DIY Spa night!**

Happy Thanksgiving you lovely Canadians! I’m not sure about you, but last night I ate my weight in turkey and all the trimmings! It was delicious! Tonight though, I will be indulging in the American Music Awards and if you’re like me (you watch random t.v.) you’ll want to see it live in all it’s glory. A boob might pop out, maybe someone calls out a fellow nominee (Kanye West I’m lookin’ at you) or there might be a mispronunciation of an artist name…. You get me. Anyways, what better way to watch this live reality show than with a hair mask, mud mask and the perfect shade of orange polish on your nails.

Repair.me treatment by Kevin Murphy is my all time fave right now. The smell of pineapple is so relaxing you won’t be able to think of yesterdays overload of pumpkin. After washing your hair, put the hair mask on and tie up your hair with towel and begin your face cleansing routine.

After your face has been cleansed, wet the tip of your buck naked charcoal activated mud mask and liberally cover your face. Remember to keep wetting the piece, as it gets dry with application. Once your face is sufficiently covered, move on to that manicure!

What I would suggest is setting yourself up before the show starts. You’ll need a bowl of warm water and a face cloth to remove your mask after your polish has been applied and completely dried. You’ll also need your polish, base and top coat, and some lotion.

Don’t get me wrong, the best manicure should include cuticle work, but I would leave that to the professionals and just do a simple polish change. I have attempted to cut my own cuticles from time to time and just end up with baby chunks of my cuticle missing. A) no amount of polish can hide this mangled mess and B) unless you have all the tools and you are an aesthetician yourself, skip that part. If you apply a decent amount of moisturizing lotion to your hands and cuticle before you start your polish change, that should work.

Just remember to swipe a bit of nail polish remover over each nail before you apply your base coat. This will allow for your nails to be dry and allow the polish to stick better which means, less chipping.

Okay, so let’s go over this one more time. Have a shower/ bath and then apply your hair mask after washing your hair. Lotion your body and slip into something very comfortable. Cleanse your face and apply your mask. Get your tools for the polish change ready and a bowl of warm water by your spa station for mask removal. Remember to remove the mask only AFTER your nails are dry!

Also, no snacking when your nails are wet, too much food was consumed last night anyways... The AMA’s are about three hours so you will have enough time to do all the things. When the show is finished and everything is dried, rinse your hair off in the sink. I wouldn’t recommend going back in the shower unless you are okay wasting that sexy lotion you put on earlier.

Now you can start the week with fresh feels and ‘stylspiration’ from the award show. What better way to come back from the tryptophan overdose from the night before!

**Note: There is no proper way to spa night. We support all types of self indulgence.

-Freshair

the fresh perspective...

GOBBLE GOBBLE!

So this weekend is Thanksgiving! What are you doing to show your appreciation to those in your life? We thought, to help you out a bit, we could give you some ideas for topics to discuss during your dinner! What’s acceptable? What’s not? Don’t worry, we got you!

Thanksgiving Dinner Do’s:

• Do acknowledge any small child at the gathering. Feel free to ask questions about their development to their parents (parents love talking about their kids. you cannot go wrong).

• Do try to keep your topics on positive type things like, the tasty food and the ingredients used. Example, “Is there turmeric in this? It tastes delicious! Did you know turmeric is the new super-spice..blah, blah, blah….” FYI: turmeric IS the new super-spice. You’re welcome.

• Do try to listen more than you speak. These days, everyone has something to say and we never really listen. Here’s your chance.

Thanksgiving Dinner Don’ts:

• Do not bring up Donald Trump. Just don’t do it. Everyone will be in a terrible mood. Also, we’re not American…. Ha! Unless you are!

• Do not talk about yourself too much. Sure, this may be the only time you hang around this much family but try to keep it simple. No one likes a braggart.

• Do not get wasted! I repeat, DO NOT GET WASTED. Just get buzzed enough to let your aunties remarks about your current relationship status (single) and your waistline (expanding) slide right off your back. No one likes a lush either….

OK folks! Go forth and be thankful!! Happy Thanksgiving!

-the fresh perspective

the fresh perspective...

