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

Reflections of reality

Today’s tale is for all those who are struggling, be it with your finances, your boss, your significant other, your hair or lack there of. Most importantly, for those who are struggling with yourself. If there is one thing you take from today’s tale and keep it in your pocket, it is this – you are not alone and it will get better. Everyone, I mean everyone is struggling with something or someone. Everyone.

Over the past months many of those that I hold dear, clients, friends and family alike have been facing struggles. Struggles with their friends, their loved ones and with themselves. One commonality they all seem to be facing? Judgement and ridicule, and that in itself is the worst part of the struggle. Opening up about your life or asking for help is the most difficult thing to do because of the fear of not being taken seriously. The voice of self doubt can be deafening. Judging someone on what you deem to be a lack of “being able to deal” is cruel, plain and simple. This is their journey, not yours. You see the world one way, they see it another. Here’s the deal, it is their reality, it is real to them, and needs to be honored as such. It is also their story to tell, not yours. Gossip is tacky, and ugly. Nothing good ever comes from it. Ever.

We have all struggled with reflection. For those familiar with my Salon Tales, you are well aware of my past self image issues. The difficulty with dealing with your reflection is that we aren’t just dealing with our reflections in the mirror. We are dealing with the reflections in our mind….and those nasty bastards can be hard to keep quiet. We all have the shoulda, coulda, woulda scenario’s playing and replaying in our minds -and there is nothing worse than when a friend or loved ones points them out for now our reflection has become reality.

To those who are reading this who have been the victim of judgement and ridicule, it’s time to turn those experiences around. Do not feel weak that you opened up. Be proud of yourself, feel heroic even, for you had the courage to open up, to let others know about those things that people don’t talk about at parties. Showing a weakness takes strength. Try not to judge those who judge you – calm down, I’m not gonna bring in J.C. and try to save your soul – I’m saying try not to judge them because 1) why waste your energy on someone who isn’t wasting theirs on you and 2) they need your sympathy and your empathy for they are feeling the same way you do, they just aren’t able to talk about it.

Everyone, I mean everyone at some point has; hated their hair, thought they were ugly, thought they were stupid, felt fat, felt alone, felt inadequate, lost attraction in their spouse, feared their spouse was no longer attracted to them, felt like a bad parent because they needed their child to just shut up for a minute, felt they were a bad friend because they wanted to put their own needs above another’s…the list is endless.

My hope for all who read this today is that you find some peace today, be it for a minute, an hour or more. May  serenity finds it’s way to your door. May the reflections of your reality begin to bring hope, light and love.

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

Monday Motivator – Senscience Pro-Formance

It’s Monday. Again. For those of you familiar with my blog, you are aware it is becoming my mission to make Monday a little more bearable. I can’t make the coffee brew faster, I can’t get your dog to open the door and walk himself, nor can I make your children give you the moment of silence you so desperately need first thing in the morning. What I can do is help you to have a good hair day on Mondays, and everyday.

For those of you, like myself, who felt lost when  Joico Brilliantine or Senscience Pliable Shine were discontinued, do I have some AWESOME news for you this fine Monday morning!

This Monday’s featured product is Senscience ProFormance Polish

Senscience ProFormance Polish

Senscience ProFormance is one of the newest collections from Senscience. Although the products are created for our lovely gents, our lovely ladies can use them as well. I am a firm believer that there is always a reason to add a little shine. This gem from Senscience delivers just that. It is a pliable (easy to work with) pomade that is created for all hair types. * a lovely pomade to use on curls – soft and defined. It offers a natural shine and washes out easily – leaving no residue behind. * no flaking – perfect for our dark haired beauties and no brassy tone residue – perfect for our blonde bombshells.

For best results, Senscience ProFormance Polish should be applied to dry hair. A little goes a long way, so begin with a dime size amount, emulsify in your hands, then apply to your hair. When using Senscience ProFormance polish, you can easily achieve any style.

For the Gents;

– a slicked back dapper

– a rebel tousled style – think Marlon Brando in A street car named desire …or James Dean in Rebel without a cause …either will do.

