BABS Salon & Spa
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
The Black Cat is Out of the Bag!
We are sharing secrets! Halloween makeup secrets that is.
This Halloween, turn your costume from "eh" to "FAB!" Here are some "must know" secrets to Halloween makeup that will allow you to pull off a more realistic costume.
When creating a base color on your face--for instance, green for Frankenstein or pale for Dracula--don't just use one color. A blend of colors will create a textured and realistic look.
Here are some suggestions:
a. Frankenstein - For the base face color apply a light coat of green makeup, then over that layer sponge on a brown color lightly, then re-touch with the green where needed to mute the brown. The blend of the green and brown will create a modeled and more realistic look. Finish with all the extra little touches.
b. Vampire - For the base color blend white face paint with just a small amount of gray. White face paint is for clowns, so you want to tone it down with some gray. After the base coat is applied, use a smokey gray color just under the cheek bone (just like a blush) and down the sides of the nose to create a gaunt look. Remember to BLEND OUT THE EDGES! You don't want stark lines separating the colors. Now you're ready to really bring your vampire to life with some smokey dead eyes and black lips!
c. Zombie (or anything dead, really) - For the base color blend grays and browns with just a touch of black. A little trick: Take baking cocoa and apply with a brush in random areas on face and neck. The base makeup will help the cocoa to stick and it will give a dirty look.
Just remember to blend colors so that your makeup really pops and comes to life!
Happy Halloween from the staff at BABS!
This Halloween, turn your costume from "eh" to "FAB!" Here are some "must know" secrets to Halloween makeup that will allow you to pull off a more realistic costume.
When creating a base color on your face--for instance, green for Frankenstein or pale for Dracula--don't just use one color. A blend of colors will create a textured and realistic look.
Here are some suggestions:
a. Frankenstein - For the base face color apply a light coat of green makeup, then over that layer sponge on a brown color lightly, then re-touch with the green where needed to mute the brown. The blend of the green and brown will create a modeled and more realistic look. Finish with all the extra little touches.
b. Vampire - For the base color blend white face paint with just a small amount of gray. White face paint is for clowns, so you want to tone it down with some gray. After the base coat is applied, use a smokey gray color just under the cheek bone (just like a blush) and down the sides of the nose to create a gaunt look. Remember to BLEND OUT THE EDGES! You don't want stark lines separating the colors. Now you're ready to really bring your vampire to life with some smokey dead eyes and black lips!
c. Zombie (or anything dead, really) - For the base color blend grays and browns with just a touch of black. A little trick: Take baking cocoa and apply with a brush in random areas on face and neck. The base makeup will help the cocoa to stick and it will give a dirty look.
Just remember to blend colors so that your makeup really pops and comes to life!
Happy Halloween from the staff at BABS!
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Straight from N.Y.C.: Dominican Silk Wrap now at BABS in Birmingham!
For more than 500 years, Dominican women have been perfecting beautiful, healthy hair. Their washing, drying, brushing, and wrapping techniques are combined with the natural products native to their country (avocado, silk, coconut, olive, cinnamon oils, and the slime of snails). The result is a silky head of hair full of body and shine!
There are more than 3,000 Dominican salons throughout the New York City metropolitan area offering their clientele the hair experience of a lifetime: The Dominican Silk Wrap.
And here at BABS in Birmingham, we have our own 100% Dominican and N.Y.C native. Iris uses all natural Dominican products straight from the Dominican Republic. Her clients are loving their hair after their Dominican Silk Wrap experience.
The Dominican Silk Wrap helps to prevent breakage and eliminate frizz. The natural products that she uses restore capillary functions, regulate sebaceous glands, and promote hair growth by hydrating and strengthening hair. This service is especially designed for women with textured hair, so more and more African American women are turning to the Dominican Silk Wrap for beautiful, natural hair.
Dominican salons do not prefer the use of hot irons/combs and harsh chemicals on a regular basis, because the overuse of all these things can play a detrimental role in the health of hair. Their own special techniques are renowned for producing luxurious, healthy hair. For women wanting straight hair without the use of chemicals, Iris will perform a very Dominican technique called a Doobie or "dry wrap." In this technique, the hair is brushed and wrapped tightly around the head (after the wash and blow dry experience), pinned, and then wrapped with a silk head scarf. The longer you wear your wrap the better, so wearing it overnight is suggested.
The Dominican Silk Wrap experience starts at $60, and Iris (la estilista) is waiting to book your appointment.
Call now: 248-593-6993
There are more than 3,000 Dominican salons throughout the New York City metropolitan area offering their clientele the hair experience of a lifetime: The Dominican Silk Wrap.
And here at BABS in Birmingham, we have our own 100% Dominican and N.Y.C native. Iris uses all natural Dominican products straight from the Dominican Republic. Her clients are loving their hair after their Dominican Silk Wrap experience.
The Dominican Silk Wrap helps to prevent breakage and eliminate frizz. The natural products that she uses restore capillary functions, regulate sebaceous glands, and promote hair growth by hydrating and strengthening hair. This service is especially designed for women with textured hair, so more and more African American women are turning to the Dominican Silk Wrap for beautiful, natural hair.
Dominican salons do not prefer the use of hot irons/combs and harsh chemicals on a regular basis, because the overuse of all these things can play a detrimental role in the health of hair. Their own special techniques are renowned for producing luxurious, healthy hair. For women wanting straight hair without the use of chemicals, Iris will perform a very Dominican technique called a Doobie or "dry wrap." In this technique, the hair is brushed and wrapped tightly around the head (after the wash and blow dry experience), pinned, and then wrapped with a silk head scarf. The longer you wear your wrap the better, so wearing it overnight is suggested.
