Favorite Product Alert!

A few weeks ago while in NYC for a hair and makeup trial, I decided to be adventurous and do a little exploring. I had heard about this salon that specializes in blow outs so I decided to give it a try. And thus my adventure at BLOW, The New York Blow Dry Bar began. Blow has received tons of buzz in magazines such as Allure, Self, Vogue, Marie Claire, and Glamour just to name a few. Hey, if it's good enough for magazines and celebrities then it must be good enough for me, right?

I arrived at Blow late in the after noon and it was buzzing with the sounds of hair dryers. My first impression was something along the lines of "so what?" It was just a narrow salon with mirrors/stations along one wall. The colors on the walls were cool......mostly gray walls with one hot pink wall opposite the entrance......and you all know how much I love pink. I made my appointment at the front desk and waited patiently for the blow out of my life. When it was my turn, I was taken to the back by a handsome stylist to have my hair washed. Now call me crazy, but it's not often that I have the pleasure of having someone else wash my hair. So when I do get to experience such a luxury, it better be good. Not so at Blow. While the conversation was good, I've definitely had a better shampoo.

Now it was time for the full BLOW experience. The stylist I was with asked questions about the look I was going for. We decided that straight and bouncy was the way to go. She used some Blow products on my wet head and got to work. While she was working on my head we chatted but of course I was watching her every move to see what made this place so special. She sectioned off the hair so that she was only working with a small section at a time, but I do that anyway when working with a client. One thing she did that was new to me was use a comb to perfect the short pieces around my face. Nice touch.

When the job was done, I couldn't wait to see the new me. She did a great job, but to be perfectly honest it wasn't worth the $52. I definitely could have done the same thing at home for free. If I had crazy long hair or super curly hair, maybe it would be worth it. But for little old me, it just wasn't what I was hoping for.

While the blow out itself was nothing special, I did like the products that she used and this brings us to the Favorite Product Alert. They smelled great while she was spraying them in and my hair felt light when it was dry. There was no sticky residue and the next morning when I woke up, my hair didn't look like Medusa. When I got home, I did some research and found the same Blow products at Ulta, a great beauty store in North Haven. I bought the Blow Thickening Mist. An 8.5 fl oz bottle is about $21. I couldn't wait to get home to wash my hair and give it a try. I was able to duplicate the Blow look at home for half the price. Ulta carries the full line of Blow products. I can't wait to try them all.

So, after all that......Blow, A New York Blow Dry Bar is a cool concept but for the length of hair that I currently have, it wasn't worth the price. The products however are awesome!

xoxo, Kelly

Favorite Product(s) Alert!

It has been too long since my last post. We will blame that on a very successful and busy wedding season that is not yet over. But I had to take some time out to tell EVERYONE about my two new favorite products by Bumble and Bumble.


The first is Prep. It is a detangling spray that is truly fantastic. It helps to enhance the performance of styling products and can even be used to refresh already styled hair. It is not greasy at all and helps to make the hair shiny .

The second is Styling Lotion. This light spray is so versatile. It provides volume without the sticky residue that moose leaves behind. It gives enough control while at the same time allowing your hair to move naturally. Now I've always used moose to add volume when blow drying my hair. The problem with moose is that it is sticky and if you don't blow out your hair completely it can even get crunchy. That is no good. Styling Lotion is "crunch" free. Hair has lots of movement and the perfect amount of volume.





To use both products: Spray prep all over towel dried hair. Comb through. Then spray Styling Lotion at the crown and then run fingers through hair to evenly distribute. Blow dry, flat iron, whatever.......you will look gorgeous.


Bumble and Bumble products can be found at fine salons and on the Bumble and Bumble website, but shhhhhh........I found it at CVS. The price is a bit high, about $25 a bottle, but trust me, your blow outs will never look better. A little goes a long way so unless you have a lot of hair, each bottle should last you a while.


Thanks Bumble and Bumble and happy styling!!

Sensational Shana

On July 11th, I had the pleasure of working with the lovely Shana Dwyer and her bridal party. Shana was one of the most relaxed bride's I have ever worked with. She was all smiles all morning. I had a great time working with her and her friends and family. Here are a few photos of Shana's finished looked.

Shana, congratulations! You were just a delight to work with.

Favorite Product Alert!

With a new razored haircut, I needed a new product. My very good friend and hair dresser introduced me to Goldwell Radiant Star Shine Spray. This color protecting spray adds the perfect amount of shine to my hair without waying it down. It's great for a straight, flat-ironed look. It won't make your hair greasy and it even helps to fight the frizz on humid days. It retails for around $17 and a little goes a long way. You can find it anywhere Goldwell hair products are sold. If you are looking for a product to add shine to your locks, this is it!

Photo Shoot at New Haven Lawn Club

Tuesday, June 2nd, I had the honor of participating in my first photo shoot with some incredibly talented vendors from the wedding industry. The shoot was done at the beautiful New Haven Lawn Club. I did three very different hair styles on our three models, Amanda, Emily, and Candace. The talented Jennie Fresa of Jennie Fresa Beauty Library did three gorgeous makeup looks on the models and the dresses were provided by Beth from The White Dress By the Shore in Clinton, CT. Flowers were done by Tony Palmieri from Datura in Middletown, CT and the magnificent photos were shot by Carla Ten Eyck and her staff.

It was a fun day and I was so excited to be a part of it!

Elegant Emily

Today I met the lovely Emily McAleese at the Madison Beach Hotel in Madison CT. Emily came all the way from England for her special day. I met Emily and her two bridesmaids, Katie and Ana, and the fun started. Later, Emily's mom Robin joined us. They were a wonderful bunch to work with and the bond between the three friends was really something special.

The Blushing Bride

Emily, you were a beautiful bride and I was so honored to be a part of your special day! I wish you and your new husband a lifetime of happiness.

Emily's bridesmaids, Ana and Katie

Spectacular Stephanie

Today, I had the great pleasure of styling Stephanie Wieczorkowski's hair for her wedding. I arrived at Stephanie's parents' house bright an early, eager to get started. She was extremely relaxed and excited. Her Maid of Honor, also named Stefanie, arrived shortly after I did and she was so happy for her friend's special day. I started with Stephanie's mom and then worked with her MOH. Next, it was the bride's turn. We did an all up style to compliment her wedding gown, and the finished product was just stunning on her.

Stephanie, it was wonderful working with you! I wish you all the best life has to offer.