– great for beards – adds that little bit of sheen and controls those pesky little hairs with a mind of their own.

For the Ladies;

– a great finishing product for curls – adds a little shine and brings back a little spring to your curls without leaving a sticky or hard look and feel.

– a perfect product to apply to those pesky flyaways along your part or to control the kick back of your cowlick * that’s why I like it.

– cocktail with your favorite shine serum – a great finishing product to add some shine and control to your ends – instead of your ends looking like a shag rug circa 1970, your ends with be smooth as a baby’s bottom.

A lovely pomade that adds natural shine and it smells wonderful, what more can your hair ask for on a Monday?

Beauty, communication, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, writing

Tales of Truth – 19th Edition

Well, ladies and gents, boys and girls, the full moon has arrived and with it some amazing and dare I say, gruesome tales of truth. I have been in the retail/customer service gig for over 25 years and thought I had heard and seen it all. …well, I stand corrected.

– The phone rings, I answer with my standard greeting. “Are you open?” is what I am asked. “Yes. We are open.”. “So, you are open?”. “Yes, we are open 9:30 – 9:00 today.”. “So, if I come over there, you’ll be open, right?”.  ….sigh

– A woman came in asking if I still sell the Wet Brush (the BEST brush EVER for tangles…just sayin’). I let her know we do and walked her over to the display. “I use the Wet Brush on my dog. He loves it so much I want one too…but it can’t be green, because his is green and I don’t want him mistaking my brush for his.”.

– A woman came in looking for hair chalk. I showed her the Color Bug by Kevin Murphy and the Pigment Pencils by Joico Structure. I let her know that they are a temporary color and will wash out in one to two shampoo’s. “If it lasts until I wash it out, that isn’t very temporary – I only wash my hair once a week.”

– I now know that there is at least one man who uses travel size hair dryers because they are the perfect size to use “south of the border” ….his pun…not mine…did not need the visual.

– A woman came in demanding I only show her products that are not tested on animals. She was wearing leather sandals & carrying a leather tote (I used to run the Ladies dept. at a shoe store and I can spot leather shoes at 100 paces).

– A boy and his mother came in looking for hair chalk. As I was showing them my selection and explaining how to use it, the boy was interrupting his mother, being rude, hitting the display and even our plant. When we got to the counter, as I was ringing through the hair chalk purchase,(a purchase he did not deserve, in my opinion), the boy saw our OPI nail swatches and shouted “Hey! Are these fake nails?” to which I answered “Oh no. Those are the nails from little boys who are rude to their Mother’s in my shop.”. ….Have to admit…that was fun.

– Box color is not for “your box” …enough said.

– The hair dryers are blowing, all of my stylists have a client in their chair. The woman at the front counter says “Oh…so you have a Salon.”. “Yes we do, would you like to make an appointment?” I ask. “Is it a real Salon?” she asked. Before I answered, I reminded myself not to show it on my face, “I’m sorry. What do you mean by a real Salon?”. “Oh, you know. A real Salon – you hear about these fake ones that open then close like a day later. You can never be to careful!”. She has been buying her hairspray from me for 4 years. …I left it at that…I had nothing.

….and the Piece de Resistance…drum roll please…a middle aged woman came in – hey, I can say middle aged, I am going to be 43. So, a middle aged woman, wearing a micro mini corduroy skirt, I mean micro mini skirt came in looking for her color. I walked over to the shelf and helped her find it. I asked her if she had enough peroxide at home to which she said, “I better get some.”. As I bent down to get it for her, she bent down as well. Well ladies and gents, yours truly was visually assaulted for Miss. MicroMini was not wearing any underwear. Going commando. Sans gitch. If that Took. It. Out. Seinfeld episode was about a woman, Elaine would have said “Put. It. Out.”….oh…and she needed a trip to her esthetician… enough said.

 

Dad's laugh

 

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

Monday Motivator – Quantum Humidity Guard

Hello Beauties! Yes, it is Monday once again…have no fear! I have a gem of a product that will make every hair type – long or short, sleek or curly, frizz free! Monday and everyday!…yes! it’s true. …and with wedding season and BBQ season upon us, we can use all the help we can get.

