3S Blog
Waiting between bikini waxing
September 1st, 2010
Well, obviously you can go as long as you want between bikini waxes. However, hair will grow back between 2 and 8 weeks, depending on how quickly your hair grows and how long you’ve been waxing. Hair grows in cycles, so if you wax regularly you will catch the growth cycles evenly and over time hair will become thinner and regrowth will slow, which also helps it to be less painful.
Waxing will be significantly less painful if you do it every 4 weeks or so. This is because the hair will be shorter and less dense. You must wait for regrowth to get at least 1/4th of an inch long before you wax again.
Expertise Contributors:
-Jenna C., Anoka Aesthetician
-Cindy S., Plymouth Aesthetician
Prevent hair breakage
August 25th, 2010
Hair breakage is a dilemma that allows me to speak from personal experience. Hair usually breaks because it is dry. Too much color processing – especially with bleach – or excessive use of hair binders and clips can also cause breakage. Your hair is always growing, so if you notice that your ends don’t seem to ever get longer, you’re probably experiencing hair breakage. The following recommendations from our expert stylists have all worked for me in preventing hair breakage and mending hair that has been broken over and over again due to coloring and styling.
1) Keep your hair moisturized
i. Use moisturizing shampoo and conditioner
-UNITE Moisturizing
-LOGICS Age Revitalize Nutrient Radiance
ii. Perform a weekly deep conditioning treatment
-UNITE Stronga Treatment
-UNITE Softa Treatment
-LOGICS Color Vitalizing Treatment Masque
iii. Apply leave-in conditioner to wet hair after washing
-UNITE 7Seconds Leave-In Conditioner
-LOGICS Leave-In Conditioner
2) Use a thermal protector to protect weak spots in hair and prevent them from forming
iv. GHD Thermal Spray
3) Get your hair cut every 4 to 6 weeks
4) Don’t overheat, backcomb or overwork your hair
v. If you flat iron, don’t re-flat iron areas that are already straight
The key to preventing and mending hair breakage is to moisturize and protect your hair. Oh, and try not to make it work so hard. Work with your hair (not against it) to get the style you want while maintaining hair’s health.
Expertise Contributors:
-Kaci M., Anoka Stylist
-Amanda A., Anoka Stylist
-Kelley S., Anoka Stylist
Do nails need to breathe when wearing artificial nails?
August 18th, 2010
Nails don’t breathe. If filed properly, nails will not be damaged. But it is a good idea to use cuticle oil daily to keep your nails hydrated and to prevent lifting.
Expertise Contributors:
-Jennifer L., Anoka Nail Technician
-Tracey, Nail Educator & Plymouth Nail Technician
-Mindy, Plymouth Nail Technician
How to style hair at home the way your stylist does
August 11th, 2010
You may hear the voices of your schoolteachers echoing in your ears when I say this, but all you have to do is pay attention. But our stylists don’t use chalkboards to get your attention. They also don’t have any chalk. But they do have mirrors to show you exactly the techniques and products to use to get the look you want when you’re styling your hair at home.
Our stylists are trained to discuss with you the hair products and styling techniques they use on your hair so you can go home and achieve the same style. They’ll share with you the reason for their product choice as well as instructions for how to use the product and the benefits that you’ll notice from using it.
The stylist will also talk through their motions, explaining how and why they are directing your hair a certain way as well as how to hold your brush and blow dryer or styling tool of choice. They’ll also share with you the best techniques for infusing volume, shine, curl, or whatever the style calls for.
As your stylist explains the techniques and products to you, watch closely in the mirror so you can remember how to do what they’re doing. Ask questions whenever you have them and communicate if you need more information or instruction. Our stylists want you to be happy with your hair. That’s why they do what they do. So by asking questions, you’re simply helping them help make you happy!
During every appointment, your stylist will demonstrate the products and techniques to achieve yet another style for your hair! So, you’ll continually have a variety of styling options, tools and techniques to use at home.
Using the right products is essential to achieving the style you want. Don’t forget to grab the recommended products before you walk out the door.
Expertise Contributors:
-Amanda A., Anoka Stylist
-Kelley S., Anoka Stylist
-Katelyn, Anoka Stylist
-Laura Miller, Advanced Haircutting Educator & Anoka Senior Stylist
Protect skin at any age
August 4th, 2010
You should begin a skin care regimen at a young age to help keep your skin healthy as you age. Use a sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection and a moisturizer daily. Many younger guests experience acne and they try to dry out the acne. The more you dry out your skin, the more oil it will produce to protect itself. The best thing you can do is cleanse, tone, moisturize your skin and use sunscreen. You want to balance the skin out – not dry it out. Over time, the skin will find its balance when you give it the proper conditions to work with.
As you age, you should incorporate a serum (Hydropeptide Serum) as well as a nighttime moisturizer or treatment (Skin Ceuticals A.G.E. Interrupter). An eye cream is also needed as we age and both the HydroPeptide Eye Cream as well and the Skin Ceuticals A.G.E Eye Complex are very good options.
It’s important to remember that sunscreen with UVA/UVB protection is necessary at any age.
