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What happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas…

Wow, what a ride! Only 4 weeks in and we’re still going strong.  Though the further I move away from the most spectacular honor of my career, I never want to loose that feeling of excitement whenever they called my name at the North American Hair Dressing Awards on July 13th.  Having this honor and knowing that my competition was quite steep, I am so proud to be able to tell a story of brilliant hair to stylists all over the globe.  The press is incredible, and the opportunities are surreal! Though, I have to say …. The overwhelming response from friends, stylists and clients has to be the most unbelievable thing of all!!!  That’s what it is really all about though, isn’t it?
Without my friends, I live a non colorful life, without my colleagues, there is no laughter, and support, and then ultimately without my clients, there is no inspiration and encouragement!!! Without any of these people in my life, i would a have a totally different reality. That’s why I would not change any of it!!!! We need to never forget where we come from and go back to where we know we find our passion and creativity!

So with that being said… Always embracing everyday, and living it to the fullest. We can easily fall into the twisted world of complacency. My whole goal is to give a few tidbits and helpful hints to get you through it all. Maybe instead of MORE high lites!!! Enough already WOW!! You are a level 17 already, LOL!! Try placing a diagonal section of a shear pastel approx. 1-2 levels darker. This will give a shadow and allow more impact without always needing to decolorize!!!

Also, find a way to wake up everyday and embrace life. ( even when you may feel a bit “crunchy”) . I always wake up and no matter how i feel , i look in the mirror and simply say ” Good Morning Gorgeous!!!”. This may not be true.. however, it starts me off with a kick.

Now lets talk fashion! Find a little something that becomes a signature staple, or find a color that when you need a pick up, just put it on. My new favorite colors for this season are yellow and green. Ironically, they also happen to be the hot new color hues for hair, ( thats another entry) LOL! My favorite new thing , are ties. Not just any tie, creative ways of knotting them and especially short skinny ties. A fabulous designer in California takes vintage ties, re cuts them and then sews unique bottons and personalizes with wicked detail. Of course, she made me a special one for my award winning evening. Check out threenow@mac.com  This brilliant woman’s name is three. She completed my fabulous outfit with her one of a kind piece.

Remember to always embrace every day to the fullest. Come back and enjoy my weekly postings, but mostly i want you to gain from it and make you and your haircoloring as individual as the person. Check out the Goldwell education calander with my upcoming shows and educational events.

So back to my Title, that What happens in Vegas , doesn’t always stay in Vegas!

Winning The Haircolorist of the year award in Las Vegas, is not about the celebrity of me! OK, maybe a little! LOL!!! But i want to take all of the emotion, the blood , sweat , tears and creative passion of my collection and the experience,.and explore new avenues , to continue inspiring and motivating stylists across the globe! Viva Las Vegas!!!

I am still floating with this surreal honor! And always remember that “Life is not a Dress Rehearsal” Live it, Love it and Create It!

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Well this is where it all started, some of you may remember, and some of you may have joined me along the way. I started with my BLOG to hopefully inspire in and outside of the industry, as well as speak to the Gold well brand that I love!

I am on my way to Vegas to cheer on and support my Gold well Colleagues and friends Dimitrios Tsioumas and Timothy Switzer. I will be screaming and beaming for my boys!!!P.S. Jimmy I would love for us both to obtain the Color Title! Make it new babe!!

So I am I guess feeling very nostalgic with the NAHA awards are soon approaching! I would love for all of my friends to obtain the prize and not only feel what inspired my first BLOG, but to have a stronger voice within the industry in which people enjoy and respect!

Good Luck to all of the finalists!

Hope to see you in Vegas July 18^th!

