Get Your Beauty Box at Ashka Salon Spa

Beauty Box

Monthly subscription boxes of any type seems to be all the rage lately. At Ashka Salon Spa we have jumped head first into that trend! We now are offering our own “Beauty Box”. Although most of these types of products change monthly, ours goes as long as supplies lasts. I have seen multiple of my guests fall in love with new products this way! Its an awesome way for people who want to try out Aveda products but don’t want spend a lot in case they don’t like it.

Beauty Box
Beauty Box

What Can I Expect To Find in a Beauty Box?

Each time we come out with a new “Beauty Box” it is different! We have had two now. One was Damage Remedy themed, and now we have a Smooth Infusion box.

Currently in our Smooth Infusion Beauty Box you get:

  • Smooth Infusion Shampoo Sample
  • A Sample of Smooth Infusion Smoothing Masque
  • Smooth Infusion Style Prep Sample
  • A Sample  of Smooth Infusion Nourishing Styling Creme
  • $5 COUPON for product at a FUTURE visit

Would you believe me if I said you get ALL of this for ONLY $5? Well you should, because it is!

What is the Beauty of a Beauty Box?

I think the coolest thing about Ashka Salon Spa’s Beauty Boxes is that it gives you a chance to sample the Aveda products. I have said it before, and I will continue to say it, I TRULY believe that Aveda products are the best choice for your hair. However, living on a budget myself, I understand that it is scary to invest in something you don’t know for sure. By giving this affordable option to dive into the Aveda world, Ashka Salon Spa is making it much less frightening.

Give it a try! I promise you won’t regret purchasing one of our Beauty Boxes.

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

 

Hair Color Magic: Part 1

Hair Color Magic

I had the incredible opportunity to return to Minneapolis a few weeks ago for another color class! This time it was with Hair Color Magic Founder, Lupe Voss and Daisy Colina who is apart of the Canadian Hair Color Magic team. I was so excited to be back at the Aveda Institute in Minneapolis. There is just something about the atmosphere there. Everyone seems to love Aveda just as much as I do.

Josie Takes on Minneapolis – Round 2 Hair Color Magic

Hair Color Magic
Hair Color Magic: Lupe Voss, Josie, and Daisy Colina

I got into town on Saturday night. This is one tip I learned from the last trip. Don’t fly in the day of the class. You will be exhausted by the end of the day and fall asleep eating pizza in your hotel room by 7:30 pm. I was staying in an AirBnB this time which actually went as smoothly as it possibly could have!

Sunday Morning was the first day of class! I woke up early and felt prepared to take on my day. I got to the institute and went up to the room I was in a mere 10 months prior for the Ian Michael Black class. Lupe and Daisy greeted the class with as much excitement as I was feeling! We spent the first day listening and taking notes about how to formulate for predictable results.

Around 4 we broke from class to take a Paint and Sip class. It was interesting to learn about why artists put certain colors together and others not. Even though my thought process as a hair colorist is extremely similar to that of an artist, this was the first time I actually made the connection. I am an Aveda Artist and I love every second of it.

Hair Color Magic
Paint and Sip

Stay tuned to hear more about my trip! I’d love to use some of my new techniques on you soon. Call to book your appointment today!

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Aveda’s New Thermal Dry Conditioner – Now In Canton!

Thermal Dry Conditioner

Dry Shampoo has been my absolute favorite product when it comes to saving my hair and my sleep schedule. The only thing that I don’t like to about dry shampoo is that after a day or two it really feels like it has dried out my hair. When Aveda said that they were coming out with a Thermal Dry Conditioner, I was ecstatic.

What is Thermal Dry Conditioner?

Thermal Dry Conditioner
Thermal Dry Conditioner

“Instantly conditions, detangles and softens hair in between washes while a calming aroma with 25 pure flower and plant essences naturally refreshes all hair types and textures.”

This product gets rid of that “dry shampoo feel” in my hair. I love the way my hair feels after I use it! I haven’t tried using heat tools after it yet. Others have curled their hair after using it and swear it makes a huge difference. It has a heat protectant in it so that you are safe from the added heat!

The Aveda website says that it contains “a blend of certified organic jojoba and sunflower oils” that “conditions and detangles hair in between washes”. Everyday I hear more and more people talking about how long it has been since they have washed their hair. It is important to adapt our products to these types of trends and that is exactly what Aveda is doing with the new Thermal Dry Conditioner.

Thermal Dry Conditioner on Extensions

Jessie, one of our Extension Specialists at Ashka Salon Spa, has found that she really likes using the Thermal Dry Conditioner on hair extensions. Since your natural oils aren’t going all the way down to your extensions, they can end up drying out a little. By adding this dry conditioner, it will keep your extensions feeling fresher, longer!

