New York Fashion Week, Fall 2010: William Rast

Thomas Dunkin (Lead Stylist) and the Sebastian hair team were on hand backstage creating edgy, erratic hairstyles that looked as though the models had just hopped off the back of a motorcycle, complimenting the designers’ aesthetic for fall. Of the looks Thomas says, “we went with a beachy, tousled look with lots of windblown volume and texture to fit the free-spirited nature of the collection.”

Inspiration: Nomadic biker girls; rides through the desert; textured, dusty, wind-swept, adventure-laden beauty.

Get the look: Liberally apply Sebastian Professional Volupt Spray onto damp hair. Next, twist small sections of the hair from root to tip and blow-dry the entire length of the hair. Then, lightly cover hair with Re-Shaper Hairspray and gently tease the roots with fingers to create volume and erratic texture. To add definition and piecey-ness, apply a small amount of Matte Putty to finger-tips and whisk hands through hair, concentrating on the twisted pieces.

Rachel McAdams Sherlock Holmes Premiere Hairstyle

For the world premiere event of the highly-anticipated Sherlock Holmes movie, Sebastian Stylist Design Team Member Thomas Dunkin styled actress Rachel McAdams' tresses to complement her Grecian-inspired gown for a red carpet look that radiated grace and glam. All eyes were on Sherlock's leading lady's asymmetrical, loosely textured side braid.

Thomas shares styling tips for recreating Rachel's red carpet look at home:

1) Start by applying a volumizing product like Sebastian Professional Texturizer to wet hair. Blow dry in sections, and pin each section in medium and large sized Velcro rollers throughout whole head and allow to set for 5-10 minutes.
2) Allow to cool then take down rollers, and spray hair with a dry shampoo for added texture.
3) Emulsify a small dab of Sebastian Professional Microweb Fiber between palms and run through top of hair. Backcomb front section and manipulate for height and volume. Secure with pins.
4) French braid bottom half of hair starting behind left ear and pin random remaining pieces into braid for haphazard, playful positioning.
5) Finish the look with Sebastian Professional Shaper Fierce for tousled movement and controlled hold.

Photo

New York Fashion Week: Sebastian Reinvented, and Hanging Wit Cory Kennedy

Last Saturday, after show hopping at the tents, I headed on over to the Bryant Park Hotel's Cellar Bar for a Total Beauty cocktail soiree sponsored by Sebastian. As we were popping bottles and noshing on mouthwatering muchies, we were schooled on the fearless and fashionable reinvention of Sebastian Professional.

After more than three decades of churning out cult hairstyling classics, Sebastian launched an investigation to figure out how they could take the company to the next level and bring it into the new millenium. This resulted in over two years of product testing and over 10,000 conversations with stylists and consumers to identify where the brand could fill a void. The product testing and feedback convinced Sebastian that the brand was in need of a complete overhaul.

The new Sebastian Professional is "a focused and powerful collection of over 30 products that combines Sebastian heritage heroes with new and exciting innovation." Designed to offer versatility in use and application, the products are arranged into three categories:

Foundation: three essential shampoo and conditioner regimens (Light, Drench and Penetraitt)with tailored levels of conditioning, designed to restore a multitude of hair types to the same healthy level.

Form: eight fierce styling products designed to hold, mold and sculpt (Re-Shaper, Shaper Fierce, Shaper Zero Gravity, Liquid Steel, Gel Forte, Mousse Forte, Craft Clay and Molding Mud).

Flow: six essential treatment-stylers for creating touchable, soft and flowing hair (Thickefy Foam, Taming Elixir, Whipped Crème, Stylixir, Potion 9 & Potion 9 Lite).

The standout of the new class is the Whipped Crème Light Conditioning Style Whip. This protein-rich, ultra-light product actually resembles whipped cream, so keep it away from the kiddies and keep out of the mouths of babes. But your hair is going to love lapping it up.

Don't be fooled...this is not a mousse. It is a leave-in conditioner that increases volume, nourishes curls and waves, helps achieve a polished blowout, helps to achieve sleek strands when used in conjunction with a flat iron, but won't leave your hair sticky or stiff.

Sebastian's new face (and cult blogger/trendsetter/hipster muse), Cory Kennedy, was on-hand to testify. She was looking like million and sporting the most delicious aqua Alexandre Herchcovitch booties. The cheveux chameleon likes to experiment with different looks, and she told me that Whipped Crème can be used to achieve any style imaginable.

