Shampoo is Shampoo ...

by contributing stylist Rhonda

The shampoo you use and where you purchase it doesn't matter.  Or, does it?  You can get your hair clean with a bar of soap, but that doesn't mean it's best for your hair.  Do you want your dollars to support a huge department store corporation, or do you want to support the livelihood and continuing education of your stylist?  

Know these facts before you add shampoo to your grocery list:

1. Though the ingredients in over-the-counter shampoos may look and sound the same as professional shampoos, the actual quality is different.
   
   Take for example the comparison of a box of name-brand Kraft macaroni-and-cheese, and a box of a generic macaroni-and-cheese; both have macaroni that you boil and a pouch of powdered cheese that you add your own butter and milk to.  However, it's the quality of the ingredients inside the pouch and of the macaroni that makes the difference in the results and taste.
   
   It's the same with shampoo; it's the high quality of the actual ingredients of professional hair care products that make the difference.  As in keratin, the quality varies greatly with the type of keratin used, and even how and from where it is harvested.
2. If you purchase shampoo and other home care products from your trusted stylist, you have an assurance that the product will actually work for your hair, and won't end up under your sink collecting dust.
   
   All professional manufacturers that I know of offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee.  If you return the item, the salon does not incur a loss, as the manufacturer will exchange the returned item for them.
3. Your salon purchase, just like the purchase of your haircut and color, provides additional income for your stylist, and may even be a source of continued education for them.  If you care about your stylist, you will buy your home care products from them.

Does it matter?  Well, like I said earlier, you can get your hair clean with a bar of soap, but that doesn't mean it's best for your hair.  Do you want to support a huge department store corporation, or do you want to support the livelihood of your stylist and their family?  The choice is yours, and your stylist does notice.

I Want THIS Style!

By Contributing Stylist Janice

Let's just say you were a child of the 80's...chances are, you cut out a picture of Meg Ryan and took it to your stylist and said "I want THIS hair!  Cut my hair this way, style my hair this way, teach me to fix my hair like THIS!"   Or, I can't tell you how many times Jennifer Anniston's photo has been brought to a salon!

When I excitedly went in to my particular stylist, clutching my photo of Meg, she told me (thank goodness), "Um, your hair will not do that because she has fine, naturally-wavy hair, which is a much different texture than your hair."   That is the correct answer.  YOUR hair envelops your individuality.  Trust your stylist and learn what works for your hair and what doesn't.  There is a LOOK that will make and all of your best facial features pop.   

This leads me to most of my point (whew).  When you enter ROCA Salon & Spa, there is a wall of home care products staring at you.  One would think at first "Holy Toledo! How do I choose?"  There is shampoo for long, limp, color treated, fine, dry, stressed hair and that is just one line of shampoo.  Don't get me started on conditioners or specialty treatments.    

These professional roducts are products made strictly for your specific hair type and concerns.  Your stylist can prescribe the exact product best suited for YOU!  Why go to a beauty outlet or drug store and wander the isles and GUESS?  (Especially when our salon guarantees the same price!)  So, when you see various products like "#10 Universal Polishing Coat", "#13 Mat Forming Ground", "#6 Glossy Plasteline", "#4 Glossy Modelling Putty", "#7 Crystal Fixative Lacquer", etc., KNOW that the reason is simple - there are tons of types of hair texture, density, and stress-levels, and you can learn what yours is and what is best for your locks. Ask your stylist and begin nurturing now!  Oh, and let your stylist guide you to a perfect style to suit your own hair and features!

Choose to Diffuse

By Stylist Intern, Ferrara

Hey curly girls!  If you have wavy or "swavy" curl type and desire more volume and bounce, try using a diffuser to dry your hair!  A diffuser is an attachment that fits on the end of your blow dryer that allows the air to flow gently, rather than forcefully.  The results is dry hair while keeping your curls in tact.  Here are some tips and tricks for adding this tool to your curly girl regimen.

Make sure your diffuser fits secure on the end of your blow dryer.  Some blow dryers will come with one, or you can purchase a "universal" diffuser which will fit most dryers.

The purpose of the diffuser is to have a soft air flow so that your curls are not disturbed, causing frizz.  Start with medium/low air flow and medium heat.  Once you get comfortable, you can play around with the settings and find out what works best for you.

On to the drying technique:  Bend and turn your head upside down, or to the side, and "cup" the ends of your curls into the the diffuser, and lift gently towards your scalp, coiling your curls into the diffuser from the ends all the way to the scalp.  Also, start drying right away so that the curls on top do not dry in a downwards motion.  Make sure you do not move the diffuser around too much.  Be gentle and hold the hair cupped in the diffuser in one spot as long as possible before moving to the next. Continue this until the hair is dry or nearly dry.

