Florida Salon To Host a Cut-a-Thon Fundraiser

Ezra Mokotoff

Pyure Aveda Salon in Boynton Beach, FL, will host a cut-a-thon on May 17 from 9am to 2pm. The event will raise money to help pay for the open heart surgery of Ezra Mokotoff, son of the salon’s color director, Eric Charles Mokotoff. Ezra was born in February 2009 with Down syndrome and a congenital heart defect, and the family’s health insurance won’t cover the cost of the surgery (scheduled for May 21). “I have been a hair colorist and platform artist/educator for over 16 years, giving everything I have to the industry; now my child needs your help,” Eric says. The fundraiser is being held in conjunction with the Spencer Crawford Children’s Foundation, a not for profit organization that provides physical, emotional and financial support to children diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening illness and their families. The foundation’s services are provided free of charge, and they rely solely on public, private and corporate donations for funding.

If you are in the area on May 17, please consider stoping by Pyure Aveda Salon to help Ezra and his family. If you’re unable to attend the cut-a-thon and would like to make a donation, you can do so at the group’s facebook page (http://apps.facebook.com/causes/fundraising_pledges/66199?m=70aaf40a), on the Spencer Crawford Web site (http://www.spencercrawford.org/help_us.php), or by mailing a check payable to Eric Mokotoff (ITF) Ezra Mokotoff to the salon at the address below.

Pyure Aveda Salon
1500 Gateway Blvd
Boynton Beach, FL 33426
561.731.1866
eric@emokotoff.com

More Pictures from the Shear Genius 2 finalists at IBS New York

Paula Dorf Cosmetics Launches Perfect Color

I had the pleasure of meeting makeup artist Paula Dorf last week to learn about her successful makeup company, Paula Dorf Cosmetics, and talk to her about her career. (I was impressed to learn that her resume includes doing makeup for the band KISS, as well as for The Bangles’ “Walk Like an Egyptian” video!) Paula’s makeup company has grown so successful that she no longer has time to work as a professional makeup artist, but she applies her creative talent to developing new makeup products for her company, like the new Perfect Color makeup sticks. The sheer, blendable sticks can be used on the eyes, cheeks or lips and come in three natural shades: Sensuous, a shimmering golden pink; Angel, a light golden bronze; and Ecstasy, a deep pink with flecks of gold. www.pauladorf.com

IBS New York: Scenes From the Show Floor

The booths and classrooms at this year’s IBS New York show at the Javits Center were packed. Here are a few images from the show.

Shear Genius Finalists at IBS New York

My reality TV obsession reached its peak yesterday and Sunday when I got to meet the five finalists from Shear Genius 2 at IBS New York! I hung out with Dee, Charlie, Daniel, Nicole and Glenn for a bit backstage and got to see that they’re exactly the same in person as they were on the show (yes, Charlie really is that, um, sassy — love him!). I’ll post more pictures tomorrow, but here are some highlights of their Main Stage performance:

• Charlie’s mantra is the 3 P’s: Products, Prep and Planning

• Favorite Tools: Dee loves De Fabulous and JPMS irons; Daniel favors CHI, and not just because he got them for free; Glenn and Charlie go for the Rusk SpeedFreak dryer (“It’s hot, fast and powerful, just like I need a tool to be,” Charlie said)
• Charlie created the Marge Simpson style that was so controversial on the show (judges loved it, viewers didn’t). He doesn’t use a de-frizzing spray to tame the loose hairs: “Think of frizz as softness, not as something ugly.”
• Dee told the audience to always keep their eyes open for new ideas: “You can get inspiration from anywhere—from nature, from animals, etc.”
• Dee is a huge fan of the Freestylist pull-down dryers from Freestyle Systems at her new Miami salon D&L Hair Studio: “The Freestylist has saved my life, my back and my wrist.” [UPDATE: Dee Adames has opened a new salon in South Beach: Dee & Co. Hair Studio]
• Nicole was encouraged to try out by Nick Arrojo while she was an assistant in his salon. At 24, she was the youngest and least experienced contestant on the show—and she still finished 3rd! She credits the amazing training she received at Arrojo Studio.
• Glenn waited for hours in the Texas heat to try out for the show (Daniel was at the same audition, but had a connection that enabled him to skip the line)

BREAKING NEWS: Aveda Earns Cradle to Cradle Endorsement and Certification

Aveda just announced that it has become the first beauty company in the world to receive a Cradle to Cradle (C2C) sustainability endorsement. Seven Aveda products (shown here) have achieved Golg Level C2C certification. The full press release is below the picture.

AVEDA SETS GROUNDBREAKING STANDARD IN
SUSTAINABILITY FOR BEAUTY INDUSTRY

Earns Cradle to Cradle Endorsement and Certification from Experts Braungart and McDonough

Blaine, Minn. (April 28, 2009) — Global sustainability leader Aveda™ today announced it has become the first beauty company in the world and only the second U.S. company in any industry to receive a Cradle to Cradle (C2C) sustainability endorsement, with seven Aveda products achieving Gold Level C2C certification.

