Beauty, Hair Care, lifestyle, That girl in the red coat, Women

Buttering up your Monday Motivator

January 28, 2019 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

It’s Monday. It’s January. The February “blahs” are just around the corner. The view from my window…snow storms are threatening, skies are cloudy, the gleaming white snow has lost it’s sparkle and lays there, dull and grey. Before you pull down the shades and crawl back under the covers, I have a little something to help add a pop of color to your daily life and remind you that Spring will rise from her Winter slumber soon enough. Let me introduce you to Joico Color Butter.

From pink to purple, red to blue, Joico has created a color for you. Joico Color Butter allows you to try the vibrant shade you have always wanted, without the commitment! The color lasts up to 10 shampoo’s. Joico Color Butter is the perfect product to touch up vibrant ends, or to restore your existing vibrant shade until your next Salon visit. Here’s a few key features of this FAB! product;

Joico Color Butter is a nourishing color treatment. Yes. I said treatment. Color Butter both moisturizes and strengthens the hair. *Reduces breakage up to 44%.
Joico Color Butter is free of peroxide, ammonia, MEA and PPD.
Hair is instantly more vibrant and strong with healthy and glossy strands.
Washes out in 10 shampoo’s *Depending on the porosity of your hair.
The perfect product to refresh existing semi permanent pastel/vibrant colors.

To use;

ALWAYS wear gloves and cover your clothing to avoid staining. If you happen to spill a little, wipe off counters and floors as soon as possible to avoid stains.
best results are on pre-lightened hair.
for a pastel/lighter effect, apply to damp hair. Leave on for 5-15 minutes, then rinse. You can follow up with a shampoo – Joico Kpak Color Therapy is suggested.
for true vibrancy, apply to dry hair. Leave on for 5 – 15 minutes, then rinse. Follow with Joico Kpak Color Therapy Shampoo.
for bolder results – apply Joico Color Butter 2 -3 times. *always rinse and blow dry in between each application.

Visit http://www.joico.com for more information on Color Butter. Their FAQ sheet answers any and all questions, for stylists and their clients alike.

I know there are many of you out there who scroll through Instagram or Pinterest and vibrant hair color peaks your interest. I also know many are fearful of the commitment to color and worry about the judgement that may follow. Thanks to Joico Color Butter, you can have commitment free color. Who knows, you may find that you can’t stop smiling at your reflection. You may find yourself hearing “I love your hair” as you are in the produce aisle. Take a chance. Try something new. …you know what they say… Everything is better with butter.

health and wellness, lifestyle, Women

Sunday Confessions

January 27, 2019 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

A friend of mine posted something on Facebook this morning that caught my eye and lifted a weight off my shoulders. The post read ” Don’t let people guilt you for not visiting them. They’re not visiting you either”.

I know I am not the only one who carries this guilt. We miss our friends, we may even miss our family. We want to be present for all the happenings and celebrations of our loved ones lives. Nothing beats an hour long chat, face to face over a chardonnay with our dearest friends, or collecting wisdom from our elders over a pot of tea kept warm by their knitted tea cozy. If it was up to me, these events would happen every day. More often than not, it’s not up to me. Life gets busy and can tend to get in the way of best laid plans. Children get the flu, the dog eats chocolate and an emergency trip to the vet takes priority. Work schedules to do not line up with anyone else’s … those of us in retail know this all too well. Anxiety decides to rear it’s ugly mug and the idea of driving on the highway with snow in the forecast is just too much to handle. Sometimes, we are just tired, plain and simple. Tired from work, tired from our endless “to-do’s”, tired of being everything to everyone, and although we miss our friends and family, we just can’t muster up the energy for one more thing. If you are visiting people because you have to, like it’s another chore on your daily “to-do” list – there is no honor in that, for them or for you.