Expertise Contributors:
-Robinn A., Plymouth Aesthetician
Products to use to achieve straight hair or loose waves
July 28th, 2010
Products to achieve the straight style you want:
1) Apply UNITE Lazer Straight Relaxing Fluid to wet hair with a dime-sized drop of UNITE Shina Liquid and blow dry
i. If you want a straight style with some volume, apply UNITE Expanda Volume Root Energizer to roots when wet after you’ve applied UNITE Lazer Straight Relaxing Fluid throughout.
2) Flat iron with a GHD styler if necessary
i. Spray hair sections with GHD Thermal Spray before flat ironing
3) Finish with either a small amount of LOGICS Glossiance Shine Serum to smooth flyaways and add shine OR finish with a small amount of GHD Obedience Cream to smooth hair, repair damage and lock in moisture
Products to achieve the loose waves style you want:
1) Apply UNITE Boing Curling Cream to enhance curl
2) Apply GHD Obedience Cream to repair damage and define curls
3) Apply GHD sea spray to create movement with a firm hold
4) Use a diffuser attachment on your blow dryer and dry until hair is 80% dry OR allow hair to air dry
Tip: A GHD styling iron allows you to achieve straight, wavy, curly or flipped styles, enhancing the effectiveness of products.
Expertise Contributors:
-Katelyn, Anoka Stylist
-Kaci M., Anoka Stylist
-Kelley S., Anoka Stylist
-Kay R., Anoka Stylist
-Kristin B., Anoka Stylist
Stretches to help reduce shoulder tension
July 21st, 2010
One area to make sure to stretch is your pectoral, or chest, muscles. Upper back tension is made worse by bad posture. When your shoulders hunch forward, your pecs are constantly getting shortened and your upper back muscles are constantly getting stretched out. Encouraging your pecs to lengthen will help balance your front and back muscles, leading to better posture and (hopefully) less tension in both areas.
One easy way to stretch the pecs is to stand in an open door frame with one hand on each side of the frame and your arms at a 90-degree angle with your hands pointing upward. Lean forward into the doorway to stretch your chest. Picture your whole chest opening up.
You can also try having someone push down on one shoulder while tipping your head to the opposite shoulder.
At your next massage, ask your massage therapist to demonstrate beneficial stretches for you.
Expertise Contributors:
-Jodi, Massage Educator & Anoka Massage Therapist
-Katelyn, Anoka Massage Therapist
-Rita, Plymouth Massage Therapist
-Jen, Plymouth Massage Therapist
-Gabe, Maple Grove Massage Therapist
Why nails peel and how do I treat or prevent it
July 14th, 2010
Nails peel due to lack of moisture. Use a nail strengthener specially formulated to treat peeling nails (Nail Envy). You should also use cuticle oil daily and massage it into the nail bed.
Expertise Contributors:
-Jennifer L., Anoka Nail Technician
-Tracey, Nail Educator & Plymouth Nail Technician
-Mindy, Plymouth Nail Technician
What’s with ingrown hairs after a bikini wax?
July 7th, 2010
You tend to get fewer ingrown hairs from waxing than you would from shaving. However, since waxed hair has to re-grow completely, chances are your skin will grow faster and may cover the follicle with a thin ceiling. When the hair grows it hits this ceiling and bends to grow inwards, causing that annoying red bump. Not every person’s skin reacts this way. People with thick, strong hair are more prone to ingrown hairs.
There are things you can do to minimize the occurrence of ingrown hairs. In the shower, use a gentle scrub or loofah on your waxed area to keep the follicles open. After showering, apply a gentle exfoliating solution like Tend Skin to the bikini area – or any area of the skin that has been waxed – to speed healing and treat and prevent ingrown hairs. Tend Skin is available at Simonson’s and has a salicylic acid solution to keep follicles open.
These tips will help you have even happier waxing experiences in the future. What? You didn’t know waxing should be a happy experience? Well, now you’ll never forget it. We do everything we can to make it as pleasant an experience as possible while you’re at Simonson’s and after you leave.
Expertise Contributors:
-Cindy S., Plymouth Aesthetician
-Jenna C., Anoka Aesthetician
Tips for longer lasting hair color
June 30th, 2010
If you’ve ever applied a new coat of paint to anything, you can remember the shiny, vibrant appearance of the wet paint immediately after you brushed it on. You then watched that resonant color fade to a dull, dry coat. Luckily, your hair color doesn’t fade quite that fast and there are things you can do to help it last even longer.
Use a color locking or color safe shampoo and conditioner
Color locking and color safe shampoos and conditioners help your hair maintain essential nutrients and provide UV protection to help your color last longer than it would with regular shampoos and conditioners.
Shampoo your hair only every other day
That’s right. You don’t need to shampoo your hair every day and doing so may even dry your hair out. Losing moisture in your hair will make your color look dull and feel distressed.
Use cooler water to rinse your hair
No, you won’t have to take a cold shower. In fact, you shouldn’t. Wash your hair with warmer or hot water to open the cuticles of your hair to allow the shampoo and conditioner to cleanse and condition as best as possible. Now, pay attention because here’s the important part: When you go to rinse the conditioner out of your hair, turn the water to a cooler temperature and do the final rinse in cooler or cold water. If you rinse your hair in warmer or hot water, you are keeping your hair cuticles open and susceptible to harmful effects of styling tools or anything in the environment.
Expertise Contributors:
-Susie K., Anoka Stylist & Service Manager
-Amanda A., Anoka Stylist
-Kelley S., Anoka Stylist
-Kaci M., Anoka Stylist
