Team 1: Meleesa and Ashley

Challenge: Lee

It is impossible to say enough good things about Meleesa and the salon, or should I say “community” that she has created.  I have been a client of Meleesa’s for many years now and up until recently I have never been brave enough to take risks with my hairstyle.  One of the best things about my experiences at Meleesa is that no matter how much or how little I choose to do for a haircut I always leave there feeling stylish.

When Melessa told me about the makeover challenge I was so excited.  It was time to try something completely out of my comfort zone.  I put my trust into the hands of Melessa and Ashley and the results…FABULOUS!  My new look gets me compliments on a daily basis and I am so glad that I let them work their magic because it was a success and I have bangs for the first time in my life!

On a personal note, I just love going into the salon.  Everyone is so friendly and it does feel like a true neighborhood small business with big city style.  I wouldn’t go anywhere else!  Lee Ann Salkowitz

Team 2: Veruska

Challenge : Betsy

Team 3: Adrienne and Jess

Challenge: Parissa

I am so thankful to know all of the gals at Meleesa The Salon! These girls are talented artists and stylists who have so much passion for what they do! I have been going to Meleesa The Salon for about a year and am always recommending it to friends and family! A little over a year and a half ago I had to make a choice to better my life, my health, and my overall being. So, what did I do? I ran out and bought a pair of running shoes and started walking and then running by the beach.I needed to be the best Parissa I could be. I also took control of my eating habits and focused on foods that would help me and not hurt me. With time it paid off and shortly there after I met the sweet girls at Meleesa The Salon. Going to Meleesa’s was such a perk and reward. Each time I left the salon, I left with a smile. I truly began to get my spring back in my step. Everyone who leaves the salon leaves with a smile!!! I have personally observed this.
People on the streets would notice the smile and true happiness on my face and say hello and compliment my looks. I felt so good, like a princess! It helped to bring the encouragment in my life that I so needed.  When Adrienne and Jessica approached me about the makeover challenge I was super thrilled! I love a challenge and this was yet another chance to experience something amazing! I went home and danced around my living room and couldn’t believe that I had been selected. Adrienne and Jessica who I like to call “Team Awesome” did just that! They are two awesome artists who have hearts of gold! Their time, dedication, and collaborative efforts produced what you see in my after photo. If there is someone that has truly been touched by this makeover challenge, I would say it is me. Thanks Adrienne and Jessica for making a difference in my life and for bringing back the smile on my face. By the way, can I say it was sooo much fun doing the hair, make up, tan, and photos!!! Wow! What an experience! If I could, I’d do it again and I’d want it the exact same way!  I wouldn’t change a thing

Photography: www.jimkennedyphotographers.com

Get your votes in soon! Voting ends at the end of February. Make sure you tell your friends about the contest so we can get more votes in!

6. Rustle Up

Tousled, barely-there waves make hair look incredibly sensuous. Hold a one-inch curling iron vertically, and wrap just the center of each section of hair—not the roots or ends—around the barrel for only a few seconds. (Any longer and the curl will get too tight.) When finished, flip your head upside down and lightly skim a paddle brush over the curls to break them up, then shake them around with your fingers before bringing your head up.

7. Tie on a Colorful Scarf

It’s the fastest solution to a bad hair day. Choose a square, printed scarf (solid colors tend to look like a bandage) and fold it in half diagonally to make a triangle. Tie it over the top of your hair and knot it in back. The front should rest no more than an inch down over your hairline (any lower, and you risk Axl Rose comparisons).

8. Create a Rounded Blowout

Think Michelle Pfeiffer in Scarface. With a slinky dress, this is still a seductive look for shoulder-length hair. Blow-dry hair straight with a round brush, then make a deep side part. Wind the ends around large hot rollers and leave them in until they’ve cooled. After taking out the curlers, gently brush through the ends, then rub a drop or two of shine serum between your palms and smooth them over your hair.