When you have finished drying your curls, turn the dryer on cool. Most blow dryers have a button on the handle grip, known as a cold shot.  By pressing this button and giving your hair a "cool shot" will set the curls and leave you with more volume and definition.

All done! Just shake your curls around and follow the next step of your beauty regimen.

As a curly girl myself, I use my diffuser every time I style my hair and I love it!  This will work with all product lines.  This technique just takes a little practice and is totally worth it!  All curls are different though, so you will just have to try it and see what works for you!

Say Goodnight to Wrinkles

by Premier Esthetician, Anesa


The importance of 8 hours of sleep for your health is no secret.  While you are dreaming, your body is still busy working.  This is why overnight is such an important time to fight  the signs of aging by having a nighttime skin regimen.  

Step one should be to wash your face.  As basic as that sounds, simply removing your makeup and the dirt and oils from the day is your first line of defense to preventing wrinkles.  To properly wash you face, you should apply and rinse your cleanser twice; the first wash removes makeup and dirt, while the second actually cleanses your skin and prepares it to receive serums and lotions.  If you are normal to dry, you should choose use a rich, milky cleanser to use in the evening.  

Your next imperative step is moisturize!  Since your body is in repair mode overnight, it is when your lotion or cream is best able to effectively penetrate.  I recommend putting your cream on your neck and décolletage also, to fight gravity and loss of firmness.  Because of your skin's receptiveness, nighttime is also the ideal time to use a serum to address your major skin concerns, such as breakouts, loss of firmness, or hyper-pigmentation.  Serums should always be used prior to the application of moisturizer.

Your final step is applying an eye cream to ward off any pesky lines around the eyes.  By taking advantage of the precious hours of beauty sleep each night, you to awaken and face the day with refreshed and renewed, younger-looking skin.

Who Do You Trust?

By contributing stylist, Andrew

You see an ad on TV promoting what sounds to be an amazing product for your hair.  Then, you visit your salon and your stylist recommends something different.  Who do you trust to know what's best for your hair, a paid actress or your regular stylist?  

Since you realize your stylist knows the true needs of your hair, why should you choose to buy hair care products from your salon and not a discount retailer?

In the salon business it’s called “Diverting” when a professional salon product winds up on a department store shelf.  Diverting, simply defined, is when a retailer purchases product from a third-party avoiding the manufacturer all together.  Many manufactures refuse to sell to large retailers for fear that it will weaken the reputation of their products.  Also, the manufactures have no control over the quality of the products being sold.

When a retailer buys hair care products from a third party, the retailer really doesn’t know what they are buying.  Hair products are being made with less and less preservatives, meaning a  shorter shelf life.  Some products can actually spoil over time and the discount retailer has no way of knowing what the age of that shampoo really is.  Furthermore, they have no way of guarantying the shampoo in that bottle hasn’t been replaced with a different shampoo than what’s labeled on the bottle, as fake product manufacturing is big business.  Simply put, when purchasing diverted product, there is no quality control.

Finally compare price. For every hand that product goes through, the price goes up. Many times the price is actually higher than a salon.

Then, there's the "big box" salon mega-stores, who's only interest is product sales, and they need a quasi-salon inside in order for the professional manufacturers to sell to them.  Many reputable manufacturers realize the importance of professional recommendation and refuse to sell to the mega stores, while others just view them as just another account.

It always makes sense to buy through your salon. We are always properly educated on the hair care we sell therefore we can help you choose what’s most appropriate for you.  In addition, at ROCA Salon & Spa, our education program for our stylists is funded directly from you supporting them through retail purchases.  We even guarantee to match the prices of products sold at the mega salons!  Working closely with the product manufacturer, the products you purchase from a salon are always at the utmost of quality, and because they only pass from the manufacturer to the salon by way of a reputable distributor, you will always get the best price.    

Evolution of Hair

By contributing Stylist, Kathleen

Evolutionary hair is constantly changing just as trends, your tastes and your lifestyle all change.  By continuously adapting and transforming, your style will always be fresh.  Whether it be cut, color, product, or styling technique, there are many ways that hair may be in transformation, or evolution.

Sometimes we need a little off the length, sometimes just a bang trim.  One cut can easily grow into another shape by simply making small changes to length or texture; just as one hair style can be styled in different ways allowing for continuous evolution.

