Welcome to Vanity Salon & Spa’s first ever blog, we are excited to reach out and connect with our current and future clients even when they aren’t in the salon. It is our duty to provide you with the best information possible so you can achieve that bouncy blow out at home or the radiant skin you have when leaving from a wonderful relaxation facial. Here you will find frequent tips and tricks about your, hair, skin, nails, and lashes in an effort to provide you with the best possible care possible.

Today’s focus: Hair care

While we all want that luxurious healthy evenly moisturized hair, all strands were not created equal. Have you ever noticed that you find your roots getting a bit oily and flat? While moisture is the number 1 key to healthy hair a little can go a long way, when we are discussing conditioners and even smoothing products. When you are using a QUALITY product (you know the one your stylist has been raving about every time you sit in their chair) a quarter to a half dollar size depending on how much hair your have been blessed with will do the job just fine. When applying these moisturizing products it is of the utmost importance that you begin at the ends of your hair. See the ends of your hair are the oldest parts of your hair and often get the brunt of heat styling thus they lack the moisture they need to be as radiant as you would like. While applying the product, let me emphasize this again PROFESSIONAL product to the ends of your hair work your way up the hair shaft but let your roots be. See your scalp produces its own oil that will adequately moisturize the hair closest to the scalp so when you add a smoothing or moisturizing product to them they become over saturated during the day when your scalp begins producing the healthy oil it was meant to. This is also why dry shampoo is a girls best friend on day 2..3…4….. of in between shampooing. Make sure to speak to your stylist about the product they recommend for your hair type and remember you get what you pay for. If your buying $3 drug store shampoo well that could result in $3 looking hair.

Why am I so Dry?

Are you finding that your hair and skin are well… parched? It’s not 100% your fault, the season is to blame as well. It’s the time of year where our hair and skin are lacking moisture due to the dryness in the air from heating in our houses, work, and cars…. Also those super hot showers we are taking because we are literally frozen to the bone here in upstate New York. While many of us spent our summer cursing the humidity that made our hair expand resulting in looking like Monica on friends when she went to the beach. Just a hint of that humidity right now would do us wonders. So the big question is what are we to do?

Hydrate, moisturize, hydrate, and then moisturize again! Of course your Dr., your esthetician, and myself are going to tell you to drink plenty of water. Along with that natural wonder of the world many of us need a little extra help from our beloved skin and hair products. This is when you should be pulling out the deep conditioning masks, moisturizing shampoos and daily conditioners. My favorite hair care products for this time of year are Neuma’s Moisture collection. This line uses natural ingredients to quench the thirst of your hair while not causing harm to the environment or being pumped full of artificial chemicals. Even the packaging is biodegradable. As far as your skin goes Image skincare has a wonderful line of vitamin C based products meant to keep your skin happy and glowing in this rather dull time of year. As always make sure your checking in with your favorite Vanity girl for all of your beauty needs.

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Why you should get your hair trimmed when you’re growing it out!

I know all you Rapunzel wanna be’s are all reading this like girl your crazy! It seems like the last thing you should do when you’re trying to get length from your hair. In my time as a hair stylist I’ve been shocked more times than I would like to admit when a client tells me their hair grows from the ends. I assumed it was common knowledge that your hair grows out from the root. With that being said it means that the ends of your hair are the oldest hair on your head. Those ends get fried from normal life activities. Heat styling, the sun, lack of professional product.. Whatever the issue is once those ends are dead they will only break off which results in your hair being damaged and shorter than you would like. I know we have all been in line at the grocery store and seen that head of long hair that when our eyes make it to the ends we cringe from the stringy see through hair we see. For my clients trying to grow out there hair I first recommend getting a good cut that takes off all the dead ends so you can grow out healthy hair not straggly hair. After the first initial cut as long as the hair seems healthy I recommend they get a traditional 1/2” trim every 10-12 weeks. The average persons hair grows 1/2 an inch a month so if your going 3 months in between 1/2” trims you are still gaining an inch of growth. Like always the hair of our dreams takes time and patients. Trying to rush the process will only set you back and you might just be the person in the grocery store we are all cringing at when we see your ends. Don’t be that person! Make regular appointments with your stylist, and pre book to ensure life doesn’t get in the way and you forget all about it.