It was a Saturday I’ll never forget.
The date was May 13, 2007, and I had just gotten the keys to our new salon here on Upper James Street near the escarpment in Hamilton. In two days, we would be re-opening our doors to the public and being a day-maker for our clients in this wonderful new space. Yes, this coming Mothers Day weekend we will be celebrating 10 years at this location! Wow! And actually, this month is extra special because we have one of our amazing stylists getting married! I’m pretty sure someone around here is going to be covered in cake and confetti (probably me, lol).
But that Saturday in 2007 wasn’t so special because of the building. We’ve done lots over the years to improve our salon so we can offer our guests a luxurious style getaway. Recently we updated our upper level to make it feel more relaxing while your hair is being coloured or styled. But what I love most now is what I loved most then: the people that we get to spend time with while we do what we do best.
That morning, I got the pleasure of having my wife, mother and mother-in-law all here at the salon together to have their hair cut. What a privilege to be able to have these special women as my first guests at our new salon, and to bless them on Mother’s Day with a gift that I’ve loved offering for so much of my life. If I was their day-maker that morning then great, because I’m just returning the favour!
I wish all moms out there a Happy Mother’s Day this weekend and, if you’re looking to treat yourself to a day at the spa (or you are looking for a great gift idea for your emmi – that’s mom in Lebanese) give us a call and we’ll set a date to make you look and feel great!
We have special Mother’s Day gift cards too! Buy a $40 card and your mom will receive an additional $10 off ($50 total value) her next style getaway when she visits during her birthday month.
To book your next appointment with us, call (905) 575-9835 or visit our website today!
You know what I find funny about hair styles coming back into fashion? They never left! Some of the so-called “hot new trends” for 2017 are considered comebacks of old styles. But they didn’t somehow disappear.
Let me explain.
Parting the hair down the middle, for example, is in-style for men this year. This was considered big in the 90s, with the grunge look finding its way into music and movies along with longer, parted hair. For women, 80s curls are back in, as are high pony-tails, the wet-look and extreme layers. Every year, aren’t we always reading that a least a couple different styles are “back in?”
The truth is, we shouldn’t be surprised at hair style comebacks because they aren’t really coming back. They may have had a bit more attention at certain times, but the basics of hair — long hair, short hair, curls and straight — have never changed. The only things that change are the ways we play with these basics. There were women with curly hair in the 80s just like there are now. There were men with long hair in the 90s, just like there are now.
The whole thing about style isn’t about when something is “in” or not, it’s about what works for you.
The truth is, we shouldn’t be surprised at hair style comebacks because they aren’t really coming back. They may have had a bit more attention at certain times, but the basics of hair…have never changed.
Getting your part line cut for men is still in from last year, but I haven’t cut it into my hair. Am I not in fashion? Of course I am (LOL)!! It just doesn’t work for me. But for the man who visited my salon this morning, it worked for him.
At Eliegante, we stay on top of fashion trends and styles not so we can tell you what you should look like but to be able to share options to help you find a style that works for you. You don’t have to fit fashion; fashion has to fit you. And with the products we have today for hair care, as a customer you have the freedom to really find your style and make it work for you every day.
I like what actress Anne Hathaway said about the fashion industry. She said, “There’s nothing wrong with the fashion industry. What’s wrong is changing yourself for something you don’t really care about just to get somewhere faster”. People are trying things more and more these days, because today’s customer has more options and power than ever before to be an individual. This might make bloggers and fashion writers say there’s a comeback for this or that. Maybe, if the fashion world is there to make everyone fit into a mould, we could call it a comeback.
But, if fashion is what you make of it, then good style never left.
They say that beauty is only skin deep, but I disagree. I look at it from a different perspective. Just like love, beauty starts not on the outside, but the inside.
There’s something amazing that happens when someone sees themselves in the mirror with a new hair cut, colour or style. It’s not just the “oh wow” moment, which feels great but lasts only a second or two. Sure, we all love the big reveal: we see it all the time on TV shows. But the amazing part for me is what happens after that moment. You see a person’s eyes shine a little more, their smile gets brighter and they stand a little taller.
That’s the growing sense of beauty on the inside. It’s the feeling of joy and confidence that rises up when a person truly feels and appreciates his or her natural beauty. Really, it’s always there, but sometimes it just needs a boost to make it come out.