As  seasonal trends change, so does color and texture: a change of color this time, and a little highlight the next.  Seasonal color is a very exciting way to keep things fresh.  I enjoy taking my guests on this hair color journey.  A little lighter in the spring brightens things up, and lifting us out of those winter blues.  Highlighting is always a great way to achieve this, as we anticipate the renewal of spring.  By summer, hair naturally goes a little lighter as we soak up the summer sun.  Sometimes we need to tone it down and condition to maintain that healthy sheen.  And, then comes the fall and winter when we have a need for richer warmer colors and a luxurious shimmer.  Conditioning and moisturizing is also imperative to combat dryness and static.

No matter the season, the cut and color would be nothing without proper care.  Because of the evolutionary process, you need to consult with your stylist for knowledge of the proper products, tools and techniques that are right for you to maintain your hair journey EACH time you make any sort of change to your hair.

Together, let's work to find your evolution!

Protect Your Investment!

Contributing Stylist, Lindsey

A smart woman knows the value of great protection…of her hair that is!  One of the biggest challenges for clients is maintaining their “just walked out of the salon” hair at home.  The top 3 things that give you that beautiful hair you love are great color, a great cut, and shine.  It is important for clients to familiarize themselves with how to maintain and protect these three factors.

PROTECT YOUR COLOR:  Whether you had it professionally colored or you are sporting your natural color, you have to protect it from fading.  With the right at-home products you will be able to keep your color looking fresh.  Start with the right shampoo and conditioner. You wouldn’t pay to have your wood floors stripped, sanded, stained, and sealed only to go over them with tile cleaner the next week…same idea.  Protect your investment! I recommend using a color care shampoo and conditioner, however if your hair type has some additional needs, make sure you are using an alternative that is color SAFE.  An essential feature to look for when selecting shampoo is the pH. This should be between 4.5 and 5.5. Staying in this pH range is essential to taking care of your hair’s cuticle.  It will keep your cuticle layer smooth and compact to prevent color molecules from rinsing out.  If you are currently using a brand that does not divulge the pH of their products it is most likely because it is not balanced at the correct level for human hair and skin!  My personal favorite is Davines’ NouNou Illumintaing Shampoo and Conditioner.  It will enhance and protect your color for the 4-6 weeks between your color appointments beautifully, plus it has the added bonus of the perfect balance of moisture and protein that your hair needs; and the fragrance is incredible!

PROTECT YOUR CUT:  The most common reason a person’s cut doesn’t hold up between appointments is thermal and mechanical damage; both of these will cause breakage and, in turn, will damage the cut.  Thermal damage is caused by over-use, or excessive heat from blow dryers and thermal tools: flat irons, curling irons, wands, hot rollers, etc.  The easiest way to prevent thermal damage is to use a thermal protectant product and turn the heat DOWN!  High heat on most hair types is unnecessary to achieve the look you desire. I would start by setting the blow dryer to a medium heat setting, and thermal tools to 300-350F.  My favorite thermal protectant is Sojourn’s Thermal Protection Straightener.  I use this on every guest!  It’s great for detangling, and comb-ability, plus an amazing fragrance.  Apply first to damp hair, then agail to dry hair immediately prior to using a heat appliance. 

Mechanical damage is caused by rough brushing and combing, tight hair bands or clips, and backcombing.  Be patient with your hair when combing and brushing: start and the ends and work your way to the scalp.  If you wear your hair up often, make sure you are moving the position of your style so you are not always wrapping it in the same spot.  As for backcombing, I recommend using a boar bristle styling brush… it has tight natural bristles which will give you a more secure style and is gentler on the hair.

MAINTAIN THE SHINE:  Shiny hair just looks healthy, and healthy hair is beautiful hair!  The way to maintain your shine is to protect and smooth your hair’s cuticle layer, which is the surface of the hair strand.  After a service, guests always say, “I can never make it look this good”, and I always tell them they can!  It’s all in the blow dry.  The reasons your hair looks so shiny after a salon service is because of  the products we choose and how we blow dry your hair.  When a stylist dries your hair, they are smoothing your cuticle by drying it in the direction the cuticle lays.  Try drying from scalp to ends in small sections with a paddle brush.  After you have mastered that, then move on to a round brush, preferably boar bristle, which increases the shine factor.  I recommend not starting with a round brush, they are a little more challenging and you will get frustrated too quickly.  Lastly, use thermal styling tools sparingly; think of them as the finishing touch to your style.  Less heat on your strands will protect the cuticle from damage and keep it compact and your hair shiny.  NEVER round brush your hair dry AND use thermal tools:  either power dry and ollow with a thermal tool, or blow-dry the finished style (with a light touch of a thermal tool to the surface to finish).

These three factors will go a long way in protecting the  investment in your hair.  Plus, you will have that rich, healthy, shiny hair you love and that others are envious of!