Staff Q&A Series: Master Stylist Cory

April 25, 2018 By design house

We want you to get to know the people that do your hair because trust isn’t earned overnight. Our monthly Staff Q&A helps you learn a little bit about who we are outside the salon. This month, we focus on California bombshell, Cory.

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Besides earning more money and becoming even more profitable, what do you think the goals of designHouse Salon are?

I think one of our biggest goals has always been to educate our clients on the importance of sustainability in the beauty industry. I want to make sure each person leaves our space looking and feeling like a million bucks!

What do you contribute to the team that makes you stand out? What do/should clients come specifically to you for?

I like to build a strong bond with my clients and co-workers. I feel like being a caring and sensitive friend has always taken me far in life and I feel that it is something that is appreciated by coworkers and clients alike. I also love huge transformations and makeovers!

What does Sustainable Beauty mean to you and why is it an important focus?

To me, sustainable beauty means making people look and feel their best, while also taking care of the environment. This is important because people shouldn’t have to choose between helping the world and helping themselves. They should feel good about looking good.

Why should people come to designHouse Salon over the TONS of other available options?

We care about every person that walks through our door. Our service and attention to detail separate us from the competition. We are also a Green Circle Salon, which means that we strive to contribute very little waste to the environment.

What about the beauty industry excites you and why?

I love that boundaries are being broken down. The term “beauty” can mean so many things now. The classic definition of what is beautiful no longer applies and expressing yourself through your style is incredibly exciting!

Tell us about your background. Where are you from? What have you accomplished?

I am originally from California, but my story really begins after moving here, meeting my boyfriend and having a beautiful daughter. They are by far my biggest accomplishment!

When you aren’t working, what are you doing? Hobbies, interests, etc.

When I’m not working, I love going on adventures with my boyfriend, Drew, and daughter, Chloe. I also love exploring the island, horseback riding, painting, jewellery making and planning my next vacation spot.

Do you prefer Cinnamon or Vanilla?

Both!

If you could grant a co-worker a superpower, who and what would it be?

I would grant Matt the power to magically make me food of my choosing mainly because he’s always at work when I am — and I’m usually hungry!

What’s your go-to midnight snack?

Chocolate.

Name 2 things you want everyone to know about you.

I’ll never say no to chocolate;
The best gift you could give me is to be kind to animals (via a donation to BCSPCA)

And lastly, name 3 things on your bucket list.

Scuba dive with a whale shark;
Skydive;
Eat a chocolate croissant in France.

How to Determine the Best Hairstyle for Your Face Shape

March 5, 2018 By design house

Let’s face it, we all want to look our best and our hair plays a big role in looking and feeling good. Not every hairstyle is going to look good on you though because we all look different. We all have diverse face shapes and sometimes it’s hard to find a look that compliments it. Fortunately for you, we’ve come up with some styles that’ll suit some of the most common face shapes. Continue reading below and find out which will look best on you!

What is Your Face Shape?

We may think we all have round faces, but that is definitely not true. Things like your hairline, jawline and length of your face all determine your shape. Take a look at the image above, pull your hair all the way back while looking in the mirror and figure out what your face shape is. If you still can’t tell, take an eyebrow pencil to the mirror and trace your face!

Oval Face

If your face length is longer than it is wide, you have an oval face shape. Some celebrities who have this face shape include Rihanna and Bella Hadid. Consider trying out a pixie cut, layer your hair, do a middle part, or take the ultimate risk and get bangs. The best styles are the ones that keep your hair away from your face.

Square Face

Square-shaped faces tend to be wide. This face shape includes a prominent jawline and a forehead and cheekbones that are almost the same width. Think Olivia Wilde. When you’re choosing a hairstyle for a square face shape, choose something that accentuates the square nature of your face. If you are looking to stand-out, get some blunt bangs or a short bob.

Round Face

Round face shapes have no prominent angles as your face is roughly the same in width and length. But don’t worry, people with round faces are often considered to have “baby faces” and tend to look younger. Kirsten Dunst and Miranda Kerr both have round face shapes and they look great! The main goal of your style is to elongate the face and make it look more oval. Leaving a small piece of hair untucked on one side of your face will do the trick. If you do a deep side part, your eyes will trick your brain into thinking your face is narrower.

Heart Face

Heart Shape faces are wider at the hairline and temples and taper to a small narrow, pointed chin. In this case, your forehead will usually be the prominent feature. Tyra Banks and Reese Witherspoon really own this face shape. When choosing your hairstyle, you’ll either want to accentuate your face shape or make the bottom half of your face look wider. If you’re doing the former, you’ll want to pull your hair up into a high top-knot. Side parts with long curls also look super cute and chic. If you want to keep it safe, shoulder length hair looks best as it adds volume to the bottom of your face and makes it look like you have a wider jawline.

Oblong Face

This face shape is the same as an oval shape, just a lot longer. Celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker or Liv Tyler have this shape. The key here is to make your face look wider. A hairstyle with curls and big waves will achieve this look.

