There’s no question that my red hair is my crowning glory—love the brilliant color; love the shine. But smooth, silky—and most important—frizz-free texture is just as important!

I know I’m not alone in this, which is why we’re so proud of our Ion Keratin Smoothing Treatment. The Formaldehyde-free formula minimizes frizz 90% – 100% and contains all kinds of goodies, such as argan and wheat germ oils, to boost shine.

And, just in case you’re wondering, “Can this be safe for color-treated hair?” The answer is, absolutely! It actually strengthens hair. Of course, as with any treatment, following directions is key to a great result.

What: We’re giving away a set of FingerPaints Special Effects!

Why: Because we know you guys are ga-ga for flakies!

When: Visitors can enter January 18-20. One winner will be chosen at random on January 23.

Image courtsey of TheSmallThingsBlog.com

In 2012, it’s “anything goes” with your hairstyle.

Rushed or in a minimalist mood? It’s perfectly acceptable to show up at events with a simple blowout or ponytail. Ponytails are one of my favorite styles, so this is great news for me!

Here are three tips for ponytails:

ONE
Use a paddle brush like the Titanium Ionic Brush from Ion  to remove any tangles.

TWO
Don’t force short layers into the elastic – they’ll look great when they hang naturally.

THREE
To minimize snags and breakage, use professional braiding rubber bands; we like the bands made by Proclaim.

Easy as pie!

The results are in!

Once again, the Sally Beauty Supply Best Tressed® annual survey names top celebrity styles – and those that fell short of fabulous.

2011 proved it was not a winning year for Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan, with both taking home Worst Hairstyle honors. Voters agreed that royal hair ruled, and bestowed upon Kate Middleton the title of Best Female Hairstyle. Ryan Gosling may not have won sexiest man alive, but his luscious locks narrowly beat out Bradley Cooper, earning him the Best Male Hairstyle of 2011.  Kelly Ripa’s blonde ‘do was overwhelmingly voted as the best television personality hairstyle.

The Top 3 in Each Category

Best Hairstyle in 2011 (Female)                           Best Hairstyle in 2011 (Male)

1.   Kate Middleton                                                  1.   Ryan Gosling

2.   Selena Gomez                                                  2.   Bradley Cooper

3.   Salma Hayek                                                    3.  Ryan Seacrest

Worst Hairstyle in 2011 (Female)                        Worst Hairstyle in 2011 (Male)

1.   Lindsay Lohan                                                       1.    Charlie Sheen

2.   Courtney Love                                                        2.    Mickey Rourke

3.   Nicki Minaj                                                             3.    Russell Brand

The Sally Beauty Supply Best Tressed® Survey polled results from 1,000 women and was conducted by MarketTools, Inc. The survey ran from December 15, 2011 to December 16, 2011. 

What do you think? Do you agree with the results? Let us know in the comments!

One of the most powerful memories I have of Christmas as a little girl, was the hours and hours it took getting my hair ready for the all important Christmas family reunion.  It wasn’t enough that you had your special red velvet dress with the satin bow and your black patent Mary Jane shoes, you also had to have CURLS (with a capital C.) 

What you have to know is that my hair is naturally stick straight, but it was the fashion to have Shirley Temple curls!! My mother would wash my hair and roll it on wire rollers – these torture instruments are thankfully no longer for sale!!  After sitting under the hair dryer for an eternity to dry my hair, I then had to sleep all night with the wire rollers making dents in my head.  When mother took the rollers out the next day, VOILA! …. I had curls… for about 20 minutes. 

I am happy to report that for girls of all ages with even the straightest of hair, there is a modern solution for quick lasting curls.  The miracle is the Caruso Professional ProSet Steam Hairsetter.  The secret to perfect curls is the steam process that literally locks in the curls while moisturizing and adding body and shine to the hair.

Isn’t technology wonderful?  Does anyone have stories about childhood hair traumas to share?

The countdown begins! We are only 13 days out from Christmas!  Still have a few names on that shopping list?  Yeah, me too. As much as everyone longs for a Christmas kitty sweater, may I suggest a few more practical gifts:

Eye-Vac Electric Dustpan Vacuum
This is honestly on my wish list and perfect for anyone with hardwood floors or tile. This unassuming little black machine sits in the corner eagerly awaiting you to sweep dirt and dust its way. When the Eye-Vac’s sensor detects the debris it turns on, sucks it all up and then shuts off.  No more fumbling with a dust pan.

