Ken Paves has quite the impressive resume: he serves as the Hair Department Head for The X-Factor has worked with the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Jessica Simpson and Lady Gaga and created Hairdo Clip-In Extensions. He knows better than anyone how to wow a crowd, which is why he’s the perfect judge for RAW! His advice for young stylists? “Don’t worry about anyone else! Do YOUR thing and don’t look back or sideways,” he says. “Stand behind your creations because art is subjective. Who could have won—Picasso or Chagall?” His success, he says, comes from mentally preparing himself to do the best he can do, everyday, and learning to look for inspiration in new places—sage advice for any up-and-coming stylist who wants to become a star. “I close my mind off from anything I’ve seen before,” he says. “I avoid my usual references or places of inspiration. I like to look where no one else is looking; if I don’t, I’ll just see what they see.” In other words—it’s all about pushing your creativity as much as possible. “Life is a production. Real art doesn’t come from people who can afford to buy all the right ‘pieces.’ That’s easy—like a puzzle. Creativity is making something out of nothing. That is pure magic,” Ken says. Ken will share more amazing advice at RAW, Sunday, June 3 in Orlando! Get your tickets now!

Smart stylists mine red carpet for looks they can adapt for wedding and prom clients. One of this year’s top red carpet coifs was the bagel bun, like the one Tina Fey wore to the Oscars. To create this high drama style, FHI Heat President Shauky Gulamani recommends working with longer length hair with medium to thicker density. Apply a volumizing mousse on damp hair and blow-dry using a large round brush. Set the hair using the FHI Heat Runway IQ Session Styling Rapid Roller Hair System. Place each roller on base for maximum lift at the crown. Through the sides and center back, take vertical partings and place the rollers in slightly under-directed positions. At the nape, place the rollers upward and over-directed. Once cool, remove the rollers and secure the hair into a high ponytail. Divide the ponytail into three sections. Backcomb the bottom section and divide into two separate loops; pin them under to create the base. Backcomb the middle section then fan it over the bottom loops while still maintaining some height with the style. Backcomb the top section gently and smooth the surface. Secure over the middle section with pins for a clean look then finish with Runway IQ Dry Spray. Pre-order the FHI Heat Runway IQ Session Styling Rapid Roller Hair System and get a FREE blow dryer and flat iron!

Red carpets are ablaze in cool, in-your-face color—and the trend certainly isn’t fading. Looking to recreate a hot, dramatic color on your clients? This jewel-toned pink look from the 2012 Wella Trend Vision stage presentation in New York City provides the perfect inspiration. Here’s the formula:

Base Color: Wella Koleston Perfect 3/0 + 4/66 + 6% (20-volume) developer
Top Midlengths and Ends: Prelighten to orange with Wella Blondor Multi Blonde + 6 % (20-volume) developer. Apply Wella Professionals Color Touch Special Mix 0/56 to the base areas and Koleston Perfect Special Mix 0/45 + 0/65 + 3% (10-volume) Koleston Perfect Crème Developer to midlengths and ends. See the 2012 Wella Trend Vision trends and enter now for your chance to win international acclaim!

The short, layered bob Cameron Diaz recently debuted is fresh and fun with lots of movement. In short, it’s an idyllic summer look and one that clients from all walks of life are drawn to. KMS California Lead Artistic Director Brian Bode says it’s the perfect cut for any client looking for a shorter style. “Women with straight to wavy and fine to thick hair can wear it,” he says. “The next time your client mentions that she’s looking for a cut with movement, softness and volume, this is the ideal one to offer.” Brian says the cut works best on women with square and oval face shapes. To style the look, apply KMS ADD VOLUME Volumizing Spray to damp hair then blow-dry at the root to create movement and body. Finish with HAIR PLAY Dry Wax to create texture and separation. “The shape of this cut grows out really well,” says Brian, “so it’s great for clients that change up their style often.” See four more summer cuts for every hair length!

Reaching “Sam Villa-level” success doesn’t happen overnight, and it doesn’t come without a lot of hard work, dedication and preparation. One way Sam Villa preps for a photo shoot or to learn a new technique is by creating a mood board. Want to create one of your own? Start by jotting down key points, ideas and concepts on a piece of paper. Flip through inspirational magazines like Italian Vogue, V and BOMB and rip out images relating to your idea. Remember, there are no boundaries, so tear out anything that evokes a feeling or inspires you. Edit the visuals down to those you find most appealing and that relate to the subject. Affix them to a board with Prestik, a reusable glue that allows you to change or move images without tearing them. Attach key words or phrases to your board. When the board is complete, brief anyone involved in your photo shoot or project so they can prepare. Post the mood board somewhere you can see it, start the shoot or session with a review, then refer back to it regularly to stay on point. Get FREE video how-to tips from Sam Villa!