Make an appointment with designHouse today and get the best possible look for your face shape!

What Kind of Hairbrush Should you Use?

February 28, 2017 By design house

girlhair

Hairbrushes are one of those beauty tools that are often overlooked but did you know using the right one for your hair type can make a huge difference in the health and styling of your hair? Different shapes, sizes and bristle types all contribute to getting the perfect brush for your hair type. Take a peek at this breakdown before you pick up another generic plastic hairbrush!

Bristles:

Natural bristle hair brushes are high end and when it comes to distributing oil in the hair and versatility they take the cake. “The gold standard is the natural boar bristle, which is gentle on the hair, helps smooth the cuticle, and redistributes sebum throughout the strand to moisturize and create a beautiful, glossy finish”, Style Caster.

Synthetic brushes are non-absorbent and won’t contribute to distributing the oil along the hair shaft. They also aren’t flexible so you have to be careful when it comes to hair breakage. The price tag is definitely cheaper but investing in a natural bristle brush is usually better.

hairbrush

Mixed brushes are great for thick unruly hair types as the natural brushes mixed with nylon can be really great for detangling. These brushes can also add some serious shine! One of the most well known brushes and “considered by pros to be the Rolls-Royce of brushes, this investment piece boasts a gentle, detangling mix of nylon and natural boar bristles”, InStyle.

Brushes:

Paddle: These brushes are the best for natural straight hair types. Style Caster defines it as “Paddles are made for straight hair and straight styles, also best to use before flat ironing. It would be the ideal brush for anyone that feels that their hair straightens easily when heat is applied.”

yellowbrush

Round: Looking for that perfect blow out? The round brush is your best friend when looking for even heat around the hair shaft and control of tension. According to Pop Sugar, “round bristle brushes also help create serious volume.”

Wide Tooth Comb: Perfect for detangling, especially in the shower with conditioner.

Fine Tooth Comb: A great tool for teasing the hair while also being useful when making parts or sectioning areas off to straighten them. According to Slice they’re “perfect for all hair lengths and types, the teasing brush is used for backcombing, which adds significant amounts of volume to parts of the hair at the root.”

Here at DesignHouse we strive to give you personalized attention and answer all your questions when it comes to the health and maintenance of your hair. Picking a hair brush can seem trivial but having some guidance to get the right type for your hair can be really helpful. Pop by and say hi at 1701 Douglas Street (in the Hudson building, downtown Victoria BC) and we can help you get the right hair brush suited for your needs.

How Often You Should Wash Your Hair

February 15, 2017 By design house

Have you ever wondered how often you should wash your hair? This seems to be in constant debate and ultimately depends on a variety of factors including hair type, length and activity level. InStyle provides a great starting point for understanding the negative effects of washing everyday. “While some choose to lather up daily, washing too often can do more harm than good, and strip your strands of essential oils.” Some women can make a blow out last a solid week where others get an oily unmanageable scalp after a couple of days. Style Caster describes it best “How processed your hair is will also come into play, too. The reason is, the oils in your scalp don’t travel down the hair shaft as quickly in hair that’s coarse, curly or processed as it does for gals with fine hair.”

Fine hair is one of the worst culprits when it comes to holding volume and being able to prolong a wash. Because of this, fine hair types are easy to over wash causing a dry hair shaft. “If we’re talking normal, fine hair, shampooing 3 times a week is sufficient. Look for something that is light in conditioning, as any added weight can cause the hair to become lifeless” according to InStyle”
Thick haired ladies are lucky when it comes to wash frequency. These girls can usually prolong a blow out for up to a week and don’t need to wash their hair as frequently. Thick haired girls usually benefit from a smoothing shampoo with keratin or argan oil infused to tame their tresses as they can get out of control.
Curly haired girls can hold out on the frequent washes as oil from the scalp takes longer to make it’s way down a curly hair strand than a straight one. These ladies need to spend extra attention on looking for a moisturizing shampoo that won’t weigh the curl down. Curly hair tends to be on the dry side so using a moisturizing shampoo twice a week at most should do the trick.
Damaged/Chemically straightened hair types need to look for gentle shampoo that should not be used more than once a week. According to Free People, washing damaged, heavily bleached hair will make it grow faster, have less split ends and make it more resilient to chemical processes.

So what do we take away from this?

It’s not just hair type that plays a role in the frequency of how often you should wash your hair but also using the right products for your hair type as well. Using green products such as Davines line of amazing hair products is a smart alternative when it comes to hair products, as they don’t contain the same harsh sulfates as conventional shampoos. This ensures your scalp is left gently cleansed but not stripped which actually encourages more oil production. Davines DEDE Shampoo is great for fine hair types, providing lightweight moisture and gentle cleansing. Curly hair types work great with the Love line by Davines as it provides heavier moisture and works to define and de-frizz curly hair types.

If you have any questions about Davines shampoos, please visit our website at http://designhousesalon.com or call us at 778-433-4393 🙂