I was on my daily LA hike this morning and hit shuffle on my ipod.  Right about the time that I came to the steepest part of my hike, the song "Umbrella" by Rihanna came on and it was so inspiring.  I think I made it up that hill in record time, no joke. I know this song was the summer anthem of 2008, but I think that the song, and especially the video, continues to inspire us all...

As soon as I got home from my hike, I pulled up the song and video on my itunes account and was shocked to see that the video was in the number one position on my 'Top 25 Most Played' list.  I admit I played that video many times last year, but did I play it enough to be number 1 a year later?  Had there not been a new track that I loved as much as last year’s?  Obviously not.  So I played the video and I loved it all over again!  I remember that there have been exactly two times in my career that I called my agent in a state of total panic and told her  "It's over, the absolute most amazing, glamorous video has been made.  I might as well retire now!"  The two videos I am referring to are Jennifer Lopez's "Jenny From The Block" and Rihanna's "Umbrella".  To me, those two videos show an artist taking advantage of their beauty teams and pushing their hairstylists and make-up artists to not only create many different looks for a single video shoot, but to create new trends that people will want to follow, which is not an easy task, trust me.  Rihanna's influence on the hair industry was incredible; we saw actresses, models, socialites, and women everywhere cutting their hair.  The video for "Umbrella" was the perfect example to show that you can take one great haircut and style it countless different ways.  Her hair was straight and asymmetrical in one scene to show strength and control, and then her hair was curled and off her face to show a softness and versatility in the next scene.  Then she showed a masculine side with a hairstyle that was side parted and slicked down.  I think these styles are a metaphor for the many roles that today's modern women have to play as mothers, teachers, workers, and leaders. 

After I watched the video for the millionth time, I saw that this video’s influence is still strong.  In the video, the wardrobe styling is limited to only black and white, and perhaps coincidentally several major designers showed fall collections in only black or white (like Lanvin).  And I am guilty of being inspired by the video too...when I was cutting Ashley Olsen's hair, I really didn't have a specific look in mind for her, I just wanted her haircut to be modern and fashionable so I gave her an asymmetrical bob that only a young, cool girl could pull off, but now I see that it was Rihanna who inspired that cut, even subconsciously. I also see the inspiration in the new Emporio Armani ads with David and Victoria Beckham, where their hair is side parted and slicked back.  If you look around, you'll see the influence and inspiration from this incredible video just about everywhere.  As hairstylists, it is our responsibility to see this influence and show each individual client how this trend can translate into their new hairstyle. 

Take care!
Mark

P.S.  I did my research with this blog post, but I couldn't find the name of the hairstylist that created the looks for the Rihanna video.  I still have a couple avenues to go down to find this incredible stylist, and when I find him/her I will post our conversation.  

Yes, everyone has heard me say how much I love the Matrix Vavoom Gold Heat Iron-In Control and Iron-In Volume Protective Dry Mist.  It was the only product I used for Reese Witherspoon's 2007 Golden Globes moment and I've reached for that product for just about every red carpet moment I've created ever since.  You might say that I've gotten lazy as a hairstylist because the products have gotten so incredible.  

Recently, I was booked on a cover shoot with a MAJOR beauty magazine and I was beyond excited!  I arrived in the studio and the photographer told me he wanted the actress’s hair natural looking, straight and off her face.  Now, this is a client that I've known for many years and I know that her hair is VERY curly, it always falls in her face, and there is absolutely nothing natural about it!  This is a moment that would shake most hairstylists, but for me, this is the moment that I reach for my Vavoom Gold Heat…but wait, there is a problem – I don't have any Gold Heat in my kit because my last client told me that her hair had never looked so amazing as how it looked when I used Vavoom Gold Heat Iron-In Control, so I gave her my last bottle of the product.  I couldn't make the photographer that wait for me to get another bottle, so instead I found a new secret weapon.  I rough dried the actress’s hair with my hands, and then sprayed Biolage Shielding Shine Mist on my hands and raked it through the her hair… and it turned out to be exactly the style that the photographer had envisioned! 

Thank you Biolage for saving me!  So I now have another product that I cannot leave home without – Biolage Shielding Shine Mist is now in the permanent kit for Mark Townsend!

Love!
Mark

P.S. Next week is my all time favorite products I can't leave home without!

