Thousands of hair stylists, makeup artists, and estheticians gathered in New York last week for the International Beauty Show. With hundreds of exhibitors promoting their products, tools, and promises of beauty miracles, The Fashion Spot got the scoop on what to expect in your salons for the next few months.
Frizz-Free Hair
If you haven’t already heard of Keratin treatments that smooth away bulk and frizz by coating the hair with keratin, a protein naturally found in your hair, then you will. Keratin treatments, or Brazilian Keratin, have been around for a few years now and have caused a bit of a fuss over the amount of formaldehyde in current products and safety concerns. Regardless, it’s still extremely popular, which is not surprising because it really works. If the beauty show was any indication, there are hundreds of companies launching their own versions of the treatment, all claiming to be the best.
Brazilian Blow Out, one of the industry leaders, promoted its new ZERO line that claims the product’s bonding system releases no formaldehyde at any time during the treatment. So for those who have been holding out on frizz-free hair for health reasons, this is definitely the one to try. Keep in mind that different salons charge different prices and you aren’t necessarily going to pay more for a better product. You shouldn’t pay any more than $250 per treatment, otherwise you are paying for the styist’s ego!
Lengthy Locks
Hair extensions also don’t seem to be going anywhere, judging from the growing number of distributors hawking their goods to the salons. The ability to gain thick, long locks in a matter of minutes or hours is great for those of us who either can’t grow hair out, don’t want to wait, or like to experiment with different colors. The extension industry is booming, but it’s not getting any more affordable for clients. Since real human hair is costly and a full set of extensions can take up to eight hours to install, you should expect to spend anywhere from $500 to $2000. Both the quality and length of the hair will determine the price, but you are really paying for the stylist’s time and expertise; you want someone who knows what they are doing because it’s very easy to make expensive hair look very cheap.
There are also dozens of ways to install the extensions and they each have their own pros and cons. Some can be attached in larger wefts by adhesives, others are bonded with painstaking precision and will take the full eight hours. Clip-ins are a great way to skip the salon altogether. You can buy hair that has clips already attached, but if you want to save some cash, you can do it yourself. You can also save a few dollars if you buy your hair from a beauty supply store or from an online wholesaler and bring it with you to your stylist. It is important to keep in mind that you do get what you pay for; good quality hair won’t shed or tangle as easily.
Hair Feathers
Some things just aren’t meant to be bedazzled, and I think hair is one of them, but not according to the International Beauty Show. Hair tinsel, hair crystals, and hair feathers seemed to be pretty popular with the attendees. The Fashion Spot featured a piece about super bohemian hair feathers last month: they are exactly as they sound, strands of feather extensions for your hair. They can be clipped in or permanently bonded in strands and can be washed and styled.
Hair Tinsel
The ravers out there will be delighted by hair tinsel; yep, strands of tinsel woven into your hair. To be honest, it’s a pretty terrible look that I can’t see anyone over the age of 10 embracing sincerely. The Hair Tinsel is tied or glued to your hair to give it some strand of sparkle.
Hair Glisten
We might see hair sparkling in another way and it’s not because it’s so healthy and shiny. You know those people who have to bling-out everything they own with crystals? Well, now they can bling their hair too. Another look that I can’t see being too popular beyond the raves or the playgrounds, Glisten Hair Charms are strips of sparkling crystals that are applied to your hair and sealed on with a flat iron. They are apparently heat resistant and durable and can last several weeks in your hair.
Eyelash Extensions
Just like our hair, most of us want longer, thicker, darker eyelashes. This desire results in a quest for the perfect mascara or eventually breaking down and watching instructional videos on YouTube about how to apply false eyelashes. The beauty industry knows that you are willing to spend big bucks to be able to bat some super flirty lashes and they have the answers: eye lash extensions and growth products.
While neither of these treatments are new, you can expect to see many more salons offering lash extension services and more companies claiming they have the magic potion that will lengthen your lashes over time. Lash extensions are another beauty trend that I don’t really understand. Essentially, lash extensions are the same as applying individual false lashes but they last from six to eight weeks. Considering that having this treatment can cost up to $300 at some salons and it’s recommended that you get your lashes touched up every two weeks, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. The results are great, but if you don’t have $300 to drop, you’re better off hunkering down and watching that instructional video.
As for products that claim to promote eye lash growth, be careful. There are new products being introduced daily, but that doesn’t mean they’re safe. Side effects include eye irritation and, in some cases, they can cause lighter color eyes to change to a dark brown. Like with all products, just because it’s easily available, it doesn’t mean it’s right for you.