9. Try a White Headband

It’s brighter than standard black, but it looks just as clean. Slip on a stretchy, inch-wide headband (any thicker can look like a bandage) so it rests just an inch or two back from the hairline. Don’t push it back any further, or else it can slip off.

10. Do the Wave

The key to faking supermodel waves is to make the hair look as thick as possible and to keep the ends straight, which gives a more natural-looking finish. Spread mousse throughout damp hair to bulk it up, then blow-dry with a round brush. Next, roll large sections of hair up in a one-inch curling iron, but leave the ends out. When finished, break up the curls with your fingers—not a brush—to keep the volume intact.

Meleesa recently worked the Diane’s Swimwear “Holiday 2009” photo shoot. To create these soft tousled looks all it takes are four bumble products: styling lotion, surf spray, spray de mode and hair powder. The best part about these styles is they are all adaptations of the basic ‘beach hair’ style. Follow the instructions below to create the basic style and each adaptation.

Day One: The basic beach wave.

Day Two: Adding a braid ‘headband’.

Day Three: Creating a twist ‘headband’.

Day Four: Sultry updo with twist headband.

You can spice up any of these styles by adding smaller loose braids throughout the look, or by adding a decorative clip.

 But any way you look at it, this is a great way to extend your style, look great, and save time!

 Looking for more tips or want to learn how to do this with a stylist? Make an appointment with Meleesa or any of our other stylists for a styling lesson and learn how to creatively reinvent your everyday style in an hour ‘one on one’ styling class.

Book one now, or check prices at 714-969-7199.

Most people swoon over the hair during fashion week. Here at Meleesa the Salon we watch the hair! Here are some of our favorite looks and some Bumble and bumble tips on how to achieve those looks at home.

VERA WANG

hair by JIMMY PAUL

Jimmy Paul kept it simple at Vera Wang – almost as if the hair was an afterthought. He applied Prep under Thickening Hairspray, and blow-dried with a round brush. Then he styled the hair into loose, relaxed knotted ponytails.

MARGARET HOWELL

hair by NEIL MOODIE

At Margaret Howell, Neil Moodie wanted gentle, pretty hair to counterbalance the masculinity of the clothing collection. He used Prep to soften the effect of Thickening Hairspray, he then layered Styling Cream on top and rough blow-dried with hands. Next he used a large curling iron on the ends to add texture. He set a side part, and braided across to the side of the head; flattened out the plait, and tucked under the ends.

VIVIENNE WESTWOOD

hair by ROLANDO BEAUCHAMP

Pamela Anderson was Westwood’s muse; accordingly, Rolando sought to recreate her uber-sexy bed-head look.  He set the hair in large pin-curls, then brushed it out and applied liberal amounts of Surf Spray to create lots of volume and texture. The ends were smoothed a bit more to make the look a bit more lived-in, and sultry (of course).

GUY LAROCHE

hair by LAURENT PHILIPPON

At Guy Laroche, Laurent was inspired by the African traditions of fabric-covered hair. He created the look by building a beehive-like structure around a ball of hair extensions, which acted as filler. He backcombed the hair, then combed it to smooth the texture, using Spray de Mode for hold. The hair was secured with pins at the peak of the beehive. He then wrapped the hair with strips of fabric to create wave-like indentations. As a final touch, Bb.Gel was applied to the surface of the beehive to add sheen and smoothness.

EMANUEL UNGARO

hair by JIMMY PAUL

Jimmy Paul applied Thickening Hairspray on damp hair and rough blow-dried with his hands. Using his fingers, he combed the hair into a high ponytail, coiling it loosely into a vertical egg shape and secured it with pins. He made sure to keep the texture messy and finished with Spray de Mode to hold in place. 