I have friends and family all over the globe. Some live 10 minutes away, some live 12 hours away. I would love to see them all, whenever I had a free moment. I know this is not possible, as much as I wish it was. So, I send a quick text to let them know I am thinking of them. When I find an old photo, I send it to them, so we can share the memory. I make sure that every January 1st. I mark down everyone’s birthday on my calendar, from January to December, so they are not forgotten. When I can, I call them to have a chat. Yes. I use my phone like a phone. When I see them post good news, I call to congratulate. Some I will text, for I know how hectic their schedules are. When I see them post sad news, whenever possible I arrive at their door.

There are times in our lives that others have to be takers and we have to be the givers. There are also times we are the takers and others are the givers. There should be times we are the visitor. There should also be times that we are visited. Relationships should be an equal amount of give and take. So, stop feeling guilty, plain and simple.

Beauty, health and wellness, lifestyle, That girl in the red coat

Your Blue Monday Motivator

January 21, 2019 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

It’s Monday morning. It’s cold, like minus 23 degrees without the windchill cold. As my feet hit the hardwood this morning, I remembered to buy a rug. After grabbing my coffee, I plopped myself into my favorite chair and started scrolling through my phone. I was bombarded by two posts. Posts of the lunar eclipse and blood moon – which I was able to witness from my backyard last night. Not a cloud in the sky, bitter cold air, but clear skies none the less. The other were posts about “Blue Monday”. I didn’t realize New Order’s song Blue Monday had it’s own day. Taking a closer look I came to realize that Blue Monday has nothing to do with New Order, it has to do with this Monday being the most depressive Monday of the New Year. I didn’t know this was a thing. Someone, somewhere at sometime decided this was the day that people felt bad about themselves, their New Year resolution short comings, their life choices, their shoes…you name it, it’s the day to feel blue.

I am not an expert, nor am I a guru on the mount. What I am is a woman who has been around, seen some things and survived some shit. I am a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend. I have had some awesome days and some pretty crap filled weeks. What I have come to realize is life is what you make it Beauties. Plain and Simple. That being said, I thought I would whip up a little list to help you out, on this bluest of Mondays.

Look up. The sun may be shining.
Help your neighbour. If it’s garbage day, see if they need help getting it to the curb. The snow plow went by, so help them dig out the end of their driveway.
Bake a cake. For no reason other to eat it. Smother layers of icing all over it and enjoy.
Write a letter to a friend. … not an email, not a text, a letter. Remember the feeling of receiving a letter in the mail? We need more of that.
Feed the birds. Go to the park or sit in your own back yard. Trust me, if you have bird seed, they’ll show up.
Find your favorite CD and blast it out of the speakers, in your living room or in your car. Sing your heart out and fill up your soul.
Instead of your morning shower, run a hot bath.
Wear that red lipstick that has been sitting in your vanity drawer.
Wrap your hands around your coffee cup, feel the warmth, and smell the delicious aroma.
Make a hot chocolate that would put Starbucks to shame. Lather that baby with whipped cream and chocolate sprinkles.
Paint your nails, the brightest of pinks or the darkest of reds.
Take a moment to remember a favorite memory. We all have a few free minutes a day, even if it’s when you are in the bathroom. Trust me, this works. Your mind has no sense of time, so when you think of a happy memory, your body will respond as if it’s happening right now. …something to remember when you recollect the negative.

It may seem simple and even silly to some. More often than not, it’s the little things that make all the difference. As for yours truly, the only “blue” of my Blue Monday is the sky.

Beauty, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

An Instant Monday Motivator

January 14, 2019 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

Here we are, once again. It’s Monday. Our week and all the hustle and bustle that goes with it has begun. Calls to make. Emails to send. Early morning drop offs and after school pick ups arranged. Deciding what’s for dinner, laundry thrown in the dryer, drinking cold coffee as tears are dried over forcing our children to wear their toques and boots…it’s a Canadian thing. All the while, trying to get yourself dressed and presentable to the world. …oh, and it’s only 8:30 a.m.. I may not have all the answers or remedies for our Monday morning mayhem, what I do have is a a product that can help you have a good hair day. A little gem that makes your hair look freshly coiffed and ready to take on whatever Monday may throw at you. Let me introduce you to Joico Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo.

