Sugaring is an ancient (like, Cleopatra ancient) method of hair
removal that a lot of people mistakenly call sugar waxing. It is not
waxing at all, but a paste that is applied by hand. It is made of the
most natural ingredients you can think of, like sugar, lemon juice, and
water.
I smooth it on in the opposite direction the hair
grows, then flip my hand and pull the hair out in the same direction it
grows - kind of like tweezing, but lots of hairs are pulled out at a
time instead of just one. Because I pull it in the same direction as
the hair grows, the natural way to take hair out of the skin, you know
that all of the hair has been removed by the root, so your skin stays
smooth for as long as it possibly can. It's got to produce an entirely
new hair underneath before anything can poke up at the surface!
Because
of what is in it, the sugar soaks into your skin, softening the pore and the follicle
and making the removal of the hair root much less painful. And after
you are sugared every four to six weeks regularly, you will see a difference
in the way your hair grows back - softer, finer, and sparcer, you may
even have spots that have just given up on the regrowing process. This
makes your subsequent visits faster and less painful! Always a plus,
right? I can grab hair with the sugar that is less than 1/8 of an inch
long (so you don't have to grow it out but for a couple of days, although for your first appointment, I always recommend 2 weeks just to make sure ALL of the hair is above the skin), and it
helps with ingrown hairs because it exfoliates that top dead layer of skin.
Speaking of skin, the sugar is applied at room temperature, so you will
never get burned, and the sugar paste only attaches to the hair and
dead skin (NEVER the live skin), so you get an amazing exfoliation along
with a perfectly hairfree feeling. Sugaring is safe for even the most
sensitive of skin types, and for all areas of the body, brows to
bikini! And it is such a fascinating process you will want to watch
while you are having your service done.
Now, why should you choose sugaring over waxing?
Remember
all that good stuff I just told you about sugaring? Well, now I'm
going to tell you some things you may not know about waxing. I am not
bashing the waxing process, but I am going to let you know why it is
worth the small difference in price to have yourself sugared instead of
waxed. Since I began the process of getting my Esthetics license, I've
waxed many people, and although I was always extremely careful, I heard a
lot of horror stories when a client was in my chair. Burns, ripped
skin, bumps that lasted for weeks, soreness and sensitivity, irritation
and infections, double-dipping, bald patches on the eyebrows, half of an eyebrow gone, fast
regrowth, ingrowns, and and so much more. I mean, no wonder my clients
were edgy when they sat down with me for the first time. I understood
though, because I have also had some awful experiences.
When I was
first exposed to sugaring, it finally occurred to me that there was a
solution to all the torture we go through to have our hair removed so I
immediately found a class to get myself certified. That's one thing you
should know - anyone who has been to beauty school can pick up a wax
stick and rip the hair out (even some that aren't licensed
Cosmetologists or Estheticians can and will do it - nail salons, anybody?), but sugaring is a
very special technique you have an extra certification on top of your
license to even order the products. Basically, all the terrible things
that can and do happen with waxing are impossible with
sugaring.
Burns - applied at room temperature.
Ripped skin - sugar
only attaches to the hair and dead skin, never live skin.
Bumps - it is
all natural (even the pre- and post-sugaring products) so irritation is at a minimum.
Soreness and sensitivity - only
pulls out hair, not any layers of live skin, so any soreness goes away
quickly.
Infection and double dipping - absolutely impossible with
sugaring because it will never rip the skin, and is applied by gloved
hand, so the glob of sugar I use is yours and only yours until it is
full of hair, then the glove and the glob are thrown away and a new
glove is used to dip into more sugar. Sanitation is a huge deal!
Fast
regrowth - waxing, because it is pulled in the opposite direction of the
hair growth, has a tendency to break hairs off at the top of the skin,
instead of actually pulling them out by the root, making the regrowth
time very quick because the hair wasn't removed in the first place. If
you are going to deal with something painful, wouldn't you want it to be
extremely effective?
