By Jamie Lewis

Volume.  In all of hair-dome, few things are as popular as is a little extra Va-Voom. And while some folks can’t seem to get enough of it, let’s face it, most people don’t want to look like a Nashville diner waitress named Wanda.  The goal ultimately is to achieve a “reasonable” level of volume, the kind of volume that bounces around in the breeze and looks like you came by it naturally.  There are several steps to achieving this, but only 2 real phases.  Phase 1… create volume.  Phase 2… turn that volume into a fashionable coif.  So, without further ado, here is SPA310′s handy dandy guide to defying gravity…

Step 1: Product - Unless you have naturally voluminous hair, you’re going to need some product.  Start with a volumizing shampoo and conditioner:  the shampoo will get rid of excess oil (a total volume-killer) and the conditioner is specifically designed to NOT weigh your hair down.  FYI; volumizing shampoo and conditioner may make your hair a little more tangly than usual, but that’s to be expected.  If you want the goods… you’ve got to suck it up.

Step 2: More Product - Volumizing Sprays and Mousses are the way to go here.  With Sprays, give yourself about 8 spritzes.  With mousse, use about a golf-ball sized amount.  Apply to freshly shampooed towel-dried hair and comb it through with a wide-tooth comb.  This will distribute this magic elixir evenly.

Step 3: Volumize - For year’s large-barrel curlers were the way to go… much in the same way that for years the all-steel straight razor of death was the only way to get a close comfortable shave.  In both cases, the old way is a smidge better, but nobody has enough time, patience or Band-Aids to make it worthwhile.  Now days we use the blow dryer, it’s fast, simple and effective.  And if you bend foreword with your head and hair upside down while you blow-dry, it will create enough volume to make Dolly Parton’s wig shed a tear or two.

BONUS TIP:  When blow drying upside down focus on the roots of your hair first… that’s where the lift comes from.  Focus on the three inches of hair attached immediately to your scalp.  Oh, and don’t be afraid of making your hair too big.  Once it’s “volumized”, you can always bring it back down.  However, if you start off too weak… you’re on the fast train to Limp-ville.  Keep blowing away until your roots are pretty much all dry and everything else is about 80% dry.

Step 4: Styling- Enter Phase 2.  If you’ve successfully applied your products and blow dried your mane correctly, you’ll notice that you look like you just peed on an electric fence… lots of volume but no real shape to your hair.  The “finishing stage” of the styling process is designed to bring order to this volumized mess.  Because your hair is still a bit damp it’s still open to suggestion.  With your fingers or a vent brush begin to push your hair into the direction you want it to go (left to right, right to left, all forward, up and back…) while also blowing it in that direction.  Keep at it until it all dry.

Step 5: Finishing- Time to make your fro look pro.  This is where you give your hair some polish.  If all goes well up until this point, you should have plenty of volume and your hair should be dry and parted (or not, if you’ve chosen to do that) where you want it.  But it looks a little “fuzzy” doesn’t it?!  Here’s how to solve that.  Spray your hair all over with a good salon quality hairspray to lock in the volume.  Then begin to “smooth” out the ends of your hair (and only the ends) with a round brush, vent brush, straightening-iron or even your fingers. Once the ends look nice and smooth, it’s time to apply one finishing touch.  Get your hands on a light creamy wax, leave in conditioner or shine serum.  Get about a nickel sized amount in the palm of your hands and then rub it around like you’re putting on hand lotion.  Now, with your fingers begin to comb it through the last 2-4inches of your hair.  The goal here it to tame flyways and give your ends that great “piecey” look, If your ends don’t look piecey enough, add a little more;  it’s better to add too little and then have to add some more than the other way around.

Step 6:  Go out and grab a cocktail.  Cuz you look to good to go home and fold laundry.  Yeah this seems like a lot to wrap your head around, but it’s really worth it in the end.  Also keep in mind… every color service and haircut here at Spa310 comes with a fabulous blowout from your stylist.  Try to use that time as an educational time.  The relationship you have with your stylist is a “working relationship.” Watch their technique.  Ask questions.  Tell them what you want to achieve and what you positively want to avoid.  And if you both decide you want to look like a Nashville diner waitress named Wanda…. speak up.  I’m sure someone has a big can of AquaNet around here somewhere.

