My Guest Editorship for StyeUnited! Tips on Style, Beauty & Fashion on Facebook

Until next week I'm the Guest Editor for StyleUnited's Facebook Page

Hi! As you may know, one of the many hats I wear as a style and beauty influencer is to be a featured contributor for StyleUnited.com. Right now I'm their Facebook page Guest Editor and I'd love for you to check out all the tips I'm posting for all your head-to-toe glamour needs! Enjoy and send any comments and questions of course you have on your mind! xoxo - Nuy

A post from earlier this week with one of my dear, sweet friends and colorist Marie Robinson. See her tips for taking care of color treated hair in one of my earlier stories on NuyBeauty.com here.

-N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.

Sun-Friendly Paradise Painted Hair with Ian Scott Dorey (Plus DIY Tips!)

My Paradise Painted hair by Ian Scott Dorey, Creative Color Director of Ouidad Salon in NYC

Want an elegant way to candy-color your hair that will fade nicely with sun exposure? Here's a great way to do it with the creative expertise of my friend and colorist, Ian Scott Dorey, the Creative Color Director of Ouidad Salon in NYC.

Color-treated hair is something we must always protect from the sun. The yummy and radiant rays that feel so good on our skin are not only damaging to our skin, but also to our precious locks, particularly if they've been color-treated. For my recent respite to my hometown of lovely Honolulu, Ian, had the inspiration to paint my hair a tropically motivated color -- lavender/violet.

Moved by the vibrant and purple tones of the bougainvillea and orchids, and countless other flowers of that tone, Ian picked lavender/violet also because, he emphasized, it would fade well with sun exposure, which in Hawaii was inevitable: "A blue dye for example, would fade into green tones, and you wouldn't want that." A purple dye transitions into rose-y lavender and dusty pink tones before going back ultimately to the lifted bleached blonde tips first done to naturally dark hair within a few weeks time.

My tips are professionally lifted to blonde before the violet shades are added.

If you'd like to do this at home, Ian recommends you really do see a professional colorist if your hair is anything but naturally blonde. However if you are a natural blonde, a DIY may be possible. And Ian further recommends that you only do a few pieces in the front, because the hardest part is trying to do the back yourself.

Paradise Painted Hair Up Close

DIY Paradise Painted Hair with Ian Scott Dorey:

Materials Needed:

Manic Panic (pick a purple shade of your choice)
Conditioner
Gloves to protect your hands
A robe or towel to protect your skin and clothes
Clips to pull your hair back

Again, Pro TIP is to not do this unless you're a natural blonde or already professionally bleached blonde, because trying to lift your hair yourself is not recommended.

1) Mix some Manic Panic with a little bit of hair conditioner in a color-safe plastic bowl. The more parts you put of Manic Panic to conditioner, the stronger the purple will be -- the more conditioner you put, the more lavender it will be. Purple fades nicely with sun exposure and will suit many different skin tones, just as in lip or eye shadow color.

2) Take a very fine toothed rat-tail comb and take a few sections of hair just from the front of your head (e.g. from the ear to the face). Clip the remainder of your hair back. Choose sections you want to color. You can tease the hair using the comb, holding the tips, combing upwards, says Ian, and just do certain select parts to create a painted and natural looking effect.

2) Comb the hair into one-inch sections and then right at the tips, massage the color mixture into the tips you've chosen.

Ian demonstrates to his apprentices how to massage the color mixture into the ends.

3) Let your hair process for around 20-40 minutes. Checking the strands between your fingers every ten minutes after the first 20 minutes to see how the color looks.

4) Rinse off the color mixture with super cold water, and in general try to rinse your hair this way when possible Ian advises for healthy hair and ends: "It will help seal your hair cuticles." Depending upon how much conditioner you put in your mixture, you may not need to condition your hair.

5) Care for your newly treated hair always by using shampoo and conditioner especially made for color-treated hair. Try not to shampoo the ends too often, Ian says, if you can help it. This will help make the color last for longer.

6) For added protection try Ouidad's Sun Shield Sun & Sport Leave-In Spray ($15) when spending extended time in the sun for protection with UV filters - though designed for curly hair, I found that it works for all hair types.

