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Beach Waves…

Fekkai – Heat Activated Wave Spray:

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I find some of Frederick Fekkai’s Hair Products to be great, this one is his heat activated Wave Spray which works by misting it onto the damp hair and using a hair dryer to create a tousled, ‘beachy’ look, by shaping it with your fingers while it dries.


I didnt love this one as much as some of Fekkai’s other stuff, I found it left the hair with abit of a dry and coarse feeling afterwards, with the hair frizzing quite easily. Some of his curly hair products gave my hair a much nicer softer beachier feel than this one did. Maybe this one might work better on finer hair?

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More Styling Pastes..

Jonathan Antins ‘DIRT’
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I wanted to mention DIRT by Jonathan Antin because I spent abit of time watching him on his Bravo show ‘Blow Out’ and even with his few dramatic temper tantrums and sulky moments and despite his egotistical reputation, I found him to be a very likable person , and I ended up following him through the whole process of building up his salon and starting up his haircare line which I must say inspired me too.
DIRT was a big success from day one, and so I had to give it a try, I found it was a great consistency to work with, for short, medium or longer hair, altho I would tend to use this on short to medium. It gives the hair a matte, messy, textured look that held well. What’s good about it is the ease of washing it out, water based, it washes out easy. For those of you who dont’ like matte looking hair, Jonathan has just brought out another product with shine to it.
So well done Jonathan, who’s shown he’s not just a pretty face!

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Head Pieces..

I have always been a fan of headpieces for the hair. I love feathers and fabrics and flowers. I know they are abit dramatic but I love abit of drama!! Here’s some more over the top ones that I found from the catwalk..


Hair piecesI know, very few people would wear this for everyday wear but here (below) are some of my favorites from Laura Kranitz which are abit more wearable. This Pink feather looks fantastic and adds a touch of individuality to a person…

So here’s my very own headpieces.. I know!! One of them is actually a pair of earrings, but hey it adds to the hair and complements it by making it more decorative so it still counts. I picked up these pieces at the weekend Craft Fair in San Francisco and they were made by Jeeyun Ha from Brooklyn, New York, who hand dyes the feathers herself. Love them!!


Yeah, Have fun with them!!

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Styling Paste..

Sumo Tech by Bumble & Bumble

Alot of people I know love this product, especially for those with shorter very straight hair, it is used as a finishing product to make the hair messier and clumpy looking, which I must say it does do very well. As I mentioned before, Bumble & Bumble are, I think, one of the best companies for styling products.
My only problem with this product is that the consistency is so stiff and hard that I find it hard to get it out. And then once out, its takes a little while to massage it in your hands to make it more pliable to apply onto the hair, without leaving any clumps of product on the hairshaft. They say you can warm up the product first by applying abit of heat with the hairdryer, but for me, its more about ease and speed, so unless I had alot of styling time in the mornings then I would tend to pick something else up thats easier to apply.

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Cool Grease from Japan…

Shaping Pomade
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This is one of my all time favorites, especially for shorter hairstyles, I first got hooked on Cool Greases about 10years ago, since then we have continued to carry this range no matter what salon we are in, even if it means getting afew direct from Japan.
The reason why I like Cool Grease is because it looks like a gel but instead of drying hard like most gels do, it it thick enough to give a slightly wet look but the hair stays pliable with the hold but without looking set and hard. Even better is that these products are water based so don’t be fooled by the word Grease, it washes out easily!
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Volumizer…

PhytoVolume Actif:

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This product used to be one of my all time favourites for fine limp hair! It even wond the Allure’s editors choice award. I’m not even sure whether its still sold in California anymore as I remember some new FDA law coming in and Phytologie had to re-formulate it for California. Unfortunatley once re-formulated, of course it just didnt work as well : (
So for you people who are outside of CA who can still get hold of the original formula, I highly recommend it if your hair is fine, flyaway and flat. This stuff has great hold but not so much that it becomes sticky and tacky during your drying process, which is one of the main problems when drying fine hair with product on it.

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Dry Shampoo

I wanted to talk a little about Dry Shampoos, not only because there is an influx of new products out there in the stores but also because I am about to launch my very own! Yippee, I’ve been working on it for over a year!!

Anyway, Dry Shampoos used to be known as the stuff your mum would buy to make her hairstyle last abit longer, with very white powdery sprays that not only is left on the head for all to see but the smell of it used to practically gas you out when sprayed!!

But now, they have been re-vamped and have a brand new reputation as one of the ‘must haves’ in hair products. The new products not only absorb oils but also give the hair alot more body and thickness. Ideal for use on fine thin greasy hair. It leaves the hair with a rougher feel so the hair is more malleable.
They come in powder or spray form. The sprays are easier to use on full heads of hair whereas the powder ones are used to concentrate on particular areas. Both should do the same thing, although personally I find the sprays a little bit more sticky in feel.

Reasons for use:

Greasy flat fringes – the powder will absorb the excess oils in the fringe and parting area to give it an edgier rougher look instead of the shiny flat look. Best to apply the powder onto your fingers or lightly sprinkle onto the roots and rub it into the the hair, don’t forget the very front where it falls onto your skin. (This is usually the worst part)

Updos – The Dry Shampoo is fantastic for use on ‘updos’ When the hair is too clean and shiny the hair doesn’t hold very well so with the more powdery texture that the dry shampoo gives, the style will hold better and look more matte and less lacquered looking.

To add more body and oomph – sprinkle/spray dry shampoo all over the roots to give yourself fuller bigger hair. Brush or fluff it out after 5mins when the oils have absorbed.

