C: Hi, Chanell! So imagine this is a cocktail party - your introduction is…?

CH: (demurely) Hi - I’m Chanell Howard. Nice to meet you.

C: Nice to meet you, too! How long have you been a stylist now?

CH: It’ll be ten years in September.

C: Are you celebrating?

CH: Uh, yeah!

C: What inspired you to become a stylist?

CH: My mother - I wanted to be on Broadway, but my mother told me, “Not without a trade.” So I went to hair school, and found out I can do hair and be on stage at the same time.

C: Can you give us some insight into the life of a platform artist?

CH: Yes - it’s exhausting! The hardest thing about being a platform artist is sharing, not preaching - being humble, and open-minded to the idea that your way is not the only way to cut hair. Even though it’s the Bible to you, it isn’t necessarily that to someone else.

C: You broke in and made your mark on the industry at a very young age - what was your motivation?

CH: I’m not driven as hard as I was when I was young. I lived the first seven years of my career in spite - they told me no, and it made me do it faster.

C: What styles do you think are “in” and “out”?

CH: What styles are in…long, boring hair. What’s out are fun, awesome mullets. I’m sad about that. It’s true! Hair is really boring right now. It seems to be about having a lot of hair, not about having a good style.

C: Who is your stylist? (Chanell just got a chic, short crop, so we’re dying to know!)

CH: Robyn does my color, but my stylist will remain nameless. We wouldn’t want her haunted by celebrities!

C: Out of all the places you’ve travelled, what city do you most identify with?

CH: Hm. Chapel Hill. That’s why I live here. It’s a melting pot of culture and academia. It’s slightly pretentious, but

still a little bit hippie. I can recycle and wear a fur coat while I do it, and it’s still P.C.

C: Speaking of what you wear - your love of fashion is no secret! Who’s your favorite designer?

CH: Normally, Galliano, but he’s upsetting right now. (she takes a moment to think) Alexander Wang. I think his stuff is really fashion forward, but affordable. Not quite Target affordable, but you know. i think he’s ahead of a lot of

the collections, without being scary.

C: Name four things you think are always worth sharing.

CH: Love. Laughs. Money. And experience.

C: Name a constant source of inspiration for you.

CH: My best friend, Angela Goldman. She’s my hair sister.

C: What do you think the future holds in store for you?

CH: Hopefully to be creative, and happy, for the rest of my life. (she pauses) And maybe a man.

We think the future looks nothing but bright for this young southern beauty! Thanks, Chanell!

Easy to Dew

Glistening hair was all over the runway for Spring 2012, and barely dry locks made quite a statement - especially when they were paired with a bold eye or a glossy lip. While there’s no doubt this look is low-maintenance (wash and go, anyone?), the secret to staying stylish instead of sloppy is contrast. Try styling damp hair half up and drying only the ends, or attempt the opposite and keep only the ends rich and dewy.

Pony Up

Low and flat, sleek and smooth, or halfway-pulled-through, the classic and versatile ponytail took center stage this season - so if you spend your time on the run, this look is for you! Designers like Marc Jacobs and Missoni fused the ponytail with the bun, creating a new, carefree up-do. Chic leather cord is another simple, stunning way to keep hair back while letting a few carefully selected layers hang free.

Street Surfing

Beach hair took on a city edge at shows like Calvin Klein and Givenchy, where models’ hair embodied just the right amount of volume and curl to look effortlessly cool. Messy waves, a rough blow out, and gritty texture are all you need to get this look. The point is to avoid looking too carefully constructed - use your fingers as your tools, and you’re sure to get the right effect!

So here’s to 2012 - and a year of runway-worthy hair!

Citrine Salon in Chapel Hill, NC, serves the Triangle area, including Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham.

C: Hi, Robyn! Introduce yourself, for the folks who don’t know you.

R: What should I say? (she laughs) Hi. I’m Robyn Lindsay. I’m the coolest person who works at Citrine.

C: How long have you been a stylist?

R: Fourteen years.