WWJSD

j

So …….I was out for an evening on the town, ok maybe the streets of New Orleans with my boys. You know, doing what I do best….Being me! LOL! So anyways…….. looking flawless (if I must admit!)…hair perfect, outfit and mini tie just right and face was BEAT!!!! Hello!!!!! I was in HUMID land! I needed the extra help-a boy will melt within minutes there! LOL! I also know this to be true, since on my way there was a group of super cute little girls that were following us down the street selling us candy bars for some school thing or something when they told me that I looked just like Michael Jackson! WHAT?????? I think that this was a compliment? Ok so seriously. We were out for the evening just doing our thing. We were at this club on the second floor and the music had just started to pump. I was doing the new “Spiderman” dance move when out of the corner of my eye I spotted this person. A person that made me stop in mid spider! It was a bit odd, since not many people can do that to me….Ok maybe besides the twins I met in Spain, or the fish packing guy in Alaska, Ok stop! sidetrack! Back to the story! …..
I am not sure what struck me so strongly about this guy? Could it be that he is actually taller than me at 6′5 or that he was dressed in this seasons head to toe Prada? Or, that his skin and eyes were almost prettier than mine? (Ok self stroke!LOL!) So, I decided to go downstairs to get some air. An important point to this story is that there was only one way down and that was the way that I had just gone. I was outside on the street catching my breath for only a minute then the same man appears out of the darkness from the opposite side of the street! WHAT????? He approaches me and nods silently to follow him.(something I was a bit familiar with)lol! We now move to the third floor of this club where there is no one else (imagine) he moves in close and starts to say in the sexiest British accent a few things that I should not write to keep it clean. But in after school special words, he asked if I wanted to play on the jungle gym and take a ride on his fire truck? LMFAO!!!! He was working my neck which was odd. Just barely touching and sniffing along the way. I have to say. Honestly! This was the hottest moment and his hair which was a colored a cool level 6 with level 8, 9 and 12 dimensional shades so took me there! When all of a sudden, my friends showed up and crushed my groove!!! He asked why they were there and when I responded that we were all together, he simply responded with words I can’t forget….Another time then!
Hell No! You will not just walk away! I just ruined my lip gloss! LOL!!! He raced downstairs and I too after him. Though as I watched him turn through the door and I was only one step behind him, as I turned the corner…POOF! He was gone. No really! GONE!!!Just like that!!!! I could not believe it, not even seconds. Could it be he was an Olympic runner? Or maybe my contacts were falling out? I am still not sure. Though I had stated before my trip that I was going to meet one, and through all of my journeys through this month this seems to be a main topic of conversation amongst my styling friends. Could he really have been a vampire????????????????????????????????????
If so, Come Back !!!!!!! I want to be eternally young! I love Prada! I want to be like Madonna and obtain a British accent! Also, cosmetic enhancements are so time consuming!!!LOL!!!!!!!
So through my travels I have been so fortunate and spoiled. Spoiled that I have had got to meet amazing, talented and inspiring stylists, colorists and educators, people who share, live and breathe the love of hair and hair color! No matter where I have gone, across the globe or near to home, people who embrace their craft and continually inspire me!
And now, I am off to Boston! It has been an amazing journey!! Thank you to all that I have got to spend my time with and for making me so welcomed and at home in your world. Your hard work to make my show and program shine, and for just being you! Keep working those wigs, and this is only the beginning! I know I will be back or near soon! Keep it Creative!
So as I have been fed my “dork” fuel along the road from putting together hair color and shape to compliment. Inspired by the landscapes of our world, I love to look at the world with creative eyes. It makes me appreciate all around us as a canvas. Around every corner is a new picture waiting to be dissected and transformed into a hair color palette. Example … the way the icy cool blue steel water reflects the opaque base of a glacier to the greens, pinks and blues that reflect through it and how the top becomes frosted by the opaque yet reflective snow. (Big Dork!) So what about transitioning into a diagonal wrap around of placement, starting in the nape and moving my way to middle parietal ridge zipper diagonals with then a contrasting zipper on the lid. Try using an opaque yet reflective level 6 ash. Throughout the interior and the lid, decolorize slices, utilizing multiple decolorizers and developers. Afterwards, apply an overlay to the lid with a familiar toned 10 level blonde. Throughout the middle, apply translucent reflective tones that correspond with the placements of the zipper. In Goldwell Speak…………………..
Apply a background of Topchic 10 vol with 6MB/6SB combination. Throughout the interior de colorize utilizing diagonal slices with oxy cur ultra ultra and 20 vol, and then op high lights and 30 vol in an alternating pattern for unique decolorized finishes. Continue this pattern along the lid. After processing and shampooing and preparing . Throughout the interior alternate in an intermittent pattern on contrasting diagonal slices of which you decolorized. This will allow multiple tones to happen on the different de colorizers. Alternate Elumen shades of 20ml AB@9 20ml Clear 5ml Gn@All 3ml BB@ All. Then 30mls Clear 3 mls RR@ALL then 40 mls AB@9 5mls BB@ALL 1ml Pk@ALL. On the lid, 30mlsAB@9 10 mls Clear 1ml NA@2. This will give gorgeous tones with unique reflections of tones that sparkle! This is sure to grab the attention of any Vampire I am sure!

