New York Fashion Week with AVEDA

Working behind the scenes of New York Fashion Week has always been a huge dream of mine. Being able to help major designers fulfill their visions of their art sounds absolutely incredible. When I found out that AVEDA guest artists work on these incredible shows regularly, I knew I wanted to work with them.

New York Fashion Week – AVEDA

New York Fashion Week

One AVEDA Guest Artist who works backstage for fashion weeks all over the world is Jon Reyman. Beginning his career with AVEDA, Jon followed all the way through with it. He became a Purefessional and was working as the Artistic Director of the Advanced Academy by 2002. He works with a lot of celebrities and behind the scenes at multiple fashion shows and photoshoots. Jon is very passionate about education and it shows.

My Future New York Fashion Week Goals

New York Fashion Week
The Skingraft AW15 Show

Through personal research, I have found out that there are classes offered at the AVEDA Advanced Academy that allows you to attend New York Fashion Week. I am determined to attend this course within the next couple of years. This amazing opportunity is taught by Jon Reyman himself. I cannot even imagine the amount of knowledge one would acquire from this class. Starting with a 2 day hands on workshop in New York, then you meet back with Jon Reyman for New York Fashion Week to assist behind the scenes on some of the biggest runway shows.

Honestly, I am continually in awe about the multitude of possibilities that AVEDA supplies through their company. I am so thankful that Ashka Salon Spa is as involved as I am when  it comes to continued education. I cannot wait for the time to come when I can write a blog about how I get the chance to go to New York Fashion Week.

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

New AVEDA Skin Care, Here is a Sneak Peek!

AVEDA has been working on revamping their skin care line for a while now. I am happy to announce that it is right around the corner from being released! The estheticians at Ashka Salon Spa have now taken three webinars in order to get ready for this new AVEDA skin care launch. Coming up within the next few months, we will have taken the AVEDA Skin Transformed. Here our estheticians will learn all about the new Tulasara line!

AVEDA Skin Care – What is Ayurveda?

While AVEDA has always taken an Ayurvedic approach to skin care, with the new Tulasara they are taking it to the next level. Ayurveda is a traditional healing method of India. When the word is broken down it means the “knowledge of longevity”. It is based off of your certain element. The options are Infinity/Air, Fire, and Water/Earth.  If you want to figure out what element you are, you can take a quiz here. 

When I took my quiz, I actually ended up being a balanced version of all three. The quiz gives you your results and recommends diet, medicine, climate, and yoga for your specific type.

AVEDA believes that your skin is the first to show when you are imbalanced in some way. On the other hand, when you are living a balanced life, you will have healthy, vital skin. 

AVEDA Skin Care – What is Tulasara?

The new skin care line that AVEDA is coming out with is called Tulasara. Tulasara mean “back to balance”.

What is different about it is that there is one main line for everyone, and through the use of concentrates, it is fully customizable for everyone’s skin care needs. The concentrates that Tulasara will have include firm, bright, and calm. 

AVEDA Skin Care - Concentrates
AVEDA Skin Care – Concentrates

Firm: helps to lift and firm the skin, will also restore radiance.

Bright: also helps restore radiance, but will specifically help with dark spots and discoloration.

Calm: instantly soothes the skin, makes it more resilient over time. 

AVEDA skin care is also coming out with their very own dry brush and oleation oil for at home use! I am personally really excited about these two. Dry brushing is great for exfoliating and promoting healthy cell turn over. 

AVEDA Skin Care - Dry Brush
AVEDA Skin Care – Dry Brush

All in all, Ashka Salon Spa is pumped about these new products and so am I. They should be in salon no later than september! Be sure to plan on stopping in to try one of our updated facials and get your hands on some new products!

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

My Photo Shoot Experience in Canton, MI

Photo Shoot Experience

Working on behind the scenes of photoshoots and runways has always been a dream of mind. Whether it was designing clothing, modeling or doing hair, I knew I wanted to be in that atmosphere. I have worked on one other photoshoot helping  someone do hair. Ashka Salon Spa has added 2 photoshoots per year where the team is able to participate. The salon can then use these photos for promotional material! Jessie and I decided it would be a great opportunity to work together on. Evelyn also decided to do her own look as well! All in all it was a great photo shoot experience.

photo shoot experience
I had an amazing photo shoot experience!

Jessie and Josie’s Photo Shoot Experience

Photo Shoot Experience
Back View of Josie and Jessie’s Model

This was my first photo shoot where I was completely in charge of the hair. Jessie loves doing makeup, and is amazing at it. We knew we were going to work together. I love braids so I knew I wanted to incorporate that somehow into the hair design. Jessie wanted to use warm deep tones.

One thing we learned with working on our first photo shoots was how much work it really is. We also learned how much preparation goes into it. Jessie and I didn’t realize that you even need to think about how you want your model to pose! We are looking forward to working together again on the holiday photoshoot later this month.

