Today is our first challenge and I’m very excited…but also a little anxious. This will be the first time that we will be working with the designers. I was spoiled by the end of Season 2 because I had gotten to know the designers so well that by the last taping, I could decipher their hand movements and guess the look they were going for -- even before they said it!

Because it was the first taping, a few of the designers were confused with the schedule and how to navigate their models between hair and make-up. It works best when the designers accompany their models to aid in the styling process. Keith had to finish his outfit so he sent his model, Nazri, down to the TRESemmé hair salon flying solo. To decipher the look she was trying to explain (hairstyles are not always easy to describe), I called over the styling team. From what we understood, Keith wanted her hair to be curlier. In case you are not familiar with Nazri’s hair, she has the most beautiful, thick curls you will ever see.

We only get 30 minutes to do each of the models’ hair and, let me tell you, We HAVE to stick to that timeframe! I asked George, one of the other styling team members, to help me curl her hair. For the next 15 minutes we curled and curled and curled. And then we curled some more. It didn’t feel like we were getting anywhere. Keith then entered the salon and upon seeing Nazri, rushed over to say that he just wanted us to touch up her natural texture and that he DID NOT want it to be curly. This was both a relief and a scare for George and me.

THANK GOODNESS for the TRESemmé Instant Heat Tamer. We quickly doused her hair with it and diffused her hair with a blowdryer. I then used a mixture of products to enhance her natural, beautifully wavy texture. In the end her hair looked amazing! I always say: Sometimes you arrive at the most stunning style completely by accident.

This was also my first experience with Vincent and his unusual ways. He is a talented designer with an amazing vision but sometimes he doesn’t know how to put it into words. Again, we only have 30 minutes to style each model’s hair whether they want an intricate updo style or just need a cute ponytail. And did I mention that he had a hat (made from a basket) that we needed to create our style around? By the time we were able to align on what Vincent wanted for his model, Lindsay, we were 15 minutes into our allotted time. We ended up only styling the back of the hair as it stuck out of the hat. Very interesting.

At the end of the taping, I had to admit, we did some fantastic hair. It was wonderful to finally meet the designers and get a sense of the rest of the season. I’m excited…