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Tabitha’s Take Over

Posted on: November 4th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory 2 Comments

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!”.

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I’ll Wear My Pony Tails on the SIDE From Now On!

Posted on: October 23rd, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory 1 Comment

Female celebrities are all different. They all support different charities, they all wear different designers, they all wear a different size 2 … you get the point.

Even though these ladies all have carefully crafted, appealing persona’s, it seems that this year, there is one thing they can all get behind: side ponytails.

Everyone from Tyra to Grey’s Anatomy’s Ellen Pompeo has been spotted sporting these flashback-to-1984 hairdos. And, they aren’t just reserved for the mall these days; they’ve been the look of choice for the red carpet lately.

Me: Hollywood, can I say something? THANK YOU! Finally, a look that’s super easy to create and wear – even for someone like me who doesn’t have $700 to pay someone to put my hair up!

Hollywood: Shhh. You’re figuring out how to replicate our style. Now, we need you to be quiet so we can think of a new one.

I’m kidding! But, really, here’s a demo I found on you tube that shows you how to create the side pony Jennifer Garner wore on the red carpet. The guy giving it is kind of funny, but he shows you how to get the look in less than 10 minutes.

Don’t drink it. Bathe in it!

Posted on: September 25th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Wine – a great drink to share with family and friends.  Tea – pleasant hot or cold. Coffee – gets many of us going in the morning.  What else are they good for besides drinking you might ask?  Bathing in of course!

Spas across the world are turning common eats and drinks into must-have luxuries for pampering your skin. Check out where to find these borderline whacky spa treatments and the real benefits they could have for your skin.

Beverage bathing.  Hakone Kowakien Yunessun.
Pick from bathing in wine, green tea, or coffee at this Japanese spa.  The wine spa is said to rejuvenate your skin and body.  The green tea spa has powerful antioxidants good for the immune system and the skin. The coffee spa is supposed to awaken your senses and fight fatigue while making your skin more beautiful.

Corona beer face lift.  Esperanza Resort. 
A Corona face lift sounds a little suspicious being that most people don’t feel or look so amazing after a night with Coronas.  But at this Cabo San Lucas resort, a Corona face lift is said to leave you with refined pores, a glowing face and firm skin. 

Chocolate for your body.  The Hershey Hotel.
The final and most delectable of the spa treatments can be found at The Hershey Hotel.  At their spa you can choose from a chocolate bean polish, chocolate sugar scrub or a chocolate fondue wrap.  The fondue wrap revitalizes and nourishes the skin while relaxing the body.  I’ll go for any of the chocolate treatments, as long as their feeding me chocolate while wrapping me up in it, and I would be happy!

Here’s a blog post … that you probably want to read!

Posted on: August 15th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory 2 Comments

A while back, we at Beautyschoolsdirectory.com posted about the wonders of mineral makeup . Have you tried it yet? If not … then today’s your lucky day!

Let us introduce you to the wonders of Everydayminerals.com . They’ve got a rainbow of colors to match your skin tone, and a variety of formulas to match your skin type. Their products are 100% all-natural and organic. Here are just a few of the ways they keep their products and company environmentally conscious:

• They package and ship their products in 90% recycled tissue paper.
• Their products are 100% biosafe.
• They provide free bicycles to their employees after 6 months of work.

Best of all? They offer a FREE sample makeup kit so you can test out which colors work best with your complexion! You get to select sample sizes of 3 Foundations, 1 Blush, and 1 Concealer and get them sent to your house – fast. All you have to do is pay a few dollars in shipping costs – mine were only $3.

Also? These “sample sizes” are pretty big! As someone who keeps up with the cosmetology industry, it would be a crime not to order your free samples. Let us know what you think!

Sephora.com, Inc.

Easy eyebrow tips!

Posted on: August 6th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory 2 Comments

Shh. There’s a secret to looking fabulous that every trained cosmetologist and make-up artist knows. It’s easy, it’s fast, and it’s cheap (if not free).

It’s shaping your eyebrows! Having tidy, groomed brows can make your eyes and the rest of your face look more awake, brighter, and more beautiful.

So why aren’t your brows in the shape they need to be? Chances are, you’re afraid to do the regular self-maintenance between waxes. You’ve heard horror stories of women going to the mirror with 2 full brows, and stepping away with 1.5 too-skinny brows left behind.