 

Meet Humidity Guard by Quantum

Humidity Guard This gem of a product has become one of my “must have” products for the spring/summer months. As we all know, humidity isn’t always the bff of our new ‘do, until now.  Humidity Guard by Quantum is your guard against humidity. Offering humidity resistance for up to 24 hours, Humidity Guard will provide all day control, lock your style in place – even when humidity is at 100%. It helps to eliminate those little hairs along your part that are trying to flyaway with the seagulls.

* An added BONUS to this FAB! product – it offers thermal protection. Humidity Guard is safe to use with thermal styling tools (up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit).

** Another BONUS – for my blonde Beauties – natural or bottled like yours truly – Humidity Guard will not leave a brassy film/effect on our lovely tresses.

The scent is fresh yet not overpowering, so it is becoming a favorite for the Gents too. It is color safe so no need to worry about losing the vibrancy of your new found shade of blue, red or blonde. Humidity Guard is a fast drying spray so you never have to wait for the spray to dry before applying heat and no worries of crunchy, sticky hair.

For best results, apply Humidity Guard to dry hair. It can be used with your flat iron/curling iron or, once you have achieved the style desired for your day, after setting your look with your favorite hairspray, mist Humidity Guard by Quantum all over your hair. I promise you, your style will hold up all day and all night.

***Another BONUS! This gem retails for $13.25.

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

Monday Motivator – Schwarzkopf BC Moisture Kick Beauty Balm

Hello Beauties! Yes, it’s Monday once again…no need to pout. I have a gem of a product to ensure a great hair day for you today and everyday this week. Meet Schwarzkopf’s BC Moisture Kick Beauty Balm.

Beauty Balm

 

BC Moisture Kick Beauty Balm is created for normal to dry hair, straight, wavy or curly. It balances the moisture content of your hair and ensures an even and supple hair surface, just as a BB cream works as a base for your makeup. With it’s weightless formula it can be used daily. This gem works as a moisturizer, styling balm and offers heat protection. I have baby fine hair (just lots of it) so many products can easily weigh down my hair, this is not one of those products. Schwarzkopf’s BC Moisture Kick Beauty Balm left my hair soft and added some body. I used it on it’s own and with mousse, and was pleased with both results. On it’s own, I had soft body. The Beauty Balm is a great primer for any styling products so when used along with my mousse, I achieved great volume and control for my styles.

For best results, BC Moisture Kick Beauty Balm is meant to be used on clean damp hair. Comb through your hair or spread through with your hands – which ever you prefer. * A little goes a long way – for medium length hair, use about the size of a quarter. Emulsify in your hands, put through your hair, then blow dry. If using with another styling product, always apply BC Moisture Kick Beauty Balm first.

The smell is clean and fresh and doesn’t overpower the scents of any other products you may be using. It helps to detangle and aids in drying time. With it’s heat protection it helped my bleached blonde locks look a little less fuzzy after blow drying. I have to say, this gem has been a welcome addition to my hair care routine, it will be for you as well.

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

Monday Motivator – Onesta Smooth + Shine

It’s Monday…again. Many of us have a hard time to get up and go on Monday mornings. It seems that our get up and go just got up and went. I began the Monday Motivator series to help your Monday mornings a little brighter, to give you something to look forward to. Even though it may be Monday and your child decided to play hide and seek with your car keys and doesn’t know where they are “‘cuz they’re good hiders” and you spilled the entire bag of freshly ground coffee beans all over the kitchen floor…at least you will have a good hair day.

This Monday’s Motivator is from Onesta. Meet Onesta’s Smooth + Shine, a thermal straightening creme.

20150615_113304-1

This gem of a product offers a silky, frizz free finish. It is light enough not to weigh down the finest of strands yet potent enough to smooth the most unruly tresses. It is humidity resistant (locks your cuticle shut – perfect for humid weather. Closed cuticle = no frizz). With it’s blend of certified organic ingredients such as Milk Thistle, Green Tea and Rhatany Root, Onesta Smooth + Shine adds luster and helps to protect hair color and vitality. For those who are looking for a more natural professional hair care line, Onesta is for you! Their products meet EU Compliance and are paraben free, sulfate free, gluten free, cruelty free, vegan, free of dyes, DEA/TEA, Phthalates, Sodium Chloride and Propylene Glycol.

