Over 400 exhibitors and 60,000 salon professionals gathered together in Chicago this past weekend for America's Beauty Show and the Face & Body Show. This combined event attracts nationally and internationally known salon artists and allows exhibitors to showcase their innovative products and new techniques. Here are 3 trends that dominated the show.
Hair: Keratin Hair Straightening
Legions of women (and some men) have spent decades struggling to get their curly, frizzy, or coarse hair to behave, now have a new option: keratin hair straightening, the latest -- and some say greatest -- incarnation in the hair-straightening.
Keratin is a protein found naturally in your hair. It can fill in gaps in the hair cuticle that are cracked, dry, or damaged. It is applied to the hair, and then sealed in with the heat of a flat iron. The results of keratin-based treatments last about two to 2 1/2 months. Keratin treatments take about 90 minutes or longer, based on the length of your hair. The price also rises and falls with your hair's length, but averages around $300.
There is some downtime with these treatments -- meaning not washing your hair for three or four days afterward, because the solution takes time to work. There is also some -- but not a lot -- of maintenance involved. This basically involves washing your hair with sodium sulfate-free shampoos to avoid prematurely stripping the treatment from your locks.
That is nothing compared to what curly-headed clients did before their keratin straightening treatments. One formerly curly-topped client recently commented: “It takes me about 20 minutes, which is a big difference from my usual 3-hour hair routine. Love it!"
On average keratin clients say that they cut down on blow dry time by 40% to 60% and eliminate the frizz factor. And even though it seems a minor point, being able to walk out in moist or light rain and having hair that won’t change, can make everyday a good hair day.
Product Note: Recent news stories have focused on the inclusion of formaldehyde and the subsequent fumes formed during this process and the dangers in the salon to both clients and stylists. The most innovative of these products however DO NOT contain formaldehyde. The All Nutrient Keratin+ Smoothing System is so gentle, in fact, that no gloves are required during the process and there is no odor or noxious fumes. During a recent process Lynn Bennett was performing at On The Bend Salon, customers were unaware that we were doing anything other than conditioning the hair.
Nails: Light-Cured Colored Gel Nail Polish
Ask any nail technician and they will likely tell you that their pet peeve is clients who cannot get as far as their cars without smearing their nail polish. And the situation is just as frustrating from the client’s perspective. But the new Light-Cured Gel Polishes may soon eliminate this problem altogether.
UV light-cured colored gels are applied much like polish and are cured under an ultraviolet light. After a thin top coat of clear gel, the client has dry, colored nails with a high-gloss shine that lasts for weeks. The process doesn’t require much more time than applying nail polish and can be maintained with a fill every two weeks. If the nail surface becomes dull or scratched, just reapply a clear coat of gel and the freshly manicured look returns.
As an added bonus, colored gels add strength and reinforce the natural nail. They can also be used over gel, acrylic, or wrap extensions.
Many nail technicians started using colored gels for pedicures so that clients could put their shoes right back on. But soon the demand grew for clients who had trouble maintaining traditional manicures or who don’t change polish colors often. Once gel cures, you have to rough the surface and soak the nail in acetone to remove the gel. You can, however, cover light colored gels with darker shades by buffing the surface to thin the existing overlay and applying a new coat of colored gel. The lighter color will not bleed through.
If clients become bored with the color, or want to match a special outfit, they can apply nail polish over the gel surface. The client may return to the colored gel anytime by removing the polish with non-acetone polish remover. The gel will not absorb the polish’s pigment and the surface remains smooth and shiny.
Product Note: The product featured is NSI Pro Polish, the product we selected for use at On The Bend Salon. Rather than simply a blend of gel and polish, Polish Pro is a fusion of many different ingredients that result in the most resilient natural nail manicure or pedicure. NSI Polish Pro goes on as simply as applying regular nail polish, but wears for two weeks without smudging, chipping or peeling on the nails and may last up to four weeks on toes. When it is time for removal, Polish Pro is easily removed in 10 minutes using Acetone and then sliding off any excess with an orangewood stick.
Face: Growth–Simulating Eyelash Conditioners
If the number of lash-growth products at the Chicago Face and Body Show is any indication…it could be said that what every woman in America wants is long, dark, abundant lashes. Not only are lush abundant lashes an attribute of a healthy and youthful appearance, but they also make eyes look bigger and brighter, and, well, more feminine and flirtatious. Alas, not all women are blessed with great lashes and even if they were, over time, even naturally thick lashes can become sparse and skimpy–looking due to age and damage from product use.
Fortunately, there is now an entire spectrum of solutions to help women lengthen and strengthen their lashes. Most of you have heard of Latisse™, the prescription formula for sparse lashes but the category of non-prescription products is growing too.
While Latisse™ produces phenomenal results, some clients are looking to incorporate a non-prescription formula into their year-long, lash-lengthening regimens, and will use Latisse™ with a non-prescription solution either alternately or in cycles. I also have other clients who are simply more comfortable with a non-prescription solution with no known side effects; and finally I have clients who can’t afford a prescriptive regimen on their beauty budget. For these clients I highly recommend: RevitaLash™. Its non-irritating formulation meets or beats all other non-prescription solutions currently available. They also have a formula for thinning eyebrows—a major problem reported by many of my clients .
RevitaLash™ is technically, an eyelash conditioners. These types of products do have the ability to stimulate lash growth by providing essential nutrients to the follicle. They also preserve the strength and quality of your lashes by promoting hydration and moisturization thereby making eyelashes healthy, shiny and stronger.
Potent ingredients provide lectin-like activity stimulating follicle hair growth. Hyaluronic Acid can provide the necessary hydration essential to providing healthy, shiny, fuller looking eyelashes. Glucoproteins are important in stimulating follicle hair growth. Pro Vitamin B5 or Panthenol strengthens eyelashes allowing maximum growth potential.
Generally, after using an eyelash conditioner for three to five weeks you should see fuller, shinier, and longer looking lashes. Lashes will maintain their healthy length and thickness for months after continued use.
RevitaLash® 3-4 months supply $98.00 (2.4 ml. / 0.081 Fl. Oz.)
LINKS:Information about the actual straightening process at On The Bend Salon, Ft. Thomas and pics:
http://www.artfire.com/users/designsbylynnea
Hair Straightening Before/After Pics: http://onthebendsalon.webs.com/apps/photos/album?albumid=9342276
Lynn’s blog post about the Newfangled Gel Nail Polish: http://designsbylynnea.blogspot.com/search?updated-min=2010-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&updated-max=2011-01-01T00%3A00%3A00-05%3A00&max-results=11
Revitalash: http://www.revitalash.com/
PICTURES FROM THE SHOW CAN BE SEEN AT:
http://chicago.racked.com/archives/2011/03/14/hair-show-roundup-the-best-of-the-best.php
http://english.sina.com/life/p/2011/0312/363984.html
Thursday, March 17, 2011
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