Evelyn’s Photo Shoot Experience

Photo Shoot Experience
Evelyn’s Model

Evelyn had her cousin come in and did a very beautiful balayage. It really brightened up her model’s look. Day of the shoot, she curled and braided her hair. Evelyn also gave her model a natural makeup look. She looks glowing and beautiful!

You definitely need to stop in to see what our amazingly talented stylists can do with your hair and makeup! 734-414-9980 Look for the other images on our facebook and other social media accounts.

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

 

Sun Protection with AVEDA

Sun Protection

There is no doubt that too much sun exposure is bad for your skin. Did you know that the sun can have negative effects on your hair too? At Ashka Salon Spa you can get your sun protection for your hair and skin with AVEDA products.

Sun Protection – Hair

If you are like me, you absolutely love the sun and want to soak up as much of it as possible during the summer. The issue I always seem to have is that by the end of summer, my hair very dry and fragile. Until recently, I never made the connection that it could be from sun exposure!

With extended sun exposure the UV rays from the sun can damage your hair just like it can your skin. It will cause your hair to feel thinner, dry, and brittle. Too much sun can even fade your hair color! Luckily, AVEDA does have a product designed specifically for sun protection. The Sun Care line by AVEDA is a must have for Michigan summers.

Sun Protection
Sun Protection for your hair

Here is a breakdown of everything included in the line!

AVEDA’s Sun Care Protective Hair Veil:

  • Lightweight, waterproof mist.
  • Protects from UV damage.
  • Lasts for up to 16 hours.
  • Great detangler.

AVEDA’s Sun Care After-Sun Hair Masque:

  • Restores the look of sun-exposed hair.
  • Plant oils help to moisturize the hair.
  • Antioxidant blend helps to protect against free radicals.

AVEDA’s Sun Care Hair and Body Cleanser:

  • Color-safe formula.
  • Removes chlorine, salt, and product build up.
  • Corn-derived chelator helps to remove minerals in chlorinated pool water that causes discoloration.

The best part about AVEDA’s Sun Care line is that it is so easy to just throw in my beach bag and know I have everything I need to protect my hair from the sun.

Sun Protection – Skin

It is much more common knowledge that overexposure to the sun can be detrimental to your skin. Beth, our lead esthetician at Ashka Salon Spa, told me today “If you want to stay young and beautiful, you need to start wearing a sunscreen on your face everyday”. Who doesn’t want that? AVEDA recently came out with a new product to protect your skin from the sun. It is the new Daily Light Guard.

Sun Protection
Sun Protection for the Skin

AVEDA’s Daily Light Guard is super light weight. It is perfect to add to your skincare routine. It has 100% mineral-derived sunscreens. This product is dermatologist tested and it great for all skin types because it is non-acnegenic.

As I get older, I realize how important it is to guard yourself from the sun. I am so happy that AVEDA recognizes this as well. I can’t wait to pick up these products from Ashka Salon Spa tomorrow so that I am 100% ready for summer! Hopefully I’ll see you there.

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Balancing Work & Play at Ashka Salon Spa

Balancing Work

If you were to talk to my manager, she would tell you that I constantly struggle with balancing work and play. I have been caught multiple times asking if having down time is even worth it. Some people may even consider me a “workaholic”. Coming from someone who just adores her job and wants nothing but to be able to be the best she can be, squeezing in me time can be very difficult. I have found though, those off chances that I do pamper myself, are more than deserved.

Balancing Work
Balancing Work and Play can be harder than it seems.

Balancing Work with Play

How many times have you worked yourself so hard that you dread when your alarm clock goes off in the morning? While I am not saying we can make you love that (annoying) sound every morning, I can promise that we can help make it a little more bearable. I challenge you to end a long work week with a Manicure with Kym, or a Massage with Sarah. Maybe you even just need a trim so you can enjoy your complimentary scalp massage. At Ashka Salon Spa, we are working to give you some “me” time. We want you to put down your phone that can drive you batty during the work hours and just enjoy the peace and quiet with us. Book an appointment with Beth for a facial after a big presentation. Again, I promise you will love it.

 

“The space and quiet that idleness provides is a necessary condition for standing back from life and seeing it whole, for making unexpected connections and waiting for the wild summer lightning strikes of inspiration—it is, paradoxically, necessary to getting any work done.” This was written by Tim Krieder for the New York Times. It is a wonderful quote. It shows how important downtime truly is. You need downtime in order to accomplish anything.

As I said before, I challenge you to set aside time for yourself. Away from your work. Away from your family. Away from any responsibilities. Enjoy your time in the serenity offered at Ashka Salon Spa

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Airbrush Makeup in Canton Michigan

Airbrush Makeup

With so many makeup brands, tutorials, and gurus out there nowadays, it is hard to keep it all straight. I feel like I even get overwhelmed with it all sometimes. Hopefully with this blog I am able to clear up just one of multiple options out there for you; Airbrush Makeup.

Airbrush Makeup
Airbrush Makeup by Mona

Airbrush Makeup Vs Traditional Makeup

At Ashka Salon Spa, we used to offer traditional makeup applications using AVEDA makeup. It was a hard decision but we finally switched over to strictly Airbrush Makeup a few years ago. There were many reasons behind this decision.