P.S.S.  Follow me on twitter for even more behind-the-scenes.  @marktownsend1

I've been doing A LOT of flying lately! Avon appearances with Reese Witherspoon in San Francisco and New York City, "Night at the Museum 2" press junket with Amy Adams in Washington DC, editorial jobs in Las Vegas, and shuttling between Los Angeles and NYC , most recently for Marie Claire magazine cover shoots with Ashley Olsen and Ellen Page. So I have spent a huge amount of time on airplanes... and I am so thankful for the personal entertainment devices that American Airlines offers, but I have just about run out of options for movies to watch. On this last trip to NYC I watched the film "Marley and Me" against the advice of all of my friends and I now understand why they didn't want me to watch it!  I love Jennifer Aniston and I love dogs so what could possibly be wrong with this film?

Well, anyone who is a Facebook friend or who follows me on twitter (marktownsend1) knows that my biggest obsession in life is my dog Theo (Theodore when he's in trouble). I adopted this shepard mutt from Ace of Hearts rescue in Los Angeles almost 4 years ago and he is the love of my life!  Sure he can be socially awkward, he jumps on people when they come to my house and sometimes he has the most unbelievably offensive breath, but he also jumps on ME when I come into the house and showers me with kisses and actually hugs me. We've spent hours together spooning in bed watching "So You Think You Can Dance" (I'm going to be in so much trouble with my dog trainer when he hears I let Theo sleep in my bed!) and I've lost close to 40 pounds thanks to Theo's endless amounts of energy and his love of hiking the trails in Griffith Park. He truly is my best friend!

So, I watch this movie and for the first 90 minutes or so its a great, fun, laugh-out-loud way to spend time, but then the movie takes a turn in a direction I was soooooo not ready for! I don't want to ruin the movie for anyone, but the dog, Marley, gets old and eventually...well, you know. This is not the sort of thing I need to see when I am in love with my own dog and I'm 30,000 feet in the air and surrounded by strangers!  The poor flight attendants thought I was having siezures I was crying so hard! I tried to quietly wipe the tears away, but it wasn't possible. I was in full-on convulsive bawling mode for half an hour, a sight that you DO NOT want to witness, trust me!

I'm on the return flight to LA at this very minute and I'm tearing up AGAIN! I can't wait to get home and squeeze that gorgeous, sometimes smelly, always loveable mutt of mine!

P.S. A huge hug and special thanks to the amazing Kristen Bell for telling me about Ace Of Hearts dog rescue in Los Angeles!

I've said how great my job is. I've talked about fortunate I am and how thankful I am for the oppotunities that my career offers me. I've written about the incredible sights I've seen because I get to travel to amazing places doing hair and the amazingly talented people I get to work with. But there is another side to all this as well. I've lost friends because I took a job over going to their wedding. I missed my grandmothers funeral because I was commited to a magazine cover photo shoot. I've missed countless birthday parties and baby showers and I've been single for WAY TOO LONG because of my commitment to my career. And believe me, you don't even want to know about the politics that comes along with being a freelance hairstylist (editors, publicists, stylists all telling you what to do) and sometimes it can get a little overwhelming and although it sounds like its all fun and glamorous, its also very isolating and lonely. I try to not let it all get to me, but I think its inevitable that it does and I can get sad and think about the things I've missed out (like a boyfriend!).

But then I get to spend a day with the absolutely gorgeous Amy Adams and the most unbelievably talented make up artist Molly Stern, who I count as one of my closest friends and the person responsible for keeping me grounded. We were working on a shoot for British Vogue on the beaches in Malibu, CA and it was a fantastic day! The weather was perfect and it was just one of those days where everyone is in perfect sync and is collaborating. Its just so inspiring to have those days! It makes me work harder and make the hair even more perfect! This was the view from where I was doing Amy's hair. I think its going to be the most beautiful pictures of her ever taken and I'm back to loving every single second of my life!

Thank you!!!!!

I'm riding in a cab over the Brooklyn Bridge on my way to a studio to do a shoot for Marie Claire magazine. Today we are shooting the cover with my girl Ashley Olsen. I love working with her! She's just the sweetest, and I've been doing her hair since was 16. She is really inspiring to me, she is so smart and has a wicked sense of style! I'm sure the photos will be beautiful.

I'll take some behind-the-scenes pictures today and post them on twitter.com/marktownsend1

I got a call from my mom yesterday and she asked why I haven't posted a blog on matrix.com in such a long time. First I laughed because I didn't know my mother was reading my blog, and she told me it was fun for her to read all about my work and travels so I promised her I would keep the blog updated.

I've been very busy lately and racking up some frequent flier miles! I've been shooting a lot of fashion editorials, which are so much fun because that's when I get to push myself to create crazy looks and big big hair. I even did one shoot where the photographer told the makeup artist and I to change the models look for each new shot and we managed to come up with 14 different looks...in one day! I think I used every wig, extension, and even some feathers in my kit!

