I looooove my waistbeads!!!

Yesterday I was inducted into the waistbead sisterhood!!! Omg I absolutely love them, a good friend of mine and her mother had a waistbead party yesterday and it was so much fun. A room full of about 15 woman enjoying food, good conversation and lots of laughs. I must admit that getting waistbeads was not something that I was really interested in doing but since I was invited I decided to go. Once I arrived and realized I was the only woman there who had never had waistbeads before it was a MUST that I try it out, not to mention how wonderful the stream of beads looked draped upon these womens waistline.

Waistbeads symbolized different things depending upon the color of the beads, also in some cultures they reperesent different things. For example in the Afican culture the wearing of waist beads is for the definition of the waist, meaning that it helped a female to *hold* their figure or shape. Other old tales say they help one to hold on to their mate as well. Waist beads are a way for those who love beads to wear them. They offer those who have repressed creativity an opportunity to express it during the process of choosing and selecting the beads.

Whatever the reason you choose to wear the beads you will absolutely love them, they make you feel very feminine and sexy something all women should feel :-) I cant wait to have my own waistbead party to add to my newly decorated waistline!!!!!

Monday Motivation!!

This post is inspired by one of my favorite blogs lorensworld.com. She did a post about 5 things you can do on Mondays to stay motivated, being that most people dred mondays because most likely you were off all weekend and now you have to get back in the swing of things for the week. So here are a few things she suggested you do on a Monday morning.

 - Take the morning to revise your goals for the upcoming week.


- Instead of jumping into your day, wake up twenty minutes early to gather your thoughts and meditate

- Look at Monday as a new start. Forget last week and focus on what is ahead of you.

- Stop looking at the day negatively. Your thoughts control your perception which affects your actions. Be positive.

- Breathe, be positive, and go through the day with ease


These are all great things to incorporate into your Monday mornings to get motivated for the week, give them a try I certainly am :-)

Looks I Love

I absolutely LOVE a nice sleek bun and in this pic La La is totally pulling it off!! She looks ultra FAB I must say. The bun for many many years has been a pretty polished look for woman of all hair textures, whether it's messy or sleek , either way it looks effortlessly chic. I will be duplicating this complete look with makeup and all, stay tuned for the post.......:-)

New Keratin Treatment

I have completely fallen off with my blog posts!!! Yeah I know I'm bad :-( Anywho I have some new news about the latest thing going on in my salon. As you know @ The Beauty Box Brazilian Blowouts were our latest service but due to all the controversy and terrible reviews we have decided to no longer use that particular brand. We still do Keratin Treatments just using a different product now, it still produces the same results just not as severe. Meaning that instead of slightly straightening the hair this particular treatment just smooths the hair out eliminating frizz and also allowing the hair to dry a lot quicker!!!

I'll post pics soon, I promise!!!!!! :-)

Beauty Buzz : Wen Haircare

Created by celebrity stylist Chaz Dean, Wen® Cleansing Conditioner is a revolutionary new concept in hair care. A 5-in-1 formula, this one product takes the place of your shampoo, conditioner, deep conditioner, detangler and leave-in conditioner. It cleanses hair thoroughly but without lathering and all the harsh ingredients that may be found in ordinary shampoos—it is designed so it won't strip your hair and scalp of their natural oils. Your hair is left with sheen, moisture, manageability and better color retention.

Brazilian Blowout: Yay or Nay???

Here I have posted a before and after pick on one of my clients who received the Brazilian Blowout Treatment. As you can see in the before her hair is very frizzy and dry, but once the treatment was done the hair was transformed to frizz free and very smooth.

I'd like to briefly talk about all the controversy that is going on about the Brazilian Blowout, as many of you may or may not know the treatment is promoted to be formaldehyde free but through, numerous test it's been proven that there is a percentage of formaldehyde in the solution. Which clearly means the company was not honest about their product, which has caused many salons to no longer perform the service. At my salon The Beauty Box we are still performing the service and we will continue until we feel it to be unsafe, we have mask available to our clients and we wear them ourselves if we feel necessary.

Some stylist have complained about side effects such as watery eyes, chest pains and coughing. Through my experience as long as the salon is properly ventilated it doesn't bother the stylist or the client, every woman who has received the service is completely hooked and we will continue to perform the treatment on all clients who decide to continue to have the service done. There will always be new services in the industry and some salons will choose to do them and some won't I think it all depends upon your clientele and what your salon promotes. With all that being said The Beauty Box looooooves performing this treatment and seeing the reaction of our clients when they see how silky smooth their hair turns out!!!

