I have exciting news.  I have been working at Salon di Moda for the past 15 years and it has been a wonderful place for me to be, but change is in the air!   I will be moving to a brand new salon just down the street: eSalon is located at 2288 Union Street (at Steiner — only 5 blocks away). Like Salon di Moda, my new salon is located upstairs, so it’s nice and quiet. And it’s just steps away from the fabulous Rosie’s Café.

There are many things I am really excited about at this new location, and I think you will be too.  It has great light, which I find very uplifting and also helpful while doing color services. In fact, the front of the salon is all windows, with lots of fresh air. It’s a beautiful new salon, with all new fixtures, and a separate lounge area with a self-serve beverage station. There is even an outdoor garden that is in the process of being expertly designed by local Sloat gardening professionals. This will be a lovely and peaceful area where you can sit outside and process your color on a nice day, if you’d like.  There will also be free wifi for those of you that need to stay “on the grid” while seeing me for services.  And these are just a few of the highlights!  My goal is to have my clients feel exceptional while receiving the most delightful experience possible.

I will be starting at eSalon on June 1st. If you have an appointment with me in June, I will be calling you to make sure you received this notice.  I find that parking is easier at that end of Union Street. However, should you not feel like looking for street parking, the garage on Union between Laguna and Buchanan is always an option. There is also an inexpensive garage just off Lombard behind the post office. My new salon is just a few blocks walk up Fillmore from there.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me by phone or email. You can always call my personal number below to set up an appointment.

I look forward to continuing to serve all your hair needs in new and beautiful surroundings!

Warm Regards,

Cindy Storman
www.cindystorman.com
cindy@cindystorman.com
(415) 518-3081

“And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud
was more painful than the risk it took to blossom.” Anais Nin

I often have clients decide they want to grow their hair longer, so they disappear and I don’t see them for months and months. When they finally come in “for a trim,” their hair is so split and damaged that I have to cut off many inches, which sets them back from their ultimate goal.

The secret to growing your hair out is to get regular trims (every six weeks is an average) but just get the hair “tipped” — in other words, trim just the very ends off, before they have  a chance to split. Once they split, they tend to peel, and the hair gets damaged faster. Once the hair starts to break, it seems like it’s not growing anymore. So ironically, getting it trimmed more often will help it look longer faster.

Typically hair grows a half inch a month, but if you don’t get it trimmed, all you will see getting longer is the straggles.

Cold Water Makes Your Hair Shiny

I’ve also heard that rinsing hair with cold water will make your hair shiny. Nope, not true either. This theory arises from the fact that cold water closes the hair cuticle. This is true, and can subtly help light reflect off the hair more vibrantly, but in reality it does not make a noticeable difference. If you want it to be shiny, the best way to accomplish this is to use a good product. Products with silicon work. My favorite is Enjoy oil, which also conditions the hair.

It’s Bad To Wash Your Hair Every Day

Here’s another one: washing your hair daily is bad for your hair. Not true! Washing your hair is fine; it’s what people do after they wash their hair that can cause damage if done incorrectly or too often.

For instance, some people brush the hell out of wet hair to remove the tangles. The best way to do this is to use a wide-tooth comb and brush the ends out first, then slowly work your way up. This is will take out tangles easily. When blow drying, always keep the dryer moving. If you hold the blow dryer still against your skin, it burns. Same thing with your hair. Keep it moving!

Men Find Longer Hair More Attractive

Well, according to studies this one is actually true. In general, men prefer long, flowing hair. However, sometimes you have to say to hell with men and go for a new short pixie cut like MIchelle Williams. Cut short, hair can be very sexy, stylish and glam!

1. The best way to find a hairstylist is to ask around. See someone’s hair you like? Ask them who does their hair! Referrals are always my favorite way to get new clients. When a new client comes to me on the recommendation of one of my current clients, I know that I am doing a good job. And in general, I love my clients, so I tend to like their friends, too. I always appreciate when you send cool, friendly people to me for hair styling! But just because a stylist works for one person does not always mean they will be a match for another person. Sometimes it takes a little bit of shopping around to find a good fit for you.
2. Sometimes a stylist works perfectly during one phase of your life, but then starts to be less helpful when you decide you’re going to drastically change your style. Coloring hair to make it look natural is my forte. But when a regular client suddenly comes to me wanting their hair punk-rock-blue, I probably won’t have the right dyes on hand. So I generally refer them to another stylist.  On the other hand, I can often special-order color and product for special occasions. So, it never hurts to ask!
3. Your stylist should be convenient. Most of us have had the experience of moving away and not wanting to divorce a stylist we’ve grown to love. Sometimes we’ll hang in there, flying across states or driving great distances any time we need a hair cut. But when you are looking for a quick bang trim, it really needs to be convenient. On the other hand, I used to style hair down south, so a lot of my regular clients commute from the Peninsula for their regular sessions with me. I notice that these clients don’t usually try to squeeze me in after work — instead, they make a fun Saturday of it. This is why I have Saturday hours… so there’s a convenient time slot for everyone.
4. Last thing: you want your hairstylist to be someone you like spending time with. And as a stylist, it’s nice for me when I enjoy the company of my customers too! So, personal fit is just as important as style fit.