You can keep up with me and check out photos by following me on twitter.com/marktownsend1

I just worked on the Art Of Elysium Fashion Show sponsored by Vogue Magazine and it was so much fun! For the show, Vogue picks five of their favorite fashion collections and brings them to Los Angeles. This season we re-created the looks from Prada, Nina Ricci, Carolina Herrera, Calvin Klein, and Balmain.

The show was plenty stressful with 26 models and 5 different looks, but luckily I had a team of 12 amazing hairstylists to help me out.

8:45am.
Over the past week I've had to keep some pretty crazy hours, some really late nights and some REALLY early mornings...and I even had to work all night last Wednesday, so I'm so glad that I could sleep in on Oscar Sunday so I'm rested up for the big day.

9:00am.
I have a quick espresso and then get my sneakers, ipod, and my dog Theo in the car for a hike. I love to go hiking in the morning before work, especially on a day like the Oscars because it gives me a little time to myself to get some inspiration from the music and the views.

10:30am.
I get home, shower and then have another espresso while I check my kit to make sure I have every product and every tool I could possibly need. I tend to be a creature of habit and use the same five or six products and two irons, but I have to bring everything with me because I know the one time I don't have a wave iron, I will want to use it! I also make sure I have a variety of color and length extensions and lots of accessories for the hair in case I get spontaneously inspired to add some extra glamour to the hairstyles.

11:15am. I'm in the car and on my way to Amy Adams' house.

12:00pm.
I get to Amy's and set up my work space while chatting with Amy and Molly Stern, her makeup artist. I've worked with Amy for a long time, just over 5 years, so I know her hair really well and I know how Amy likes to wear it. I had been to Amy's fitting at Carolina Herrera so I had plenty of time to brainstorm and come up with ideas for hairstyles that would work with the dress. We decided on a modern take on a classic hairstyle called a Snood, which was a very popular style in the 30's, where the hair is parted to one side and rolled over at the nape of the neck.

12:30pm
I start blowdrying Amy's hair, and trust me, she has so much hair! Its long and thick and people always ask if it's extensions, but its all hers! I always use Biolage volumatherapie Bodifying Spray Gel all over and then Biolage smooththerapie Smoothing Serum towards the ends before I blow dry her hair. 1:15pm It takes 45 minutes to dry her hair which is a great workout for my arms, so we decide now is the perfect time to have a champagne toast to our Oscar nominee!

1:30pm
Many of the times when I create an up-do for a client, I like to take their hair and form shapes with it. Sometimes I braid the hair and wrap it up or I do several twists with the hair and pin each of them up. I love to work this way, it is like doing a sculpture with hair, but I don't always get it right on the first try so I have to take all the pins out and start over. With Amy's hairstyle it was on the third attempt that every hair fell into place!

1:45pm
My work on Amy is done, for now (the dress has to go OVER her head!), so I give her fiance a haircut.

2:30pm
Amy is dressed and luckily her hair held up pretty well considering her dress went over her head, so I have just a few hairs to put back into place. I throw in a few more bobby pins and one more go 'round with my Vavoom Shapemaker Hairspray. 2:45pm Amy is ready early so we take some fun photos of her with the glam squad.

3:00pm
Amy is out the door and on her way to the Academy Awards! Because this year some of the presenters were kept a secret, they do not have to arrive to the Kodak Theater until just before they present. Reese doesn't have to be ready for a few hours so I take my time packing my kit and watching some of the red carpet arrivals.

4:00pm
On my way to Reese!

4:30pm
I arrive to her house and get another peak at her gorgeous dress!

5:00pm
We decided to keep her hair very chic and simple so I give her a blowout and part her hair down the middle and then twist it into a knot/chignon in the back.

6:00pm
As we are getting ready we get to watch the Oscars live, so we take a few breaks to see what's happening on the show!

7:00pm
Reese is out the door.

8:45pm
I give Reese a new look for the after parties by taking her hair down and giving it a soft wave with the sides pulled back.

9:15pm On my way home! I need some rest!

Amy mentioned that she wanted to wear a very classic 1930's hairstyle called a Snood and I had been very inspired by the hairstyles worn by Tilda Swinton in The Curious Case Of Benjamin Button. I went to Amy's fitting at Carolina Herrera and saw the dress and incredible jewelry she would be wearing and knew that our ideas would work perfectly with the dress. I love the juxtaposition of structure and softness in the dress and wanted to copy that in the hair so I created structure with the chignon and softness with the texture.  The end result was a modern, cool version of a classic Hollywood hairstyle. To get Amy's chignon, I sprayed her damp hair with Biolage Bodifying Spray Gel and blow dried it with a large Spornette Mixed Bristle round brush. When the hair was dry I took some Biolage Molding Soufflé in my hands and raked it through her hair with my fingers to create a soft, piecey texture.  I then took all her hair and gathered it at the nape of her neck and looped it into a sideways figure 8 stretching the length of her hairline allowing the ends of the hair to fall over the chignon. Amy has very long and very thick hair so I secured the chignon with lots of bobby pins to ensure it wouldn't come loose throughout the night. For added shine and extra hold I finished the look by spraying the entire hairstyle with Vavoom ShapeMAKER Hairspray.

