How Dry I Am... and You will be soon !

   Although Winter isn't officially here and we have been blessed with some unusually warm weather lately,Saturday marked the official start of meteorological winter. I guess that makes it close enough for our purpose today. "DRY HAIR AND SKIN", ah yes folks, 'tis the season. Already a couple of months have passed since we put our Summer wardrobe to rest for the season, to be replaced by heavier clothes, sweaters and winter coats and Summer seems like a pleasant dream that we once had. Soon the cold winds of Winter shall begin to howl, chilling us to our bones and sucking the moisture out of our poor, bundled up bodies until we look and feel like mummies ready for our burial rites. Add to this that everytime you get in your car you'll be cranking up the heat for a more pleasant journey to... well, where ever you happen ton be going, and when you get home, you'll want to turn up the furnace enough to roast small game birds.
   Bleak? Forgive me, I get a little dramatic sometimes. It doesn't have to be that bad, with a little forethought and preparation your skin can stay soft, subtle and smooth all season long and your hair can look fantastic. Let's start with your hair, since that is our area of expertise. When making the appointment for your next visit to the salon, make sure to schedule time for a moisturizing treatment. There are a lot of great products out there that will make a huge difference in the way your hair looks, feels and responds so make sure you're taking advantage of them. Your hair will thank you. Also,  listen to your stylist when they reccomend  products for you to use at home. They know your hair and they know their products and wich ones are best suited for your needs. Salon products are more expensive but they are better for your hair and worth the investment.
   Make sure you are drinking enough water. It's easy enough to do when you're sweating it out at the gym or outdoors during warmer weather but Winter's cold air will dry you out as quickly as the Summer sun will and you won't be aware of it as easily. Consider a humidifier at home. Adding some moisture to the air during the Winter will not only make your hair and skin look better, it will make you feel better as well.
   Ask your stylist about covering up your Summer hi-lights for the season or at least softening them with a color glaze. The only time coloring damages your hair is when it is being lightened. When you go darker with the color, you are adding substance to the hair making it look shinier and healthier. Besides, your skin tones change from season to season. Your beautiful, sun kissed hi-lights might make you look washed out at this time of year so it may be time to retire them until late Spring or early Summer.
   Apply a good moisturizer to your skin before your make-up application. It will hydrate your skin and make your make-up go on more smoothly for a more polished, finished look. There are some very good night time products that will hydrate and protect your skin while you sleep, so consider these the next time you're shopping at the cosmetic counter. Don't forget about your hands! Moisturize morning, night and after each time you wash your hands.
   I know, this is all common knowledge that we are all aware of but sometimes we need a little reminder to keep us on the right road to success. I hope that todays message has been helpfull to you and as always, we appreciate your questions and comments.

Add some shine to your style!

   Everyone wants shiny, healthy looking hair. KENRA'S Silkening Gloss is the perfect choice. It's ulta-lightweight formulation tames frizz and smoothes dry ends. Made with silk proteins to add strenght and softness and its Silicone Blend provides your hair with thermal protection, smoothes the cuticle and helps to fight against the effects of humidity while adding shine.Come in and try some today for silky, lusterous hair.

Products for curly hair

   Last week we did a blog about curly hair. Due to the response, we've put together a grouping of products that will help you control your curly locks. Since curly hair has a higher protein content, you need to replenish it's moisture. I recommend KENRA'S Moisturizing Shampoo and Conditioner These humectant rich products are formulated with extra emolients to rehydrate dry, coarse, curly hair giving it greater elasticity,manageabilty and shine.

   After cleansing and moisturizing you'll need something to tame your unruly tresses. Curl Defining Creme is  perfect for refining and seperating curls while taming frizz and flyaways. KENRA'S Curl Glaze Mousse glazes each individual curl for shine,control and definition while leaving your hair soft to the touch.Both of these products are humidity resistant to keep your style looking fabulous all day long. Another product that is great for curly hair is KENRA'S Curl Spray.Use on damp hair for increased elasticity, definition and shine or spray lightly on dry hair to refresh tired curls.Lock in your finished style with KENRA'S Volume Spray #25. This humidity resistant finishing spray is a six time winner of The Stylist Choice Award for best hairspray.

   As I said in the blog last week, controlling curly hair is all about the product. Come in and let our staff of highly trained professionals help you choose the products that are right for your hair.

The end of the week, already?

   Time sure seems to fly when you're having fun, and I don't think there is anyone that has more fun than we do in our Salon. It is amazing how quickly things change when you work in an industry that changes almost as quickly as technology does. Always something new to ponder, to explore. New fashions, new styles, new products, tools, thechnology, it's difficult to keep up with things sometimes. It never seems to be a chore. I guess I'm fortunate to be working in a profession that I truly love, serving people in a way that makes a difference in their lives. It doesn't hurt that I've been blessed with the most fabulous guests that a stylist could ask for and a sensationally talented staff that cares for our guests as much as I do. I guess, all things considered, life is good.
   With that said, I'd like to thank you for visiting our little sector of cyberspace. Your questions and comments are always appreciated. If you are in the area, please take the time to visit our salon so that you can experience the difference that we can make for you. I hope that everyone has a safe and happy weekend.