For those who are not familiar with Dry Shampoo – this product was created to give you the look and feel of freshly washed hair when you do not have the time to jump in the shower. Dry Shampoo is applied to dry hair in layers, starting at the scalp. *That Girl in the Red Coat tip – flip your head upside down, then start spraying from the root about half way down your strands – a little goes a long way. After spraying desired amount, brush through your hair. When too much is applied, your hair can tend to look and feel like there is too much product on your hair. You may have heard around the water cooler or at the school drop off zone that Dry Shampoo made someone’s hair look worse. More often than not, the product has not been applied correctly. Dry Shampoo is not meant to replace washing your hair entirely. It is best to use Dry Shampoo for maybe one to three days, (especially for those of us with fine hair) then jump in the shower and give your hair a good washing.

Dry Shampoo tips;

always apply to dry hair
apply in layers/sections from root to mid shaft – flipping your head over to have your hair hang down may make it easier to apply.
always brush the product through after applying to prevent build up in a specific area
Dry Shampoo is not a replacement for washing your hair! Recommended use is 1-3 days. Using Dry Shampoo everyday can make your hair start to look greasy and lifeless and may cause product build up on your hair.

Joico’s Instant Refresh Dry Shampoo is formulated for all hair types, from fine to thick and for all hair colors. It has a hold factor of zero, so it will not interfere with your other styling favorites. It creates volume, like after a fresh wash and rids the look of greasy or oily roots and strands. It is a fast drying aerosol so there is never a worry of your hair looking wet or feeling crunchy. Formulated with Aluminum starch, Willow and Manuka extracts, Joico Instant Refresh absorbs excess oil = easy to brush out without any residue on the hair. Joico’s signature Peptide Complex targets and reconstructs damaged strands and Soy Protein adds the gloss.

On Monday mornings, your coffee may be cold, your toast may burn, your children may fight over who gets the blue cup, your hubby may forget where his keys are, but you will have a good hair day. Sometimes, it’s the little things that can make all the difference in our day.

Beauty, Hair Care, Women

Soft and strong hair? Yep, it’s possible!

January 9, 2019 That Girl in the Red Coat 1 Comment

You can ask any of my coworkers, family members and friends… at least three times a week I am complimented on my hair. The cut, the color and it’s condition. You see, I am a bottled blonde. Yes, I was born blonde, then I slowly became a brunette, and during pregnancy my hair turned dark brown and stayed that shade. When my grey’s began to spring up (at 31 thank you), I decided to start adding blonde highlights, that soon turned into more highlights that became what I have today, blonde on top, dark brown underneath with hints of magenta peeking through. Psst…a little secret…blonde on top masks the grey hair…when they pop up I can say it’s more platinum blonde. Back to the tale at hand. I want to share the secret to my good hair days and the lovely condition of my tresses. In a word… Joico Kpak. I could go on and on, singing the praises of this FABULOUS line. Instead, let me share my past tales of Joico Kpak and their complete line. Created for all hair types and hair woes.

15 minutes is all it takes

The Color Therapist is in

Luster-licious

The Joi of a Monday Motivator

Joico Kpak Color Therapy Dry Oil Spray – That Girl in the Red Coat

Monday Motivator – Joico Kpak Color Therapy Dry Oil Spray

Trust me, if you chemically treat your hair, using Joico Kpak will have you being complimented on your hair too.