Remember, this is a thermal styling creme, so it must be used with a blow dryer for the best smoothing results. To use; distribute through towel dried hair. Blow dry while guiding your hair straight with your brush. Follow with a flat iron if so desired.

How much to use;

For fine hair – dispense the size of a pea and emulsify in your hands, then apply to hair

For medium hair – dispense the size of a dime and emulsify in your hands, then apply to hair

For thick hair – dispense a nickel size amount and emulsify in your hands, then apply to hair.

* A great feature of this creme – you can scrunch, diffuse or air dry  Smooth + Shine for a more natural look on wavy hair. Smooth + Shine can be applied to dry hair to help tame frizz.

Beauty, Business, Fashion, Hair Care, That girl in the red coat

Monday Motivator – Joico Hair Shake

It’s Monday. In my part of the world, it’s raining. It’s damp, it’s dreary, it’s Monday. As I was opening the shop this morning, I caught my reflection and noticed that although my feet were soaked, the hem of my pants now resembled a Jackson Pollock canvas and my coffee was cold, my hair looked fabulous. This got me thinking – there are many things we cannot control; the weather, our child deciding that underwear and nothing else is appropriate school attire 10 minutes before the bell rings, the driver in front of us that doesn’t understand his left blinker from his right blinker, a man asking if it’s possible to wax his own balls…you get the picture. What we can control is our hair. We can. Really. We can.

Today is the beginning of yet another theme to help ease the pain and strain of Monday mornings. (well, every morning for that matter). Let me introduce you to That Girl in the Red Coat’s Monday Motivator! Each Monday yours truly will introduce you to a FAB! product to ensure a good hair day every Monday and everyday.

Let me introduce you to the newest member of the Joico Styling family – meet HairShake!

PhotoGrid_1430752272489Only two sprays of HairShake added this volume & texture!…if you love volume and texture…you are gonna LOVE this!

Hair Shake is a liquid to powder finishing texturizer. Yep! Liquid to powder! If you like the results of volumizing powders from OSIS Dust It or SexyHair Powder Play but not a fan of the powdery mess, Joico’s HairShake is for you. HairShake offers;

– texture and lift

– touchable and moldable layering styling grip = easy to create and recreate styles.

– lift and fullness at the root

– fast drying residue free and grit free finish = no powdery residue

– created for all hair types and lengths

– the BEST scent ever – fresh and clean

HairShake is to be applied to dry hair. To apply, give the bottle a good a shake then apply as desired. This has become one of my favorite styling products and every client we use it on in the Salon buys one for themselves. Many of my customers who love their volumizing powders are now fans of HairShake. It offers hold, texture and volume. The one feature that made me a fan – if I wanted to change my style, I could brush through my hair with ease and begin again. My hair was not weighed down and there wasn’t a sticky residue.

Head on over to Joico’s Instagram @joico and their website http://www.joico.com for great styling tips and fun tutorials.

 

 

 

 

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

Probiotic hair care…who knew?!

A few weeks ago I heard one of my favorite phrases, “Sara, I have a new product. Give this a try and let me know what you think.”.  The product was the new Probiotic Color Care line by Onesta. If you are dealing with dry, damaged tresses and prefer to use  natural, environmentally friendly hair care products – this line is for you!

20150602_085404

 

Onesta is a lovely hair care line that has the best interest of you, your hair and the environment in mind. Onesta products contain natural fragrances, blended of plant extracts and botanical oils. Onesta products meet EU Compliance, are vegan, cruelty free and free of parabens and sulfates. For more information about Onesta here is a link to my tale Honestly Onesta;

Honestly Onesta

Onesta’s Proboitic Color Care Line has three products – Shampoo, Conditoner and a leave in Probiotic Treatment.

