At our salon we often have brave guests who want to really change up their look and style. I’m talking about those big changes, the “oh wow” transformations that we like to see on makeover TV shows. We love to help our clients make this leap to something new.
It’s not always like that though. In fact, most of the time the changes we make are subtle. You might get a highlight, or leave your bangs a little longer or your fade a little higher. And sometimes, people get the same cut and style month after month. But even then, your hair is changing all the time. It changes colour, it gets dry, and yes, it eventually goes grey or goes away!
This month more than most I think about change, not only for our customers but also for our community. I’m proud to say that, like many others, Eliegante Salon actively promotes positive change in the lives of others in lots of ways -big or small. Last weekend I rode my bike in Hamilton’s Annual Road2Hope Marathon, which has an incredible 24 charity partners. The weather was a little chilly but what an amazing event to be a part of. Later this month we’re taking part in McMaster University’s Shave for a Cure fundraiser, supporting cancer research. Last year we were part of helping the Smiling over Sickness team raise over $7,000 for Camp Trillium!
And of course, this is all taking place in the month of Movember.
Everyone who is a part of these kinds of causes is pushing for positive change. And just like a haircut, those changes can be little things or big things. Or sometimes it seems like we aren’t doing anything different. But even when we look back on times of simple consistency we won’t fail to see something new about our journey or ourselves.
We all love seeing big change, the kind these organizations are working towards. But let’s also celebrate each positive step, no matter what size it is.
Because every step, just like every person, matters.
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!
“Your child has cancer and there’s nothing we can do for you.” These are words I hope people never have to hear. At Eliegante, we are blessed to be part of a community working to erase those words here in Hamilton and around the world.
Recently Eliegante Hair Design & Spa was invited to take part in two fundraisingevents at McMaster University in Hamilton. The first was Locks for Love, organized by Smiling over Sickness McMaster, and the second was the Hamilton Health Sciences’ 2016 Cancer Relay. Locks for Love is held each year in February to help raise money for cancer research and for volunteers to donate hair for wigs, which are given to children with medically-induced hair loss. At the Cancer Relay, a dozen or so volunteers had their hair cut by cancer survivors as part of the event.
We had the pleasure of providing a little “styling support” for these amazing individuals. I’ve been a part of these events for years, and each time I hear their stories my heart is both broken and encouraged. Broken, over what they’ve had to endure; encouraged, at their ability to hope and persevere. The care and compassion shown at these events is so great that my staff and I can’t help but be inspired to do more for our community.
When people come to our salon to donate their hair we provide these cuts for free, because it’s a way for us to bless those who are being a blessing for someone else. Donating hair is a big deal! To donate hair for a wig, you need at least 8 inches. Many people grow it longer, meaning it can take 1-2 years to get it long enough. That’s commitment!
I recently had a young man (yes, guys do it too) come to my salon with the reddest hair you’ve ever seen. He’d been growing it for two years in order to donate it. How awesome is that? He’s not in university yet, so he wasn’t part of these recent McMaster events, but his contribution makes it like he was right there with us.
The best thing Eliegante can do is make donors feel great about donating their hair. When it feels good to give, we want to give more.
And when we’re giving out hope, I don’t want it to ever run out.
