Did somebody say Chocolate Decadence?

Valentine's Day is a day about romance.  We think of flowers, maybe a special dinner, and yes, chocolate.  Salon b has put some serious thought into how we can make your Valentine's Day special, and knowing that the skincare benefits of chocolate are so incredible that we're doing an month-long offer on organic chocolate facial!


If you've never heard about how great organic dark chocolate is for your skin, here are a few points to consider:

Rich in antioxidants, dark chocolate combats free radical damage, which causes inflammation and aging.
Highliy moisturizing, it improves both texture and hydration.
Chocolate is thought to increase blood flow to the skin, imporving radiance.
Layering chocolate as an ingredient rejuvinates your skin by helping increase collagen turnover and fighting against sun damage.

So by layering, we mean that every element of your Chocolate Decadence Facial utilizes and organic chocolate product - cleanser, exfoliant, massage oil, toner, serum and moisturizer.  The smell and feel of all of these are absolutely scruptious!
If the sound of chocolate, chocolate, chocolate is making you hungary, we're going to entice you a little bit more by offering you a cup of gourmet hot chocolate and a little chocolate treat to enjoy before or after your service.       

Even with Leap year, February has fewer days, so book your Chocolate Decadence Facial now.  Only $86, this is an outstanding value that both you and your skin will love!

4 Days with Sassoon

Ever since the start of beauty school there were always 2 things I wanted to accomplish in my career of hairdressing:
1. Become a color specialist
2. Take a cutting course/courses at the Vidal Sassoon Academy

That is primarily how I came to work here at Salon b, because their staff is trained on Sassoon cutting techniques and full of American Board Certified Hairdressers(ABCH). Perfect fit right?! Right! Since, I started assisting I was immediately taught Sassoons ABC's of haircutting and upon finishing the assistant program I was studying hard to become an ABCH. Success! So I've been on the floor now for a couple years and I was still craving the Sassoon experience, so I decided on taking the creative cutting course in Santa Monica as was recommend by our stylists who had also taken the class. What an amazing experience!
To begin, the academy is located right in the heart of Santa Monica, the Third street promenade. Shopping, food, music, people, so it was no place I'd get bored at night going alone. I stayed at the cutest little hotel 1 block away from the promenade and an easy walk to the academy, The CalMar hotel suites. I highly recommend this hotel! Not only was it clean and reasonably priced for that area, I felt like it was my little home away from home. I chose the suite with a kitchenette, dining table, a couch that turned into a queen bed and a separate room. They held my luggage for me while I was away at class on my check out day, there was a heated pool, and the staff left me flowers and a bottle of wine on my last day....BONUS!

I found a Whole Foods down the street for me to stock up the fridge with some healthy snacks and there were plenty of interesting restaurants to eat at. One favorite restaurant I found was Stop 'N Cafe Greek Cuisine. They had delicious breakfast and gyros for lunch. The owners were very friendly. He found out I was staying in town for the Sassoon academy and he showed me a photo on the wall he had taken with Mr. Vidal Sassoon himself in the 90's! Apparently the academy was originally located right across the street from their restaurant! Fun fact!

Another favorite was California Monster Salads, located right next to the academy, with a huge variety of salad toppings and healthy dressings. I went their frequently during lunchtime during class.

The Vidal Sassoon Academy is located right above Hooters, can't miss it, haha! Its 3 levels and is the only Sassoon location in US that is an academy, the other cities are held in Sassoon salons. Classes began with some haircutting theory, then the instructor, I had Randall, would demonstrate a haircut on a model. The demos were great because he would slowly walk us through his whole haircut, explaining every detail. This way we got to see how the masters work! After our lunch break, Randall would assign us to a live model to do a haircut on. Our haircuts took about 2 hours, as he would walk each of us through every step of the haircut according to our models needs. Working this slowly was a nice change of pace! In the salon we are on a time schedule which can be pressing on doing your best work. There were 7 other students in the class with me mostly from around California area. In another class we joined up with on the last day, the students were from all over the world...Australia, Korea, Russia, England, North Carolina, Jersey, Florida! Shows how much of a reputation Sassoon education has put on the world!

Although I was trained with the Vidal Sassoon techniques, the advanced class was extremely rewarding. I feel it helped refined my skills, simplifying haircuts that may seem complicated on the outside, but in actuality are the basics in a combination that are perfectly designed on the head. My week there has re-inspired me in my everyday life and has given me the confidence to tackle any hair design. I'm already planning my next class there, men's barbering and definitely another creative class! You can never stop learning and perfecting your craft, no matter what career your in!

Know Your Source, Know Your Stuff

While the advent of the Internet offers an abundance of resources on every topic imaginable, the “information highway” can be overwhelming at times.  How is one to know if the article or “news-item” you are reading has a source of authority, or is just part of a marketing campaign of some kind?  I cannot tell you how many times I am having a conversation with a client that this topic arises. Primarily, I think, because consumers are confused by conflicting information coming from advertising on television, radio, magazines, and internet media.