Probiotic Color Care Shampoo – contains color enhancing extracts of certified organic Chai & Fennel. *Fennel is known to help hair’s color to look more vibrant and keeps the color looking fresh. The exclusive formula of Lactobacillus Probiotics helps to promote a healthy scalp and the combination of quinoa and vegetable proteins protects, defends and strengthens damaged hair.

Probiotic Color Care Conditioner – Contains anti color fade extracts of certified organic Amla and Shea butter. The conditioner also contains the exclusive Lactobacillus Probiotic formula.

Probiotic Protein Treatment – a liquid leave in spray treatment that detangles and strengthens hair. *when applied to hair before a color application the Probiotic Protein Treatment helps to protect the hair and evens out the hair’s porosity for optimal color results.

First and foremost, I was pleasantly surprised by the Onesta’s Probiotic Color Care line. The shampoo is sulfate free yet had a nice lather – most sulfate free shampoo’s have little to no lather so many times we end up using too much. The conditioner slid through my hair with ease and left my hair feeling silky soft even though it was still wet. The leave in treatment…let me tell you – it smells wonderful, my tangles were worked out with ease and my hair felt soft and manageable. As you all know I am a bottled blonde – the Probiotic Color Care products did not leave my blonde brassy. I also have a blue streak and my color wasn’t diminished. My color, blonde and blue alike, actually seemed brighter and more vibrant. I used the Probiotic Color Care line for a few days before my latest color appointment and I have found my color to be a little brighter than usual…and we all know, when a woman is having a good hair day, everyone has a good day.

 

 

 

Beauty, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Uncategorized, writing

Tales of Truth – 18th edition

Gather ’round ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it is once again time for that girl in the red coat’s Tales of Truth. A full moon is not set to arrive for a few weeks so I cannot blame the following antics on our lunar companion. The warm weather is upon us and the humidex is on the rise, so that may be a factor, or maybe people have simply gone bat shit crazy.

 

– I was helping a woman select her shampoo when another woman came into the shop. I said hello and let her know I would be with her shortly. She told me “I’m just looking”. After I finished with my customer, I walked over to her and asked if she was finding what she was looking for to which I was told “I said I was just looking!”, so I went back to unpacking my orders. As she passed the counter I heard a sigh and turned to ask her if there was something she needed to which she told me “well, yes, there is, but no one is helping me so I am leaving.”.

– a woman called to ask me why I didn’t answer the phone at 8:00 a.m. when she called. I let her know the shop opens at 9:30 a.m. to which she said “you still haven’t answered my question”.

– a woman complained that the flat iron spray I suggested was “Shit and was ruining her hair, not protecting it”. *Educational tip – flat iron spray is to be applied to dry hair – not applied to the flat iron itself.

– A woman came into the shop asking if I could help her find the Goldwell shampoo she uses because she left her glasses at home. As I came from behind the counter to help her she let me know “please don’t mind the smell, I just had some moles burned off.”. …trust me…I wish I was making this shit up.

– A woman asked me if she could buy  the travel size hair dryer even if she doesn’t travel.

– “Do you sell toe nail polish?” – I am asked this more than you want to know

– I had another gentleman ask me if it was possible to wax his own balls – actually, he called them his “little buddies”. …Gilligan’s Island will never be the same for yours truly.

– A product I usually carry was out of stock. My customer wanted to know where else she could buy it. I didn’t know, but offered to give her the phone number of the shops I thought may carry her product. I was told “my customer service was for shit” because I wouldn’t call all the other shop’s in town for her to see if they had what she wanted.

– A couple came in asking about our hair trimmers. I showed them our selection of clippers and trimmers and let them know that the Wahl Peanut is our best seller. It is great for cutting, trimming and outlining. The woman turned to her gent and said “Look! A peanut to use on your peanut!”. …I need a raise.

