No Frizz Hair

For those of us with straight hair the phrase “no frizz hair” really has no meaning. But for those with curls, body, and texture in their hair it will surely grab your attention.

Monday I just completed the advanced training for Keratin Complex Smoothing System. Why the advanced class? This service in the salon is not going away. Everyone of our salon guests that have received the service has said, “It is life changing”. So when the class was offered I knew I needed to attend. I am passionate about being on the cutting edge of new ideas and services that our salon guests might need.

I will try to give a short version of what the service is for those of you that are unfamiliar.

Keratin Complex Smoothing System is the latest service to tame frizz, curl, and unruly hair. It works with Keratin amino acids applied to the hair and then heated into the hair with a very hot flat iron. This not only make the frizz disappear it also makes the hair feel and look great. In fact the worse condition the hair is in prior to the service the better it will look after. There is of course a longer explanation on the service but I will spare you from that now. Come in and have a free consultation with me and see if the service is right for you. Now that the pools are closing it is time to get one, did I mention it will last through the end of the year? 3-5 months.

For more more details look to www.keratincomplex.com

For The Love Of Fashion

Fall in Love with style

My name is Megan and I am a hairstylist here at Cary O’Brien’s. I love making people feel and look good.

To me, fashion is a big part of that looking and feeling good. I am not a fashion expert, however I am a fashion lover. Since around the age of 9 or 10 I have spent countless hours pouring through the pages of fashion magazines. I have always loved the excitement of a new style, a new season full of clothing opportunity.

What I would like to do with this little blog is just share some things that might help you with your own personal style. I think fashion is fun and an expression of what you like.

This Valentine’s Day, why don’t you try to focus a little more on yourself and what you love. It might be a new outfit, a new nail polish or just taking time out for yourself. I think the reason that people like my personal style is simply because I don’t take it too seriously. I like a good bargain, I like the thrill of hunting through a sale rack. Nothing is off limits. If you feel good in it, if you feel excited to put it on, then that is a good outfit.

I hope this blog is helpful to people who feel like they want some fashion advice, and fun for those who share my love for all things pretty! Please feel free to ask questions at any time. I’ll be writing you again soon.

-Megan

In-Salon Hair show

We did it. Be it one week late due to the last snow storm. Our In-Salon Hair Show was a great success. Our Jr. Stylist’s and Stlyist’s did a fantastic job show casing their talents to the rest of the team.

Nerves were high, tension was in the air, along with excitement, enthusiasm, and creativity. The show did just what the salon needed, to show everyone on the team what the others can accomplish. So hats off to all the Stylists at Cary O’Brien’s Design & Color Spa for stepping up and giving a great performance.

If you read this and visit our salon ask your stylist about the show. Coming soon the Designers at the salon will be putting on a show for the Stylists. Should be bigger and better.

Get Back on the Blog

Wow! Not sure how it gets away from me so fast but “time does fly” I have not blogged in quit some time. So here it goes time to blog again.

THE SALON’S BIG HAIR SHOW

Okay, not so new for a hair salon to do a hair show, but tonight’s show is not a show for others, it is a show for us. What do I mean by this? I had an epiphany, with 18 hairstylists on our team it has occurred to me that some of them may not know how good their co-workers are at what they do. Tonight’s show will be two shows put on by the stylist levels. They have pre-colored the models and designed the theme and style of the each show. 4 Stylists will work as a team and present to the other team members watching.   They will have 1 hour to complete the task. Then the next 4 will begin their show. I can’t wait to see what they have in store for us.

Why do this? Well that is just what my team asked me. Here’s why. I love to challenge my team. Some times I have to nudge them from their comfort zone. When you try something new and you do it well (and they will) it gives you confidence to grow in many areas. Encouraging my team to be the best they can is what gets me up in the morning.

So look for some pictures soon on this blog. Also, coming soon I have someone new to give us a fresh style update. Look for Megan’s thoughts on fashion coming soon.

Curly Hair Tamed

If you are of the 67% of females that have some curl to their hair, then surely you have struggled to keep it under control at some point and time. Too curly on the ends and flat on the top. Not to mention the frizz. This is how so many look when they try to wear their hair curly. This is why so many just go straight with it and flat iron to death.

Introducing DevaCurl Night at Cary O’Brien’s. Yes we have blogged this before and since it was a sell out the last time we thought we would do it again. This Wednesday 3-8pm call and come in for the DevaCurl Squeeze. We will teach you how to apply product, squeeze properly, and then pin the hair in the most awesome curls you have ever worn.

The DevaCurl concept and technique is not new but coming around again just in time to save everyones hair from flat iron torchure.

This time you will be taking home the DevaCurl Claw, a unique diffuser to tame that curly hair.

New Age Thinking

Okay, I’m 47 years old. I can smell 50 from here. I have a team of young professionals that I have to try to stay at least one step ahead of in the hip zone. With all their texting between each guest they see, face booking, and emails they are the technology age kids. So what does the old guy do to grow the business and help them grow in this day and age? Groupon! Have you hear of it? On Wednesday March 19, 2010 we pulled the trigger and our groupon offer went out to 125,600 local daily groupon subscribers. We are happy to say that at least some of them knew who we are and 577 people bought a $70.00 coupon and paid only $30.00 for it. Cary O’Briens.com (our web site) sees about 100 -200 hits a day. Wednesday we saw 4,000 + with over 7,000 page hits. That’s cool.

I feel my job (resposnsability) is to help bring new guests into the salon. Their’s is to keep them. We as a salon do not see a big short term gain in this endeavor but, talent, skills, great conversation, and just being nice to people we hope to keep them and that is the win for our company and each team member. A few more people know who we are now. That’s a good thing.

