Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, writing

No, it won’t run itself

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You hear the chatter, you hear the laughter, you hear the hum of the blow dryer, you smell the aroma of fresh coffee brewing mixed with the scent of hairspray, you are at the Salon. The place where we come to renew ourselves, treat ourselves to some “me time”, to share our woes and our celebrations. Yes, the Salon is a wonderful place to be. Not only can it change a person’s hairstyle or color, it can change their perspective, even change their life.        It is a great business to be a part of. Yes, a business – from time to time, something that Salon managers/owners forget.

I deal with over ten reps. from different distributor’s and each time I see them we always end up having the same conversation…Salon manager/owners;

1)  not ordering retail product.

2) no rhyme or reason to staff attire/behaviour.

3) not having their orders prepared.

Always to be followed up with the same complaints from the Salon manager/owner’s – business is slow, they have “no idea” about how to make their staff behave, and have no idea what they need for the Salon.

Ladies and gents, I know beauty is fun and exciting and you always dreamed of owning a Salon and changing people’s lives. Guess what? It is also a business and it takes work, and effort, and time, and attention. When taken care of and done properly, it can  be awesome and not even feel like work. When not taken care of and everything put on the back burner, it’s gonna feel like you are on the chain gang. If your Salon is struggling and your staff isn’t performing up to par, as a Salon manager/owner, well, it’s your fault. Yeah, I said it. I am a manager of a Salon/shop and when something isn’t going right, I look at what I am doing first. (…not my favorite thing to do, admit a wrong…but this is what I signed up for). I lead by example,I am fair, but firm. I do not ask anything of my staff I would not do myself, from sweeping the floor to washing a baseboard = fair. If you show up late for a shift, you are getting a verbal warning = firm. Hey – as managers/owners this is what we signed up for. As managers/owners, we cannot be the “friend”. Yes, we can be friendly, yes a friendship may bloom after years of working together, but at the end of the day, we are the manager/owner, not the friend. If  you want to be the “friend”, you may want to rethink your position.

Salons, as all businesses, need structure, process, leadership. Your staff needs to know the ground rules, where the line in the sand is drawn,so that they aren’t always wondering what is going to happen next. They need to know that their manager/owner is taking care of the orders so they know if there will be enough color for their clients this weekend. When a Salon has structure it will blossom, because your staff only has one thing to think of, their client in their chair and the customer walking through the door.

– Staff meetings are a must, for salons with two or ten stylists. A meeting people – not a gossip fest about the newest juiciest news about your last client or a whine fest about someone not washing the towels enough.

– A staff manual is always an awesome idea. Oh calm down…It doesn’t have to be a novel. A few pages outlining the salon’s procedures for client care, the cash register, reception, pre-booking, retail sales & commissions, opening/closing procedures and dress code. Make two copies, one for the employee and one for their file. Have the employee sign both copies, for two reasons;

1) an understanding of what is expected of them and of the Salon

2) by chance, for example, the dress code is not being followed, you can show them that you know they know what is expected of the dress code…since they read and signed it. (if it happens again, now you know you have a problem). * As the manager/owner – we MUST follow dress code, at all times. Lead by example.

As managers/owners, we MUST know our inventory. We need to know how much stock we need, from color to gloves to coffee for the clients to disinfectant for the tools. There are many awesome Salon management programs out there. At our shop we use SAM by Milano and it is awesome, especially for retail. All you need is your clients name and number ( and you already have that) and this gem tracks all their purchases. An AWESOME tool for retail – in case of package changes or you can’t remember the last hairspray they bought, it’s there in their file.

You have to do the work. You need to be present and professional. A Salon will not run itself but with the right procedures in place, respect for your staff and clientele, it will begin to feel like it.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Go ahead…pull the other one

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We’ve all seen the commercials. We’ve all seen the ads. We’ve all gone out and bought it and hid it in a brown paper bag. We’ve all done it. I’m speaking of box color from the drugstore…what did you think I was talking about?

