Your most important accessory

Your hair is the one thing that you wear absolutely everyday. Bad hair day or not, you are stuck with it - so having a great cut and color is of utmost importance. So what are the latest and greatest trends?

Amber, my stylist (she works at the fabulous Anthony Peter Salon) travels with Paul Mitchell's education teams and recently went to the Paul Mitchell Midwest Beauty Show, which was attended by 80,000 people - mostly hair professionals of all kinds. At these events, attendees learn about new products and new styles; they can watch Paul Mitchell experts execute new techniques live on stage.

Some of these new products include Inkworks, vibrant temporary colors that can be layered over the existing color for a spectacular effect, and PM Shines, a quick way to add intense shine to your hair, a "lease with the option to buy" - perfect for those hesitant to jump into full on color. There are also lots of great new red shades, including cool reds with ash browns underneath.

In terms of cuts, there were lots of asymmetrical looks and cuts that were shorter on the bottom, longer on top. In addition, there was plenty of topcoating, or layering colors in order to create a vivid look that is easy to maintain. For instance, red hair is difficult to maintain, but topcoating will extend the life of your shade.

Amber says that "the right tools are like the foundation of a house." You need them to build a great style. She customizes cut and color for each of her clients, creating the right cut and color and working with "the fabric of their hair" and teaching them "how to use products and tools to make their hair look like it does in the salon."

Now, we've all been there - gotten a fabulous cut that is impossible to replicate outside of the salon, so a stylist who ensures that you can indeed "style this at home" is worth their weight in gold.