The holidays are a time for celebrating," said Michael Hawkins, proprietor and artistic director of Savvy Salon nd Spa in Westlake Village. As a stylist, my goal is to help women celebrate who they are today in their life." That means creating a look that fits into a woman's everyday lifestyle. For special occasions, Hawkins said the key to any style is to play up a woman's physical strengths as well as balance the hair, makeup, nails and couture. "If the dress is simple, then use accents in the hair to draw attention to the hair, but if the dress is elaborate, then the hair should be simple." This holiday season, the classic up-do may be a bit too uptight Hawkins said. The casual look is in, but it does take some preparation to create a look that's comfortable yet still chic. Big flowing curls are a hit and easy to do.

The lastest in French manicures - The Light Concept Nail. This gel-like formula is softer and easier to remove than acrylic nails

For model Austen Tate's hair, Hawkin's had his work cut out for him. Having just returned from Burning Man (an eight-day-long artistic celebration in the desert of Nevada), Tate's hair had been through some tough times. Hawkins started by cutting a few inches off her long locks and subduing, yet brightening her color with a rich, golden brown. After adding setting gel, he blew her hair dry with big round brushes and used them as curlers, letting Tate sit for fifteen minutes or so before removing the mass of brushes from her mane. A little tousling with the fingers and some workable hairspray, and Tate looked energized and radiant. "I feel like a new woman!" she said. To create this look at home, Hawkins said, instead of purchasing so many brushes, large Velcro rollers will do the trick.

For a more structured look, the curls can be left intact. The final step is to mist the hair with a workable hairspray. "You don't want the hair to look like a helmet," Hawkins said. "You want it to look like you didn't mean to do it-that's very sexy."

Skin therapist and makeup artist Patty Castaneda mirrored the gold tones from Tate's hair in her makeup. Smoldering eye colors and natural lips enhanced the glow of her skin. Castaneda said ifyou play up the eyes you should use light colors on the lips and vice versa.

Nice Nails a Must
The one holiday accessory that never goes out of style is a nice set of nails. The latest craze is the French manicure for both fingernails and toenails. Manicurist Linh Tran described the newest technology in artificial nails-the Light Concept Nail. This gellike formula is softer, less odoriferous and easier to remove than acrylic nails. The LCN material is actually permanently colored and shiny. Fans of the French manicure can choose several colors of pink (as well as a light lavender) and shades of white.

Men Need Pampering, Too
For men, the latest trend is going back to old-fashioned shaving and high-end razors, Hawkins said. "The look is very clean cut so men can look as sharp as they can. Long hair is on its way out."

Savvy Salon and Spa just started carrying a new line of men's skin and hair care products called The Art of Shaving. The line offers everything from eye cream to shaving cream tailored for the male audience. "The ingredients have more masculine aromas like sandalwood and lavender so men don't feel like they smell like their wives or girlfriends when they go out," Hawkins said.

Call the salon at (818) 597-0779 or Savvy Kids at (818) 597-1236.