Take skin care ingredients, for example. Much of what we “hear” about focuses on anti-aging products. In fact, there are more than 300 scientific theories about why skin ages. Almost all skin care resources are abounding with explanations about how free radicals are bad for the skin because they accelerate aging, and how the sun increases aging because it’s the main source of free radicals. So, while skin care ingredients are certainly an important and beneficial part of a daily health regimen, products are not all clinically the same in terms of effectiveness.  And while the sun does age our skin if prevention isn’t in place, every physician (dermatologists and otherwise) will tell you that a little bit every day is necessary to avoid vitamin d deficiency. Vitamin d supports not only our bone mineralization, but affects the neuromuscular system and inflammation in our bodies.  Inflammation is another major source of free radicals. Because of this, reducing inflammation will decelerate aging.  Inflammation can be reduced by incorporating anti-inflammatory ingredients in your skin care routine.  The addition of topical vitamins and antioxidants help your skin fight the battle against free radicals. 

All of the above information is supported by various skin care physicians and educators with a minimum of a Ph.D degree.  But why believe me? Conduct your own evaluation on topical ingredients, such as vitamins a, c, and e, and antioxidants, such as licorice or bearberry extracts, by going to www.googlescholar.com. Then, find a knowledgeable skin care professional in your area who can give you a complimentary skin analysis and talk to you about products customized just for your skin.

By Valerie Connelly, California State Licensed Esthetician

Article sources: Dr. Peter Pugliese (www.drpugliese.com), Skin Science (www.skininc.com)

Dare I say it? Somebody has to!

That’s right…  HOLIDAYS are upon us.  If you’re normal you can feel the madness of the Holiday rush creeping up.  The time has come for parties and gifts.  Small things become big dilemmas while some of us procrastinate and realize that we are nowhere near ready for our many events.

               What to do? Make Salon b your destination for beautifying yourself in preparation for events and while you’re here why not pick up a gift for a friend or co-worker?  Let us help you use your time wisely.  Scratching 2 things off your list during the busiest time of the year in one stop is a must. 

Plus with the purchase of a pre-wrapped gift set or a custom set, you will receive a $20 card towards your next visit.

               Plus the recipient will receive a $20 gift.

               Plus the gift is wrapped for you.

               All things considered, this is Holiday season Salon b is your one-stop-shop.  What better way to escape the holiday madness than with a visit to your favorite salon?  Who doesn't enjoy a bit of BOG3?

Gift sets coming in October.

"Thick Headed"

Ever heard of or used the term "thick headed"?  We use a version of this in the salon all the time and not just in reference to stubbornness.  Believe it ladies, after reading this it will be okay to tell the Mr. that his "head" is in fact thick. 

Mens' scalp is 3x thicker than a woman's. This very thick scalp is a major contribution to balding, itching and even certain aromas.   Because of the thickness of a mans scalp, it tends to create much more sebum (oil) which then becomes build up. This build up begins to smother the hair follicle and eventually causes irreparable damage. Once the follicle is damaged, there is no bringing it back. Bye bye hair.  This is exactly why the professionals at Salon b recommend the Purifying Scalp Treatment or Scalp Detox for all men.  I don't know about you, but I sure do like the idea of my husband maintaining his hairline. 
This scalp treatment is the latest from Aveda and can be beneficial for men and women who are experiencing build up on the scalp, itching scalp and dandruff.  This treatment will remove build up while gently exfoliating and stimulating cellular renewal, not to mention it feels amazing.  So, the moral of the story is... If you can't help being thick headed, you can at least help by making your scalp more comfortable.  Get this treatment at Salon b after September 8th.

How to...Glow

Trending Now…Tourmaline
If you’re looking for a non-invasive way to improve your skin texture without feeling “blasted”, try tourmaline. This skin-care ingredient (actually a mineral based semi-precious stone that has been pulverized), when used in conjunction with steam and facial massage, increases nutrient absorption, resulting in more radiant and vibrant skin. In particular, it allows for “whatever goes on next”—generally a mask in a professional facial—to penetrate and produce significant results. If you want get rid of your dull winter skin, book a Botanical Skin Resurfacing facial with me and get your glow on!  Get our iPhone or Android mobile application for huge savings on this facial.

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/salon-b/id375677075?mt=8

Seeing Red

When clients first start coming to me for facial treatments, a predominant complaint of a lot of people is redness.   Whether you have Rosacea or just “sensitized” skin, there are products available to help soothe, calm, and tone down redness.  Our All-Sensitive facial utilizes botanical and clinical ingredients that have anti-inflammatory and anti-redness properties. You will leave with your skin refreshed. What a relief!