A friend came to the salon a while ago and asked about getting a new hair style. This friend, a man, had had the same haircut for a long time and was looking for something different. We talked about his hair and I gave him some consultation, and then we went for it. You know what was so great for me? It wasn’t just seeing the reaction of him and his wife (which was very good). It was hearing that he received so many complements from people that his new style really suited him and looked great. I bet he was smiling wider and standing taller…on the inside.
The whole thing comes down to loving yourself and appreciating who you are. At Eliegante, we want to bring the best out in you. We want you to love your hair and feel good about how you look, and all of that starts with having inner beauty. You have it! Let it shine!
You know, we say to our customers that we want to be your Day-Maker. Coming to our salon and sitting in our chairs may only take a short part of your day. But what we hope to leave with you should be part of your everyday.
Last month it was so great to be part of McMaster’s Shave-for-a-Cure event. Seventeen people sat in our chairs and offered up their hair to support this great event. One was even a Mac professor and his son! You can see pictures of the event on our Facebook page.
It takes bravery to shave off all your hair. It’s one thing to grow a moustache for Movember, but to lose your locks takes real courage! Not only is it a whole new look, but often people have never seen what their head looks like fully exposed. And sometimes, as one gentleman who came to me for a head shave found out, there is something hiding underneath: dry scalp.
Dry scalp is very common, especially around this time as the weather gets cold. Your hair and skin lack moisture in the dry, cold air, and your lack of vitamin D in the wintertime can also affect your skin. The result is a dandruff snowfall that’s far from flattering.
There are a few things you can do to fix dry scalp and keep the snow from falling. First, drink more water. Yes! Make sure you’re hydrated to give your skin and hair a chance to gain extra moisture. Keep an eye on your diet, too. Your food intake affects your hair and skin just like your water intake.
Rinsing your hair thoroughly after a bath or shower is important too, to make sure there is no product build-up to sap your hair and scalp of moisture. The longer or thicker your hair is, the more rinsing is needed to get all the shampoo and conditioner out of your hair and off your scalp. Just take a bit more time to make sure this is done properly.
And finally, if you are in need of a medicated treatment, there are lots of options. One product we carry that is an excellent solution for dry scalp is Phytopolléine Scalp Treatment from Phyto. It’s 100 % botanical with a mix of essential oils and corn germ oil, and is good for all hair types. This is the treatment my customer used and it worked great. Keep the snow outside where it belongs!
On behalf of everyone here at Eliegante Hair Design & Spa, I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas and a blessed New Year!
Recently I saw a video (which is now on my Facebook page) called Christmas gifts for the homeless. In it a man asks people on the street what they’d like for Christmas, and he goes and buys what they ask for. It’s amazing: they ask for simple things like a blanket, a sandwich, or a new pair of pants. When he comes back with their gifts, it’s like “wow.” They are deeply touched, and so happy. And, watching it, you can’t help feeling it too.
That’s the power of giving!
At Eliegante, the season of giving starts early. Actually, I’m not sure it ever stops! But I’m not just talking about the people who come to the salon. We love to give our customers a great cut, style, and relaxing experience, but we also want to extend our giving out into the community. Interestingly, giving in November has a lot to do with hair!
Most people know about “Mo-vember”, where growing your moustache and taking part in events help to raise awareness about men’s health. But there are lots of other activities happening too. Each year we support City Kidz in Hamilton, which is such a great program for youth in our city. We often hold a Cut-a-Thon to raise funds for City Kidz, and this year one of the speakers at the City Kidz Dream Banquet dinner is a former City Kid herself!
Also coming up is the McMaster Shave-for-a-Cure fundraiser on November 14, from 10-3pm. My staff and I get the privilege to support these brave participants who shave their heads to raise money for Camp Trillium, a local non-profit organization which provides year-round recreational experiences for pediatric cancer patients and their families. Oh, and I want to mention the Liberty for Youth Fundraising Dinner on Nov. 9 at 5:30pm too.
So many great events!
A few weeks ago I was blessed by the giving of others as I celebrated my 50th birthday. My family, friends, customers and staff gave me plenty to be thankful for! Now, this month I can pass on the giving to others who do so much in our community.
Giving isn’t just for Christmas. It’s something that we can do all the time.
Just got back from Lebanon! It’s been over six years since I was able to take my whole family back to my home country and we had a fantastic time. Great food, a moonlight hike in the mountains and gracious hospitality. Through it all I was reminded of how important family and relationship is.
At our salon we work hard to make every customer feel welcome and appreciated. After all, we want to be your day-maker! We never forget that Eliegante salon is part of your day and part of a larger community, so the personal touch is very important to us. This attitude comes from my upbringing in Lebanon, where community and hospitality is at the heart of the culture. A well-known Lebanese phrase is دائما معا, which means “always together”. So even though I have childhood friends that I haven’t seen in years, we’re still together. A friend is a friend even a continent away. And, in times when we get back together like we did last month, it’s a wonderful reunion.
Let me tell you one quick haircut story from my trip.
I have a cute little nephew named Ray. When he was born, his parents said “Elie, when he’s old enough we want you to give him his first haircut”. That was 18 months ago. Well, his hair has been growing and by now was getting full and thick. His parents had been keeping it trimmed, but were saving a full haircut for me. When I got over to Lebanon on this trip I had the pleasure of seeing Ray and, you guessed it, giving him his very first salon treatment! What a joy! And he sat so patiently for me, it was amazing! You can see pictures of the experience on my Facebook Page.
I’m glad to be back home and busy at the salon as we head into fall. But I’m thankful for the trip and time away with my family and friends. It helps me remember that hard work is very good, but relationship is priceless. A warm, friendly atmosphere is what we want you to feel each time you step into Eliegante Hair Design and Spa.
It’s so awesome to see the new sports park open at Bethel Gospel Tabernacle in Hamilton! Eliegante Hair Design and Spa is a sponsor for this great program helping kids have fun this summer playing soccer and taking a break from their Pokemon hunting! My daughters have wrapped up their sports for the season, but I still love going over to the field (one of the few green lawns left in the city) to watch the little ones have fun.
Graziano Pelle
Today, a young boy came into my salon with his mom, asking for a hair style (not hair cut, I’ll explain in a minute). He pulled a picture out of his pocket and showed it to me. He said, “can you make me look like Pelle?” I laughed as he handed me a clipping of Italian soccer player Graziano Pelle. He sat in the chair and soon after left the salon happy with a style modelled after the famous soccer star.
Do athletes affect fashion? Yes! This summer I’ve had many requests for sports hair styles. With the Euro Cup just finished and the Olympics almost here, it’s a time when girls and especially boys are getting a look inspired by what they see on the field and on TV. Ponytails, corn rows and braids are very common now for active girls and ladies, and close-cropped, low maintenance cuts (yes, and that straight-line part) for men are not just a summer thing, but highly influenced by sports and popular athletes.
And as I was saying, this is a style, not a hair cut. A hair cut is a clean up. A style is like creating a new you. This is often a major change- maybe it’s a totally new colour or, like for this young boy, a new way of cutting, shaping and wearing your hair.
Don’t be afraid to try something new. If you want, come to our salon and we can talk about a style that will work for you. Enjoy the gym today, enjoy the Olympics this month and always have great hair!
If you’ve been upstairs at Eliegante salon, you may have noticed the curved shelves full of all the wonderful hair
colour we use. Guess which one is the most popular these days? Grey! Are you surprised? Yes, the colour most of our customers are asking about is the colour that, until recently, has been the one everyone wanted to make disappear! Orange may be the new black, but grey is the new standard for young and old alike!
This month’s chair education is to help you understand how to get that perfect grey look you’re seeing on celebrity Instagram’s and magazine covers. Believe it or not, while going grey naturally may seem easy, colouring you grey is not. There’s a lot of time and effort involved, so if you like how Zayn, Dascha or Ginnifer got their grey and want to do the same, let me tell you how it’s done. (If you’re a Euro Cup fan and want one of those footballer hair styles we do that too, but let’s talk about that another time!)
First, we pre-lighten your hair to get it ready for colour blending. This takes some time to complete, but don’t worry: our delicious homemade cappuccinos or espressos will help you pass the time! Then we will choose a highlight to blend with the grey. There are lots of options here, and the goal is to match your skin tone, the type of hair you have, and the kind of cut you’re looking for. I definitely do not recommend trying this double-colour process on your own, because it puts your hair under a lot of stress and can damage your hair if not done properly. My team and I are trained to give your hair exactly what it needs, letting you leave the salon with the look you love and the knowledge on how to keep it looking great.
