Hand Tied Weft

I have learned a few new tricks and now I can confidently say that I love installing hand tied weft extensions. I can make them invisible by installing one weft below and one above. I can blend them seamlessly by custom coloring. I can match the bead to the density and color of your hair and I can install quickly and accurately which will keep your hair feeling perfect for longer. I have been taking online classes over the last 12 months. I became certified in another brand and have dedicated myself to online learning every month over the last year. There are new options; new threads, new textures, new density, new installation techniques. Everything has gotten so much better.

Thank you to all of my current clients who allow me to experiment on your hair while learning what works best over time. If it weren’t for my amazing clients I wouldn’t know what I know. I can learn online as much as I want but actually practicing these techniques on real hair with different density issues is how I really learn.

I have included a few examples of my current work. Enjoy!

Hand tied weft

Hand tied weft installation

Hand tied weft

Machine tied weft, invisible installation

Machine tied weft

Hand Tied Weft Educator

It’s official I am an educator in the Hand Tied Weft method. I have completed all of the training and job shadowing that Aqua has asked me to do. I completed my third class in Idaho Falls last week.

I initially felt that 3 classes plus the 3 day training that we had in Seattle was overkill but I do now realize how important all of those classes were. All of my shadow classes were hosted by a different educator which was an experience in itself because everyone has their own teaching style and everyone absorbs and gives information differently. Also meeting all the different class attendees helped me to realize the variety of skill levels that turn up to these classes. There is a broad mix of total amateurs, intermediate’s and professionals. They all have different needs.

I am so happy to have the extensive training that Aqua provided me both directly and indirectly. This past summer has been a whirlwind of Hand Tied Weft experience. I started 2019 not knowing a thing about Hand Tied Weft and I am ending it with over a hundred hours of training and a new handful of trusted hair extension colleagues that I can turn to for advice and inspiration.

I am teaching a Hand Tied Weft class all by myself on 10/6 at Kiwi salon in Boise. If you are a stylist who would like to attend please contact Melissa Dancer through Salon Service. She will get you registered, but you better hurry there are only a few seats remaining.

Teaching Hand Tied Weft

I had an adventure in Spokane yesterday. The adventure really started on Sunday night, that’s when I flew up to Spokane from Boise. I went quickly to my hotel and was totally mortified at the accommodations that I had booked for myself. That’s right I had done this to myself, nobody else to blame. I knew it was going to be bad when my middle eastern Lyft driver told me that I should have stayed closer to the airport. When he dropped me off he said “good luck” and sped away. There were shady characters standing out front smoking, more like standing in front of the door. I whisked past them determined to get inside and go to bed. I have nothing else to do here! The check in clerk eyed me I felt suspiciously when I handed her my credit card and ID, She asked if I had any pets and when I answered “no” she looked at me again as if to say, really? No “service animals”? I walked about 100 feet from the check in desk to my room and the second I walked inside I realized why she had asked me about pets. It smelled like I was sleeping in a kennel. I may as well have been caged. Thoughts ran through my mind about the poor families in detention centers at our American Borders who would probably find this luxurious and all I can do is think badly about it. I briefly thought about grabbing my stuff and walking out to find another place, but since it was just me, I knew I could get through it. I set my alarm for 6:00 am. I willed myself to sleep, trying to stay in one position to touch the least of the bed possible. I woke up at 5:50 amazed that my plan had worked. I quickly showered and left ASAP. I went to a local coffee shop and caught up on work for a couple hours, arriving at my classroom at promptly 8:00 am right when they opened.

I was the first educator to arrive. I wanted to be there early because I was unsure what portion of the class I was supposed to be teaching. The classroom was unfortunately in the basement of Salon Services. So there was no daylight, the concrete floors are tough on the body and it was unbearably quiet. As it got closer to 9:00 people, both educators and students started drifting in. I had a chance to quickly catch up with a few of the educators that I had met in Seattle at our training event.

This small group of students who attended the Hand Tied Weft class were lucky because they each had an educator to help them. Unlike the class I took a couple of weeks ago with 50+ students and 3 educators. If I could have taught the class myself I would have done it differently. Here are some suggestions that I have.

1. Go over the format of the class at the beginning. Let everyone know how their day is going to unfold. I hate suffering through not knowing when we will get a break or when I will be able to leave.

2. Cover the client consultation in much more detail. This is the most important part of the whole process. Choosing the method that is correct for your guest, determining the palette of hair color and arriving at a price for both the initial installation and the maintenance are crucial in making you and the guest feel good about the service(s) that you will be giving to them.

3. Problems and Roadblocks, these are rarely discussed in class, as if they never happen. They do happen and we should be asking students what types of issues they are running into in the salon. Are their clients needing maintenance sooner than they should? Are clients experiencing any irritation or damage from an installation?

4. Legal paperwork, the services that we are providing often exceed the $500 mark, often in the deposit alone. Although we may not be able to provide a template for the student and their clients we should be doing a much better job at providing them a framework for the stylist legal responsibility to the client after they take the initial deposit money. The paperwork isn’t meant to intimidate or put off the client. It is meant to better define their responsibility for their purchase. The disclaimer also protects the stylist against almost everything besides a horrible installation. It isn’t the stylists fault if the client doesn’t take care of their new hair the way they are supposed to. It isn’t their fault if the hair is defective from the beginning. It isn’t their fault that the hair is very expensive, but we do get the blame and hear the complaints. I am always willing to work with my clients to find a solution and talk with the company regarding their product and guarantee but I need them to also know that if nothing can be done to satisfy them that they won’t be receiving a refund of any kind.

5. Visual materials: Besides the mannequin head and the instructor there is little to look at during the class. It would be nice to have a visual description of the thread in relation to the bead. It would also be nice to have a cohesive description of the installation, spacing, removal and maintenance procedures. Another nice touch would be to send those visual cues out to the students a day or two after class via email to keep extensions on their mind, and to let the students know that we as a company and as educators are here for them. Even a demonstration of the threading of just the beads without the weft in the way would be a great way to better visually break down the training and keep the students moving

6. Physical Materials: We should be able to look at and smell the shampoo, conditioner and masque that Aqua retails. If it is an important part of their guarantee and a required product for clients we should know more about it. Aqua should send those products in advance along with the kits and give them away at the end.

7. Giveaway, everybody likes to get something. Aqua is missing a huge opportunity to get tools into their stylist hands. They should be giving away items that they are wanting stylist to order more of. How about an extra loop tool for loading the additional colored beads? How about a different color of beads or thread? Or how about a few packages of clips? Maybe with the Aqua logo on it? How about an Aqua cape or travel size styling products, or their mini brush? Don’t we want to look at, touch and feel all of these items? The educators could use these incentives to their advantage by asking questions of the audience and giving items to people who answer correctly. Even a simple coupon for their first order enticing them to check out the website or mentally build a shopping list with the company.

8. Get into the hands on stuff much more quickly. Or skip lunch to make the class shorter. We are all stylists here. We are used to skipping lunch in order to get out earlier. It is difficult for us to dedicate a full 8 hours of time to a project. If there are no legal requirements for how long a class is why is it taking so much time? I am certain that the students would pay the same amount and walk away feeling better about a company that made the process seem like such a breeze that even the class is shorter. If we dove into hands on more quickly the format would work. I think that 1 hour of process, all the technical details, is sufficient for most students. Then have them open their kits and dive into the hands on.

9. Placing an order: What are the different ways that stylists can place an order? Walk them through the online process. What is that going to be like? Shipping? Time of arrival? Where is the closest supply store for them? Who is their rep? Ask how they are ordering their extensions currently. Do they carry inventory? What additional products are they considering adding to their personal inventory?

It was fun to assist as an educator to the class. I enjoyed meeting all 5 of the students and discussing the problems and situations that they are dealing with in the salon. It was also great to watch the other educators function in the room. Each person has such a different approach. The students seemed fairly confident in their ability to complete an installation, some more than others.

I left Salon Services and flew home without incident, thankfully. I was so happy to arrive in Boise and have my husband and daughters come to retreive me. Now back to the salon!

Hands on demonstration

Hand Tied Weft Class

I took another hand tied weft class from a local distributor today. It wasn’t Aqua and I’ll tell you a few big differences that I noticed. The method of installation leaves the client’s natural hair much more vulnerable to breakage and tension. Both of those are a problem. The support provided by the thread and the knotting does seem slightly more delicate but I feel it also leaves the client’s natural hair more vulnerable to feeling stress from the installation. I did meet some really nice people in the class. Including another local stylist who is also named Jenn B, she works with my favorite beauty school colleague and we had the same color nail polish! We were meant to be together.

