When you look in the mirror, what do you see?

Does your skin reflect your inner self? Does your skin look the way you feel? Are you concerned with acne? Dine lines and wrinkles? Spots or pigmentation? As we age, hormonal changes, sun-exposure, environmental damage and other external stressors damage the healthy function of our skin with results that become visible over time.

Before on left
After 5 months on right

Serenity is launching Jan Marini products and services this fall!

What is Balayage?

One of the latest trends in the hair world is balayage. We have many requests for this hair service and wanted to educate our clients in this technique, so you can see if it is the right process for you!

Balayage is a freestyle way of hair lightening. Your hair stylist free hand paints lightener where they see fit to best compliment your skin tone & hair style. 

During this technique foils are typically not used. The stylist uses a sweeping motion to fully saturate the strands with lightener, then they will place either plastic wrap or cotton to prevent the lightener from bleeding onto other hair.

  

This technique very often gets confused with Ombre. The ombre is a hair style that gradually shifts from darker at the roots to lighter at the ends. You can use the balayage technique to get the end results of an ombre.

Balayage highlights mimic natural sun kissed highlights. These highlights can be a bit more spread out compared to the typical foil highlights. As the balayage grows out, the line of demarcation won't be as harsh, but your root may seem a bit darker than usual. The reason the root is a little darker is because there is less color definition at the root area.

This photo is from hair stylist Guy Tang.

 Balayage  is typically lower maintenance, since the line of demarcation (roots) isn't as harsh. The effects of balayage will give you the freedom to allow more time in between lightening. But keep in mind the more highlights you want the more upkeep it'll be. 

Talk to your stylist about upkeep when it comes to your hair in particular. We are all different.

Come into Serenity for a consultation to see if this technique is right for you! 

**all images found on google.

Hair Health in the Winter!

During the winter months your hair can begin to feel dry and damaged. If this happens to you we hope you give Serenity a call and add on one of our hair treatments to your next hair service!

We offer two in salon hair treatments, both with many benefits! The first treatment Serenity offers is a hair mask. We carry a hair mask from Living Proof and Moroccan Oil and your stylist can choose which one would benefit your hair the most. The second treatment offered is a scalp treatment from Moroccan Oil. 

If you decide to add on a hair mask treatment to your service here is what to expect! The mask will hydrate your hair and restore its natural shine. You'll leave the salon with luscious locks. Here at Serenity when you receive a hair treatment mask there is an additional charge of $10. When you get your hair washed before your service your stylist will apply and comb through the mask. The mask is left in for a total of 10 minutes. 

The scalp treatment from Moroccan Oil is a full hour long treatment. There are two oils your stylist will choose from, one for oily scalp and one for dry scalp. The treatment is applied to dry hair and allowed to process for 20 minutes with a cap on (and if needed under heat). With this service you receive a scalp massage to simulate the scalp. 

What is Himalayan Salt?

Serenity in the City just opened our latest addition to our spa! 

The Ananda room!! 

The beautiful wall you see is made up of 900 pounds of Himalayan Salt! But what is Himalayan Salt exactly? This salt can significantly diminish the symptoms of respiratory issues like asthma or allergies, it can also help with your emotional well-being because the salt releases negative ions. Negative Ions are oxygen ions with an extra electron attached.

Our Himalayan Salt wall is located in a room that you can book couples massages in. You can also request the Ananda room for just yourself! 

Serenity in the City will be hosting Yoga soon in the Ananda room on the heated tile.

Having a party? Ask if the Ananda room is available for your guests.

Enjoy your services, yoga class, or party in this beautiful atmosphere. 

**The Ananda room has its own private bathroom. 


*** All images are from Serenity in the City
Room is subject to availability

Treating Adult Acne!

How to treat adult acne
To get clearer skin as an adult, focus on targeting the four main contributing factors of acne: overactive sebaceous glands, cell proliferation, growth of acne-causing bacteria and inflammation.
Look for multifunctional products that contain ingredients like Salicylic Acid, which helps clear away dead skin cells; Benzoyl Peroxide, which helps kill bacteria; and soothing botanicals like Tea Tree Oil and Licorice.


Practice good skin care habits
While teen and adult acne differ, both crowds can benefit from the following habits, which help promote clear skin:

• Clean makeup brushes regularly, wash pillowcases weekly and disinfect cell phones daily to help reduce bacteria.
• Avoid ingredients such as Lanolin, Isopropyl Myristate (common in powders), Mineral Oil (which can prevent skin cells from shedding properly) and fragrance (a common irritant).
• Be careful not to cleanse with hot water or over-exfoliate. Both habits can dry out the skin, which can lead to wrinkles.
• Avoid pore-clogging, congestion-inducing habits like working out with makeup on.

Read more about adult acne on Dermalogica's website

Learn the difference!!

Our stylist are always reading up online to find the best way to educate their clients on their hair! Today they have found this amazing read about why box dye is actually the worst!!! The link to the post will be at the end!


Here is a quick read from the blog post;

"Knowledge is power, so let’s break down exactly how box dyes work versus professional dyes.

Professional Dye: Deposits color molecules on the inside of the hair cuticle where the natural melanin lives. These molecules are larger and more numerous than your natural melanin, so they end up taking over and becoming the dominant color.
Box Dye: Stains the proteins in the cortex, changing their chemical makeup. Since hair is about 90% protein, this means that your hair is basically no longer your hair. It has now been physically changed. That caterpillar is now a ratchet-a*s butterfly."


This blog post is very educational and explains the science behind why going to your stylist for your root touch up or total color change is defiantly the way to go! Book a consultation with one of our talent stylist if you are thinking of changing things up! Just like the blog says, please avoid the box color aisle!!


Link;
http://www.chellelynnhair.com/blog/why-box-dye-is-the-actual-worst

NEW Dermalogica Charcoal Rescue Masque

 

When your skin is stressed, New Charcoal Rescue Masque delivers the fast acting "pick-me-up" you need! It has the power to address skin aging, dullness, breakouts, and sensitivity simultaneously for a healthy, vibrant and balanced glow.

 

Featuring activated binchotan charcoal

Charcoal Rescue Masque contains high-quality Binchotan White Charcoal, the king of natural detoxifiers. This traditional charcoal of Japan, made from Japanese Ubame Oak, is renowned for its ability to adsorb- or bind itself to -multiple impurities at once.

Fast-acting, easy-to-remove masque rescues tired, lackluster or dull skin. Activated Binchotan Charcoal powerfully adsorbs impurities while Sulfur promotes cell turnover for dramatically brighter skin. Volcanic Ash, Sea Silt, Bamboo Extract and alpha hydroxy acids further accelerate skin brightening with dual-action exfoliation. Niacinamide helps reduce congestion and calm the skin while Chilean Wild Mint helps refine pores. Formulated without artificial fragrances, colors or parabens.