Ingrowns - waxing can cause ingrowns because it
irritates the follicle by pulling in the opposite direction of growth,
while sugaring removes the hair naturally in the direction of the growth
and exfoliates dead skin to allow that ingrown hair to finally poke
through the surface and be removed.
Now, the natural ingredients in
sugar are a huge point because wax contains resins and man-made
chemicals, and what you put on your body is definitely absorbed to some
degree. Not only that but because of what the sugar paste is made of,
it dissolves in water. Have you ever left a waxing service feeling
sticky and having to scrub or dig your fingernails into the already sensitive area to remove the
residue because it just wouldn't come off? The sugar is very easy to
remove, because as fast as a cup of sugar dissolves in a gallon of hot
tea is as fast as the sugar dissolves under a warm wet wash cloth.
So,
if you aren't completely convinced, or you have any questions,
definitely feel free to comment or give me a call.
Y'all, I am terrible at trying to sell things because I never want to
seem pushy, so when I put this much effort into getting the word out
about what I do, it is because I believe in it with all my heart. This
process is amazing, and I am so excited to be certified so I can show
everyone the huge difference sugaring makes. I work at 30 Volume Salon
in Statesboro, (912)489-0030.
And how fun would a Sugar Party be? Get all of your friends together at the salon or at your house with snacks and drinks, and prepare for bikini season together!
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Thursday, April 5, 2012
What I Do & Why I Love It
As an esthetician at 30 Volume Salon in Statesboro, Georgia, I have been advised that one of the best ways to get the word out about what I do is...surprise, surprise...writing a blog about it! Something I love to do anyway, but I have been so busy trying to let people know that I am here with flyers, business cards, and specials, I have overlooked the obvious. So here goes - a blog about my job and what makes it so special.
I decided to become an esthetician after four years of fashion school. I adore fashion, but began to see myself as more of a behind the scenes contributor. I've always loved makeup and been obsessed with my skin care regimen, and with the blessing of my husband (who dealt with the craziness of five years of school - thank you, darlin') and the support of my cosmetologist sister, I switched schools to pursue my real passion.
The year flew and dragged by at the same time, and winning a state competition got me national recognition, but getting that license in my hand gave me the accreditation to look for my first grown-up job. The salon I work at is perfect - beautifully decorated, owned by two amazing women (the best bosses I've ever had, and I've had a fewcrazies), with a booming clientele base. I was starting from scratch building my own clientele, but I had a very important piece of paper, the skills (pretty mad skills, according to my clients and guinea pigs alike), and the proper backup to succeed.
In addition to my esthetics license, I became certified in sugaring, a way to remove hair from every area of your body without the irritation of wax. And did I mention it is less painful? Anyway, another blog for another day. Sugaring has quickly become my newest passion because not only does it beautify in a very subtle way, it offers a solution to my clients for the aggravation that is hair removal.
Sugaring removes hair, yes, but there's a million other benefits. Fuzzy face? Sugaring exfoliates like a mini-facial, making makeup glide on like butter. Fuzzy legs? Sugaring will make a spray tan last longer because it removes the dead skin and the need to shave (which we all know takes that expensive bronze color right off). Fuzzy bikini? Sugaring eventually eliminates ingrown hairs, very common in this area and caused by shaving and waxing. And these are just to name a few of the awesome things that keep clients swearing against waxing or shaving ever again.
We are one of the very few salons in the southeast that offer sugaring. (Remember what I said about having the proper backup? Only the best salons offer it because in order to start up, an amazing salon owner is required, and I am one of the lucky few to have this support.) When we work this hard to convince people to come try a service or a product, it's only because we are completely in love with it. It has offered a solution for my very sensitive skin, and it continues to amaze my clients. If you try it, I know you are going love it too!
I decided to become an esthetician after four years of fashion school. I adore fashion, but began to see myself as more of a behind the scenes contributor. I've always loved makeup and been obsessed with my skin care regimen, and with the blessing of my husband (who dealt with the craziness of five years of school - thank you, darlin') and the support of my cosmetologist sister, I switched schools to pursue my real passion.
