Spa Etiquette (What Not To Do)

As a follow up to the last post on what to do at a spa or salon. Here are some things you should not do.

1. Don't show up late or not show up at all.
This is one of the worst things you can do. Most stylists or therapists work off of commission or booth rental. This means that they only get paid for the people they work on. So if there is nobody in that time spot, they don't get paid for that time. Every time you show up late you are costing them money, and setting them back. Leave an extra 15 mins early and arrive early for your appointment. If you need cancel, don't do it 2 hours before your appointment time. If you must cancel on the day of, do it early in the day so they can try and fill that open time spot.

2. Don't answer your phone during a service.
Answering your phone during a facial or a massage is not ideal. You would not appreciate it if the person working on you took a personal call during your service time. Turn your phone on silent while you are getting a massage or a facial. If you are expecting a phone call, just let us know we are usually very understanding.

3. Don't leave without tipping.
Tipping your stylist, nail tech, massage therapist or facialist is the same as tipping your waitress. By you not tipping, you are saying that you hated what we did. You should tip 15-20% of the total service bill. So if you buy products, tip of the amount before the product purchases. Tipping under 15% means you also weren't very satisfied with the service, so always keep that in mind.

4. Don't drink caffeinated beverages or alcohol right before a massage or facial.
When you get a massage and facial, the movements help to circulate the blood which can make the alcohol and caffeine go through your body quicker. Drinking pop and alcohol also dehydrates you so you are more susceptible to passing out. It also makes your skin dry and your body more jittery. Stick to water before and after so you stay hydrated.

5. Don't barter on prices.
This may seen like a weird thing and most people don't experience this but is does happen often. Just because a price says "starting at" this does not mean it is going to be the actual price. Everything depends on time, the amount of work needed, if any services were added on and if extra product is needed. Most places tell you how much things are going to be before they do them on you, so when you come to pay the bill, don't argue with the receptionist and try to get a lower price. They are just doing there job.

6. Don't wear make-up for a facial or massage appointment.
Wearing make-up for a facial or a massage really is pointless because its going to be taken off during the facial and during the massage, it usually smears and comes half off onto the face cradle. So to save you the time, just come without make-up and apply it after. 

7. Don't wash your hair.
Don't wash your hair the day of an appointment for hair, massages or facials. For hair services, color and styling for up-dos stays better when you wash the hair the day before. As for massages and facials, they normally do a scalp massage during both services, so if you come in with your hair done it will just get messed up.

8. Don't bring your kids. 
Unless there are no other options, they are getting something done, or your let the business know before hand, don't bring your kids to an appointment. There is really nothing for them to do, and the staff isn't there to babysit. Most kids do not want to sit and wait 3 hours for you to get your hair done. Its best to leave them with the sitter.

9. Don't talk about your last hair/massage/nail/facial place.
It's plan and simple, we know you aren't at your last place for a reason and you are now coming to see us. Whether its good or bad, we really don't want to know. All we care about is that you are coming to see us now, and that you love us so much you keep coming back. 


These are some of the things not to do in spa etiquette. If you don't do these things, the spa or salon you go to will love you even more then they already do, your appointments will go smoother, and you will leave much happier. 

~aphrodite

General Spa Etiquette

In every place of business there are certain things that you should and should not do. If you have never been to a spa before,  you can be unsure of some things that are expected and not expected of you. Here is a basic list of things that you should do at a spa.

1. Always Be Early.
Being early means different things to different people. Some people think being early means being on time for an appointment, while others will be 20 to 30 minutes early. Most spas just ask for you to arrive 5 to 10 minutes before your scheduled appointment time. If you are a new customer, the 10 minute mark is when you should arrive. At our spa each new client fills out some sort of paperwork for the service they are getting, and enjoys some of our refreshments. When filling out paperwork, write as nice as possible. If you are a repeat client, 5 minutes early is plenty of time. 

2. What To Wear.
We recommend on wearing something that you are going to be comfortable in and that is easy to get in and out of. If you are getting your hair done, wear something with a lower collar. If you are getting a pedicure, wear carpi's, shorts, a long skirt or dress, or pants that are easy to pull up. They usually do some sort of leg massage. For massages and facials, you can wear anything you like. We recommend not doing your hair, because you usually receive a scalp massage.