I hope you enjoy watching the rest of Euro Cup 2016 wherever you are! But if you want to venture into the grey area of your hair style, come by the salon and see how we can help you look great in grey!
It’s growing season! At Eliegante we’re busy these days making things beautiful inside and out. In between making bridal parties gorgeous and getting young prom princes and princesses ready for the ball, I’ve been outside fixing up the garden in front of the salon. We’re closed on Wednesday’s, so I spent yesterday afternoon weeding and cleaning up (my poor back!). Today I unloaded a heap of mulch to help curb weeds and hold the moisture for our tulips, hostas and daffodils that are already showing their brilliant colour.
There’s a lot that goes into making your garden ready for growing season: weeding, trimming, cultivating, adding mulch, and giving it plenty of water. Gardens don’t just grow beautifully on their own: they need care!
And, really, it’s a lot like caring for your hair.
When someone walks by my salon on Upper James Street with luxurious hair blowing in the hot summer breeze, I know she doesn’t have that look by accident. Her hair is the result of proper care. The summer can do damage to your hair if you’re not careful, so here are 5 tips to help you have great summer hair.
1. Start with a trim
Warmer weather leads to dryness, which for most people means split ends. Split ends are like the dandelions of hair! Some people are surprised to know that no product can fix split ends; they can only prevent them. So starting with a trim means that split ends can be cut away and we can work on strengthening the rest of the hair.
2. Add plenty of moisture
Here’s an easy tip to remember: give your hair what you give your face. If you apply a facial moisturizer for dry skin, chances are your hair needs moisture too. Using a leave-in conditioner or a once-a-week treatment will keep your hair looking shiny and soft.
3. Get the right shampoo
Make sure you choose the right shampoo for your hair. Professional products are designed to give your hair exactly what it needs, and there’s a product out there that’s suited to your needs. At Eliegante we feature Paul Mitchell Awapuhi and Phyto products.
4. Don’t forget to masque
Applying a hair masque every week to two weeks will ensure your hair is protected. If you have coloured hair, make sure you use a colour-safe masque.
5. Enjoy yourself
Once I get my garden all spruced up, I’m going to stand back and enjoy its beauty. Similarly, once you’ve taken these simple steps, it’s time to stroll into summer with ooh-la-la hair!
If you’d like to learn more about how to get your hair ready for summer, come by Eliegante Hair Design and Spa and we’ll provide you a free 15 minute consultation. I promise to leave the gardening gloves outside!
Oh my, the Queen is 90! And doesn’t she still look good? Wow, that lady has had a style all her own through decades of fashion changes, hair styles and culture shifts. How does she do it? Well, I’ll tell you: she doesn’t do it alone.
Angela Kelly wrote a book about her experience as a personal dresser to Her Royal Highness. In it she says that there’s a team of 12 people just to handle the Queen’s wardrobe! Ian Carmichael and Denise McAdam have been keeping the Queen’s hair coifed and styled so perfectly for almost two decades. Over the years her style has gradually gotten shorter, but always fitting her look that seems timeless.
Now, the Queen always looks good because she has to look good. But she has help. Just like you, she doesn’t roll out of bed looking all put together. It takes effort and care, and with professionals who understand style and design and know how to help her find the right look, it’s not all on her shoulders. And it doesn’t have to be on yours, either!
Have you ever asked a professional what style would work for you? A lot of people try to copy someone else’s style, 
and sometimes this works, but everyone is unique and a professional can help you find your best style at any age. A stylist can also help you find the right product to help you keep your hair healthy and looking great.
Have you always had the same look? Is it time for a change? I just finished re-colouring a customer’s hair from jet black to a beautiful blonde. Wow, the process took hours but what a change! She’s thrilled, and I’m so happy for her. Change doesn’t need to be scary. With the right people to guide you, it can be a wonderful moment.
You may not need a team of 12 assistants helping you look your best, but if you want to have a lifetime of looking good, make the investment in yourself to look your best. I work with each of my customer’s to find a style that works for them, and I never get tired of seeing a beaming smile in the mirror.
Long live the Queen, and long live great style!