So either traveling about spreading the word of a brilliant hair color brand, a brilliant technique, or creating a new shade that will give a twist to something brand new! It is always my pleasure to be with you and hopefully inspire you with the love of what we do best! I am so fortunate to meet the people I do and to gain the fuel with such talented artists and stylists. Keeping all of us going to conquer the world of fabulous hair, remembering the most beautiful canvases can be obtained by the most subtle nuance. Step back sometimes and re think the execution and try not to over work the canvas by add yet a seventh shade, down size and keep it simple! Classics are forever, they just have a fresh spin to them, just like a vampire! LOL!!!
Check out the upcoming programs at the Goldwell Academies or in and near your world soon.
Inspection & Design
Correct it Creatively 1 & 2
My personal and all new “Color by Design”
Go to www.goldwellnorthamerica.com for details
Always a pleasure, tell a friend, post a comment ,subscribe or just keep reading! Make sure to visit often or post a WWJSD for a cool story, a wicked hair situation and as always a fabulous formulation or two. OK and a bit of fab fashion! Remember that ….Life is not a dress rehearsal….live it, love it and create it!
Watch out for the Vampires! Unless they are wearing Prada!LOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
AMB
j

Check some of these educational adventures out!  I hope to see you there and to continue inspiring you through education! Remember ….Life is not a dress rehearsal…live it,love it and create it!!!!! WWJSD

Some great up and coming events….

Check out the www.goldwellnorthamerica.com  site for new exciting programs at all 4 of our Academys

ISSE  Long Beach California… Brilliant education and my ALL NEW! Color by Design program in the Color Classroom January 30/31 and February 1st

ABS Chicago! Come to more Spectacular events at this arena of knowledge! March 27-29. While your there, attend the BTC Stylist Choice Awards!

And BTW! Go to www.behindthechair.com and join my campaign and vote for your favorite products and Favorite Platform Artist/Educator…..OK….I hope it’s me ! LOL!

These are just a few of the up and coming events! Continue to visit me here for new updates and tons of educational fun! My new photo friend walls and much much more!

I know that everyone keeps blaming everything on the economy and that most do not want to appear frivolous in a time of economic termoil, though I think that by going back to simplicity, we are over coming the bad feelings and embracing a new “humble luxury”!

Times are changing, maybe we needed a huge smack in the face with our color brushes! LOL!

We are plunging ahead, and believe me, times are getting better! This is no time to be complacent, stay INSPIRED!!!!

Just a share of a poem that makes me say Hmmmmm????

“Perfection is finally attained when there is no longer anything to add but when there is no longer anything to take away, when a body has been stripped down to its nakedness”

Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Visit me anytime, post a comment or just say hey!

WWJSD

j

Remember Life is not a Dress Rehearsal…live it love it and create it!

Goooooo Santa!

Happy Holidays

WWJSD

j

I often come back to this quote when I am preparing for a presentation, working on a show, prepping for a busy salon day, and every day I live!
We all want to have something or be someone that is special which stands out ahead of the herd. I have never been a fan of following what other people are doing, creating, wanting to be, or dress like the others in mimic styles. I have embraced this unique and different style, since I can remember. I think back to high school, when I went through many phases and identities. (Come on now, so did you!!!!) Anyway, I think of the times with my Madonna meets Prince meets The Cure. Ok, maybe a bit of George Michael too! I liked to carry a skateboard and wear safety pins in my clothes that were strategically snipped and cut. I never once tried to skate, and it was the perfect accessory! The next day a pair of “stone washed” jeans (”pegged” of course), and a pair of Bass loafers my great reward for this was to have many different and unique friends, which exposed me to all of their interests and ideas. Friends from all of the different “clicks” were my friends all together. I was one day with the spiral perm girls who carried Liz Clairborne bags, to the football playing jocks. (OK who do you think my favorites were?) Hellooo! The Liz girls! They were fabulous with new bags every week! LOL! I have recently had this reunion with my long lost high school friends, and I must admit, I was a bit overwhelmed to think of these people as adults, and are they going to be as fabulous as they were in school? The reunion was great and it made me giggle, that as far as we all have come, I was still the most unique and different. My career in which people joked that I was wasting my life, became quite the envy. The Liz Clairborne girls were now carrying some Louis knock off, while I felt fab and loved the fact that a long time ago I carried that skateboard everywhere, though now traded it in for the new “perfect accessory” …. a leather Prada clutch! LOL!! Ok, and the jocks ….were still Hot!!!! There will always be a new “Hot Topic” which will make a listening ear raise to attention, a younger bright someone, who will put you to the challenge! With these, I always remember that these things or people, who come along, will in fact keep you stimulated to make your unique talents and personality come to life! Always dare to be different! It separates you from the followers!!!!