3. What To Do In The Facial/Massage Room.
The therapist will go over with you on what to do. Most rooms provide a place where you can put your clothes. Undress to your comfort level (portions of you will be covered at all times so you do not feel exposed) and lay face down under the sheets/blankets with your face in the cradle at the end of the bed. Remove any jewelry and hair accessories. You can put your hair up in a hair band if you would like. When the session is complete, the therapist will give you a few minutes so you can take your time getting up and getting dressed.

4. Tipping. Always be sure to tip at the end of any service. Some places do include the tip in the service price, so you can always ask if the tip is including. Normal tipping for services is 20%. And like in waitress', you can tip more if you enjoyed yourself very much. 

5. Communicate.
If there is something that you want the therapist or stylist to do or not to do be sure to let them know. Every person is different, and we do not assume anything. We all do things a little differently, so you may enjoy one person more than another. We are here to serve you, if you are hot, cold, or the music is to loud we will adjust this things for you. If the pressure is too much, let us know.

 6. Cancelling or Rescheduling.
If you need to cancel or reschedule an appointment you should contact a spa 24 to 48 hours before your appointment. It gives us a chance to refill that spot. Some places will charge 20 to 50% of the service price for no shows or last minute cancellations, so be sure to try to do it in a timely manner. We do understand that emergencies happen.

7. Drink Plenty Of Water.
After a massage or any type of body treatment you should drink lots of water to rehydrate your self. There is a lot of movements that help to loosen up your body and drain your lymph's, so you need to be sure to replenish them after your service.

8. Relax. 
Most importantly we are here to make you feel relaxed and comfortable. You have to let your mind go and enjoy the moment. Turn your phone off, so the time that is spent here can be completely focused on you and you only. Our clients are our #1 priority. If you are not happy, we are not happy.

I hope we have the pleasure of meeting you and being able to work on you one day. Enjoy your next spa or salon experience.

~aphrodite

Keeping Your Skin Healthy

Using the right products for your skin is extremely important. What may work for someone else, may not work for you. The different skin types are sensitive, oily, dry and combination. We will go through what each skin type means, what you need to focus on, and what types of products you should look for to use.

Sensitive Skin
You can tell you have sensitive skin by if you have burning, flaking, or redness after using any type of products. When using products look for sensitive skin on its labels, and look for organic/all natural products to help minimize the chance of reaction. Everyday you should use sunscreen, because redness is caused by inflammation which can be increased if you are not using sunscreen. Use a calming moisturizer that has ingredients like oats, vitamin e, or cucumbers that well help to sooth the skin. Avoid peels or harsh exfoliants. They will continue to irritate your skin and end up doing more bad then good. Stick to cooler products that come from a fridge to reduce irritation and calm the skin quicker. Use a natural oil like olive oil or coconut oil on your skin if it becomes dry.

Oily Skin
The amount of oil that your skin has has nothing to do with the amount of moisturizer you use. It is from the amount of sebum your skin produces. So when you use products made for other skin types, at can cause your skin to produce more oil then it currently is. Be sure to still use moisturizer, but look for one that is water based so it hydrates your skin without adding excess oil. You can use stronger products that contain retinol and hydroquinone because oily skin tends to be thicker and has less irritation. Avoid picking at pimples. It causes dark spots and scars that may not be visible while you are younger but can become more prominent as you age.

Dry Skin
Dry skin usually has a dry, rough and sometimes flaky texture to it. This can be from too much tanning, the wrong products, or not drinking enough water. You should drink 80 oz or more water each day. Your cleanser should be one that is hydrating and has moisturizing ingredients in it like ceramides or hyaluronic acid. Dry skin means that the enzymes that help remove dead skin cells have slowed down that has caused a build-up on your skin. Use a gentle peel or exfoliate once a week. Avoid harsh scrubs like salt scrubs. It can dry your skin our more, so try a sugar scrub instead. Layer products on your skin, like a face serum then top it off with a moisturizer to get more bang out of your prod

 
Combination Skin
This means you have spots of your skin that are dry and some spots that are oily. You have to treat the oily zones different then the dry zones. Use an salicylic acid toner on the oily spots to help minimize and unclog pores. If you don't have large pores, then use a essence lotion to help balance out both oily and dry skin. Apply a moisturizer on top. Use a mask once a week. Look for one that has glycolic or lactic acid formulas. Make sure to leave it on your face for 10 minutess or less so it doesn't irritate your skin. Clay masks usually work the best.