Beauty, Fashion, Women

… if the shoe fits

January 8, 2019 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

As some of you may know, and some of you may not, yours truly has returned to my old stomping grounds. Years ago, I managed the Ladies section of a shoe store. It’s not your run of the mill shoe store – a slow day is 250 pairs. This past July, the manager and owner and I sat down and I was asked to come back, and on my terms. Four shifts a week, only one late night and no management responsibilities. Just selling. Go in, do my job, go home. I explained my long term goals for my blog, my writing, my consulting and my life. I came to realize a while ago, do what you gotta do until you can do what you want to do. Plain and simple.

I have been back in the Ladies section for 6 months now, and although it was over 8 years ago when I ran the section, one thing has not changed. Women are insecure about their feet, their shoe size, what they look like and what people think. Too many women are forcing their foot into a shoe that is too small, or refusing to try on a pump because they are “too old for those now”, or, the saddest of all, buying a shoe they do not like because their partner says they like it. I may not be able to help you out of a bad marriage, or help you get your boss off your back, or get your kids to behave. What I can do is give you the “what’s what” about shoes and footwear. Here we go;

the average size of shoe sold in the Ladies section in 2018 was a Ladies size 9 – 10. Yes. You read that correctly. 6 – 7 is no longer the average size. There is no longer any need to be embarrassed about your size 10’s ladies.

Many companies offer an array of sizing, from size 4 to size 13. …and yes, the size 13’s are just as cute as the size 4’s.

European Sizing – this always throws ladies for a loop. Here’s your go to chart;

35 = size 4 – 4.5

36 = size 5 – 5.5

37 = size 6 – 6.5

38 = size 7 – 7.5

39 = size 8 – 8.5

40 = size 9 – 9.5

41 = size 10 – 10.5

42 = size 11 – 11.5

43 = size 12 – 12.5

44 = size 13 – 13.5

Here’s a little helpful sizing tidbit – * many children’s shoes and men’s shoes are the exact same style as Ladies shoes.

A child’s size 4 is a Ladies 6

A child’s size 5 is a Ladies 7

A child’s size 6 is a Ladies 8

A men’s size 8 is a Ladies 10

A men’s size 9 is a Ladies 11

A men’s size 10 is a Ladies 12

Unless you have always dreamed of having bunions and hammer toes, or both…NEVER purchase shoes that are too small, EVER. Think about it. If the shoe is too small, with every step you take, the joints of your toes have no where to go but up (hammer toe) and out (bunion). Unfortunately, for some of us, bunions and hammer toes may run in the family – try not to give them any more help.

Unless you are on the beach, going barefoot is a no no. The older we get, the more support our tootsies need. The tendons supporting your arch run from the base of your big toe to your heel, and then up to your knee and they need your support. If you have ever had heel pain, or gotten out of bed and felt like you stepped on broken glass – that’s your arch begging for support. I have suffered from the evil Plantar Fasciitis and quickly learned that walking barefoot around the house was no longer an option. So I wear my Birks (Birkenstock) instead of slippers. For those of you who just can’t imagine wearing these, give this brand a go – Vionic – created by Podiatrist’s. Their selection of sandals are cute and colorful. I have to admit…every once and a while I wear my fuzzy slippers – I’m Canadian and our winters tend to be chilly.

When it comes to winter boots – water proof means water proof. The boot has a water proof membrane between the soles of the boot. I want you to imagine an Oreo cookie. The cookie parts are the soles of the boots, the cream center is the water proof membrane. *** Temperature grading on a winter boot means that your foot will stay cozy and warm if you are moving or not.

We all can walk in heels. We can. You have to walk like the models on the runway. Plain and Simple. Put one foot in front of the other and sway your hips and VOILA! You are walking in heels. * Walking with your feet side to side like you do in sneakers is the reason why you waver and look like a baby deer learning to walk or feel unstable. Imagine you are on the runway in Milan and strut your stuff sister!

For those who wear Orthotics, do not fret. You are not doomed to wear “old people shoes” for the rest of your life. Many companies offer and array of Orthotic friendly foot wear, from sandals to heels, knee high boots to slippers. …and they are cute too. Clarks, Aravon, Biotime, Romika, Ugg…just to name a few.

