Taking care of your inner beauty

What we put in our bodies is often outwardly reflected, just ask any GP or naturopath.  Health practitioners from a wide range of fields can simply look into your eyes, check your skin and nails and be able to diagnose what may be lacking from your diet.

As we get older and devote more time to our outward beauty regime, it is easy to forget that our internal organs are aging as well and might need a little lift.

Consider how you often hear people say they can’t handle things (alcohol, sugar, certain processed foods, etc) the way they used to.  Or that indulging in certain things leaves a tell tale sign on their skin, with their energy levels, and even impacts good sleeping patterns.

The reverse can also hold true.  If you are not getting enough of a certain vitamin or mineral, there can be strong impacts felt such as aches, cramps and fatigue.  It can be hard to identify the source of the issue as you may be ingesting the same quantities you used to, but now your body doesn’t absorb or maintain vitamins and minerals the way it did when you were younger.

There is strong evidence that diet and nutrition can have a positive impact on skin issues such as eczema, acne, rosacea and psoriasis as well as inflammatory issues which have been linked to dairy, gluten, sugar and other refined foods.

Beauty and hair stylists are trained in skin, nails and hair biology, cosmetic chemistry including structure and function, and the physical effects of services. All of which can offer you a distinct advantage when combined with your stylist’s knowledge of your outward beauty regime and the products you use. 

Your stylist’s education and training can help you narrow down potential sources of the problem if your hair, skin, or nails are showing tell tale signs of vitamin or mineral deficiencies in your diet, however if you find a problem persists you should always consult your GP. 

Another great year!

Happy Holidays!

As Christmas and New Year draw closer, we want to take this opportunity to thank you for choosing our styling boutique for your hair, beauty and nail services, workshops and lessons.

With a great choice of quality salons and beauty spas, we appreciate that you not only continue as our clients but also consider our services as some of the best in the Brisbane.

We want to wish you a happy and joyful Christmas and a prosperous 2019.

If the season has snuck up on you, we still have some appointments available, and we have a great offer on gift vouchers, should you need some last minute gifts.

We look forward to seeing you soon!
Merry Christmas.

Nailed It!

Gel nails are fast becoming the preferred option for manicures over standard polishes.  Not new technology anymore - gels have been around since the 1980’s - however, a lot has been learnt and refined in their ingredients to provide a better, longer, lasting finish.

Dr Chris G. Adigun, a dermatologist and member of the American Academy of Dermatology who specialises in nails notes that gels have become significantly more popular over the last ten years as formulas have improved and made them easier to apply and remove.

This has completely changed the experience for clients, as Dr Adigun further states;

Manicures were a much faster procedure with traditional polishes, however, today a gel manicure can be performed in nearly the same amount of time as a traditional manicure — with better results.

And the benefits don’t end there.  Where polishes are prone to chipping easily, gels are more resistant and provide a finish that is designed to last much longer.  

Have you avoided manicures because you have shorter nails?

Gels are great for shorter nails with the gel basically acting as an extension, imitating the natural look of nails, and being more longer wearing.  Lasting about 2 to 3 weeks, gel nails give you the opportunity to wear long nails without the common effects of breaking.  Much longer than nail polishes.

“Durability is the No. 1 benefit of a gel manicure, plus, no other manicure has the high shine that you get with a gel.”  - Chris Adigun, MD, FAAD 

Some other advantages gels have over polished nails is their ability to instantly dry, so no worry about smearing or smudging when you leave the salon, and they allow for some fabulous designs and artwork to be created to suit just your look.

We’ve written before about how and why we select the products used in our styling boutique and our gel nail solution is no different.  Bio-sculpture Gel was created by a salon owner who was looking for a product that ticked all the boxes.  Finding nothing that fit her criteria, she set about with a team of chemists to create a product of the highest standard.

Bio-sculpture Gel, as with many of our other products, is vegan, animal cruelty free and void of toxic ingredients that can be found in other nail products.  They have also received a 5 star safety rating from an independent clinical research body.  

With sandal season upon us, it’s important you can feel confident and assured about your next Mini-pedi with Gel Toes.

PS! Don’t forget our great Spring Stay and Play promotion - 20% off all cosmetics when you have one of our great Mini-Makeovers.

Sleeping Beautiful!

Sleep.....we all know the important role it plays in our health and wellbeing, but it is during our sleeping hours that we can inflict extra damage to our hair.  Here are five easy tips to avoid damaging your hair while you sleep.

1.    Avoid sleeping with wet hair

The keratin in your hair is linked with natural hydrogen.  When your hair is wet water breaks down these hydrogen bonds making your hair weak and susceptible to damage.  The bonds are restored when the hair is dry again - this is why you can style your hair when it’s wet - however, to sleep on wet, weakened hair makes the strands very susceptible to damage.  So it’s best to take a few extra minutes with the hair dryer and make sure your hair is good and dry before hitting the pillow.

2.    Brush your hair out.

We’ve previously discussed the benefits of a great scalp brush, and it’s an important night time routine for your hair.  Tossing and turning during the night will add stress to your already tangled hair.  Brushing out your tangles before bed will give your hair a fighting chance against the stresses of tangles during the night.

3.    Give your hair an overnight dose of luxury oil

While you’re giving yourself that beautiful scalp brush, why not add some hair oil prior and turn it into a full overnight protectant for your hair?  Hair oil applied to the ends of your hair will hydrate and condition your hair while you sleep.

4.    Top knot it

Tie your hair up on the very top of your head - in front of the crown.  You can protect it from tangling and keep the ends out of the way of any friction that can be caused when your hair ends rub against bed linen.  Plus, you will avoid damaging tangles.  Just be sure to use a silk scrunchie or scarf to tie it up with.

5.    Upgrade to a quality silk pillowcase

Silk fibres are gentler on your hair and reduce the amount of friction that can happen with a cotton pillowcase.  Cotton can pull on your hair while you sleep.  The friction is what causes bed head and it can also have a devastating impact on your fresh blow wave or straightening.

So work these simple steps into your bedtime routine and give you hair a little pampering - it will thank you for it with less damage to the ends and longer lasting blow waves.

Don’t forget this is the last month of our Winter Workshops Giveaway - make your appointment today!

Until next month beautiful ladies!