Baby, I like it!
Question: Why do we do, what we do?
Answer: Quite simply- because we love it!
Do you ever really take a moment and think about what you do on a daily basis? And if/when you do- are you happy about those thoughts? We hope so. We recently took one of those moments and could not be happier!
Some of you may already know that on Tuesday afternoons we take time out for training and meetings. A couple of weeks ago we had our final meeting of the year. During the Holiday season we like to make sure we’re open the extra evening. Anyway, during this meeting, as we did a recap on 2011 (can you believe it?!), we talked about how each of us got to and chose this career. It was such a refreshing moment that we all relished in!
We know that we may be a smaller group, but I think many will agree- we are a fierce one at that! Yes, we all have our days- but at the end of it all- there is not 1 of us that does not want to be here. And again, quite simply- because we love it! The opportunity to make our guests feel good and look good is indescribable. We often wish there were more ways to say thank you but we hope we do okay along the way. Just make sure you take us up on all of our “we love you” gifts!
How do I love thee? Let me count the ways…
*Quarterly Customer Appreciation Days-20% OFF all retail!
*$20 Referral Thank you for each guest you send
*$10 “Facebucks” for becoming a Fan and exclusive Facebook offers
*5% off services when you check-in via FB or Foursquare
*10% off retail when bringing in your Coiffeur Inga’ canvas bag- ask us how to get one!
*$10/$15 off for 2nd and 3rd visits
*50% OFF any service you’ve never experienced in the salon- through end of year!
****and much, much more along the way! xoxoxo 
Why the long face?
Many of us women LOVE our long locks & most are deathly afraid to get even the slightest trim- you know who you are. Now, don’t fret ladies- I’m not here to talk to you into cutting anything- I promise. I am however going to encourage to give yourself a little ‘boost’. Stop letting that long hair just hang down- we all want to see that pretty face!
Good news though- there is SO much that can be done! First, if it’s been a while since you’ve ‘spruced’ it up a bit- maybe try some easy fixes. How about some new layering? A new type of fringe? Or if you’re really that afraid of being a ‘cutter’- how about just trying a modified part? Switch it to the middle…no, not the severe, not-so-attractive part we all had in middle school (shudder)…I’m talking about something a little more glam. Take a look at some of these Hollywood favorites that did this simple trick & look at the change. (see left & right sidebars)Talk about a WOW factor! Not that these women aren’t beautiful with any style- but notice what an openness softness, just changing the part, adds to their look!
Do I have you convinced yet? If you’re still not loving the above ideas- then, maybe we should veer you toward up-do’s! The current trends show simple, yet super stylish works of art. And, good news is- you’ll only have to commit until you take it down The other great news: you can find tons of “how-to” info! Whether you find it in a magazine, the internet or even come into the salon for lesson- the possibilities are endless and sure to have you glammed up in no time! Take a look below for some fabulous up-do ideas that any of use could easily master!
Don’t forget to stay tuned to our blog for upcoming tips & tricks-PLUS- be on the look out for our youtube channel! COMING SOON!
” Hey, Nice Ombre’ “
In the salon industry, hair stylists are constantly trying to discover new ways to color hair and bring fresh ideas into the salon. There is a new color technique that has done just that. It’s called the Ombre’, and it literally means graduation in French. In this instance, refering to a dark-to-light fade of color that is used in the technique. Ombre’ can be done very subtle or dramatic, depending on what you are looking for. Either way, the shot of lightness that is painted from the mid-shaft of the hair to the ends gives the strands a natural, ‘lightened under-the-sun’ look.
Once brought to our attention we were all pretty excited to start using it in the salon. I especially couldn’t wait to get this look for myself! Tanja Handing did the color application for me and I have been sporting the Ombre’ for about two weeks now and I am so happy with my new color & obviously quite excited to be telling everyone about it! I have been getting so many compliments on my hair. I was having lunch with a friend and even had someone walk by and say “Hey, nice Ombre’”. Feel free to stop by and check out my new look and set up a free consultation for a fresh, yet, low-maintenance hair color!
Check out some of these Ombre’ looks on some your favorite celebs!
Eat. Sleep. Recycle. Repeat.
Recently, we had a running hose fixed at one of the shampoo bowls. When it was fixed- we asked that our handy man, “Honey Do Dave,” check the remaining sinks and any other plumbing to insure that there were no other leaks.
Upon all of this happening, we started talking about how we as a Hair Salon naturally use up a lot of water and about the fact that we need to stay on top of things like this to make sure there’s as little misuse as possible. With this- we thought about what else we could do to “STAY GREEN.” One thing I do not like to do is waste! The team and I brought to surface many things we’ve been doing all along- many without even realizing it.
