7 Steps to Surviving the Summer Glamorously

Hello everybody! The summer is almost upon us!  Memorial Day is normally the holiday that signals the beginning of the summer season, filled with, vacations, all kinds of activities, and fun, fun, fun! As your summer schedule fills up, you want to be able to go through your summer and have some go-to hairstyles you enjoy, work well for you, and survive the summer heat! So to help you really enjoy this freer time and hot weather, but keep the fab style you want, here are my seven steps to  surviving the summer glamorously: 

1. Check your calendar. What do you have planned? Will you be traveling? Taking the kids for swim lessons? Busy and on the go? Often times during the summer our schedules change in a major way and thusly so does our beauty regimen. Planning out our summer hair styles is the best way to look fabulous all summer long! 

2. Access your Mane. How does your hair hold up? In the heat? Humidity? Summer activity? Can you put your hair in a protective style and it will last for a couple of months? Think about the styles that you have had previously which ones you love which ones you hated and consider re-vamping one of your favorite past looks and bring it current.

3. Make a quick summer beauty Inspo Page. Whether you like to cut and paste physically or log into Pinterest find an avenue to pull some inspiration from current fashion. Find out what is trending and what will fit in with your current style and lifestyle.

4. Make a decision. The quickest way to not get what you want is to never decide and make a decision about what you actually want. Choose a look and try it. Don’t be so afraid to try new things, you can never find what you really like if you don’t try. The summer is a great time to try out something new, it’s a much more forgiving season. Don’t dillydally around for months and months thinking about styles that you would like to try never trying. Pick about five styles that would be nice and narrow it down to two.

5. Go to the Professional. Take your summer styling ideas to your hairstylist and get their input. Many times, a stylist that has previously worked with your hair and understands your lifestyle can make a great summer style suggestion for you. A professional stylist can keep your goals in mind when suggesting a summer style for you, whether that be hair growth and protection, ease of styling, or fab water friendly styles because you’ll be soaked all summer long. Take their opinion into consideration but don’t be bound by it. If there’s something that you really have been wanting to try go ahead and try it. Make sure that you aren’t doing anything that will damage your hair, the worst thing is to do in the summer is looking cute but your hair took a beating. If you are local to Central Florida I would love to have a consultation with you and see what great things we can come up with for your summer style! You can book with me on www.vagro.com/eshetodd. I look forward to seeing you in the salon!

6. Go for it. Make the appointment take a leap and try that new summer look. It’s hair for Pete’s sake! It grows every day. What’s the worse thy cooked happen? (I know, famous last words) Honestly though, don’t be so stuck in your ways that you will never step out and try anything new. There are so many ways to adjust hair color or cut or style, honestly there are very few things that can’t be fixed in the hair world and if you’re fearing permanent damage when you sit down then you’re probably sitting in the wrong chair to begin with. After you get your new summer look be sure to invest in any products that you may need to go along with your summer hair care regimen.

7. Enjoy your new Summer Look! Have fun! Embrace the style that you have chosen. Allow yourself a little while to adjust to any type of new look. Style it in new fun ways that you haven’t tried before. Use vacations and time away to try new hats, hairbands and pinups that you normally wouldn’t try while at work or home. Enjoy your summer season, it goes by so fast! 

EAT Your Way to HEALTHIER HAIR

                                                                                                 Salmon for Shine

Foods for Healthy Hair

Healthy eating is the 7th point in my 30 Days to Healthy Hair Guide, so let's go! When I say I love Salmon, I really mean it! I could literally eat it everyday and sometimes I do. It's no wonder my hair has always been shiny. Seafoods like salmon, sardines, and mackerel are packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids. Your body doesn’t produce these healthy fats, but they can be found naturally in foods, or taken with supplements. Your body uses them to grow hair and keep it lustrous and full. Try to add at least one of these to your diet for fuller, healthier hair!

Blueberries:

Yes to blueberries! In my yogurt, cottage cheese, pancakes and my latest joy is putting them in my son's homemade baby food!  This underrated berry was ranked number one in antioxidant activity by the U.S. Department of Agriculture compared to 40 common fruits and vegetables. The antioxidants in blueberries fight premature aging, Adding a half cup to your daily diet will help promote health and growth to your luscious mane!

Greek Yogurt

Greek yogurt, yum yum. This is a newer one for me, I mean I also grew up eating yogurt but it wasn't until about 8 years ago that I even heard of greek yogurt. I remember my mom was so obsessed with it and she would call me all the time and encourage me to try it. I finally did and I've been hooked ever since! Greek yogurt is packed with protein, the building block of your locks, this delicious treat also has vitamin B5 - an ingredient that helps with blood flow to your scalp and hair growth.  Known as pantothenic acid, it has an added benefit of preventing hair thinning and loss.Hooray! Doesn't get any better than that! As you age this is a great dairy to add to your diet. You can also check for pantothenic acid as an ingredient on your hair and skincare product labels as well.