Healthy Haircare Product of the Week!!

Organic Root Stimulator Hair Mayonnaise

What is it:  An intensive conditioning treatment of whole egg protein and Olive Oil that moisturizes and strengthens damaged and over-processed hair from within the hair shaft.




What's in it :Whole Egg - Protein is essential for repair of tissues and for carrying minerals and nutrients into cells. It has been known to help strengthen the hair.Wheat germ Oil - Rich in essential proteins and B Vitamins which are essential for healthy hair and skin. It helps repair damaged tissues.Nettle, Sunflower Oil, Soy Beans, and Amino Acids - An excellent source of Vitamin A (Beta Carotene)
 
 
What it does: Binds incredible moisture and strength directly into the hair shaft. The ultimate conditioner for everyone that wants to maintain their healthy, beautiful hair, naturally.
 
Directions for Use: Weekly or Bi-weekly
After shampooing, apply a generous amount of Hair Mayonnaise and massage to distribute from roots to ends. Cover head with a plastic cap and let process under a warm dryer or warm towel for 15-20 minutes and rinse with warm water. Towel dry hair and proceed to styling.

Severely Damaged Hair Therapy:

Mix 1-2 ounces of Hair Mayonnaise with (1) egg and massage into towel-dried hair and scalp. Cover head with a plastic cap and let conditioner process for 1-2 hours (do not use dryer). Rinse hair thoroughly with warm water. Towel dry hair and proceed to styling.

This is an amazing product that I have used a number of times on myself along with some of my clients. Its a good treatment that you can DIY at home. Try it out, you'll be hooked!!!!

Make-Up Artist Extraoirdinaire!!!!

My good friend Malika is a make-up artist for MAC Cosmetics and when I say she is talented that's actually an understatement. The girl's work is FLAWLESS!!!! whenever I see her, her face is absolute perfection and her work is the same. She knows how to do the right makeup for each individual and enhance what works best for each face she touches.

Above is a picture of me right after she did my makeup while she was at work, this is just a basic look that she was showing me how to do for everyday, now this may not be an everyday look for everyone but being that I work in the beauty industry myself this is the look I'm going for, GLAM GLAM and more GLAM.

                  Here's a pic of her working her magic at a photoshoot

Rusk Deepshine Smooth Keratin Care

                        
This is the latest product line that we are retailing at The Beauty Box to all our Keratin Straightening Treatment clients, and its such an amazing product for healthy hair!!!


What it does: These sodium chloride-free, color safe formulas strengthen and smooth the hair. Natural keratin, vitamins and nourishing botanicals help prevent breakage and provide thermal protection. They help restore elasticity, seal in moisture and lock out humidity leaving hair smooth, shiny and manageable.

Why it’s different: Specially formulated products with keratin help to replenish and restore the hair’s overall health and appearance. This is a maintenance system for anyone who has had a keratin smoothing treatment or chemical straightening service. Plus, these products before a treatment can help ensure hair is in the best possible state for chemical services

Celebrity Stylist: Kim Kimble

 

Kimberly Kimble is such an inspiration to any hairstylist who aspires to build a brand, she has accomplished some very amazing things in her career and within the beauty industry.  She has touched the tresses of Beyonce, Mary J. Blige, and Gabrielle Union to name a few. She specializes in maintaining healthy hair and  extensions, which are the two things that I'm most passionate about when it comes to hair.

Kimberly Kimble has also created her own haircare line, it supports and promotes everything she stands for. I looove her products, she has created a few pieces in her line that are specifically made to help maintain healthy hair while you are wearing extensions. If you choose to wear extensions check out Ms. Kimbles products to maintain them along with maintaining you own hair and scalp. Her prodcuts are sold at your local Target and are pretty affordable!!

My top 5 Fall Hair Trends

1. Bangs : Bangs are always a good look for the fall ,they bring more attention to your eyes and it's a simple change to your everyday hairstyle! I like this pic of  Penelope because it shows how simply chic bangs can look even with your hair pulled back.

2.The Fishtail Braid : I am absolutely obsessed with the fishtail braid and all variations of it!! Its such an effortless look that can be dressed up or down, you can place it to the side or the back and it stil looks amazing.