C: And what inspired you to become a stylist?

R: It’s not a good answer…but a friend of mine went to hair school, and she said she thought I should try it out. She suggested it to me, and so I decided to give it a shot. And it stuck. Basically.

C: I think that’s a good answer.

R: Okay, cool.

C: Robyn - what’s up with the Foo Fighters?

R: Dude, they’re on tour. They’re my favorite band. The Foo Fighters can do no wrong. Dave Grohl can’t make a song that I won’t like. And he talked to me for twenty minutes, which says something about the man.

C: It seems like music is a big part of your life!

R: Well, I always wanted to be a rock star. After I started doing hair, and worked for a year in Raleigh, I realized that I needed music to be a part of my life in some capacity - so I got a job at Cat’s Cradle, the best rock club on the planet, and becoming invested in the Carrboro music scene really grounded me here. It’s what eventually led me to Citrine. Rock and fashion go together. It’s all part of being an artist.

C: If you got to choose between cutting Courtney Love’s hair or braiding Wednesday Adams’, who would you choose?

R: Cutting Courtney Love’s hair. It would put my skills to the test, because I don’t imagine she sits still very well. Plus all the yelling…

C: Who does your hair?

R: Heather does my cut and Chanell does my color.

C: What styles to you think are “in” and “out”?

R: The side bangs are holdin’ on strong. Volume and curls are coming back - something textured. And everyone wants bangs. But what hair styles are out? You know, nothing is particularly in or out. It really depends on if it works for you. If you can rock a mullet, rock it. Just because it’s in doesn’t mean it looks good on you, and just because it’s out doesn’t mean it won’t work for you. Trends come and go, in all honesty. Every look has a place - it just not might be on your head.

C: Where would you be if you weren’t in Chapel Hill?

R: San Francisco. Cuttin’ hair, killin’ it every day. Livin’ like a rock star.

C: What are the three most important things you do every day?

R: Take care of my clients. Take care of my dogs. Take care of business.

C: I guess, really, the most important question in this interview is: how could you be any cooler?

R: It’s not possible.

C: Well said. And three words we can remember you by?

R: Short. Witty. Strikinglyattractive. That counts as one word.

Thanks, Robyn! And next time you see her, ask her to tell you the joke she shared with Dave Grohl when they hung out - it’s a good one!

  Pumped Up Kicks - Foster the People

  Lebanese Blonde - Thievery Corporation

 Love Is the Drug - Roxy Music

 Help I’m Alive - Metric

Love Is a Battlefield - Pat Benetar 

Night Moves - Bob Seger

Vogue - Madonna

Pet Semetery - The Ramones

Trouble - Cat Stevens

Helplessly Hoping - Crosby Stills & Nash

Nothing Left to Lose - Matt Kearney

Hometown Glory - Adele

Something Good Can Work (the Twelves Remix) - Two Door Cinema Club

Caring Is Creepy - The Shins

Hearbeats - Jose Gonzalez

Dreams - Fleetwood Mac

California - Joni Mitchell

Uptown Girl - Billy Joel

Straight Up - Paula Abdul

Pink Moon - Nick Drake

Ready to listen now? Click the link to hear our playlist! http://pl.st/p/22592653579

Citrine Salon is a totally hip salon that serves Carrboro, Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham, NC. Come check us out!

And if you like to add a little shine to your hair Davines has a new beautifying oil called Oi, which helps give you hair a  finished, sleek, and polished look without making your hair greasy.  So come and get your fall on at Citrine!

Citrine Salon in Chapel Hill, NC serves the Triangle area including Raleigh and Durham North Carolina.

C: Hi Heather! How about an introduction?

H: I’m Heather Slott! (she shakes my hand) How’s it goin’?

C: I’m doing great! So Heather, how long have you been a stylist?

H: Well, for ten years. Nine and a half. Since I was eighteen.

C: And what inspired you to become a stylist?

