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, communication, Hair Care, Uncategorized, Women, writing

Tales of Truth – Part 7

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Yep…you read it right…part 7. I’m telling ya, between the February “blahs”, the snow and grey days and the full moon, do I have some tales for you. I find myself wondering if my readers are beginning to send these people into my shop to see if I will either write about their escapades or to see if I will finally snap. As I have stated before, these tales are based on true events (sad…but true).

– A woman came in looking for a new shampoo and conditioner for fine hair. She had tried Joico’s Body Luxe, Matrix’s Total Results Amplify and KMS Add Volume and wanted something new. I showed her the Redken Body Full which is formulated for baby fine hair. She took the bottles in hand and then asked me “this conditioner says light, does that mean it is diet?”. …I am afraid I may let some of you down for I had a hard time stifling the giggle in my voice as I explained that “light” meant it wouldn’t weigh down her hair. (I sounded like Mickey Mouse for a moment…not one of my proudest moments but come on….diet conditioner?)

– A woman came in asking what I could sell her to make her roots not grow out so fast….enough said.

– From time to time I will order in a product that we don’t normally stock in the shop, so I take the customer’s name and number so I can call them when the order arrives. I called one woman to let her know her product arrived and was asked how I got her number.

– There is the sound of chatter and blow dryers and you can see women leaving with their hair beautifully coiffed…a woman comes up to the front counter with her hairspray, stands beside our Salon price list and says “do you have a Salon?” – happens at least 4 times a week…every week.

– The phone rings. I answer with my usual happy greeting. “Do you sell sinks?” is what I am asked. I let the gentleman on the other end of the phone know that we are a retailer and we   sell hair & nail products, to which he says “Yeah…so do you sell sinks?”. I let him know that he needs to get in touch with a wholesaler and even give him a number to call. The phone is dead silent except for a few heavy breaths, then he says “So, you don’t sell sinks then?”.

– A woman complained that her firm hold hairspray had too good of a hold. I asked her if she found it too sticky, or too hard, or if it felt crunchy. She said “No, it’s none of those. It just holds too good.”. – couldn’t help but wonder…does she complain that the Charmin is too squeezable?

– I would not suggest using your 30 Volume peroxide on household injuries or cuts…you don’t want to know.

– Every month we have a monthly draw. We have a sign and ballots right beside the product that is the monthly draw. Every day, at least 20 times a day, I hear “What’s your monthly draw?”…seriously…did hooked on phonics work for anyone?

 

 

 

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

Full moon alert

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***A note to reader’s…my app. wasn’t updated to 2013…looks like I just attract crazy…read on…

So it happened again. No, I didn’t have to dodge a flat iron. I did however have to dodge the crazy. You would think after 20 plus years in customer service and dealing with the public that nothing would surprise me. The upside to all the crazy I get to witness and deal with is it gives me so much material. I find myself wondering, when did throwing your arms up and shoving your finger in someone’s face over the fact that the scent of the gel that you bought doesn’t transport you to  a green meadow became the norm? Maybe it is all the reality television or maybe it is that oxy’s are now banned in Canada…hmm….then I checked my Moon Phase app. (A necessity to anyone who deals with the public) and realized that the full moon will rise tomorrow. Great.

The phone rings. I begin my usual pleasant greeting when from the other end of the line I hear “Yeah, whatever. Look I bought a flat iron and I don’t like it. I want to return it.”. So I ask if it is still heating up. “Well….yaaaaah. Pfft.” is the eloquent response I receive. I explain that once a flat iron has been used, if there isn’t a defect present I cannot return it, nor can I sell it to someone else. I offer the company’s 1 800 number and tell her to see if they can help her out. “There is a defect! I don’t like it! That’s the defect!”. As I try to explain that does not constitute a manufacturer’s defect, I get to hear the ol’ stand by “You are an asshole and you suck!” then silence…not a dial tone…silence. You see, she is looking for a fight. Guess what? She isn’t getting one. So there I stand for about a minute in silence. After a few more seconds she finally shouts “I’m hanging up now!!!”. Click. It’s only 10:30 a.m..

