What is Eyebrow Threading?

For the uninitiated, eyebrow threading sounds a little odd, but it is one of the latest beauty routines to be embraced by western culture. It’s a hair-removal technique perfected over the centuries in places like India, China and Turkey, and now cosmetologists at upscale salons in Europe and the United States are seeing the advantages. These professionals have made it a point to get schooling in this ancient art, and clients have been clamoring for it ever since. Why? They have seen their unruly brows tamed, and it’s that perfection that keeps them coming back.


Here's how it works. A strand of pure cotton thread is doubled over, looped, and twisted by the eyebrow artist. Then, with quick flicks of the fingers, the esthetician rolls the thread over the surface of the skin. This scissoring motion snares unwanted hair, removing them in a controlled and exacting way.

Shaggy eyebrows become refined, turning them into shapely, eye-enhancing features. The stragglers are gone. No more unibrow. No more tadpole look. Instead you get gracefully arched brows that have well-defined lines, which refresh the face’s appearance. These sculpted eyebrows give expression to the face and a well-polished look that is admired in today’s fashion-conscious age.

Women are packing away their tweezers and giving the cold shoulder to waxing too, now that there is a viable alternative. While some might choose laser treatment, its cost can be an obstacle. Eyebrow threading offers many benefits over these conventional methods, including the affordable price and minimal pinkness around the brow following the procedure. In threading, a row of hairs is removed, giving a cleaner line than tweezing can. The precision allows you to avoid those occasional bare spots that occur after a lapse in attention or an overly aggressive plucking session.

From your skin’s vantage point, threading is superior to waxing, too. Cosmetic wax clings not only to eyebrow hairs, but also to the skin underneath. With the jarring “r-r-r-i-p” of the waxing fabric, underlying skin can be left red and irritated. Some waxes contain chemicals, an irritant to those with acne or sensitive skin. The last thing you want is to have someone look at your face knowingly, aware of where you had spent your hour lunch break! Hot wax isn’t always the best secret-keeper.

Threading is not just for brows either. If you have an uneven hairline or have a few unwanted guests on your chin or upper lip, this technique quickly takes care of the problem. Threading can be applied to other untidy body hair as well. Just ask a well-groomed man in India. He would not blink an eye at managing pesky ear hair with this same effective method!

For more information, consult with a hair professional. Here at Chicago's Salon Trendz, you can email us or schedule an appointment for a free Q&A session with one of our stylists.


Email a recent photo to Salon Trendz for an over-the-phone consultation

To your Stunning Beauty!

12859 S. Harlem Ave., Palos Heights, IL 60463
(18 miles southwest of downtown Chicago)

Tel: 708-671-1333
Salon Trendz

The Glamour of Airbrush Makeup

Face it. Perfection – with a capital “P” – is impossible to obtain.
“But,” you say, “what about those beautiful women in the magazines?”
Well, let’s ask your grandmother about that. …Don’t you distinctly remember her saying, “Don’t believe everything you see, young lady”? Uh-huh. She was one smart female!


The majority of the models and celebrities featured in those magazines benefit from the wonders of photo editing, and many of them have access to fashion consultants, personal trainers and live-in chefs, who prepare organic, health-inducing meals for them.
Very often we try to replicate the looks of these women, but we forget they have all those advantages AND that their beauty is Photoshopped perfection. With a little “click” here and a little “click” there, blemishes vanish with a bit of coaxing from the computer mouse. Under-eye circles, scars and sun damage are simply removed “one, two, three”, thanks to technology.

We can wish all we want, but Photoshopping our faces every morning is not going to happen. Should we just resign ourselves to being less than we wish? No. Don’t give up so easily! With these modern times come the benefits of airbrush makeup, a tool first used by makeup artists who worked with the film and television industry and with models on photo shoots. Now, it’s not just a “must-have” for those red-carpet celebs. There has been a trickle-down affect, and women from normal walks of life can suspend reality for a little while, too.

