Prescriptive Products: "Protect your investment"

Real life scenario: You're out to dinner with friends, looking as fierce as can be. You've mustered up the courage to rock those uh-mazing 5-inch heels you bought last weekend. But after a couple of hours, your feet are tired, your coordination is off, and you wind up rolling your ankle getting out of your car! A couple of days later, you go to see your doctor for an exam because your ankle is swelling and you are in more pain than is comfortable. The doctor informs you that you have a minor sprain and you might be sore for while, but that if you take proper care of your ankle and use the "anti-inflammatory" medicine he's prescribing to you, you'll soon be strutting in heels again.
Would you toss your prescription in the trash and go right back to hiking it in heels, regardless of the visible injury to your body? Or would you trust that your doctor has seen these cases before and knows the best way for you to recover? If you trust your doctor and believe that he has your best interests in mind, you'll heed his warning and accordingly afford yourself the best treatment possible. Right?
Real life scenario: You're at an appointment with your beloved hair stylist and you're looking for a change. Not a drastic change, but a change nonetheless. Last winter, after years of highlighting, you decided to color over your hair with a richer, darker shade. Your talented and clever hair stylist, knowing that this process isn't as simple as throwing a coat of paint over a white wall, takes the proper steps to ensure an even, yet dimensional coloring. After a 2 hour process, your hair is a beautiful, dark tone and your highlights are a not-so-distant memory. And maybe this summer, you've bounced into your stylists' chair, begging to be blonde again? Of course, your knowledgeable stylist informs you of the consequences of your choice, but also that, with the proper care and treatment, your hair will rebound beautifully. She re-lightens your hair in the least damaging way possible and recommends a treatment shampoo and conditioner that is specifically formulated to not only re-moisturize, but also re-build the bonds in your hair. She informs you of the best course of action to maintain the beautiful results that she's worked so hard to achieve. Assuming that you trust her experience and training, a good hair stylist never pushes.
How do you, as a client, normally handle this situation? Do you go back to using whatever drug-store brand hair care that was on sale? Do you assume that all products are created equal and that high-end, prescriptive brands are just a money-maker for the beauty industry? And when you're color fades too fast, do you call up your hair stylist to hold them accountable for something that you took completely out of their hands? As harsh as the comparison might seem, one would never ignore a doctors' orders, and later demand to know why they didn't heal properly.
So why then, do we as clients and consumers insist on cutting corners when it comes to the health of our hair? We invest our hard-earned money into getting the perfect hair color, only to trash it with the harsh ingredients found in cheap shampoos and conditioners. If only we understood that the higher price tag simply meant better quality, and in many cases, a higher concentration of conditioning elements like protein and moisture. If only we understood that, due to this higher concentration, we use half as much product as we would with the cheaper stuff. If only....
Because if we understood, brands like Pantene wouldn't be the number one selling beauty brand in the world, ruining our chances for a consistent and long-lasting hair color. (Products like these leave your hair silky and soft by dangerously coating it with a waxy build-up that becomes almost impenetrable by hair color.)
Instead, our shine, texture, and manageability would remain healthy and consistent, and the possibilities for hair color could be almost limitless. Prescriptive lines, like L'Oreal Professionnel Expert Serie, which contain vitamins B6 and E, as well as UV filters, were designed not to increase profits, but simply to support and maintain the specialized work of professional hair stylists for clients at home. Sulfate-free shampoos, like Enjoy's whole cleansing line, are formulated to work WITH your hair color and not against it. And conditioning treatments, like Nectar of The Gods, seal your hair cuticle, ensuring shine and smoothness to keep your hair looking healthy after a chemical process.
So, the next time you find yourself wondering why your hair feels dry and brittle, or why your hair color seems to fade too soon, take a look at what kind of "prescription" products you're using or not using, and re-evaluate your beauty regimen. Most of the time, it's as simple as investing a few extra dollars in a professional quality shampoo and conditioner. Ask your hair stylist what YOU should be doing at home to ensure the healthiest, longest lasting hair color. A good hair stylist will have your best interests in mind and know exactly what prescription you need.