Here’s the deal. Box color happens. You know. I know it. You want to do your own color because it makes you feel like you have become kindred spirits with the Hollywood spokesperson by using that product, power to you. That being said – when you decide to have your hair colored with professional Salon color – don’t deny that you used the box color. Here are the reasons why;

– more often than not, a stylist can spot  a bottle job at 100 paces.

– don’t even get me started about arguing that the box said “professional quality”. If there wasn’t a Salon within two feet of you and a stylist was mixing the color – it ain’t professional.

– lying about using box color makes you sound like, well, a thirteen year old girl who is afraid of her mommy.

– no one is born with natural white blonde and orange streaks.

– Box color and Salon color don’t always mix. It is possible for a chemical reaction to take place and your hair can start to resemble Carrot Top or Kermit the Frog.

– in some cases, the hair can begin to break off. Yes, I said break off. I have seen it. It wasn’t pretty.

– last but not least, how could you do that to your kindred spirit? What kind of friend are you?

Why people choose to lie about using box color is beyond me and I don’t know why they try to lie to me about it. I had Mrs. Spencer, my grade two teacher believing we had two foster babies at our house and I was too busy helping my mother to be able to finish my spelling homework. I had that gig going for 3 weeks until the day my mother brought my spelling book to school because I forgot it at home. Long story short..the jig was up, the room spun a little and I had extra spelling homework for weeks. The point of sharing that tale…(pardon my french), you can’t bullshit a bullshitter. I know you used box color. You know you used box color. Admit it. Own it. Move on.

To be honest, it isn’t so much the color of your hair that gives away the fact you used box color, it is the look on your face when asked the question. The look in question is a mixture of a deer caught in the headlights mixed with a child being caught with their hand in the cookie jar. No matter the age or gender – the same look crosses the face of the person who is asked “Have you used box color on your hair?”. Jesus…it’s not like you were asked if you shoot heroine or if you knew all along where Bin Laden was. We just need to know what is on your hair so we can be sure you leave with the color you want. It’s really not that big of a deal. No judgement…well, not at my Salon.

* IMPORTANT TIP* if your stylist does not ask you if your color is professional Salon color or box color – get up and leave. Run! Think about it…a true professional and someone who takes pride in their work wants to be sure you receive the best color and service. You are their best advertising.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

Fear of Heights

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We all have fears. Some have a fear of spiders, some a fear of germs and some of us, for some reason, many of us in the beauty industry, have a fear of heights…not the looking down from the penthouse patio kind of heights. The “what if no one buys it” fear of heights. Taking your Salon and your customer service to the next level.

I manage a retail shop/salon- that is not a franchise. We are locally owned and operated. In our shop we carry over 25 professional hair care lines…which , by the way, is not the norm. Most Salons retail one or two lines…well, the product is on their shelves. Unfortunately, not much selling is taking place. For some unknown reason, most stylists have no problem charging $150.00 for a color service, but cannot ask their client if they need any product for at home.  Everyday, I mean EVERYDAY, I have at least five women come into my shop who have just left their stylist’s chair at another Salon, to buy product, from me. Four out of the five said women, when asked what product the stylist used, have no idea. Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the business and am more than happy to help anyone keep their hair looking great. What I cannot begin to fathom is why would their stylist not want to help their client with their new cut and why wouldn’t the stylist want the client to protect their investment. Yeah – I said investment. People work hard for their money and $150.00 is an investment. More importantly – clients are our billboards, our free advertising. Why in the hell wouldn’t the stylist want their walking portrait to be as beautiful as possible?