The class was all day long! It seemed to be oversold to me, there were about 50 students and only 3 educators. The students were crammed in together so tightly that the educators could hardly get in between us to answer our questions.

The class also seemed a little scattered. It moved in a linear direction from consultation to checkout and I liked the tips that they gave us in both of those arenas. Since I have been doing hair extensions for a long time I was comfortable with not being able to ask a lot of questions because I already knew the answers, but if I was a stylist that was new to extensions I don’t think that I would have left that class feeling confident to charge the client the amount they suggested for the services that would be rendered after that training. An example is that they never covered what to do if you run out of string during the installation, what to do if you miss a knot, miss a bead, the weft sags because it doesn’t get included in the sewing. What to do with a client who doesn’t have enough hair in the temple area for a successful installation. What to do if a bead bucles or breaks and you have a difficult time removing it. There can be a whole lot of problems and if a stylist is going to charge a premium price that they are going to be required to provide all the solutions.

Anyhow I did enjoy the class. The company did give away a ton of great product and discounts. The videos that they showed were a great way to allow everyone to see the method of installation and removal. I do feel like I got my money’s worth out of the class. Oh and the fed us lunch and I love that they held the training in town and at my favorite hotel, The Riverside in Garden City, ID.

So many people!

Hand Tied Weft

I was invited to attend a 3 day training in Seattle with Aqua hair extension company. At the training we learned everything “hand tied weft” related. We learned how to install, remove, and maintenance the beautiful Hand tied weft products that Aqua retails. These wefts are so gorgeous and delicate they are truly a work of art.

The 3 day intensive class also allowed me to meet 14 other incredible stylists who are also working part to full time at installing and maintaining hair extension. It was so nice to have some in person conversations with stylists who are dealing with the same problems that you are, and to find some new solutions.

Aqua’s method of hand tied installation differs from other brands of professional hair extensions. Aqua takes the health of the client’s hair very seriously and wants to help the stylist to keep the natural hair intact, without adding stress or pressure at installation points. The health of the hair is a number one priority!

If you are curious about the Aqua method I am able to show you in person. You can either book a consultation with me or if you are with a salon you can convince some of your team members to go in on a full day class.

#handtiedweft #handtiedweftboise #beadedweft

That’s my girl xoxo

Keune

I just completed a Keune introductory color class. I learned a lot about their permanent, semi-permanent and blonding line. I have been doing research over the last year on a variety of color lines, debating which line I should switch to and Keune checks all the boxes. Keune is a salon exclusive company, meaning that they only sell to professionals this is very important to me! Keune provides ample education opportunities both online and in person. Keune formulates all their products with the greatest of care not only for the health of the hair, and the health of the stylist, but also for the look and longevity of the color. Keune offers incredible grey coverage whether you want a translucent look or more opaque.

The options that Keune offers to blondes really blew me away as well. They have cream bleaches, clay based bleaches and powdered bleaches, each of them have distinct advantages. No more one size fits all color removal. Keune offers so many options!

Another important factor for me is the ability to order online. I am not the kind of stylist who goes to a supply store to purchase 2 tubes of this and 3 tubes of that. I want the entire line at my fingertips and I want a constant supply of it. I like to place large online orders using a carefully crafted list. Also, staying out of the supply stores saves me money on random impulse buys.

A big thank you to the educator today, Tyree Ward for taking the time to teach about Keune. I was very grateful to be in the midst of a class of stylists today to listen to their questions and hear their personal solutions. Now I need to find out more about that intro kit…

New Website

I am currently in the process of designing a new website. This site, alittlehairhelp will remain active even after the launch of the new site. Although this site will focus on hair extension care and hair styling tips for extensions. The new site will be an information page for those clients seeking information on a consultation or an extension appointment. I can’t quite say yet when the site will be done, most likely within the next 6 months. Stay tuned for all the exciting changes!

Hair extensions at your convenience

I am excited to offer a unique hair extension service regionally. Hair extensions done in the comfort of your own environment. I have so many clients who have to reschedule appointments because of personal or work plans that get in the way. I wanted to solve this problem by offering that I come to your home or office to perform a full hair extension installation and/or removal. The service would take between 2-4 hours depending on the amount of hair desired. 

Included in this exclusive service would be an exclusive hair extension care kit which includes a booklet of information I have compiled over the years to give you the best possible outcomes in every area of concern. Also included is a hair extension brush and a few key products that I recommend for the longevity and beauty of your hair extensions. 