Try not to overdo the application as the result can be too white or too chalky but if you do happen to overdo it, spritz it with a light misting of water to get rid of the white look.

I am extremely excited to announce the launch of my own dry shampoo, JuJu Chan’s ‘Texture’ in both light and dark shades to cover every hair type and color. I love it and use it every day and hopefully you will too! Keep an eye on this blog and find it on my SHOP page very soon!


As Featured On EzineArticles


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Difference in Straightener’s…

OK, so whats the difference between the Japanese Straight Perm and the Brazilian Straightener ?(Note: not to be confused with the Brazilian Blowouts) Alot of people have been wondering, so here are the most basic points for consideration…

  • Japanese is permanent and will grow out, Brazilian last about 3-4 months and reverts back slowly.
  • Japanese result is poker-straight and flat, Brazilian’s can keep waves and body in the hair.
  • Japanese gets the best results done on healthier hair and is not advisable for light blonde hair, Brazilian can be done on damaged porous hair, even ultra light blondes.
  • Japanese is more expensive because it usually takes longer, between 4 and 6 hours, whereas the Brazilian can be done in 2 to 3hours.
  • You will see a re-growth with the Japanese because the structure will have been changed, whereas the Brazilian will slowly revert back to its normal texture and there is no permanent change.
  • Japanese will allow any type of shampoo to be used with it once done, although a special conditioner is recommended, the Brazilian needs sulphate free shampoos to make the treatment last longer, any salt (ocean water) will reduce the life of the treatment.
  • When freshly done, both the Japanese and the Brazilian advises you not to tie your hair up or tuck it behind your ears for 48 hours.


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Japanese Straight Perms….

I know, there are so many straighteners, straight perms, relaxers etc on the market I want to make sure I cover them all.. I will write a future post on the differences between this Japanese Straight Perm and the Brazilian Straightener but for now I enlisted the help of Jodi Ninomiya, one of Dekko’s top- notch technician to help explain the technical side of what its all about…..


Japanese hair straightening, also known as thermal reconditioning, is a method of permanently straightening hair. The iSTRAIGHT system which we use at Dekko, utilizes 3 strengths of solutions to meet the needs of each individual’s hair texture and condition. The hair is treated with a soy based relaxer which is rinsed out after a 10-25 minute processing period. The hair is then blown dry, flat ironed, and neutralized for 5-10 minutes. The iSTRAIGHT formulas use negative ions to relax and positive ions to neutralize and, at the same time, keep hair healthy and vibrant. Ingredients include Ceramide, a natural resource, that is part of you intercellular bonds which aids preventing cuticle damage and keeps the hair healthy from the inside out.


Thanks Jodi…..
Here are some samples of the Japanese Straight Perm:

So, who would benefit from this?
People with coarse frizzy hair, People who spend alot of time blow drying their hair and finishing with a flat iron, People who love their hair very straight and flat,
How long does it take:
This process depending on how long and thick the hair is can take anywhere from 4 to 6hours, so be prepared for alot of sitting around.
How long does it last?
Once the hair has been straightened in this way, it stays straight for good, the hair will not go back to its original state, therefore the re-touch is only necessary or the roots. so if your is hair is not too curly/way, the re-growth is not so obvious and you could go up to a yea without redoing it, but it your hair is very curly and stands out when it grows out then it is advisable to have it done between 5 – 6 months also depending on how fast your hair grows.

Here is a photo showing the re-growth from the Japanese Straight Perm..


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The Brazilian Blowouts..by Jill

I wanted to update you with the latest product that we are using in Dekko Salon, (Thanks to Jill Tucci, one of Dekko’s fab stylist/technician for her big help in writing this article)


Brazilian Blowout is the name of the ‘keratin conditioning treatment’, (not to be confused with the Brazilian Straighteners that usually contains 2 –4% formaldehyde). This is a fantastic new treatment that is safe for all hair types and has become sooo popular I didnt want you to miss out on the news…

The BB not only smoothes, softens and de-frizzes the hair, it also adds alot of shine. It does not completely straighten the hair, it relaxes the wave/curls on curly hair , and it leaves you with volume and body on straighter hair. It is classed as a blow drying aid, which helps to speed up drying time. So with this treatment, you can either air dry your hair which will leave the hair wavy/curly minus the frizz OR because this treatment is heat activated, if you do blow dry your hair, you can do so usually without a brush in a fraction of the time it usually takes you and you can have straighter smother hair faster!
Once complete you can go about with your usual routine, tying your hair up, tucking them behind your ears and washing it immediately. It is recommended that you use a the BB’s own sulphate-free shampoo/conditioner and treatments to help extend the life of the BB, any salts such as ocean water will revert it back quicker.
Another great thing worth noting about the BB is that the technician has control over how straight or wavy the client would like the hair to be. This is obviously discussed in the consultation and by varying the tension and strokes used with the flat irons, hair can be left wavy or curly but eliminating the frizz only. The process still takes up to 2 to 3 hours(altho on finer hair 90mins is possible) depending on the hair thickness and needs and will last from 8 (on virgin hair) to 12 weeks before the frizz slowly comes back in.
It should also be noted that the more damaged your hair is, the more noticeable the results, this is completely safe to use on brittle damaged hair, in fact with colored hair it improves the health of the hair and by sealing the cuticle. The more you have the BB treatment the healthier the hair will be and the longer your results will last! WOW! What more can you ask for?
Dekko has been doing so many treatments and so far 100% of the clients have been happy. We decided everyone should be able to try it at least once to see, so the technicians at Dekko salon are giving $100 off your treatment for the next couple of month!!! (April May 2010) Woo Hoo!
Thanks to Jodi for posing with her BB: