Organic and Gluten Free Beauty Products

Article by Bee Lindquist

Photo Courtesy of http://gladysspeaks.blogspot.com/

What is the meaning of Organic and Gluten Free beauty products? Often times we can get confused by labels. It seems as if everything today is labeled Organic or Natural. The other confusing name is “Gluten Free”? What do these labels mean and do I need to worry about them in my beauty products?
Let’s take these items one at a time.

OrganicAccording to the Organic Trade Association “Organic’ is a labeling term that denotes products produced under the authority of the Organic Foods Production Act. The principal guidelines for organic production are to use materials and practices that enhance the ecological balance of natural systems and that integrate the parts of the farming system into an ecological whole.”Organic hair products are composed without any kind of integration. All these products are made without pesticides, chemical compounds, fertilizers, synthetic preservatives, fungicides, colors and things consisting of irradiated products. So there is no chance of any side effects from use of such products

Organic products can do wonders to your hair because they provide the necessary nutrients to the hair. As these products are free from any kind of superficial preservatives these are valuable for your hair and they also do not have any kind of side effects. Many conventional hair dye formulas contain chemicals like ammonia, which irritates the skin and lungs, and p-Phenylenediamine (PPD).

There are a number of high quality products on the market that you can find at your organic hair salon. Many of these brands aren’t only organic, but they are vegan friendly as well. This means no animals were tested or used in any way when it comes to the products themselves. The Beauty Studio carries several organic brands including Onesta, which is a part of the “sustainable manufacturing” movement. We also carry the Davines line of hair products which uses “green” containers, meaning they are fully recyclable.
Another item you might want to consider is whether the salon you are patronizing provides gluten free products. There seems to be an ever increasing population with gluten sensitivities. Your skin and hair absorb the products introduced to them which could be a problem for those with sensitivities.









Gluten FreeThe FDA does not have a clear definition of Gluten Free yet but the FDA proposes to define the term "gluten-free" to mean that a product bearing this claim in its labeling does not contain any one of the following:
An ingredient that is a prohibited grain
An ingredient that is derived from a prohibited grain and that has not been processed to remove gluten
An ingredient that is derived from a prohibited grain and that has been processed to remove gluten, if the use of that ingredient results in the presence of 20 parts per million (ppm) or more gluten in the food or
20 ppm or more gluten According to Dr. Kenneth Fine, M.D. of EnteroLab.com, Gluten sensitivity is a systemic immune reaction to gluten anywhere in the body, not just that entering the body via the gut. Therefore, topically applied lotions, creams, shampoos, etc. containing gluten would indeed provide a source of gluten to the body, and we therefore recommend all such products be discontinued for optimal health
Since the cosmetic industry is self-regulated, it is more important than ever to carefully read labels, and use natural or organic products whenever possible. If you find yourself reacting to a cosmetic, it is possible that you may have an increased sensitivity to gluten, an allergy, or even Dermatitis Herpetiformis
The Beauty Studio carries Glo-Minerals which is not only organic but Gluten Free as well as the Eminence product line which is from Hungary.
The Beauty Studio is concerned about what is applied to your skin and hair as well as what goes into the environment. So if you have chemical or gluten sensitivities or if you just want to do your part to help the environment we can assist you in finding a product and a treatment. There really is no need for you to have to sacrifice quality and service just because you want to be able to do your part in helping the world and to the things that live within it.

Tips for Tweezing Eyebrows

Tips for Tweezing Eyebrows

Your eyebrows are one of the most important features of your face. They frame your face, show emotion and give your face and attitude expression. Take care to shape and maintain them by tweezing them carefully. The following are some tips to remember while tweezing because, unfortunately, it can be easy to overlook them or overdue them!!

1. Soften your face and eyebrows by tweezing after you get out of the shower. If you are in a rush and can’t do it directly after getting out, hold a warm washcloth to your face to have the same effect.

