Beauty, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized

15 minutes is all it takes

March 23, 2015 That Girl in the Red Coat 2 Comments

Today’s tale is for the victims of dry, damaged and/or over processed tresses. In the age of flat irons, highlighting, ombres, sombres, smoothing systems and the ever popular at home it worked for the girl on You Tube blunders, we have all at one time or another been the victim of dry, damaged hair. Many of the women that I speak to at the shop all have the same concern – time. They want their hair to look and feel good. They all know that their hair is in dire need of moisture and nourishment. They all think they do not have the time to fix their hair. Well Ladies and Gents, I am here to tell you that if you have 15 minutes, once a week, you can and will repair your hair. Yep. 15 minutes is all it takes. How do I know? I timed it.

Joico Kpak. A lovely line created for dry and damaged hair. Those of you familiar with my blog have heard me sing the praises of Joico’s Kpak Color Therapy Shampoo and Conditioner and Kpak Revitaluxe – my favorite trio from Joico. Thanks to blogger perks…thank you http://www.justpencilmein.ca , I was given some FAB! products from the Joico Kpak collection that, although I had sold to our customers and clients, I had not used. Until now. Let me say this. I have been a high lift bottled blonde for 5 years. I use a flat iron everyday. I am a mother and a wife and a manager so I know the struggle of having enough time and keeping the “fuzzy head” at bay. These gems from Joico, to put it simply…meet your new best friends. * a little tidbit of info. for you…Joico Kpak’s technology is one of the most powerful, most targeted hair repair technologies ever created.

Joico Kpak Shampoo – restores your hair to it’s original condition, increases it’s strength and gives a cloak of protection to fend of further damage, finds the damaged area of the hair cuticle, instantly filling the lost amino acids and restores elasticity, strength and shine. It’s a lovely shampoo for all hair types for it offers a low molecular weight for those with finer strands and it’s rich cream based formula is lovely for thicker, more coarse strands.

Joico Kpak Conditioner – much like Kpak Shampoo, the amino acids in this conditioner specifically target the damaged area’s of the hair and the hair cuticle. The weightless keratin silicone complex locks in moisture, seals the now repaired cuticle and delivers shine and smoothness.

Joico Deep Penetrating Reconstructor – a conditioning treatment to be used once a week. In 5 minutes this gem will rebuild and refortify stressed strands. This award winning treatment is created for all hair types, length and thickness. After you shampoo and condition your hair, squeeze out the excess water in your hair, work the Deep Penetrating Reconstructor through out your hair, leave in for 3 – 5 minutes, rinse with cool water.

Joico Kpak Intense Hydrator – it’s name says it all. With it’s gentle ph of 3.5, this gem of a treatment offers immediate hydration. It is a treatment that is meant to be used once a week. It can be used more than once a week for frizzy, erratic hair that has been over processed by bleach, damaged by thermal styling – flat irons etc., damaged by chemical smoothing systems, even for those of us who unwittingly inherited crazy Aunt Ethel’s hair. Within minutes Joico’s BioAdvanced Peptide Complex replaces lost lipids, locks in moisture and seals your cuticle shut and delivers intense shine. Intense Hydrator can be used after you shampoo and condition. Squeeze the excess water out of your hair, work Intense Hydrator through your hair, leave in for 3 – 5 minutes, then rinse with cool water. *For very dry hair – leave in for 5 minutes. ** For optimum results and silky, smooth hair, use Intense Hydrator immediately after you rinse out the Deep Penetrating Reconstructor. Your hair will look and feel fabulous – you will feel and see the difference the moment you begin to blow dry.

Once a week, give yourself 15 minutes. We all have 15 minutes, once a week. If you have time to keep up with the Kardashian’s, you have time for you and your hair. I am sure that at least once a week you are in the shower. Instead of running through the list of what everyone else needs, take those minutes to sing your favorite tune and apply a conditioning treatment. Once your song is over, it’s time to rinse. Admit it, when you are having a good hair day, it’s a good way to start your day. It’s time to start every day as a good day. These gems from Joico are a great start.

lifestyle, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women

Long days in short years

March 16, 2015 That Girl in the Red Coat 2 Comments

Today marks my 3rd anniversary as That Girl in the Red Coat. I had to keep checking the date of my first blog. March 16 2012. Wow. 3 years. I remember the weeks leading up to my first post. I had no idea what I was doing. I was filled with fear and trepidation about what may or may not lay ahead. I was diving into the unknown. I began my blog in hopes of educating the masses about professional hair products, helping stylists and salon managers & owners increase their retail sales and client retention. I wanted to educate and enlighten. What I didn’t know then was how much I would be educated and enlightened, about myself.

Those familiar with my blog know that yours truly is no stranger to insecurities, on every level. I have a library of self help books. I know the “secret” and that I should harness “the power”. I know Jesus loves me. Oprah’s AHA! moments lasted for a moment or two. I tried to Martha and make everything “a good thing”. I was searching for answers and happiness everywhere but where it was, and always had been. In me. I have been the woman locked in the bathroom hating her hair. I have been the woman who had the hairstyle everyone told her she should have…and hating it. I have been the mother who worried too much about other’s opinions on my parenting. I have been the woman who after childbirth was unsure of her body and let it affect her life in the boudoir. I have been the young woman who did not like her reflection. I have been the young girl who listened to the wrong people and continued to listen to them into adulthood. I have been the young girl who thought having hips was awesome until some girl told me they made me look fat. I have also been the 5 year old girl who thought she could be anyone she wanted and do anything she wanted…and I am happy to say, at 42, I again believe this to be true. Letting go of my fear of the unknown and letting go of the fear of what people will think, I found happiness. I feel content. I am proud of my daughter and feel I am doing a good job being her mother. I look into the mirror and like what I see. I have the hairstyle that I like and that I want. I love and am in love with my husband of 20 years. I embrace my curves and from time to time can be caught shakin’ what my momma gave me.