So, think about being irreplaceable in the salon, I have always looked at hair fashion as a brilliant way to express your creativity and keep all canvases unique in design! Though in our busy schedules, it is so easy to start placing that same partial 32 rolodex foil pattern on most everyone! 32 horizontal across the lid, 2 on the temporal, and I pull my hair up, let’s put some in the nape! If you are giggling, you know who they are!!!! I find that most everyone knows this pattern, and guess what? So Do Your Clients!!! I am sure they will make it into a “Home Kit” soon! So, instead of keeping it so simple, and placing a contrasting tone in streaks, try placing back to back designs in a diagonal form throughout the same grid, and make it different and special! Take a rich medium warm red brown, against a hi light of 2-3 levels lighter. In Goldwell speak, try utilizing Topchic 10 vol 3% at 30 mls 6BG at 20 mls 10 mls 6KG in contrast with 12 Series Ultra Lite Blondes 40 vol 12% 40 mls and 20 mls 12GN. Give this a colorwash of colorance 10GN for 20 mins later.You will have the perfect balanced smoulderery “Brazillian Brunette” this will be an irreplaceable technique and formula to keep them coming back! Hope you love it!!!

There are many people in my life in which are so irreplaceable! I mean, I feel like Beyonce when I speak about some, though there truly are many that I could not live without! So, I just need to share that some of the best times of my life has been shared with a fab friend “D”. We love to laugh, call each other fat, and sometimes go out to “pop and lock”. The most fun is when we are out and people wonder what makes us so, ok, let’s say fabulous? We look at each other and then respond…..We’re from Europe!…Oh yeah, what part?….We say…All of it! LOL!!! I am so fortunate to have someone in my life that I can share, bounce ideas with, and of course…call fat!!! LOL!

So irreplaceable fashion….Hellooo!!!! I am so excited that the new tailored tweeds are so back. From Ralph Lauren to I am sure the Jaclyn Smith collection! LOL!! Ok just kidding! Though these blazers and tailored pants with a high tight knee length leather boot and a signature tie from three (my favorite tie designer see her website on my home page), will be a different and memorable look to keep everyone knowing just how irreplaceable you are!

Remember that we are all special and all have amazing talents we are all unique in so many ways. Though sometimes it is so easy to lose the person you are and get swept up in this crazy world, and lose your unique identity, just as Coco stood strong while giving women power and elegance. She is an icon for being timeless, daring and strong. She dared to be different before her time, and to this day most designers mimic her classic cuts. Where would we be without the “little black dress” or the Chanel blazer and skirt combo? Just like Coco, I always try to be different, not because I need to be, but because I am! This is something that comes naturally when you allow your mind to go there! Keep allowing your self to grow and explore. Try a new accessory, skateboard or a prada clutch! But do it because it is ultimately you, and you will be irreplaceable.

I hope you enjoyed this adventure. Please come back for a fun story, a quick trick and formula, a taste of fashion, and a hopeful new inspiration and motivating message. Tell a friend, post a comment or just keep coming back for more every week.

WWJSD??????

What are the “NEW” color combinations for the year???

Where does fashion come from???

What is “HAPPENING” in European fashion design???

Well………Why not join me and see?????????????

As some of you may know, in October my Goldwell family and I will join together to release the Color Zoom Collection 2010!!!!!!!! The brilliant combination of a globally inspired concept that gives us the fuel we need and crave to elevate our designs for the next year! Get the “in” on what are the latest in fabrics, global phenomenon, color palettes and more that translate into the latest of hair design. The language in which we all speak and breathe, the love of hair color and hair fashion!!!!!

Embrace the opportunity to meet fellow hair designers across the globe is completely surreal! To come together and celebrate the art of hair color and design with the elite visionaries from the world is unbelievable in its self. Be one of the elite! Chat it up over a bit of fashion, food and fun. And of course superior Education! Learn the ins and outs of what makes up the new illusions for 2010! Get up close and personal with the creators of CZ and the genius colors and color combinations which bring new life to your creativity!

What better place to bring the globe together than……..HELLOOOOO! Sin City Baby!!!

