by Su-Shan

As a stylist, the products I choose along with the hair I’m provided are my medium for creating.  I wanted to share with you why I  have chosen specific product lines for Starshine Salon.

I try to find the lines that benefit the highest diversity of client hair types, the disclaimer to that being there is a lot beyond our basic DNA that creates the end result of what our hair will do and how cooperative it will be.  Our genetics, our diet, the water we use, the hormone fluctuations of age and stress, legal or illegal drugs, and the environment all effect our hair before the products we use.  There are products designed to coat and protect the hair from the environment and hard water.  Many products create a temporary and superficial layer over the hair to seal the cuticle for the result of smoothness or maintaining artificial color.  Styling products have sticky or textured agents to make hair more pliable to specific designs.  Many volumizing products lift the cuticle of the hair, which can make hair more damaged and tangle-prone over time.  Thankfully, there are discoveries happening all the time that are making challenging hair more styling friendly not just to stylists, but more importantly to the person from whom that hair grows.

Though the hair I get to work with is a dead cell, it is still my aim to keep it as healthy looking as possible.  I have worked with A LOT of damaged hair, though more when I was in LA than being back in PA.  Sadly, it was often the result of what I refer to as “lazy styling”, meaning the stylist who did the damage did not educate him/herself or cared more about making money than long term results.  I’m not that stylist.  If you come to me I will to do everything I can to prevent overprocessing.  Some may not like this about me, but I will say no to a chemical service if I estimate that the potential damage will be more than the benefit.  Not that this is the focus of what I will communicate in this article, but I even chose Goldwell as my color line because their semi-permanent color has a synthetic protein that helps fill in the gaps in the cuticle created by the environment and previous chemical processes.  If your stylist is pulling permanent color through your ends everytime you get a color, require that person cease and desist.  There are options that will give the hair more luster and be less damaging.

Anyway, the secret to good hair, outside of a genetic predisposition to good hair, is good product.  The secret to good product is good science.

If you’re not happy with the texture of your hair regarding smoothness and styling time, either a Brazilian Blowout or Living Proof products will make you happier.

But it’s like this: Brazilian Blowout vs. Living Proof = instant gratification vs. patiently earned benefits = liposuction vs. weeks with a personal trainer

They all produce results.  The results have a cost, but that cost will save you time and frustration.  There are result options for different lifestyle preferences.

I have yet to find a keratin treatment that isn’t a little caustic when applied,  but I chose Brazilian Blowout because it both keeps fine frizzy hair bouncy and gives a lot of control to those like me who have a ton of hair.  Not all keratin treatments are effective on both fine and thick hair, to maintain smoothness and movement.  I don’t personally care for Japanese straighteners because the growing out process is drastic and the result of the straightening is generally limp hair.  Keratin treatments put a solid heat-adhered keratin seal on the hair, that gradually breaks down over the course of about 3 months if well maintained with sulfate free support products.  It has not been my experience that a keratin treatment continues to benefit the hair once it has broken down, which is why another is needed after about 3 months to create smoothness and ease in styling.

I love this page of the Living Proof site: http://www.livingproof.com/about/science .  Basically, they’ve developed one molecule to strengthen your hair and another to give volume with the damage of lifting the cuticle. I don’t personally use a keratin treatment in my hair, but appreciate what the ease in styling it gives my clients.  Being Asian, my hair is naturally pretty smooth to the point where barrettes slide out if I don’t have product in my hair.  I have damaged my hair though, in my fondness for brightly colored streaks, which for the darkness of my hair first requires stripping the natural pigment with bleach.  I’ve been limiting coloring my hair to the front panels, so that I can donate the rest, but those front panels were pretty crispy before Renee from Living Proof gave me some products to try knowing that I was considering lines for the salon.  Beyond making the dry bleached hair feel like the rest of my smooth hair, it’s the first time I have ever used products that make my style last.  Again, being Asian I have oily skin that will supposedly preserve a youthful appearance, but has otherwise always made me want to wash my hair every day.  I’ve always admired people who can have their blowout last a day or two without being a greasy mess and Living Proof has provided that to me.  Despite the products repelling dirt and oil, my hair never feels dry, so I feel good about being able to recommend it to my clients with dry hair.  The best thing about Living Proof is that even from their shampoos and conditioners, I could go a day without styling products(though being a stylist I never want to) and my hair still feels awesome.  When I’ve used oils or silicone to smooth my hair, the benefit is gone as soon as they’re washed out.  My clients who want volume are finding awesome results will the Full division of Living Proof with less tangling and dryness of other lines.