Get with the times and use technology to your advantage! Matrix Artistic Director Patrick McIvor says that at McIvor Color Studio, team members use their iPhones or the computers at their stations to show clients up-to-date celebrity images for examples of great hair cuts and color. “We like to show our guests the most current images possible. We can easily jump on the internet to show them celeb pics from an event that happened just the night before, and you can’t get more recent than that!” he says. Better yet, you can use your own Facebook page to promote yourself. Create a photo album of your client-friendly cut, color and makeover images to browse through with your client when strategizing on a new look. Plus, every time you update the photo album, all of your Facebook friends will see it—and in many cases, friends of their friends will see it too, making it free advertising for your gorgeous work! Be sure to caption each photo with your salon contact info and the days and times you work so any potential clients will know exactly how to get in your chair. Want to learn more social media tips from Patrick? Register for the FREE Build Your Clientele With Facebook Webinar Monday, April 30th!

Lilacs are in bloom both outside and on the red carpet! Kelly Osbourne recently transitioned from lustrous silver to luscious lilac, and we can’t get over how elegant and refined this color looks! Want to re-create this multitonal hue? Here’s a technique from PRAVANA Color Director Vadre Grigsby: First, pre-lighten to a light, pale yellow with PRAVANA Pure Light Power Lightener. Start with equal parts of Silk Degrees Shine Treatment, VIVIDs Silver and a drop of VIVIDs Violet and begin your application. When you want the color to gradate to a deeper violet, add an extra drop of VIVIDs Violet to the remaining mixture and continue. Process 30 minutes then rinse, shampoo and condition—your client will look perfectly violet in no time! See formulas for four other colorful celeb transformations! Click here!

Maybe hot chocolate isn’t the beverage of choice during warm summer months, but it’s definitely a go-to haircolor option for brunettes looking to warm things up for the season. Try this technique from Alfaparf Milano using the new Evolution of the Color3: Take a 1½-inch off-centered diamond section on top of the head, staying about 1 inch away from the hairline. Apply Alfaparf EOC3 4.32 + 10-volume Oxid’o using a back-to-back slice technique. Using the corners of the diamond on the right side of the head, create a small triangle parting ending at the temple of the hairline. Apply EOC3 5.3 + 20-volume Oxid’o using a back to back slice technique. With the tip of the diamond and the back section, create another larger triangle extending to the crestline of the head. Apply EOC3 5.3 + 20-volume Oxid’o using a back to back slice technique. Apply EOC3 4nb + 10-volume Oxid’o throughout the remaining hair as a regular tint application. See the detailed sectioning diagrams for this step-by-step!

This lively, multicolor look from Goldwell’s FasciNature collection features a refined violet-ash base and an explosion of fiery color in the fringe area. Why not give it a try on one of your clients this spring? (These formulas are for an existing shade of 5N.) Begin by sectioning out a wing shape in the fringe area. Lighten the entire section with 1 measuring spoon Goldwell SilkLift High Performance Lightener gentle + 35ml SilkLift Conditioning Cream Developer 9% (30 vol) 1 tube SilkLift Intensive Conditioning Serum. Apply 40ml Topchic Lotion 6% (20 vol) + 40ml Topchic 5VA as a base color, omitting the wing section. Process, shampoo, rinse and dry the hair. Treat the lightened wing section with Elumen Prepare, then dry the hair. In back-to-back slices within the wing section, apply 30ml Elumen BR@6 + 10ml Elumen RR@all and 10ml Elumen BG@8 + 10ml Elumen KB@7. Process, rinse and shampoo with Elumen Wash. Apply Elumen Lock, leave on for five minutes and rinse. Treat with Elumen Treat or Elumen Care if necessary. Register for online haircolor education from Goldwell!

Modern finger waves are irresistible, especially when they’re as pretty and polished as the ones January Jones wore to the Vanity Fair Oscars after-party. “More and more of my clients are asking for classic hair styles with a modern twist,” says ONE Styling artist David Lopez. “And with prom and wedding season approaching, it’s a great alternative to an updo.” David says this hairstyle works on nearly all hair types, although your curly clients will need a smooth blowout first! “When consulting with your client on how to style her hair for a special occasion, it’s always important to pay close attention to the silhouette of her dress and neckline,” he adds. “You don’t want the hair and dress competing for attention.” David prefers to use a styling wand—like the ONE Styling VERGE Curl Styx—to achieve this soft, touchable look. “I like the wrapping technique for this style,” says David. “The hair should twist gently as you make your way around the barrel which, when released, will give you the perfect S-wave pattern.” Learn how you can win ONE Styling Tools!