Left: Ian's Paradise Painted hair after two weeks time, which has faded into a rose, hibiscus shade with lavender undertones. Right: The original more violet/purple shade a few days after the color processing.

Good Luck, and let me know how your DIY's go if you try it!

-- N.C.

Many Thanks to Ian Scott Dorey and Ouidad Salon NYC! xoxo

The Beauty Masters: Marie Robinson for Hair Color

Covering the gray at home is entirely possible

Welcome to the Beauty Masters, a four-part NuyBeauty.com exclusive interview series that combines the most useful tips on hair color, make-up and brows with step-by-step guidance from some of the industry’s top experts. Over the next several weeks, I will unveil a new interview as we talk our way to easy, (always!) achievable beauty, one topic at a time.

First to join us is celebrity colorist Marie Robinson, whose star clients include Rachel McAdams, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, and Uma Thurman, among others. She most recently opened her own salon this past spring, the Marie Robinson Salon, in the Flat Iron district of New York City.

I first visited Marie, years ago, to correct an at-home-blond-attempt that was just not pretty, and she quickly turned my stressed-out mane into silky hair the color of liquid caramel. To date, it remains one of my favorite hair identities thus far.

I labeled this mini polaroid: 3.06.01 colored by Marie.
A glimpse at a color correction Marie did for me, which I ended up loving!

It’s easy to be unsure of home color treatments, so I asked Marie to share some words on a question that has come up again and again with busy moms and women I know, which is whether or not it’s possible to cover one’s grays at home, and have it look good. And trust me, Marie’s advice is a quick ticket to your best color!

Getting the Grays Out at Home with

Marie Robinson's 1-2-3:

What makes a woman beautiful according to Marie?
"A confident smile, that she feels good about herself, and that she knows a style that's right for her."

1) MARIE SAYS IT'S A GO:  

I think a first timer for hair color can successfully cover their grays at home if, a) you want to stay within two shade ranges of your natural color and, b) if you have 50 percent or less grays to cover. Home hair color kits such as Clairol Nice N' Easy covers grays up to 100 percent and come in numerous shades to help you select your desired color. For those of you who are more than 50 percent gray and/or want to go two shades lighter or darker, I suggest you see a professional. Once you've achieved your desired shade ask your colorist to suggest a matching home formula for you to do at home.

2) PRODUCTS & THE PRO HOW-TO:  

I love Clairol Nice 'N Easy ($8) for brunettes and Clairol Perfect 10 ($12) for blondes and redheads. Virgin applications are fairly easy to do by just following the mixing instructions and applying everywhere. If your hair is shoulder- to long- in length, or if it's dense, you should buy two boxes to ensure even and thorough saturation. If you are a brunette, I suggest choosing two colors -- one shade for the overall desired color and one lighter shade that will be applied 1-inch through and into your hairline. Professionals do this as our hairlines are naturally lighter in color, and we try to replicate this.

If you are re-touching your roots in between professional visits, try Clairol Nice `N Easy Root Touch Up ($7). They come in numerous shades similar to professional colors and match most shades in home hair color. It comes with an easy tool to use for application but you can also try dipping a cotton swab in color and applying to your part and around the face. Whether it’s a virgin application or a re-touch, sometimes it can be confusing to pick the best color. I suggest you try two shades that are closest to what you're looking for and do a test swatch on either side of the head close to the ear. It will help you see how the color will look and if you don't love it, the swatch will not be in such a visible place.

3) FINALLY, MAKE YOUR COLOR LAST:  

Use shampoos and conditioners formulated specifically for color-treated hair. There are many wonderful products to choose from that are not only good for color, but are also good for particular hair types such as fine, frizzy, or curly, or that provide volumizing. Hair color takes better and is preserved better on healthier hair than damaged hair, so condition, condition, condition! Avoid excessive salt water, chlorine, and sun as it can fade the color molecules. If you have hard water and don't have a water softening system get a showerhead with a filter. They provide better water pressure than they used to and can look great too.

A big thank you to Marie for her color counsel!

And to find out more about her you can visit her website at marierobinsonsalon.com.

-N.C.

Disclaimer: Nuy Cho has no affiliation to any of the beauty companies mentioned on www.nuybeauty.com.