Alpha Gamma Delta, UCLA, Gloss & Toss Hair Care & a Hollywood hair stylist.  What an event.

Posted by Gloss & Toss founder Billy Lowe

I was invited to speak to the most amazing group of young ladies this past Saturday and it was a houseful. The ladies of Alpha Gamma Delta invited me to share hair tips and style ideas, hair care and trends with them as they were preparing for an exciting week of Recruitment 2017 (formerly called “rush”). Not only did I get to share ideas and thoughts with them, they shared their home, laughter, good cheer and “ending cheer” with me while I was there.  The upcoming week for them represented a time when nearly 1,000 UCLA students visited and toured the Sorority houses for Recruitment Week 2017, all deciding and hoping to be accepted into their chosen Sorority

When I arrived on campus, I was greeted by 60 smiling faces of young ladies attending UCLA and living at the Alpha Gamma Delta House.  Their day had been spent with projects and preparation for the upcoming week but just as I was walking in, pizza was being delivered and I thought to myself “Pizza or hairbrushes?”  Needless to say, one never gets in the way of a student and a pizza delivery. I remember this quite well from so many years ago when I attended university myself.

But as the founder and creator of Gloss and Toss Hair Products there are many opportunities to present our amazing hair care brand and answer lots of questions on hair care products, styling, accessories and more. So that’s just what we did.  I wanted it to be their day ad to be very real to them, not just some over the top beauty session that wouldn’t be relevant.

I decided to open the day with one question from each attendee, written down on a piece of paper and placed in a basket that I would draw from randomly. This allowed everyone to feel they contributed to content (whether we got to everyone or not) and it also encouraged attentive and mindful listening because the question being drawn from the basket could be one of theirs.  But everything I planned as an opening was completely forgotten (I was probably thrown into a state of confusion) because as the meeting was called to order, the leader and Vice President, Sarine, announced that there was a birthday in the room and the audience was going to sing happy birthday to one of their sorority sisters. I of course saw the beautiful grand piano in the corner of the room and made a beeline to play the accompaniment of the happy birthday song. From there my mind was an absolute blank. What happened in the next hour or two?  I can’t even remember but I hope it was ok.

So here are some of the questions I did get around to selecting from the basket, and as we began discussing hair and beauty, the crown naturally began to participate, want to come up on stage and discuss their hair care needs personally, and the whole room was supportive for each and every person there.

WHY DO I HAVE OILY HAIR AND WHAT DO I DO ABOUT IT?   VERY good question and there are a lot of contributing factors.

But let me repeat (again and again) that our skin

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doesn’t stop at the hair line.  Those oil blotting papers that we use on our face are perfect for blotting the scalp area (or a soft tissue perhaps) to draw oil, congestion or build up AWAY from the scalp area.  As hair gets more build up at the scalp area, it becomes flat, limp and lifeless.  This is where oil blotting papers and perhaps a little DRY SHAMPOO are very effective.  Additionally, I recommend custom brushing to allow those oils to travel down to the ends of the hair.  The ends rarely get ample nourishment anyway and this routine brushing is an excellent way to shift oil away from the scalp area to other parts of hair (or again, blot away).

HOW OFTEN SHOULD I GET A HAIR CUT?   Every 6-8 weeks is about the national average if you have a longer hair type. For men or women with shorter styles, they may find visits looking more like 4-6 weeks.   Most customers will see their salon professionals an average of 7-8 times per year.   Where do you fall in?

WHAT DO I DO ABOUT SPLIT ENDS?  DON’T PICK, PULL OR BOTHER THEM. Often times I see customers twirling their hair, picking at the ends, or carelessly pulling out hair ties causing hair to experience more breakage and damage than necessary.  Go easy on your hair.  Use the Daily Nourish Shampoo & Conditioner, Prep, Hair & Scalp Healing Oil for best results in your overall hair care routine. The Daily Nourish Shampoo & Conditioner is gentle and effective enough to use every day, and is safe for color and chemically treated hair.