That look — right off the glossy pages of magazines — is being offered in beauty salons in the suburbs near you. Brides indulge, business women indulge, soccer moms indulge, and even teenagers have their makeup airbrushed for prom night. Are the wheels in your head starting to turn? How about a little pampering for that family portrait that’s coming up? Now there’s a good excuse to indulge!

The advantages of airbrushing are that it gives the illusion of a flawless complexion, yet it’s lightweight. When applied by a trained professional, there should be no pancake feel to it and no lines. Blending is seamless. Scars can be camouflaged, too. Tattoos can be hidden temporarily, and freckles can be banished for an evening out on the town.

Here’s how it works. The beauty technician uses ultra-fine foundation powder, combined with water. Then, with a wand the makeup is misted into place. The result is a complexion that looks luminous. The result is you — only better. Airbrushing is a hygienic alternative since the wand never touches the skin. Add some eyeliner, mascara, eye shadow, lip color and blush and you’re ready to go. The results will last for more than 12 hours, making it ideal for day-long occasions. Airbrushed makeup can be applied to the body, too. Bruises and unsightly veins on the legs can be covered. …No pantyhose, so no runs either. Now, those legs can do their thing in cool comfort. Ah-h-h. Movie star perfection at last!

For more information, consult with a hair professional. Here at Chicago's Salon Trendz, you can email us or schedule an appointment for a free Q&A session with one of our stylists.


Email a recent photo to Salon Trendz for an over-the-phone consultation

To your Beauty!

12859 S. Harlem Ave. Palos Heights, IL 60463.
Southwest of Chicago; 18 miles from Chicago down town.
Tel: 708-671-1333
Salon Trendz

Salon Trendz Management

Japanese hair straightening like a ‘miracle’

Do you dream of straight, silky hair? Are you tired of wasting hours of your life toiling in front of the mirror with a flat-iron or blow-dryer? Then Japanese hair straightening may be the solution for you.

Women who are unhappy with their unruly hair can point the finger at genetics. Whether your hair is curly or straight depends on the shape of your hair follicles and how the hair grows from them. Straight hair comes from round follicles, and curly hair comes from elongated oval-shaped follicles. The texture of curly hair causes it to be drier and prone to frizzing. While natural oils from the scalp can slide easily down straight hair shafts, it’s less apt to on curly hair. Some heads naturally sport thicker manes. The average brunette, for example, has 80,000 to 100,000 hairs, whereas a blonde has about one-third more hair up top.

Women want what they want, and many have decided to wage war with their natural hair type. Hair styling has been around for eons and is constantly improving. Advances in straight-iron technology have made heat-styling more practical at home; however, the process has to be repeated daily. This conventional straightening mode works by breaking down the hydrogen bonds in each hair shaft, leaving the hair straighter. Unfortunately, all it takes to restore those bonds is a little moisture. A little rain…some humidity…and “Poof!” Your hair returns to its natural state, and you have to drag out the straightening iron again.

Japanese hair straightening, however, puts an end to this damaging cycle. The hair is treated at a salon once with a solution that breaks down those hydrogen bonds, and then the hair is re-conditioned with heat. The hair is smoothed with an iron, section by section. The process takes a minimum of three hours and up to eight if you have super-long, ultra-curly or über-thick hair. The end result is glossy straight hair for more than half a year, depending on individual growth rate. (If you have extremely curly hair, you might need a little touch-up at the roots after a while.)

Results will vary with each client, so a consultation with a hair professional is imperative before having the treatment. You can schedule an appointment at the salon or – at the very least – send in a current photograph by email and consult with a stylist over the phone.


Email a recent photo to Salon Trendz for an over-the-phone quote

Initially, there is a financial investment for this treatment, but this should be compared to the cost of your normal beauty routine over the course of a year. How much money do you spend on straightening gels, high-gloss serums and flat irons, and how much is your time worth? Count the cost, and then decide.

Reputable salons use high-end straightening solutions, and this is reflected in the price. Often, more than one stylist is involved in the procedure, too. You can shop for competitive prices, but be careful. Bargain basement fees may be a red flag. You’re better off paying a little more for a stylist with expertise, so that you’ll end up with hair that dreams are made of.



