While the Pros’ business cards do
not say hairstylist, it is often a requirement in the world of freelance that
we provide hair services or create/change hair looks on set, without
permanently altering the appearance of our actors or models.
Over the past 10 years, the Pros have
acquired many tools, accessories and styling products, however we have never felt totally confident with those purchases
and over time we realized we had accumulated a hodge-podge of too many
items that were not effective.
If you know the Pros
personally or if you have worked with us professionally, then you know that we
pride ourselves in providing the very best to all of our clients. Regardless of who sits in our chair, everyone gets the same "star" treatment and we have worked hard to insure that the general hair skills taught to us in makeup school were perfected by taking private courses from some of the best hairstylists in our business.
In the past, the Pros had purchased very expensive, heavy products that left not only our shoulders and arms
hurting, but also our wallets begging for mercy! While the flat irons and
curling irons were a popular brand name with a great reputation,
we were never really satisfied with the overall performance and felt as if we had wasted money. Basically, they worked
great on some types of hair and let us down on others. Some created or enhanced
frizz, some couldn’t create a curl no matter what we did and some damaged thin,
fine hair even on the lowest setting and using protective hair products - not
good and not professional!
Our blow dryers were the
worst…big, bulky and weighed so much that we started to feel like we were
working out at the gym. We would leave the makeup room sweaty, frustrated and
with hair designs which needed constant attention during the rigorous hours on
set.
Melissa, Cathi and Heather all
agreed that it was time to revamp, reeducate and reinvest in our hair kits.
Cathi had come across a line called T3 Micro last year while shopping at Naimes' Beauty Supply
in Los Angeles. Melissa and Heather had heard of T3 Mirco and knew of their reputation as being the frontrunner in hair products, but we
needed to see these tools in action.
One day on set, Cathi showed us
how to use her recent T3 Mirco purchase, The Volumize Iron. The project we were working on called for a lot of hair
work and style changes throughout the shoot. We used this tool all day to
straighten both long and short hair, provide volume to flat hair and to change
styles by creating soft, wavy curls.
This iron was able to get close
to the root and lift it for instant volume while creating a smooth,
straight, shiny result when pulled through. Later, we would learn that this
product was originally designed to straighten short hair because it has a special “curved” shape, but we found that it works
amazing on all lengths and textures. More importantly, we discovered that we
did not reach for any other tools that entire day. The bottom line was that the hairstyles we created lasted longer and looked flawless on
camera with less fly-a-ways and we used less styling product.
After that day on set, we went on the hunt
for more information and products. Luckily, at The
Makeup Show Los Angeles held earlier this year, T3 Micro had a booth and
we were able to receive a full education and demo on the entire line. Needless to say, we
quickly replaced everything in our kits with T3 Mirco tools.
All three of us love the results we
are getting with this product line so much that we thought we would provide you
with individual reviews on our favorite tools and products.
Melissa’s favorites:
I own almost the entire T3
Mirco professional product line and I carry all of it to every set I
work on every day. Be it a film, television show or commercial, news program,
on-air interview, webseries, promotional photo shoot, corporate video, music
video or media tour, this product line is always on hand.
Evolution Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer – My shoulders and
arms no longer ache because this dryer weighs less than a spray bottle and
because this product dries the hair up to 70% faster, I get results much
quicker. Full blowouts are easier and the hair is left shiny, full and not frizzy. I
am able to work on larger sections of hair without the fear of over drying.
This dryer has 2 speeds and 3-heat settings plus a cool shot. The cord is also
longer preventing tangles and providing ease in maneuverability around my
actors. I also own this same dryer in a travel model, which has been great when
shooting on location.
Fahrenheit450 Straightening Iron – this product works on hair fast with consistent
results. It totally eliminates static and creates a glossy and polished look
quickly without damage to the hair cuticle. This product also has a feature
called “Auto World Voltage,” which
means it automatically adjusts to any country’s voltage when using a plug
adapter. I travel to Europe every summer with one of my actresses and I have spent
tons of money purchasing foreign styling tools that never get used except when
I work overseas. This tool is the most used product in my hair kit because I am able to create a variety of styles easily.