I realized that over the past 3 years the days have been long and the years have been short. I learned some hard lessons, personally and professionally. I have suffered losses and gains. I have had to stand by and witness health issues and mental health issues of my loved ones – and all I could do was offer a soft place to fall. I have learned that it is not all about me – let me tell ya…that was a biggie. I am continuing to learn patience. I have accepted that I can’t control anything or anyone but myself…another biggie for yours truly…huge. I have learned that this too shall pass…in it’s own time.

The most important lesson I have learned is to go for it. Plain and simple. Go for it. The worse thing that can happen is nothing happens and you begin again. I have come to embrace a line from one of my favorite tunes from the Rolling Stones “You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need” and it is serving me well. By staying true to myself, letting the chips fall where they may and taking a chance on myself and putting myself and my Salon Tales out there, in 3 years some amazing things have happened and are continuing to happen;

– a 6 time contributor for http://www.salonmagazine.ca

– a contributing author for http://www.hairstlye-blog.com and http://www.visualmakeover.com

– a featured blogger for http://www.justpencilmein.ca

– featured on http://www.girlbodypride.com

– featured in Piidea’s Sept/Oct 2014 Buyers Guide

– featured in ViBrant Magazine

– featured on many professional hair care websites

I am proud of the above accomplishments. What I am most proud of are the personal lessons I have learned and the accomplishments in my relationships that followed – from my marriage, to my friendships, to my family, to my relationship with my lovely daughter. I have also learned to like myself. Ladies and Gents – if you can like and love yourself – everything else slowly falls into place. My anniversary gift for myself and for you is this;

Remember, in this life,

– the days are long and the years are short.

– You can’t always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, well you just might find, you get what you need. – The Rolling Stones

– have the hair style/color YOU want

– You are enough. Plain and simple.

– Always shake what your momma gave you

Beauty, communication, entertainment, Hair Care, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Tales of Truth – 16th Edition

March 2, 2015 That Girl in the Red Coat 2 Comments

I know that the full moon will not arrive for a few more days, but I cannot hold these tales in any longer. I don’t know if it was the February blahs or the polar vortex but let me tell ya…these past weeks have been quite, shall we say, interesting. …and yes, these circumstances are quite real. I actually have witnesses.

– I have a blue streak through my hair (see picture below). I have many women comment on the color or that I shaved the side of my head. What I haven’t heard until a few weeks ago was “Your hair reminds me of my bird!” …all I could think was Sweet Jesus, please let her be talking about her pet.

…a bird…who knew?

– It was a busy day in the Salon and a dear friend was getting her hair done, so I stepped back to the Salon to say hello. As I approached her chair, my stylist and the owner just stared at me, no words uttered, just eyes shifting to the left. I looked over to see a woman, who was waiting for her appointment, clipping her finger nails. Yes, clipping her finger nails. Not only clipping her finger nails but dropping the clippings on the floor. …left me to wonder, does she floss her teeth in the 1-8 aisle at the grocery store?

– A woman asked me if there was any product that would help her daughter not “whine so much” when she was getting her brows plucked. I let her know that there are numbing creams available that may help with the discomfort. I also let her know that waxing may be a better option – it is quicker, and the pain is only for a moment or two every 4-6 weeks instead of every few days. She asked me “Is waxing safe for a 5 year old?” ….there are no words.

– Travel size hairspray can be hard to come by, so when some travel size hairspray arrived, I had a display at the front counter, so our customers and clients will see that we now have some in stock. A woman told me I should move the display, because “it will depress the people that never go anywhere. It’s not nice to remind people of such things!”. …sigh

– As we all know, products get discontinued. No one likes it. It’s frustrating. It happens. I had a woman tell me I was a liar. She came in looking for Joico Brilliantine. I let her know it was discontinued. I also told her I had many products similar to her beloved product and that I found Senscience ProFormance Polish the closest yet. “You’re a liar!” she told me. I get out my laptop, went to the Joico website to show her their product listings to show it has been discontinued. As I scrolled through the product listings, she asked me “How do I know you didn’t set this up?” …. double sigh

– A woman asked me if she can use Dry Shampoo in the shower

* for those not familiar with Dry Shampoo check out my article for http://www.hairstyle-blog.com

http://www.hairstyle-blog.com/dry-shampoo-new-best-friend.html

– A woman came in looking for the most natural, chemical free hair color that she could buy. I let her know I did not sell any and that most professional hair care color lines are not sold to the public, only licensed stylists. “Well, that’s not fair! The public cares about the environment too!”. As she left the shop, still standing in the doorway of the shop, she lit her cigarette. …triple sigh

Last, but never least…

– To let the public at large know – I do know that Blue/Purple shampoo will eliminate the brassy tones of your hair, on your head. As for other body regions…I will leave that up to you to find out.