IS THERE ANYTHING TO MAKE HAIR GROW FASTER?   Change the season to summer.  I’ve heard hundreds of times through the years that hair grows about 1/4″ per month andgrows even more quickly during summer months.  Perhaps this is because we’re more active, participating in different activities or fitness opportunities.  Days at the beach, walking around town after the chill of winter has disappeared, hiking, backpacking in a different country are all examples of summertime activities and obviously these encourage more physical activity (circulation, body detox, etc). I also encouraged the group to monitor eating habits and certainly pay attention to hair, skin and nail retail categories as many customers rely on these for their overall beauty rituals. Customers around the world look for BIOTIN as part of their beauty routine and the search for healthy hair and nails.  Gloss & Toss Fortify is a leading hair, skin & nail supplement packed with many of the essentials that customers look for time and time again for their beauty needs.

WHAT’S A QUICK HAIR STYLE TIP THIS SEASON?  BRAIDS. There are so many types of braids and ways to wear them.  I usually go for a more unstructured braid look.  By gathering sections of hair back away from the face (if desired) you open up facial features, keep skin cooler, minimize distractions of hair, and create a gorgeous/simple look at the same time.  When the hair is gathered and braid applied, I loosely shake the braid back and forth to loosen the look and allow pieces of hair to fall (or fall out) naturally as they will.

The day was full of many more tips, ideas and questions which I could write about endlessly but these were a few of the “highlights” of the day.  I will share that this was probably one of the most caring, attentive, courageous, and mindful audiences I have just about every spoken to. And while we were all fairly casual with one another, I in my dress jeans and the girls in their flip-flops and hoodies, I think we all had a great time.

But to top it all off, this introduction was made through a friend of mine who is now the “house mother” of the sorority, and she and I attended the same university. Although we graduated a few years apart, we have been friends for a number of years and she brings such a wealth of experience in her tapestry. I’m sure the house will experience an abundance of life’s wisdom and love in her service and care.

I hope you enjoyed this article, these tips, and product suggestions, and that you’ll help me wish the ladies of Alpha Gamma Delta a wonderful school year.

CONGRATULATIONS ON A SUCCESSFUL WEEK OF REGISTRATION PREPARATION.

Our new QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE is copied herein for your info.

Healthy, shiny hair with a radiant look and feel is what most people strive for in their salon and beauty maintenance. Salons promote shine and conditioning treatments to prevent frizzy hair and for hair that help strengthen elasticity, add shine, and help manage overall look and feel of hair and hair styling results.  But why the blah blondes?   Sometimes overdoing it can, well, overdo it. Here are some of the best ways to keep blonde hair healthy, maintain condition and shine, and reduce tension and breakage.

Keep in mind blonde hair is already a more delicate color type due to the nature of the process.

Don’t overdo it.  So many clients pack products and ingredients onto hair and scalp thinking more is better.   NOT SO.  Continuing to pack and stack products,oils, deep moisture treatments, etc onto hair can create lack-luster results simply because too much is too much.  Hair will naturally reflect light and look healthy and shiny when it’s well taken care of, the cuticle layer is smooth, and you’re not over processing.   Adding treatment after treatment is not the way to keep hair shiny and vibrant.  In fact it can cause hair to look dull, heavy and lifeless.

Shiny hair comes from Smooth surfaces reflect more light, thereby giving a more shiny and vibrant look. Think about aluminum foil.  A flat, smooth foil surface will reflect more

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light (seemingly) and appear brighter.   A crumpled up piece of foil will not reflect light in the same way and  not appear as bright.  The same is true with our hair.  Shiny hair comes from a smooth surface strand and that often takes a little action, and a little product especially if you have a coarse or more wiry hair type.  Gloss & Toss Shine – hair serum – helps smooth out the surface, protect against thermal styling, fight frizz and humidity and more. Simply apply a small amount to clean/wet hair and blow-dry smooth.

Technical brushing.  We’ve all heard 100 strokes a day keeps hair healthy, shiny and strong.  There’s some truth to that because what we’re doing if bringing some of the natural oils of the scalp down to the ends to protect hair, add shine w/ our body’s natural oils, exfoliate the scalp, stimulate scalp circulation and so much more. Additionally, by doing this – we help protect parts of the hair that need this moisture.  Try the Gloss & Toss Detangle Brush for gentle brushing, detangling hair, basic styling, moisture treatments, and more. This lightweight brush is more than its name and truly is a must-have for every beauty routine.  Visit our website to shop and learn more.  Our unique Detangle and Multi-Purpose brush has 170 ultra-flexible bristles, a stand-up design, lightweight feel, comfort grip handle and so much more.  Clients love it.