 

Try out these tips to help control the skin you have and make it look better then ever. 

~aphrodite

Look Goregous In Minimal Time

Are you one of those girls that are always over sleeping and never having enough time to get ready in the morning? This is going to be the perfect blog post for you. Here are some ways to look completely put together in much less time.

1. Five Minute Morning Routine
The five things you need to make your face ready for the day are concealer, foundation, lip gloss or stain, brow filler and mascara. Use the concealer to hid dark, under eye circles and breakouts. Apply foundation to your entire face for an even skin tone. Lip gloss for some added color to your look. Brow filler so your brows look perfect even if they haven't been waxed in a while. And lastly add mascara so your eyes look bright and awake.

2. The Quick Wash
Have bangs that look dirty but no time to wash your hair? Pull your hair in a ponytail and just wash your bangs real quick in the sink. Dry and style as usual. For the rest of the hair, you can rock it in a ponytail or add some dry shampoo to the roots and brush it through.

3. Style The Night Before
Looking for beachy waves? The night before add a texturizing cream into your hair then braid into to braids.  In the morning undo the braids for a messy wave.

4. Use 2 in 1 Products
To line your lashes and fill your brows use a brow liner to double as both. You can also use a light pink lipstick as a blush.

5. Moisturize While You Sleep
Why not do two things at once? Put a hydrating mask on before you go to bed, and sleep in it over night. In the morning rinse and wash your face as usual in the morning. Your skin absorbs things better while you sleep, so your face will feel extra hydrated in the morning.

6. Multi-Task
Find ways to do two things at once. It doesn't matter what your doing, just find away to do more then one thing at a time.

7. Red Lips
Nothing says put together more then red lips. Just apply a quick swipe of your favorite lipstick and you are good to go.

8. Relieve Dry Feet
This is one thing I always tell my clients to do. If you have dry, cracking feet, apply Vaseline on them and sleep in socks. Continue this every night during the colder months to keep your feet soft and smooth.

9. Organization
If you have a hard time finding beauty products when you need them, try organizing them. Create little baskets or drawers to store each product you need. Use a shelf in the bathroom for all your hair products, and a drawer for all your clips, bobby pins and hair ties.

10. Night Time Showers
Try to shower the night before. If you aren't planning on washing your hair, then save time and shower the night before. It will shave a good 5-10 minutess off your morning routine.

11. Change-up Your Ponytail
Put your hair in a high pony-tail and instead of letting everyone see your hair tie, apply hair wax on to a small section of hair and wrap it around the ponytail. Secure it with a few bobby pins.

12. Use a BB Cream
A BB cream is great for adding some color to your skin like a foundation, and adding sunscreen in one step. Apply it like you would a foundation to your entire face and make sure there are no streaks. It helps moisturize your face and fill in any fine lines.

13. Dry Shampoo
Invest the money in a new best friend, dry shampoo. It is perfect for those late days when you don't have time to wash your hair. Spray 10-12 inches from head and then brush through the rest of your hair. 

14. Air Dry
If you really need to wash your hair and don't have time to style it, apply some leave-in hair products at let it air dry. To create lose waves, add a texturizer into your hair and wrap into a bun. Let dry for a few hours and let it down for gorgeous waves.

15.  Neutrals
If you are low on time to do your make-up stick with more neutral tones. Apply foundation, a light pink blush, mascara, a light lip gloss for shine and brown or gold shadows. It will all blend together so nobody will know if its not perfect.

Try these great tips to help reduce the time of your morning routine, or make the most of it if you are not one who gives yourself much time to get ready.


