

Your Right Hand Picks the Flowers

Treat yourself… you’ve earned it!
– From a generousgems.com advertisement for right hand rings

Originally published in South Coast Beacon