2. Tweeze BEFORE using any lotions or moisturizers so that the tweezers can get a hold of each hair and not slip.

3.Use a brow brush to lift the hairs and if the hair is above the thickest part of the brow, trim that off. Use the natural shape of your brows to get an organic look.

4. Use the brow brush again to comb out any loose hairs after tweezing or trimming.

5.The eyebrow should go a little past both corners of the eye.

6. Use the tweezers as close to the root as possible to pull in the direction of hair growth.

7. Tweeze ONE hair at a time. Try not to take any hair from above your eyebrow because it ruins the natural curve of your brow.

8. Take your time and check your progress as you go. It helps to outline your brow in white pencil to stay ‘within the lines’

9. As soon as you are done, use a cotton pad and astringent to dab around your eyebrows to tighten the pores back up. An ice cube also works if you still feel discomfort or redness appears.

10 Avoid tweezing close to important days like prom weekend or your wedding!

To start off a good shape with your brows, visit a skin care professional for an initial brow sculpting. We also have ‘lighted’ tweezers by TrendTweeze that help you get light right to the source!!

The Benefits of Yoga

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No one knows exactly when Yoga began but we do know that one of the earliest texts having to do with Yoga was a book called Yoga Sutras as early as the 1^st or 2^nd century B.C. by a Yogi names Pantanjali. The system that he wrote about is known as Astnaga Yoga or the eight limbs of Yoga. This is what is considered Classical Yoga and is the most practiced world wide.

picture courtesy of  http://www.astnaga.com/

Yoga arrived in the United States sometime in the late 1800’s and did not gain popularity until the 1960s as a part of the youth cultures fascination with all things eastern.

Over the past several years, yoga has experienced an upsurge in popularity in the western world among medical professionals and celebrities alike. Yoga is actually an ancient practice that connects the mind, body, and spirit through body poses, controlled breathing, and meditation. The practice of yoga has many health benefits associated with it. From lowering blood pressure to increasing pain tolerance, a multitude of health benefits can all be discovered within the body.

Recently the American College of Cardiology recommended Yoga as an important part of their treatment for atrial fibrillation. Prior research had shown other heart benefits of yoga, such as lower blood pressure and cholesterol and more elastic arteries, but this is the first study looking specifically at atrial fibrillation, said the authors, from Mid-America Cardiology at the University of Kansas Hospital.

These are exciting results," said Dr. Raul Mitrani, director of the cardiac rhythm device clinic at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Although it didn't cure atrial fibrillation, he added, it did seem to cut the number of "a-fib" episodes.

According to the Arthritis Foundation those who participated in eight weeks of yoga classes had significantly fewer tender and swollen joints than they did before starting class. Those in the waitlist control group saw no significant changes in their tender and swollen joint counts.

Arthritis Foundation grant recipient Steffany Haaz, MFA, says, “We have previously reported that yoga helps people to feel better, and we wanted to make sure it wasn't harmful to arthritic joints. So, we were glad to find that there actually seems to be improvement in joint symptoms for RA patients. The next big question is figuring out how and why yoga might be having this effect, since it is such a multi-faceted activity.”
Yoga offers many other benefits as well. Yoga exercises level out this physiological instability by relaxing and gently stretching every muscle in the body, promoting better blood circulation and oxygenation to all cells and tissues. This helps optimize the function of the endocrine glands and the organs of the female reproductive tract. This can help lessen the symptoms of peri-menopause as well as menopause. Yoga exercises also improve the health and well-being of the digestive tract, nervous system, and all other organ systems.
As a form of exercise, yoga offers benefits that are sometimes not easily found among other exercise regimens. Check out these reasons to include yoga in your or health program.
The mental and physical benefits from Yoga are many and varied. Physicians, psychologists, health professionals and wellness coaches recommend Yoga. Yoga is not age sensitive. Many local senior centers incorporate “Senior Yoga” into their activities programs as well as many “Mommy and Me” programs like the one at Yoga for Life encourage mothers to involve their babies into their Yoga routines.

Bobbles and Beads

by Bee Lindquist

Coco Chanel by http://www.xdcr.com/

We all have our favorite bobbles we like to wear over and over. Maybe it’s your grandmother’s cameo brooch or a chunky necklace you bought on your last trip to Greece, heck it may be the funky earrings you found at the swap meet. The only problem is the more you wear them the more they look worn. The gold or gold tone begins to look dull and the beads look bland.

The next thing you know you have retired the piece to the back of your jewelry box and you forget all about it.
Here are some suggestions to keep you from forsaking your bling.
Immediately after wearing wipe down with a soft cloth. This removes any dead skin, dust and grime from the days wear. Next put the beloved piece in a plastic sandwich bag and seal it shut. That way it will be fresh for the next wearing. If the piece is already banished to the Siberia of your drawer, pull it out and refresh it.
Mix a solution of 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 2 cups of water. Dip a soft cloth in the water and move all around the piece making sure to go over stones and metal pieces thoroughly. Take a wooden toothpick dipped in the solution and go into crevices to remove lodge grime. Once you have gone over the entire piece with the solution take a clean cool, avoid hot or warm water as it may dissolve older glues, and wipe the piece again then finish with a soft cloth. You will be amazed at how beautiful your bobble will be.
As you are cleaning check for loose stones and sprung prongs. These are simple fixes with a little jeweler’s glue and some needle nose pliers. Tighten any clasp and reattach chains using soft pressure to the metal. A cotton pad around the piece will protect it from denting.

When dealing with precious and semi-precious stones and settings always defer to your jeweler’s recommendations. When you can’t wait for your jeweler to clean your good pieces a quick soak in 1 part sudsy ammonia to 3 parts water will take the grime off, rinse in cool water and finish off with a quick polish from a soft cloth.

Silver will stay polished and non-tarnished by storing in a zip lock bag. Wrap silver in silk or rayon fabric and place in plastic zip-lock bag. Make sure to squeeze as much air out of the bag as possible. When you are ready to wear take out of the bag gently rub it with silk and wear.

The Beauty Studio has an array of gorgeous jewelry and fun and fashionable accessories that you can make your new favorite. By taking just a little bit of time you can add years of pleasure to your favorite pieces and keep you looking like a million bucks.

Don't Boycott The Sun

By Pat Barry

Picture courtesy of Redbubble.com

With so much talk about how bad sun exposure can be for you, don’t feel you need to boycott the sun!! There are many benefits of being in the sun and here are what some of the experts have found.

1.Get your daily Vitamin D! Spending just 10-15 minutes a day in the sun can help you get an adequate supply of Vitamin D. This is needed by the body to promote bone health, boost immune function, reduce inflammation, improve neuro-muscular function, and even protect against some forms of cancer.

2.Helps you feel happier and sleepier! Another benefit of sun exposure is that it helps you to produce more serotonin, endorphins, and melatonin in your brain. Endorphins and serotonin are brain chemicals linked with feeling good and at ease. Melatonin is a nocturnal brain chemical that allows you to enter into sleep-mode more quickly at bedtime.

3.Increase your white blood cell and red blood cell production! Experts have found that the sun is good for you because it helps you produce more white blood cells, which enhances your immunity. Sun exposure also helps you produce more red blood cells, which means your blood becomes more oxygenated.

4. It kills dangerous substances on your skin! UV rays from the sun can actually kill viruses, bacteria, molds, yeast and fungi that may be found on the surface of your skin. In this way, sunlight acts as a natural antiseptic of sorts.

5. Clear up skin diseases! While excessive sun exposure can lead to premature wrinkling and even some forms of skin cancer, there are various benefits from sun exposure when it comes to your skin. For example, moderate sunlight has been shown to help clear up some cases of acne, psoriasis, and eczema to name just a few.

Of course, we always suggest use and re-application of SPF lotions EVERY day! We hope that you always protect your skin from the harmful rays but isn’t it nice to know that you don’t have to boycott the sun!!!?

Picking a Hair and/or Skin Beauty Advisor

By Patricia Eggers

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When you enter a new salon or choose a new beauty advisor you are giving them the honor of providing you the treatment. You trust this staff member to understand your needs and desires. You are giving your appearance over to them and the final results will affect how you look and how you feel.

Choosing a Salon:Take the first step seriously. Check out the salon both in person and on line. What do the reviews say about it? Call the salon and do a 1-2 minute interview, ask how long the process you are wanting takes as well as what type of product do they use. Another good place to do research is on their web-site look for these bullet points


Do they have one?
Does it display their mission statement?
What type of education is the staff exposed to?
What does the salon stand for?
Where is it located? (Is it near your home or work? Is it in or near the mall? Look for one best suited for your needs.)What type of services do they offer?Think about what you want in a salon. Do you want to be in and out as quickly as possible or do you want someone to takes time and is precise? Do you like a loud salon or one that is quiet and serene? Do you like scheduling appointments with the same staff member? When you have these answers then you can proceed in looking for the right beauty advisor/stylist.

Choosing a Beauty Advisor:Finding a service provider is like finding a best friend. You want her to be talented, caring and have amazing abilities. Remember you trust this best friend with how you look and feel. Use the same criteria that you use for finding the salon with the staff within it.


Does the technician go to monthly education?
Do they regularly attend hair and skin education trade shows?
How do they schedule and how does that fit your schedule?
How do they price their services and does it fit your budget?
Can you schedule a consultation before your appointment to help you decide how often and what types of services you will require?
Does the technician listen to what you are saying?Getting a treatment should be within your budget, not just time and dates but within your dollars and cents budget as well. Plan a style or treatment that can be maintained. If you have $300.00 to spend today on hair or skin services will you be able to maintain this over and over again? Remember to budget in product, brushes and treatments in order to maintain the style, look or treatment. This means if your beauty treatment budget is $300 and your treatment costs $200.00 that leaves you $100.00 for product and utensils. Remember if you have a professional stylist/technician, so they will only guarantee the service if you maintain the care with products they recommend. You are investing in yourself, so make the most of your dollar. Find someone that cares about your looks and beauty with passion.

Will you be getting a relaxing service so you can refuel, re-energize and be beautiful or will there be kids and loud noises? If you are getting skin services is there someone who can give a shampoo and blow dry at the same time? What conversations are going on around you in the salon? Is the technician concentrating on you or focused on the other stylist? Do they discuss health and beauty tips with you while you are being treated? Are all services taken seriously and treated equally?

So remember before you go off to just any salon, make sure to do your homework and choose one that will fit for you. It really is all about you.

KERATIN SMOOTHING TREATMENTS

By Kelly Archer

This week’s article was submitted by the newest addition to our team, Kelley Archer, who has recently moved from Florida. She has 20+ years experience being a stylist and is certified in the Coppolla Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy. We are asked many times over, “How does the Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy work and is it safe on your hair?”

Keratin Complex Smoothing Therapy was launched in 2007 and is now the leading smoothing system in the world. The company was founded by stylist and salon owner, Peter Coppola. All of the Keratin products are formulated to contain natural Keratin protein which rebuilds, restores and rejuvenates all hair types.
Keratin eliminates up to 95% of frizz and curl and adds amazing shine and silkiness to the hair. It can be used on colored and chemically processed hair. When doing a Keratin Treatment, you are restoring and restructuring the hair by infusing a special blend of Keratin deep into the cuticle. The Keratin is bonded into the cuticle by heat of a flat iron to relax the hair’s sub cuticle layer. The treatment can be done directly after color or highlights. It will actually seal in the color and extend the life of the color.

Unlike some other smoothing systems, Keratin Complex Smoothing Treatment does not contain formaldehyde and contains Alde Hyde, which is not cacogenic, or cancer-causing. Over time, our hair looses its keratin because of blow-drying, flat ironing, etc and this process infuses keratin back into the hair.
This process, depending on the length of your hair, can take anywhere from 2-4 hours. The effect of smoother, less frizz hair can last between 3-5 months.