~aphrodite

Brilliant Beauty Hacks

Everyone women wants to look great and feel great but doesn't necessarily want to take the time to do so. Here are some of the in trend looks currently and how to make them easier for every day looks.

1. The Nude Lip
Finding the perfect nude lipstick is nearly impossible. You can achieve this look one of two ways. For a shine first apply a foundation to your lips patting it so it fully covers the lips and then apply a lip balm on top for a slightly glossy look. For a more matte look, use a nude color lip liner to outline and fill in your lips. Then apply a bit of concealer on top for the perfect matte finish.

2. Lasting Lipstick
To make your lipstick last, first fill in your lips with a nude color lip or eye liner. Apply a layer of loose powder to fill in any ridges or cracks on your lips. Next apply your desired lip color and finish with the matching lip liner to define your lips, as well as apply over the lipstick. 

3. Highlighters
Every have the problem when you are trying to apply a highlighter and it becomes too shiny? Mix it with an eye cream. This will tone down the shine and allow it to be applied with ease and more skin like.

4. Lipstick Smudging
Does your matte lipstick smudge? Try to use a matte lip balm or a lip primer on your lips before applying your favorite lipstick. This will allow it to adhere better to your lips. 


5. Create Your Own Color
Thinking your nail color is just not quite right? To make the color darker, apply a darker shade as the 1st coat and then layer the desired color on top. So if its a red you want to darken, add a darker red or a brown underneath. If you want to lighten it, add a white or pale pink underneath. 


6. Use White
To make your face appear thinner, when you contour use white. Apply it to the high points on your face, such as eyes, cheekbones and chin, so it gives a slimming effect to your face.


7. Glitter Polish Removal
Have the hardest time removing glitter nail polish? Use pure acetone and a cotton pad. Cotton balls will just shred against the glitter. Apply acetone to the pad, and set on your nail for 10 seconds. Then begin the removal. You will notice how much easier it comes off. Apply cuticle oil after to your nails.

8. Bad Nails
To give the appearance of nice nails, use a white ridge filling base coat. It will help hid the imperfections of the nails and allow the polish to glide on smoothly if it usually doesn't.



Try out some of these great make-up and nail hacks next time you go out. I am sure they will make you have great, long-lasting results!

~aphrodite

Spring Break Nails

Anytime you go on vacation, especially to some place warm that has a beach, you want to have great looking nails. The problem is the chip easily. If your not a fan of shellac or gel, follow these tips and check out these great colors as well.

What Color To Chose

Magenta. While many people associate magenta with barbie pink, it doesn't have to be that pink. Try one that has darker under tones like purple in it if you have olive or dark skn tone so it is more of a purple-pink. For fairer skin, go towards a brighter pink.

        

Papaya. Basically a bright orange with a hit of pink. The darker your skin tone, the brighter it should be. This a great color to make your skin look tanner.

Indigo. This is an updated verison of the navy blue nail trend that was in last year. This dark blue with a hit of purple goes great for everyday life and life on the beach. 

Seafoam green.
Seafoam green is basically a mint green that is a bit more pale in some cases. It is light enough so it goes with just about anything and can really make greens and blues pop.

Bright Lemon.
Yellow nail polish is not a color that will be for everyone. It works best for darker skin tones like olive, because other wise it will make your skin look more yellow, and bring out those under tones.

 

How to Keep Your Nails Looking Great

Keep your hands off. 
Anytime your hair is wet, avoid running your fingers threw your hair. The polish becomes softer when it is wet, so it can catch on things a lot easier. Have you ever noticed that your polish chipped while washing your hair? Be careful while washing your hair and use the pads of your fingers instead of the tips, and when you get out of any type of water, use a leave in conditioner then brush your hair with a soft bristle brush or a wide tooth comb. 

Avoid alcohol on your hands.
Any kind of alcohol from drinks to perfume to hand sanitizer should be avoided on by your nails if you want to keep them nice and shiny. The alcohol will dull the color.

Be careful with your suitcase.
Watch yourself as you unzip your suit case. Your nails can easily get caught on the teeth of the suit case or on a string and snag. You can always ask someone else to unzip it for you.