If you purchased a groupon thanks and say hello to me when you are in. If you missed the offer get on groupon today and look for us to launch again in the future.

How to make a Runner

We could dig real deep on this one and have a team of experts discuss the physical and phycological properties that one would need to be a runner. But I think it is much simpler, just run. Allow me to explain.

Sunday we woke the house at 6am and were all in the car by 7. (30 minutes later that I wanted) No easy task as the house hold is 4 daughters, the wife, and me. Off to Forest Park we go.

Once there we park and try and find our group. What group? My daughter Isabel’s 4th grade “Girls On The Run” group. It is a sea of pink, green, and yellow. I estimated the crowd around 10,000. Probably 5,000 runners. This is our first experience with the organization that encourages self esteem and discipline centered around running. Did I mention it has been raining for days and the park grounds are completely soaked? No matter everyone just splashing around getting muddy and being very excited. For Isabel and her group this is the 3rd 5-k they will have run in 8 days. That is a huge accomplishment.  

These girls have all been staying after school on Tuesday, and Fridays for weeks to run, play games, and learn to respect each others strengths, and weaknesses. Isabel has loved it.

Mia and Sydney two of my other daughters also ran. Chloe (daughter) and Paris (my Niece) came along for support. Chloe is a runner herself but chose to sit this one out. She and Sydney both plan to run cross country this next year in high school. Chloe’s 3rd year.

So back to the question of “how to make a runner” and I said just run. You see I am a runner. Have been for years. Lots of races, medal, and even placed top in age group before. But what I am most proud of is that all four of my girls run. For fun, to stay in shape, to be part of a team, or any other reason, who cares just run.

So to all who read this I say “just run”. You never know who is watching and what impact it will have.

DevaCurl Great Summer Hair

What is DevaCurl? It’s several things. For one it is a new product line we offer at Cary O’Brien’s. It is designed for the guest with curly hair from slightly curly to very curly. It has a less aggressive shampoo, conditioners, and styling products that enhance the curl in the hair to become more natural and bouncy. For another (and my favorite) it is a service and technique to show the guest how to encourage the natural curl at the scalp.

When the proper support product (gel or cream) is used and the hair is softly squeezed into shape you can see the great curl take shape. Then the curls are held in place with small clips placed in a circle around the crown area. Now just allow the hair to dry naturally or use a Deva Diffuser and then remove the clips. Add some shine spray or drops and shake it out. Voila, you now have soft, natural, beachy, summer looking hair.

Try it for yourself at home or come to the Deva Night at Cary O’Brien’s on May 26th and let our team Deva you up. Call to reserve your spot.

Lindenwood Fashion Show

WOW! If you love fashion, run way, and great models you should plan to attend next years Lindenwood Fashion Show.

This is the 4th year we have been asked to participate and design the hair for the models on the runway. We did a pre-event meeting and had our hair design ideas on a big board, we discussed what the theme was to be and then I just got out of their way. Megan, Ashley, Danielle, Jen, Blair, Angela, Chantal, and Connie did a great job teasing, pinning and doing some over the top hair. YOU GUYS DID AWESOME!!!!!

Here is what I feel is so awesome about this event first of all the designs walking down the runway are unbelievable. I asked some of the designers if they would sell their items, NO WAY was the response. They just put so much into each piece. But I am most proud of my team. This is not a paid event, and I am not complaining. It should not be a paid event. Having a place for young hairdressers to do their craft and create something out of the box, and over the top is what this industry is all about. CREATIVITY!

This is our community, we have great fashion going on right here in St. Charles and I am very proud of our team and the unselfish giving of their time and talent. Teaching the next generation that giving back to the community, giving of time and talent is the right thing to do and makes you feel good about yourself. I am just glad to be part of the experience.

Real Talent

Okay, yes I think she is really cute. Put that aside and this girl is the real deal. Great to watch her do so well. P.S. her aunts were in the salon the other day. Enjoy!

PEOPLE MAKING NEWS Taylor Swift won five awards at last night’s American Music Awards. Congratulations Taylor Swift “Artist of the Year”       Salon City’s Beauty Entertainment  Magazine congratulates Taylor Swift for her outstanding showing in last night’s AMA awards show in Los Angeles. Salon City was on hand to catch it all. Taylor Swift was the biggest winner at the 2009 AMA’s, taking home five AMA awards. She showed once again that she has an appeal to music fans that stretches further than just country music. Spokane Examiner’s Ryan Gamble reported that Taylor Swift wasn’t the only big winner at the 2009 AMA’s though, as the late Michael Jackson won four awards.   2009 AMA Winners Best Artist — Taylor Swift Best Country Male Artist — Keith Urban Favorite Male Pop/Rock — Michael Jackson Favorite Pop/Rock Album — Michael Jackson (Number Ones) T-Mobile Breakthrough Artist — Gloriana Favorite Soul/R&B — Michael Jackson Favorite Pop/Rock Band — Black Eyed Peas Best Country Female Artist — Taylor Swift Favorite Female Pop/Rock — Taylor Swift Favorite Female Adult Contemporary — Taylor Swift Check Out The Digital Edition of Salon City’s NEW BE! magazine!      Click on Cover!LOOK FOR MORE MUSIC, SALON PEOPLE AND STYLE IN .UPCOMING ISSUES OF BEAUTY ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE!! BE! In Beauty Entertainment The ‘Salon People’ Magazine. We are ON DEADLINE and have LIMITED SPACE in our New Year issues. Take a moment and email us. We’ll fill you in on how you can BE! IN NOW.