CHI - Winter 2007 - (Page 60) FAROUK BEHIND THE SCENES IDOL HANDS AND BEAUTY WITH BETTY New these jobs days are nerve wracking. So imagine how Mary Ann Valdes felt when she reported for work as the newly hired hairdresser on ABC’s hit, Ugly Betty and her first “client” was Vanessa Williams, who plays the slinky and conniving Wilhelmina Slater! But without knowing it, Valdes had an ace in the hole. She recalls, “When Vanessa saw that I was carrying CHI® tools and Farouk products, she said, ‘Oh, I know I’ll like you, because you use my favorite products!” Doolittle and LaKisha Jones wore short ’60s looks in a nod to the era of the Supremes, and fuzzy-haired Chris Sligh joined them to continue the Motown theme with “I Heard It Through the Grapevine.” Then Sanjaya entered with slicked-back Ike Turner waves for a “Proud Mary” duet with Melinda. As they began, Melinda shook her head, detached a clip and let loose a cascade of long, flowing curls! ■ For rocker Gina Glocksen, Wilson fashioned a long mohawk down her back. ■ Smooth-domed Phil Stacey needed a head shave about every two days, and he usually did that himself. Even so, Wilson says Phil stopped in daily to say hello. “He was like the father on the tour.” ■ Pals Blake Lewis and Chris Richardson “really rocked out on a song together,” Wilson reports. For the L.A. show, Wilson got Chris to try a faux hawk, and he loved it! “It looked good on him,” Wilson notes. “He’s a nice-looking guy and quite stylish, so I kept him shaped up all the time.” ■ Haley Scarnato was “a lot of fun,” says Wilson, who gave Haley extensions for extra fullness and flowy waves. Wilson put the American Idol production up with the top tours in the industry. “I wanted people to look at our tour and see the same quality they saw on Beyoncé’s tour or any tour,” he explains. “That’s important to me, and I was adamant about it.” ■ Melinda American Iron Working the 2007 American Idol tour over the summer, Atlanta-based celeb stylist Neil Wilson had a similar experience. “Everyone loves the CHI® iron,” he reveals, “especially (Idol Ugly Betty’s Vanessa Williams likes winner) Jordin Sparks. stylists who use Farouk products. I also like the CHI® blow dryer, which I use on a regular basis with my salon clients. It works great to keep out the frizz and make hair smooth and soft.” The speedy tour, taking less than three months for 66 dates across the U.S., featured the popular show’s top 10 finishers. With Sanjaya Malakar turning this season’s show into a must-watch just for his ever-changing style, hair was a big part of the tour. Wilson not only created all the stage looks but also did the styling during the performances. He offers these glimpses into the styles: Not so “Ugly” Quality and cooperation are key on the set of Ugly Betty, too. “It’s a real collaboration,” reports Valdes, whose other TV credits include American Dreams and Chicago Hope; her movie credits include Blades of Glory, Year of the Dog, The Birdcage and Miami Vice. “We have a great cast, and the producers are wonderful, too. It’s a fun show to work on because we get to create interesting characters.” In fact, things went so well last season that Valdes and her team were nominated for an Emmy for their work on the series. It helps to have all of her Farouk products supporting her efforts, Valdes notes. She uses CHI® Straight Guard; CHI® 44 Iron Guard; 60 Volume IV, Issue 13
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