H: Robert Cromeans, the artistic director at Paul Mitchell. He touched my hair! It’s a long story - I was selected to model for a Tigi hair show, and they dyed my hair copper and cinnamon on stage. I’ve been a blonde my whole life, I couldn’t believe it. I came out of there and ran straight to the bathroom - I didn’t cry, but almost. When I left the bathroom, he saw me in the hallway. He touched my hair and told me it was beautiful.

C: What’s your most memorable hair moment?

H: The most positive hair memories I have are of the Bumble and bumble classes in New York. But most memorable… the first thing I thought of was the day I pulled out my tape measure! A new client came to the salon where I worked and said she wanted five inches off of her long hair. I asked her to visually show me where she wanted it cut - it was way less than five inches, really only about three inches off. As I was finishing the cut, she started shaking her head, and then started screaming, claiming I’d cut all her hair off! She began to make a total scene in the middle of the salon, screaming that her hair was completely gone and she would refuse to pay - but it wasn’t gone at all! I cut off less than she’d asked, and even less than we decided on! After my boss spoke to her at length (and threatened to call the cops), she paid and left - and I was a mess. But I measured the hair on the floor, and I’d cut exactly 2 and 1/2 inches off. Well, months later my boss was at the mall, getting a sandwich across from a hair salon, when she heard a horrible screaming. It was the same girl, pulling the same stunt in a different salon, screaming that her hair was gone and she wouldn’t pay! What a con artist!

C: Wow - that’s definitely memorable! But it sounds like you care a lot about the service you give. So what do you think is the most important thing to look for when choosing a stylist?

H: Do they listen? Listening to you - I think that’s important. If they’re listening, they’re going to get it right. And dependability.

C: Who’s your stylist?

H: Whoever’s available, but Robyn and Holly, mostly.

C: You can - and do - wear almost every hair style. Any favorites?

H: I love fishtail braids and my Farrah Fawcett hair.

C: What hair styles are “in” right now?

H: Long, loose curls and textured, fun ponytails.

C: And “out”?

H: Flippy mullets. Rat tails. And Victoria Beckham’s bob.

C: Good to know! If you were a flavor, what flavor would you be?

H: Oh, gosh. Grape. It’s the first thing that came to mind. It’s fruity and fun!

C: What cake ball flavor would you be? (Heather is an excellent baker)

H: Cake balls? Oh, it’s got to be chocolate.

C: And three words we can remember you by?

H: Loud. Friendly. Motivated.

Thanks, Heather! And we’ll keep a look-out for the “Farrah Fawcett”!

Bb brilliantine

One-product-wonder

 

Angie, Gordon, and Tiffany agree - Bumble and bumble’s brilliantine is an amazing product. With rosemary and sage to stimulate your scalp and essential oils to give it shine, this small product packs a big punch. For separation, polish, and sheen, brilliantine is these stylists’ go-to product, giving all hair types a lot of frizz-free style without a lot of fuss

Bb styling lotion

Healthy style

Bumble and bumble’s styling lotion is another salon favorite, and both Heather and Holly will vouch for its versatility. With a hefty dose of vitamins A, E, and H, this multi-purpose styling product nourishes, strengthens, and protects hair while smoothing flyaways, adding body, and reducing static.

Bb curl conscious nourishing masque

Layer it on

Other members of the salon staff use Bumble and bumble’s trademark layering techniques to achieve exactly the style they want, with no fear of the summer weather. Miranda, one of Citrine’s coordinators, uses the curl conscious nourish masque to condition and the defining and grooming cremes to enhance her curls and give her hair a clean, light hold. Once her hair is dry, she mixes the brilliantine and styling wax to prevent frizz and give her hair its trademark long, curly look. And co-coordinator Jessica completely agrees - the curl conscious masque is the first conditioner either one has used that actually enhances their curls.

Don’t let the weather get you down - or get you frizzy, dry, or flat. Just ask your stylist here at Citrine what product you should be using this summer! With the right tools, you can start seeing the bright side of summer - and that means you’ve got to start searching for the right sunglasses…

Citrine Salon serves the Triangle area, including Chapel Hill, Raleigh, and Durham, North Carolina.