What I have come to realize over the years in my beloved industry is this. Most Salon owners and stylists are afraid. They are afraid to invest in themselves and in their Salons. Afraid that the customer won’t buy the product and they will lose money. Guess what sunshine? You can’t sell what isn’t there. What Salon owners and stylists should be fearing is not that their clients won’t buy the retail they bring in, they should fear their clients not returning because of the lack of customer service. Getting your client an expresso and a magazine while their color is processing won’t always be enough. Without explaining the importance of using professional salon products at home and how to use them, sooner or later, your client is going to start thinking it is you that is ruining their hair – because they can never get their hair to look as good as the day it was done. More often than not, people will start feeling they were played the fool.Trust me, I hear it everyday. Think about it…when you bought your cell phone the salesperson didn’t hand it over to you and say “Thanks again! Best of luck!”. We shouldn’t do that to our clients or our customers.

Before you start to think “if my client can make their hair look as good at home they won’t come back” or “no one will buy shampoo from me!” – give your head a shake and calm down. Of course they will come back. They need you to help with the cut and the color, and of course they will buy shampoo from you, they spend $150.00 for you. They trust you with their hair, I am sure they will trust your advice about shampoo. What will begin to happen is you will find they come back on a regular basis ( we will cover re booking another day…one lesson at a time eh?), and may even bring you more clientele…because you have given them 100% of your time and attention, you have given them the best form of customer service. You are helping them look good, feel good, and protect their most important investment, themselves. Not so scary now, is it?

Beauty, Business, communication, Fashion, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

How do you look?

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So it has been over a week since my last tale. I could come up with every excuse in the book, the truth is I didn’t make myself a priority. As you know, I am a wife to a wonderful man and a mother to a glorious 16 year old young woman. Calm down ladies…I know I am not the only “career” mother out there…this is not a competition nor an episode of “The real housewives”…it is just a tale for today. Now, back to the tale at hand. As you also know I am the manager of a salon/retail shop. Everyday I make sure my hair is coiffed just so and my makeup applied and my pants pressed, and I look good. Yeah, I said it. What I came to realize this past week is I may have looked good on the outside…but my inside left a little to be desired.Not to sound all “Oprah”, I had given away my power. As last week progressed I could see that I wasn’t the only one.

I had a few customers that were, let say, interesting. One woman was being quite abrupt with her answers to my questions about what kind of hold she wanted from her hairspray. So, being me, I asked her if there was something I had done to upset her. She stared in silence. After about 10 seconds she said “I am sorry, I just got this new cut that I didn’t want. My stylist said I was to old for a bob and that I needed a short style.”. (I get severely pissed when I hear this, and I hear this often. Yo Stylists! Who are you to tell people that they are too old for a cut? Seriously…get a grip and become a professional). So, I assured her the cut was cute (which it was) and sold her some KMS Hair Play Molding Paste for some funky styling and she likes her hair to look shiny so we added some SOMA Prism shine spray to the mix…and I also gave her our Salon price list.

I had a customer this week that introduced herself as “stupid and useless”. I shit you not, that is what she answered when I asked “How ya doin’ today”. You see, she was trying to grow out her hair for her daughter’s wedding in the fall and gave up because she listened to the wrong people – the people who told her that a flat iron was “too complicated” for her. (Who the hell are these people?!?). I took her over to our flat iron demo display and told her to pick one up as I picked one up. We both were in the mirror’s reflection, so I told her to copy what I was doing. After about 30 seconds a smile crept across her face and she said “I can grow out my hair!”. I looked her straight in the eye and told her to stop listening to the “Can’t” people in her life and listen for the “Can” people…they are out there. They are a little harder to hear over the annoying antics of the “can’t” court jesters.

A woman has lost some weight. She has lost 22 pounds over the course of 8 months. She began to exercise. She began to eat a healthy diet in support of her husband’s health issues. She didn’t lose the weight to “show off” or “rekindle her twenties” or “to keep her marriage alive” or because she was having a “cougar crisis”. The weight loss was a positive perk of embracing a healthier lifestyle, for her family and herself. That woman is me, and yes, the above comments have been directed at me. 10 years ago, I would have listened to the nasty comments and gone and ate a cake…or two. Guess what buttercup…not anymore. I have come to realize that those who are negative, nasty or assholes – take your pick, are empty inside…plain and simple. They are so miserable that they have to pull you down to their level so no one will see how crappy their lives are. Funny thing is, they cannot even fathom the idea that no one really gives a shit, except them and others like them.

