Michael's Salon and Spa

Looking for Faces - Young Professionals

Admin — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 19:31:27 GMT

Michael's is excited to support Generation Dayton, and to kick it off, we're tying in our next photo shoot to this theme! We are looking for young professionals in the Dayton area to take part in our upcoming makeover photo shoot. We're asking you to nominate yourself, or a young professional you know who would be willing to make a major change. Selected winners will receive a free makeover from Michael's Salon including haircut & color, Jane Iredale makeover, and photo shoot with the Media Group @ Michael's. The winners will each receive digital copies of their photographs (professional profile picture!), and will be featured here on our blog. Photographs will also be submitted to industry publications.

How to enter:
To nominate yourself or someone you know, send an email to cindy@mediagrouponline.com with the following information:

A recent photograph of nominee
Nominee's name and daytime contact information
A paragraph about why this young professional needs/deserves a makeover

Rules and Details:

Nominations must be received by Monday, August 9, 2010.
Winners will be notified by Thursday, August 12.
The consultation and makeover will be scheduled with each winner and his/her designer prior to the photo shoot (we've allowed 2 weeks to accommodate busy schedules).
The photo shoot will take place on Thursday, August 26, 2010.
Winners must be willing to allow their pictures to be used on our blog and for submission to industry publications.

If you have any questions, please email cindy@mediagrouponline.com. Or check out the results of our last Looking for Faces makeovers. We're looking forward to seeing nominations of yourself, your employees, your recent college grads and more!

Happy Clients at Michael's Salon & Spa

Admin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 18:20:23 GMT

We absolutely LOVE it when clients take time to offer us feedback on their experiences at Michael's. Good or bad, we want to know what you think (of course we love the good, but if we can make your experience better in some way, please let us know). On the left side of Michael's website is a 'Share your experience' box that goes to our general manager. It's like having her direct phone extension.

We recently received a comment from one of our Over 40 Makeover winners, Digma, about her experience:

I started to go to Michael's Salon in 2007. I won a facial at a fundraiser from church. My first experience at Michael's was awesome. I love the massages a lot and like all the beauty products.

I was sooo excited when I won the 40+ make over. Jodi did an excellent job with me. Paula did the perfect job in my makeup. I really look like a model. My friends at work are really impressed.

I recommend all personnel from the salon. They are all good. I love you girls! Thanks,
Digma

Jodi Paula

Thank YOU Digma for taking the time to send us a message! Check out Digma's before and after photos here - she was a great model. Another interesting fact, our makeovers - including Digma's - have already been featured on Modern Salon! After the success of our first Looking for Faces call for submissions, we will be doing another call for submissions soon! Keep an eye here on our blog for more details as they are available.

In the meantime, don't be shy and let us know how we are doing at Michael's!

Longer Eyelashes - what are your options?

Admin — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:24:42 GMT

We all want long thick eyelashes, but unfortunately, some of us aren't blessed to look like we could be in a mascara commercial (FYI: the women in the commercials are probably wearing fake lashes). So what's a girl to do? You could stick to the time-tested regimen of eyelash curler + loads of mascara, but if you're not getting the results you desire, check out these options Michael's is offering women in the Dayton area.

NovaLash® Eyelash Extensions
For celebrity-approved lashes, check out NovaLash eyelash extensions. You've probably read about NovaLash in popular magazines (O, the Oprah magazine, Lucky, OK! Magazine, In Touch Weekly, Modern Salon and more) but did you know you can get NovaLash extensions here at Michael's Salon?

The physician and cosmetic chemist formulated lash extension system developed for your health and safety... the educated choice.

NovaLash is one of the safest options for women looking to boost their lashes. There's no need to worry about adhesives tearing your lashes out or damaging them. At Michael's, a licensed esthetician will apply NovaLash lashes on your natural lashes. You won't have an adhesive line to cover up, because they attach to your lashes, not your eyelid. You won't have to worry about a line of lashes separating at the end of your wedding day or night out! NovaLash starts at $202 and will last for the growth cycle of the individual eyelashes - approximately 1-2 months. Touch-ups are recommended as your lashes have a natural life cycle.

Image from Novalash.com

To keep your extensions healthy and looking great, here are some tips:

Avoid rubbing your eyes and lashes - this causes you to lose lashes!
If you wear mascara, DO NOT USE WATERPROOF MASCARA. Waterproof formulas will dissolve the adhesive on your NovaLash lashes
Avoid eye makeup cleansers containing glycol or carbonates - they can loosen the bond of your NovaLash extensions
When using eye creams, try to avoid your lashes and eyelids. And again, don't use creams containing glycol or carbonates.

