Don’t get burnt - A lesson by Tori

You’ve probably all seen the YouTube of a then 13 year old Tori Locklear giving a tutorial on how to use a curling iron that went horribly wrong.

Fortunately for Tori, her hair styling disaster landed her a guest spot on Ellen and a kit-out of new hair and make-up tools and supplies, along with a wig - just in case.

The cause of the burnt hair - an assumed short in the curling iron that then prevented a regulation of the heat.

Hair dryers, hot rollers, curling and straightening irons run the gamut of brands, prices and places to be purchased.  There’s lots of choice, whether you purchase at discount chains such as Kmart and Big W, online from Amazon, etc, or from beauty supply chains - how are you sure your purchase won’t burn you.

Reputable stylists have access to suppliers of quality tools and should be your first stop when looking to buy styling tools.  Not only can they advise you on the best brands and types of tools to achieve the look you want, they can also give you advice on the right products to protect your hair when using specific tools.

Check for stylist credentials where you purchase your tools.  Look for a registered stylist with HAIR – Hairdressing Australia Industry Register, and preferably a membership with the Australian Hairdressing Council.

PS - Last chance for our Spring Stay and Play promotion - details here.

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.

Spring Time!

Well, it’s time to shake off winter and take stock of what’s in our closets.  Spring cleaning is my favourite time of year - checking on what wardrobe items I will move out and making room for the new spring / summer fashions I will be bringing home.

Colours for SS18 will be influenced by our northern hemisphere fashionistas, but Australian designers also like to do their own thing.  

You’ll see a mix of some bold standards - blues and reds - mixed with a larger palette of pastels.  Pink will range from softer pastel into more bold colours reaching a beautiful rose hue.

Red will be a staple, featuring across fabrics, accessories and statement accents, and will also have range that allows for tangerine to make an appearance leading into summer.  You may have already seen lots of fun blue/red and blue/tangerine stripes moving onto the racks.  

Oh!  And metallics!!!  Yes!

Image: Ian West

And, of course, black is always a great balance - so check what you already have in black accessories.

So, what about nail and lip colour?  Accent with similar colours from the fashion palette; blues, tangerines and bold pinks for nails and reds, tangerines and pinks for lips. These ladies sum up the spring trends rather nicely:

Images: David M Benett

To help you kick start your spring look, we’ve got our Spring Stay and Play promotion - book a mini-makeover and any cosmetics you purchase on the day will be 20% off.  

Looking forward to seeing you soon!

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!