After watching this video, Meleesa recommends as a volumizing mousse, to use Thickening Spray by Bumble and Bumble, or Styling Creme for more volume and expand. Also to finish up use a Hairspray like Does it All or Spray de MOde, to smooth out and protect from humidity. When Back combing use a boar bristle brush like Mason Pearson or Denman to create that soft puff effect.

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!

-CHEAT SHEET: HOW TO BLOWDRY-

*AFTER SHOWERING, BLOT WATER FROM HAIR AND STEP OUT OF THE BATHROOM.

Humidity is what causes frizz. Apply the appropriate styling products and comb. Some great Bumble products that control excess frizz are grooming crème and defrizz. Grooming crème is an oil based styling product that lightly controls frizz and gives hair a soft sheen. Defrizz is a silicon based product that fights stronger and more unruly frizz.

*REMOVE THE BLOW DRYER’S EXTRA NOZZLE AND SET IT TO HIGH HEAT AT A MEDIUM SPEED.

For fine hair, choose the lowest speed to keep hair from flattening.

*BLAST THE ROOTS, WHILE RAKING YOUR FINGERS THROUGH YOUR HAIR,

fluffing it to the left and then to the right. Stop when hair is 95% dry. Gather the hair that frames your face and clip it up.

*TO FINISH THE SIDES AND BACK, USE A ROUND BRUSH.

Reattach the nozzle and change the settings to high speed and high heat. Pull each section taut at a 90 degree angel from your face, running the dryer up and down the section, always pointing the nozzle down towards the floor.

*RELEASE THE CLIPPED HAIR AND ROLL IT AROUND A ROUND BRUSH IN SECTIONS.

Pull hair straight up toward the ceiling (or straight out at eye level if hair is long) and roll it back to the scalp before releasing.

*EVEN THE SLIGHTEST BIT OF MOISTURE WILL LEAD TO FRIZZ,

so hit the cool shot button for a few minuets at the end of blowout, and feel for any damp spots.

*RUB A PEA SIZED DROP OF LIGHT WEIGHT SERUM

between your palms and skim them over hair. Skip this step if hair is fine, and mist it with a hair spray like does it all.

-TIPS FOR FINE HAIR-

*VOLUMIZERS WITH A LOT OF ALCOHOL CAN CAUSE FRIZZ.

Look for an alcohol-free spray or mousse that has moisturizing panthenol (also called provitamin B5). Like Loreal Serie Volume Expand.

*A LITTLE LIGHTWEIGHT HAIR SPRAY CAN KEEP A BLOWOUT FROM FALLING FLAT.

Try Bumble and Bumble Does it All.

-THICK/CURLY HAIR-

*TO PREVENT FRIZZ AND FLYAWAYS, SPRITZ A HEAT-PROTECTING SPRAY

Here at Meleesa the Salon we strive to offer our clients the newest and best services available. We are proud to announce a new service called “Brazilian Blowouts” that helps tame wild, frizzy, and curly hair. We love it so much we wanted to share some info about it that we found in this blog:  

So, I’m friends with celebrity hairstylist Andy LeCompte on Facebook, and I noticed the other day that he posted a link to Nicole Richie’s blog, where she was raving about a new hair treatment she gets at Andy’s salon. I had to message him right away and get the scoop for you!

I did a little (okay, huge, by blog standards) Q&A with Andy and Liz, the stylist at his salon who gives Nicole her Brazilian treatments. Here ya go, girlfriends:

Can you explain to our readers what exactly a Brazilian blowout is, and how it’s different from Japanese straightening?
Liz: The Brazilian Blowout is different from Japanese straightening and other Brazilian straighteners because it doesn’t completely straighten the hair. The hair still has plenty of volume and body and can still be worn curly or wavy. The Brazilian just softens whatever curl or wave you have. If the hair is air dried without a blow dryer, it will still have wave or curl but no frizz. On the flip side, if you want to blow dry your hair straight, you can do that, without a brush, in a fraction of the amount of time it would have taken without the Brazilian. Also, with other methods, there is a line of demarcation, meaning that when new hair grows in, it is curly/ wavy while the rest of the hair is straight. This blowout method washes away with time and is diffused, so there is no noticeable difference between new hair and treated hair. Other methods also have harsh chemicals in them like formaldehyde. The Brazilian Blowout does NOT have formaldehyde in it. And none of the chemicals in it are carcinogenic.

Other than Nicole, which of your other celebrity clients are doing this?
Andy: I know Ashley Tisdale has come in for it, and also Lindsay Lohan. I’m sure many more are doing it, and even more will be soon. It’s still rather new and is suddenly catching on, primarily because of the new formaldehyde-free formulation. I have only recently started recommending to my clients because of that, and because I know what results they can expect.