And so we’d like to share & of course thank you in your efforts to help us along the way!
-Ceramic Coffee Cups/Saucers instead of Paper/Styrofoam Cups
-Cloth Hand Towels in the restroom instead of Paper Towels
-Paper/Canvas Retail Bags instead of Plastic (save 10% on retail if you bring in your canvas bag)
-Reusable Color Mask Jars instead of Disposable Sample Cups (bring back to refill & save $1 on Color Mask)
-Up-to-date Service Menus online ( http://saloninga.com/services-2/ ) as opposed to Printed out
-Hair donated to local farms for fertilizer *last year donated for Oil Spill
-All magazines are donated to a local retirement home
-Newspaper, Cardboard, Aluminum, Plastic, Glass & Styrofoam containers are picked up for recycling
-Both sides of printer paper (for daily tickets) are used prior to discarding
-Eufora Recycled Product Bottles & Biodegradable Product Ingredients
-Utilize one of the markets safest Aerosol Hair Sprays
*Eufora’s Elevate Finishing Spray has an Ozone Impact Potential of 0.00, making it on the cleanest aerosols on the market. It meets strict environmental standards with a new propellant that dissipates when introduced to light.
We’ve also decided to join the “Go Green Initiative” -a program initially brought about in schools. With the current mission to: “provide schools, homes, businesses and organizations of all kinds with the tools and training they need to create a “culture of conservation” within their community.” Their goals are to conserve and protect natural resources for future generations, and to protect human health through environmental stewardship.
We encourage everyone to help out however they can & of course, welcome suggestions for anything else you think we can do too!
***We’d like to send a special thank you to “Honey Do Dave” (David Graves) for all of his ‘handy’ help in making our salon look great & run smoothly! If you’re looking for some “Honey Do List” help- please contact him at (813) 810-9241
Say Cheese!
There are many things that we do in our industry to keep us polished, inspired and educated. One of my favorite ways to do this is through photo shoots. It’s a great way to stay motivated and gets your mind rolling with lots of ideas!
This last Spring, I was invited by another Intercoiffure salon in the area, to participate in a shoot that they hosted at their salon. We were able to achieve three unique looks using one model- you may even recognize her as one of our own. :)
The great thing about photo shoots is that the camera is very honest. You have to pay extreme attention to detail. The color, balance and lighting of the shapes you’re creating need to be in complete harmony. We often even rely on the photographer to point out anything that they may see. Tom Carson, a very well known hair photographer, shot these photos and gave us very helpful hints!
It was a fun way to spend our weekend and I am pretty excited about the end result- hope you are too!
To see more- go to our “A bit of what we do” album on Facebook!
A+ Haircolor Advice
Not long ago I read an article about “at home haircolor.” Naturally, being in the profession- I got a little defensive. But then I noticed that the person giving the “advice” and “how-to” is a colorist in NYC. So I thought I would remove myself from my professional position and see what she had to say…
The goals within the article were to revitalize haircolor, cover gray and lighten up. I was quite amazed in just looking at the pictures because the women looked great with their new “do’s.” For this- I have no problem giving credit where credit is due. This intrigued me even more but then came the “ah-hah” and I started to notice some of the fine print.
There were several tips for these DIY colors: stay conservative, enlist a friend to help, make sure you have natural light, perform a strand test in a spot that can be hidden..and so on. And then, a final disclosure that stated “there’s room for disaster so follow the tutorial carefully and a have a “how-to-fix” solution ready.
Things we hear from our guests on a daily basis are things like- “I don’t have a lot of time,” “I don’t want to invest a lot of energy or spend a lot of money.” I think the obvious perk in DIY haircolor is probably the time and money factors. However, even though these women did turn out quite beautiful each of them still had comments that I couldn’t help but shout a mini “that’s what I thought!” Some of the things they said were “I don’t think I’d have the courage without the stylist next to me.” Or, “the highlighting process was pretty complicated so if I feel like I really need some lighter pieces- I’ll just go to the salon.” And lastly- “I loved how my hair turned out but didn’t realize all of the extra supplies I would need to keep on hand. Paint brush, timer, rat tail comb, alcohol based toner to remove stains from skin, etc.”
So, okay- I named my not-so-positive feelings about the article but one thing it did do- is get us thinking! Back to the comments we hear from our guests…what could we do to help? Because you know we’re not going to suggest the DIY. And so, we were reminded of some the things that we believe help our guests on a daily basis.