 

Dad's laugh

Beauty, health and wellness, That girl in the red coat, Women, writing

The Mother Load

Another Mother’s Day has come and gone. Being in the Salon/retail biz, I get to witness the preparations and the aftermath of Mother’s Day celebrations. From tears to tantrums to whimpers, I have seen and heard it all. Just this past weekend as I was buying my fruits and veggies I saw a grown man with red roses in one hand and pink roses in the other with a look of panic, shark coming at you in open water panic, over the decision of which flowers to buy. At the shop I helped a gent buy his wife her Mother’s Day gift. He came in, leaned on the counter and told me “You have to help me! I need that oil that comes in the blue box. I don’t know the name of it, but I have to get it for my wife!”. At our shop, our Salon management system keeps record of our client/customers purchases, so I asked for her name and phone number, saw she likes Moroccanoil, took him over to the display and got the oil off the shelf for him. He sighed with relief. He thanked me five times in a row. I was told I was a “lifesaver!”. All over a bottle of oil. Now, you all are aware that I am a mother, and I love shiny things and receiving presents. This being said, making your loved ones have a panic attack or risk of a coronary over their decision of what to get you for Mother’s day is well, stupid. Yeah, I said it. Before you get all in an uproar, take a breath. I am here to confess. I used to be the woman who made her hubby feel just as the poor gent with the roses. I am not proud of it. What I am proud of is that I am no longer that woman.

When I was a girl, I was easy to please. As a young woman, easy to please. As a new bride, easy to please…until, as all women do at some point in their lives, I began to listen to the wrong people and the wrong opinions. I remember when it happened. It was one of my first Christmas’s as a new bride when a few of my “friends” told me that my decorations were simple and the my hubby’s treasured gifts were silly. I thought my little tree was cute – it was my first tree with my hubby. I thought it was wonderful that I received Corning Ware for Christmas, because I really wanted it. I didn’t realize that getting homeware or a vacuum was tacky – I thought it was awesome, because it was what I wanted. In the blink of an eye,  I began to compare myself with others. What were they doing? What gifts did they request? I became someone I didn’t know. I became the woman who thought every holiday had to be an occasion, an event to end all events. I would worry what others would think of me and how I celebrated special days or special occasions. I would worry about what others would say about the gift I received – if they measured up to the status quo of what a Mother’s Day gift should be. I would make myself and my family crazy trying to create the perfect day…and every time, the day would end with me standing in the kitchen, washing food off of platters that I didn’t get to enjoy or even eat for that matter, being exhausted, emotionally and physically, looking at the gift I received wondering why I asked for it. It took a few years, but I realized that this just isn’t me and it just isn’t working. I came to realize that my husband had been right all of these years. I decided to take a page from my hubby’s book and decided to stop making such a big deal over holidays and occasions. Once the pressure was off, I actually began to enjoy Mother’s Day again, and so did my family.

Ladies, I know the following opinion may not be a popular one, and if you do not agree, that is okay, this is my journey and you are on your own. When it comes to Mother’s Day, birthdays and celebrations in general – ease up. Take a breath. Take the time to enjoy your time. Stop sighing and stomping because you received the vacuum you have been eyeing and talking about every time it’s on sale in the flyer. Think about it for a minute – did you ever stop and think that maybe your husband had been scanning the internet and sale flyers waiting to be able to afford the exact model you wanted? – yeah, let that sink in for a minute. …and that maybe your kids were so excited to see their Dad give their Mom that thing she keeps talking about. Stop worrying if you will get a ring bigger than your neighbor’s and how you will pay it off if it is. Stop trying to make everything perfect, because it will never be perfect – there’s no such thing. Stop comparing yourself and your life to others – perfectly said by Will Smith “We spend money we do not have, on things we do not need, to impress people that do not care.”. It’s time to start being present. It’s time to start being thankful. It’s time to start letting things be what they are going to be. It’s time to start being concerned about the opinions of your loved ones and what they think of you and your life.

This year I received two of the best Mother’s Day gifts  – the first was 4 days before Mother’s Day. I had worked a 43 hour week and came home to a clean house, clean kitchen and tenderloin with all the trimmings waiting for me, just because. The second was a lovely letter from my girl. I had a quiet day, got some errands done, caught up on Mad Men and laundry, enjoyed a blizzard from Dairy Queen with my girl, made supper and enjoyed some wine with my husband. No tears. No anxiety. No worries of who got what, what they would think of my gifts and no worries of being able to afford this Mother’s Day. I really have hit the Mother Load. I hope you can too.