This national contest is for Bumble Salons and the winner will be published the October issue of W Magazine!

 The Chameleon stylists created these editorial-inspired looks using the new Bumble Thickening Full Form Mousse and Creme Contour!

A panel of Bb.Stylists along with W Beauty Editor Jane Larkworthy will choose six semi-finalists to appear on the W and Bb. Facebook pages. W magazine’s Facebook fans will choose the grand prize winner by voting for their favorite. The stylist with the most votes will become The Artist.

Here are a few photos from the teams photo shoots.

Purchase Price $22

Here are the details of this great product from Oribe

Who
Anyone who loves the Oribe signature fragrance

What

Why

Oribe Signature Complex (Watermelon, Lychee and Edelweiss Flower Extracts) defends hair from oxidative stress, photoaging and the deterioration of natural keratin, all while protecting from the drying, damaging and color-depleting effects of the elements.

• Patented Odor Neutralizer absorbs odors (except for the Oribe signature scent).
• Cetrimonium Chloride provides conditioning and anti-static properties.
• Amber Extracts, provides antioxidant, conditioning and hair-strengthening benefits.
• Aloe Tea Leaf Extract hydrates, smoothes and nourishes hair.

How
Spray onto dry hair throughout the day (and night).

Stop by Chameleon today to purchase Oribe Côte d’Azur Hair Refresher

No matter which type of blonde you are, I would enjoy customizing a unique blonde look to compliment your beautiful features and skin tone.

I can add a sparkle of blonde to any hair color with a few foils, or you can go all in, and all over.

Whether you want to try a little or a lot, I would love to add more blonde, which may lead to more fun, in your life.

Being a stylist for 8 years, I’ve recently devoted the majority of my education to color. Through this I have taken away a variety of new techniques and skills. I’ve always been fascinated with blonde hair, and now realize this is where my specialty lies!

Meredith Miller is a senior colorist and manager at Chameleon Haircolor Cafe & Spa’s. You can request an appointment with Meredith by calling our New Haven CT salon at 203-772-1523.

You can request and appointment with Meredith online

At Chameleon we offer warm cream, spa, and Shellac manicures and pedicures. Take advantage of pampering yourself with an exhilarating scrub and massage, while relaxing in one of our foot spas. Then, top your pedicure off with a beautiful and shiny OPI polish. If you are looking to get even longer out of your manicure, try our Shellac polishes; which are cured under our UV lamps, ultra shiny, and free of nicks, chips, and smudges for up to two weeks! It’s the perfect way to start off a vacation or special event.

Would you also like the appearance of fuller, thicker, and longer lashes? Eyelash tinting is a great way to accomplish this task. A vegetable based dye is hand painted onto the lashes and then sits for ten minutes. When the dye is rinsed away, your eyes are left looking bright and refreshed. This service is a great way to spruce up lashes with fairer coloring and make your eyes pop with color. Lash tinting will last up to four weeks, and gives the illusion of longer and thicker lashes. Tinting is also perfect for hot weather and swimming, where make up is just not desired.

So get ready and kick off the summer right! Come in to see Jackie in our North Haven location.

Call today 203-234-7900

Request an Appointment Online

I started my career 40 years ago in 1971. Forty-one years ago and boy did hair go full circle. I remember in my high school days, a classmate came to school with a Sassoon haircut that she had gotten in New York City. It was so amazing and different; I loved it! It was not very popular in my small town because it was different; it was asymmetric. I didn’t get to cut a style like it until a few years later. Maybe that’s why I still like asymmetric hair to this day.

In my senior year of high school, we saw long bangs and teased tops. Oh my gosh, we’ve been seeing this hairstyle a lot in the past few years. There is always a difference when old styles come back though; they have a different flair to them. A more modern flair if you will. Like clothing today has a similar feel of yesteryear, but with new material and a more modern cut to it.

In hairdressing school, someone came from Westport to demonstrate a shag haircut to us. That was another amazing haircut, albeit, similar to the Sassoon it didn’t go very far because the original shag was so extreme. It was gorgeous and it was also called the question mark cut. What did happen with the shag were variations on the original cut: long, short, medium, teased, not teased, curled, not curled. It was adapted to all different faces, body shapes, and textures. These became accepted and sought after hairstyles.

But there is nothing like the originals to me. Those haircuts were cutting edge, way ahead of everything that was out there.

We were still rolling hair and using hooded dryers on the majority of clients. It came slowly this process of blow drying. One by one, clients were coaxed into trying this new fad; they were getting away from hair sprayed to death, teased and lacquered hair.

For all of the young hair dressers today, I hope you can appreciate after hearing this, what an art hairdressing has become today. Don’t get me wrong, it has always been an art and will always be an art. Many a hairdresser has been influenced by stylists before them. In the middle seventies cutting and blow drying became more mainstream and hair really started to change its path, along with futuristic stylists that craved a change. I was one of them. Had hair not changed its course, I was going to change mine.