 Orange/Yellow Veggies

Vitamin A is necessary to our body’s production of SEBUM – the natural oil produced by our scalp to help keep our hair healthy and strong, not dry and brittle and helps lend to shine. (Not to mention fighting off the dry and itchy scalp). Sebum is the body’s natural moisturizer for the scalp and hair roots.  Eat orange/yellow foods like sweet potatoes/carrots – they are high in beta carotene, which is vital to the production of Vitamin A.

Foods Rich In Iron:

Iron is an especially important mineral for hair and too little iron (anemia) is a major cause of hair loss. A healthy blood supply is vital to the proper nourishment of your hair follicle and root. If your iron levels fall too low, you may begin to experience anemia. This then affects the nutrient supply to your follicles, harming the growth of your hair (also causing “shedding”). In addition to red meats, fish, and poultry (which have readily available iron for the body), add dark green leafy veggies such as kale, spinach, and broccoli, beans, and dried fruit like raisins and apricots to your diet.

Protein

As hair is made of protein, ensuring you have enough protein in your diet is crucial for making hair strong and healthy. If you are not consuming enough protein in your diet, your hair is likely to become dry, brittle and weak. Extremely low protein diets may result in hair loss. Choose chicken, turkey, fish, dairy products and eggs as excellent sources of protein along with vegetarian sources such as legumes and nuts.

Your hair is made of protein, so making sure that you have a protein rich diet is vital to maintaining a vibrant, healthy mane. Consider protein one of the most important building blocks for your hair. If you are cutting your protein intake, you are virtually guaranteeing hair that ends up weakened, dry, and frail. In extreme cases you may even experience hair loss. Here are some protein rich foods that you can incorporate into your diet: Green peas (kids across the world cringe with me), sun-dried tomatoes, Parmesan cheese, cottage cheese, string cheese, peanut butter, edamame, hummus, almonds, tuna, whole grain rice.

MANEstreet School - INSTANTLY Increase Your Income

Instantly Increase Your Income: The Importance of Diversifying:

We as stylists are VERY familiar with the normal cycle of making $$$ behind the chair. But not all of us will be the “celebrity /upscale” stylist, with the ability to leverage our position for higher fees. (Though I do believe in raising your rates – more on this later). Short of longer days in the salon (and away from our families), here are 3 tips to increase your income instantly

1. 1. RAISE YOUR RATES – Know your worth, and the worth of your quality work. If you’ve been working on your craft, and it’s been a couple years, then it’s time. If you’ve added to your skill set, if you’ve broadened your service offerings, then it’s time. As you increase your skill, and the service you provide to you clientele, don’t be afraid to raise your rates – YOU’RE WORTH IT.

2. Find/create a Non-Chair Dependent Product: TO SELL – Our industry gives us access to a varied set of products and abilities. An easy way to instantly increase income is to offer a product/service that requires A: No Work - you’re just retailing/reselling an item that’s already produced. B: Create a product or item to be sold, or C: A product that can be manufactured outside of the salon. Easy suggestions: hair/lashes/makeup pallettes/informational products.

3. The Tried & True: Salon Ownership – Your own place of business can function as a profit center in so many ways:

A: Booth rental or commission based stylist income

B: Retail center for industry products,

C: Multipurpose location for workshops & industry themed events,

D: Expand your offerings into spa, massage, tanning, blow dry bar – so many options are available.

I have created a 4-Week Training Course to show you how you can step by step earn more income in your beauty business. If you are in the business of beauty and you're frustrated and need to know how you can generate more business and increase your bottom line then How To Boost Your Beauty Business in 30 Days is for you! This course offers 4 weeks of training sessions as well as introspective homework that will assist you in filling your client base with your ideal clients, create exponential growth in your income, and transform your business in ways you never thought possible.