This is not meant to be discouraging, however - sitting at the front desk of Citrine Salon, I see our clients leave the salon after their appointments with gorgeous hair and beautiful faces every day.  They may not look like the girl in the magazine, but then again, I know it is them and I think that, in the end, real beauty is being your self.

Citrine Salon in Chapel Hill, N.C. serves the Triangle area, including Raleigh and Durham, North Carolina.

1920s Bob

 The Bob hairstyle became popular in the 1920s because women had emerged in the workforce during the First World War and long hair became cumbersome.  Before the 1920s long hair had been traditional for women and was seen as the crowning glory of a woman’s beauty.  Fashion trendsetters like, Irene Castle, popularized the Bob along with movie stars.  The Bob fell out of popularity in the 1930s but re-emerged in the 1960s.  Vidal Sassoon brought the Bob back but made the Bob more simple and sleek.  Since the 1960s the Bob and forms of the Bob, like the fob and pixie have been popular women’s haircuts.

Another style that has repeated itself is the pompadour.  The pompadour hairstyle first emerged in the 18^th century and was named for Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV of France and a fashion trendsetter for the French court.  The pompadour was a popular style with royal courts until the end of the 18th century and then it pretty much disappeared for the next century.  It was not destined to be stuck in the 18th century forever and re-emerged in the 1950s but this time as a men’s hairstyle.  It was a fashion trend that was associated with the Rockabilly actors and artists, such as Elvis.  The pompadour hairstyle also became popular among Italian-American’s subculture and was called the Guido.  The pompadour style has made a comeback in women’s fashion as well and resurfaced a few years ago as a an up-do, where the sides are pulled back tighter and the hair on top is curled up and then pulled back. 

The last style I feel has made quite a comeback, especially on the red carpet these days are the waves and glamour of the 1930s and 1950s.  The finger wave hairstyle became popular in the 1930s, especially with Hollywood movie stars.  The waves and glamour of the 1930s hairstyles re-emerged during the 1950s and brings to mind starlets like Elizabeth Taylor and Grace Kelly.  These glamorous and classic styles have been repeated over and over ever since. 

These are only a few hairstyles that have re-emerged and been reused to create new and fresh, modern styles in todays world.  We do learn from history to recycle those styles that can be used to create a modern sense of style

Citrine Salon in Chapel Hill, NC serves the Triangle area including Raleigh and Durham

Cheap thrills

So the total cost for your cut and style came to $15, and your first thought may have been, “Wow! What a great value!” But who says value is completely determined by price? Many maor hair care chains market their affordability, but spend the least amount of time possible cutting your hair - meaning they’re cutting corners as well. Discount shop stylists are trained to work fast, so they often skip opportunities for consultation, cross-checking, dry cutting, and true precision. Any person who’s had a bad haircut will agree - that extra 30 to 45 minutes in your stylist’s chair makes the difference between someone noticing your hair is shorter and someone noticing your stunning new style. If your cheap cut ends up in disaster, you might have to shell out that extra money regardless - just to amend the sloppy chop.

Smart stuff

Salons that charge the lowest possible price for a cut and style might not have the resources to invest in continuing education for their stylists - meaning there’s a better chance your cut won’t be cutting edge. A salon that charges more attracts competitive, well-educated stylists who’ve often invested thousands of dollars into their education and have the skill set to make specific recommendations based on your hair type and face shape. This kind of education is incredibly important, but not incredibly common in salons that offer cheap cuts - when you pay a higher price, you’re paying for those years of education and experience and investing in a cut that’s worth every dime.

Bottom line

It wouldn’t make sense to pay more if you didn’t actually get more, but a salon that’s high in value will have a beautiful space and amenities, pair you with a highly-trained and thoughtful stylist, leave you with a style that truly flatters you, and give you the tools to recreate that style for months to come. At Citrine Salon, that’s exactly what we do. Your look is worth more because we think you are. And that makes sense, doesn’t it?