Dana Hunter Rosa featured in Oak City Hustle

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Dana Hunter styles hair and applies hair color at Alter EGO Salon and Blow Dry Bar in downtown Raleigh.

Raleigh's Oak City Hustle interviewed Owner and Stylist, Dana Hunter Rosa, about what defines Alter EGO and how Dana has cultivated a creative, expressive environment here.  In their own words, Oak City Hustle "provide a platform for innovative creative culture in Raleigh to be nurtured, developed, documented and shared as a catalyst for cultural pride."  We are so thrilled for Dana and Alter EGO to be featured, and would love for you to read her interview to learn more about both Dana and AE. Q & A with Dana Hunter Rosa of Alter EGO

Mandy's Hair Tips & Tricks

Our stylists at Alter EGO love to share their hair knowledge. So much so that when I asked Mandy to share her favorite hair tips and tricks, she wrote up a huge list of all of her best styling tricks, shampoo & conditioning advice, and product tips because she didn’t want to miss a single thing! Thus, I would like to introduce… Mandy’s Hair Tips & Tricks!Shampoo & Conditioning Tips

-Brush your hair BEFORE you take a shower - it will be easier to wash/condition and it will save your drain from getting clogged.

-When shampooing, focus on your scalp!

-Don't shampoo everyday; it strips your scalp of its natural oils so then it works double time to replace it.

-Rinse your conditioner out with cool water. It seals your cuticle with all the goodies your conditioner is packed with.

-Clarifying shampoo is your friend! Your shampoo didn't stop doing its job. Hair gets bogged down over time with product buildup especially if you are putting drug store products on it. Giving your hair a good clean will give your hair life!

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-Pantene, Herbal Essence, Tresseme and other drug store brands might claim "color protection, heat protection, shine" but it’s really wax.wax.wax. If those products did what they said we would be using them in the salon or they wouldn't be as cheap! For example: if you spend $140 on highlights & a toner and you use a product that cost you $12 for shampoo and conditioner- your toner will be stripped off by the 2nd wash, if not the first. So $30 down the drain... literally! (I don't like to push people into) The products we sell here at Alter EGO aren’t the only ones that will take care of your hair, but we’ve selected the best of the best to (what I care about is) maintain(ing) the color we just spent 2 hours perfecting.

-Conditioning treatments! If you color your hair a lot, swim, or flat iron excessively then you should do a treatment once a week. All others, once a month! It helps with frizz, manageability, tangles, and increases shine!

Styling Tips

-Spray bobby pins with hairspray before putting them in.

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-Make sure the wavy side of the bobby pin faces down towards your scalp. It is designed to grab hair—the straight side holds it down.

-Want a fuller pony? Place two bobby pins on the bottom, pushing your pony up!

-Pony tail curls= less time to look FABULOUS!

-After you blow dry your hair, push the cool button to set it in place !

-Curl your hair different ways to add texture

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-Know your hot tools! And use heat protectants. Never put a flat iron/curling iron on wet or damp hair. Fine hair should not be flat ironed at 450 degrees. Don't go over a strand too many times or you will cause breakage! -If you flat iron your hair straight up towards the ceiling you will create volume. -BANGS: 1) if you have a cowlick use a fine tooth, heat resistant comb to control the cowlick! 2) When blow drying straight across bangs start by pushing them from one side to the other with the brush following through the hair dryer. When they are 90% dry, blow them straight down until completely dry. 3) To get side swept bangs to lay across your forehead , blow them dry on the opposite side of where they lay. If you use a round brush put the brush on top and roll up instead of under. When they are dry push them over to "their" side with the brush and round them under one last time.

Product Tips

-Apply dry shampoo the day you wash your hair--Right before bed will start to absorb those oils

-Most hair products should be applied at the ends first then work your way up... but not to the root!