For the Independent Spirit Awards, I was inspired by Mary Kate Olsen's amazing Balmain dress and wanted her hair to be young, modern and cool without seeming over done.  So I gave her hair a wavy texture by taking 3-inch sections of the hair and a spritzing some Vavoom Gold Heat Iron-In Control and then wrapping each section around a 1 1/2 inch FHI Heat curling iron. When all the hair was curled I took Biolage Molding Soufflé and raked it through the hair with my fingers to give the hair amazing shine and piecey-ness. Next, I gathered the hair from the back section behind her right ear and braided it, securing the hair with a small elastic about 2 inches from the bottom. I then looped the hair up and secured the elastic to the base behind her right ear with bobby pins letting several hairs fall loose. To make sure the hair stayed all day I gave her hair a final spray of Vavoom ShapeMAKER Hairspray.

I styled January Jones & Amy Adams for the SAG Awards – here are my techniques:

JANUARY JONES:

For the Screen Actors Guild Awards, Matrix stylist Mark Townsend, who works at Sally Hershberger salons in LA and NYC, wanted to give January Jones a gorgeous, modern hairstyle to match her beautiful Andrew Gn dress. He first applied Biolage Volumizing Whipped Mousse to her damp hair and blow dried it with a Spornette Mixed Bristle Round Brush. Next, he took three inch sections of hair and sprayed them with Vavoom Gold Heat Iron-In Volume Protective Dry Mist and wrapped each section around a GHD 1 1/2 inch curling iron and set for 15 minutes. When all the hair was set and curled he took out the pins and brushed out the curls with a Mason Pearson flat brush. The end result was a soft yet modern look that played up January's natural beauty.

AMY ADAMS:

For Amy Adams, as soon as Matrix stylist Mark Townsend saw her beautiful dress, he knew her hair should be in an updo. He first applied Vavoom Height Of Glam Volumizing Foam to her damp hair and blow dried it with his fingers -- no brushes allowed! When all her hair was dry, he took a dollup of Biolage Molding Souffle in his hands and raked it through Amy's hair. Next, he gathered all her hair at the back of her head and twisted it into a large, messy bun, securing it with several bobby pins. To make sure the style lasted all night, he finished the look off by spraying her hair all over with Vavoom ShapeMaker Extra-Hold Shaping Spray.

6:45am - I woke up early and took my dog Theo for a nice long hike in Griffith Park. I know it's going to be a very long day so once I get home I have a little breakfast and take a shower.

9:30am - I give my kit a quick once over to make sure I have everything I could possibly need to get my clients ready for the Golden Globe Awards and jump in the car to drive to my first client, January Jones.

10:10am - I'm 10 minutes late to January's house (not a great way to start the day) but I'm greeted by January's family and set myself up at her dining table. While pulling out products and irons and rollers, I realize that I didn't pack one single extension cord so I franticly text my friend Rachel who is doing January's makeup today and ask her to loan me a couple extension cords. Luckily, there is an outlet close to where January sits for her blowout! We've already discussed the look we wanted for the day, so it is time to get started.

10:50am - I'm just starting to set January's hair in rollers when she is taken away from me to have a fitting with the seamstress from Versace. The fitting takes about 40 minutes and I start getting REALLY nervous because I am supposed to leave by noon to get to my next client!

11:30am - I get January back in the chair and finish setting her hair.

12:10pm - I take out the clips from January's set and brush out the hair. It falls into place everywhere except around her face, which is the most important place! I go back over her hair with the curling iron and setting spray and reset the barrel curls around her face. I leave the clips in and tell her that my assistant will be over to take the clips out and give her hair a final touch up.

12:30pm - Now I'm in trouble but not too panicked because my next client Amy Adams doesn't live too far away and I already know that we want to keep Amy's natural texture so I won't have to blow dry all her hair (thank heavens!). I drive very quickly, but safely, over to Amy's and curse that a cop is behind me almost the whole way there.