12859 S. Harlem Ave. Palos Heights, IL 60463.
Tel: 708-671-1333
Salon Trendz

Salon Trendz Management

The New Over-40 Hair Rules

The hair style that worked in your 30s may be aging you now that you’ve blown out a few more birthday candles. Color that worked in your younger days may be aging you now. What’s a woman to do?
“Our hair is one of the first things others notice about us and one of the primary ways we declare our identity to them,” says Professor Rose Weitz of Arizona State University’s Sociology Department.


Our hair wraps itself around many aspects of our lives, including power, religion, race, health and sexuality, explains Weitz, who is also the author of Rapunzel’s Daughters: What Women’s Hair Tells Us about Women’s Lives.”
“It is (something) personal…growing directly out of our bodies,” Weitz said in ASU Research, an e-magazine. “It is public, on view for all to see. And it is malleable, allowing us to change it more or less at whim,” she said. “…It’s not surprising that we use our hair to project our identity.”
If you’re in your 40s or beyond, there are ways to project a more youthful appearance. Ask your colorist to use darker tones for your base and natural highlights on top – with the brightest being around your face. A choppy cut with long bangs is another tactic. Tousled pieces hide outgrowth of color, so you can wait longer between touch-ups. If you’ve been toying with becoming a redhead, think again. Unless it’s natural, red hair can reflect harshly on mature skin tones. It tends to expose brown spots and blotchiness. Honey blonde on the other hand can work wonders, especially if golden tones are added.
Dull hair is another culprit of aging. It can be from daily heat styling or poor nutrition. It’s important to drink lots of water and eat leafy green vegetables, brightly colored fruits, lean protein and low-fat dairy products. Chemical processing makes hair porous and prone to breakage, so frequent deep conditioning is vital. Smoking, alcohol and hormonal changes also take a toll. The gradual decline of estrogen slows hair growth and reduces collagen production, so hair becomes brittle.

To boost your look, use low-suds shampoos with humectants – substances that promote retention of moisture. Conditioners, protein-based masques and concentrated silicone serums that reduce frizz and add shine also are suggested. Non-drying mousses and styling sprays create a body-building base for blow-drying, and sunscreens protect hair from sun damage.

A lot of women assume that once they hit their 40s they need to cut their hair short. Well, times are changing! If you have the right cut and color, long tresses on a mature woman can be sexy and attractive. So, if you’re comfortable with your long hair, don’t cut it. Just update your “do” with layers to soften the look around your face and adjust your color.

For more information, consult with a hair professional. Here at Chicago’s Salon Trendz, you can email us your photo for over the photo consultation or schedule an appointment for a free Q&A session with one of our stylists.

To your flawless beauty!

Salon Trendz Management


12859 S. Harlem Ave. Palos Heights, IL 60463.
Tel: 708-671-1333

For more info, visit our Site.
Salon Trendz

Answering your questions about Japanese hair straightening

Japanese hair straightening has become all the rage around the country because of the dramatic results it offers. Some call it “thermal reconditioning,” while others refer to the process as a “straight perm” or a “Japanese straight perm.” They are all the same thing, a straightening process created in Japan more than a decade ago that turns frizzy curls into glossy straight hair.


As people learn about this hair treatment, they have lots of questions, and here at Chicago’s Salon Trendz we get many calls and emails about it every week. It is important to get all the facts, so that you can make an informed decision. We have listed some of these frequently asked questions below.

Does Japanese hair straightening work?
If you are skeptical, then you are not alone; many just don’t believe anything can help their hair. If you want to know if this treatment is right for you, schedule a free consultation if you are in the Chicago area. We have had many thermal re-conditioning clients at Salon Trendz, and they were ecstatic about the results. Some of them were so happy that they were in tears, tears of joy and gratitude. We stand by our work and have many before-and-after pictures of clients. To see for yourself, check out our salon website:
http://www.salontrendz.com

Isn’t Japanese straightening the same as traditional hair relaxing?
No. It is an entirely different process. Hair relaxers are designed primarily for ethnic-type hair, whereas Japanese hair straightening is designed mainly for Caucasian-type hair. The two hair types are very different in their structure, texture and ability to retain moisture. African-American hair is delicate and responds more favorably to relaxants. If you are of African-mixed heritage and are unsure which category your hair falls in, feel free to schedule a complimentary hair analysis. We are professionals, so if your hair isn’t a good candidate for the Japanese hair straightening treatment, we won’t recommend it to you.