Good news! It’s not that hard. Check out this video for some pointers from the Sephora pros!

Remember:

•Follow the natural line of your eyebrow when shaping.
•Comb them upwards and outwards for an instant pick-up.
•Use a little hair gel to keep them in place!

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Easy summer beauty tips

Posted on: July 14th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory 1 Comment

As a beauty industry professional, you can get to know your clients pretty well. And when they come back to your chair month after month, they trust your professional opinion.

The best beauty experts keep their clients looking and feeling great long after they’ve left their chairs. Now that summer’s in full effect, with the sun beating down and the humidity at it’s highest, your clients may want some tips on staying pretty in the sweltering heat.

So what kind of advice can you give your clients on summer beauty outside the salon? The kind of advice that’s easy to follow!

Easy summer beauty tips

•By now, your clients should know that it’s important to wear SFP every time they go outside – not just in the blazing sun. A good way to accomplish this is by using a light moisturizer with SPF 30 in it, and a non-greasy SPF lotion in place of their regular morning lotion.
•It’s not just skin that needs protection! A leave-in hair conditioner with a UV filter (like Kiehl’s) will protect hair from sun damage while keeping it smooth and shiny in the wind.
•They can further protect hair from wind and chlorine damage with a shine glaze that coats the hair shaft and binds silkiness to their strands. A glaze like Fredrick Fekkai Salon Glaze Clear Shine Rinse won’t weigh hair down.
•Summer’s the time to toss thick foundation and replace them with light, even-coverage powders and portable make-up sticks. In the hot summer months, most people can get away with SPF moisturizer, a smooth concealer and a dusting of tinted powder.
•For times that they want a bit more color, your clients might want to look into multi-purpose makeup that can be applied with their fingers. A peach color stick can do triple-duty as an eye shadow, blush, and lip color. Top it off with some waterproof mascara and they’re good to go!

Stop giving the “evil eye!”

Posted on: June 13th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

We recently had a reader ask for our advice on eye makeup – she has dark hair and eyes and uses black eye liner, but has been getting not-so-rave reviews from her friends and family. She may have the kindest heart, but her entourage says she looks evil!

This is a common problem when using black eyeliner – it’s easy to get out of control and end up looking more like Marylin Manson than you had ever hoped. So here are a few tips we’ve learned through our years of experimenting with makeup that we’d like to share with you!

1) Less is more: if you want to use black eyeliner, go easy on the application. Lightly line the outside corner of both lids instead of evenly lining all the way across. It draws subtle attention to your eyes, without that scary look. Another option – line only your lid near the upper lash base, to give your lashes a boost.

2) Try an alternate color liner, such as brown, like one of my faves from MAC. Lighter color liners will still give you the definition you seek, but are more natural looking and less noticeable as makeup.

3) Use eye shadow and a fine tipped brush instead of eye liner. Use a deep charcoal or brown for more dramatic effects, or medium toned shadows for a more natural look. If you’re wearing a brightly colored top, try a bit of brightly colored shadow to line your eyes to set things off a bit more. My trick for applying shadow to my lower lash base is to wet a fine tipped brush before dipping in the shadow. This ensures a clean application and you don’t have to worry about the loose, excess powder sprinkling down your cheeks!

Hopefully, by experimenting with some of these, you can change your look from goth to glam!

Sex and The City (Part 4 of 4): Get the Look of Carrie Bradshaw

Posted on: May 30th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Bubbly. Temperamental. Sensitive. Realistic. Dreamer. All of these words describe Carrie Bradshaw, our lovely leading lady of Sex and The City. So what exactly is it that makes us all love Carrie so much? Well, she is a character who represents a little piece of the woman in each of us. She reacts emotionally, but tries to keep a level head. She observes the world as it is, but constantly aligns these realities with her vision of how the world would be in a perfect situation.

But I think Carrie’s most loveable attribute is that no matter how many highs or lows she goes through – breakups and getting-back-togethers, fights with friends, trouble with work – she is entirely resilient. And at the end of each day, she holds on to the hope that her life will have its fairytale ending. Add a fabulous pair of shoes and a daring outfit, and you can achieve true Carrie-Bradshaw-ness, too!