https://kx181.infusionsoft.com/app/manageCart/addProduct?productId=1

See More, Be More, Make More

“Your Image Educates Others on How to Approach You” -Dr. Stacia Pierce

Salon Blog

That is one of the most profound concepts for professionals like us to grab ahold of. We beautify, improve images, and thusly, lives - and our days can become consumed between clients, home life, and really just life in general. Every now and then we might need to take a quick pause to take stock, and look around. Just a quick question: When is the last time you looked at your salon/station with fresh eyes? Often, it's very easy to become so familiar with our surroundings, it's as if we no longer see it in detail. Like driving to a new location vs. the daily commute home, sometimes we’ve seen it so many times, we no longer really see it clearly – we unconsciously gloss it over. Today – STOP. LOOK. Really take it in, and take stock of your environment: What does it tell clients to expect?What level of service does it promise? How much does it make them expect to pay? How much does it tell them to tip? Does it grab them? Excite them? Refresh them? Does it grab/excite/refresh you? We are artists who spend everyday adding beauty to the world, in our chairs – let’s start adding beauty to the world AROUND our chairs too. Freshen up the decor, add a punch of color, a spray of fresh flowers, accent pillows, new artwork - You will find the process of redecorating in and of itself will invigorate you, and pull out new creativity. Here's an easy tip - try to find a new artist in your area whose musings match your mojo: you may be able to acquire a few nice pieces for your walls, at an affordable cost, while helping out a fellow artist by giving him/her a place to display their work - cooperation is fabulous and fun (teamwork makes the dream work). You'll find that adding a few extras here and there causes extra income, and new clientele to show up.

Decisions, Decisions

Choices

When I first graduated from cosmetology school, I was faced with several options of “landing spots” - being a “down” girl from Detroit, and having been styling hair since adolescence, there was the familiar pull of your normal “urban” salon, and the continuation of “business as usual”. Then there was the somewhat polar opposite of that: the mall/Regis/Hair Cuttery retail type position (I knew without hesitation, this was NOT for me, no questions asked) Then there was a third option, (and the one I ultimately chose): a surburban salon and day spa, more of a commute out of my area, commission based not booth, and a type of clientele that was a departure from what I’d known. A challenge to say the least, but ended up being a pivotal time of experience for me, and added facets to my development I couldn’t have gotten anywhere else. Of course I knew none of this going in, but luckily for me, I had a coach. This coach is actually the reason I went into hairstyling in the first place (I was well on my way to being a family therapist – whaddya know, I made it there anyway…..). My coach counseled me to choose environments that challenge me, that would force me to improve, change, and learn in order to thrive.  

I’m telling you, coaching is a vital ingredient growth & accomplishment.

1. Coaching gives you perspective you may miss.
2. Coaching provides course correction to keep you on track.
3. Coaching challenges you to overcome, and encourage you in times of discouragement.
4. They help you to strategize and blueprint your path to success.
5. They provide connection and favor to open doors of opportunity, adding imagination and creativity to your situation.
6. Coaching provides progress reports on your development.

If you don’t have a coach yet that adds these elements to your journey, its time to find one – and if you’re in the beauty industry, you’re in luck: my “How to Boost Your Beauty Biz in 30 Days Program is available for all beauty professionals. Learn the strategies and techniques to growing your brand and your business exponentially.

Summer Lull = Summer Dull Hair

4 Tips to Avoid the Summer Season Hair Lull:

DSC_5967

Always wet your hair before diving into a pool. Your hair is like a sponge, so you want to wet it and add some leave in conditioner before your get in any chlorinated or salt water. This will prevent your hair from absorbing excessive amounts of the pool water. When your hair is bone dry it is far more absorbent of the elements, much like a sponge, so fill it up with some protection first.

Be cautious of the wet styling. Hair is most susceptible to breakage when wet so be careful of brushing your hair back in wet ponytails as a habit. This happens a lot with my curly hair clients and it almost always

ends in breakage. Usually not just from the brushing and pulling but from the tight ponytail holders rubbing on wet hair.

       Choose any protective style wisely. Braids, sew-ins, extensions etc… First select a trusted source and licensed professional to do this for you. Next be sure your hairline is not being pulled too tight, this part of your hair is very fragile to begin with, so you want to make sure that it’s not overly taxed. This can cause things like traction alopecia or worse. Lastly, don’t leave these styles in too long, because your hair will begin to lock at the root after enough new growth has come out. Once this happens in excess it causes damage and breakage when you’re taking it down, not to mention that it makes the process much more painful.

Visit your regular hairstylist in the salon to make sure all is well. If you don’t have a regular hairstylist, get one. If you’re in the Central Florida area, come see me :o). Schedule 24/7 at http://vagaro.com/EsheTodd for a consult today, they’re always FREE! Even if it’s just for a quick consultation or product purchase. Check to insure you are on the right track, this quick trip can save you tons of time and money in the long run not to mention heartbreak in the fall.