The year flew and dragged by at the same time, and winning a state competition got me national recognition, but getting that license in my hand gave me the accreditation to look for my first grown-up job. The salon I work at is perfect - beautifully decorated, owned by two amazing women (the best bosses I've ever had, and I've had a few
In addition to my esthetics license, I became certified in sugaring, a way to remove hair from every area of your body without the irritation of wax. And did I mention it is less painful? Anyway, another blog for another day. Sugaring has quickly become my newest passion because not only does it beautify in a very subtle way, it offers a solution to my clients for the aggravation that is hair removal.
Sugaring removes hair, yes, but there's a million other benefits. Fuzzy face? Sugaring exfoliates like a mini-facial, making makeup glide on like butter. Fuzzy legs? Sugaring will make a spray tan last longer because it removes the dead skin and the need to shave (which we all know takes that expensive bronze color right off). Fuzzy bikini? Sugaring eventually eliminates ingrown hairs, very common in this area and caused by shaving and waxing. And these are just to name a few of the awesome things that keep clients swearing against waxing or shaving ever again.
We are one of the very few salons in the southeast that offer sugaring. (Remember what I said about having the proper backup? Only the best salons offer it because in order to start up, an amazing salon owner is required, and I am one of the lucky few to have this support.) When we work this hard to convince people to come try a service or a product, it's only because we are completely in love with it. It has offered a solution for my very sensitive skin, and it continues to amaze my clients. If you try it, I know you are going love it too!
Friday, January 27, 2012
Not much has changed.
I found this cleaning up my Facebook tonight, and I thought it was cute! Me two and a half years ago.
Early Thanksgiving :)
I'M THANKFUL FOR:
A... ankle boots
B... Brody (on The Hills), being blonde, Baby Mama, bread, Barbie, bridesmaids
C... crazy relatives, chai lattes at Starbucks, couscous, cosmopolitans, Coraline
D... Dolce, Diet Coke, dark chocolate, DiorShow mascara, daddy
E... exercise, eating, Egyptian cotton, elliptical machines
F... fashion, facebook, my fiance, family
G... the gym, girls' nights, Gracie
H... How I Met Your Mother, The Hills, ho-hos
I... in-laws :)
J... Jared, Jordan, Janet, Joel, Juicy Couture
K... kissing, Kansas
L... love, Louis Vuitton (oh, I can dream!)
M... music, mom, make-up
N... netflix, Nordstrom
O... Oprah, oysters
P... presents, pictures, pink, pillows
Q... quiet
R... running, Red Bull
S... my sister, sushi, sewing machines
T... texting, trident
U... UPS, Uggs
V... vodka (for my cosmos), Victoria's Secret
W... wedding planning
X... xs (when I go to a store whose sizes are off and I get to buy something with a tag that says "xs")
Y... yogurt, youtube
Z... zig-zag stitches, zen
A... ankle boots
B... Brody (on The Hills), being blonde, Baby Mama, bread, Barbie, bridesmaids
C... crazy relatives, chai lattes at Starbucks, couscous, cosmopolitans, Coraline
D... Dolce, Diet Coke, dark chocolate, DiorShow mascara, daddy
E... exercise, eating, Egyptian cotton, elliptical machines
F... fashion, facebook, my fiance, family
G... the gym, girls' nights, Gracie
H... How I Met Your Mother, The Hills, ho-hos
I... in-laws :)
J... Jared, Jordan, Janet, Joel, Juicy Couture
K... kissing, Kansas
L... love, Louis Vuitton (oh, I can dream!)
M... music, mom, make-up
N... netflix, Nordstrom
O... Oprah, oysters
P... presents, pictures, pink, pillows
Q... quiet
R... running, Red Bull
S... my sister, sushi, sewing machines
T... texting, trident
U... UPS, Uggs
V... vodka (for my cosmos), Victoria's Secret
W... wedding planning
X... xs (when I go to a store whose sizes are off and I get to buy something with a tag that says "xs")
Y... yogurt, youtube
Z... zig-zag stitches, zen
Monday, January 23, 2012
Career Barbie?
