Author Archive: Marlin Bressi

Vitamin shops and health food stores are packed to the gills with vitamins promising to prevent hair loss. Unfortunately, the main objective for many vitamin manufacturers is to find the easiest way to separate you from your money. So how…
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When it comes to damaging the hair, perhaps no other beauty tool has earned such an unfair reputation as the flat iron.  Flat irons can damage the hair, but the same can be said for any styling tool if it…
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Few things are as intimidating for the typical man as standing in front of a retail shelf stocked with haircare products and trying to choose the right ones.  The good news is that it’s not difficult selecting the right shampoos,…
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There are dozens of different types of hair extensions.  Some methods involve gluing, some involve weaving, and some even involve sewing.  One of the most popular hair extension methods found in salons today is the fusion method.  This method, which…
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Hair extensions are one of the fastest-growing salon services.  Once available only in large cities, the hair extension trend is sweeping over all parts of the country.  Chances are that no matter where you lie, there are a few salons…
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The best way to choose a hair color is by choosing a color that contrasts with the eyes.  Unlike complementary colors, contrasting colors have the ability to make the eyes stand out.  What is a contrasting color?  If you think…
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Brown hair presents a hairstylist with the perfect canvas.  Hair that is a medium shade of brown can be highlighted a variety of colors, and it can also be lowlighted in order to create a truly dimensional work of art….
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Hair that has been bleached has very specific haircare needs.  Whenever the hair is lightened with a bleach, the hair’s natural melanin pigments are stripped, along with much of the hair’s moisture.  In severe cases, the cuticle layer of the…
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Red hair can often be difficult to highlight for several reasons.  There are fewer highlight colors that look good on red hair than there are on dark blondes or brunettes.  Red hair also takes much longer to lighten than other…
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Foil highlights are perhaps the most versatile and creative form of highlights.  The use of foils allows the stylist to place as many or as few highlights in whichever area of the head they choose.  Cap highlights, on the other…
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There are many options available when it comes to coloring hair.  Hair can be colored darker or lighter, and it can be highlighted or lowlighted.  However, out of all the choices available, dyeing the hair a darker color is the…
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Guys, let’s face it.  Gray hair isn’t very fun.  Sure, there may have been a time when a sprinkling of gray made a man look distinguished, but in this age of waxed eyebrows and Botox-injected foreheads, nobody wants to look…
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As a professional hairstylist, I am called upon to solve a wide variety of interesting hair-related problems.  Removing gum, candy and other sticky substances from hair is all part of the job, so I’ve tried and tested every method and…
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Unlike household scissors, haircutting shears must be cared for in order to maintain their cutting ability.  Shears that are not cared for properly will become dull, and they will not cut hair effectively.  The result will be a less-than-perfect haircut….
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Hair extensions are a great way to add length and fullness in only a few hours.  However, improper care of your hair extensions may lead to damage to your own natural hair.  It is important to follow your stylist’s directions…
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Curly hair is the source of many myths, most of them which happen to be false or only partially true.  It seems that just about everyone who has curly hair believes one or more of these myths; and as a…
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How much should you tip your hairdresser?  As a professional stylist, my first answer would be, “A lot!”  But in reality, our tips run the gamut from non-existent right up to incredibly generous.  There are a great many factors which…
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African-American hair is the subject of many myths, many of which are not true.  While there are certainly many physical and textural differences between African-American hair and other hair types, the same basic rules that apply to Caucasian hair also apply…
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Ingrown hairs are an inevitable part of life for those who shave regularly.  An ingrown hair is the result of hair that has been cut or shaved so short that the remaining hair recedes below the surface of the skin….
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Nothing beats rollers for giving body, fullness, and curl to thin and fine hair.  Unlike other tools like blowdryers and curling irons, rollers provide styling results that last longer.  Since there are so many different types of rollers available, choosing…
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Rollers are a great way to add volume, body, and curl to the hair without the damage of a curling iron or a perm.  However, since rollers are not as popular as they were decades ago, many women are not…
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Just as it is impossible to build a strong house on a weak foundation, it is impossible to maintain strong healthy hair if the scalp is in poor condition. Unfortunately, most people neglect the health of their scalps and then…
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There are hundreds of different shine products available for your hair. Some can be found in the haircare aisle of your local retail store while others are only sold in salons. These products come in many different varieties, from aerosol…
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Hydrogen peroxide has been used for decades to lighten and bleach the hair.  Most hydrogen peroxide sold for household use is a clear, colorless liquid which can be difficult to work with because it has practically the same viscosity as…
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