Despite my belief in these products, their benefit to the indiviual still comes down to chemistry.  I have yet to find a person for whom these products will not work, but the possibility exists even if it’s just a biological reaction like an allergy.

So in summary, I’m not going to sell anyone services or  products that I don’t personally believe in.  The products at Starshine Salon produce results that I would love to share with you to make your personal styling time at a happy experience and gain you compliments to brighten your day.

First, I’d like to welcome a new stylist, Danielle, to Starshine Salon.  Feel free to check out her work in her album on Starshine’s Facebook page.  A picture and bio are soon to follow on the website.  Where Su-Shan is more classic, but with an edge and a flair for vintage, Danielle brings full on glamour with beautiful and creative make-up art and a certification in Hot Heads extensions. 

For January, we are offering 10 Brazilian Blowouts at $100, one per clients and first come first serve.  If it’s too recent since your last keratin treatment, you may purchase a gift certificate directly through the salon specifically for this special that will be honored until the end of April, after that you may use the gift certificate at full value toward other services including a regularly priced keratin treatment.  Danielle is offering $50 off the initial Hot Heads application to celebrate her start and expose you to having fabulous long hair without the wait of growing it.  Please call to schedule a consultation, the extensions are ordered directly after and available for application the following week. 

Starshine Salon’s 1st quarter non-profit fundraiser page is up and running: https://www.stbaldricks.org/donate/event/9443/2013

If you’ve been to the Specials page this special applies to donations you make:  If you bring in a donation receipt for any non-profit or verification of volunteer hours contributed to within the month of your service, you may use it as a coupon.  Donations between $10-$50 dollars or up to 10 volunteer hours qualify as a $10 coupon off the service total.  Donations of $50 or more or more than 10 volunteer hours qualify as $20 coupon off the service total. 

We will be hosting an event to coordinate with this fundraiser on March 17, 2013 from 10am-4pm with festivities that include a cut-a-thon, shaving of the shavees, silent auctions, raffles and a bakesale.  If you would like your hair cut that day, cuts will be $25 per person for men, women, and children, plus $5 for a rough dry.  Please make your payment for the cut-a-thon through the donation page and use your donation receipt as a cut voucher(that way you get a receipt faster too).  There is limited availability for the cut-a-thon cuts, please make your appointments in advance.  For those who participate in the cut-a-thon, you may still use your donation receipt as a coupon for another service through the end of March.  For the sake of mathematical ease for all those volunteering, we are trying to limit cash transactions to live donations, raffle tickets and bake sale purchases.  The silent auction will have the options of cash or check payment, or credit directly to the donation page.  All checks can be written directly to St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

If you would like to volunteer for this event, including being a shavee to stand in solidarity with kids receiving cancer treatments, please contact the salon.

Thank you to everyone who has supported Starshine Salon its first month open!  I am grateful to all of you who saw me through the long process of setting up and to the 20+ new clients willing to experience services! 

For those of you who don’t yet know me well as a person or a business owner, this is something I would like you to remember about me, I truly want the best for each person I meet.  As much as I love being a stylist and as much as I would like to please everyone, I may not always be the best stylist or have a compatible personality for each person, but that’s why I try to be a resource in other ways and also find other talented stylists to join me.  There are some additions coming to the salon that I’m super excited about, but can’t yet officially announce 😉

In wanting the best for each person I meet, if there’s a way I can help, I will.  I have a lot of blessings to count and karma is meant to stay mobile.  I have registered Starshine Salon to host a St. Baldrick’s event (www.stbaldricks.org)  March 17 to keep up with my desire to do at least one fundraiser per quarter.  I think this is a very special foundation and I don’t know of one person who’s gone uneffected by cancer, whether through his or her own experience or through loved ones. One of the main reasons I wanted to have my own business after years of working for bigger companies is so that I can have the time and maneuverability to give back in a more hands-on way.  In addition to getting sponsors for shaving my head, there will be raffles, silent auctions and a bake sale and we may be able have a cut-a-thon if we get the approval. I’m trying to give way advanced notice to make the event as successful as possible. So as not to be wasteful, I’m letting my hair grow in the meantime to donate to Locks of Love or a similar cause.  Multiple charities with one event! Whoohoo!

My resolution is pretty much the same each year and in combination with a self competitive streak, it’s just “Do more good.”  Thank you again for your support.  None of us can “Do more good” alone, and even if we can, it’s not as much fun. 

So here’s to a year full of laughter, love, prosperity, hope, healing, and joy! 

Shine bright!

Su-Shan