I promise you won’t be sorry if you invest in the new Thermal Dry Conditioner!

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

 

Benefits of Drinking Water

Drinking Water

I found myself thinking “water is life” earlier this week. With my new year resolution this year being to really focus on drinking water, it has been on my mind a lot lately. While I have always been told that drinking water is amazing for you, I realized that I have never actually looked into it myself. I did a little bit of research and this is what I found:

Drinking Water

What I Found to be the Top Benefits of Drinking Water

  1. Improves Skin Complexion
    – Another one of my New Year Resolutions is that I want to be more consistent with my skin care. As an esthetician, I recommend drinking water to my guests regularly. While I knew that water is great for your skin, to hear that it helps get rid of wrinkles and is “the best anti aging treatment around” sold me.
  2. Puts You in a Good Mood
    –  How can anyone be mad about this benefit? If all I have to do is drink more water to be in a better mood; sign me up! No one wants to be a Debbie Downer and this could be a simple solution!
  3. Increases Energy and Relieves Fatigue
    – One of the sources I found brought up the point that our brain is made mostly of water. When we are fully hydrated, we are able to focus better. This is something that I can personally struggle with since I have been diagnosed with ADHD. If this will help me buckle down on what I need to, I am 100% down to try it.
  4. It’s FREE!
    – Have you ever noticed how much of a difference that coke or wine makes on your bill at the end of night? If you are only drinking water, you will definitely notice it in your wallet over time. I don’t know about you, but I would much rather spend my money on other things.

And there is multiple more benefits! All in all, drink more water! You, your esthetician, and your wallet will thank me later.

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Men’s Grey Blending with AVEDA

Results of Men's Grey Blending

Slowly but surely more and more men are becoming interested in covering those pesky greys that seem to keep popping through. However, there is this (ridiculous) stigma that the salon and hair color is only for women. Luckily this is where AVEDA comes to the rescue. They recently launched their new Men’s Grey Blending line and I promise it is about to change the men’s hair color game forever.

How Does the Men’s Grey Blending Work?

Men's Grey Blending
Men’s Grey Blending

AVEDA’s new Men’s Grey Blending color line is going to make more men color their hair now than ever. AVEDA has designed this color to take 5 minutes at the shampoo bowl. It doesn’t smell like hair color and can now be done on people’s lunch breaks! Most men do not like sitting around waiting for their color to process. This removes the extra time spent at the salon. It is super quick and easy!

When this first came out, my dad had came in for a haircut. I asked if i could try it on him and his initial reaction was “Dads aren’t for trying haircolor on. That is what Moms are for”. He reluctantly let me try it as long as I promised it wouldn’t be purple. I got a text from him within a half hour saying he liked it and might even want to do a darker color next time. 🙂

Results of Men's Grey Blending
Results of Men’s Grey Blending (Not my dad)

As you can see in the picture, the results are very subtle yet definitely different. It is like you took off 5 to 10 years instead of just coloring your hair. What I like most about this product is that it is so simple. I also like that it isn’t so dramatic that everyone will know you colored it!

Call the salon today to set up your appointment to reverse time. 😉

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Shake those Winter Blues at Ashka Salon Spa

Winter Blues

Everyone can agree that we have been having the most beautiful winter weather this past week here in Michigan! I can’t get enough of these 60 degree sunny days. It is going to hit me really hard if it doesn’t last. As someone who definitely suffers every year from the “Winter Blues”, Michigan winters can be long and hard for me. I know I cannot be the only one who gets a little more pep in their step at the first signs of spring.

Winter Blues
Winter Blues

What Are the Winter Blues Exactly?

The winter blues is something a lot of people of experience. Even in my own friend group I feel like I have this conversation multiple times a year with many different people! Of course everyone experiences this differently but I lose a lot drive during the winter months. The rest of the year I am more likely to want to try new things, work longer hours, and just overall be in a better mood. I am definitely guilty of packing on my winter layer with carbs, even more than I normally do. 😉

The more official term for winter blues is “seasonal depression“. From my research, I found that the farther away you live from the equator the more likely you will suffer from seasonal depression. With the lack of vitamin d from the sun in the winter months, our brains are forced to work extra hard to produce melatonin. Melatonin is the hormone that helps to regulate your sleep pattern and also is linked to depression.

To help regulate your seasonal depression, there are “sunbox” lights that replicate the beneficial effects of the sun!

Luckily the actual sun starts coming around more often just in time for spring!

What Helps Me Shake the Winter Blues in Time for Spring?

