Tag: Protection

Summer Beauty Saves

Summer’s Best New Beauty Products

Girl in pink sunglasses, smiling at the camera and enjoying Summer
Prep your hair, skin, and nails for the ultimate Summer Break!

At Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology, our staff carefully selects the products used in our salon and spa. From skincare and makeup to haircare and nail products, our estheticians, stylists, and nail technicians only use and recommend brands we trust. This ensures our clients get the best results possible—when visiting our location as well as when recreating your look at home. A new summer season means a new summer look!

If it’s been awhile since you’ve checked out the brands we rely on, we encourage you to take another look. The summer season often brings new product launches, and our professionals are happy to share more information about their favorites the next time you book a service.

Summer Nail Products from Morgan Taylor Lacquer

Morgan Taylor’s newest nail lacquer collection is inspired by the summer blockbuster Rocketman, a biographical musical film based on the life of musician Elton John. The shades in the collection are decidedly vibrant and range from lush purple (Just Me and My Piano) and vivid teal (Sir Teal to You) to a very wearable fuchsia (It’s the Shades) and pretty pink (Tickle My Keys). These lacquers are the perfect choice for a colorful warm weather mani or pedi.

Summer Skincare from Bioelements

Bioelements skincare products are free of phthalates, mineral oil, petrolatum, parabens, fragrance and dyes—and our estheticians swear by them. From at-home products designed to keep your complexion fresh and glowing to personalized Bioelements facials in our spa, this brand’s selection will help you tackle your biggest skin concerns. If you haven’t yet tried Bioelements, consider one of their starter kits for sensitive, oily, dry or combination skin. And to protect your skin from the sun, Bioelements’ RayDefense and SPF 50 FaceScreen are summer must haves.

Summer Makeup from Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics

Established in 1996, Youngblood Mineral Cosmetics has always created uncomplicated, all-natural beauty products that are easy to use, gentle on skin, and deliver gorgeous results. From skin perfecting liquid mineral foundation, mineral radiance crème powder foundation, and natural loose mineral powder foundation to blush, bronzer, eye shadow, eye liner, lipstick and gloss, Youngblood products come in a range of colors to suit any complexion. This summer, we’re particularly in love with the Mineral Radiance Moisture Tint, Luminous Crème Blush, Enchanted Eyeshadow Palette,and Color-Crays Sheer Lip Crayons for creating a simple, no fuss look.

Summer Hair Products from Matrix and MIZANI

Matrix was founded in 1980 by a husband-and-wife hairdressing team who wanted to provide a comprehensive range of products to hairdressers that would maximize their talent and creativity. This summer, we’re loving Matrix’s Total Results Keep Me Vivid line of haircare products. From the sulfate-free shampoo and conditioner to the Color Lamination Spray, these products will prevent fading and keep your hair color vibrant and shiny all summer long.

Recently, Creative Images’ stylists added MIZANI to their arsenal of premium haircare and styling tools. The company’s products are designed specifically for the needs of textured hair and work to keep curls hydrated, bouncy and healthy even through heat treatment. For low maintenance summertime hair, our stylists are particularly loving MIZANI’s Style Refresher Milk and Perfect Coil Oil Gel.

Whether you’re wanting to protect your hair and skin from the heat this summer or try out a new sizzling look, Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology has you covered. Call now to book your appointment!

By Angela Rose for Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology

Winter Beauty on a Budget

Keep Your Hair, Skin, and Nails Warm and Healthy This Winter With These Helpful Tips:

Winter is definitely here, and along with it, icy winds, freezing snows and thermostats set to high. The extreme temperature fluctuations most of us face daily as we navigate our way from home to school to office and home again are hard on our hair and skin. It can make it challenging to look our best, but with the holidays (and all the photo ops that come with them) right around the corner, we obviously want to appear fabulous, not frizzy and frazzled. And we want to do it without spending a bundle.

Fortunately, it’s possible to look and feel beautiful all season long without breaking your budget. We’ve put together a few expert tips to show you how.

A Strong Winter Hair Game

That warm blast of air coming from your home or office heating vent might feel good after your freezing commute, but it’s also drying out your hair and making it more prone to split ends and breakage. Experts suggest combating this seasonal increase in dryness in a number of ways:

* Shampoo less frequently to avoid stripping away healthy natural oils. With the right tools, including dry shampoo and cute hair accessories, you may be able to stretch your time between washes by several days. Ask a Creative Images Institute hairstylist to help you develop a strategy.

* Once a week, hydrate your hair overnight with a moisturizing oil or serum.

* Never skip conditioner after shampooing and use a leave-in product to extend hydration and guard against static. While you’re at it, line your course-fabric winter hats with silk or satin fabric to reduce split ends and breakage. You can often find inexpensive vintage silk scarves at thrift stores.

* Keep up with those trims. You might be tempted to just let your hair grow all winter long, but having it trimmed regularly to remove dry, brittle ends will help reduce breakage and keep your style looking beautiful and healthy. Schedule an appointment with a Creative Images Institute hairstylist and you’ll save a bundle off of regular salon prices.

Radiant Winter-Proof Skin

Remember those temperature extremes and dry air we mentioned earlier? Well, they also tend to wreak havoc on skin if you don’t guard against them. From chapped lips and ragged cuticles to overall dullness, experts suggest protecting and perfecting cold-weather skin in a number of ways:

* Cracked, dry lips are a common winter ailment. Keep them baby soft with regular exfoliation. It’s as easy as massaging a generous coat of honey or balm into your lips with a super-soft toothbrush, then wiping away the excess and flakes with a tissue.

* Swap out your light summer moisturizer for a richer product. Avoid petroleum-based varieties as they’re more likely to dry out delicate facial skin and instead choose an oil-based solution for lasting hydration. While you’re at it, treat your face to an intensive hydrating mask twice a week. It’s easy (and inexpensive) to whip one up at home using ingredients such as yogurt, avocado, honey, aloe and almond oil.

* While it’s easy to remember to exfoliate in the summer when you’re naturally showing more skin, it’s just as important during the winter months. Keep a sugar or salt scrub in the shower and give your body a thorough buffing once or twice a week. Even better, visit the Creative Images Institute spa for an aromatherapy body scrub treatment at a budget-friendly price.

* Dry, ragged cuticles can lead to painful hangnails. Keep them moisturized by massaging in hand cream or even inexpensive Shea butter every time you wash your hands. This will also keep your hands soft and hydrated as well as encourage nail growth.

Whether you want to freshen dull winter hair with a new color, nourish and brighten skin with a facial, or get your hands holiday party ready with a fun manicure, the artists at Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology are ready to help. Give one of our conveniently located campuses a call today and enjoy luxury service at a bargain price.

By Angela Rose for Creative Images Institute of Cosmetology