Revitalash® Eyelash Conditioner
If you're not crazy about the thought of extensions, we also offer Revitalash Eyelash Conditioner. Again, you've probably seen Revitalash in the press (In Style, Elle, O, the Oprah magazine, and many more). Revitalash is a unique eyelash conditioner that will help you achieve the natural beauty of longer, thicker, fuller looking eyelashes.

A very small amount of Revitalash is applied once a day. No matter how brittle, short, fragile, thin or sparse your eyelashes are, Revitalash can help you achieve your very own long, beautiful, healthy looking lashes. You can purchase Revitalash at Michael's for $135.

Jane Iredale False Lashes
Jane Iredale just released their new Professional Faux Lashes. These lashes are great because instead of strips that you have to cut to fit your eyelid, they are individual pieces you can apply where you want your lashes to be fuller. You can apply just to the outer lids, or across your entire lash line.

The great folks at Jane Iredale have also put together some great tips on how to apply faux lashes. Click the link to read their tips, or check out this video Jane Iredale produced:

If you have a special event and want longer lashes just for one night, schedule a makeover with one of Michael's talented makeup artists. They will apply all of your makeup, and can add as many Jane Iredale faux lashes as you desire, for a minimal add-on.

Take care of your lashes
Whether you try false lashes or not, always always ALWAYS wash off your makeup at night. Sleeping in your makeup is not only bad for your skin, but also bad for your lashes. Wearing mascara overnight can cause your eyelashes to become fragile and break or fall out prematurely.

Have you tried eyelash extensions or conditioners? What was your experience?

Real Women. Real Transformations at Michael's Salon

Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:47:40 GMT

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:

Andrea Digma Ellen

Karin Lisa Sharon

What do you think? Are YOU ready to make a change?

Over 40 Makeover: Lisa

Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 20:05:09 GMT

Model: Lisa Scaggs
Hair: Tari Huber
Makeup: Paula Piersall
Photo: Cynthia DeVelvis, Media Group @ Michael's

Lisa learned about our makeover contest through Twitter. She saw the tweet, read the blog, and sent her photograph in without telling anyone. She was surprised to learn that she was selected. Lisa had never been to Michael's, so Tari, one of our master designers worked with her to plan her new look.

As you can see, Lisa's hair was long and in need of a boost of color. That's exactly what Tari did for her, but first they donated Lisa's ponytail to Pink Heart Funds. Tari started with a chestnut brown permanent color to warm up Lisa's look. She then added chunky blonde highlights. Tari added face-framing layers and a side-swept bang to show off Lisa's great eyes and smile.

To style, Tari used Moroccan Oil to strengthen and condition before blow-drying. She used Osis Slick before flat-ironing to help straighten Lisa's naturally curly hair. Finally, she set the look with Bed Head Masterpiece by TIGI. For a night variation, Tari curled sections of Lisa's hair, first using Working Spray by Aquage to protect against heat damage and add body.

Hair by Tari Makeup by Paula

Over 40 Makeover: Sharon

Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:55:25 GMT

Model: Sharon Nalepka
Hair: Amanda Hansen
Makeup: Paula Piersall
Photo: Cynthia DeVelvis, Media Group @ Michael's

I have had the same hairstyle for the past 5+ years, and the style I had before that I had for almost 10 years. I am always looking for something to do with my hair but just don't know what.

Amanda, who has been doing Sharon's hair for several years, had a few ideas. Sharon is a teacher, so she always used barettes to keep her hair out of her face.

Amanda added subtle highlights to soften Sharon's dark color, and then cut her hair in a sleek bob. "Sharon can put her hair behind her ears if it gets in her way, so she can get rid of the barettes!" Amanda said. Amanda also gave Sharon wispy bangs to compliment her face shape.

To style, Amanda sprayed Volupt by Sebastian and followed with Aquage Uplifting Foam at the crown. She used a round brush when blow drying to give Sharon's hair volume. She followed up with a flat iron to shape the ends.

Hair by Amanda Makeup by Paula

Back to all Real Women Over 40 Makeovers

Over 40 Makeover: Karin

Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:46:34 GMT

Model: Karin Lauterbach
Hair: Dennis Milburn
Makeup: Paula Piersall
Photo: Cynthia Develvis, Media Group @ Michael's

Karin just turned 40 and was ready for a change. Dennis got to work first by giving Karin a Keratin Complex smoothing treatment. This treatment made Karin's hair smoother and took away the frizz. Karin was surprised that she "can still wear it curly," unlike many traditional relaxers.

Next, Dennis added permanent color to lighten Karin's natural tones and added subtle highlights. He cut her hair to shoulder length and softened her look with face-framing layers.

To style, Dennis used Fortifying Ultra Gel by Aquage, then blew it dry with a round brush to add lift and volume. He used Working Spray to hold Karin's style. Dennis warned Karin not to use a flat iron to straighten her hair - "you'll lose all of your volume."