If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity please contact me at 208.841.1090

Wedding Hair

​'Tis wedding season again. Since styling hair often seems out of reach for most women on their own I compiled a short list of step by step how to's. You can either practice these looks on yourself, show them to a friend and enlist their help in achieving the look, or show them to the professional stylist who will be doing your hair. If there are any more tutorials you would like please let me know and I will do my best to find them.

Things to consider when choosing a style:​

What will the weather be like? If it's going to be too hot you won't want your all of your hair down.

What neckline does my dress have? Perhaps a up-do would best complement your lovely collarbone

Will I be dancing so hard that my hair will fall out of place? Hopefully. Best tip: Create a small ponytail in the middle of an up-do and anchor all bobby pins into the base of the ponytail. It will hold!​

How good do I want to look? Completely smashing, of course. But not more beautiful than the bride. In fact steer clear of bridal styles to avoid looking like an attention whore. Also don't look like a whore. That's an image that never impresses the hosts.​

I'm getting off track...

If you have very thick or very fine hair keep in mind that the style will look different on you. Thick hair, choose a somewhat sleeker style to successfully pin back a large amount of hair, or wear your hair down, even half down. Thin hair, choose a looser style where we can create volume with large pieces.​

If you see any styles you like, just click on the picture and it will link you to the step by step instructions for the style. ​

​Lauren Conrad's Beauty Department is the video below. I really like her videos. They are to the point, beautifully filmed and always reliable. There are a lot of them. Be sure to check a few out for hair styling tips.

Boutique Salons

There are specialty salons popping up all across the country. These salons are catering to specific needs that their clients may have and also highlighting the specific talents that a stylist or a team of stylists cares about the most. Unfortunately none of these boutique salons exist in Boise, ID yet, but I am sure it won't be long. ​

Blow-out Bar

This type of salon specializes in a finished look. They specialize obviously in the blow-out which is a blow dry style that leaves your hair very voluminous, shiny and sexy for a couple days or one hard night! Some Blow-out Bar Boutiques are also offering extensions, up-dos, conditioning treatments, or skin care services. 

The convenience offered is a quick style, easy to obtain appointments most days of the week and trendy amenities, such as iPads or iPods at each station and ​espresso. Sounds fun! Check out this Blow Dry Bar in Scottsdale, AZ called Primp and Blow 

Color Bar ​

This is a salon specializing only in color. Many color clients feel the same way about what they want in their color. They want it cheap, they want it fast, they want it perfect and they want it to last. Certain salons are now catering specifically to the color market. They want to offer technically advanced haircolor done quickly. What is there not to love about beautiful haircolor that is affordable and uncomplicated?​

By offering only color these boutique color bars are able to speed up the process of an appointment which translates to a lower bill for the client. For complete ease of access clients may not even have to book an appointment, just drift in when the mood (or the gray) strikes them. ​

Here's an example of a color only salon in Toronto, Canada called Color Lab 12.

Braids, Buns and Pony's

These salons offer a new menu of affordable services specifically for a finished look. So what is on the menu? Typically you will find about 20-30 different braid, bun and ponytail options, including trendier ​options like the sock bun or the messy bun. Since these looks can usually be achieved in 15-20 minutes and require little product the price will be low. Stylist also offer tips on how to re-create a simpler version of this for an at home attempt or tools to take home to re-create the look (i.e. the sock in the sock bun). Products are going to be a key element of styling any of these looks so be prepared to shell out more $ on retail than on the actual style itself. 

Here's an example of a Braid, Bun and Pony Style Bar called Lukaro ​in Beverly Hills, CA

So which one would you be the most tempted to try? ​

Trash it or Treasure it?

I've recently read about a new kind of girls get together called a Trash it or Treasure it party. I've known that they existed for clothing but I had never heard of one with a beauty theme.​ You can read more about it at Sunnie Brook Beauty Blog. There are some important guidelines listed to let attendees know how to tell if the products you're interested in bringing could be expired.

I would totally take part in this party! However, I would only be interested in products that you can individually dram out i.e. not something that you have to dip into the jar for. This would exclude makeup that is pressed into a compact (blush, powder). I would also have to exclude any eye makeup because I just think that is gross.​ I would be inclined to rule out nail polish too, although I am told that the formaldehyde in it kills any bacteria or fungus I just wouldn't want to take the chance.