I know I say it all the time, but I was raised on Little House on the Prairie and Happy Days so get used to it. BE KIND. Raise others up, do not push them down. Your BFF gets a new cut and loves it? Love it with her. A friend is struggling with her hatred of her thighs? Go to the gym with her – don’t agree and tell her she “really needs to work on that”. A friend loses weight? Applaud her efforts and ask her how she did it. Do not  mock her and ask her “cutting out the calories trying to be a cougar?”.

“If you don’t look good, we don’t look good”. – Mr. Vidal Sassoon

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

Great hair isn’t only for carnivores

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Lately, I have come to realize that the public at large has been misinformed and me being me, I feel I must correct the situation. As of late I have been hearing phrases along the lines of “Hair products are toxic to the environment.”, “All cosmetic companies test on animals”, “There are no real vegan hair care products.”. All the above phrases are not true. No offense to your bff but she doesn’t know what she is talking about, and unless you see a salon within 10 feet of where you are purchasing your product, the sales person who is selling you the product and answering your questions most probably doesn’t know what they are talking about either. Plain and simple.

I can only speak for the Professional Salon products because, they are what I sell and they are what I have had extensive product knowledge training on. (…see, more to me that a pretty face and a sassy sense of humor). Being me, and not to let any of you down, I have compiled a list of some awesome environmentally friendly/vegan/cruelty free Professional hair care alternatives. (* Cruelty free = no testing on bunnies, playboy and mammal.).

JOICO Structure – The newest collection from Joico. It is a cruelty free line and 3 of their products are certified Vegan – Cleanse (the shampoo), Condition (the conditioner) and Renovate (the conditioning treatment).

Bain de Terre Purite – the newest addition to the Bain de Terre family. It is a cruelty free line that is sulfate free, paraben free, free of colorants and formaldehyde and is Gluten free. The line offers a beautiful shampoo, conditioner and leave in spray.

SOMA – One of my favorites that I have blogged about on many occasions – check out Sulfates, Alcohols and Parabens…Oh my!  in the April 2012 archives. It does hold a soft spot in my heart for it was one of the first lines to be vegan and alcohol free and I was fortunate enough to be trained by the original chemists of the line. SOMA is organic, 100% vegan, 100% biodegradable, paraben and formaldehyde free, cruelty free and most of the line is alcohol free. The packaging is also 100% recyclable. The SOMA line has a product for any hair type or hair styling woe, from limp lifeless hair to unruly curls.

ALTERNA BAMBOO – A beautiful line brought to us by Alterna Hair Care. This line has everything from shampoo to shine spray, mousse to conditioning treatments for all hair types from frizzy to fine. It is Paraben free, Gluten free, contains no sodium chloride, phthalates or synthetic colors. It is a cruelty free line. By the way…their Kendi Oil can give Moroccanoil a run for their money…just sayin’. Oh yes, and Katie Holmes has now partnered with them, again…just sayin’.

So there you have it, a little more information than you had a few moments ago. You now know that is it possible to have great hair and love our Mother Earth. No longer will you have to hug a tree to prove you care for the environment…of course if you feel the need at least you will have great hair for your photo op.

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Blow out

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Today’s tale is an educational tale. I believe knowledge is power so today I am spreadin’ the word about Professional Hair Dryers. Before you ask, yes, there is a difference between what you find under the “blue light special” and what you can purchase from a Salon. Professional Salon Hair Dryers, or Blow Dryers if you prefer have a stronger motor and blow the air faster and hotter.

The following is a break down of the differences between AC/DC…motors people…not the band.

AC Motor Hair Dryers

– larger/heavier motor

– slower rpm’s – 1500/2000

– a little more durable- motor can last between 700-1200 hours – depending on quantity of use.