-Don't waste product! A pearl size amount of gels, creams and serums go a long way! I rub mine on my hands like lotion and begin at the bottom and underneath. Each strand that touches any part of my hand gets product! Mousse is a little different... the type of nozzle has a lot to do with that. If you can spray it directly on the root in a line, put it where you want/need lift (all around the hair line, down the part and a few sections at the crown); no need to put mousse at the bottom of your hair. If it is a foam dispenser I would say start with a golf ball size and begin patting where you want the volume. When you are finished rub it all in!

Miscellaneous Tips

-Bring pictures to your appointments when going for a new look! Communication between you and your stylist is key to you loving your hair!

-Before getting in the pool wet your hair with water from the shower... You know, the one in the corner we are suppose to use before getting in the pool? Having your hair wet reduces the amount of chlorine it sucks up in the pool leaving your hair soft and healthy.

-The sun is super damaging to your hair! Cover it up or use a uva uvb protectant

-Don't forget about your scalp at the beach! If you have a part that is exposed to the sun it can be burned! Spray some sunscreen on it!

-If you have well water, buy a water softening shower head at a home improvement store! It will cut back on the chlorine and other minerals!

-When combing hair out of the shower use a wide tooth comb or a wet brush (a brush designed for wet hair that has flexible bristles to easily slide through knots!) don't just rip through those tangles!

-When washing your face, be aware of your hair line! Some face washes are pretty powerful and can't strip the color right off!

-About 6 months after having a baby you will start shedding... A LOT. Calm down, it’s normal. While pregnant you don't shed your typical 100 strands a day, so after your body starts getting back to "normal" it starts the shedding process. All the hair you accumulated during pregnancy starts to "fall out.”

-Color cannot lift color. If you have color on your hair it is a process to change it or lift it.

-Be open and honest with your stylist. If you color at home... let us know. If you are a get up and go… let us know. Getting a high maintenance cut or color is not for you.

-Camouflage your roots by zig zagging your part! And then book an appointment!

-Know what you want before heading to the salon. A big change needs discussing. When booking your appointment let the front desk know you would like a consultation or if you book online write it in the notes section. It helps us as stylist get prepared for what we are doing. After we get to know you ( 3+ appointments) we will get a better understanding of you and your hair and we will then be able to tell you what we think would look great on you.

Have fun with your new tricks, and enjoy your hair! Give your hair the life it deserves!

Behind the Brand: Smith & Cult by Amanda Gallegor

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"Smith & Cult is an expression of our unrefined thoughts and feelings." 

When it comes to the beauty industry, three things come to mind: Hair, Skin, and Nails. While hair and skin have always been in the spotlight, it was only recently that people started paying attention to their nails and what they are putting on them. Nowadays you can't watch TV or read a magazine without seeing advertisements covered with beautiful colors and promises of "A Salon Manicure at Home." While these all seem exciting, the promises are usually cut short and people find their nails not staying as flawless as the advertisements promised. Getting a "Salon Quality" manicure at home is hard, but with the right products and a little bit of patience, you can have beautiful nails from the comfort of your own home, and lucky for you, we sell these products at AlterEgo!

Smith and Cult was created by Dineh Mohajer (anyone remember Hard Candy from the 90's?!) who wanted to create a high performing lacquer that was also a 5-Free formula (which means it doesn't contain Dibutyl, Phthalate, Toluene, Formaldehyde, Formaldehyde Resin and Camphor.) After creating Hard Candy in the 90's, Mohajer joined forces with Jeanne Chavez. The duo became a beauty industry powerhouse, creating trends and selling Hard Candy to LVMH in 1999 to go on to their next project: Smith and Cult.

When using a high quality lacquer, patience is key. You don't want to rush, so make sure you have some time to spend on yourself. The whole point of painting your nails is to enjoy it, not make it into another chore!

Step One: Prep your nails.

Oil is the enemy here. Clean each nail with Polish Remover and remove all old polish. This is a good time to file and trim them as well! Definitely avoid lotions in this step.