To maintain this service, a stylist will professionally recommend Keratin Color Care Shampoos and Conditioners, Keratin Care Shampoo and Conditioners, Vanilla Bean Deep Conditioner, Infusion and/or Shine products that we carry at The Beauty Studio.

How to Summer-Proof Your Makeup!

Summer is almost here and so it’s time to figure out if you need to make changes to your make-up routine. If you want to wear makeup in the summer, avoid Make-up Meltdown by following some of the tips below!

Makeup Base: During the hot season we tend to sweat much more than in other seasons, which can instantly spoil our makeup. Foundation can be very difficult in heat, it might melt down or smudge. To avoid any accidents, swap the liquid foundation to a water-proof powder foundation or a mineral foundations. This will give you the coverage, but your skin will still be able to breathe. Apply foundation only to certain spots. Always have blotting paper at hand. It helps remove oil excess. Our GloMineral Blotting Papers come in a handy, purse size packs.

Eyes: Obviously, waterproof mascara!! This helps when you jump in the water but also with added sweat around the eye. Opt for formulas that won’t dry out your lashes. It is very important to let them breathe and keep them hydrated. Waterproof makeup is more stubborn so use eye makeup remover. In terms of eye shadows, you might look on the bright side with sheer, fresh colors. Pastel shades, neutrals, gold and aqua tones are very hot this season. Eye shadow primers such as those from GloMinerals, are without a doubt essential weapons in summer proofing your makeup. Cream eye shadows and mineral makeup is your best choice. Our ‘Blinc’ Mascara and eye products are water resistant do not smudge yet they come off cleanly with warm water.

Lips: Lips are heavily affected by sun so take extra care with proper conditioning and moisturizing. Use foundation on your lips as a ‘primer’ to help with smudging. Lip liners help with the bleeding that lipstick can do with excess sweat or oil on the skin. Choose tones that are close to your natural skin color. Your lips can also look fabulous if you use lip stains. They are long lasting when applied to moisturized lips. We carry lip balms by Dermalogica with an spf of 15 for that added protection.




This article is partly derived from an article on becomegorgeous.com.

Summer Proof Your Make-up

by Pat Barry

Summer is almost here and so it’s time to figure out if you need to make changes to your make-up routine. If you want to wear makeup in the summer, avoid Make-up Meltdown by following some of the tips below!
Makeup Base: During the hot season we tend to sweat much more than in other seasons, which can instantly spoil our makeup. Foundation can be very difficult in heat, it might melt down or smudge. To avoid any accidents, swap the liquid foundation to a water-proof powder foundation or a mineral foundations. This will give you the coverage, but your skin will still be able to breathe. Apply foundation only to certain spots. Always have blotting paper at hand. It helps remove oil excess. Our GloMineral Blotting Papers come in a handy, purse size packs.

Eyes: Obviously, waterproof mascara!! This helps when you jump in the water but also with added sweat around the eye. Opt for formulas that won’t dry out your lashes. It is very important to let them breathe and keep them hydrated. Waterproof makeup is more stubborn so use eye makeup remover. In terms of eye shadows, you might look on the bright side with sheer, fresh colors. Pastel shades, neutrals, gold and aqua tones are very hot this season. Eye shadow primers such as those from GloMinerals, are without a doubt essential weapons in summer proofing your makeup. Cream eye shadows and mineral makeup is your best choice. Our ‘Blinc’ Mascara and eye products are water resistant do not smudge yet they come off cleanly with warm water.

Lips: Lips are heavily affected by sun so take extra care with proper conditioning and moisturizing. Use foundation on your lips as a ‘primer’ to help with smudging. Lip liners help with the bleeding that lipstick can do with excess sweat or oil on the skin. Choose tones that are close to your natural skin color. Your lips can also look fabulous if you use lip stains. They are long lasting when applied to moisturized lips. We carry lip balms by Dermalogica with an spf of 15 for that added protection.

This article is partly derived from an article on becomegorgeous.com.