– less noisy

– extra powerful airflow = faster drying

– tend to be more expensive

DC Motor Hair Dryers

– smaller/lighter motor

– faster rpm’s – 5000/6000

– usually lasts between 400-700 hours (depending on usage)

– are a little noisier than the AC motor but still quieter than your department store brands

– air flow is not as powerful as AC motor but still does a great job in drying the hair quickly

– less expensive

*by less noisy than department store brands, I mean that you won’t get that high pitch hum/squeal sound emanating from behind the bathroom door frightening the cat.

Oh yes…by the way…WATTAGE has nothing to do with the volume of airflow nor does it reflect the heat output.  Wattage = Power Consumption, plain and simple. The greater the wattage, the greater the power consumption and the greater the speed the fan rotates. So, just because the box may state 2000 Watts of Power! doesn’t necessarily mean it is a better Hair Dryer than the 1700 Watt beauty right beside it.

When purchasing a Professional Hair Dryer, you want to look for the following;

– Does it come with a directional nozzle (for styling)

– If you have curls you want to be sure it comes with a diffuser. * Diffusers  are not a universal fit. Your old diffuser may not fit onto your new dryer.

– What is the warranty? Do you need to keep the receipt and the box?

– How many air flow/heat settings are available?

– Price. A higher price does not always mean a better product….sometimes the price is higher because of the name, yeah…I said it.

So there you go. A little more knowledge for you and the next time you go to purchase a Hair Dryer you will know if the sales person is helping you find the right dryer for you or just blowing hot air.

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized

Divert your attention

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As you know, I manage a retail shop/salon. The shop carries over 25 professional hair care lines. Yes, the same products that stylists use in salons. So, I am sure you can understand my frustration, not just for myself but for every consumer out there, that our products are showing up on department and drugstore shelves. In the beauty biz we refer to these products as “diverted stock”. For instance, when you see Joico at your local supermarket, Joico did not sell it to the local grocer. I don’t know who nor how it ended up on their shelves, all I know is it doesn’t belong there. You cannot be guaranteed what is in those bottles…why do you think the disclaimer “only guaranteed when purchased at a salon and or from a professional stylist” is written on every professional hair care product? For that exact reason.

At least 3 times a week I hear someone tell me that they saw Matrix Biolage or KMS Silk Sheen at a discount department store (won’t name names…you know who they are) for a lower price than mine. I explain that it may be old stock and tell them what I have just explained to you and tell them they cannot be guaranteed the quality of the product. What I really want to say is “better go get it then if it is such a hot deal!”, but I behave myself and remember to practice what I preach (see…told you I wasn’t perfect) and ask them “If it was such a great deal why didn’t you buy it?” to which the usual answer is “I opened it and it smelled funny”. Mmhhmm. 

Ladies and gents, when purchasing any professional hair product, look left, then look right, look up and then look down…if you don’t see a Salon, you may want to rethink your purchase and here is why; (you know me…gotta make a list) 

– the product may be professional but may not be right for your hair type or scalp condition. A cashier can’t tell you that. A stylist or a manager extraordinaire (like me) can.

– you don’t know what is in that bottle. It may look the same, it may even smell the same, maybe you could get lucky and it’s the real deal. If you have just spent $150.00 on your color – is it worth the risk?

– if you have an allergic reaction, the company will not help you out. Now you are out your $2.50 savings off suggested retail price and you have a rash.

– any electric appliance from a curling iron to a flat iron to a blow dryer has a warranty against defect, when purchased at a Salon. Purchased any where else…your warranty is now in question and may very well be void.

When making your purchase at your Salon, not only are you supporting your stylist and the local business’s in your area, you are supporting yourself as well. You are protecting your biggest investment, yourself. ( I’d say You’re worth it…but L’oreal …you know).

Beauty, Business, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

Joico to the world

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  ***Original post from 2013 updated August 2016!