12:50pm - I arrive at Amy's house to a very relaxed and cheerful host. I see her dress and jewelry, which is breathtaking. She is wearing very large, green earrings so we decide to pull the sides of her hair back to show them off. Her hair is still a little damp so I blow dry with my fingers trying not to disturb her natural wave.

1:15pm - Amy's makeup is done and I start enhancing her hair with a curling iron and pull the sides back and secure them with bobby pins.

1:45pm - I spray Amy's hair with spray shine and let it rest for a while. I start snacking on cheese and crackers and chatting with everyone.

2:20pm - It's time for Amy to get in the dress so I keep snacking on those cheese and crackers (thanks Amy!).

2:40pm - The makeup artist and I give Amy some final touch ups and send her on her way to the red carpet. Then we start to pack our kits but we keep snacking too!

3:00pm - I drive home for a short break and to watch some of the red carpet arrivals.

6:00pm - I'm back in the car on my way to get Natalie Portman ready for the after parties.

6:30pm - I arrive at Natalie's and set my kit up while she finishes up her makeup. We all watch more of the red carpet arrivals and gossip about who looks the best (and worst!)

6:55pm - Dinner arrives! Nat ordered vegan thai and coconut for everyone so I dig in and watch the beginning of the Golden Globe awards. Since the show is not live on the West coast, we already have heard who wins the awards, but it's still fun to hear the acceptance speeches.

7:15pm - Natalie is done with makeup so she tries on her party dress so we can decide the best hairstyle to go with it. She's wearing a super cute and sexy Rodarte dress so we decide on a messy chignon for the hair.

7:30pm - I blow dry Natalie's hair and run some Biolage Molding Souffle through the dry hair to give it some texture. I've know Natalie for years so I know what works best in her hair and what shapes she likes so I secure a messy chignon at the nape of her neck and she gets back into her dress.

8:15pm - A few sprays of Vavoom Freezing Spray and I send her off to enjoy the after parties.

8:30pm - What a loooong day! I'm really, really happy driving home because I realize that I've known all three of the women I worked with today for over six years!

9:15pm - I arrive home and grab a bite to eat and fall asleep watching the Golden Globes!

Awards Season is under way in Hollywood and I have to say, nothing gets my clients ready for the red carpet like Vavoom Gold Heat Iron-In Control Protective Dry Mist! It is truly a miracle product. For the People's Choice Awards on Wednesday, I used this product to give Reese Witherspoon her gorgeous, shiny, straight hair. I did not need to do any blowdrying or other prep to her hair, I just took two inch sections of hair, sprayed each section with Vavoom Gold Heat Iron-In Control and ran the straight iron over the section - her hair came out so beautiful with tons of shine.

I used Vavoom Gold Heat again on Thursday night, but this time on Amy Adams' hair for the Broadcast Film Critics' Awards. I took three inch sections of hair and sprayed each section with Vavoom Gold Heat Iron-In Control Protective Dry Mist, and then wrapped the section around a two inch curling iron so the ends would have a little movement. I couldn't have been happier with the way her hair came out, it was chic and shiny and ready for the red carpet.

I'm gearing up for a very busy weekend...fashion show on Saturday and The Golden Globes on Sunday. I think it's going to be my favorite weekend of the year!

For the Prime-Time Emmy Awards this year, I worked with my good friend January Jones from the show Mad Men. First off, I am so obsessed with Mad Men! It has to be one of my all time favorite shows. I buy the season on itunes and the new episodes are automatically downloaded on my computer so I can watch when I'm travelling.

For the red carpet this year, January was wearing this really cool Dolce and Gabbana gown so I wanted to make her hair soft and romantic, but still modern. I applied a handful of Biolage Hydro-Foaming Styler to her damp hair and rough dried her hair, giving it a good scrunch to add some texture. Then I wrapped two to three inch sections of her hair around a one inch curling iron to create pretty tight waves, then raked Biolage Molding Souffle through the waves to break them up a little bit. Next, I gathered the hair in the back and wrapped it into a messy bun closer to her right ear so it was off center (that's a great trick I picked up so that you can see some of the bun from the front).

To keep the romantic feel I was going for, I wrapped diamond necklaces over the top of her head, creating a diamond headband. I also took a strand of diamonds and wrapped them into the bun. I really loved the way it looked and shined on the red carpet!

It has been so long since I wrote on my blog! I think I've been too upset about Charlie not winning Shear Genius to talk hair.

I'm sweating it up on a photo shoot in Los Angeles today. Of course we have to shoot outside in 90 degree heat. I'm sure you all know how hard it is to keep hair in order when sweat and humidity are working against you!

In other news, I'm starting to work out of the Sally Hershberger Salon in LA soon. I'm really excited to get back into the salon!