What’s the process of getting this done like?
It’s relatively simple compared to other Brazilian straighteners and Japanese straightening methods. The hair is washed with a clarifying shampoo, solution is applied, the hair is dried, I flat iron the hair to seal in the solution, rinse the solution out, apply a conditioning mask and blow dry. The entire treatment takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours, depending on how much hair the client has.

Can you describe the results a little more for us?
Liz: It literally gives everyone “wash and wear” hair. It allows clients to have freedom to enjoy activities they may have in the past because they didn’t want to get their hair wet and have to spend an hour redoing it. You’re no longer a slave to your hair. You can do whatever you want–work out, swim–without having to think about not getting your hair wet, because you know you will be able to make it look great in 15 minutes with just a simple blow dry. The treatment simply washes away over time and your hair returns to its normal state, so if you don’t like it, you don’t have to worry about having to cut all your hair off to get rid of it. The Brazilian Blowout lasts for up to 3 months.

Nicole’s blog was quite an endorsement! 
Andy: Despite being a new mom with a very busy schedule, for the first time in her life she can come out of the shower and do nothing to her hair. For Nicole in the past, washing her hair was always a process that took at least an hour. So being able to get out of the shower and do nothing and just let her hair air dry is a real privilege.

You are probably looking at this post and thinking, ‘Un-boring? Is that even a word?’ But once you check out the styles featured on this post, you will understand the title. These hairstyles look great on anyone and will never leave you bored or wishing you had done something different!

Check out each style and its description below.

“Piece” out:

Don’t be fooled by the photo, this style works for those of us with longer hair too. This works especially well with bangs and is a simple way to spice up your everyday look. All it takes is a product with hold that will allow hair to piece together. Bumble carries products that can create a level of hold for every taste.

Are you looking for a very soft more natural piecey look? Then grooming crème is perfect for you. Add a small amount to palms and rub through slightly damp hair. When your hair dries it will have a mild separation and natural shine to it.

If you want more of a medium hold use bumble’s spray de mode as a finishing hairspray on any style and then use your fingers to work your hair into pieces.

For a more dramatic look similar to Rhianna’s, try using sumotech, which can be warmed up in palms and then worked through the sections of hair you want to have that extra hold and separation. (Note: this is a much stronger hold so this works best on shorter hair.)

The infamous ‘lob’:

This is a look that has formed as celebrities show us that sometimes they don’t even get their hair cut on time! Similar to the celebrity hybrid couples out there (ex: Brangelina) it is a combination of ‘long’ and ‘bob’. The appeal of this style is obvious, it is very low maintenance and it is a very face flattering look. If you are looking to get this haircut, make sure you print out a photo to show your stylist. However, if you forget you can just ask for a medium length bob with blunt ends, cut slightly shorter in the back.

Blunt crop:

Just the way it sounds, this style is a simple way to jet out of those hair blahs that can come with the season. Just imagine this hairstyle paired with all of those cowl neck sweaters and dangling earrings. This is a great way to show off the nape of your neck and to keep turning heads.

The side-pinup:

This style is cross-generationally sexy. Your grandmothers made men weak in the knees with this look, and now it is your turn. This style takes a bit more work, but the pay-off will make it worth every curl.

To achieve this look: start by spraying damp hair all over with either tonic spray or prep spray then over that spray styling spray to give your hair mild hold and to tame some frizz. Part hair to one side and then blow-dry your hair through until it is completely dry.

Start by individually spraying ½ inch – 1-inch sections of hair with spray de mode hairspray using a light mist. Using a medium barrel curling iron wrap each ½ inch – 1-inch section of hair around the barrel, wrapping hair closer to the scalp around the iron first and working your way down to the ends. Heat until desired amount of curl is reached. Spray finished style with either spray de mode or classic hairspray to set the curls. Then, on the side of your hair where your part is, sweep your hair behind your ear and secure with a clip just behind the ear.

5 p.m. braid:

This style looks great with a set of bangs or loose face-framing layers. Any braid can work: fish-tail, regular, French. So just pick your favorite and pull hair back into a low pony-tail, spraying hair with classic hairspray to tame fly-aways, and begin braiding! Or find a friend who is a braiding expert and enlist their help.

Bedhead bun:

This look works best with hairstyles that have face-framing layers. Don’t have any? Ask your stylist to add some to your ‘do. Make sure you tell them the length you want for your shortest layers so that you don’t end up with hair that is too short! Once you have the look, go ahead and have fun with this messy bun look. You can keep it simple and do a minimal amount of style or you can style your hair similar to the side-pinup description above. Then just pull all of your long hair into either a loose bun or a low ponytail. You can even dress it up by adding a decorative clip. The best thing about this look? You can make it as casual or as sexy as you like!

Poufy updo:

This is a tried and true classic. This look can add a dash of classy to any casual outfit. This is a simple way to upgrade any look for any event and, once again, is effortless.