Once the sun starts to break through the clouds on a regular basis, I try to start focusing on myself. I try to get exercise into my daily routine in someway. I always get on a “I need to drink more water” kick right around springtime too. Last, but not least, I almost always need a hair change! 🙂

My favorite thing to do in the spring is start to lighten up my hair again for the summer. I love that it can be subtle, or dramatic depending on how I’m feeling that year. And how big of a pick me up I might need. 😉 As a stylist, spring hair is one of my favorite yearly transformations as well. I just cannot get enough of it.

Winter Blues

Highlights and Balayage all around! Call today to set up your appointment.

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Scalp Benefits at Ashka Salon Spa

Scalp Benefits Line

When I was talking to Jessie the other day about our favorite shampoos she said, “I feel like AVEDA’s Scalp Benefits is a real hidden gem”. It really made me stop and think. I personally had not ventured into that line at all. She said that she normally has a very oily scalp and since she started using the line, she has been able to extend the amount of time in between shampoos!

After our conversation, I was talking to my manager about possibly writing a blog about the Scalp Benefits line. She immediately said it was a great idea and that Jessie was exactly right. My manager uses it for her hair as well and loves it just as much.

Scalp Benefits Line
Scalp Benefits Line

What is Scalp Benefits?

Aveda’s website describes the shampoo as a “daily shampoo that cleans hair down to the root and removes excess sebum and other build-up, creating the ideal foundation for healthy hair”.

The conditioner is described as a “daily conditioner that hydrates hair and soothes the scalp, creating the ideal foundation for healthy hair”.

The last product in the scalp benefits line is the Scalp Benefits Dandruff Solution. It is a “daily leave-in treatment that relieves itchings, reduces flaking by up to 41% in one week and helps prevent the reoccurrence of dandruff to promote a healthy scalp”. This statistic was determined by a one week clinical study which of course, like all AVEDA products was done only on humans. 🙂

The point of the scalp benefits line is to help balance your scalp’s pH. It will help with both dry and oily scalps!

I Tried Scalp Benefits for the First Time!

Something that amazed me about this line was that both Jessie and my manager swear by it. Even though they both have very different hair! I was super excited to try it out myself.

What I found was that my hair felt extremely clean after shampooing. I shampooed twice, which I normally do, but I still couldn’t believe the difference.

I am a conditioner hoarder. There is no other way to put it. I mean, I know for a fact that I use way more conditioner than is needed. I just can’t stop! Being nervous about not having my SUPER conditioning Damage Remedy for the day, I pushed through with my experiment because I needed to know how it worked.

Much to my surprise, my hair felt so incredibly silky! I still am blown away with how much I really liked the Scalp Benefits shampoo and conditioner! I did not try the Dandruff Solution simply because I am fortunate enough to not have to worry about that.

Moral of the story is that I HIGHLY recommend getting your hands on some of these products, no matter what your hair is like!

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Wellness: Vision Boards, Intention, Breath, Sound

Sound Healing Wellness

As I have said in the past, one of my new year resolutions is to be very tuned into my yoga practice. An overall sense of wellness throughout my life has become super important to me. Shardae Sanchez from West End Yoga Company held a workshop called Art of Intention, Breath, and Sound Bath in mid January. I challenged myself to sign up for it. I knew this would help to push myself in the right direction of achieve my goal. In the workshop we were going to make vision boards and learn about the importance of intention.

Vision Boards Wellness

We started our workshop with talking about the importance of intention. There is scientific proof that by thinking about something, you are sending that out into the universe. I believe what you send out into the world is what you receive. This is the exact point of making a vision board. It has been proven that you are more likely to achieve your goals, if they are written down.

Wellness

We used water colors to paint an “I AM” circle to put on our vision boards. Once it dried, we wrote “I AM” in the center with positive adjectives around it. I choose words like: strong, caring, and enough. You can put any adjectives you want, whether you think you encompass that trait or not. Fake it till you make it! 😉

After we made our “I AM” circles, we went through magazines to create our vision boards. I found things eluding to accepting that I am not perfect, my desire to travel, and my need to wellness.

Breath and Sound Wellness

After we got done doing our vision boards, we did two different breathing techniques. The first one that we did was called the “Bee Breath”. This one is good to help empty your brain. If you are anything like me, you never have an “empty mind”. I really felt the benefits from this breathe immediately. We also did alternating  nostril breathing. This is meant to help balance the left and right sides of the brain.

We also did a short session of sound healing. It was very interesting. I don’t know a lot about it so I am definitely interested in learning more about it. All I really know as of now is that there are 7 bowls that are all specifically designed to create the sound associated with the 7 chakras. We meditated while listening to the bowls.

If you are interested in any of this definitely check out the West End Yoga Company website as well as Shardae’s website Gaia Love. You can also follow both of them on instagram: @westendyogis and @gaia_love_yoga.