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Step Two: Super prep your nails.

Yeah, you just took off all the old stuff, but we're humans and we create a lot of oil. Grab some rubbing alcohol and clean each nail; it will ENSURE the lacquer sticks to your nails and no oils will ruin them.

Step Three: Base Coat

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Use the same brand. Each nail polish line is created using different formulas, so using the same brand will ensure even application and a solid fusion between the coats. You don't need to glob it on either; a quick, even coat is all you need. Make sure to coat your ENTIRE nail.

Step Four: Color

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Pick your favorite. I picked Psycho Candy, but the cool thing about S&C is that they have soooo many different options! Make sure the base coat is dry (takes about a minute) and start. Don't rush this step--use the ball method. Make a small ball of polish at the top of the nail and pull it down, then swipe once more on the left, and once on the right. Once you get this technique down your nails will ALWAYS look like you got them done professionally. You don't want to glob the polish on; it needs to dry, so thin layers work best. Let this dry for about 5 minutes, then apply coat #2, staying thin and consistent throughout. Take your time. Doing your nails should be fun!

Step Five: Top Coat

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ALWAYS follow with a top coat. It ensures the color is sealed in, but many are also formulated to stay shiny and resist chips. Coat your entire nail (and go over the free edge a bit) to lock in the lacquer. LET THIS DRY. This step is crucial, so give yourself 15 minutes or so to let them air dry. Blowing on them will create bubbles and putting them in cold water will crack the polish, so just be patient. Trust me, it's worth it

Once everything is done, sit back, and stare at how awesome your nails look. When anyone asks who did them, you'll smile and know it was yourself, and you can tell them to come to AlterEgo in Raleigh to pick up their own bottle of Smith & Cult.

Right now, we are offering a Buy Two Get One Free deal for all Smith and Cult polishes--definitely take advantage of this special to get your base coat, top coat, and favorite S&C color!

Guest Author: Amanda Gallegor, Salon Assistant and Polish Connoisseur

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Tips & Tricks to Make Your Color LAST!

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“If I pay for a color, I want it to stay, ya know?” An exact quote from a conversation with a friend recently, but anyone who has ever paid to color their hair (and even if you’re a box color DIYer, you pay for it) has either said or thought these words. Whether you were born to be a redhead (but genetics made you brunette), or you’re convinced blondes have more fun (but the sun just isn’t working fast enough) once you decide on your hair color and invest in it, you want it to last. And really, when you think about it, your hair color IS an investment. The saying goes “you get what you pay for,” but I’d like to rephrase that to, “When you invest in quality, you get quality in return.” If you want your color to last, there are a variety of actions you can take to increase the longevity of your investment.

1. Embrace the idea that water is the enemy. 

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We’re talking in terms of hair here—you better be drinking that 64+ ounces a day. When it comes to hair color, water is the number one cause of color fade. Why? Short answer: science. Long answer: hair color is essentially a manipulation of the pigment molecules in your hair. Different levels of color work in different ways (Demi, permanent, etc) but ultimately, they all have to do with influencing or altering molecules. Water, particularly hot water, opens the hair cuticle, which allows the color molecules to escape more easily—which is why you see your color draining away into the bottom of your shower. If you want your color to last, reduce the amount that you wash your hair. Invest in a good dry shampoo that will prolong your clean hair, and if you have medium to long hair, learn to work that day three updo (my personal fave trick).

2. While we’re talking water… let’s talk about the COOL factor.

As mentioned above, hot water opens the hair cuticle the most, so washing your hair with cool or cold water will reduce the amount of color leakage (though not eliminate). No matter what, washing your hair is going to lighten or fade the color eventually. That, again, is a matter of science.

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3. Rolling with the washing topic… Every shampoo was NOT created equal.