I might have just made a huge career move. I'm shaking in my stilettos. But more to come on that later. I can't jump the gun.
Wish me luck, dolls. I just need all (four) of you sweet followers to cross your fingers for me and pray I'm not making the wrong decision.
XOXO
Wish me luck, dolls. I just need all (four) of you sweet followers to cross your fingers for me and pray I'm not making the wrong decision.
XOXO
Saturday, January 7, 2012
Worth the ouch.
As I write this, I am shedding layers of skin like a snake. I did a glycolic peel on myself a couple hours ago and am now feeling the effects of burning a layer of skin off with acid. Why should my clients have all the fun?
It's my responsibility to look good. My career would go nowhere if I didn't. (At least that's what I tell my husband when he shakes his head at my list of clothing and beauty requirements.)
I guess I decided to punish myself with the most painful parts of my upkeep today, as a bikini wax touchup and a facial peel were in order. Hey, go big or go home. At least I am certified to do all these things myself. So I don't have to pay someone to hurt me.
Speaking of pain, I've killed myself at the gym this week, and the scale showed it. Two pounds down, nine to go. My goal is always to do an hour of cardio by myself, but usually and shamefully, I hit snooze for half an hour before I even get out of bed. (A strategy I read a couple days ago: Put your alarm away from the bed, so you have to stand up and walk to shut it off. I am definitely trying this next week.) Therefore, I do half an hour on the elliptical machine on the Weight Loss setting, a series of intervals. Then I do an hour long class, which varies depending on the day of the week and the gym schedule. I'm in love with a class called Butts and Guts, and I've also been doing Step Aerobics, Body Pump, R.I.P.P.E.D., and anything else they offer at 8:30 in the morning. I am going to attempt Spin next week, because that is the alternative to Zumba on Tuesdays, and I despise Zumba. I also despise Spin. Something about being on a crotch-sized seat for any extended amount of time with sweat pouring down my body and an instructor screaming at me the entire time to stand up, sit down, adjust my speed, adjust the pedaling difficulty, move my ass, just doesn't appeal to me. Call me crazy. Crazy calorie burning machine.
I get a break from all the ouch tomorrow, though, because my sister, my mother, and I will be wedding dress shopping. Can I just tell you how insanely giddy this makes me?
Love you, dolls! XOXO
It's my responsibility to look good. My career would go nowhere if I didn't. (At least that's what I tell my husband when he shakes his head at my list of clothing and beauty requirements.)
I guess I decided to punish myself with the most painful parts of my upkeep today, as a bikini wax touchup and a facial peel were in order. Hey, go big or go home. At least I am certified to do all these things myself. So I don't have to pay someone to hurt me.
Speaking of pain, I've killed myself at the gym this week, and the scale showed it. Two pounds down, nine to go. My goal is always to do an hour of cardio by myself, but usually and shamefully, I hit snooze for half an hour before I even get out of bed. (A strategy I read a couple days ago: Put your alarm away from the bed, so you have to stand up and walk to shut it off. I am definitely trying this next week.) Therefore, I do half an hour on the elliptical machine on the Weight Loss setting, a series of intervals. Then I do an hour long class, which varies depending on the day of the week and the gym schedule. I'm in love with a class called Butts and Guts, and I've also been doing Step Aerobics, Body Pump, R.I.P.P.E.D., and anything else they offer at 8:30 in the morning. I am going to attempt Spin next week, because that is the alternative to Zumba on Tuesdays, and I despise Zumba. I also despise Spin. Something about being on a crotch-sized seat for any extended amount of time with sweat pouring down my body and an instructor screaming at me the entire time to stand up, sit down, adjust my speed, adjust the pedaling difficulty, move my ass, just doesn't appeal to me. Call me crazy. Crazy calorie burning machine.