When I asked her how she uses the product on an average day, she said she schrunches it into her wet waves and lets it air dry. See below for the fabulous result.

So. Not. Fair!


Amber, Cory, and yours truly


Amber, Marina, Cory Kennedy and Mark "The Cobrasnake" Hunter

New York Fashion Week: Charlotte Ronson, Spring 2009

On September 6th, celebs came out en mass to see Charlotte Ronson's Spring 2009 collection. Jessica Stam, Jessica Szohr (of Gossip Girl fame) Sean Lennon and Cory Kennedy made an appearance. And Lindsay Lohan (accompanied by gal pal Samantha Ronson, Charlotte's twin sis) caused a near riot as paparazzi and I Know Who Killed Me fans trampled each other to catch a glimpse of the tabloid darling.

But if you ask me, the real stars of the show - besides the clothes, obv - were the hair and makeup.

Charlotte Ronson described her latest collection as "understated, sexy and flirty." Her muse was a "confident girl who doesn't need to overdo it." To compliment the "post new wave/pre early grunge" inspired collection, Beauty.com celebrity makeup artist Tina Turnbow used products from Tarte Cosmetics.

She gave the models a "Madonna grunge rock and roll" look with the following miracle workers:

The Eraser 4-in-1 Concealer
Provacateur Pressed Mineral Powder SPF 8
Mineral Powder Bronzer
Green Machine Eye Shadow
Empas'eyes High Definition Pencil in Chocolate
Lash Hugger Eco-Friendly Natural Mascara (coming this fall)
Toolbox Brow Know-how Eyebrow Kit
24/7 Lip Sheer with SPF in Teatime


"The makeup's there but it's not really about the makeup. It's about the personality of the girl wearing the clothes," Tina told me. "My favorite makeup look is the one where it looks like you slept in it...where it looks like it's a part of you and works it way into the face."

In the coming months, keep your eyes on Tarte (and Tarte on your eyes...have you seen tried their amazing shadows and liners?) because the brand is launching exciting new products, with a green theme. There will be a palette with packaging made from straw and brushes made from bamboo. And the Lash Hugger Mascara container is created from post-consumer recycled aluminum. But don't sweat...they'll keep churning out the high-fashion, high-quality products. It'll be chic, not crunchy. And in January, they'll be launching new shades to meet all women's complexion needs. Can I get an "amen," brown girls?

Sebastian Professional Lead Stylist, Thomas Dunkin, collaborated closely with Charlotte Ronson to ensure that the hair captured the essence of her collection and ultimately her signature style. To get the look, he suggests that sometimes using the strongest gels can result in the softest look. He used Re-Shaper (brushable humidity resistant stong-hold hairspray), Liquid Steel (concentrated styler) and Craft Clay (remoldable matte texturizer).

Stay tuned for more New York Fashion Week - Spring/Summer 2009 coverage!

Three for (Every) One

Marie Claire's website has a great article about three classic haircuts that every woman can pull off. How fierce are the Barbies in these pics?

The Bob

How to wear it: Make sure your ends reach your shoulders (if your hair is curly, they should fall just past your shoulders to compensate for shrinkage). Then lightly razor the tips so that they flip a bit, says Rodney Groves, a stylist for Kerastase at Vartali Salon in New York (he created the looks here).

What you don't want: the blunt-cut, overly "round" bob favored by your local weatherwoman.

How to style: Run mousse through damp hair, then blow-dry with a paddle brush. Finish with smoothing cream.

MC recommends: Sebastian Originals Threads Cream

Long and Layered

How to wear it now: The layers should be choppy and irregular and should start no higher than the jaw, says Rodney Groves.

How to style: Douse damp hair with volumizer; air-dry, then wrap inch-wide sections around a large curling iron to create loose spirals (start curls several inches from the root). Finger-fluff to finish.

MC recommends: Kerastase Resistance Expanseur Extra-Corps

The Pixie

How to wear it now: The hair should be longer on top, then thinned out with choppy layers on the sides and bottom to keep the 'do from becoming too bushy (particularly if your hair is thick or curly), says Groves.

How to style: Comb mousse through damp hair, then rough-dry with your hands and a blow-dryer. Finish by running a flatiron over just the ends to accentuate their piecey-ness.

MC recommends: Clairol Herbal Essences Extrahold Mousse