Utilizing a color-safe shampoo is essential for prolonging the life of your color. There’s a variety of ones available—our favorites, of course, are R+Co’s Gemstone, and Oribe’s Shampoo for Beautiful Color. Or for blondes… Oribe’s Bright Blonde Purple Shampoo. When it comes to the topic of shampoo, there’s a lot of terms thrown around that can make the search for the right one confusing. Sulfate-free, clarifying, paraben-free to name a few… but the reality is that you should focus on the quality of the ingredients in your shampoo. Sulfates are what make the suds in cleansing products of all kinds, but like most everything else in life, there are extremely low-quality sulfates (the kind that can irritate your scalp, and can contribute to a quicker loss of color), and there are extremely high-quality sulfates as found in some of Oribe’s shampoos along with other salon-quality brands. Clarifying shampoo is another case of quality DOES count, and sparing use will not have a significant affect on your color. For more info on parabens see this article (http://articles.latimes.com/2011/may/08/image/la-ig-beauty-parabens-20110508).

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4. Your hair needs sun protection as much as your skin!

Sun darkens skin, but lightens hair, and that includes colored hair. Find a styling product that includes UV protection or buy yourself a really cute pool/beach hat. Just as your skin is damaged when out in the sun for too long with no protection, your hair can be affected in the same way. Not to mention, the term sun-kissed highlights came about due to naturally sun-lightened hair—the sun will do its best to lighten your hair whether colored or not.

5. Speaking of summertime… Chlorine is a chemical and it WILL alter your hair.

Avid swimmer? Live at the pool? If you swim for fitness and have colored hair, embrace the swim cap! Even if you don’t have colored hair… chlorine dries and damages hair, so strongly consider protecting it either way. If you just love to soak in the cool water… pin that hair up on top of your head and keep your head above the water. Refer to preservation tip #1… water is the enemy! Same goes for the beach, even though there’s no chlorine. The more you wet your hair, the more color will have a chance to escape whether there is shampoo involved or not.  If you do swim or want to dunk your head, consider investing in a chlorine neutralizer.  You can spray this on before, after, or both, and it will work to counter-balance the effects of chlorine.

6. Glazes/Glosses/Toners are your FRIEND.

If you love the shine of newly colored hair, or want your color freshened up without paying for another full on coloring session… ask your stylist about glazing or glossing your hair. Known also as toners, these are non-peroxide sheer colors that can brighten or subtly change your color, along with conditioning your hair. They last approximately 4-6 weeks, and are a great way to prolong the time between highlights or full colors.

7. INVEST in a deep conditioner or masque for your hair. 

Coloring or lightening your hair automatically alters it. Remember the manipulation of molecules? Science-y stuff happens no matter what kind of color. Thus, you want to make sure to treat your hair extra well following the color to improve its health. Using a deep conditioner once a week will add some hydration back into your hair, and helping to maintain the health of your hair.

8. Hand-in-hand with deep conditioners, heat protectants keep your hair healthy!

If you style your hair with heat of any kind—blow dryer, straightening iron, curling iron, etc… you should invest in a good heat protectant. This can come in the form of oils or a variety of sprays, and will act as a shield between your hair and the damaging effects of heat. Healthy hair takes color more evenly, so if you color your hair regularly, you want to take the best care possible to ensure your hair is healthy enough to smoothly accept the color treatment.

Natural progression of fashion color utilizing these techniques.

IN SUMMARY: Prolonging the life of your color requires an investment of more than just the actual color service. By design, color treatments alter your hair—ever heard the phrase “Every action has an equal and opposing reaction”? Coloring your hair requires a “reaction” (see: steps above) to ensure the integrity and health of your hair. If you have any questions about what might be best for YOUR hair… talk to your stylist!! They love to educate clients about the coloring process, and how to extend the life of their work… aka your hair!