 

As we all know, from time to time products change their packaging or…sniff…gulp…our favorite products are discontinued. Although today’s tale is such a tale, do not despair for I come bearing good news. Yes, it is true. Joico has revamped their packaging and have laid to rest some of their products. Calm down, I told you not to despair. Take a breath, get a tissue or a shot of bourbon and collect yourself. This is a company that cares about it’s customers and they do their best to provide the best service and the best product for their customers. Joico has given a road map if you will of what products they suggest would be a suitable replacement for your beloved product and I have such road map and am sharing it with you. See?!? No need for tears or tantrums.

Here you go;

Discontinued = Joico Color Endure Masque. It’s replacement = Kpak Revitaluxe or Kpak Intense Hydrator

Discontinued = Joico Moisture Recovery Leave In Moisturizer. It’s replacement = Kpak Leave In Protector or Daily Care Leave In

Discontinued = Joico Daily Care Moisturizer. It’s replacement = Joico Daily Care Conditioner

Discontinued = Joico Brilliantine Shine Pomade. It’s replacement = Joico Structure Define Lightweight wax

Joico Structure Define

 

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Humidity Blocker. It’s replacement = Joico Humidity Blocker Finishing Spray *this baby is new!

Joico Humidity Blocker

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Dry Spray Wax. It’s replacement = Joico Texture Boost Dry Spray Wax *this baby is new!

Joico Texture Boost

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Pliable Paste. It’s replacement = Joico Flex Control Pliable Paste *this baby is new!

Joico Flex Control

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Gloss Wax. It’s replacement = Joico Crème wax cocktailed with Kpak Color therapy restorative oil. (my own recipe) *Cocktailed = mixed with

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Flex. Shaping Spray. It’s replacement = Joico JoiMist Medium

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Forming Polish. It’s replacement = Joico Creme Wax (from original Joico collection)

Discontinued = Joico Design Collection Texture Spray. It’s replacement = Joico Matte Grip Texture Creme or Joico ICE Erractic

Discontinued = the complete Joico Silk Results line. It’s replacement is the complete Joico Smooth Cure line – the newest addition to the Joico family and a beautiful line that many of the customers and clients of our shop/salon purchase on a daily basis.

Joico has revamped their packaging as well. It looks AWESOME!

Silver cans = the complete styling line.

Red = the Color Endure line which is now Sulfate Free!

Green = the Body Luxe line (volume)

Blue = the Moisture Recovery line

Copper = the Smooth Cure line which is Sulfate Free

Purple = the Daily Care line

Gold = the Kpak line

So now there isn’t any reason for you to feel lost or abandoned. Feel free to take this road map along on your next trip to the Salon.

 

 

 

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Place your bets

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So here we are. It is the beginning of yet another year and with it’s commencement comes the resolutions. Working at a Salon I am privy to many such resolutions, from “I’m gonna finally leave his sorry ass!” to the old stand by “This is the year I am going to the gym EVERY day!”. Myself, I no longer make resolutions. I gave up losing my money at that carnival game years ago. Too much pressure and quiet honestly, who needs the stress? Between working full time, being a wife and mother, bff, blogger and all around awesome gal (if I do say so myself…you should know by now, I am quite good at tooting my own horn), if I am going to stress over something it’s gonna be about the health and well being of a loved one, not if I am keeping my resolution to only have 1 coffee a day.

Over the past few days I have heard the resolutions of many of our clients and customers. One thing they all had in common was this, they all said they “had to.”. Had to?!?! When you were 10 you “had to”. If you are over the age of 18 and no longer living under your parents roof, resolutions, choices -take your pick, should be “want to”. By the way if you are over the age of 25 and still living with mommy and daddy, I think they have a resolution in mind for you. Where was I? Oh yes, ladies and gents, if you must make a resolution this year, how about you try to live a “want to” life instead of a “have to” life. This is not a new idea, I know. I was reminded of this back in the fall of 2012. I was fortunate enough to win a ticket to hear a great speaker, Mark Gaylard (Google him). Long story short -the message of the evening was do you want a “have to” or “want to” life, and baby, I want a “want to” life. Now to today’s tale.