Cocktail for thick, coarse hair

You've heard it before, " I'd kill to have hair like yours." If they only knew what you have to go thru in the morning to make your hair behave. Hair that seems to grow out of control when you blow dry, fighting uncooperative curls that have a mind of there own and a constant halo of fine frizz that just won't go away.
Here is a hair cocktail that will save you time and assist you in the battle against the frizz.
4-8 pumps of Kenra's Smoothing Creme
1-2 pumps of Kenra's Silkening Gloss
Mix in the palms of your hands and apply to towel dried hair. Style as usual.
Problem solved.

Hair and pregnancy

   This is a question that comes up frequently in the salon. During pregnancy you are likely to experience many changes in your hair because of the hormonal changes taking place in your body. Since these changes effect everyone differently there is no way of predicting what you might experience so, I will attempt to adress the changes I have seen in my 26 years of doing hair.
   Some of you may notice your hair becomes dry, brittle and more prone to breakage. Although there is nothing you can do to stop this, try to remember that this is a temporary condition and your hair will return to its normal state, usually within three to six months after your delivery. The use of good moisturizing shampoos and condititioners such as REDKEN'S Extreme line of haircare products will help to alleviate some of these symptoms. Products such as Extreme Cat, Deep fuel and Anti-Snap will increase your hairs strength, minimizing breakage during this time.
   Many of you will notice that your hair and nails will grow like crazy and become healthy, thick and shiny. Much of this has to do with your raging hormonal levels but some of it has to do with the added nutrients that your prenatal vitamins are providing. Relax and enjoy these amazing benefits while you can as unfortunatly it is a temporary condition. After your delivery and nursing period, your hair will return to its normal state wich means that you will probably experience some hair loss. Don't panick, this is normal,too.
   Since we are known for our coloring services, it is only fitting that we address the the question of haircoloring and pregnancy. While there is no conclusive evidence  that coloring your hair during pregnancy will cause you or your baby any harm, we recommend that you check with your healthcare provider for the answer. Most Doctors will agree that it is alright to have the service performed after the first trimester but there are some that don't think that it is safe will advise you not to have coloring services performed until after your nursing period has ended. Always check with your healthcare provider and follow their advice, they know what is best for you.

Why does red hair color fade so fast?

   This is a question that comes up frequently in the Salon. I hope that this explanation will shed some light on the subject. All artificial color fades over time, reds fade more quickly than the rest of the color palette particularly if you are having it applied in the U.S.
   The main reason that reds fade so quickly is that many years ago the FDA determined that the red dye stock molecule we used in our industry caused cancer in laboratory rats when you gave it to them in ridiculously excessive amounts. My thoughts on the subject were that rats already have a rough life, why would they want to make them live in a cage and deliberatly cause them to get cancer?

   Back to the subject, the dye stock that they replaced had a smaller molecular size than the one that they replaced it with, wich allowed it to penetrate deeper into the cuticle layer of the hair shaft giving it a better chance of staying in the hair for a longer period of time. The one that we are currently allowed to use, with it's larger molecular size, sits in the outer layer of the cuticle where it washes out of the hair more quickly.

   Another thing to consider is that the very bold, intense colors that are popular with some of our younger guests are only designed to stay in the hair for eight to ten shapooings. So, if you are looking for a more permanent color they are not a good option for you to choose.

   Here are some tips to help you keep your color longer. Sun and heat are an artificial redheads worst enemy. Keeping your hair covered during the sun and fun of summer is not always practical but it will slow down the rate at wich your color fades. Chlorinated water sources such as pools and hot tubs are hard on color treated hair, particularly hot tubs where the problem is compounded by heat. Rinse your hair thoroughly after chlorine exposure or cleanse with a clarifying shampoo and condition, condition,condition. Check your water temperature when showering or bathing. To some, a scalding hot showers feels good in the morning but it will make your hair color fade faster. The same goes for heat styling your hair. Blow dryers, flat irons and curling irons generate a lot of heat. Everytime you heat up the hair the, cuticle layer opens up resulting in a loss of pigment. Try to keep thermal styling to a minimum and you will keep your color longer.
    Talk to your stylist about  having a clear glaze applied after your color treatment. This will protect the hair and slow down fadage.Your best defense is to keep your hair in it's optimum condition by using  professional haircare products. There are many great products on the market that are designed specifically for color treated hair. Listen to your stylist when they recommend products for you to use at home. They know wich products will best fit the individual needs of your hair and wich ones will compliment the coloring products that they use. We use and recommend products by Kenra and Redken. My personal favorite is Kenra's Platinum. Their sulphate-free shampoos combined with their botanically enriched conditioners will keep your color fadage to a minimum. Redken's Color Protect is also a good choice.
   The bottom line is, you will never be able to keep your hair color from fading but it is my hope that by taking this advice it will slow the process down so that you can enjoy your color for a longer period of time.