I get a break from all the ouch tomorrow, though, because my sister, my mother, and I will be wedding dress shopping. Can I just tell you how insanely giddy this makes me?
Love you, dolls! XOXO
Friday, January 6, 2012
Pathetic.
My sad little blog. One of 2012's resolutions is to maintain it diligently.
So here goes:
An update on life, it seems, is in order. I have joined the twitterverse, and I am obsessed. You mean I don't have to see all the annoying status updates, self-taken photoshoots, and spam shares of obnoxious people I kind-of-sort-of know and don't really care too much for? Facebook has gotten so tedious lately - I've been looking at it like I used to look at homework for a while now, and finally made up my mind last week that I would be using it primarily for business and designating Twitter as my fun social media site of choice. Follow me @GABarbieDoll. :)
I also found my real grownup job. I am officially an esthetician at a precious little spa, and I love it. The stylists I work with are funny and sweet (a rarity in this superficial field), and we are quickly growing out of our tiny shop because of our expanding clientele. I couldn't have gotten luckier. I get to make people beautiful all day!
Because of the craziness of the past couple months, the gym was placed on the back-burner (and woops, hello ten pounds of added curviness - thank you, holidays), but I am back at it with a vengeance. My sister got engaged on Christmas, and as we flipped through my own wedding albums, I was reminded how amazingly, beautifully skinny I was on my big day. And I vow to be that again. I am fourteen pounds over what I was, but I'd be happy losing eleven. With my career, the gym is a tax write-off. (I'm pretty sure...still have to research that one, but I've been told anything appearance related is.) Oh yeah!
Did I mention my sister got ENGAGED?! And how much that makes my entire year? I have another wedding to help plan, I get to throw the bridal shower and bachelorette party, and I will finally be a bridesmaid ("matron"-of honor?)! Not to mention the dress shopping and the spreadsheets! I am in heaven.
So, my resolutions are to lose weight (cliche), build a better clientele, take my vitamins, set more goals, expand my wardrobe with more classic quality pieces, own a pair of Christian Louboutins by the end of this year, and start a little savings account. Wish me luck!
XOXO
So here goes:
An update on life, it seems, is in order. I have joined the twitterverse, and I am obsessed. You mean I don't have to see all the annoying status updates, self-taken photoshoots, and spam shares of obnoxious people I kind-of-sort-of know and don't really care too much for? Facebook has gotten so tedious lately - I've been looking at it like I used to look at homework for a while now, and finally made up my mind last week that I would be using it primarily for business and designating Twitter as my fun social media site of choice. Follow me @GABarbieDoll. :)
I also found my real grownup job. I am officially an esthetician at a precious little spa, and I love it. The stylists I work with are funny and sweet (a rarity in this superficial field), and we are quickly growing out of our tiny shop because of our expanding clientele. I couldn't have gotten luckier. I get to make people beautiful all day!
Because of the craziness of the past couple months, the gym was placed on the back-burner (and woops, hello ten pounds of added curviness - thank you, holidays), but I am back at it with a vengeance. My sister got engaged on Christmas, and as we flipped through my own wedding albums, I was reminded how amazingly, beautifully skinny I was on my big day. And I vow to be that again. I am fourteen pounds over what I was, but I'd be happy losing eleven. With my career, the gym is a tax write-off. (I'm pretty sure...still have to research that one, but I've been told anything appearance related is.) Oh yeah!
Did I mention my sister got ENGAGED?! And how much that makes my entire year? I have another wedding to help plan, I get to throw the bridal shower and bachelorette party, and I will finally be a bridesmaid ("matron"-of honor?)! Not to mention the dress shopping and the spreadsheets! I am in heaven.
So, my resolutions are to lose weight (cliche), build a better clientele, take my vitamins, set more goals, expand my wardrobe with more classic quality pieces, own a pair of Christian Louboutins by the end of this year, and start a little savings account. Wish me luck!
XOXO
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