For this look it is best to start with hair that is 1-2 days “old” or, if you want to start it out with clean hair, try using our spray bumble hair powder to add some grit to clean hair. This will make it easier to put hair into an updo. Once hair has been prepped with hair powder, gather a 1 – 2 inch wide section of hair at the top of your head, spray with classic hairspray and then using a fine-tooth comb lightly tease gathered section on the underside. Pull the rest of hair back into a loose or tight pony-tail (depending on desired look) and then pull top section back creating a pouf at the top of your head. Secure with bobby pins and then spray again with classic hairspray all over to secure the style.

High-tight pony:

Does it get any easier? With this sleek look all it takes is hair that has been straightened to start off. Then, just spray hair lightly with hair powder to create grit then pull hair back into a pony tail that is close to the crown of your head. To secure the look, finish with a strong hair spray like classic hairspray or spray de mode or something even stronger. If you want to add shine use shine spray as a finisher with a gentle mist all over your hair. 

Hopefully you haven’t been missing our in-house beauty nights! We had our latest one last Friday and it was a blast. We were celebrating the introduction of our new treatment line Serie Expert from Loreal’s Professional line. We spent the night giving free blowouts with customized treatment packages to 50 of our clients! There was even free food and great music. Make sure you don’t miss out! Here are some wrap up photos from the night, if you want to see more pictures from this event and from the Addiction Cosmetics beauty night, check us out on facebook!

If you still want your customized treatment, make sure to book a happy hour blowout (still Wednesdays and Fridays, still only $35!), and request the treatment!

If you have missed any of our other beauty nights, don’t miss this one!

We are proud to announce the arrival of a new professional treatment line, Serie Expert, brought to you by Loreal Professional (the owner of Lancome, Kielhs, Kerastase, and more.)

Come in on Friday, November 13,2009 for your free blowout using the new Serie Expert treatment line. We will also be teaming up with Addiction Cosmetics NV to offer you free makeup touchups! Come celebrate with us and enjoy the end of the weekend with free beauty, cocktails, and great music!

**And just for the night the entire Serie Expert line will be 20% off!

Don’t forget to RSVP by Nov. 12^th, 2009. Email RSVPs to  info at meleesathesalon.com or RSVP on Facebook!

Hey everyone! Addiction cosmetics NV is now here! WE are having a celebration. We want to invite all you and your friends to a night of beauty! Free cocktails an light appetizers, Friday night fun, Dj and the most important HAir styles ( updo’s, down do’s, curls, waves)  and makeup Touchups. Come here at Meleesa the Salon from 7-9pm and get Glamed up for this Friday night on us!

1-    When doing a great blow-dry it is important to start by investing in the perfect tools. A professional blow dryer and brush is a must! 

A boar bristle brush such as an Ibiza Brush is a great brush. The advantage of using boar bristle brushes is obvious if you have ever had a professional blow-dry. Your hair is sleek, smooth, and bursting with bouncy volume. And although you can contribute some of this to proper technique and good products, you will really see the difference.

Like a new pair of shoes, the more you use it the more comfortable and broken in it will become.

When using a blow-dryer, choose one that has different heat settings, Meleesa prefers ceramic blow-dryers as they steam the moisture out of the hair instead of heating it to remove the H₂O. Make sure you are using the nozzle attachment at the end of the dryer it directs the air to focus on the area you are working on drying and will help to create a much sleeker look.

2-    Apply product evenly. Choose your products based on the look you are going for.

Be wise when picking the product you choose to make sure your end result is what you desire. For example if you want to have sleek smooth hair, maybe choose Straight versus styling crème.

3-    Start blow-drying with just the dryer and your hands. “Toss” your hair dry until it is about 80% dry.

4-    Section the hair and clip away top layers, to work with clean sections.

5-    The width of the brush will determine the width of your section, if you use a big brush you can do bigger sections.

6-    Practice makes perfect! Don’t give up! If you need help book A Styling Lesson, one on one time with your stylist to improve your skills. Make your appointment today 714-969-7199.

Are you looking to perfect that volumized blow out that only seems possible in the salon? Here is a how-to that will help you do it all at home.

1 – Start by cleasing and conditioning with Thickening Shampoo & Conditioner.

2 – Liberally apply a foundation product  all over hair, from roots to ends. (Prep or Tonic Lotion)

3 – Follow with the newly released Thickening Serum from roots to ends.

4 – Apply Thickening Spray all over, section by section.

5 – Rough dry hair with hands until 75% dry.

6 – To achieve the desired look, start by using a flat brush to dry the bottom sections.

7 – To create volume in the top sections, use a large round brush.

8 – For bangs: direct hair forward and use round brush to create fullness (this can be done with side or regular bangs)

9 – Finish with Spray de Mode to create separation and fullness.

Remember practice makes perfect! The best way to start is to have the right products and then practice the proper technique.