Complimentary consultations for any service so that the guest is 100% comfortable. A level system for our stylists, an extensive training program and continuous education. Our guests can maintain their fabulous looks within their specific budgets but also feel safe and happy within any level of stylist. Color Express service offered within 3 weeks of their color service for the guest that has roots peeking a little sooner than desired. $35 gets them in and out with color accelerator and covers the hairline, root and halo areas.
With all of this- of course we know it is possible to do at home color but in the end are you really saving time, that much money, and importantly- the integrity of your hair?
So to add our own disclosure: ***Most, if not all, box colors have metallic salts that can not be removed unless they are cut out of your hair. And they can prevent you from other specialties like Keratin treatments and sometimes the ability to make certain color changes. Just some food for thought…in the mean time- Be kind to your hair!
Technologically AMAZED!
Many times we as a team try taking “Education Vacations” together. It’s a way to bond with each other and yet, still get some work done. But there are times in between when only parts of the group can go…
This year, for instance, Inge and Tanja were the lucky ones that got to attend the Intercoiffure Spring Symposium in Miami.
I felt like the lucky one however because they had a broadcast live via the web. So, I still got to be a part of it- but from the comfort of my own couch! I got to see a variety of great dimensional haircuts and colors- plus got to enjoy watching Intercoiffure’s Fashion Director, Vivienne Mackinder.
For those of you that don’t know who she is- let me just say talent and beautiful hair! Most of her work is honestly just classically pretty and you really can’t put into words what she does.
So for me, it was great to be able to actually see it, rather than just hearing how it all went. And, all thanks to the amazing technology today; which in part, I will never totally understand but will definitely continue to appreciate!
To see some highlights from the show- click below!
Intercoiffure Spring Symposium 2011
Beta X-cellent!
Sometimes the girls in the salon tease me because if there’s ever a ‘new trend’ or ‘special treatment;’ I’m often quite skeptical at the beginning & I have to take the time to do my own research. Well, the Beta X is one treatment that I researched, tried & fallen in love with!
I had been dealing with some onset adult acne (which is never fun) for about a year. It would maybe calm down in between but I had also developed some bad ‘picking’ habits (gross) 
Needless to say, my skin was in need of some help! I had scarring, enlarged pores, & of course, the oh-so-fun breakouts in between. I knew I didn’t want to take any sort of medication for it but I had to get rid of this problem- what to do?
I had heard about the Beta X treatment from our Salon Aestheticians & was intrigued when I kept hearing people rave about it. And so it began…
It’s recommended that you do a series depending on your skin & what results you’re looking for. And within each series, there are 1-3 ‘passes’ of the treatment that are part of the process- again, the number depends on the individual. With me, I noticed a HUGE difference even with the first treatment. And it was AWESOME! I did go through a week of peeling and after that a week of minor breakout (but that didn’t phase me since that was the initial problem) but by week 3- phew! The short-term sacrifice ( if you would even call it that) was totally worth the long-term result! My skin was left radiant, glowing & most importantly- healthy! My boyfriend even commented on my pretty skin. And you know how hard it can be for man to notice these things 
With the results I saw in the first series, I couldn’t wait to get the second under way. I really just can’t express what these treatments have done…I have no scarring, my pores are tightened & I have had NO bouts of acne! I definitely recommend these treatments. It’s great if you have some of the same problems I had, or maybe want to hide some of those fine lines or age spots. Even if you just want a ‘freshener’- this is a must try!
Express Yourself…
…with Fabulous Hair & Natural Keratin!
I am very excited about our hottest, new salon treatment- Keratin Express Blowout! It gives me, as a hairdresser, the great opportunity to give my clients healthier, shinier and smoother hair. And, IN JUST AN HOUR! If you know anything about the Keratin Complex Treatment in its entirety- you’ll appreciate this quick fix. Or, if you’ve been wanting to try it but not fully ready to commit- this is a great test run! I like the fact that it is made of natural Keratin; which is the main Protein in hair and skin. It leaves the hair with natural movement, body, and last up to 6 weeks.
This is dangerously addicting (and I mean that in a good way )! My guests have loved adding this treatment in with their cut & color services. It’s great for all hair types & I promise that once you try it- you’ll love it just as much!
Good Gossip
AFTER
Check out what Tampa Bay’s “Gossip Girl” is saying about US!
A few months ago we had the pleasure of helping Courtney Kuhn acheive a new look with some new locks- courtesy of Victoria Fernandez & Great Lengths Hair Extensions. Check out her blog & see what she had to say about it!
http://tampa.cbslocal.com/2011/02/01/i-love-my-%e2%80%9cnew%e2%80%9d-hair/
And a special Thank You to Courtney for her continued “gossip” about us! We appreciate the love & support!
Stay in Touch!