Hair by Dennis Makeup by Paula

Back to all Real Women Over 40 Makeovers

Over 40 Makeover: Digma

Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 19:06:25 GMT

Model: Digma Stockelman
Hair: Jodi Schuh-Keeley
Makeup: Paula Piersall
Photo: Cynthia DeVelvis, Media Group @ Michael's

Digma has been one of Paula's clients for years. She was excited to learn that she won the makeover. Jodi worked with Digma to designer her new look.

Jodi said "at first she was skeptical when I pulled out the red color swatch..." but after the experience Digma said "I LOVE it!" Jodi added red highlights to Digma's dark brown hair, and then cut it in a very versatile style with lots of layers. As you can see, Digma can wear her hair sleek and straight, flip the ends for a textured and piecy look, or embrace her natural curl for a fun style.

To style, Jodi used Fortifying Ultra Gel by Aquage. She finger-dried Digma's hair until it was 90% dry, then used a round brush to add volume and shape to the ends. Jodi then used Matte Putty by Sebastian to shape and hold Digma's look.

Hair by Jodi Makeup by Paula

Back to all Real Women Over 40 Makeovers

Over 40 Makeover: Ellen

Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:51:10 GMT

Model: Ellen Arnette
Hair: Allison Kirkwood
Makeup: Paula Piersall
Photo: Cynthia DeVelvis, Media Group @ Michael's

"I am nominating my mother, Ellen Arnette for your makeover contest. My mother has always been such a giver and doer for others that she rarely puts any time or money into herself. My mother is at a very rough time in her life. In September 2009, she lost her best friend of 30 years to cancer. And then only a few short months later - 6 days before Christmas - my Dad passed away after 30 years of marriage.

I believe that this makeover would make her feel better about herself and the future... my mother is a very strong woman. She has always been there for everyone. She would take the shirt off her back for anyone, even a stranger.

It would not only mean the world to her, but for me to see my mother smile again would be the greatest joy. My mother has had the same look my whole life, and now is the time for a change."

Change is exactly what Allison did for Ellen. She used a rich base color to add warm undertones to Ellen's hair color. Then she wanted to break it up wiht some light by adding caramel and blonde highlights. Allison kept the look natural - the highlights are subtle so you can see the darker color underneath.

Ellen has very fine thin hair, so Allison cut four inches from the length and gave her medium to long layers to add volume. She added side-swept bangs and layers around Ellen's face to soften the look.

Allison suggests for Ellen to blow-dry her hair upside down at home, then use a round brush to shape the style. After blow-drying, Allison added curls for a fun look. She used Queen for a Day Thickening Spray by TIGI to hold the look. Allison's tip for other women with thin hair trying to get his style: "when you curl, use small sections and curl each piece in opposite directions for volume."

Ellen was very touched by the whole experience. "It was an amazing gesture, this whole experience has been something special."

Hair by Allison Makeup by Paula

Back to all Real Women Over 40 Makeovers

Over 40 Makeover: Andrea

Admin — Fri, 11 Jun 2010 18:30:22 GMT

Model: Andrea Glass
Hair: Lisa Homer
Makeup: Paula Piersall
Photo: Cynthia DeVelvis, Media Group @ Michael's

Andrea has been Lisa's client for almost three years. Her husband loved her hair long and blonde. "It took a contest like this to give me the courage to make a drastic change." Lisa went to work, first giving Andrea a keratin treatment to make Andrea's hair smooth and manageable. Andrea was excited to wear her hair straight for a change. After the treatment, Andrea "loves the shine and condition. I can style my hair so much faster, and it doesn't feel like it's chemically processed - it feels like real hair!"

A few days later, Andrea's hair was ready to be colored and styled. "I always use three to four colors for clients. Multi-tone color makes hair look healthier, and I really wanted to enhance Andrea's skin tone," Lisa said. For her cut, Lisa chose a chin-length bob. "It's great for her face shape. Andrea has a long face, so a short bob keeps her looking younger. Long hair can be matronly and aging for women in their forties, especially when it's curly."

Lisa started the style with Moroccan Oil to strengthen and condition Andrea's hair, and then followed with Volupt Spray by Sebastian to add body without curl. She used a round brush to blow-dry, and then smoothed the ends with a flat iron.

Andrea is a very sassy, high-spirited person, so to add a little fun to her look, Lisa used multi-color clip-in extensions to add some personality.

If you're wondering what Andrea's husband has to say about her new look, Andrea told Lisa "He LOVES it!" She didn't let him see her until the night after the photo shoot, when they scheduled a special date night. "He didn't recognize me when I first walked up to him" and he agreed that her blonde days are over.

