Michael’s Ultra Soothing Eye Gel, sold exclusively at Michael’s Salon & Spa, is formulated to benefit the delicate eye area. Highly recommended for all skin types that show signs of fatigue and stress.

 

Application: Thoroughly remove all makeup from the eye area. Gently smooth around the eye area contour.   Lightly pat around the eye area to absorb.  Avoid contact with delicate eye tissue. Use as needed.

 

Features and Benefits:

 

·      Contains an effective MDI complex, a marine cartilage extract, that is 100% water soluble

·      Helps reduce dark circles and under eye puffiness due to fatigue and stress

·      Helps soften lines, wrinkles and “crows feet.”

·      Recommended for all skin types

·      Helps reduce damage caused by excessive sun exposure

Michael's Eternal Beauty Serum, sold exclusively at Michael's Salon & Spa, helps your natural beauty shine through.  It's a clear, luxurious serum that is formulated with lipids to help seal and protect the skin's natural moisture balance. Eternal Beauty Serum also acts to smooth the surface of the skin, allowing for flawless makeup application.

Application: Apply 1-2 pumps over lightly moisturized skin. Allow product to be absorbed prior to make-up application.

Features and Benefits:

• Helps protect skin from sun damage.
• Helps skin to retain moisture.
• Smooths the surface of the skin.

Lash Enhance Serum

Michael’s Lash Enhance Serum, sold exclusively at Michael’s Salon & Spa, will noticeably start lengthening and thickening your lashes within the first 3 weeks. Begin applying twice daily along lash line for 6 weeks, after, apply only at night. Make sure skin is clean and use prior to eye cream or retinol.

Features and Benefits:

·       Vitamins and moisturizing agents hydrate, condition, and strengthen brittle lashes

·       Gentle enough to be used by contact lens wearers

·       Thicker and fuller lashes will result within 1-3 weeks, if used properly every day

Michael’s Soothing Serum, sold exclusively at Michael’s Salon & Spa, is a lightweight serum that helps to nourish and calm the skin while reducing inflammation. It contains Vitamin K and Gingko Biloba, which leaves the skin feeling hydrated and radiant. This product is a great primer for makeup, facials, waxings and peels.

 

Application: Use daily after thorough cleansing and toning (1-2 pumps) and follow with moisturizer. Apply a thin layer to the face and neck and gently massage until fully absorbed.

 

Features and Benefits:

·      Sodium Hylauronate seals the skin with moisture binding film

·      Skin will be supple and hydrated

·      Gingko Biloba helps maintain the metabolic processes for a healthier look

·      Vitamin K helps heal and condition the skin

Michael's Oil Control Moisturizer, sold exclusively at Michael's Salon & Spa, is an advanced oil-free moisturizer acting as both an astringent and cooling product that helps to fight and repel bacteria beneath the skin's surface. It also provides three-fold benefits for oily skin: protection, gentle exfoliation and a mild antiseptic. After using this product, oily skin is noticeably enhanced due to the fine barrier that helps hydrate and replenish the skin for a smooth shine-free surface.

 

Application: Apply a light film (2 pumps) over the entire face and neckline. Wait for complete absorption prior to applying makeup regimen.

 

Features and Benefits:

·    A light moisturizer specially formulated for oily areas such as the T-zone

·    Helps to control secretion of excess oil prior to makeup application

·    Protects oily skin from moisture loss

·    Salicylic acid helps to gently exfoliate the skin and provide an antiseptic result

·   Formulated for teens and adults with oily or problem skin

Michael's Intensive Eye and Lip Treatment, sold exclusively at Michael's Salon & Spa, is an advanced formula that is specifically designed to restore youthful vitality and resilience to the delicate areas around the eyes and lips. The DERMA REPAIR COMPLEX stimulates the regeneration process by promoting healthy collagen growth, which helps make the skin look refreshed and revived. It also eliminates skin fatigue and restores its surface with a healthy glow around the eyes and a firmer appearance around the lips.

Application: Apply sparingly (no more than 3 drops). Warm the light gel between fingertips and gently pat around eye and lip areas avoiding the delicate eye tissue.

Features and Benefits:
•    Boosts and maintains the skin's natural production of collagen to help smooth existing      lines
•    Brightens dark circles and helps reduce puffiness
•    Application every evening following cleansing will result in a more youthful appearance
•    Continued use provides dramatic improvements to the eye and lip areas

Michael’s Peptide Cream, sold exclusively at Michael’s Salon & Spa, is a rich emollient that helps to promote clear, toned and hydrated skin for a younger, firmer appearance. It helps to reduce the signs of aging and stimulates new cell production by maintaining collagen and holding moisture in the skin.

Application: Apply to cleansed skin and smooth a small amount over entire face and neck. Use twice daily.

