Avanti South - Boston Hair Extensions

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Goodbye Avanti South

Avanti South has had to close its' doors, and we would like to thank everyone for all their love and support for these past 3 years.

You can find where your favorite stylist has gone:

Avi Elkayam: Now at Patrice Vinci Salon at 91 Newbury Street

Please call 617-267-1900 for an appointment, or email [email protected]

Jaclyn Granera: Now at Kent Newton Salon, 1315 Washington Street in the South End

Call: [phone] for an appointment

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How to Create Big Volume Curls

Recently we were lucky enough to be invited to an editorial styling workshop taught by Marco Santini (a top stylist and educator) in NYC to learn how to create some runway-ready looks.

Marco's first look he demonstrated (and then let us all try - photo is Brandi Carra's model) all about creating volume, while still keeping the curls visible (instead of just a big puff). It's soft, and unstructured - an elegant look that didn't end up overly slicked and sprayed like a traditional up-do.

Here's how you can create these big volume curls yourself!

1. Starting from the back, curl hair all over using a 1-inch curling iron like Runway Tools' EasyCurl (see! Brandi's using it right there!)

2. When you get to the curls on the top of your head and around the face, clip those in loops so they can cool in place.

If your hair is really straight and doesn't hold a curl very well, you may want to pin more, like Marco is doing here.

Spray with hairspray or a texturizing spray to set.

4. Once hair has totally cooled, remove clips. Starting at the back of your head and working forward, hold the ringlet from the end and gently begin to tease using a comb or your fingers. That's so you get volume and still the shape of ringlets, instead of just a fuzzy mess. And that's it!

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Revealed: Katniss Hairstyle from The Hunger Games

We’re obsessed with the Hunger Games, especially Katniss’ futuristic side braid she wears for most of the movie. Here’s how you can get the look:

1. Her stylist from the movie says that they prepped her hair with a texturizing or beach spray first, which helps her naturally straight hair hold a curl and stay in the braid.

2. Next they curled her hair all over with a curling iron. Let curls cool completely so they set.

3. Do a French or Dutch Braid starting from the top left of your head, and down around to the other side. They did this in the movie so that the style is visible from every angle.

NOTE: Katniss’ braid is actually a “Dutch Braid” or an “Inside Out Braid” since the braid sits on top of the hair, which is what sets it apart from a regular french braid. It starts the same as a french braid, with the 3 sections, but instead of “left over center, right over center” its “left UNDER center, right under center”. It’s a little confusing, but wikihow has an awesome Dutch Braid How-To with step by step pictures.

May the odds be ever in your favor!

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Tip of the Day: Preventing Breakage

Most people wash their hair by sudsing a handful of shampoo and starting at their hairline. But the hair at your hairline is usually baby fine and are prone to break if you're not careful! 

The best way is to start shampooing at the crown and back of your head, where the hair is stronger. "Wash the back of your head like denim, the delicate front hairs like your favorite silk blouse" - Tom @ oribe

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The Oribe Signature Cut @ Avanti South

Recently we were lucky enough to have one of Oribe's top stylist educators come to our salon and do a hands-on workshop on the Oribe Signature cut. It's a modern take on the classic long layered haircut.

Tom also let us in on all of his secrets for tailoring this haircut to your clients' unique bone structure, hairline, and texture. We think our models turned out pretty fabulous, don't you?

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Salon Week: Happening Now!

Ever heard of restaurant week? Now, for the first time ever, there's a Salon Week, where we're offering a select menu of services at 50% off. For the whole week!!!

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Irena was our model for this updo, which looks fabulous with her two-tone color cutting the french twist visually in half, topped by a few beautiful curls!

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What is Ombre color?

You've probably seen it all over spring fashion magazines - tons of celebs (Sandra Bullock, Adriana Lima for example) are trying out Ombre color. Ombre means gradation of color - usually where the color goes from dark at the roots to lighter on the ends.

Basically it's a casual, beachy more natural approach to coloring your hair - since as hair gets longer, the ends usually end up lighter than the roots, due to natural sun exposure. And it looks great! Lightening up, but without commiting to fighting root re-growth every 4-6 weeks.

We tried it out on our receptionist, Olivia, since she has never colored her hair before. This way, if she gets tired of the color, she just can cut off the bottom few inches, and have a whole new look!

Brandi "I painted color on the ends - the messier it gets painted on, the more natural it looks - and just one or two shades lighter than her natural color. I pulled it together by putting 2-3 tiny highlight foils on the front. The looks is very natural, and pretty for spring!"