But hair became so exciting that you did not want to miss out on anything. Hairdressing shows and conventions were sought after by most hairdressers of that time. I was fortunate enough to be part of a hair cutting team in the seventies, so I got to cut hair at the New York show as well as the Chicago Midwest Beauty Show. I’ll bet that many of us left can still do a mean shag (the original of course!).

Hairdressing became more and more interesting and the artistic stylists that showed us what to do, like color, cut, and yes even perm, well you just cannot say enough about these people. They had this inspiration and artistic insight to continually bring us to new levels. They are the Sassoons, the Sebastians, the Rusks, the Doves, the Chadwicks, Paul Mitchell (whom I got to see in Hartfoed way back when), and the Toni and Guys. My God what incredible talent these people had and still have. I cannot even name all the hairdressers that I’ve seen through my career, but I would like to thank them all for changing this industry into the powerful and beautiful force that it is today.

And you know, the thing about it is that the young people going to hair academies now are being taught in a whole different way than forty years ago. They are so much a part of this ever changing industry. So I’ve seen hair from teased, lacquered, to Mohawks, to faux hawks, punk, afros, eighties perms with big teased bangs, and back again. Back again and admired, worn, copied, and even disliked. But that’s the fabulous part of hair today. You wear what you want and what you like. Back in the day I think there were two styles and you wore one or the other.

Today hair has no boundaries. As I look through our trade magazines today I get so excited. Hairdressers today are continuously pushing the limits and it’s incredible what they can create. Those styles are designed totally for their artistic value and are not built for street wear.

Speaking of art, you must look at the site for Mr. Nicholas French. (http://www.nicholasfrench.com/) Mr. French has an extreme talent for the avante garde, that every time I would see his work in magazines I would be awestruck, and just say “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!”. I had the great pleasure of meeting Mr. French and his lovely wife Carol this past April and they showed me his work on his ipad over a glass of wine… and all I could say was “Oh my God, Oh my God, Oh my God!”. As a matter of fact, Mr. French won the award for his Avante Garde work at the May 2012 North American Hair Stylists of the Year Award (NAHA); as well as many other awards over his career. When you see his work, you see the art of hairdressing.

But who knows where hair is going; look at the progression that’s happened since the sixties. Hair is so beautiful today and the color that’s being done is fabulous; no longer a one color touch up, but more dimension with multiple colors.

To all those past hairdressers, to all of the future hairdressers, and to the faces new and old in our chairs, KEEP IT GOING! Keep it full circle.

You can request an appointment with Wayne by calling our North Haven Salon at 203-234-7900.

Online Appointment Request

The Trend 2013 – Beautify

On Tuesday our entire colorist and stylist team completed the Goldwell  Color Zoom Trend class.  This was a intensive  day long class, taught by Thomas Dewing, who is  a Member of the Goldwell Artistic Team.

This Color Zoom Trend class educated the Chameleon Team about the latest color and cutting trends for 2013.

The class also provided the fundamental education for our staff to complete in the 2013 Color Zoom Competition. We have three team members who will be competing this year.  Meredith,  Stephanie and Trinity from our New Haven Salon.

The class focused on “Beautify your Style, your Colors your Client”

This year’s fashion trend will focus on using color, bright materials and an eclectic mix and match of patterns. This will transition into hair by having the unexpected element of surprise using unusual color combinations and a variety of disconnected cuts for both long and shorter looks.

Pastel shades act as intense reflections of light in blonde hair… while earthy, rustic colors add interest to darker shades. Sophisticated color placement creates a harmonious, yet an new exciting way of interacting colors.

The striking diversity of color and shapes is impressive and beautiful in its expression of the creative power of this trend.

Check out our photo gallery at the end of this blog

Here’s what our team said about the Color Zoom Trend Class:

“This year’s trends will show off the best of Chameleon talent. Working as a team the colorist and stylist can really get creative with every client they touch! The wonderful part is the change does not have to be drastic. It can be quite subtle and yet have a lot of impact!”-Carleen

“This class got my creative juices flowing! Helped break out of the standard long layer cuts routine” Trinity

“This season is about placing the color in the right place to make the haircut pop!” – Laura

“We learned three different color applications for fun and dimensional colors!” – Jackie

“Color Zooms Beatify Collection has inspired my outlook on spring’s sensational new looks and how the up coming season will feel”, Stephanie

“In this Goldwell Color Zoom class we learned  trends showing there is a little bit of something unexpected in every style, cut and color. This trend is following what we are seeing in fashion for 2013.”- Joy

“Pastels are really in right now, as far as color goes. Pinks, purples, and teals are all the rage.” – Emily

“The cuts this season are very trendy and have secret ah-ha moments”. – Ashley

These new colors and cuts are now available at Chameleon.

Request an appointment online

Call today to schedule your appointment.