If you don’t think that your stylist is right for you, it’s important to follow your intuition. They won’t be offended! (Well, not if they are professional, anyway.) As much as you want to find someone who is excellent at cutting and coloring your hair, your stylist wants to make you happy. And if that’s not happening, it’s probably time to move on.

I grabbed this line from an article I read in a salon magazine recently: “Clients form the foundation of your salon business; the stronger the foundation, the stronger your business.”

Unlike, traditional Brazilian keratin treatments, this one is formaldehyde-free and non-toxic. It doesn’t smell like chemicals; if anything, it smells good — a subtle tropical fragrance. However, for all practical purposes it’s fragrance-free. You won’t go home smelling like nasty chemicals.

Enjoy’s product is also gluten-free, which is good news for those who are extremely gluten intolerant and sometimes react to gluten even on their skin. The line was created by two asthmatics who were committed to creating a great product that wouldn’t be toxic and fumey.

How it works:

Keratin Smoothing Treatment infuses keratin — a protein — directly into the cuticle of your hair. It’s applied, then blown dry, then straight-ironed into your hair shaft in order to really seal it in. The whole process takes about 90 minutes and the effects can last for more than 90 days, depending on your hair.

Although not a hair straightener, it does have the same type of quality as hair straightening in that it de-frizzes and relaxes your hair. This can even make it look longer! It’s perfect for color-treated hair, too.

The Keratin Smoothing Treatment costs $300. I am really excited to get the word out about this new treatment, so I’m offering a 10% cash discount. Call me if you want to set up an appointment now!

As you can see, it’s a subtle color treatment that works well on dark blond or brown hair. Make an appointment with me if you’d like to try it out!

Thanks to everyone who supported me in my efforts to raise money for the Collective Hearts for Haiti event last Sunday. My team has raised $2,120, and even though the event is over, you can still donate to the cause. In fact, there is a second event happening on June 5th that you can still sign up for. If you want to attend, visit the Collective Hearts web site.

It’s a great cause — Collective Hearts is building a children’s center in Jacmel, Haiti for orphaned kids who were victims of the 2010 earthquakes!

Love,
Cindy

Visit me on Yelp

If you don’t see your hair type below, or if you’d like a demo from me in person, just let me know the next time you see me for a hair appointment!

Tips for fine, straight hair:

The goods news is that big hair is no longer in. So those of you with fine, straight hair can start to capitalize on your natural assets. Here is what I recommend:

• A blunt cut with layers makes fine hair look textured and styled. If you’re feeling even braver, consider a pixie cut! It’s a daring move to be sure, and you should only go for it if you have the right face shape. (And I’ll be honest with you, promise.) But this style can add the appearance of incredible volume. Sharon Stone is a great example of this. You’d never know, from seeing pictures of her, that she struggles with super-fine hair (or so I hear).
• A heavy bang can add density to fine hair.
• Color treatment roughens up the cuticle and make fine hair look thicker.
• Adding depth with highlights and lowlights creates even more contrast.
• Volumizing shampoos are not just a gimmick. They can make a big difference!

For fine wavy hair:

• To de-frizz and smooth out fine curly hair, rinse it with apple cider vinegar or club soda. (But make sure to rinse that out, so you don’t smell funky all day.)
• Fine frizzy hair responds well to the same color treatments as straight hair: adding depth with highlights or lowlights and roughing up the cuticle with color.
• Cutting the ends blunt, as opposed to texturizing or razor-cutting the ends, is better for fine hair because it gives the appearance of thickness at the bottom of the cut.

For curly hair:

• Wash it less often. Every third day, or even once a week, is ideal. However, you should still rinse your hair daily in order to revive the curl. Sleeping flattens hair, and not usually in a flattering way.
• Once you wash it, twist and curl strands of hair around your fingers and then let it air dry. This keeps the flyaways under control because it weaves the strands together and prevents them from separating, which keeps hair from looking frizzy.
• I carry a great line at Salon di Moda called DevaCurl. My curly-haired clients flip over it. They have a “No Poo” shampoo that doesn’t lather, and a great conditioner, in addition to a product called “Set It Free” that you spray on your hair on days you aren’t planning to wash it. The spray revives the curl.