Defining Hair Color: BALAYAGE

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If you pay even the teensiest morsel of attention to the fashion world, the obnoxious to spell and ever more challenging to pronounce, BALAYAGE is probably on your radar. If it’s not, it should be. Balayage, pronounced, Bah-lay-ahj, comes from the French word meaning “sweeping.” The coloring technique is thus named due to the nature of painting or sweeping the color onto the hair. Like most things in the fashion world, balayage has been around for a while (since the 70s), but has made a fierce comeback in the past couple of years due to it’s many enticingly fabulous qualities. The painted, free-hand technique of balayage is super cool for many reasons; first, it’s entirely customizable. Just like the ombre, we’re a huge fan of anything that can be catered to the individual. The tone of the highlights, the amount of painted pieces, and how bold or subtle they are can all be designed for your style and preference. No matter your hair color, balayage can be molded to suit you! The artistic technique of balayage also allows for a really natural looking highlight. Remember when you were a kid and your hair used to get those gorgeous natural highlights in the summer? Balayage can mimic that sun-kissed glow.

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Also like the ombre, balayage has more of a “grown-out” look than traditional foiled highlights. This means it’s a low-maintenance style that can be worn for much longer. In the fast-paced, always busy world of today, getting into the salon every few weeks can be a challenge. Those every-four-weeks root retouches can go out the window with balayage!

Take note though, balayage is not ombre. Despite the fact that they have many commonalities, the ombre and balayage styles are quite different. The ombre is a full color gradation going from one solid color gradually to another. Balayage is a type of highlight, where strands are chosen and painted. Due to their widespread popularity, stylists have experimented with a combination of the two so you MAY see the terms put together -- a balayage ombre. This would be lower balayage pieces that have a gradation of their own. The effect of lighter ends and darker roots, but not from one full solid color to another full solid color. The highly customizable nature of both color techniques, along with the artistic emphasis allows stylists to really experiment and create variable looks.

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 This brings us to our final favorite balayage feature. Hair stylists are essentially artists, especially here at Alter EGO. They love to create customized looks for their clients, and are inspired by each person’s uniquities. Because balayage can be done so many different ways it gives the stylist some flexibility to really be creative and design a look that is just perfect for YOU. It’s the perfect season for beachy sun-kissed highlights, and it’s always the perfect time for a new custom look. Now that you know how to pronounce the darn word, and what exactly it is, come in and see one of our balayage experts to enhance your summer style!

For more information about balayage, check out these two fabulous articles:

http://www.marieclaire.co.uk/blogs/545771/so-what-exactly-is-balayage-why-do-we-love-it.html

http://www.vogue.com.au/beauty/hair+insider/what+is+the+balayage+effectr,13857

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Defining Hair Color: OMBRE

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The hair world loves to come up with all sorts of names for different styles of color: highlights, lowlights, balayage, ombre, sombre, babylights, ecaille… the list goes on, and that doesn’t even touch on the different shades of color: warm, cool, golden, reds, etc. But what exactly do all of these labels mean?! Understanding what defines each color type can help you better communicate to your stylist what you are looking for. We wanted to explore the differences between these color types through a series of posts explaining a little bit about each one and then differentiating it from the others. Let’s start off with the OMBRE. An ombre is literally a graduation from light to dark. This word has become all-important in everything fashion from hair to nails to clothing fabric: ombre is everywhere. Some people would have you believe that the ombre is fading away, but it’s definitely still relevant, and there’s a few reasons why we still LOVE this trend.

First, you can completely customize it to suit your hair and style. Ombre can be vibrant and bold, or a subtle fade (aka sombre); it can be done on long hair, short hair, or in between, and each way gives a totally different vibe and style. The ombre is so versatile that people have taken it in all kinds of creative directions… there are red ombres, extremely dark to extremely light ombres, and even multi-colored ombres as well. Whatever your color preference and style, the ombre is the chameleon of hair color and will match YOU!