DIY??  Well we never recommend this one but many people believe in beer, vinegar, mayonnaise, etc as part of their conditioning, shine, or healthy looking hair routines. The risk is in not trusting your salon professional, DIY services that you work through to hopeful success, and perhaps something goes wrong and you again “DIY” to make it right.  Then you end up with an even bigger mishap than when you began. Always trust your salon professional for routine services, color, and cuts.

Violet Shampoo.  Yes – Violet helps cancel warmer tones and can neutralize colors or pigments causing hair to feel dull, or less “vibrant.” Ask your salon professional if this is right for you. Here’s how it works.  The first shampoo should be with a normal cleansing shampoo to remove daily build-up, oil, dirt, etc.   The second time you shampoo is when you want to use a violet shampoo to tone, brighten and enhance hair color.

Avoid excessive heat.  This causes hair to fray, appear lifeless, and can reduce shine if overdone or not used correctly. Brittle ends are obviously unhealthy and unhealthy looking.  That will take away from shiny looking hair no matter how hard you’ve tried. It’s best not to overdo it.

Last but not least – be sure to care for hair and scalp with a gentle cleansing and conditioning system and we obviously love the Gloss & Toss Daily Nourish Duo.

Visit glossandtoss.net for many great tips, products, style ideas and product use guides to keep your hair looking and feeling its best.

Pre-shave oils provide the best results for a great shave.  The Gloss & Toss Hair & Scalp Healing oil is an all natural oil for hair and scalp and can be used all over body for smoothing, moisture treatments, manicures/pedicures, and just for him, a pre-shave oil to give you smoother and closer results.

To use:

• Apply a palm full of Gloss & Toss Hair & Scalp Healing Oil and massage into facial area (or other body part(s)).  Leave on for 2-3 minutes to soften facial hair and to nourish skin prior to shaving.
• Apply a light exfoliator over oil and gently exfoliate facial area working in round and round motions.  Use added water if needed to keep a smooth application. Exfoliation helps lift facial hair and prepare skin/hair for shaving. Exfoliation helps reduce ingrown hair and irritation, and also gives a closer shave. Exfoliation is used as a method to remove layers of dead skin cells to reveal brighter skin surface and to allow better results in your skin care ritual.
• Rinse with warm water. Apply shave gel or cream and shave as usual.  For best results and to prevent irritation, always shave with the hair (in the same direction of hair growth) rather than against hair growth.

This simple pre-treatment will leave skin looking and feeling noticeably smoother and brighter.

This and other products are available by visiting www.glossandtoss.net

Hair & Scalp Healing Oil can be found by clicking this link.

Also works well for manicures and pedicures, massage treatments, deep conditioning treatments for hair & scalp and more.

What are the best ways to detangle hair?  What are the best products or brushes for detangling hair?  Inquiring minds often ask and we’ve got the answers.

Before you begin detangling hair with styling tools, we recommend starting with the best styling tools anywhere, which are your hands. Your fingers help feel where tension is in the hair and to what degree. Learn to use these   Continue reading →

Experiential Marketing provides many exciting ways for brands to meet consumers, for consumers to meet brands, and for brands to meet one another to meet the needs of the marketplace.  

We have been lucky to align with some amazing organizations through the years locally and nationally to create some awesome events, products and campaigns.  A few of these include:

-A spirits tasting events with different “themed” tasting stations

-The launch of a new cell phone

-A $10,000 makeover in NYC

and  so many more. The face of brand exposure Continue reading →

Best tips for frizzy hair and ways clients can de-frizz or prevent frizz in their hair styling results?

Well we’re going to share these anti-frizz hair tips with you on another exciting segment with Hallmark’s Home and Family Show featuring our founder Billy Lowe, celebrity hair stylist & national beauty expert.

THIS SEGMENT AIRED FRIDAY JULY 28, 2017 AT 10AM.  

Frizzy hair happens for many reasons.  Some people have a naturally wavy, coarse or frizzy hair type which can be affected by various weather conditions.  Other times, frizzy hair results come from humidity, over processing, lack of moisture or irregular hair care services at home and in the salon.  In other words, unless you’re wearing a cap or hair covering, it’s going to take some effort, and some products.

