A Resolution You Can Keep
Was your New Year’s resolution to have a year of trendy hair? You’re in luck! Keeping a resolution has never been this easy - this year, the most stylish strands follow the trend of polished imperfection; which means your slightly undone up-do, your natural waves, and your damp hair are all in vogue! To give you a head start, we’ve outlined this season’s styles and given you tips on how to make them work for you, so you can bring runway style to your every-day life.
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.
Featured Stylist - Robyn
Annnd we’re back! After a break in September, the Monthly Stylist Feature has returned, and October is the perfect month to interview Robyn Lindsay. A humble rocker chick with a sarcastic streak, this quick-witted lady is never short on love for her clients - or for her favorite band. Here’s what we learned.
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!
Fall Colors at Citrine
It is autumn, finally! The cool wind, pumpkin flavored goodies, sweaters and scarves, and the beautiful, rich colors that are iconic for fall. The reds, yellows and oranges… speaking of the color orange, Davines has a new volumizing shampoo and conditioner, Volu, that is a lovely shade of orange and pink. The volumizing shampoo and conditioner are amazing. They add just the right amount of oomph to your hair and to complete the look there is also a volumizing mist to put on your hair as an after shower product. 
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.
Featured Stylist - Heather
It’s time for our monthly stylist feature, and this August we’re introducing Heather Slott, a bright blonde with an even brighter personality. Part stylist, part chef, and part new mom (to adorable baby Davis), we’ve got a lot to cover when it comes to Heather.
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”!
It Makes Cents
“I can’t believe you would pay that for a haircut!” Is this something you’ve ever said? Ever heard from a friend? The comment could imply that you paid very little or a whole lot for your cut, but either way it says something about the value of the service - what you’re actually getting for what you pay. Believe it or not, there are some major differences between an expensive haircut and an inexpensive one besides the price. Here are a couple of ways the two can be distinguished.
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?