Avoid sunscreen on your polish. 
The chemicals in sunscreen dull our polish. Be sure to wipe them off after you have applied your sunscreen all over. You can use a beach towel or even any alcohol free wipes. 

Sand.
Your nails seem duller after a day at the beach? Apply oil or a top coat to bring back the shine.



What To Pack

Cuticle oil. Apply every day after being in the sun, sand and just every day wear.

Topcoat. In case you start to lose the shine from sunscreen, or chlorine.

Travel kit. Include a nail file, nail clippers in case you break a nail. Don't use the crappy orange files, opt for a good one.

Nail polish remover wipes. For easy polish removal if you chip them beyond repair. 

Nail polish. For touch-ups of if you just feel like changing up the color.

Alcohol free wipes. To wipe up your polish so it doesn't yellow or dull.



I hope you enjoyed this great tips to have your nails looking great for Spring Break or any other vacation this year.

~aphrodite

More Hairstyles To Try In 2015

With so many different trends you can almost try out something new everyday. Mixing and matching things are the fun part about fashion. As your trying out different styles of clothes, why not try a different style of hair as well. Here are some more popular hair trends to try in 2015.

1.) School Girl Hair
The school girl hair is sweet and simple. It can be done with any hair type or texture. Simple do a side part to the side of your head that you prefer, and bobby pin your hair to that side at about eyebrow level. Make sure its tight so it doesn't move and the look is complete.

2.) Retro Waves.
Retros waves is one of the more difficult styles to master. It is great for any formal event like a wedding. It involves using rollers on the top of your head for volume and curling the rest of your head in alternating directions. After the hair is cooled, hairspray it. Then lightly brush out and smooth hair to desired shape. Apply more hairspray. This is a look that is best to be left to the professionals.

3.) Messy Ballerina Bun.
Another really easy to do hairstyle. Start by pulling your hair back into a slicked ponytail. Lightly tease sections of your hair (if not already curly or wavy) to give some added texture. Wrap into a bun, its okay if its kind of messy and secure it with bobby pins or a hair tie.

4.) Bombshell Blow-out.
Another pretty easy to do style (as long as you can work a curling iron). Start by adding mousse to wet hair. Ruff dry your hair so it is about 70-80% dry. Pull out a big curling iron (about 2 inches around) and curl the front sections of your hair. After run your fingers threw it for a messy waved look.

5.) Fishtail Bun.
The fishtail bun is easy if you can fishtail braid hair. Start by putting your hair in a low ponytail. Split your hair into 2 sections, and grab small sections from each side alternating all the way down the hair strand. They should cross over and make a continuous v shape all the way down. Wrap around into a bun and secure with hair pins and bobby pins. Finish with your favorite hairspray.

6.) Sexy Pigtails.
Going back to the school girl hair, this is another classic school girl look. Start with second day curled or air dried hair (the texture makes it sexier). Create a messy center part and split your hair in two. Use hair bands to secure each section. Add a bit of hairspray to finish the look. 

 

7.) Weaved Ponytail.

This one is a bit harder to do since you can't fully see your head. Start by parting out the top section, back section and sides of your hair. Split the top section of your hair into two, and cross over each other so the go into the side sections of your hair.  Cross over the side sections of your hair so they each go into the opposite side of the back section. Place into a ponytail and complete. This works best with straight hair, so straighten your hair before trying it out.

 

8.) Modern Crimps.

This is one of our stylists FAVORITE looks of the year. You start by picking out random sections of your hair, (choose between 3-6 depending on how thick your hair is) and using a small crimper, crimp each section of your hair. This adds a fun texture to any up-do or casual style. 

9.) Looped Through Bun.
This is a easy style, that is great for any women on the go. First pick a cotton headband and apply. Pull your hair back into a ponytail. Apply a stretchy headband over top so it creates a bun with the ponytail.

10.) Half-Up.
Not just half-up ponytail, this is  clip that loops the hair through it. When you pull your hair half up, pull less of it into the ponytail and leave more of it out. It makes your hair look thicker. 

Try out some of these hairstyles for your new go to look, you never know what you might love.

~aphodite