Our Valentines Ladies Night event specials include:

•  Botox: for every 20 units purchased, receive 10 additional units free!
•  Juvederm: Receive $100 off of each syringe purchased.
•  Products: Receive 10% off of any retail item or product purchased, as well as 10% off gift certificates purchased.
•  Laser packages: buy any laser package and recieve an additional free lip or chin laser package.

Book an appointment while you are here, the evening of the Valetines event, and recieve a certificate for a shampoo finish or a make up lesson! Our event will also include food, wine, fun, and education. We hope to see you there! Please RSVP to 804-562-7880.

*Referrals must be mentioned at checkout

Womens Hair Cut – $55

Complimentary neck and bang trims.

Deep Conditioning Treatment – $50

Shampoo/ Blow out – $45

Event Styling/ Updos – $90

Single Process Color – $75

Mini Highlights – $80

Partial Highlights – $125

Full Highlights – $145

Gloss – $55

On Saturday, November 25, Spa310 will be offering the perfect Christmas present! Purchase $100 dollars in gift certificates and, receive an additional gift certificate for $25 service dollars.

By Jamie Lewis: Hairstylist and Man About Town

I run into this all the time. I ask a guy if he uses a product of any kind on his hair, and I get “the look.” It’s the same look women give you when you ask them if they saw the Cleveland game. It’s kind of a gender thing.

Truth be told, men’s grooming has a long and glorious history. And how much you play with your look varies from man to man and decade to decade. Gone are the days of Louis XIII and his powdered wigs and lipstick. But so too are the I-don’t-do-jack days of grunge. The modern man is somewhere in between. He is expected to look put together, but not in an “up all night planning his morning ensemble” kinda way. I tell guys all the time, “go ahead and spend too much time on your hair, just don’t LOOK like you spend too much time on your hair,” as the modern man looks best when he makes it look effortless.

Now for the hard part: what to use. I once taught for a company that had over 106 different products. How’s that for overkill?! After some thought it became apparent that there were only about 6 different types of products that most guys would realistically use. And here they are in no particular order…

Gel: Popular in the late 80′s and also with guys who have last names like Gotti. Hair gel is designed to create a very specific “look.” It goes on wet, dries quickly and holds like liquid duck tape. Once you put it in leave it alone. Don’t touch it. Unless there’s a complete atmospheric act of God, it’ll hold all day. And with the popularity of retro-shows like Mad Men and Pan Am kicking butt on prime time, the sleek polished look of yesterday has become the look of the season.

Mousse: This product is all about volume. Its foamy texture is light and won’t weigh your hair down. Two things to remember: apply it evenly (as in don’t put it all in one spot) and get yourself a blow-dryer. Mouse without a blow-dryer won’t do diddley.

Wax: The best thing about wax is that it stays pliable. It doesn’t hold as solidly as a gel, but it’ll never get crispy or flake off in the middle of the day. It works great in straight or curly hair, long or short hair and comes in either glossy or a matte finish. Best of all, when applied to dry hair, wax gives you that great “slightly messy” look. Primo.

Hairspray: Unless your name is either Siegfried or Roy, best leave this one alone.

Pomade: Think Cary Grant. Pomade has the sleek shiny look of a gel but stays pliable like a wax. If you want a “set it and forget it” product, go with gel. If you’re prone to running your fingers periodically through your hair, go with pomade. Both offer a great retro-finish.

Texturizing Sprays: This stuff is the new mousse. The problem with the old mousse was that it was difficult to apply evenly to your hair. Sprays come out in a mist, so they’re much easier to distribute evenly. They can have a shiny or a matte finish and like mousse they work best with a blow dryer.

Yeah, I know that’s a lot to swallow all at once, but help is at hand. Every last hair stylist at Spa310 has a comprehensive knowledge of all these products and how to use them. Complimentary with every hair service comes a nifty demonstration on how to use them properly. The goal is for you to be able to repeat the look at home on a daily basis with minimal effort. Odds are you’re up for the challenge. And if you’re not…you can always borrow my powdered wig.