HEALTHY HAIR STARTS WITH HEALTHY SCALP!  Our scalp needs care and support

Gloss & Toss DAILY NOURISH SHAMPOO & CONDITIONER

just as our face, hands or other parts of the body.  It needs routine cleansing, exfoliating, and moisture which are all crucial to the vital functions of healthy hair & scalp.  So many clients go 2, 3, 4 days or more without shampooing, relying on Dry Shampoo to get them through yet they stack and pack layers of products into the hair and scalp area to protect the style while sacrificing the overall health of hair & scalp.  Imagine going 2-3 days without washing face or hands. In the Hallmark Home & Family segment we demonstrated an old beauty “show and tell” we’ve seen from many brands. By applying a clear piece of tape to the back of the hands and gently lifting it away, we see layers of dead skin cells.  The same thing happens at the scalp area – and these cells stack one on top of the other if we don’t properly care for our scalp.  Then people wonder why their color fades, why their ends are damaged, or why their hair is frizzy.

Gloss & Toss    SMOOTHING DUO

Smooth hair comes from having smooth strands of hair either naturally or through styling.  The smoother the cuticle layer, the more smooth and glossy hair will look and feel, giving way to gorgeous looking results. Gloss & Toss PREP and Gloss & Toss SHINE serum are the perfect duo for smooth, healthy looking hair!  

100 strokes a day!  This is more than just an old saying.  There are so many benefits to routine brushing which include massaging the scalp, stimulating circulation, detoxing, exfoliating and bringing nourishment and moisture down to the ends of hair which can often be dry and brittle. It’s a relaxing treatment and great for healthy hair & scalp.  Don’t overdo it obviously and be gentle when brushing.

Check out the following Gloss & Toss hair product suggestions: 

1  Gloss & Toss SHINE

2  Gloss & Toss PREP

3.  Gloss & Toss Flex Versatile hairspray with B5 (also helps resist humidity)

4.  Gloss & Toss Hair & Scalp Healing Oil

5.  Gloss & Toss Paddle Brush or Detangle Brush

IF YOU HAVE SHORTER HAIR TYPES:  The same routine care and maintenance are just as important to you.  Please visit our website at http://www.glossandtoss.net and use the CONTACT page if  you have any questions.

TUNE INTO HALLMARK’S HOME & FAMILY WEEKDAYS AT 10AM (CHECK LOCAL LISTINGS) FOR SO MANY GREAT SEGMENT PIECES.

Shop these amazing products online by visiting http://www.glossandtoss.net

The Gloss & Toss Daily Nourish Duo – Luxury Shampoo & Conditioner set is truly quite the set.  Together this “Daily Duo” leave hair looking and feeling silky smooth, softer, more manageable and beautifully brilliant.  Gentle (and effective) enough to use on a daily basis, we believe you’ll love this line up as part of your beauty routine.

Daily Nourish Shampoo – Infused with Keratin Protein & ProVitamin B5 to strengthen hair and to help prevent breakage.  This luxurious moisturizing shampoo gently removes build-up on hair and scalp while softening the surface of the hair to help reduce frizz and fly-aways.  Free of sodium chloride, and is paraben-free.

Daily Nourish Conditioner – A lightweight moisturizing conditioner effective to use on a daily basis or as needed.  Enriched with soy protein, coconut and sage, this conditioner helps smooth the cuticle layer, leaving hair looking and feeling silky smooth.

Clients LOVE the results of the Daily Nourish Duo Shampoo & Conditioner and we think you will as well.  Shop online by visiting http://www.glossandtoss.net and selecting “BUNDLE SETS”   OR   “VALUE SETS”

ALLERGIES ARE NOT GOING AWAY; NEITHER ARE BEAUTY PRODUCTS.

Unfortunately, however, many allergy sufferers experience symptoms of allergies on a daily basis and many throughout their lives.  These symptoms can include sneezing, coughing, itchy and watery eyes, runny nose, and the nonstop frustrations of treating or minimizing these symptoms.  In fact, many allergy sufferers experience increasing symptoms as they age, and often relocate to other parts of the country (or world) to ease these symptoms in their living situations.  In addition to weather and seasonal situations, many people are affected by household cleaning items, material types, various food ingredients and certainly health and beauty items.

The truth is, most beauty brands are not focused on Continue reading →