Hot Shot Tools 3 Barrel Waver
Since I know my kids don’t read this blog…one of them has this all wrapped up and under the tree. For those who lived through the 80’s, this works just like a crimper but creates waves instead.  And to spare mom the grief of burnt fingers and singed bathroom countertops, she also received the Heat Protection Styling Glove and the Silicon Heat Styling Mat (on sale for only $5).

Mircro Touch Max Hair Remover
I purchased this as a stocking stuffer for my husband.  I almost gave it to him early as I watched him maneuver a cuticle nipper up his nose this morning. Seriously, I can’t make that up.

But enough of what my family is getting. Our gifts page has an abundance of great recommendations that are sure to make the recipient way more excited than that kitty sweater.

For me, the holidays equal parties! I love nothing more than getting together with friends and family, wearing some festive clothing (or maybe an Ugly Christmas Sweater) and celebrating the season.

In the spirit of giving, I thought I’d share my Recipe for Holiday Beauty. It’s super simple to follow – you take a dash of gold eye shadow, some candy-coated lips, a swipe of liquid liner, a few twists of a wand, sprinkle in some sparkly accessories and you’re done.

Do you have a holiday go-to look? Please share your “recipe” in the comments!

1. Femme Couture Prime Wear Lip Creme in Black Cherry
2. Plugged In Pink Lace Cone Curling Wand
3. Sally Girl Mini Baked Eyeshadow in Gold
4. DCNL Jewels Headband with Bow
5. FingerPaints Limited Edition Fun-Fetti
6. Ardell Fashion Lashes #109
7. Palladio Liquid Liner in Black

Mom and Dad were married on Halloween.

But they didn’t tell anyone what they were doing. Each told their parents they were going to a Halloween party, don’t wait up.

They drove from Michigan to Ohio, where there were no blood tests or waiting periods, and tied the knot. Then they drove back to Michigan and kept it a secret for weeks.

It’s hard to top that one. My fondest Halloween memories are those spent with close friends, applying a little innocent mischief around our neighborhood. Duane, Dave, Dave, and Rob, all respected citizens now.

I want to hear about your favorite Halloween adventure. Click on the comment link right below the headline.

Anything planned Halloween? There’s still time!

Stop by Sally Beauty to stock up on wild accessories just right for haunting.

Our sales associates have plenty of great ideas.

I always say you can never go wrong with temporary hair color.

 Beyond The Zone Color Bombz Temporary Hair Color comes in loud instant colors, and it washes out with your next shampoo. Spray it on, let it dry, then spray hair spray on it to make it last longer.

Come to Sally Beauty, we’ll help make your Halloween fun!

David the Photographer

I have a photographer friend named David. One day, he was photographing a female acquaintance, and she asked him, “Are you getting everything you want out of our relationship?”

The events that followed are pretty funny, and David tells the story so well I hate to try to do it myself. So I won’t. Check with him if you’d like to hear the rest.

My question for you — along the same lines — is this: Are you getting everything you’d like from Sally Beauty?

Let me point you to some cool and useful stuff we have online…

Pro Directory

Do you need to find a new stylist or a salon? Try our pro directory.  

Store Locator

Do you need to find another Sally Beauty Supply location, like one near work or one in a new town you’re visiting? Here’s our store locator.

Beauty Club

Are you a member of our Beauty Club? You receive lots of benefits, and you’ll never pay full price again!  

Email signup

Have you signed up for email messages from us? You’ll receive special offers available in stores and online, as well as beauty tips and how-to instructions on the latest beauty trends. Sign up here.  

My favorite online activity is the blog, and I’m glad you’re here! We post something new every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

Please add us to your schedule and make it a habit to come here and add your comments.

Thanks!

It’s time to get pretty in pink for Breast Cancer Awareness Month!

At Sally Beauty, this cause is near and dear to our hearts. To show our support, we are raising funds through the sale of special edition Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure® designs and customer donations.

On September 24, we kicked off Breast Cancer Awareness month as the title sponsor for the Susan G. Komen North Texas Affiliate Race for the Cure in Denton, TX. We provided 3,000 goody bags to participants and had the largest corporate team at the event. Over 200 Sally Beauty employees participated by volunteering and racing.  The event raised over $150,000 for breast cancer charities in North Texas!

We hope that you will join us in the fight against breast cancer and show your support by being pretty in pink this month!

From April 1, 2011 through March 31, 2012, SBH has donated to Susan G. Komen for the Cure an amount equal to 5% of its sales price of selected products and, along with consumer donations, is guaranteeing an aggregate minimum donation of $750,000. To learn more about breast health and breast cancer, visit www.komen.org or call 1-877 GO KOMEN.