Today, I’ve partnered with Denver Style Magazine for a beauty post featuring Blondies the Beauty Shop! One of my favorite indulgences is getting a blowout at Blondies!  Every time I get one, I’m reminded of my grammie’s tradition of getting her hair done every Friday.  I was too young to understand how special her weekly ritual truly was, but I totally… Read More

Today, I’ve partnered with Denver Style Magazine for a beauty post featuring Blondies the Beauty Shop!

One of my favorite indulgences is getting a blowout at Blondies!  Every time I get one, I’m reminded of my grammie’s tradition of getting her hair done every Friday.  I was too young to understand how special her weekly ritual truly was, but I totally *get it* now.  If only I could get a blow dry every Friday! #grammiegoals

Blondies the Beauty Shop is a very special place.  While I always have a relaxing experience, the atmosphere is high-energy that is both inspiring and empowering.  That may seem a bit extreme, but if you’re having a bad day, get a blow dry, put on some lipstick and I promise you will feel like a new girl.  I also love that Blondies’ stylists are gorgeous, stylish and friendly as well as true hair and beauty experts.  (More on that later in the post.)

So, now about my blowout…

…these are my before pictures.  I typically walk into Blondies with a hat on or the trusty ole’ topknot.  When I have a blow dry scheduled, I will do just about anything to avoid washing my hair.

This is Joe.  He is such a cutie and did my shampooing for my blow dry.

Joe is working in the assistant program at Blondies.  Prior to becoming a stylist at Blondies, assistants are required to work on the floor for two years prior to managing their own book of clients.  In my opinion, this is one of the key aspects of success to the Blondies business model.  The assistants work hard and they are groomed (no pun intended) by Blondies to achieve a high level of professionalism – as a person and a stylist – before they serve clients on their own.

This is Gwen.  She is truly the best.  Gwen has been my stylist for over five years and I cannot begin to express how thankful I am for her.  You girlies out there know how valuable (and rare!) it is to find someone who just “gets” you.  Gwen definitely gets me.  She works hard to understand my needs and to translate the descriptions of what I want into reality.  My favorite quality of Gwen’s is her desire to learn and improve her skills as a stylist.  She is constantly practicing and refining her skills to give her clients the best services available in the hair industry.

Below are the products used for my Blondies Blowout…

Products (left to right):

Oribe Grandiose Hair Plumping Mousse

Oribe Maximista Thickening Spray

Kerastase Elixir Ultime Original Oil

Kerastase Cement Thermique

Unite 7 Seconds

I am by no means a product expert, but Gwen is.  I completely trust her recommendations and these are her top five.  (You’re welcome!)

I’ve completely fallen in love with anything Oribe.  I love how rich the products are without weighing down my fine hair.  Since my hair is both fine and bleached, I’m doing double damage to my hair.  Within days of using Oribe, I noticed a difference in the texture, bounce and shine.  While they can be a bit pricey, they do last several months and are completely worth the investment.

Kerastase is another must-have.  This oil is magical.  Because of my fine hair, I’ve never been able to use oil-based products.  This one is totally different.  A little goes a long way and I love to use a few drops on my ends or rub a few drops in my hands and then over the top of my hair to tame fly-aways.

I’ve been using the last two products for several years and they would be in my top ten things to take on a deserted island.  I put about a dime-sized amount of Kerastase Ciment Thermique in my hands and run through my towel-dried hair right before blow drying.  (I’ve also used it as a masque before bed.)

If you can only purchase one from this list, it is Unite 7 Seconds (and it is the most inexpensive – woo hoo!).  Must have, must have, must have!  This is by far the best leave-in conditioner and de-tangler I’ve ever used.  Again, the blonde/fine combo has led me to a ton of research in this area and this is by-far the best I’ve found.

Yes, it seems like a ton of products, but I’ve realized over time that this is one of the secrets.  (Gwen calls it a “product cocktail.”)  Since using these products in my home blow dry, I have noticed that the results are better, my hair feels healthier and my blow dry lasts longer.

Back to the Blondies Blowout…

Once shampooed and the proper “product cocktail” is applied, Gwen works her magic with the round brush.  She works through each section of my hair with several round brushes at a time.  She will blow dry a section, secure it into place with a round brush and let that section cool while she moves to another section. I have asked her to teach me many times and she is so patient about walking me through each step (for the 80th time), but for the life of me I will never master it.  (And I’m okay with that…it’s just too fun to go to Blondies to have it done!)

And the final product!  I feel like a new girl!  My hair is soft, sleek and has plenty of volume.  The Blondies Blowout lasts several days – perfect for any girl who despises blow drying your hair like I do! If you’re in the Denver area, I highly recommend booking an appointment with Gwen or any of the lovely stylists over at Blondies!

For Very Truly Yours readers, I am giving away a blow dry!  Follow these instructions to win:

Follow me on Instagram @verytrulyyoursjennifer;

Follow Blondies on Instagram @blondiesbeautyshop;

Follow Denver Style Magazine @denverstylemagazine;

That’s it!  Winner will be announced on Saturday, May 21!

xoxo,

Jennifer

Photos by Noah Berg Photography