Archive for November, 2008

As the temperature drops, it seems like the number of invites to parties goes up… well, at least for the holiday season it seems that way. The mixers, cocktail parties and holiday shindigs seem endless and if you want to look your best, put your best foot forward – literally.

If your feet are already looking tired and tried then this blog is just for you! I found a great blog that offers advice to help spruce up your feet just in time for the holidays! Try these little nuggets and not only will your feet thank you, people will want to know how you keep your toes looking their best.

•Wear the right shoes. Take the time to pick out shoes or heels that are comfortable and properly fit your foot. It never hurts to ask a sales associate to check your size. Sometimes our feet can change just like our waistlines.
•Rub it in! Treat yourself to a pedicure or a foot massage. This can help with corns, calluses, ingrown toenails, and other foot ailments that can make your feet hurt.
•Practice good hygiene. Keep your feet clean and try to help eliminate your risk of developing fungal issues.
•Give it a rest! At the end of the day take off your shoes, prop your feet up, and give them a rest. Stretch them out and let them have a little room to breathe.
•Consult your doctor. Never be afraid to seek medical help for any foot ailment that you may have. Taking care of the problem early can make all the difference in your ability to ‘kick up your heels.’

Try Kabul Beauty School by Deborah Rodriguez with Kristin Ohlson

For many American women it can be hard to imagine anyone more culturally different than the women of Kabul, Afghanistan. It’s tempting to ask questions along the lines of, “Do women even need hairstyling or makeup in Kabul? I’m pretty sure they just wear full-length robes and veils every day.”

But in 2002, Deborah Rodriguez, an American hairstylist from Michigan, learned much more about what Afghanistan has to offer when she moved to Kabul, the nation’s capital. Her original mission was to help out with humanitarian and war-relief efforts in the country (this was just after the Taliban was forced to leave Afghanistan). But she soon learned that just like doctors, teachers and other respected professionals, she had her own unique talents to offer the citizens of Kabul—her cosmetology talents!

Deborah worked for years with women in Kabul to establish the country’s first modern beauty school, and she documents her journey and her time spent there in Kabul Beauty School (Random House 2007). In the book, readers will be introduced to some of the most culturally important traditions in Afghanistan, and will probably be surprised at how much some of these traditions rely on hairstyling and makeup!

Deborah’s true account of her experience in Afghanistan is a great read for anyone interested in cosmetology practices and their traditions. It turns out, women in Afghanistan may not be that different after all. Maybe you’ll even learn how to begin your own career path of a humanitarian-cosmetologist-extraordinaire!

The Pro’s and Con’s of Salon Image

I’m totally hooked on Bravo’s Tabitha’s Salon Takeover. If you haven’t heard of it, Tabitha Coffey, who was a contestant on season one of Shear Genius, now has her own show. She goes to salons that are in dire need of some help. She works with the owners and staff to do a head to toe makeover. We’re not just talking about décor and atmosphere, oh no. We’re talking about stylist habits, attitudes and management styles. In the first half of the show she identifies the pro’s and con’s of a salon, and decides the things that need to be improved upon.

This weekend I went and got a hair cut. I had a Tabitha moment when I walked in and decided to find both the pro’s and con’s of this particular salon. Who better to judge your salons performance than a client, right? Here were my observations:

Pros:
• Extremely friendly receptionist – She greeted me at the door, asked my name and offered me a drink or a snack. She made me feel welcome and it was a great start to my salon experience. First impressions are everything, ya know.

• Waiting area – The waiting area was very clean and comforting. There were comfortable chairs that matched and new magazines that were neatly laid out on the table. I felt comfortable and relaxed in the 10 minute wait I had before my appointment, it seemed to fly by. This is a far cry from some salons where the waiting area seems to be hap-hazzardly thrown together with any available furniture and 6-month old Better Homes and Gardens magazines that are strewn across a table that clearly hasn’t been wiped down in weeks!

Cons:
• Stylist Stations – My stylist’s station wasn’t the picture of cleanliness. There were bits of hair floating around and you could tell that she has spilled some hair color earlier in the day and hadn’t cleaned it up properly. The color didn’t bother me, but the floating hairs were a little disgusting.

• Hair brush – Here’s where I got really turned off. The stylist picks up a brush that had someone else’s hair in it, and used it on me. She clearly hadn’t made an effort to clean out her brush from her previous appointments before she used it on me. That’s really gross! I don’t know how well groomed the other clients were!! Had she taken the time to clean out her brush after her last appointment, I would have never known the difference.

• Conversation – For the first 5-10 minutes of my appointment, I sat there in awkward silence as my stylist washed and combed my hair. She made no real effort to talk with me or get to know me as her client.

It’s all about the details! Most stylists on Tabitha’s show scoff at the idea that hair in a brush is a problem. “No one will even notice!” they say. And as Tabitha says “Yeah, but you’re clients will!”.