It would be perfect for trying out shampoo, conditioner, lotion (face or body), hair styling products, beauty treatments (face masks), self-tanners, bronzers, face wash, makeup brush cleaners, makeup brushes...the list is long. 

Because who hasn't a purchased beauty product that they have instantly regretted or immediately disliked? I know it isn't just me.​

​Kevin.Murphy

Also, let's exclude toothpaste and dental floss. You know somebody would try to bring that. ​

Fake Bake

If there is one product that I absolutely must have to get me through spring and summer its Fake Bake​. I was introduced to this product last spring and I have gone through a few bottles since then. This is why it is better than any other self tanner out there.

• ​It comes with gloves and a chamois mitt for a flawless, streak free, spotless application.
• It is darker when you put it on then when you rinse it off, which prevents over application.​
• Smells like a tropical vacation
• Beautiful color, not orangey like other self tanners that I have tried
• No distinct line of demarkation between where the tan is applied and where it ends, so you don't have to worry about covering your shoulders with the product and not being able to reach your back.​
• One bottle will last you for months, even with consistent application

This is what I have found to be the best method for application:​

• Shave the day or two before you plan to apply (it can be mildly irritating to recently shaved skin)
• If you have lotion on your legs, rinse off and scrub or exfoliate your skin
• Once you are dry, apply gloves (to both hands) and mitt
• Shake bottle well, spray about 8 times directly onto the mitt and smooth onto your legs. I like to start at the bottom and work my way up.
• Keep spraying the mitt and applying to body as needed. I do a super quick light application on my feet and around my ankles. Bend and unbend your knees and heels as you apply to avoid creases.​
• For your upper body I recommend doing a super quick and light application (meaning I don't spray any new tanner on the mitt, just use residual from end of last section) around my armpits. You don't want the tanner in your armpits, it will all sweat off and it's gross, and smells weird with sweat. Bend and unbend your elbows as applying but again do a very light application over your elbows (it really like to stick here)​
• By the time you are done applying you will be dry, it's quick.​
• Remove gloves, wash hands thoroughly.​
• Use the residual tanner left on the mitt to apply to wrists and the tops of your hands after you have the gloves off. ​
• Grab a cotton ball or cotton pad and get it damp by wetting it and wringing it out. Very lightly go over your elbows, ankles and wrists with the damp cotton ball. This will remove excess without removing all of it
• Lounge around for about 10 minutes in a robe, very loose fitting clothing, or underwear.

If you have applied the original Fake Bake then you are going to leave this on overnight or all day. I prefer to do it at night. Rinse off (no soap or shower gel) in the morning and enjoy your new glow!​

If you have applied the 60 minute Fake Bake then you will leave it on for 1 hour for a light tan, 2 hours for a medium tan or 3 hours for a deep tan then you will rinse off. Just rinse with warm water, no soap or shower gel.

Other Fake Bake products that I love and have tried are the Fake Bake aerosol tan, but this can be a bit messy and the Fake Bake Flawless Face. The flawless face is great for disguising brown spots on the face. I apply all around the darker areas of my face and it makes the darker spots appear not so dark. Of course remember to wash your hands after any application

If you are interested in purchasing any of the Fake Bake products you can contact me at 208-841-1090 and I will be happy to provide it for you.

Hair color during pregnancy

To color or not to color during pregnancy? My first bit of advice to Mom's to be is if you are uncomfortable with this procedure then you should probably not do it. My second bit of advice is highlights or lowlights. With highlights and/or lowlights we can change the color of your hair, cover grays, bring you back to your natural color...so many options. To apply any of these options I use foil. Each piece of colored hair is contained within a thin sheet of foil which keeps it off of the scalp. Since your hair is not a living organ the application of color within the foils does not enter your bloodstream. There is another risk; the fumes that are released during the processing of the color can be smelled at the shampoo bowl momentarily. Other stylists working within the salon could be preforming treatments such as a perm or straightening treatment which also release fumes. 

However I have performed many color applications on myself and my clients during pregnancy and I have never seen any adverse side effects. I have also never heard any complaints from clients during or after their pregnancy. I would never suggest that a client who hasn't been receiving color consistently start a new routine. Go with your instinct and you will never feel bad about it. 

Keep it in the family

Have you ever been told by a professional who is rendering service to you that you need to use the entire family of products to achieve a synergistic effect? I have, quite a few times. Let me tell you why they are mistaken.