Hair by Lisa Makeup by Paula

Back to all Real Women Over 40 Makeovers

New client impressed with Michael's Salon

Admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 13:54:56 GMT

We absolutely LOVE it when clients take time to offer us feedback on their experiences at Michael's. Good or bad, we want to know what you think (of course we love the good, but if we can make your experience better in some way, please let us know). On the left side of Michael's website is a 'Share your experience' box that goes to our general manager. It's like having her direct phone extension.

Here is a recent comment from an out-of-town visitor:

Not from Dayton, but was there this weekend and decided, on a whim, that I wanted a haircut...called in to make an appt and said that my only requirement was awesome bangs. I was scheduled w/ Tasha and I can honestly say I don't think I've had a better haircut ever before. My bangs were spot on and she was incredibly friendly and down to earth...seriously bummed that I live 2 hours away!!
-Name withheld

Tasha

Great job Tasha! And thank you to our commenter for leaving us feedback! Have any of you readers been in the salon lately? How was your experience? Let us know - leave a comment here, or send us a message on our website, Michael's Facebook page, or Michael's on Twitter. We'd LOVE to hear from you.

Locks of Love donation at Michael's Salon

Admin — Fri, 28 May 2010 14:56:42 GMT

We love it when our clients take the time to offer us feedback! Here is another comment that was submitted yesterday in the 'Share your experience' box on our website:

"I had a great experience. I cut 11 inches off to donate to locks of love. I was a little nervous but Myka did such a great job. I get compliments every day on my cut and color. Everything was great and I love my new do for summer!
-Kristyn

Myka

Thanks Kristyn for leaving feedback, we're so glad that Myka took such great care of you! And thanks for donating your hair to such a great cause. We work with both Locks of Love and Pink Heart Funds to donate hair to disadvantaged children and cancer patients.

In order to donate to either charity, please remember that your PONYTAIL must be at least ten inches long. Your hair might be ten inches, but when pulled back into a ponytail it gets shorter.

Has anyone else donated to Locks of Love, Pink Heart Funds or another charity? How was your experience? Did you like going from long to short? Please share in the comments below.

Great results with Keratin treatment - client feedback

Admin — Wed, 26 May 2010 14:26:46 GMT

We love it when our clients take the time to offer us feedback! Here is a comment that was submitted yesterday in the 'Share your experience' box on our website:

I promised Laura I would give an update, so here it is. Laura gave me the Keratin treatment on Wednesday. She did an excellent job. I loved my hair walking out of the salon. I had to wait three days to wash it. Saturday was the big test. Would I be able to cut my styling time in half??

I am so excited to say that it only took me about ten minutes to style my hair and walk out the door the way I like it. I was absolutely amazed. On top of that, my hair stayed completely straight without any frizz or curl. I am so excited about this treatment, and will do it again next year, just in time for the humid weather to start. Thank you so much to Laura for doing such an amazing job. You rock!!!!! :) :)
-Name withheld for privacy

Laura

Thank YOU for taking the time to leave us a comment! The Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy is an amazing process that smooths hair to make it silky smooth, without frizz. Many designers at Michael's have received the process and absolutely LOVE it!

We love to hear how our professionals are doing, and have several places online where you can let us know:

First is the 'Share your experience' box located on the left of every page of michaelssalon.com. These messages go straight to our salon manager and are a direct route for your voice to be heard.

Also, please feel free to leave a comment here, on our blog

Or connect with Michael's Facebook page and Michael's Salon on Twitter

Hair Care Tips for Aging Hair

Admin — Tue, 18 May 2010 17:28:32 GMT

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!

How to style wavy curls

Admin — Thu, 13 May 2010 18:52:40 GMT

Have you noticed how many celebrities have been wearing their locks in wavy curls? Have you tried to style your hair like this at home, just to end up with a tangled, half-curled, half-frizzy, doesn't-look-good-at-all mess? Here comes Myka to the rescue! She wears her hair in curly waves every day, so she took some time to show us exactly how to make your hair look naturally wavy, when it's not:

To style, Myka used products from Aquage and TIGI.

While her hair was still wet, she used Sea Salt Texturizing Spray from Aquage to add volume, texture and separation to her locks.
Once her hair is dry, she preps her strands with Bed Head Masterpiece shine spray by TIGI.
When curling, Myka takes vertical sections of her hair, and curls by starting mid-shaft, and working her way down
She makes sure not to curl the ends, to keep the look loose and natural
Once she curls the top front sections, she works on the bottom layers around her face, then curls sections in the back
You don't have to curl every strand
To finish, use a pea-size dollop of Bed Head AfterParty by TIGI to separate strands and add a smooth shine
Flip head upside down and shake out curls, then use your fingers to separate and shape

What do you think - can you get this look at home? Is there a style or beauty tip you would like to see featured? Let us know, leave a comment here, on Michael's Facebook, or @michaelssalon on Twitter!