3.The Undone Bun: This is one of the easies DIY trends out right now, anyone can achieve the messy bun. Whether  you're going out to run errands for the day or getting ready for a dinner date, the messy bun is such a cute look.

4. Kim K Kurls : Kim K's hair always looks gorgeous, and this particular look is pretty much her basic style she wears all the time. The curls are big and loose, creating more of a body wave than an actual curl.

5.  Hair Extensions!!!! : I loooove extensions they are the best way to completely change your look and become fantastically fabulous in no time, there are many different techniques when applying extensions. You can go from short to long in a matter of minutes with clip- ins or it could be a few hours when performing a longer lasting method like sewn or linked in. Either way extensions are fun and they give you the flexibility to experiment with different lengths and best of all they take you from Drab to Oh so Fab!!!!!!!!

Picture Perfect!

I absolutely love Audrey Hepburns classic stlye, it was so effortless!!!  This picture  captures how strikingly beautiful her face is, and I just love the soft pink background. Her haircut is clean and precise, makeup is flawless, and her jewelry makes a statement! My favorite quote from by CoCo Chanel is " A lady should be two things Classy & Fabulous" its so true!!! A woman that has class is a woman who is respected on many levels and when she enters a room everyone notices. Picture Perfect :-)

"It's a 10" My new FAVORITE haircare line!!!

What can I say about these products??? The real question is what can't I say about them???!!!!! I absolutely loooove every product in the It's a 10 line, each product does 10 different things to enhance the overall health of your hair leavng it shiny, vibrant, and did I mention healthy. My favorite is the Miracle Leave In, it has a very light pleasant smell and it makes the hair very easy to comb through after it's been Shampoo'd. If you're in need of a good hair mask, a little shine, more manageable hair etc. give this line a try. It's a 10 is not sold in local stores so go to your local hair salon to inquire about purchasing any of these products.

The Brazilian Blowout will Blow your mind :-)

Okay so I had to do a post about this fairly new AMAZING new treatment that many salons are offering now. The Brazilian Blowout is said to be the most innovative and effective professional smoothing treatment in the WORLD.

Through the use of a Brazilian Super Nutrient Complex and a polymer system, the Brazilian Blowout actually improves the condition of the hair by creating a protective protein layer around the hair shaft to eliminate frizz and smooth the cuticle. The end result is smooth, healthy, frizz-free hair with radiant shine!!
Now doesn't this sound like what every woman wants??? Of coarse it does!!! We've been performing the treatment at my salon for a few months now and we absolutely LOVE the results and so do our clients, Check out the video above to see what all the rave is about :-)

4 Tips to Straight Shiny Hair!!

Step 1:  Cleanse the hair : Thoroughly cleansing the hair of all build up and residue is very important, Its good to use a clarifying shampoo and follow with a moisterizing shampoo after.

Step 2: Condition the hair : Conditioning the hair is almost more important then shampooing, simply because the conditioner is filling the hair back with all the nutrients and oils that the shampoo strips from the hair during the cleansing  process. The conditioner smooths the hair strands and makes the hair soft and easy to comb through. If you are experiencing breakage it's best to do a deep conditioning treatment once a week and let the conditioner sit on the hair for 15-30 mins.


Step 3: Use a heat protectant :  When blowdrying and using a flat iron its imperative to use a heat protectant, their used to smooth and soften the hair while protecting it from heat damage. Using heat protectants play a huge role in keeping your hair healthy and shiny.


Step 4: Finish w/shine spray or serum: Once you blowdry and flat iron the hair straight use a light shine spray or serum to add the finishing touch to your style. If you choose a spray hold the bottle a few inches away from your hair to prevent over using the product. When using a serum work  a small dime size amount in your hand and then rub it through the hair, be sure not to use too much becuase it will only weight the hair down.

Hello World!!!!

Happy New Year!! Today is the day for new beginnings and fresh starts, and its also the first day of me posting to my new blog YAAAAAAY ME!!!!! This is something that I've been wanting to do for some time now, I like to consider myself a "BEAUTY Professional". I grew up in my grandmothers BEAUTY salon and I now own my own salon, I absolutely love what I do and I plan to use this blog to share with you my knowledge and expereince's within the fabulous industry of  BEAUTY!!  Stay tuned.......