This is old news, sort of a sales pitch/wives tale invented by some marketing genius to get you to spend more with their company. Almost all of the different families of products contain somewhat similar ingredients and the are also manufactured by one of the few major manufacturing facilities that exist in the USA. Let me rephrase it this way, same general ingredients, same manufacturers, different labeling and packaging.

No all products don't contain the same ingredients for example, there are good ingredients and there are cheap ingredients. Companies like Suave and Pantene use cheaper, harsher and more abrasive ingredients in their products to produce their $3 shampoo. The results you get from these cheap ingredients can be dryer hair and skin, breakouts along your hairline, a waxy build-up in your hair (ehhhm Pantene) or severe drying of your skin. Companies like Alterna and Kevin.Murphy use more costly ingredients which results in a refined product. They tend to eliminate synthetic preservatives (parabens) and GMO (soy, corn) so your body and our environment doesn't have to pay they price. So if you use a Suave shampoo it will not make you Alterna conditioner any less effective, but trust me that Suave shampoo is making your color fade way faster and isn't benefiting the health of your hair and scalp at all. 

So when you are out choosing products just keep in mind what options are the most important to you. Is it cost? Is it the quality of the ingredients? Are you looking for a targeted result (stiff, soft, color protecting) Is it the design of the product (how it fits in your hand, stays upright in your shower, dispenses easily) Whatever decision you make know that your product is working despite the fact that you haven't purchased it's companion or two or three. I personally like to try 1 to 2 items in a line before I will commit to purchasing any more. Suit yourself.

5 phrases we want to hear

When a client sits in my chair, new or accustomed to me there are a few key phrases that I am looking for. 

• "I brought a picture". Hallelujah! I know clients probably think that this is annoying but we speak different languages when it comes to color and cut. What one client describes to me a volume is really a complete straightening treatment. If she didn't have the picture I would have assumed the opposite. Same with Blondes and Brunettes, there are so many shades and a picture is worth a thousand words.

• "I love my previous stylist". I've learned over the years that you do not want a customer who has just been scorned by a previous cut/color experience. Either they are just unhappy people to begin with or they are not very good at articulating their true desires (maybe they should bring a picture). There are obviously some exceptions to this rule, but haters are going to hate.

• "I love to experiment with my cut/color". This is so great because it leaves a little wiggle room for play. This phrase does not mean that you want to put purple in your hair or cut it all off. It simply means that you know you will look smashing no matter what subtle changes are made to your style. Not experimenting with your hair is like wearing the same outfit everyday, reliable but boring. 

• "What do you recommend"? To me this phrase conveys great trust in the confidence and professionalism of the stylist. I am constantly updating my education credentials and try to stay on top of current wearable trends so I can take you in the right direction. 

• "I recommended my friend to you". This is the kindest statement of all. To know that you have been recommending my services is the best compliment of all. To me it means that not only do you enjoy your style and obviously are receiving compliments on it. It also means that you enjoy the experience of my salon and want others to have that too.

So put your trust in your stylist, experiment a little, just a tiny bit, if not with color or with cut than perhaps style would be a better jumping off point for you. There are infinite combinations to try. As Vidal Sassoon said "If you don't look good, we don't look good".

The gifts all girls want

Many of us are trying to come up with the perfect gift for friends and family this season. Sometimes it can be really fun and other times it can feel like you are just spending money on something because "you're supposed to". I don't like feeling that way. I love to fill my online shopping cart with all sorts of items, some for me, some for them, some for me. Basically I just shop for myself and give them gifts to other people and then if they don't like it I can always relieve them of it. I think most people are pretty please with the gifts, because I only want the best for myself. So here are some ideas for all the people in your life.

For the concert, theater, museum, sporting event junkie in your life.

Mini raspberry bush for your gardener of limited space, time or energy.

The most delicious coffee delivered to a bean connoisseur.

For the friend who is always bringing you the pastries she doesn't want to eat all by herself.

The book lover who never feels too old to enjoy Roald Dahl.

For the gal who has a few secrets to keep, it has a lock!

Girl who is always on the go, but still wants to look damn good!

Your friend who is always smelling so good and is looking for something new.

More gift ideas to come...

Brazilian Blowout

Curious as to what this treatment can do for you?

It can reduce your styling time dramatically. By smoothing the cuticle with a treatment it eliminates or drastically reduces your flat iron time in the morning.

It will reduce frizz. Wether your hair is curly or straight we all experience a bit of frizz that is disappointing. The keratin treatment will put the frizz on hold.