I hear the familiar chirp of the shop’s door chime and look up to see a mother and daughter duo. I say hello and ask if I can help them find what they are looking for. The mom blurts out as she points to her daughter “Help her. I am beyond help.”. Oh, how I love a challenge. “Why do you say that?” I ask. She  then begins to tell me “I am no longer in my 20’s and I have to get used to it. Even my husband says so.”. So I asked her if she wanted to get used to it. The woman just looked at me and her daughter’s jaw dropped. I explained I meant no offense, I wanted to be sure she was okay with getting used to it, because I thought she had great hair. “You like my hair?” she said. I said that I did and that I could help her make it look even better if she wanted my help. I ended up giving her and her daughter some samples and the Salon’s price list. As she was leaving she said she would be calling for an appointment because she wanted one, then winked at me.

It is a new year and with it new possibilities lurk around every corner. This can be the year you quit smoking, muster up the courage to ask for help and go to rehab, let go of your fear of being attractive and go and try a new hair color and style, lose that weight that you have carried around long enough – pounds or people. Go and have a “want to” life. You are a safe bet and worth the wager.

 

Beauty, Business, communication, Hair Care, health and wellness, Uncategorized, Women

You will find it if you know where to look.

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I know. I know. You began reading this blog because you wanted beauty tips, you wanted gossip, and you were praying for a magic wand to give you the exact potion to give you the hair of your favorite celebrity (they are extensions by the way. Unless your favorite celebrity is The Rock or Mr. Clean- trust me – they are extensions). I know the last few tales have been more about inner beauty, kindness and life in general but your wait is over. Today’s Salon tale is about product. Yes, it’s true. You can get back on your chair now.

My main goal everyday at the shop is to educate our customers/clients. If I don’t know something, I make damn sure I find out. When I find out useful tidbits of information, I pass them along. That is what I am doing today. As you know, companies are known to change, rename or discontinue products without any notice to the consumer. You know the feeling, much the same as when the guy who just professed his love trying to steal third didn’t call you or even give you a second glance. Well, ladies and gents, not all companies are like Larry the Lounge Lizard – some companies want to give us a heads up and even give us the new name or new replacement of our favorite products. Joico is one of those companies.

A few years ago, Joico renamed a few of their products. This past week I had an elderly lady looking for the shampoo that her husband loved. Everyone told her it was discontinued, it wasn’t made anymore. I was her “last kick at the can” as she put it. So I asked her what was the product and she told me “Joico Bojoba Shampoo”. I walked over to my Joico shelf,  grabbed her a bottle of the Daily Care Treatment Shampoo and told her “Here it is! Same product, same smell, new name.”. Well, wasn’t I her favorite person of the day, she actually giggled and couldn’t wait to get home and give it to her hubby. (the shampoo people…behave yourselves).

Being me, and not to let any of you down, I have compiled a list of the renamed Joico products. They are still the same products, they just have a new name.

– IceWhip is now JoiWhip

– IceMist is now JoiFix Firm

– IceLotion is now JoiLotion

– IceGel is now JoiGel Firm

– Altima Conditioner is now Daily Care Conditioner

– Kerapro Shampoo is now Daily Care Conditioning Shampoo

– Bojoba Shampoo is now Daily Care Treatment Shampoo

– Lite Conditioner is now Daily Care Balancing Conditioner

– Triage Shampoo is now Daily Care Balancing Shampoo

– Integrity is now Daily Care LeaveIn Detangler

So there you have it. As for all the stylists, salon owners and managers out there, hell sales people in general – there is this thing called a computer and it has the capability to look something up for you in about 30 seconds. When a customer or client asks about a product and you don’t know the answer – do not say “Oh…that’s discontinued” or “I don’t know what you are talking about”. In the immortal words of my father “LOOK IT UP!”.