Airbrush Makeup looks flawless in photos. When you are using a brush or a sponge, it is very difficult to get every line blended perfectly so that our high tech HD cameras don’t pick up on them. With airbrush, because it is applied as a mist, those lines are automatically blended. This gives your face a natural perfect complexion.

Like I have already mentioned, it is applied in a sheer mist. This allows for your natural coloring to come through the makeup. This not only gives it a more natural look, but it also helps prevent “cake-face”.

The brand we use at Ashka Salon Spa is TEMPTU. It is waterproof. This means that it is also tear, sweat, and any other liquid proof to keep your look perfect throughout your event.

All in all, I truly believe Airbrush Makeup is the way to go for any special occasion you may have. It is just so lightweight and flawless looking. I personally love how it feels on my skin. If I didn’t know I had a full face of makeup on, I wouldn’t have guessed it simply because you feel fresh faced.

 

Airbrush Makeup
Airbrush Makeup by Jessie

Call today to set up your makeup application for your next event! 734-414-9980

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Prom Hair and Makeup in Canton, MI

It’s officially Prom season! This is one of the biggest days in a young person’s life up to that point. It is so important to many of the Seniors and Juniors going to prom that everything goes as smoothly as possible! Ashka Salon Spa is your one stop shop for all of your prom needs. Get your prom hair, nails, and makeup done by our fabulous team. Stop in earlier this week to get your eyebrows and maybe even a facial too!

Prom Hair at Ashka Salon Spa

Prom Hair
Prom Hair by Josie

With Pinterest making amazing up style pictures available with ease, at the salon we are seeing more intricate styles from our clients! To me, this make my job that much more fun. I absolutely love giving my clients upstyles that they wouldn’t be able to achieve themselves at home. I always worn people, “it’s kind of an ugly process so bare with me, but it will all come together in the end”. In order to achieve these beautiful (appearingly) effortless looks, you have to approach the style in sections. Because of this puzzle-like technique it can look worse before it gets better. Honestly, that is one of the reason I love up styles so much. After teasing and curling the hair, you could look like a lion. But by the time I am done smoothing and pinning the hair, you have a sleek elegant look.

Prom hair styles can range from $60 to $105 depending on who you see. Extensive braiding, the addition of extensions or placement of embellishments may incur an additional charge. Please mention these extras when making your appointment to insure enough time is scheduled.

Pair Your Prom Hair with the Perfect Makeup

Prom Hair
Prom Hair and Makeup by Mona

At Ashka Salon Spa, we use Airbrush Makeup for all of our face makeup. We do this because of the versatility that it provides our  Makeup Artists and clients. The Temptu Airbrush Makeup is extremely lightweight but still provides full coverage. It looks amazing on camera making it perfect to look back on for your Prom memories.

Airbrush Makeup Applications range in price from $60 to $80 depending on who you see. Our Makeup Artists will be able to give you a customized look for your special day to meet your needs!

All in all, Prom is a very exciting day for all, including us stylists! I know I can’t wait for Prom Day this year. Book your appointment today! 734-414-9980

Until Next Time,

Josie 🙂

Youngblood Makeup at Ashka Salon Spa

Lipstick Shade - Debalicious

At Ashka Salon Spa we use Youngblood Makeup. Why we use this brand is because it is made of finely ground minerals. They only use natural minerals from the earth. There is no chemicals, or dyes. These are found in a lot of make up and can cause skin flare ups.

Through the use of Youngblood Makeup’s signature blend of rhodolite, zincite, hematite, and malachite, it helps protect cells and tissue. This line is gentle on all skin conditions and types. You can even use it on skin recovering from chemical peels!

Youngblood Makeup
Youngblood Lipstick

Youngblood Makeup Founder

Pauline Youngblood is the founder of Youngblood Makeup. She is a paramedical aesthetician to dermatologists and plastic surgeons. Pauline was saw patients daily who’s skin would take up to 6 months to heal after their trauma. She was not happy with her patient’s make up options. She chose to make a product that give’s the wearer’s skin room to heal and breathe.

When she started her work mineral make up was too fake looking. It was either too orange or too pink. She found a way to make it look natural and was healthy for the skin.  In 1996 Pauline founded Youngblood Makeup.

Youngblood Makeup
Youngblood Logo

Youngblood Makeup Ingredients

Youngblood Makeup promises they use the most premium grade minerals. By using a certain milling process, they keep dangerous nanoparticles out of their products.

There are a lot of mineral make up lines out there. When comparing, be sure to check for synthetic ingredients. Examples are talc, alcohol, or petroleum. One ingredient Youngblood Makeup is sure to leave out is talc. It is a filler and often will cause irritation. Instead they use rice starch and various vitamins. This makes Youngblood Makeup a more effective, and healthier option.

At Ashka Salon Spa we bring the Canton area these amazing products! Stop in today and one of our great make up artists can help you pick out what is best for you!