92. MASON PEARSON. THE KING OF BRUSHES.

If you only buy one hairbrush, invest in the best brush money can buy, a MASON PEARSON brush. An essential item for any beauty kit, whether you’re a professional hairstylist, make-up artist or novice. Or for anyone who takes pride in his or her crowning glory.

Here’s a quick history lesson about the company.

Mason Pearson is the founder and engineer inventor of the Mason Pearson Brush. In the mid 1860s he worked for the British Steam Brush Works where he learned the trade. He mastered brush making by hand. Later to partner with Raper Pearson Gill to form a small brush making business.

In 1885 he invented the automatic boaring machine to speed the process of making brushes by hand. He became well known for his brush making skills and he won the Silver Medal at the International Inventions Exhibition awards. He also created ‘pneumatic” rubber cushion brush. It took Mason until 1905 to improve his technique and become successful. Most of the brush work is still done by hand and the company remains a family business.

78. BLUNT FRINGE- THE AGE MELBOURNE MAGAZINE.

I was quoted in "The Age Melbourne Magazine" last month which made my head swell for the good part of a week. That's not me pictured above by the way. So, if you missed it, here it is again.

Thanks to Felicity Lewis for the article and Indianna Foord for the photos.

Melbourne Women seem to have embraced the blunt fringe at the moment more than ever before. Why? One answer is, Abbley-Lee Kershaw. The Melbourne model has been wearing a thick fringe on catwalks this year, on stage in New York for a guest spot with her boyfriend's rock band, and in Vogue Nippon in leathers, after the fashion of Marrianne Faithfull in the 1968 film Girl on a Motorcycle.

Fringes- or bangs, as they are known in the states- have always created a bit of frisson. In first-century Iberia (once part of Spain), the musician Zirab apparently caused a stir by cutting a fringe down to his eyebrows when the key look of the daywas shoulder length with a centre part. Fast-forward to the 1960s and you have Vidal Sassoon shaking up the old order by giving Mary Quant a shiny wash and wear bob with fringe (which hairdresser as Sassoon protege Bob Leopold brought to Melbourne women).

Our interviewees were inspired by various icons: actor Louise Brooks and her "flapper bob; retro pin-up girls such as Betty Page; whose curled-under bangs caused a sensation in the 1950s. And tousled fringes are the big part of the rock'n'roll look - think Chrissie Hynde and Chrissy Amphlett for starters.

Hairdresser Jean-Paul Rosette, from Worksense, says the 2010 breed of fringe has a "new edge". "It's heavier, it's blunter, it's eye skimming, it's more deliberate than those side-sweepy numbers that have been happening for a while". He speculates that the look has been given a nudge more recently by the likes of the actor Zooey Deschanel, and the model Lou Doillion, whose mother, Jane Birkin and step sister Charlotte Gainsbourg have worn fringes well.

"Your eyes are exactly halfway between the top of your head and your chin," says Rosette, "so to have a long fringe is to cover half your head- it's a bit hide-and-seek, it's a bit fun, it's a bit mischievous. It's quite cool." He says there is a fringe for everyone- unless your hair is very curly- and the trick to keeping them looking smart is to have a five minute trim every three weeks.

A possible side benefit: fringes cover frown lines on your forehead, points out writer Alice Thompson in an article in The Times this yea, "Are fringes the New Botox?" And if you're not sure about taking the plunge, clip-on fringes from Celebrity Wigs are a snip at $30.

You can read my other article on Fringes titled "BIG BANG THEORY" by clicking here.

66. Ombre, Ombre!! Dip Dye part 2.

Ok, so regular readers of Heads Will Roll would have already seen my blog post titled Dip Dye I wrote awhile back, if you haven’t check it out here. You can’t miss it, it was my 50^th post. Anyway, I digress.

I thought this time I would explore the other side of this color of the dip dye technique that some hairstylist call ombre color, or graduated hair colour. It has a softer feel than the aggressive dip dye. Less in your face.

Here are some popular FAQ’s about ombre or dip dye hair color that I can answer.

Q. Is ombre or dip dye hair technique low maintenance?

A. Not really. There is a fine line between deliberate hair color and “I need my roots done” so regular trips to the salon is needed for shine and touch ups. Blonde hair often looks brittle at the ends so regular haircuts are mandatory.

Q. What is the difference between “dip dye” and Ombre hair color?

A. The dip Dye technique leaves a hard line best suited to blunt haircuts of any length. Whereas Ombre color is a soft blending of color from roots to the ends of your hair, say from dark to light, or the other way around. This technique is best suited for longer layered or choppy haircuts.

Q. Is Dip Dye and Ombre hair color technique new?

A. Not at all, it’s been one of the many techniques in the hairdressing arsenal for years. Like all things fashionable, it’s come around again this time with more gusto.

Feel free to comment or to ask me anything regarding this post.

And If you want to see more images of Alexa Chung, Abby Lee Kershaw, Drew Barrymore, Katie Shillingford and Lou Doillion all sporting dip dye hair please click here.

Little Tailleur

I used a wig for this shoot. 

The key for making a wig look real is to bind the model's head as closely as possible. 

Here is a brief "how to" guide.

1. Brush hair
2. Secure with pins flat to the head
3. Wrap head with medical gauze while removing pins
4. Tape gauze down
5. Cover model’s face with towel
6. Spray dark hair spray of gauze
7. Gently place wig and adjust
8. Secure adjustments at the back of wig
9. Thoroughly brush wig.
10. Cut to suit model.
11. Use gloss to style
12. Use fringe pins to add texture

Please visit 

www.littletailleur.com.au

 for the complete shoot.

What's in my kit

Mason pearson brush
Large Round brush
Small round brush
Tooth brush
Fine brush
Wide tooth comb
Fine tooth comb
Cutting comb
Tail comb
Teasing comb
Hair scissors
Craft scissors



Booby pins
Fringe pins
Long hard fringe pins
Section clips
Pin curl clips
Elastics
Hair nets
Doughnuts
Sausage
Hair rollers (24)
Hair slides
Sewing kit
Towel


Volumizer
Mouse
Gel
Pomade
Hairspray
Cream
Gloss
Wax
Fibre
Thermal fixative/setting lotion
Dry shampoo/dry clean lotion
Hand cleanser


Hairdryer
Small/medium/large hot tongs
Hot rollers
Straightening irons
Power board

Switches of black hair
Switches of blonde hair
Switches of dark blonde hair
Switches of red hair

Brown wig
Medical gauze
tape