Love being blonde? Keep your tresses healthy with L'Oreal Professionnel Expert Serie Intense Repair Shampoo and Masque.

 With red heads taking the world by storm, the best way to keep your crimson bright is with sulfate-free shampoos, like Enjoy. Seal in shine and tone with Nectar of the Gods conditioning treatment.

**Get 15% off all of the products mentioned in this blog. You must mention our blog at time of purchase.

"Pool Day: To style or not to style?"

Have you ever planned a day at the pool with friends and found yourself debating on whether or not to primp your hair and make-up or go "au natural"'? Have you yo-yo'd between a no-fuss look and an appropriately styled coif. Ponytail or waves? Mascara or bare lashes? Flip-flops or wedges? Sound like a lot of trouble for a day in the sun? Well, for some of us, the answer is absolutely not!
This is something that is more likely to happen here in Vegas than in any other town, partly because we've built a culture based on glamour and glitz, and partly because, despite our varying weather elements, Las Vegans have attained a perfect balance of style to last through blistering summers and windy winters. We've worked hard for our personal style...why not celebrated it every chance we get?
We recently came across this dillema when a few of our staff visited the "Marquee Day Club". (It's basically a grown-up pool party, complete with a DJ and yummy frosted beverages) As we met at one of the girls' house for a pre-party champagne toast, we found ourselves sharing the same experience: standing in front of the mirror, asking ourselves, "Does this look alright? Should I dress it up a little?"...all the while laughing at how much energy we were putting into a pool day. Of course, we all had the hair situation figured out. As members of the beauty industry, we work very hard to always serve as a proper representation of our work and passion for beauty. One of us rocked soft, beachy waves that would stand up against the occasional splashing, but were messy enough to seem effortless. Another pinned her hair half-up to avoid being affected by any sunscreen or light sweat. And of course, our skin-care specialist sported an adorable fedora to keep her exposure to the harmful effects of the sun to a minimum. Style and functionality were at it's best, without seeming trite or vain. (See below for examples and tips on achieving the styles just mentioned)
An effort such as this never goes unrewarded. Whether it serves as a confidence booster or to simply avoid  feeling undone in public, a couple of extra steps before you head out to a pool gathering are always a good idea. First, figure out the purpose of your look that day. Are you looking for as little fuss as possible? Or maybe you want your hair to look as it would on the beach in Tahiti, where the air is full of sea minerals and the wind sweeps your hair off your face. Once you've decided, find the right styling product to help you achieve such a look.
If you prefer your hair to be off your face, you can apply a good leave-in conditioner out of the shower to help protect against chlorine and drying out in the sun. We like Enjoy's Conditioning Spray. Then, depending on the texture of your hair, sweep it back into a messy ponytail or use a couple of bobby pins to secure the sides of your hair towards the back to create a soft "half-up" style. With the ponytail, it helps to back-comb it once the hair is up to create a bit of texture and volume. Spray with a little hairspray for hold. Enjoy's Hairspray hold up against humidity very well.
For a soft, "down" style, apply a texture cream after towel-drying your hair and allow it air-dry. The right product will give you volume and a soft wave that looks soft and effortless. (Bumble and bumble's Bb Texture gives us the perfect combination of separation and hold, but is not recommended for damaged or really fine hair.) A sea salt spray, like Bumble and bumble's Surf Spray, with both looks also helps "dirty" up your hair just enough to give it an extra boost.
Whatever your style is, don't ever feel like you can't carry it into a "beach" or "pool" day. Brush on some water-proof mascara and a little conditioning lip-gloss and enjoy the fact that you look as good as you would any other day out. And once you get your pool-side look down, you can always use it as an easy "default" style for when you're rushed, traveling, or running errands, but still want to look as though you've put some thought into your hairstyle.

Left: Channel your inner
 Bridget Bardot with
soft, messy waves.
Right: Keep those bangs from sticking to your forehead by sweeping them back. Fluff your ponytail at the base to create lift.

Below: Have the best of both worlds by softly pinning back the sides and leaving the rest down.