Up-dos to Brazilian Hair Straightening: It's time to talk about my hair.

I have been holding out on you in a very big way. My motives have been selfish; fear and insecurity. I have only been to Blu Icon once so I wasn't sure I would be able to write adeptly about it. Also, Julie who is the only hair stylist worth going to below the Mason Dixon Line, is an absolute treasure, and I have wanted to keep her to myself for fear of not being able to get an appointment once I let the cat out of the bag. But I now realize these motives are poor and it's 3:50 a.m, I can't sleep, and I can't think of anything better to do. So in 2008, Julie and Blu Icon are my gift to you.

My reluctance to talk about Julie and Blu Icon at first surprised me because, especially with beauty products, I figure the more the merrier. Being a woman is hard enough with out jealously guarding the very things (namely good beauty products and providers) that can make it utterly heavenly. Then I realized...oh yes this is about my hair. I have never wanted to talk about my hair. Growing up I was teased mercilessly (at least by myself, and at most by slightly older teeny-boppers) about my big hair. Thick hair doesn't cover it. It's massive in volume, excessively curly in the back while only wavy in front. There is no way to succinctly describe my hair. Frankly now that I have found Julie, that doesn't matter. So I have the styling covered. She is a genius. But the daily maintenance is well, a bitch. Mostly I am defeated and wear it up.



When I have $30 to spend I'll have it blown out which lasts for fours days due my nearly ethnic maine's thickness which can go four days and not even look remotely dirty. I told you its thick. I dream of Brazilian or Japanese Hair straightening which will leave me with beautiful pin straight, even Jenifer Aniston straight, locks indefinitely but it costs $400. So I leave myself with mostly ugly hair and then about once a month it is stunning for 4 days. During these four days I often have people who I have known for years introduce themselves to me or at least take a few minutes to recognize me. My hair can make me look like a completely different person if styled.



I just don't feel like investing two hours a day in that. So if you have made it this far you deserve the goods.... Blu Icon Color Group has been given a Carrboro Small Business loan. This loan is responsible for starting several local staples such as Weaver Street Market, Orange County Social Club and Carrburritos. Needless to say our town would be a completely different place with out the numerous businesses that have begun with this humble loan. Not unlike Weaver Street's co-op, each stylist at Blu Icon rents their own work area, books their own appointments, and makes their own schedules. This makes for very happy stylists. Anyone who has ever sat down for a blow out that takes an hour and half and realizes their stylist is nearly homicidal due to their working conditions can understand how valuable this is. Julie is happy to be there and I'm happy to be there. It makes the whole process much more enjoyable. And it's located across the street form my lovely dear Teri at Spa Physiog.