Makeup
Carrie wears a fresh, natural, sweet face while facing the harsh realities of New York life. To achieve her look, use a light, tinted moisturizer to even out your complexion and give you a dash of color. Draw emphasis to your eyes by making them smolder. Apply dark liner and mascara, but make sure to smudge or blend the liner so you don’t have a dramatic line. Then play with the eye shadow color – use ones that are pretty neutral but have a splash of color for fun: light blues, greens and lavenders will help draw emphasis to your eyes. Complete your sweet look by using a rosy blush on the apples of your cheeks and applying a light pink lip gloss.

Hair
Hair is the accessory you always have on you – and Carrie knows it. She plays with her hair, often changing the style, texture and appearance. Don’t be afraid to change your style by the day when going for Carrie’s look. You can wear it short or long, curly or straight, down or up. Any style will do – just so long as it doesn’t require too much work. So, have fun and try out a variety of effortless styles!

Clothing
Her wardrobe is her signature, and it keeps us all guessing. What will she wear next? Well, we know that she has all of the wardrobe standards. What makes Carrie different is that she can dress up her staple clothing pieces to have a unique look each time. There are no boundaries of color, pattern or cut – Carrie is bold, and she dares to dress it!

The most important thing to remember when you’re modeling her style is that you don’t want to go over the top with everything all at once. Use your classic wardrobe pieces to complement your basic form and body shape. Then layer internationally trendy and funky pieces over it to add interest to your outfit.

Don’t know what the most current trends are? It’s probably a good idea to go ahead and subscribe to several high-fashion magazines so you can stay ahead of the fashion curve. And with Carrie, it’s all about keeping up with those trends, so don’t be shy about visiting your local H&M or other trend stores weekly! She knows that you can literally wear anything and look good… as long as you wear it with confidence!

Accessories
Shoes are obviously Carrie’s favorite accessory. She owns many pairs, and she can’t resist buying more. She loves sporting high heels in any color of the rainbow – particularly ones that have a small, funky detail that makes them just a little different from your standard stiletto.

When it comes to other accessories, Carrie knows that you can go over the top if you do it with confidence. She expresses her playful attitude with whimsical hats and attention-grabbing handbags. If you’re looking accessories that mirror Carrie’s style, try whatever draws your eye and makes you smile. You can pull of any look if you wear it with your head held high and are confident in the fact that you look good. Oh – and don’t forget to top off your entire look with the delicate gold necklace that has your name on it!

Sex and The City (Part 3 of 4): Get the Look of Samantha Jones

Posted on: May 29th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory No Comments

Samantha Jones is a brash, bold PR executive who knows what she wants out of life. Although she has a voracious appetite for passion, she is extremely loyal to her girlfriends and would never choose a lover over them. That said, she likes to know that she can still attract whomever she wants – men and women alike.

If you want to make sure that you’re the center of attention in every room, take some style cues from Samantha!

Make Up
If you’re going to wear revealing clothing like Samantha, it’s a good idea to pare back your make up for a more mature, classy look. Samantha’s make up is fairly natural and soft.

Samantha’s standout features have always been her eyebrows. They are meticulously groomed, the perfect frame for her beautiful face. If you don’t have the resources to get your eyebrows professionally shaped, don’t worry! You can do a great job at home. Just make sure that you are in a well-lit room with good slanted tweezers. The most important rule in brow shaping is to follow your natural eyebrow – don’t overpluck! Only tweeze hairs outside of your natural browline, and your face will look more open, awake and fresh instantly!

Hair
For much of Sex and the City’s run, Samantha was the epitome of a blonde bombshell. Her face-framing platinum bangs were feminine without being fussy.

That is, until Samantha received a bombshell of her own. She was diagnosed with cancer. Samantha took the diagnosis in stride, and with the help of her friends and boyfriend, she shaved her head.
From then on, Samantha either rocked her closely-shorn hair with confidence and a beautiful face, or she had fun with wigs – including long pink ones and others that mimicked her natural hair.
If you want to model your hair off Samantha’s, there is one important fact to remember. No matter how long your hair has been a certain style, or good it looks on you, your hair does not define you. So have some fun with it!

Clothing
Samantha’s outfits are not for the faint-hearted. Luckily, Samantha gives plenty of opportunity to imitate elements of her style, while remaining slightly more reserved.

For example, Samantha frequently dresses in one color from head to toe. Think bright red, orange, pink or electric blue. This monochromatic look is confident and sure to draw attention.