Features and benefits:

1). Dramatically helps reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles and signs of aging.
2). Hyaluronic acid helps to retain moisture in the skin
3). Skin reclaims a younger, firmer appearance
4). Enhances production of collagen and stimulates growth of damaged tissue in the skin
5). Increases elasticity, firmness, and skin tone
6). Provides anti-wrinkle results by keeping skin relaxed and smooth

Michael's Salon and Spa invites you to freshen up your look for Spring by giving 15% off ALL Jane Iredale and Dr. Dennis Gross MD Skincare products - through the end of this month!

Jane Iredale Mineral Makeup

One product from Jane Iredale that is great for a lighter spring look is the Dream Tint Moisturizer. It moisturizes your skin while providing light coverage that you can wear alone or as a base under Jane's mineral powders. It contains SPF 15 to protect your skin from damaging UV rays. Jane Iredale features a variety of products that contain SPF to protect your skin - this is very important as you spend more time in the sun on nice spring days.

New from Dr. Dennis Gross - Alpha Beta Glow Pads

You love the at-home Alpha Beta Hydroxy Peels by MD Skincare, but have you tried the NEW Alpha Beta Glow Pads? This amazing product has been featured in many magazines this spring - Elle even gave it a 2011 Genius Award!


What makes the Glow Pads so great? It is the ONLY anti-aging, exfoliating sunless tanner that contains active Vitamin D. The Glow Pads provide smoother, healthier skin and natural radiance year-round.

Benefits of the Alpha Beta Glow Pads:

• Exfoliation + Self-Tanning in One
• Anti-Aging with AHAs & Potent Antioxidants
• Streak-free Application with Micro-encapsulated DHA

These are only two featured products of this sale, but ALL Jane Iredale and MD Skincare products are 15% OFF through April 30, 2011.

What is your favorite spring skincare product?

As we prepared for our quarterly photo shoot, our team discussed what works and what doesn't. The fashion magazines all display images of young, beautiful models with hair that is NOT wearable for the average woman. Could you imagine getting ready to drop your kids off at school, or heading to the office - but first taking hours and hours to style your hair like this?

Image by Intercoiffure

This is a fantastic image, but it doesn't fit the lifestyles of most of our clientele. We want to inspire our guests to try new looks, but each person needs to be able to envision the look on him/herself.

For our May photo shoot, instead of having our designers or Michael select models, we asked our clientele. We sent out emails and asked for submissions on Facebook and Twitter:

Michael's is looking for real women over 40 to be a part of our upcoming makeover photo shoot. We're asking you to nominate yourself, or a woman you know who would be willing to make a major change.

We received more feedback from this online contest than any previous online contest. It was very difficult to select the winners, but we narrowed the field down to six. These brave women put their trust in Michael's talented staff to design their new look. 

Before and After Photos:

Our designers went above and beyond just cut and color to empower each woman to discover the best version of herself. Click the names below to see more pictures and to learn about each makeover:

Are you noticing that your hair isn't as shiny and healthy as it was ten years ago? It's true, with age comes hair that is drier, breaks easily and lacks body and shine.
The recent issue (May 2010) of More magazine tackled this problem in an article titled "Ch-Ch-Changes!" More offered up a six week plan to bring back the silky texture we all love. Here are some highlights from the article, with tips from Michael's included (direct quotes from More in italics). Update (5/26/10) More's article on tips for aging hair is now available on their website. Disclosure: All product recommendations in this blog are by Michael's professionals:

Trim, then tame
Visit your stylist to get rid of damaged ends, then explore conditioning treatments. "Nearly every stylist we spoke to said for the most dramatic results, you can't beat an in-salon keratin treatment."

We've blogged about keratin treatments several times, but the treatment infuses keratin into your hair follicles to promote healing, block humidity, and prevent environmental toxins from entering the hair. It leaves hair smooth, frizz-free and manageable.

Give your do some downtime
After a keratin treatment, you should not wash your hair for 72 hours to allow the treatment to soak in. When you do wash your hair, use a sodium-free shampoo like Keratin Care. Salt will strip your hair of chemical treatments, which means your keratin, or color process for that matter, won't last as long.

Also, skip a day or two from shampoo. Your hair produces natural oils which help keep it moisturized. If you must, rinse your hair in luke warm water, and use a small amount of conditioner just on the ends.
**Personal note: Jodi talked me into shampooing every other day, and I'm finally able to keep red color in my hair, after many attempts that faded quickly. And as an added bonus, my shampoo and conditioner last twice as long!

Finally, go easy on the heat. When you do rinse or shampoo, use luke warm water, not hot water. When you blow dry or flat iron, use a thermal protectant like Iron It by Michael's, Aquage Beyond Shine or Trilliant by Sebastian.

Color Care
After taking great care of your hair, you might want to amp up the color a bit. The More article recommends 'Ask your colorist if (s)he can use an oil-based bleach, which processes hair more gently than a traditional bleach." Michael's uses Wella color processes, which are oil-based, and condition your hair as they color.