Does It Work For Everyone?
This procedure works for just about everyone, but to varying degrees. The tighter your natural curl, the less dramatic the result will be; however, everyone’s hair is more manageable than before the treatment. Again, a consultation with a trained stylist is a must!

What’s the down side of having thermal re-conditioning?
Cost and time are big factors, and if your hair has been treated chemically -- dye, highlights, relaxer or perm -- you may not be able to have this procedure done. The fee ranges from $600 to $1,300, depending on the salon's location and the stylists’ expertise. The treatment products are pricey, and it often takes two stylists a minimum of three hours to complete the process. This is reflected in the price.

Please note that if your hair already has a relaxer in it, you will not be able to have Japanese hair straightening done at this time. The two services are very incompatible and if combined you risk hair loss and breakage. If you already have a perm or highlights in your hair, a test strand will need to be done to see if your hair can handle additional processing.

Can you color or add highlights after Japanese hair straightening?
In most cases you can, but you may need to wait a few weeks. Check with your stylist, who will want you to pass a hair strand test to be sure. It’s highly recommended that you conduct coloring and highlighting at the same beauty salon where you underwent the re-conditioning.

How long does the straightening appointment take?
Normally, the process takes three to five hours. You will get your hair shampooed, conditioned, treated with straightening serum, heated under heat lamps, blown out and flatironed. Then you will go through the process again.

What about after-care?
You must closely follow your stylist’s expert advice. You will need to use shampoo and conditioner specially formulated for this type of treated hair, or else you may undo some of the results. You must not come in contact with water or moisture for 72 hours after the process. The treatment should last six to nine months, and then you will need to touch up the roots.




Salon Trendz is in Palos Heights, Ill., a suburb near Orland Park, 18 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Our street address is:
12859 S. Harlem Ave., Palos Heights, IL 60463.
Tel: 708-671-1333

Quick ways to update your hair and makeup

There are times when you want to accentuate your eyes for a night out on the town, and a simple coating of mascara just won’t cut it. Maybe you should consider adopting the retro “cat eye” look for the evening. It’s glamorous, and it’s easy to apply. Think Elizabeth Taylor, Brigitte Bardot, Audrey Hepburn, and – dare we say – Amy Winehouse.

The “cat eyes” have it
Dig out your black liquid eyeliner and begin by extending a thick line along your upper lashes and past your outer corners, angling it up slightly. For the lower lashes, use a black pencil to trace inside your lash line. Top off the eye with a light shimmer shadow at the inner corners and on your lids. Finish with two coats of lengthening mascara –- or some false lashes, if you really want to amp it up. Now you’ve got show-stopping eyes and a ticket out of the rut you were in. …One more thing. Because the eyes are so strongly featured, you’ll want to use a light contemporary color on the lips -– perhaps a pinkish nude color. This will update this former ‘50s look, when ruby-red lips battled it out with the “cat’s-eye flick” for the limelight.

Go with a sleek style
Big hair is not the only way to be sexy. Sleek side sweeps announce your alluring nature, especially if you add a sparkly clip or other accent. To get your hair slick and shiny, apply styling wax at the crown of your head and work it downward. Be careful not to apply it to the roots or it may look greasy. You can wear it straight or create a deep side part with a comb and pull your hair into an off-center ponytail. Wind it up and pin it into place. This low bun is one of the best styling tricks of movie actress Renée Zellweger. She gets instant elegance and accentuates those gorgeous cheekbones.

The messy updo
You never want to look like you had to work too hard at being pretty. Less is more, right? The messy updo gives a casual air with a little side order of romance. Just work a dab of styling cream through your hair while it’s damp, and use a comb to make a center part just toward the front part of your head. Twist the ends up loosely and pin them in place, letting some pieces fall naturally around your face. This de-constructed look gives the illusion of effortless beauty and works wonderfully when paired with a pretty dress and a pair of heels.