Re-texture your curly hair. It will not eliminate your curls, it will smooth and transform them. Depending on the results you desire I have a few different strength options to choose from.

Make you feel like a star! When you blow dry your hair and get to stop there without further styling or fussing with your locks you will feel like you have received a Hollywood blow-out for weeks on end.

Brazilian Blowout ZERO 

Brazilian Blowout Original Acai

I am running a special on the treatment through November. Let's book your appointment today. Just think of all the time you will save over the holidays.

LUSH Cosmetics

I stumbled upon LUSH Cosmetics when I was in Seattle recently. The exterior of the store called to me "come in, come buy something" so when I stepped in I was already excited. They have piles of fresh handmade soaps, creamy face wash bars, shampoo bars and all sorts of other goodies. The staff was very friendly and upon learning that it was my fist time in the store they gave me a quick run down of they products that they loved the most, although it seemed rather hard for them to choose. Another perk of the company is that almost everything is Vegetarian and quite a few products are Vegan. I can't wait to gift them to my friends for Christmas.

I was drawn to the facial products because I tend to have too many shower items already, but now I want a great deal more, o.k. I want everything. I am already planning my return to the store when I am back in February because I can't wait to get my hands on some of the fresh face masks that aren't sold online. I have actually had dreams about shopping here again, that's how pleasant it was. When I woke up I felt like a home-sick kid longing for the comforts of their familiar territory. So I felt the next best thing to fulfill that craving would be to place a on-line order. Here are a few of the items on my long list.

Big fragrant blocks of colorful soap. All Soaps are vegetarian. Most are vegan too. Try this one SEXY PEEL a combination of organic orange and lime juices. 

CURLY WURLY is packed full of creamed coconut and coconut oil for healthy hair and scalp. It's also loaded with fresh eggs and hand mashed avocado butter to give moisture back to the hair

BIG is a va-va-volumizing sea salt shampoo. Using a seaweed infusion and citrus juices for incredible shine and sea salt to de-grease hair and remove dead skin cells.

MA BAR Is a fresh handmade bubble bar for your bath or shower. This one is a scrumptious chocolate caramel scent with a lump of brown sugar in the middle.

DREAM CREAM is nothing short of a miracle product. This cream has been making skin care dreams come true for years now. It is a combination of lavender, chamomile, and rose absolute in a soothing oat milk base. You can use it all over your body and face. This is LUSH's number one best selling product of all time!!

Fresh Handmade Face Masks: These masks are so scrumptious and fresh that they are only sold in the stores. They are stored in a mini refrigerator at each location and I was so sad to learn they couldn't be shipped because I would have purchased at least 4-5 more of them when on location. So if you ever do make it into a store, our closest locations are Salt Lake City, Portland, and Seattle, stock up. My favorite is SACRED TRUTH which is a brightening, restorative mask. It's so hard to choose between the 9 that they offer. Why not purchase all of them?

Tell me which products you would choose?

Sombre

Sombre is going to be the hottest hair trend this fall/winter. What is it? To explain I will have to start with Ombre. Ombre is a french word meaning graduation. In my world (the salon) it means a a base that is at least 3-4 levels darker than the ends. To most people it means I can have visible roots, long ones and bright pretty ends. It reduces your color maintenance, because "your roots" are visible and beautiful when you leave your appointment. If your natural color is lighter than your chosen base color, or you have grey hair this means that you can have every other appointment at the salon be a root touch up and the following appointment be a Ombre procedure. It's fun, it's beautiful, it's trendy but it's easy to carry off. You don't have to be 16 or have really long thick hair, or lots of money to spend on your hair.

Sombre takes the traditional process of Ombre and makes it a little more subtle, or subdued hence the S-Ombre. Kim Vo calls it the softer side of Ombre.

Why will this be so popular this season? Summer is over and obviously our hair is getting less sun so since we all want people to think our hair is just naturally this stunning and beautiful (yeah right) we want to steer towards a little bit of a darker sun-kissed look.

I was lucky enough to receive personal training from Kim Vo last night during an exclusive Webinar hosted by Behindthechair.com The class taught us how to achieve this beautiful effect in only 30 minutes application time, 10-15 minutes of processing and the rest is up to the customer (trim? style?).

Let's book you an appointment today and see how beautiful this would look in your hair. It can be done with lowlights too and also Red tones so we can really personalize it to your liking.