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DIY Updo: Fancy Pony

We were so excited to have a top creative director from Moroccanoil, Robert Ham, visit us yesterday!

He showed us three styles he did on the models at the Carolina Herrera show during fashion week. And this first one is elegant, polished, and easy to do yourself! Here's how:

Style #1: Fancy Pony

1. Flat iron hair so that it's smooth and polished. Top with a few spritzes of a shine spray.

2. Brush it all smoothly back into a high ponytail, except for a front section on one side. Secure pony with small elastic. Like so:

2. 

3. Brush the front section so it swoops down - then wrap that section around the pony to hide the elastic. Secure ends with bobby pin, and spray with hairspray to keep in place and prevent fly-aways:

3. Lastly, use a sparkly large barrette to secure in place like so, creating a little bump:

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How-to: Madonna's Superbowl Hair

Modern Salon shows you how to get Madonna's look at home! (minus egyptian headdress) http://www.modernsalon.com/hair-photos/how-to/color-texture/texture/Recreate-Madonnas-Super-Bowl-Style-138816139.html

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Magical Hair Breakage Fixer!

Are you trying to grow out your hair, only to be thwarted by split ends and breakage ruining your hard work and patience?? We're completely in love with our new Moroccanoil Reparative Mask - it's a protein mask, that actually fills in the protein gaps in your hair, preventing it from breaking off. Even if your hair is weak from coloring, blow-drying, ponytails, curling irons, you name it - this mask can fix it.

You use a dollop once a week for 5-7 minutes (not any longer, or it'll make your hair brittle), and follow with your regular conditioner, which seals in the protein. After your hair is repaired (i.e. you stop seeing tiny pieces breaking off onto your brush, etc), Moroccanoil says you don't use it anymore. That's it. Problem fixed, and then don't keep using it. Unusual for a company that sells the mask to say that, but that's because it really works.

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Have a drink on us tonight!

Winter making you thirsty? We're excited to now offer our clients a glass of wine on Thursdays and Fridays after 4pm. Come get your weekend started early at Avanti South!

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Best and Worst of Golden Globes Hair

We were totally wowed by all the awesome and awful red carpet hair styles seen at last night's Golden Globes. Our pick for best? Charlize Theron! She looked like a greek statue/fairy princess/Dior goddess in a beautiful Dior gown and fabulous, natural loose waves and curls gathered up into a low side bun.

 You can get the look yourself using a big-barreled curling iron all over, and then bobby-pinning pieces messily into a side bun. Easy!

Honorable mention: Sarah Hyland - she looked gorgeous and her hair was done similarly to Charlize, but with more defined curls versus Charlize's waves, and with the curls pinned up all over, rather than just to one side. Gorgeous.

  Worst? Definitely Angelina Jolie. Her look was way too severe - the super-slicked back (and then prom up-do in the back) combined with the high red collar and giant glowing red lips and made her look vampire-y rather than vampy. A looser hair style would've reminded us of her big, giving heart (i.e. UN Goodwill ambassador) rather than her former "vial of blood amulet" and "kiss your brother" phases.

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Hair Extensions Before and After

Where can I get luxury hair extensions in Boston? Right here at Avanti Salon South! Our stylist Brandi Carra is modeling Hair Stiletto hair extensions. Imported from Italy, these extensions are high quality, virgin 100% Remy hair that blend seamlessly with her own hair. These extensions can be washed, blow-dryed, curled, dyed, and styled just like your own hair!

Fabrice Montes, our extensions expert weighs in, "Brandi's hair is in great condition, but she wanted more fullness and length since her hair is naturally fine. I actually used two colors - one to match her base color, the other a shade lighter to match her natural highlights."

Fabrice even cut the individual pieces even smaller, so the extensions would be itty bitty and blend in perfectly. This way they are totally hidden and can't be seen from any angle. 

"By making them smaller, her hair will feel lighter and not pull and feel heavy, like long extensions sometimes do."

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Don't forget a fabulous blow-out is a *must* for ringing in the New Year!! We're open til 5pm NYE, and filling up fast. Snag your appointment asap: 617-482-1003

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Stocking Stuffers they will love

Searching for a cool stocking stuffers that guys and girls will like? Check out our Oribe Dry Texturizing Spray - Purse Size! It's Oribe's award winning dry shampoo, but now in a cute mini or travel size. At $19.50 its a perfect mini price too.