More magazine is a great resource for 'women of style & substance.' They celebrate women over 40, and offer tips on fashion, beauty, love, careers and more.

What do you think of these tips? Do you have other tips to share? Let us know in the comments!

Last month, Michael travelled to Chicago to attend America's Beauty Show. In Chicago he found several new products, but one really stood out amidst the sea of wrinkle reducers, moisturizers and skin care products.


Instantly Ageless is a revolutionary cosmeceutical product that works instantly to reverse the signs of aging. The clinically-proven formula is safe and effective, is fragrance free, and is not tested on animals. It can be used daily to:

• diminish fine lines and wrinkles
• minimize lines around the eyes (aka "crows feet")
• reduce or eliminate frown lines between your eye brows
• smooth lines around the upper and lower lips
• shrink the appearance of pores and improve skin texture

We tested the product on employees here at Michael's and each person had dramatic results. Here is a photo of Debbie with one eye treated and the other untreated:

This week's How To video is a little different. First, we're showing a spa treatment instead of a hairstyle. Paula is demonstrating what the MD Express peel is. Many people are confused and don't know exactly what a chemical peel is - an episode of Sex and the City comes to mind. Paula shows you exactly what to expect - it's a quick and easy treatment that makes a big difference! Also, you can use this video for follow-up at home with the MD Skincare Alpha/Beta Daily Face Peel. Use the same strokes around the face that Paula uses on Mary to exfoliate your skin and leave it fresh and luminous!

An MD Alpha/Beta peel is a recommended treatment for several skin disorders, including acne, rosacea, hyper pigmentation, fine lines and more.


I asked Mary how her skin felt a few hours after the treatment, and she said "it feels really clean - comparable to how your mouth feels clean and fresh after going to the dentist."

To follow up at home, Paula recommends using the All-In-One Facial Cleanser with Toner at morning and night to wash your face. At night, follow with the Daily Face Peel Two-step system, and finish with a good moisturizer.

With the cold weather already here and winter fast approaching, the estheticians at Michael’s Salon and Spa want to remind you that winter requires some extra TLC for your skin. The dry air combined with indoor heat can wreak havoc on your skin. Here are some products available at Michael’s to help you combat cold weather dry skin:

For your face:
• MD Skincare’s Alpha Beta Daily Face Peel is a very popular product at Michael’s. It instantly helps firm skin and eliminate dullness. The daily peel helps treat enlarged pores and gently calms redness with soothing botanicals. It’s a great way to begin your skincare routine each morning – and it’s an easy 2-step process. Follow up with a moisturizer from MD Skincare’s Hydra-Pure line.

For your body:
• If your skin is already dry, exfoliating is important to remove flaky skin. Skin, An Apothecary has a line of Sugar and Salt Scrubs that will moisturize your skin while getting rid of unsightly flakes. It comes in a variety of scents and is made from all-natural ingredients. You’ll also be supporting a local business because Skin, An Apothecary is located here in Dayton, Ohio. After exfoliating, the Soy Body Whip is a fluffy body cream that gives dry dull skin a hydrated glow. It blends Vitamin C, soy and coconut oils to restore a healthy moisture balance in your skin.

For your hands:
• Dermalogica’s Multivitamin Hand and Nail Treatment is great for keeping your hands soft through the winter. It is an intense, non-greasy treatment that conditions dry, rough hands while helping to reduce nail splitting and peeling. Pro-Vitamin B5, soothing algae extract, licorice extract, Vitamins C, A and E, ginkgo biloba, and grape seed all combine in this improved formula to make your hands silky smooth!

For your feet:
• Don’t forget about your feet just because you’re not wearing sandals! Try Cucumber Heel Therapy by Creative Spa to combat dry calloused heels. You might need to use a foot file first, and then generously apply the cucumber lotion. For extra relief, apply at bedtime and slip on cotton socks.

For your skin:
• Want to keep your summer glow all year long? Norvell Amber Sun’s Sunless Mousse delivers naturally dark color in a foaming, bronzing formula that is easy to use and won’t leave streaks! Afraid to do-it-yourself? Michael’s offers spray tanning by Norvell.

Just remember that the most important thing for your skin in cold weather is to moisturize, moisturize, moisturize! It is easier to prevent dry skin than to treat skin that is dry, cracked or calloused.

For more information on the products mentioned, come in to Michael’s Salon and Spa. We’re open Mon-Fri 8-8, Sat 9-4, and Sun 12-6.

As women we are always looking for tips on how to age beautifully. Let's face it, we all want to look our best and most importantly look younger. www.Oprah.com shared five sured fired ways to slow time without going under the knife or using a needle. The top two tips are things Michael's Salon and Spa can help you with. At Michael's we offer Dr. Dennis Gross alpha/beta chemical peel service and MD Skincare retail products in our spa. And of course getting a great haircut and color always makes you feel wonderful.  

Number 1 -Protect Your Skin