FLOW

Flow hair care is the best product line we have found that delivers on all the levels of performance and sustainability.  This styling and wet line is manufactured in a LEED Silver certified facility in Canada and is completely sustainable.  Utilizing water from their own aquifer, Flow purifies this water and converts it to a pharmaceutical grade level.  This rejuvenated water is the leading ingredient in all of their products and sets your hair up for success with the most purified h2o available.  That, coupled with the fact that this line has caused no damage to the earth, make this line a winner in our books!

Oh yah, we forgot to tell you how awesome it makes your hair feel!  Next time you're in, ask for a sample of the 30 second treatment mask, it'll change your life.

That's it.

Ashlie's Aesthetic

Gel Nails vs Acrylic Nails

I've realized now that I've started doing gel nails again, and just with the conversations I'm having with coworkers, friends, clients etc...some people are still unaware of what the difference is and sometimes are being told they have gel nails on when in fact they are acrylic nails. Choosing the type of extension nail you want is totally up to you, and one isn't better than the other. Sometimes it's just a personal preference of which you'd rather have on your nails but you should know which one you are paying for.

Acrylic nails don't need to be cured under the light, the technician will use a liquid monomer and a powder polymer to form the nail. Some locations do use a gel top coat and that will be cured under a light.... this however does not make them gel nails. They are still acrylic nails with a gel topcoat. When getting acrylic nails done there is a strong odor from the product, it's very distinctive. The finished look has more of a cloudy appearance on the nail.

***There is no such thing as a powder gel***

I've heard this a few times that the technician will say to you that it is a powdered gel if you are getting gels done... This is in fact still acrylic nails they are just trying to up-sell you on the service (pay more for a product that isn't as expensive).

Gel nails will always be cured under a UV light, the product is a gel product only and won't need another one added to it to form a nail. Some locations do like to add a shellac/ permanent polish to them for colour, this will also be cured.

The finishing look has more of a clear shiny appearance to the nail.

This is just a couple little things you can pick up on at your next appointment, that way you know which service/product you are purchasing.

-Ashlie.

the fresh perspective...

A new day, a new chance.

Something about the New year really gets me excited.  I mean, I do LOVE Christmas (it's my fave holiday) but resolutions remind me of new beginnings and new starts.  Promises to myself to try to be better, and to set goals.  New years make me think of new days and how every new day gives us another chance.

I'm often asked how I do it, or how I keep it together?  I try to get a good sleep and I wait for the next day.  Have you ever seen a prairie sun rise?  It's incredible.  It's very inspiring.  It makes you feel----I can't describe it.  You need to see one to understand.   The morning sun shows us the newness of the day on an expanse of field till your eyes can see nothing but the horizon.  That act of the 'sun coming up' has a way of dissolving the drama from the day before it.

We just finished conducting a questionnaire about how Freshair Boutique can be better and I would like to thank all the clients that participated in this effort to help us grow and be a staple in the community.  We are turning 6 this year and every single new day has brought us to this point. We are happy to have another chance to help you with all your hair needs and nail needs and fashion needs and, you know where this is going...

That's the fresh perspective...

Ashlie's Aesthetic

Price Concerns

There's an article that I recently read about different nail salons in the city that violate health violations and it got me thinking about how people are always asking about my price points being so high for services...

To maintain proper sanitation, disinfection and sterilization of all the implements we use on a daily basis costs money. There are certain products we use on clients that are 'one time' use, so we need to keep replenishing to keep it safe to use.

Clients also say that they can find the same services for cheaper somewhere else.... Well there's a reason why those other nail salons are cheaper; they're cutting costs somewhere and that's usually on their disinfection/sterilization process and also the quality of service. Yes, they're able to afford to give you a mani & a pedi for a cheaper price but you're going to be rushed out of the salon a lot faster.  You may not have the same technician who started your service that is going to finish the service but at the same time, do you know if they've actually cleaned the implements that they're using on you or the pedicure tub that you're soaking in? It's scary to think of this because you can run into different types of infections or rashes that only a specialist can help treat and that also puts a stop on the services you can get until the infection clears up.

We spend a good chunk of change to go get educated in this industry, to understand proper sterilization, to have the proper knowledge to provide great services and to get our licenses to safely practice in the field. So my advice to you is just be aware of why certain salons charge more, it's for your benefit!

-Ashlie

Here's the article that got me thinking:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/manitoba/iteam/not-pretty-health-violations-in-manitoba-nail-salons-go-unreported-1.3400312