Something I want you to remember Ladies. If you like the shoe, buy it. Stop worrying about what others will say or think. Stop worrying you are too old to wear certain shoes. If you like sparkles on your shoes, BLING! away. If you like the way you look in stiletto’s, wear them like you’re on your way to your personal Vogue shoot. It’s like I tell my Ladies that shop in my section, if people are looking at your shoes instead of you, you need to tell them to get a new hobby.

Be your own beautiful. …and if the shoe fits, wear it.

Beauty, Hair Care, health and wellness

Monday Motivator

January 7, 2019 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

It’s the first Monday of 2019. The holidays are officially over. The kids are back in school. For those of us in retail, holiday hours have come to and end. Our schedules are no longer filled with office Christmas parties and Holiday open houses. Life, for the most part, is getting back to normal, back to the daily grind.

All our Facebook, Snapchat and Instagram feeds are filled with “New Year! New Me!” quotes and memes. Many a fine lady and gentleman are seeking something new, be it a diet plan, a fitness regime, and as always, a new hair style. I began this blog, 6 years ago, to educate the masses about their hair. Which products to use, which products were for specific hair types and most importantly, how to use them. From pomades to flat irons, I tried to cover all the bases and answer any and all questions. As I sat down with my trusty laptop with my coffee in hand, I decided today would be a great day to go through my archives and share my what’s what of hair products, styling tools, etc. . Knowledge is power my friends, and with the proper tools and know how, the one thing you will be sure of is your hair. With all the happenings in the world today, it may seem silly and trivial to be worried about your hair. The way I see it, if you feel good about yourself, when you like your reflection and feel confident in yourself, you tend not to worry about the little things like split ends and are more aware of what is going on around you… it gets you out of your own way. So without further adieu here are a few articles to help you have a better understanding of your hair, your hair products and maybe, just maybe, a better understanding of yourself.

Thinking of an at home color experience?

Proceed with caution…

All flat irons are not meant for all hair types…

Would a flat iron by any other name still be as good?

Before you pick up your favorite shampoo at the discount store…

Divert your attention

A what’s what of hair products

What does this do?

AC/DC isn’t just a band…not all blow dryers are created equal

Blow out

Beauty, health and wellness, lifestyle, Women

New Intentions

January 2, 2019 That Girl in the Red Coat Leave a comment

… a little New Years tale.

Intention – (noun) a determination to act in a certain way – Merriam-Webster Dictionary

Here we are. January 2, 2019. Our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter feeds are filled with everyone’s New Year resolution of “New year! New me!”, usually accompanied with a meme. Many have asked me what my New Year’s resolutions were for 2019. My answer was always the same. I do not have any. In the past, whenever I uttered a resolution, made my list of New Year’s to do, I always fell short and ended up feeling like a fool or worse, a failure. So, I no longer make resolutions, I create intentions. My New Year’s Intentions… it just feels better, sounds better to have intentions. The word itself, for me at least, has a positive power to it. It comes from a place of gratitude and grace. It brings with it a sense of hope. Something I have for myself, my friends and love ones.

This year, and all the years to come, my wish for you is intention. To find what it is that brings a smile to your face, a warmth to your soul. To find what it is that makes you want to see your own reflection. Once we set an intention, and truly believe it, the world, the universe, God, the smurfs – take your pick, will be drawn to it. It may not happen overnight or even in 6 months, but know this. It will happen. It ain’t gonna be pretty, there will be many days of doubt, ugly face cries, stomps and tantrums that would put a toddler to shame. There will also be moments of pure peace, of joy, of laughter. You will feel that same pride that you felt when you mastered your bicycle without training wheels, or the first time you hit a home run. You will begin to remember who you really are, and once you remember that, the world is your oyster darling.

Create the world you want to see – That Girl in the Red Coat