A woman comes in and says “I bought this stuff here a few years ago. I don’t remember the name of it but I really liked it, do you have it?”. At our shop we have an awesome salon program that tracks our customers/clients purchases…if they have given us their phone number. So, I ask for her phone number to which she replies “no thank you”. I go on to explain I am asking for her number so I can check her file to see her purchases so maybe I can track down the product she is after. Big mistake. Huge. Who knew that little phrase I had uttered would begin a ten minute rant on Big Brother(not the reality t.v. show…lets keep up people) and the government watching our every movement and how it is no business of our Prime Minister what products she buys, and then she asks me again if I know what the product is she is looking for. Oh look…it’s 11:15 a.m..

A gentleman comes into the shop stating “I am never shopping here!!”, walks the perimeter of the shop and leaves.

At our shop, we sell over 25 professional hair care lines, so I deal with over 10 distributors, so if I don’t have the product you are looking for, I can usually order it in. We call it a “special order”. Another big mistake it seems. A woman was looking for a certain Kevin Murphy product that I didn’t carry, so I let her know I could order it for her, I let her know I could add it to our special orders, to which she said “Well! If I knew it was such a bother that it has to be classified as a “special order” I wouldn’t have bothered!” and then she left. I have to admit, I just stood there, I was actually speechless for a moment. You don’t want to know what time it was…too depressing.

I can hardly wait to see what or who crosses the threshold tomorrow. I do know one thing for sure, on tomorrow’s playlist I will be sure to have Creedence Clearwater Revival’s Bad Moon Rising on repeat.

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!”.

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

Mission accomplished

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Last night I had the privilege to attend a seminar. Yes, you read that right, I said privilege. I know, most people see seminars as a chore. With over 20 years in the customer service/sales game I know why most see seminars as a chore – some times you have to play a game, some times you have to role play scenario’s (that are never true to life), and most disappointing of all is when the speaker literally repeats the newest sales book word for word and tries to pass the words off as his own.(Plagiarism anyone?). From lingerie to automobiles, I have heard and seen it all. Literally. (Trust me, selling lingerie isn’t as elegant as it seems – I still can’t look at a garter belt without shuddering. As for being a woman in car sales…that is another tale for another time).

Back to the tale at hand. Last night I was invited to attend a business seminar by one of my reps, Melodie from Piidea. The speaker was eloquent, funny, informative and real. He was honest, to the point, put things in perspective, raised up his audience. His words were his own and when they weren’t, he quoted whose words they were. The gentleman I am speaking of is Kevin Agar.

What made last night’s seminar stand out above others I have attended in the past was this – it wasn’t just about making the sale or keeping the client. It was about living up to your potential, being accountable for your actions with your staff and your customers and yourself. One of the greatest aspects was that the tips he gave worked for our industry, business tips that aren’t the least bit awkward and are easy to implement. Most of all, it was about building a relationship with your clientele/customers – something I strive to do everyday. At our shop, I want everyone who crosses our threshold to feel beautiful, informed and educated. From looking around the room last night, if Mr. Agar’s mission was to do the same – mission accomplished.

 

 

 

 

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

Receding hairlines and muffin tops

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I hear the familiar chirp of the shop’s door chime. I look up to see a couple. I can tell from the look on the woman’s face she is on a mission, the gentleman looks like a little boy who just received the scolding of his life. Before I have a chance to say hello, the lovely lady sighs and says as she points at his head “Can you help this?!”. In all honesty, the first thought that sprang into my head was “No, but they will perform an exorcism to remove the demon that resides in you at the church down the street”. What I did say was “Help with what exactly? I think his hair cut looks great.”. He smiled. She scowled. “I was talking about his hair line! Look at it!”. I didn’t look at his hair line. I looked at him, right in the eye and asked him “Do you like your hairstyle? Is there a product that you are looking for?”. Again, he smiled, she scowled. I swear she added a “hhmmpptt” with the scowl. I found out he was looking for something that gave hold without a lot of shine and didn’t want anything too sticky. He liked to brush his hair forward a little to cover up his receding hair line. So I showed him the American Crew Fibre – a medium hold cream that adds texture and hold with minimal shine. I also showed him the KMS Molding Paste – great texture and hold with low shine.