As many of you know, in addition to being a full-time hairstylist, I am also a yoga teacher.

I’m excited to be one of twelve featured yoga instructors for Collective Hearts For Haiti, a yoga-inspired fundraising event for a new Children’s Center in Jacmel, Haiti. This joy-filled celebration will take place on Sunday, April 17th at the Mill Valley Community Center and will be a day full of yoga (there are 12 Bay Area teachers taking part), music, refreshments, and the chance to be a part of a heroic community effort to rebuild Haiti in the wake of the devastating earthquake of early 2010.

The funds from Collective Hearts for Haiti will directly benefit the construction of a safe, loving home and community center in Jacmel that will provide education, care, and nourishment to orphans and neglected children — an underserved Haitian population that was badly affected by the tragedy.

In partnership with a Haitian construction school, Lisa Rueff (a Bay Area yoga teacher) and a team of volunteers are heading to Haiti in June 2011 to build the Jacmel Children’s center. I’ve volunteered to help raise funds that will provide a safe and promising future for orphaned children. We would love and appreciate your support!

Signing up to be a part of this wonderful day will mean that you are committing to raising at least $108 among your own friends and family. (Of course, if you raise more, it will be gladly accepted! And all donations are tax-deductable.) If you would like to attend, you can email me or sign up directly at www.collectiveheartsyoga.com/cindy-storman.

If you cannot attend, I am appreciative of any donation you make to my team on the website (donations are tax deductible). No donation is too small! Thank you for your consideration, generosity, and support.

Love,
Cindy

Bangs are fun for Spring, but they can be a commitment. A compulsive decision to chop the front of your hair can leave you in grow-out remorse for months. The safest way to handle a sudden impulse for bangs is to go with a side-swept bang that grows out easily and can be pinned back for a versatile look.

This is also the time of year when we like to go lighter. Even though it’s technically still February, the great weather we’ve been having may have you looking ahead to summer, and summer is always about BLONDE.

For the semi-adventurous, there’s a new coloring technique called “Ombre.” You’ve probably noticed it on a lot of celebrities—if you read those kind of magazines. For long hair, it gives you a tousled, sunkissed look, as if you spent last summer in the Hamptons and then grew out your hair. It’s a hip, edgy color that’s still subtle enough for your corporate job.

If you’re looking for bangs or Ombre color, book an appointment now by calling me at 415.567.0714 or emailing me now.

(Click here to see some more shots of Ombre color.)

What does yoga have to do with cutting hair? More than you might think. As I’ve mentioned in past blogs, I believe that taking care of ourselves on the outside helps us feel better on the inside. When we feel attractive, we feel more confident; and when we feel more confident, we feel better.

At the same time, we have to take care of ourselves on the inside as well. I’ve always had an interest in the interconnectedness of our outer and inner selves. In my own life, my experiences with yoga, meditation, eating healthy, and taking the time to slow down have served me well. Because I take precious care of my inner self, my outer self is more positive for my friends and clients and the people I interact with.

I began my yoga practice about thirteen years ago. I had already been cutting hair for thirteen years (at this point I’ve been cutting hair for twenty-six years!). Right away, I loved yoga and how it made me feel. Aside from helping my body after long days spent standing in the salon, I recognized that yoga fulfilled a side of myself that I had been neglecting.

Soon after that, I took my first teacher training and became a Bikram teacher. Over the years since, I’ve played with the balance of teaching versus styling hair. At one point, I took a break from cutting hair to see how it would feel to teach more yoga classes. But, I quickly found out that I needed the balance of both my salon “day job” and my side job teaching yoga.

Making people feel better—both inside and out—makes me feel better. If you ever feel like checking out one of my classes (I no longer teach Bikram, by the way—it’s flow yoga now) please come visit me at Red Dragon in Mill Valley. If I’m not at the salon, chances are I’m in the yoga studio.

You can see the rest here.

If you’re interested in getting some Hair Flair to spruce up your look for the holiday season, I’m happy to give you a few strands during your next appointment (time permitting) at $5 a strand, or you can make an appointment for the Hair Flair on its own. It only takes about ten strands to “do” a full head.

I will also be available for parties and events. Contact me if you want to set up your own Hair Flair party, for adults or kids, for Halloween, or any other upcoming holiday!

Best,
Cindy