New Haven Salon 203-772-1523

North Haven Salon 203-234-7900

The following testimonials have been made by our Chameleon clients.  You can see more of them at our website -”Read Our Reviews”  at  www.Chameleonhcc.com

“Always punctual, amazing staff, nice and professional. Always ready to give advices and new ideas for your look”  -Sarah B

“Julie was so much fun, and more importantly, she did a fantastic job with my hair. I wasn’t sure what I wanted, so she talked to me about her ideas, all based on the way my hair grows. I was nervous, because I have a pixie cut and usually see Trinity, but Julie put me at ease, we had a great conversation, and she did a great job” – Annel

“I’ve been coming to the salon since I had my bridal party booked there in 2004. I’ve been gong there ever since. I love the way my hair looks and feels after I come out of the salon!” – Viviana

“Loved, loved, loved my haircut! I showed Trinity a picture of a hairstyle I liked and wanted to get. She gave me her feedback on how she thought it’d look on me and suggested something similar. I love it! I’ve been getting complements…”- Anna

“Wayne always gives a great haircut” – Lyn

I am very impressed with the amount of knowledge Joy had about the type of haircut that would complement my face. During my initial visit, she asked several questions about my hair. She observed my face and made recommendations. I have been to numerous hair salons and have never received the amount of attention and detail that Joy spent on my hair. I highly recommend this salon to anyone in the area. – Charlene

“Stephanie  is a color magician!!! Jules is the sweetest hairdresser ever and I got a complimentary make over with Suzanne!! This place is like a princess fairy-land!” – Marissa

“Chameleon hair stylists/colorists are the best! I was referred to this salon over two years ago and love the services I have received from everyone. The staff is friendly and the salon is clean. Carleen, Emily, Jackie and the rest of the staff all rock!!!” – Brenda

“Absolutely best haircuts anywhere!!! There was a time I would travel from New York to Connecticut just to get my haircut at Chameleon. Now ” I feel pretty” all the time! Thank You Chameleon.” – Fran

“Laura is amazing – really a magician. I always feel like a million bucks when I leave.” – Lisa

“The hair stylists are extremely talented and truly listen to what you want. From the moment you walk in your made to feel comfortable and welcome. I highly recommend Chameleon Hair & Spa.”-  Michelle

There are two types of lashes, a full set of lashes and small clusters of individual lashes. I prefer the full sets because they are faster and easier, and that helps me streamline my makeup routine.

Before you start you application, make sure your eyelid is clean of makeup or oils. Depending on your natural lashes, you might want to curl them before the application so they blend with the false lashes. Mine are naturally curled up, so this step isn’t necessary for everyone.

Apply a thin strip of lash glue along the back of the false lashes with a toothpick, tweezers, or a thin makeup brush handle. Gently apply the false lashes to your lid as close to the roots of your natural lashes as possible. After the lashes are applied, let the glue set for a few minutes before you continue to apply additional eye makeup. It’s that simple!

Once you practice you will be able to apply your lashes in no time at all!

If you are not comfortable applying lashes, just call Chameleon and we can do it for you.

Amanda Redding  is a Make Up Artist and  Guest Care specialist here at Chameleon. She has been in the beauty industry for over ten years. Amanda has a philosophy when it comes to her clients:  “I love taking care of my clients and making them look their best”

You can book an appointment with Amanda for eye lashes or make up below or call  our North Haven Salon at 203–234-7900

Request an Appointment Online

Chameleon is pleased to introduce “Beth Boni” to our spa team. Beth started off at Chameleon in our guest care team and her passion for taking care of clients was immediately apparent.

Beth states “I really just love the salon industry.   I worked as a stylist years ago, but over time….  I realized that the spa is where my real passion is.”

Beth completed our “Spa Program” at Chameleon University. She now performs our signature manicures, pedicures,  waxing services and spray tanning.

Chameleon is growing and proud to have Beth as a new addition to our spa team.

“This year is all about creating natural seamless highlights, which all can be customized for each client. “ stated Laura Aceto.

Laura and Emily studied the latest color techniques and trends from the color masters at Bumble and bumble. The class was attended by top hair colorists from around the nation.

“The trends this year in hair color will be a more natural look. These looks will require less maintenance.. making them ideal for our clients.” stated Emily Amato.

“We are excited when our Color Team attends these advanced color classes. They then teach these advanced techniques to our entire salon, so all our clients can benefit..”, . stated Carleen Buden, Owner of Chameleon Haircolor Café & Spa.

Chameleon Haircolor Café & Spa’s are located in North Haven and New Haven CT.  They are full service salons and spas.  They specialize in taking care of clients who need their color and cuts every four to eight weeks.  Chameleon  guarantees that their clients will 100% love their hair and all the services that they get at Chameleon. You can reach Chameleon Haircolor Café & Spas at 203-234-7900 and they are located at 323 Washington Ave North Haven, CT.