The Dominican Silk Wrap experience starts at $60, and Iris (la estilista) is waiting to book your appointment.
Call now: 248-593-6993
Friday, October 1, 2010
Client Etiquette: What you should know as the client!
Being in the service industry is hard at times because inevitably there are always those clients or customers that feel you are at their mercy and they owe you little respect. These are the same patrons who provide you with absolutely no room for mistakes or misbookings. Frankly, you are not allowed to be human, subject to human nature, and your time has no meaning or value whatsoever. Clients such as these don't understand due to a lack of salon/spa etiquette knowledge.
Here's a post to clear it all up so that we can move on with a perfect give/take relationship from now on.
Appointments
Running Late: When you book an appointment, you need to understand that other clients will be booking that day as well and most likely there will be an appointment before you and one after you. Because of this, there are times where we simply cannot accommodate "running late." A stylist cannot punish the 5 clients scheduled after you by pushing them back and ruining their daily schedule because you are running late but still expect to keep your appointment. If you were one of the later clients, ask yourself how you would feel if you arrived on time only to sit for 20 minutes waiting.
This is why most salons/spas ask that you reschedule if you are going to be 15 minutes or more late. 15 minutes late makes a huge difference in salon service time. If you know you are running late, call immediately and reschedule. One thing to remember, quite often we have clients waiting for cancellations, so your acknowledgment of lateness allows us to call another client to fill your time slot. Then we can always see you at another time when your schedule allows for it.
Think of it this way, you wouldn't show up 15 or 20 minutes late for a doctor's appointment or a business meeting, and your hair stylist should receive the same respect. Their time is literally money.
Canceling Appointments: Many salons/spas will charge you 25% or more of your bill if you fail to cancel your appointment at least 24 hours in advance. Again, this is because your time slot could have been filled with a paying client. Calling 10 minutes before your appointment to say you're not feeling well and will have to reschedule is very disrespectful to your stylist considering you knew how you felt long before you called and could have given the salon enough notice to fill your time-slot. And don't worry, salons and spas understand that some emergencies are just simply unavoidable. In those instances, we will gladly work with you. However, clients that come in late, miss appointments all together, or constantly cancel at the last minute will fall under suspicion in the same way as the "boy who cried wolf one too many times." Keep your reputation as a client on good-standing and little emergencies along the way will be happily accommodated.
Missed Appointments: Let's be honest, we've all missed appointments from time to time. But do not make a habit of it, and call as soon as you realize to reschedule. Too many missed appointments can get you "fired" as a client.
Salon Misbookings or rescheduling: Unfortunately, it's going to happen. There are times when a salon/spa will mistakenly book your appointment at the wrong time or on the wrong day. It should not happen often if a salon is well managed, but even the best salons make mistakes. In cases such as these, we understand your frustration and will work hard to reschedule you at a time that is convenient to you, the client.
_________________________________________________________
As stylists, we enjoy our relationships with our clients. We love catching up while you're in the chair, but most importantly, we love watching you leave with a smile on your face, knowing you look absolutely beautiful! If both the stylist and the client work together to form a relationship built on respect and appreciation, then everyone wins!
Here's a post to clear it all up so that we can move on with a perfect give/take relationship from now on.
Appointments
Running Late: When you book an appointment, you need to understand that other clients will be booking that day as well and most likely there will be an appointment before you and one after you. Because of this, there are times where we simply cannot accommodate "running late." A stylist cannot punish the 5 clients scheduled after you by pushing them back and ruining their daily schedule because you are running late but still expect to keep your appointment. If you were one of the later clients, ask yourself how you would feel if you arrived on time only to sit for 20 minutes waiting.
This is why most salons/spas ask that you reschedule if you are going to be 15 minutes or more late. 15 minutes late makes a huge difference in salon service time. If you know you are running late, call immediately and reschedule. One thing to remember, quite often we have clients waiting for cancellations, so your acknowledgment of lateness allows us to call another client to fill your time slot. Then we can always see you at another time when your schedule allows for it.
Think of it this way, you wouldn't show up 15 or 20 minutes late for a doctor's appointment or a business meeting, and your hair stylist should receive the same respect. Their time is literally money.
Canceling Appointments: Many salons/spas will charge you 25% or more of your bill if you fail to cancel your appointment at least 24 hours in advance. Again, this is because your time slot could have been filled with a paying client. Calling 10 minutes before your appointment to say you're not feeling well and will have to reschedule is very disrespectful to your stylist considering you knew how you felt long before you called and could have given the salon enough notice to fill your time-slot. And don't worry, salons and spas understand that some emergencies are just simply unavoidable. In those instances, we will gladly work with you. However, clients that come in late, miss appointments all together, or constantly cancel at the last minute will fall under suspicion in the same way as the "boy who cried wolf one too many times." Keep your reputation as a client on good-standing and little emergencies along the way will be happily accommodated.
Missed Appointments: Let's be honest, we've all missed appointments from time to time. But do not make a habit of it, and call as soon as you realize to reschedule. Too many missed appointments can get you "fired" as a client.
Salon Misbookings or rescheduling: Unfortunately, it's going to happen. There are times when a salon/spa will mistakenly book your appointment at the wrong time or on the wrong day. It should not happen often if a salon is well managed, but even the best salons make mistakes. In cases such as these, we understand your frustration and will work hard to reschedule you at a time that is convenient to you, the client.
_________________________________________________________
As stylists, we enjoy our relationships with our clients. We love catching up while you're in the chair, but most importantly, we love watching you leave with a smile on your face, knowing you look absolutely beautiful! If both the stylist and the client work together to form a relationship built on respect and appreciation, then everyone wins!
