In this current economy, I do understand that a lot of us have had to give up on some things we were used to when financial times were better. But I hope that despite the challenges, we do not neglect to take care of ourselves. This includes grooming. We have to encourage feeling good on the inside as well as looking good on the outside.
Now on to our hair/beauty discussions:
Lorraine from New Jersey: Monet, I have really long hair that falls all the way down to my derriere area. I want to cut it for practical reasons but my boyfriend does not approve. He really likes my hair this long. Although I want to please him, I’m concerned that I’m not able to keep my hair healthy this way. I’m seeing a lot of split ends already. I used to enjoy having really long hair but now it’s not that fun anymore.
Monet: I know you feel torn between pleasing your man and the inconvenience of maintaining a lengthy hair. You have to strike a balance between what will make him happy but also not putting the burden on you. It is your hair after all. There’s a midway point to address this. Why not try layers? You can preserve a portion of the length while taking out the damaged area. One thing’s for sure, you need to remove the split ends. I have to assume that your hair is also a bit dry now. You need some deep conditioning treatment. My salon is offering some good deals on moisture enrichment that may benefit you. Good luck!
Ami from San Jose: Dear Monet, because of our bad economy and partly because of my adventurous spirit, I’ve experimented with coloring my own hair at home. I have naturally black hair but I’ve been seeing grays here and there. So I decided to change my entire hair color to light brown hoping that this will also remove the grays. The result is not what I expected. My hair color looks gold in the root area but other parts are black. I don’t know what to do. Any advice?
Monet: You are not the first to come to me with this problem. It appears that there’s a color conflict going on there. The one thing I know, having not seen your situation first-hand, is that we need to strip the light brown color you applied on yourself. The process is a bit technical to explain here. You need to come see us at the salon because I feel like this issue you have should be handled by a professional colorist!
Ashley from Los Angeles: My wedding is this coming June. I’ve had many trials for hair and make-up but I have not been happy with any of the styles so far. My mother has been the one recommending the hair and make-up artists but our styles just don’t match. None of them could provide the make-up foundation that I need because of blemishes and acne marks that I wish to hide. I’m very stressed because I feel like my mother wants to plan everything but I’m the bride. Shouldn’t I be the one to decide?
Monet: Ashley, we need to focus on the important issues at hand, which is your quest for the right stylist who can deliver the look you want. I’m not Dear Abby, but I’m a hair doctor. So I don’t think it’s appropriate for me to comment about the internal issues between you and your mother. But if you were serious about finding the best stylist, you have to push forward with that. If you were my bride, I would recommend that we meet for a personal, one-on-one consultation. I would advise you to cut up pictures of make-up and hair styles that you like from bridal magazines or from the Internet so that I can be on the same page with you. Once you have shared with me your vision, then it would be my turn to offer my professional opinion about what would be the best fit for your wedding makeover. After all, I have been doing this for many many years. This collaboration will avoid mistakes and stress on the wedding day. It has worked very well for me over the years. As for your specific question about make-up foundation that will give you more coverage, I just happen to have the solution for you. It’s called the Monet Salon Velvet Finish Make-up.
Evelyn from Alhambra: My hair is frizzy and dry from bleaching and coloring and also it has a natural wave which makes it looks damage and unmanageable. I don’t flat iron or I don’t have time to blow dry my hair. I don’t like it straight because I have very fine, thin hair. What can you recommend? Should I have hot oil treatment or rebonding? I have tried almost all the treatments and products, but I don’t think they work.
Monet: Don’t worry– we have the latest answer for this problem and that is our signature Brazilian Blow Me away Keratin treatment of the Hair spa magic. Your hair is the best candidate for this kind of treatment. I will guarantee you that your hair will be shiny, manageable and healthier.
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Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration. To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at [email protected].
