recommendations

& MUST HAVES

my beauty faves

Here are all of my hair must have products, tools and tips!

I’ve spent most of my life trying out different products and techniques on my hair and clients’ hair of tall types & textures My goal as a stylist is for my clients to have their best hair ever.

at this time, we do not profit off of any of the links provided below

Hair Products

  • For fine hair - Biolage Volume Bloom

    For medium hair - Kerastase Nutritive Hydrating

    For coarse hair - Shu Uemura Urban Moisture Deep Hydration

    For sensitive skin - Kristin Ess Fragrance Free

    Clarifying (for all hair) - Olaplex No.4 or Ouai Detox

  • For fine hair - Biolage Volume Bloom

    For medium hair - Kerastase Nutritive Hydrating

    For coarse hair - Shu Uemura Urban Moisture Deep Hydration

    For sensitive skin - Kristin Ess Fragrance Free

    Deep conditioning mask - Joico KPak Reconstructor

  • Leave in conditioner - Unite Seven Seconds Leave in Conditioner

    Prep spray (before blow drying) - Color Wow Dream Coat

    Styling cream (before blow drying) - Moroccan Oil Styling Cream

    Smoothing spray - IGK Spirulina Protein Smoothing Spray

    Thickening spray - Kenra Thickening Spray or Olaplex Volumizing Blow Dry Mist

    Light hold hairspray - Loreal Elnett

    Strong hold hairspray - Kenra 25

    Texture spray - Oribe Dry Texture Spray or Schwarzkopf Volume Up Booster Spray

    Volumizing mousse - Paul Mitchell Extra Body Sculpting Foam or Color Wow Xtra Large Bombshell Voluminizer

    Root lifting spray - Color Wow Raise the Root Thicken + Lift Spray

    Heat protectant - Bumble and Bumble Heat Shield Thermal Protection

    Hair oil - Olaplex No.7 Bonding Oil

Hair Tools

  • Blow Dryers - Shark Speedstyle or T3 Micro AireLuxe

    Blow Dry Brush - Drybar Single Shot

  • T3 Micro Curling Irons

    Bio Iconic Curling Irons

  • T3 Micro Singlepass

    GHD Platinum+

    I would recommend the GHD only if you have fine to medium hair. The GHD has only one temperature setting, so if your hair is thick, coarse and frizzes easily, I’d recommend the T3 as you can adjust the temperature settings and choose a higher temperature as needed.

  • Round brushes - GHD

    Paddle brush - Paul Mitchell

    Wide tooth comb - Paul Mitchell

    Wet brush - Wet brush

    Boar bristle brush - GHD

Wedding Beauty Timeline

A guideline for prepping your hair leading up to your wedding day

  • The best hair and makeup vendors book quickly and well in advance! Inquire early with your preferred beauty pros - the earlier the better.

  • Start thinking about what you want your wedding hair to look like. It’s totally okay if you’re not 100% sure yet. We will work together to create your dream wedding hairstyle.

  • Once you choose your dress and accessories, we can start narrowing down your bridal hairstyle. Fill out your bridal inspo form on our private bridal portal so Carina can preview your inspo & provide guidance for any prep needed before your trial.

  • We will reach out to you 2-3 months before your trial to schedule your trial within the window of 1-2 months before your wedding date.

    If you already had a trial, this would be the ideal time to book a second trial if you are unsure about your wedding look or if you are considering changing your style from your original trial.

  • Do your routine full color refresh & cut. Carina can provide guidance on the best cut you should have for your wedding day. Some styles are better with longer hair that has less layers and some styles require more defined layers.

  • We will send you a complete beauty schedule for your wedding day and any other events that you have booked with us.

  • Any small adjustments that need to be made to your cut or color. Some suggestions are - toning your highlights, trimming any uneven ends, redefining some layers if needed for your style, covering grays.

  • Please see our full wash & prep guide above or also on our private bridal portal.

Hair Prep

  • How often to cut your hair depends on your current hair style, length & the desired style you wish to achieve at your appointment.

    As a general rule of thumb, it’s advised to have your hair cut for maintenance every 6 to 8 weeks or even more often for shorter or high maintenance styles.

    Schedule your haircut at least 2 weeks before your appointment with Carina.

    The amount to cut off will depend on your desired style - you may be trying to grow your hair out more or cut off some length for best results. Carina can provide further consultation via email if needed.

  • Two shampoos: shampoo once & rinse completely, then repeat. Massage your scalp well with your fingers all over your head. Frequently forgotten areas are around the ears, the back of the head and the nape (just above your neck)

    Apply conditioner from the mids to ends of your hair only, avoiding the roots. Make sure to rinse all shampoo and conditioner very well, especially from the back of the head, above the neck. Any product left in the hair will affect your finished style. Please refrain from putting any products in your hair after rinsing.

    When to wash: right before your appointment with Carina

    If you are not booking a blowout / blow dry, please proceed to instructions below for drying your hair before your appointment.

  • Blow dry smooth. Please refrain from putting any products in your hair before and after blow drying. If you feel you really need a smoothing product in your hair while blow drying, please consult Carina for recommendations. Do not flat iron your hair.

    When to wash & dry: right before your appointment with Carina

  • All clip in extensions should be cut, washed & completely dried before your appointment

  prep  

the most important thing for your hair is

Nothing will kill a style faster than hair that is not properly washed

Common mistakes we see:

Not washing the hair thoroughly enough to clean the scalp

Instead, make sure to use your finger tips to massage your scalp while applying pressure

Primarily focusing the wash on the top of the head & neglecting the back, nape & around the ears

Instead, make sure to massage these areas thoroughly

Not rinsing out all shampoo and conditioner completely

Instead, rinse longer than you think you need to, especially the back of your head

Letting hair air dry, which can often lead to oily roots

Instead, blow dry your hair - even if you just dry the roots

dirty hair is never better