Today’s endorsement comes from sustainability consultancy McDonough Braungart Design Chemistry, LLC (MBDC), the firm that pioneered the concept of Cradle to Cradle design, and the implementation of eco-effective design principles. Cradle to Cradle product certifications, completed by MBDC and its affiliate, the Hamburg, Germany-based Environmental Protection and Encouragement Agency (EPEA), recognize Aveda’s recent extraordinary efforts to develop products and processes that conform to the world’s most advanced standards for intelligent design, sustainable stewardship and reuse of materials.

C2C endorsement recognizes companies’ efforts in developing environmentally-intelligent products with a goal of eliminating waste entirely. EPEA, founded by life-cycle expert, Professor Michael Braungart, and MBDC, co-founded by Braungart and renowned designer and green architect, William McDonough, are the global leaders in certification of sustainable processes, products and services.

The endorsement by MBDC adds to Aveda’s impressive record of environmental sustainability. Throughout Aveda’s 30-year history, the company’s accomplishments have included the pioneering use of wind energy in the beauty industry, leadership in the use of recyclable packaging and support of organic agriculture.

Aveda’s C2C certification and endorsement are the culmination of 30 years of socially and environmentally responsible business practices. This latest milestone comes at a time when the U.S. administration and national governments around the world are issuing calls for businesses to adopt energy and operational practices to advance environmental responsibility and help stimulate economic growth, an approach Aveda has pursued since its founding in 1978.

“As the first beauty company to achieve Cradle to Cradle endorsement, Aveda is recognized as a leader in intelligent design,” said Aveda President, Dominique Conseil. “Designing and manufacturing products can be environmentally responsible when environmental goals are factored into the concept at the very beginning. At Aveda, we believe that authentic beauty cares for the environment which we inherited from elders, and will leave to generations that follow.”

Conseil noted that Aveda’s adherence to its core environmental values has been nurtured alongside growth in sales and profit. The company has made remarkable progress in energy conservation and the use of renewable energy and is currently the largest buyer of green energy in Minnesota and the 32nd largest purchaser in the US. And these strides have been made without compromising business performance. The company’s sales have grown five times in 10 years.

The C2C endorsement recognizes Aveda not just for the products it creates, but for the company’s overall commitment to ingredients, materials, and processes to create a positive environmental footprint.

Aveda received Gold C2C designation for seven key products and Silver C2C designation for its packaging. The Gold certified products are: Aveda Smooth Infusion Shampoo; Smooth Infusion Conditioner; Aveda Dry Remedy Moisturizing Shampoo; Dry Remedy Moisturizing Conditioner; Aveda Men Pure-Formance Shampoo; Aveda Men Pure-Formance Conditioner; and Green Science Firming Face Creme.

To date, no other beauty products have been awarded Gold C2C certification.

“Aveda has been at the forefront of the environmental movement within the beauty industry since its inception and they continue to innovate by fully embracing Cradle to Cradle design,” said Professor Michael Braungart, CEO of EPEA. “Aveda is making a difference and ensuring that what they design is beneficial to the biosphere.” In 2006, EPEA also endorsed Aveda’s Green Ingredient Policy, which it developed to help ensure product ingredient integrity.

MBDC co-founder William McDonough praised Aveda’s accomplishments and the company’s vision. “For our society to flourish, we must design products and systems based on patterns found in nature, eliminating the concept of waste entirely and creating an abundance that is healthy and sustaining,” he said.

Aveda’s C2C endorsement is expected to signal an important change within the beauty industry and catalyze sustainable product development and manufacturing. “We can change the world by changing the way the world does business,” said Conseil.

Jacqui Pierce Talks Manicures at IBS

At IBS New York yesterday, nail specialist Jacqui Pierce, provided nail technicians with tips on offering five-star nail treatments to impress clients and leave them anxious to return. In her class, Innovative Manicures, she said that there is more to a manicure than just painting the nails. She recommends considering the following elements:

1. The Welcome Ritual: There are several different welcome rituals to choose from, depending on the theme or concept of your salon. The waving of aromatherapy oils, the pouring of water and the washing of the hands are all ways to help clients relax before the nail service.

2. Protocol: Help clients get more for their money by offering them something extra along with their treatment. For example, if the treatment is called the Chocolate Martini Manicure, offer clients a chocolate martini to sip on. Pierce suggests creating a Summer Sorbet Manicure for the upcoming season and make it unique by putting the lotions on ice.

3. Presentation: The presentation should reflect how you want to deliver the treatment and the message you want to send to clients. According to Pierce, there are several ways to enhance the appearance of the treatment, such as using bamboo trays, martini glasses, or ceramic bowls (which are both environmental and economical because you will tend to not use more product than necessary and you can easily reuse the bowl).

4. Detail Technique: Pierce suggests using gauze instead of cotton to remove nail polish, as it doesn’t shed any hairs that might get stuck in the polish. She also recommends providing clients with their own nail kits to let them know that sanitation is important to you and it also allows them to maintain their manicure at home. If entire nail kits are not in the budget, she suggests using new nail files and orange wood sticks on each client.