BCBG

hair by LAURENT PHILIPPON

At BCBG, Laurent Philippon created an unfinished bun-meets-ponytail reminiscent of a ballerina. He began by applying Styling Lotion and blow-drying with a flat brush to create a smooth, soft texture. Next, he pulled the hair back into a tight bun, securing it with pins and leaving a ponytail flowing freely from its side. To minimize flyaways, he applied Does It All Styling Spray to the palms and gently smoothed back stray hairs. Finally, a dab of Styling Wax was used to impart texture and shine on the length of the ponytail.

REEM ACRA

hair by LAURENT PHILIPPON

Laurent Philippon created a very sophisticated, red carpet look for the Reem Acra presentation this season. He started with Styling Lotion and a flat brush to blow dry the hair straight. He guided the hair into an exaggerated deep part then gathered it into a low side pony tail and used a small section from underneath the pony tail to wrap around and cover the elastic, securing with a pin. Finally, the pony tail was swept up into a “spontaneous bun,” and secured with pins and finished with Spray de Mode.

does it all

The ultimate session working spray - it gives light hold and subtle degrees of control, plus it helps hair respond to heat tools and gives grip for easier styling.

Who: Anyone (everyone who’s anyone - it’s a backstage darling of the pros).


When: Anytime; after Prep or Tonic Lotion, during styling - layer it on - it’s nearly impossible to use too much.



How: Hold about 10 inches away from hair and spray in fluid, even strokes; when using with heat tools, separate hair into sections and mist each just prior to contact; to finish, apply evenly to dry and styled hair and build as many layers as you need.

spray de mode

A multi-dimensional styling tool - it gives flexible hold, workability, exceptional memory and can take heat & repeated brushing - on supermodels and non-supermodels alike.

Who: Anyone.



When: Excellent while styling dry hair with heat tools or as a flexible finishing spray.



How: Hold about 10 inches away from hair and spray in fluid, even strokes; when using heat tools, separate hair into sections and mist each just prior to contact; to finish apply evenly to dry and styled hair.

classic hairspray

A modern rendition of traditional hairspray, but with a subtle sheen and softness that brushes out like a breeze.

Who: Anyone. 


When: After styling to finish and set. 



How: Hold about 10 inches away from hair and spray in fluid, even strokes to apply evenly to dry and styled hair or to touch up specific areas.

As the seasons begin to change it is time to rethink your style. Beauty evolves over time so your look should move with it.

This fall try a new style, a new color, or both!

Here at Meleesa the Salon, we pride ourselves on our continued education we receive through the Bumble and bumble academy. So to help you make good hair decisions this season we put together a guide on current trends in hair color and style.

Bangs: you’ve seen them on celebrities like Zooey Deschanel and Reese Witherspoon and now is the time to try them if you haven’t before. This season bangs that lie just at or below the eyebrow are in style. This style of fringe compliments and frames the eyes, so make sure you add a little eye-liner to make them pop. Also at this length they can get annoying quickly so make sure you stop by the salon after your haircut to receive complimentary bang trims between appointments.

*photos from bumbleandbumble.com

Going darker: don’t be afraid of a change in your color. During the fall and winter months going a shade darker or adding some lowlights will really help your complexion pop. And it will give you an excuse to try some new fall makeup colors that will match the new do’. And don’t limit yourself to just one color palate. When creating your new hue be open to trying new things! Brunettes and reds are really in this season. For reds consider adding a hint of pomegranate to your brunette hair or if you are blonde think about making it strawberry blonde! No matter what color you choose remember to book a free color consultation with a stylist before your appointment. This allows you to talk over what you are thinking about changing with your stylist before the color is mixed and in your hair. Bring in photos and remember to communicate, this is your hair!

*photo from bumbleandbumble.com

Also, when styling your hair this Fall, don’t forget the humidity is changing. Don’t let your hair become frizzy, dry, or flat. To protect your hair this s our eason try some of our specialty Bumble products.

-       For damaged or over processed hair use our Damage Therapy system. It returns moisture to hair cuticles damaged by weather, over-processing, or over-styling.

-       When preparing your hair for styling don’t forget to use Tonic Lotion. It is lighter then water but adds extra moisture to protect from your blow dryer and other hot tools.