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Our second favorite aspect of ombres is the low-maintenance factor.   Because it’s designed to look like a “grown-out” color, the 4-6 week root retouch goes out the window, and you can wear the color for a much longer time, stretching out your salon visits. While this does mean that the ombre is significantly more work up front—expect approximately three or more hours in the salon—and comes at a slightly higher price tag, it’s totally worth it if you prefer the low-maintenance hair life.

Alongside the low-maintence aspect, ombres are pretty easy to transition away from once you’ve decided you’re done with the look. If you’ve kept your roots and mid-lengths at or close to your natural color, you can choose to either chop off the lightened ends if you’re up for a fun, shorter ‘do, or you can color the ends back to your natural color. Either way, there’s less of a growing out, transitional process as sometimes occurs when you’ve decided to grow out, say a full head of classic highlights.

We definitely still dig the ombre, and are looking forward to customizing YOUR ombre look. Look for our post about BALAYAGE coming soon!

Alli & Meghann Become Minardi Educators!

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At the beginning of March, amidst snowflakes and freezing temperatures, two of our senior stylists travelled to Indianapolis, IN for an educational conference to become Joico/Beth Minardi Educators. Beth Minardi Signature is one of the two color lines we use here at Alter EGO; its namesake, Beth Minardi herself, is an incredible artist and industry icon. The Minardi line pairs so well with A.E. because of a shared belief in putting the health of hair first. Alli and Meghann have been busy putting their new knowledge to work since their return, but I was able to find out a little more from them about what their new certification actually means. Alli Carter and Meghann Holland are officially Joico/Beth Minardi Signature New Hire Educators. Alli explained that this means, “first being an advisor, teaching basic color classes, including how the color works, Beth’s methodology to hair color, and helping [new hires] understand formulas.” Initially, they will train new stylists in our salon, along with being a reference for the entirety of the A.E. team. They will then work larger events such as hair shows and bigger classes with special guest artists. More than just teaching the color, Meghann explained that being an educator means, “representing the Joico/Beth Minardi methodology of “do no harm” and showing what an amazing product she has created.” Favorite moments in their training came in the form of learning experiences. Alli loved “learning in depth about the chemistry of hair color,” along with being “challeged by presenting in front of a room of people.” Alli said, “I already love all aspects of education, so I’m excited to learn how to teach others.” Meghann’s favorite takeaway exemplified the Beth Minardi “do no harm” concept. After performing a “strand test” (testing a color or lightener on a small section of hair) using different levels of developer (an agent that activates color and opens the cuticle), they were able to see the difference between the lowest and highest levels. Typically, one would expect to see a drastic difference, but the Minardi color line employs a chemistry that essentially gives a little more power to the color itself rather than relying on developer. By using a lower volume developer to achieve the same results as a higher one, the risk of damage to the hair is reduced.

For Alli and Meghann, the next step is furthering their education, sharing what they’ve learned with their fellow stylists, and working on the ever-challenging ability to speak to a crowd. Both plan to conquer that challenge in order to meet their ultimate goals of becoming platform artists and working on the hair show floor. Alli summed up their continuing involvement with Joico/Minardi explaining that it will be, “a lot of hard work, dedication, and long hours, but mostly it will be such a fantastic learning experience.” Meghann and Alli are ready and waiting to beautifully color your hair in true Beth Minardi fashion—with health, quality, knowledge, and of course, a bit of sparkle and shine.

#mancrushmonday

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Today we're showing some love for some of our favorite men's haircuts.

This textured razor cut was designed and styled by Meghann Holland for her client Ryan.  We're loving the fun, messy look right now.

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Alisha Hoover created this all-over scissor cut for her client, Ken.  This classic style is always fab for the guy who wants a little bit of length, but likes to keep his look clean.

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Alli Carter created a perfect fade for Evan, leaving a little bit of length on top.  This style is "the look" of the moment right now, and Alli has perfected the art.

What's your favorite men's hair trend of 2015?

Read About Us in American Salon Magazine!

We are proud to be featured in Better Business section of American Salon magazine!  Read about us here.