Ladies, I have said it before and will say it again…if you want equality, it goes both ways. If your gent pointed at your ass and said “you gotta do something about that!” you know that he would be pushing up daisies. If your gent took you into a store and pointed at your muffin top stating “Can you do anything about this?!?” he would be walking home to nothing waiting for him on the dinner table. So why do women think it is okay to do this to men? I think it is cruel. In all honesty, it is kind of disgusting actually. It takes a lot, I mean A LOT for a man to open up about his insecurities. Throwing them in his face, especially in public is, quite frankly, being a bully.

NEWS FLASH! Men want to look good for themselves. Sure, they want to look good so people will notice them. We all want that. Yeah – I mean you too – you aren’t wearing red 6 inch heels just so you reach the soup can on the top shelf for the little old lady at the grocery store – the jig is up. Men want to have good hair days too. Men hate when their hair is frizzy. Men give up on their new style and just chop it off – just like women have. If you ask  me, it takes guts for a man to walk into a Salon and ask for help. He is risking all kinds of ridicule, be it from coworkers, friends, or unfortunately in some circumstances, the Salon employees. Oh, and a heads up to Salon owners and managers out there – There is a HUGE market that wants  to spend their money that you are neglecting – MEN.

Grow up a little, stop giggling at a man when he asks what the difference is between hairspray and setting spray, or gel and pomade.Yeah, I said it. Ladies – come on – you know how insulting it is, the way we are talked to when we go to get our car repaired. If you giggle at a man when he asks about hair product or you point out his receding hair line, you are doing the same thing that you hate being done to you.

Everyone deserves to like what they see in the mirror, men, women, gay or straight. No one deserves to have their insecurities belted out in a Salon. My goal is to make every customer and client feel beautiful and leave with a spring in their step. At our shop/salon we aim to bring out the beauty that is already there. As for the ugly remarks and attitudes…you can leave those at the door.

 

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

You know you like it

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Every day, at least once a day, a woman comes into the shop looking for something new. I see her come in the door, We exchange our “hello’s”, she heads over to her “go to” product, picks it up, puts it back on the shelf. She picks it up again and puts it back down. She starts to walk around the store, looking at all the shelves of product. I ask if I can help her. She tells me no. She ends up back at the shelf she started at, and sighs. I walk over and ask “Are you sure I can’t help you?”. She turns to me, sighs again and says “I guess you can. I mean maybe, I really don’t know.”. So I ask her why she picked up the first product then kept putting it down. (lets say it was Joico JoiWhip for educational purposes.). The response is always the same “I was told I needed to change my products.”. So I ask her, “Do you like JoiWhip? Are you happy with the hold and volume it offers?”. This response is always the same also, “Yes, I love it!”. I reassure her that if she has found a product that works for her and she likes it, she doesn’t have to change it. “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” is what I end up saying and usually I get a laugh. I was once corrected on my grammar but at least it wasn’t accompanied with a flying flat iron.

Ladies and Gents, when it comes to your hair products, if you like the products you are using, keep on using them. You don’t need to change because someone said so…that being said – I do highly recommend to stop using drug store product and invest in professional salon products. You know your hair, you know what it will do and what it won’t. You know how much or how little time you want to spend on your hair. You know the scents you like and the hold you want. The same goes for your life. If you like what you are doing, keep doing it. If you like to bang your head to Iron Maiden…bang away. If you like to skip down the lane…skip away. You know yourself and what you like. Trust yourself. I have said on many occasions that I believe a little fairy dust goes a long way. I am forty years old and I am sure many people I meet may think I am a little “off” because I say hello to caterpillars – you never know – the one you don’t say hello to may be the one caterpillar that is capable of speech.

If you like your JoiWhip or your Moroccanoil or your BigSexy Spray and Play – keep using it. If you like to sing along to Weird Al while you drive around town – be like a surgeon and tell ’em to eat it. Be yourself and trust yourself – there is nothing more beautiful.