Sam Villa Goes to Canada

Sam Villa

I really enjoyed working recently with a Canadian Redken distributor—Maritime in Halifax, Nova Scotia. First, I LOVE the lobster up there! But also, I find Canadian hairdressers receptive, hungry for education and highly skilled. I had the honor of presenting the award to the hairdresser who will represent the Atlantic region in Redken Canada’s National Session Stylist of the Year competition in Montreal.

A lot of the 800 stylists who attended our show were “repeat offenders”—they came to a class I did there two years ago—and this time they brought friends, students and employees. That was a huge compliment to know they appreciated the information I gave them. This time around, I emphasized three points:

1. Communication is critical today.
2. Disconnection is the strongest element of design.
3. The finish is really important, and you can maximize your impact if you “blow-dry as you go.”

To drive home these points, I tried a format I’d never done before. I had two models on stage so that I could present both a short cut and a longer cut. I alternated between the two models, doing one step of each cut at a time, and while I was cutting one model, a Redken artist was blow-drying the other model. This demonstrated that these haircuts take only 15 to 20 minutes. But that doesn’t mean you should book shorter appointments! Use the extra time to communicate with guests. Find out more about their lifestyle, or teach them how to recreate the look at home.

The disconnections today are not aggressive, so they’re very marketable. Take large sections; it’s no longer about spending an hour cutting small sections. Think about putting a lot of paper into a paper cutter. The edges are soft, not as sharp as when you put in just a few pieces. Then, by blow-drying as you go, you get a quality finish, and it’s a new experience for both the client and the hairdresser. As artists, we get enthusiasm from challenging ourselves to do things differently, and that enthusiasm is what keeps our clients coming back to us.

Toward the end of the program, I did a finishing segment. Prom girls wear their hair down today, and they’re asking for curl that has visual character, that piques your interest. So I demonstrated how to form a glam curl: Start at the center back, take diagonal forward sections, twist the curl on the barrel of the iron and pin it so that it sits on the hairline. You’ll get a sleek top with a curl that spirals, twists and waves all at the same time.

When you communicate with clients, you discover that they like to have options. The long-hair cut I did can be dressed to look like a shorter cut. That evening, in our theatrical presentation, I showed just the opposite—how short-cut clients can attach wefts to have long hair whenever they want it. Our model began the show as a ballerina with long hair, and then threw off her ballet clothes and the wefts in her hair and ended the show dancing to rock music—with short hair!

- Sam Villa

Sam Villa has more than 25 years experience as a platform artist and educator for major salon professional companies. Part of the Redken family for the past 11 years, Sam is Redken’s Education Artistic Director and Design & Training Consultant and appears on redken.com as a spokesperson for consumer consultations. He is in constant demand at international and domestic trade shows and in-salon programs, where his progressive teaching approach enables stylists to absorb new techniques quickly and for practical use in the salon. In 2008, Sam launched his website, www.samvilla.com, along with his own brand of digital media education and styling tools for salon professionals.

IBS New York starts tomorrow!

We can’t wait for this year’s International Beauty Show (IBS) in New York City, which starts tomorrow morning. We’ll be attending classes, checking out the mainstage performances and scouring the the show floor for the best new products–and then blogging all about everything! Stay tuned for in-depth coverage of all the action …

Jet Takes on New York City

Jet from Jet Rhys Salon

Hello My Fellow Beauty Connoisseurs,

I just came back from a brilliant trip to N.Y.C., and I feel so inspired from what I have seen. There was so much art, music and people watching, and I had a great time working on a show for the Wella Team with Nick Berardi. Sometimes it’s so great to leave your comfort zone because you can get so many new ideas.

I had such a great dinner at Schiller’s on the Lower East Side on Rivington St. The restaurant was something like I have never seen before. The architects brought in everything from the past, it’s like you stepped into the 1950’s,but it wasn’t gleamy & grand. It was raw & unique, with everything from a tin roof to distressed mirrors (how horrifying! We always need our mirrors to be perfectly wiped down!). The one and only Martin Duff from Vidal Sassoon walked into the restaurant while we were there. He’s the King of the Lower East Side; he knows everyone and everyone knows him. Martin showed us all these great salons, boutiques and restaurants. The streets were filled with such a cool vibe. We saw a girl crossing over Orchard Street with a brilliant hair cut, she wore it well and it was so sweet…but on purpose!We got our cameras out and snapped pictures to add to our inspiration boards.

Rhianna with shrink-wrapped nails

I also got to see the latest shrink-wrapped nails during my trip. What a great invention—super cool & sexy! The best part is they last for two weeks. A girl’s best friend (especially those with our hands primarily in H20)!
I can’t wait to look at my clients with a new eye. That gift of taking myself away from my world, my everyday routine is priceless to me!

Until next time…

Cheers,
Jet

Jet’s career started at the age of 6 in her grandma’s beauty salon in Chicago. Since those humble beginnings, her talents have taken her across the globe working with and teaching hair color for Vidal Sassoon salons for 10 years. Jet is co-founder of Jet Rhys Salon in San Diego. Recently selected by Self magazine as one of the top colorists in the U.S., Jet frequently works behind the scenes creating the money shots of those glossy, swingy manes for national television and print ads.Jet’s motto is “look, study, attack.”