-       To add that extra needed volume use our Thickening Products Family our favorites are Thickening Spray that you add before you blow dry and new Thickening Serum, a nightly treatment that thickens the cuticle.

-       And don’t forget that extra shine! Brilliantine can be added to damp or dry hair to add a brilliant shine to lack luster hair. The best part is a little goes a long way so make sure to use it in moderation!

Hopefully all of these fall trends and tips will help you make good hair decisions this season. And if you aren’t sure how to use any of our bumble products, have our stylists show you. They want you to get the full use out of your products!

*Mention this post and receive a 10% discount on any one or more Bumble products!

Are you still desperately trying to create the perfect amount of volume to your dull tired hair? Well now the Bumble and bumble. thickening family has a new cool sidekick for the extra “oomph” we all need.

Buy any three thickening products and receive a limited time 15% off of each one! We are so impressed with this product we wanted to get it into your hands as soon as possible.

For the secret to the “serum” watch below.

Hair Extensions, now a days, come in all sorts of price ranges, don’t let the price make the decision for you. Meleesa has investigated this important topic to help you in your decision making so that you educate yourself when making your beauty investment. Meleesa has been around the hair extension world for 7 years now and has seen many extensions come and go and here are some of the tips and secrets you need to know and that many hair dressers won’t have the time to tell you.

Are Extensions just for length?

Hair extensions are not only for length, for some of us extensions mean long hair. Meleesa wants to clarify that extensions are not only for length, they are ideal for fullness. What we mean by fullness is they add body and thickness to limp and fine hair. Color is another creative way to enhance and add tones blondes, darks and funky hair colors to your hair without damage.  You can definitely achieve length too! You may already have long hair, and may feel that is not getting as long as you wish so extensions would be ideal to add fullness and strength to that long hair. If you had an oops with a haircut, hair extensions are the perfect way to correct any hair challenge. Bangs too short? Add some hair extensions.

How to pick the right hair quality

There are all types of hair on the market; be very careful when picking the hair.

Things you want to ask for:

Is the hair Remy?

Remy Hair is not always virgin hair, once virgin hair has been colored or chemically processed in any way short of removing the cuticles it is referred to as Remy. Remy Hair can be categorized under ‘premium’, as far as hair quality is concerned. Remy Hair has its cuticle intact and running in the same direction, “unidirectional cuticle”, to prevent tangling. The cuticles protect the hair from damage and gives the hair its natural look.

Remy hair is great and you can also consider hair that has never been chemically treated to remove its pigment.

Check out some of our extension clients below!

If you are interested in talking about extensions with Meleesa or any of our other stylists feel free to set up a free consultation so that there will be no mystery to this process.

Call the salon at 714-969-7199

Mention this post and receive $100 off your total extension service cost!** 

** total purchase of $600 or more.

Everyone has seen those treacherous wedding photos from the 80’s and 90’s. Big hair, big sleeves, BIG mistake! Weddings are a special event that you want to look back on and enjoy the memories, rather than cringe at the bad hair and makeup you chose.

Many brides make the mistake of not thinking hair and makeup are an important part of getting married, but they will regret that decision in 10 to 15 years! Meleesa the Salon offers many different packages and VIP treatments to not only pamper you on your special day, but to create that timeless, beautiful, and unique look you want.

You want a salon that specializes in weddings and can cater to your needs. Packages have options that can include hair ranging from blowouts to updos, airbrush makeup, airbrush tanning, and permanent or temporary hair extensions to create length!

Our stylists will create an amazing customized look for you by meeting with you in a complimentary consultation to discuss your dream look. Bridal hair and makeup trials are also available so you can see what works and what doesn’t.

Meleesa the Salon is well connected in the Bridal community in Los Angeles and Orange County and can even introduce you to great photographers or dress makers.

We are here for you and would love to meet with you! Call the Salon and set up a meeting with any of our stylists. And check out some of our work below!