An instant day at the beach
To get a luminous beach complexion, rub in an oil-free tinted moisturizer a few shades deeper than your skin tone to add warmth. Then use a bronzer stick to add more color to the bridge of your nose, your chin and your cheekbones. Brush on some peachy blush and dab shimmer at the inner corners of your eyes, and your sexy beach complexion is camera-ready.

Catch a glamour girl wave
To get loose waves, rub mousse on damp hair and blow dry with a round brush. Next, wrap one section at a time around a 2-inch curling iron. (If you have bangs, just style as you usually would.) Then, flip hair down and up, misting on light-hold hairspray.

Shiny straight hair
To beat frizz and flyaways, smooth a dime-sized amount of straightening serum onto your hair while it’s damp. Point your dryer’s nozzle downward and use a round brush to dry your hair straight. Finish with shine spray.

If you think you need some extra help with your hair, you can schedule a free hair analysis with a beauty stylist at our salon not far from Chicago.

To Your immaculate Beauty
Salon Trendz Management



Salon Trendz is in Palos Heights, Ill., a suburb near Orland Park, 18 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Our street address is:
12859 S. Harlem Ave., Palos Heights, IL 60463.
Tel: 708-671-1333
www.SalonTrendz.com

A new spring hairstyle is around the corner!

Spring is hovering right around the corner. It’ll be a new season, and of course there will be new fashions being launched. Why not consider one of the new hairstyles gracing the magazines of the hot, hip and happenin’?

Medium-length hairstyles offer a comfortable option for those sitting on the fence about whether to stay long or go short. With this mid-range length, you get the best of both camps – from letting it flow freely to putting it up or adding curls or sexy retro waves. Teen sensation Miley Cyrus just had a dramatic makeover; her hair is not only darker, it is shorter – with a new wavy and curly texture.

The classic bob will have a spring fling, flirting with volumized crowns, inverted lines and “piecey” textures that will give the cut movement. You also can play up the style with layers to emphasize facial features or to minimize them. It's an easy warm-weather style that flatters females of most ages. Previously, bobbed haircuts were flat in the crown, and the nape area was thinly tapered. This spring, however, the nape will have a blunter profile.

Another option for spring 2008 is to add bangs to your current style or texture to the fringe you already have. They can be light and wispy or you can wear them thick, deep and long enough to hang in the eyes like super model Kate Moss. For some, wearing them straight across will be perfect, while others will want their bangs cut so that they sweep across the face. Tom Cruise’s wife, Katie Holmes, bobbed her hair back in June 2007 and the look is still hot. More celebrities are following suit, as are the women on the streets of Chicago and around the nation.

Former “Dawson’s Creek” actress Michelle Williams did more than just bob her hair. She took the plunge and went from longish to a super-short pixie cut. Others are taking the risk and are wearing variations of the boy cut, too. It’s a radical move, so be sure your face shape is suited before you do the dance with razor and shear. A heart-shaped face with delicate features can really rock such a cut, but it might not work well if your face is too round.

Please keep in mind that paying attention to style and fashion is to give you some guidance in how to put your best foot forward. It is easy to become a slave to fashion trends, which only sets a woman up for some big blunders. It is important to know who you are and to have your own personal style. Perhaps a new look will help you express your inner self and fits in with the lifestyle you are leading, but if it’s not your cup of tea, don’t drink it.

If you’re comfortable with your personal style, then don’t change just because of a trend touted in a magazine. The do’s-and-don’ts list keeps changing constantly anyway. The best advice is to do what you like and like what you do.
Remember: a woman always has the prerogative to change her mind!


To Your immaculate Beauty!
Salon Trendz Management

Salon Trendz is in Palos Heights, Ill., a suburb near Orland Park, 18 miles southwest of downtown Chicago. Our street address is: 12859 S. Harlem Ave., Palos Heights, IL 60463.
Tel: 708-671-1333
http://www.salontrendz.com/