You guessed it, Viva Las Vegas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Rub elbows with a hip designer from Japan, have a drink with Sweden, enjoy a cool formula with London and get a bite to eat with Germany, or have a big “color dork” conversation with some hot Italian designers over some wine in a courtyard for hours!(OH Wait, that’s what I did last year in Spain…Welome to Valencia!….that is a whole other story! LOL!)

Ok, so we all hear the easy out from our clients every day, the economy, the economy, the economy! UGHHHH!!! Enough! If we don’t invest into our educational careers, how can we conquer the economy and learn new ideas that will generate dollars with fantastic ideas and placements! Add that thought with just a bit of glitter and off you go! LOL!

Not only is it about new fashion and ideas with business building methods, see the LIVE competition of the Color Zoom finalists to achieve the prize of designing for the next collection of 2011! See the countries come together and have a sort of world Olympics of hair!

So what is the new look about????

See what happens when fashion designers are not creating fashion and automobiles stay the same make the following year. Create your own designs and Color Stories with combinations a cool level 10 blond with a dusty yellow accent, or a cool level 6 brown against a level 8 warm red. Intrigued???

I hope to see you there, and did I mention that I am the Master of Ceremonies???

It’s not too late to be there, Join me from October 25^th through the 27^th!

Visit goldwellnorthamerica.com for full details.

It is always an absolute pleasure in sharing what I love to do I tell myself every day that:

Life is not a dress rehearsal, live it love it and create it!

Visit me here for even more color stories, cool inspirational pics and some formulation tips and how to step by steps!

Want to see and think of color differently? Visit me at the Goldwell Academy for Correct it Creatively for an intense 3 day program.

Post a comment, say hello or just enjoy, hit up the WWJSD section and maybe I could help you out with a formulation or situation!

Get inspired and have some fun with me in Vegas! I hope to see you soon!

j

So if these questions are familiar and are issues in your every day working, maybe come to a program at one of the Goldwell Academies, or one even more specific, what about Correct it Creatively 1 and 2?

To tell the full color story about how to take these everyday questions and problems, and conquer them easily and intelligently. In this two day program we uncover and explore your tools that we use daily and learn their total potential. Most often, we need to ask the question of how much of your work is a corrective situation? Well more than likely, it is about 90% of your every day. Most clients have some sort of color on and how do we make the changes on them without the easy thought of a mini foil at the part line and around the face to camouflage the in accuracy of matching tones. Also, if a client wants to flip into another shade or tone, how do I change it easily without always running for the bleach? By looking deeper into the color tools, you can take a canvas to a lighter shade with blonding tools or even the placement of a contrasting or reflective shade to give the illusion of lightness.

When approaching a canvas, don’t run into it blind, or with the same old ways you would usually turn tools that can take you there. Step away and think where you are now, and which tools would best conquer the problem.

Sound interesting????? Well through the ever changing program you can find endless possibilities! Just when you then thought you pushed you knowledge and tools to the end…There’s more!!!! Correct it Creatively 2 takes you into a deeper journey of seeing and thinking of color and color placement differently! Let down the barrier walls, and explore a whole new world of color!!!!!!! Remember complacency is the evil to creativity!

A situation you may encounter is thinking that your level 4 client that wants a level 7 range gets stuck in the “brassy” or “blorange” range. You try to neutralize without taking them too dark or making it opaque, and you are so over using the “band aid” foil on the part to hide the “off” tone.

Well maybe advance your tools while incorporating a high lift and a target shade mixture together at the new hair with double the developer to achieve the lift! You may be thinking great then what about the ends that have color on them? Well with a blonding cream or low ammonia cream system, paint into the shaft this mixture with double the developer and process. Clean off some of the old paint and after finish with a neutral level overlay. This ensures an even clarity of color and has amazing durability!

In Goldwell speak……Use a mixture on the new hair of 40 mls 40 vol 15 mls 11G 5 mls 7MB. Through the ends…30 mls 40 vol 15 mls Blonding Cream Ash. Process then a color wash of colorance lotion 40 mls 15 mls 9BN 5 mls 7MB

I hope that you enjoy, and try the techniques or visit the academies @ Goldwell.

Knowledge is key, and don’t get caught in the same old situations. I truly enjoy love sharing the ideas that drive me and my tools every day! Drop by to johncsimpson.com and leave a comment or a question.

There are a few spaces left for the Correct it Creatively 2 that allows you to see and think of color differently! Contact www.goldwellnorthamerica.com I would love to see you there!!!!!!!!

Remember that life is not a dress rehearsal…live it, love it and create it!!!!

WWJSD???????