At work, Samantha gravitates towards slightly 1980’s-esque power suits that accent her figure.  For this look, choose structured jackets, pencil skirts and wide leather belts.

In the evenings, Samantha wears silky, skin-grazing fabrics, down-to-there necklines, and animal prints. Simple clothing without too many buttons, ties or zippers is perfect for a woman like Samantha.
Last, She never forgets that what goes under her clothes is just as important as the clothes themselves. Her undergarments always accent her outfits, and are never boring. If they’re there at all, that is.

Accessories
When it comes to jewelry, Samantha big hoop earrings and bold, chunky necklaces that draw the eyes downward.

Women like Samantha know that wearing high heels doesn’t just dress up an outfit. The right heel make your legs look longer, your tush look higher and your posture appear more confident. Samantha takes that knowledge to the extreme, and wears sexy stilettos everywhere – including to the beach.

Samantha chooses bags that can go from career to evening … and possibly even to the next morning. This means that her bags need to be sturdy and structured enough for work, yet large enough for everything involved in an impromptu sleepover.

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Sex and The City (Part 2 of 4): Get the Look of Charlotte York-Goldenblatt

Posted on: May 27th, 2008 by Beauty Schools Directory 1 Comment

You’ll never see Sex and the City’s Charlotte York-Goldenblatt in a down-to-there halter like Samantha, or a tutu and t-shirt combo like Carrie. Whether this “Park Avenue Pollyanna” is at a wedding, jogging in Central Park, or summering in the Hamptons; she always looks sweet and feminine.

Charlotte’s dreams of being the perfect wife and ideal philanthropist are expressed through her preppy, proper style. Born a blue-blooded Connecticut princess, Charlotte takes her duties as an upper-class woman very seriously. It’s really an art to look like Charlotte – always expensive, but never showy.

Want to perfect the look before the May 30th premier of the SATC movie? Here’s how!

Makeup
A woman like Charlotte probably has a train case full of expensive cosmetics, yet looks fresh-faced all day long. Don’t you wish you could claim the same?

The most important element of achieving a sweet, Charlotte-like make-up look lies under your make-up. An impeccable skin-care routine ensures that your complexion will stay smooth and even, so you can get the put together make-up that blends right into your (seemingly) perfect skin.

Cosmetic essentials include naturally soft skin and rosy pink cheeks. Make your eyes stand out with soft liner and curled lashes, so that you look bright-eyed and awake, but never over-done. Finish off your look with glossy pink lips and rounded, natural nails polished in neutral and light pink tones.

Hair
Charlotte isn’t a woman to buy into trendy styles like short bobs, braids or bold highlights. In fact, her hairstyle will probably remain constant from now until the time she goes elegantly gray.

Achieving a polished coif like Charlotte’s doesn’t require much creativity, but it does call for regular maintenance. Charlotte maintains the health of her hair through regular trims that include face-framing layers for body and bounce.

To keep your long hair smooth like Charlotte’s, use a styling mousse and a round brush while blow-drying to curl your ends under. Looking to add a bit of preppy pizzazz to your hair? Stick with low ponytails, graceful twists, or wide printed headbands.

Clothes
Charlotte prides herself on exuding a feminine sex appeal. Her clothing is form-fitting, but not risqué. She shows off her rockin’ curves in understated ways. By wearing dresses and blouses that accentuate her décolletage and flouncy skirts that showcase her tiny waist, Charlotte is always in style but never a slave to the trends.

Want to look as effortlessly polished as she does? Look for classic cocktail and shift dresses in vintage floral prints and Lily Pulitzer brights. These preppy-chic pieces never go out of style.

If you’re going out on the town looking to attract some attention, your propriety doesn’t have to fall by the wayside! Choose a slinky black dress that accents one of your best features – not all of your features. Paired with some peep-toe pumps, you’ll look cute and classy.

Accessories
Charlotte knows that accessories make the outfit, but that too many accessories can overwhelm her natural beauty. So keep it simple! For everyday looks, a neutral bag and coordinating shoes are a must.

Pearls are a staple of Charlotte’s jewelry collection, but she isn’t afraid to put on some sparkly diamonds when she’s dressing to impress. Of course, even though Charlotte’s a successful gallery manager, it’s clear that her most prized accessory is her bling-ing engagement ring.

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