Glam Up Your Year

StyleShoppe1

1. Get a popping new lipstickthat you really love that sets everything off - I love this! I bought some new shades for the summer season and they just made everything different! I instantly felt more glamorous with that one simple step. It's an overlooked and easy tip, just updating your lip. I love what a bold new color can do and how it can instantly glam you up! It's so quick and easy to do! One of my new faves is Candy Yum Yum by Mac cosmetics. (On a side note, make sure you brighten your teeth if you're going to venture out into the nude or the pale pink shades because you want your shade to enhance not distract). 2. Accesssorize Accessorize Accessorize!You'd be surprised at how much of a difference accessories make. Accessorizing is so easy to do, you just need to choose a few staple items to invest in, plus some really fabulous pieces for the pop factor. Just pick which one goes with your look for the day, put it on and you instantly glam up your look. A great website to find fabulous pieces is styleshoppe.com. I get so many of my accessory pieces from there. They have great jewelry and handbags. I get so many compliments on them, they really pop, and they're always very on trend. Invest in some great boots or heels that you love. You can add the right jewelry, handbag and shoes to jeans and a t-shirt and instantly look smoking hot! Accessories go a long way!

 3. Get a new hair look for the season even if it's just slightly updating your usual look. Whether you prefer to keep your hair long or short, just freshening your look will change everything. Don't let the thought of a complete makeover stress you out or feel like you need to spend a long time deciding on your "brand new look" - Make it easy on yourself, visit your stylist, share your thoughts and ideas with them. Then, work together to get that new fresh look whether it be a little cut, a little color, adding a few extensions, and freshen it up for the new year. If you're located in the Central Florida area, be sure to come and visit me @ GlamourManeia and I would love to help you get that fresh look! If you're not in the area be sure to get connected at www.glamourManeia.com to just stay up-to- date on the latest glam trends that will keep you fresh and fabulous.

Last, but not least be consistent. Don't get overwhelmed, just start taking steps today to becoming that glam girl that you've always been inside. Try some of these easy tips and get ready to shine. It's just that simple to add instant glam to ever day!

Glamorous Natural Haircare

image

The ability to wear ones natural curls is awesome, once we figure out how to achieve a look that will last us all day. There's nothing worse than spending tons of time to achieve the perfect curls in the morning then catch a mid-day glimpse of yourself in a mirror that frightens even you! I've been there. So many women are struggling with how to do 'the natural curl' look and still maintain that chic, polished and pretty image we love.

If you like to wear your hair out and curly I recommend trying a natural 'set'. You can set it with bantu knots, two-strand twists, braids or lots of other ways. Design Essentials has a great 'Naturals' line that I've really been enjoying lately. In doing the set you can wear your curly style for a week or so & just freshen it up daily with a little product & manipulation as opposed to re-wetting you hair daily and starting from scratch. You waste lots more product & hair usually doesn't look as nice as the day progresses. It looks great at first but as the curls dry and shrink it becomes a different look. Hair is in its 'weakest' state when it's wet AND curly hair is more fragile by nature. So you don't want to have to wet that hair and comb through the curls every day. You will end up losing more hair than is necessary.  When you have natural curls it makes it very easy to set in a curly style and the curls LAST! The trick is to find just the right set for you. The one that fits your length, texture and type of hair. The one that you'll love! To save yourself a little time and money I advise taking a trip to the salon. Find a hairstylist that is very comfortable with naturally curly hair and ethnic haircare as it has been affectionally coined in the salon world. Your stylist will understand the products and the "shrinkage" process that natural curls go through. Always bring pictures if possible. Sometimes you may be trying to achieve a style natural that your hair isn't long enough in it's natural state to achieve. It's such a fun and exciting time when we as women can have fun with our natural hair texture, it's liberating! So Let's have fun together! Enjoy!

Eshe T

Glam Gallery

There are few things more exciting to me than helping clients achieve that fresh, exciting new look they've been hoping for! Whether it's elegant layers, soft curls, pretty pin-ups or a hot new ombre they're looking for, I LOVE co-creating fabulous new styles with my clients.Take a trip with me inside the salon. See all the fabulous new looks!

Hair Expo Highlights

One of my most favorite events of the year is the Premiere Orlando Beauty Show, one of the largest beauty shows in the U.S. It boasts over 10,000+ booths, hundreds of classes for beauty professionals, celebrity guest stylists and unbelievably fabulous floor shows! It never fails to ignite my creativity, I always come back inspired with trendy new looks and fresh fashions for my clients. I had such a BLAST! I took classes on some of the hottest new trends out right now: textured/natural hair, stenciling, pastels, chalking, keratin treatments, and (I'm so excited about this) Pin-Up Hair! Love it! The return of star studded glam! I love keeping up on the hottest looks and newest products in hair and beauty, and sharing them with you, my fabulous clients! More Love, Less Grease, and an Extra Hair Piece,

Eshe T

photo 8

photo 10

photo 11

photo 12

photo 14

photo 15

photo 16

photo 17

photo 18

photo 4