Sound Healing Wellness
Sound Healing Wellness

At Ashka Salon Spa we are required to do at least 2 different “personal growth” things in order to receive our bonus. This workshop was the first thing I have down for the year for my personal growth! All in all, I loved every second of it. I look at my vision board daily to help keep me on track.

 

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

 

 

New Year Resolution – Wellness Lifestyle

Wellness Lifestyle

It is that time of the year again when the gyms are overflowing, everyone seems to be dieting, and there are endless new ways to try and save money. However, this year, I want to challenge everyone to make their New Year resolution about overall wellness: mind, body, and spirit. While attempting to live a wellness lifestyle, we are slowly making attempts to become more whole.

Wellness Lifestyle – Mind

My “Mind” resolution this year is to read at least 12 books. I really do love reading, however with the craziness of life, it sometimes becomes an afterthought. I am going to push myself to read at least one book a month. However, I am going to give myself the freedom of what I want to read.

Wellness Lifestyle
Wellness Lifestyle

For January I have been reading “Power Your Happy” by Lisa Sugar. She is the founder of POPSUGAR, an incredibly well thought out blog site. This book is inspiring me to take a hold of my own writing and to truly enjoy it every time I am doing it.

For February, I already have Amy Schumer’s “The Girl with the Lower Back Tattoo” on my bookshelf and waiting for me. I have heard this was a hilarious book. I’m excited to read it because it will be a little bit more of a laid back read.

I cannot wait to read more this year, furthering my mind and allowing it continued growth.

Wellness Lifestyle – Body

In 2017, I am dedicating this year to getting a regular skincare routine. I have personally always struggled to stay on top of a routine and continuing it for an extended period of time. I want to incorporate getting facials more frequently and purposefully. With AVEDA coming out with all of these new products and facial protocols, I thought it would be a perfect goal for myself. I always feel great I have a freshly washed face. It is just a matter of doing it!

Wellness Lifestyle
Wellness Lifestyle

Here is my idealistic skincare routine:
Morning:

  1. Dry Brushing and Oleation Oil
  2. Cleanse Face
  3. Tone/Treat/Moisturizer

Evening:

  1. Cleanse Face
  2. Tone/Treat/Moisturizer

Weekly: Masque at home
Bimonthly: Facials

Wellness Lifestyle – Spirit

Spirit is something that I believe to be super personal. This year, to enhance my “spirit” I am going to take yoga classes multiple times per week at West End Yoga in Canton. I started my yoga journey the last couple of weeks in December and I have been obsessed ever since. I couldn’t believe how connected to myself and the earth I felt after my first class. It will help me to clear my mind and have a better sense of what really matters in life.

Like I said, spirit is super personal. Some people will take this as religion, and growing closer to God and that is wonderful too. Really take a deep look at yourself and find what it means to you this year.

All in all, I am excited to have a life enriching new year resolution this year: to live a wellness lifestyle. You should join me!

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Salon Assistant Training Program

Salon Assistant Training Binder

I was already working at the front desk at Ashka Salon Spa when I started to near the end of my cosmetology program. I needed to consider if it would be a good fit for me as a stylist. One of the many reasons I decided to begin my career with Ashka Salon Spa was their intensive salon assistant training program. There are two major parts to the New Talent Training Program here: classes twice a week with our Training Manager, and following our mentors.

Classes in the Salon Assistant Training Program

Salon Assistant Training Binder
Salon Assistant Training Binder

At Ashka Salon Spa, the assistants are lucky enough to take classes twice a week. They are usually with Evelyn, our Training Manager, Jozie, our General Manager, or Lisa, our Owner. We cover most services that we provide. They range from hair cutting to make up, and even eyebrow waxing. It is great being able to meet so often to talk about different subjects. We also usually have “homework” that we need to do on our mannequin. Our mannequins, also known as doll heads, have real hair to be able to duplicate working with real clients as closely as possible.  It typically takes about a year to get through the entire program.

“I think my favorite part of training is watching the “ah hah” moments… the dots connect and the light bulbs come on. It’s very rewarding as an educator to watch everything come together.” -Evelyn, Training Manager

Mentors in the Salon Assistant Training Program

Courtney, Christine, and Lisa are the three Master Mentor Stylists are the salon currently. I went through my program working with Courtney but throughout the year I also had a few instances where I worked with the other mentors. I think it is extremely important to assist a successful stylist when you are first starting out. You see what works for them and what doesn’t. While I don’t do everything that my mentors did exactly, it definitely helped to form my own techniques.

While following your mentor, you are interacting with their guests and see what they like. You also are able to how a seasoned hair stylist faces challenges. This all helps to improve technique.

Next time you are in the salon, take a look around and find some of our assistants. We are extremely proud to have them as a part of our team. I am ecstatic to see their career flourish!

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