Tourmaline Ceramic Brushes & Tourmaline Carbon Combs – I
own the largest (3 inch) Antigravity Barrel Brush and I am
getting ready to purchase the rest of the line. I have found this brush to be a
workhorse in my professional hair kit. I’ve learned that it retains the heat to
create the shape and leaves the hair sleek with no frizz or static. The Free Flow Vent Brush does the same and the comb line is so durable that it
can handle snarls and knots without breakage. Also, the combs properly distribute hair product, section the hair and break up
tight curls evenly.
Cathi’s favorites:
When you are working in the
fast paced world of video, television, film and new media, you cannot afford to
be late! Time is money as they say and you never want to hear an AD yelling, “waiting on makeup and hair!” Ouch!
In the past, I felt frustrated
with the results I was getting when asked to style a client’s hair so I made it
my mission to improve, thinking that it must be my skill level more than my
tools! I was relieved to discover that indeed I was wrong and it was the
opposite! While my skills were up to par, it was the tools I carried in my hair
kit that were falling short! When I discovered T3 Micro I knew I had
stumbled upon a pot of gold and I quickly shared my findings with my fellow
makeup/hair partners!
Evolution Featherweight Professional Hair Dryer – I love this product too because some of my clients have fine, dry, damaged hair and this product transforms it to shiny and smooth with full body in minutes. The ion and infrared
heat dries the hair quickly so if you have thick hair that takes forever to dry, you will benefit from using this tool.
SinglePass Twirl Curling Iron – this product is like a little magician. It can create
large round barrel curls, beachy waves, and loose voluminous curls, all with
only one curl, ONE TIME. The ionic heat is distributed fast and evenly through the
silver infused barrel. If I find that I am going to be on a shoot that has very limited time scheduled for hair looks, this tool is the first thing I grab when packing my kit!
Heather’s favorites:
I work mainly on editorial and
fashion photo shoots for major magazines and for the runway industry. I also work in the reality based television world and I have a very large bridal business, which means that I have to travel...A LOT! When I was introduced to the T3 Micro product line I was immediately drawn to the technology
because I need tools in my kit that will not only work fast with incredible results,
but that can withstand the severity of travel both domestically and beyond!
SinglePass Whirl Professional Styling Wand - when I used the tools for the first time, I was on a fashion shoot and it was requested that the model have stick
straight hair. Of course, the Fahrenheit450 Straightening Iron worked amazing and the magazine was very happy with the end result. However, as the day progressed a few changes were made and I was asked to take that same model's hair from straight to voluminous and full within a short period of time. Now, if you are a
professional artist, you know how hard it can be to add back curl and wave that you have taken out, but with the T3 Micro styling wand I was able to achieve the desired looks for my client within in record time.
I love the Evolution Featherweight
Professional Hair Dryer as well for all the same reasons that my
colleagues have listed above, but what I am really interested in and will be
purchasing very soon is T3 Micro’s Hot Rollers.
I have learned that they come in various sizes for
short, medium or long length hair and these rollers are flocked which gives the
hair a natural shine. They are infused with the same tourmaline and have the maximum
levels of ions and infrared heat like all the other tools, so these rollers
will heat up fast, have high heat retention and will ensure that the hair has a
radiant finish with no frizz.
Using hot rollers is a very
easy and quick way to create gorgeous waves and give the hair bounce and body
that will last all day and night. I think these will be perfect for my bridal clients so I am looking forward to adding them to my professional kit soon!
To sum things up, as professionals it is very comforting to know that you can trust the tools in your kit to work efficiently and quickly, as well as provide incredible results. It is our professional opinion that because of these tools the hair holds style longer and it has cut the need for major hair touch-ups during our film, television and photo shoot schedules.
We all agree that we have finally made a wise investment for our businesses and we are starting to purchase the tools for our personal use too!
To sum things up, as professionals it is very comforting to know that you can trust the tools in your kit to work efficiently and quickly, as well as provide incredible results. It is our professional opinion that because of these tools the hair holds style longer and it has cut the need for major hair touch-ups during our film, television and photo shoot schedules.
We all agree that we have finally made a wise investment for our businesses and we are starting to purchase the tools for our personal use too!
For more information or to purchase T3 Micro products please visit their website at www.shopt3micro.com.
All photos above are courtesy of Heather Wilson - all hair looks have been created using T3 Micro tools however, these are not press or promotional photos for T3 Micro. Permission was received through proper channels to post them on this blog.
Melissa Street and Cathi Singh's photos are not legally able to be published on this blog post because they do not own the rights to the production stills on projects that they are currently working on.