Christopher Stephens Beauty Blog

"Inner Circle" Skin Care secrets of the Stars...

We are all looking for tips and ways to help us look better and more attractive. Here are a few skin care secrets of celebrities:

• Want to know how Halle Barry keeps her face looking so smooth and beautiful? Well Halle says that exfoliating the skin twice a day works for her. She says that when you wake up each morning that you need to clean your face and rub a Vitamin C facial concentrate onto your skin and then apply a good moisturizer.
• How does Star Jones keep her skin looking so good? Star says that she uses baby wipes to remove makeup and moisturizes her skin at least twice every single day.
• Mo'Nique main hostess of the BET Awards swears that drinking plenty of water works for her. She says that you need to cleanse your face with an astringent and then use a moisturizer.

We are all looking for tips and ways to help us look better and more attractive. Here are a few skin care secrets of celebrities:

• Want to know how Halle Barry keeps her face looking so smooth and beautiful? Well Halle says that exfoliating the skin twice a day works for her. She says that when you wake up each morning that you need to clean your face and rub a Vitamin C facial concentrate onto your skin and then apply a good moisturizer.
• How does Star Jones keep her skin looking so good? Star says that she uses baby wipes to remove makeup and moisturizes her skin at least twice every single day.
• Mo'Nique main hostess of the BET Awards swears that drinking plenty of water works for her. She says that you need to cleanse your face with an astringent and then use a moisturizer.

A Couple Celebrity Beauty Tips

Celebrity Nail Secret: Uma Thurman’s nail expert uses a cotton ball dipped in facial skin toner to wipe nails clean of residues and natural oils before applying base coat or color. This helps the polishes stick to the nails.

Celebrity Hair Secret: How does Angelina Jolie's hairstylist add "emergency"volume to the roots of Angelina's hair? He does this with a little sprinkling of baby powder and a hair dryer. You rub the bady powder into your roots and then blow dry it away. Viola!

Celebrity Nail Secret: Uma Thurman’s nail expert uses a cotton ball dipped in facial skin toner to wipe nails clean of residues and natural oils before applying base coat or color. This helps the polishes stick to the nails.

Celebrity Hair Secret: How does Angelina Jolie's hairstylist add "emergency"volume to the roots of Angelina's hair? He does this with a little sprinkling of baby powder and a hair dryer. You rub the bady powder into your roots and then blow dry it away. Viola!

When Helping Bites Back

I’ve had this particular client for a few years, and I’ve grown very fond of her, almost like a mother figure or an Aunt, you get the picture. She has always been a good client, coming once a week for a shampoo and blow dry, and once every eight weeks for color and highlights. I really enjoy our time together, she’s down home southern folk, like me and my family and we relate very easily with each other, sharing our troubles and our triumphs, kidding and cutting up with each other and telling a tall tale or two here and there for conversation sake. Both she and I agreed that we must have been relayed, if not by blood then by spirit.  

I am only human!

I try my best every day, to please all of our clients.  Some days I am better at it than others, but I try, I really do.   Some days I am focused more than others, but I always try, I really do.  Some days I have less distractions than  other days but I always try to stay focused, I really do.  Some days my employees frustrate me, but I try to see it their way, I try, I really do!

Some days clients get to me, but I try to not let them, but sometimes they do. Sometimes I make mistakes even though I try, but sometimes I do.  Sometimes I just really don't care, but I keep trying to do what I do.   If just for a moment some of my employees can just step back and see that I am doing my best, with what I have and I am trying...and I just would hope they would show me they are trying too!

Great Volumizing Tip...

Going out for dinner and you're in a rush? Try our simple volumizing tip. Try the more modern equivalent  the "dry shampoo" -  Rene Furterer Naturia Dry Shampoo.  Just spray in at the roots let sit and brush out.  The oils will disappear and your hair will appear fuller." Available at Christopher Stephens or online.

Respect My Time...Please

So I have this client that has been coming to our salon for about 9 months now.  A very nice lady, always has a smile, very friendly, just seems to be an all around nice person.

Except one big thing, she is time challenged.  I have personally done her hair only once but she has been coming to one of my other stylists during this time.  Like I said she was a very nice person, but she was never on time for her appointments or she just simply didn’t show up.  All though we had this issue we looked past it because the stylist she was going to wasn’t busy.  Let’s say she had the time on her books, the stylist that is.

NailTek - Voted "BEST NATURAL NAIL TREATMENT" by Salon Professionals

I. BEGIN with clean nails shaped square or rounded.

II. TREAT with one coat of the Nail Tek formulation of your choice. Begin at the base of the nail near the cuticle, stroking toward the end of the nail. Be sure to keep all nail products away from the cuticle and skin as they may cause dryness.

III. COLOR with two coats of your favorite shade of nail polish.

IV. PROTECT with one top coat of Nail Tek.

V. APPLY DAILY as a top coat over polish.

Available at Christopher Stephens Salon and Spa or at this online retailer.

It's A 10 Miracle Hair Mask

It's amazingly easy to use!!

Shampoo rinse and and work into hair, leave on for a few minutes then rinse. Follow with It's A 10 Miracle  leave-in treatment.

Does 10 things at once!!

1. Detangles
2. Nourishes
3. De Frizzes
4. Softens
5. Smoothes
6. Restores Moisture Balance
7. Instantly Restores Elasticity
8. Improves Color Vibrancy
9. Imparts Luminous Shine
10. Enhances Natural Body

IT'S A PERFECT 10 !!!

A day in the life of a hairdresser...help me please...

First let me say I love my job, I love my clients...(most of them) and I think I am a happy person, that is when I am not happy. 

BUT...

Let me tell you about the client I had today...At first she looked normal, that was until she opened her mouth.  I now had to listen to every bad experience she had at EVERY salon she has ever been to before.  There is no doubt that I will be the next story. 

So we go through this long tedious process of a consultation, before I (not we) finally decide what has to be done.  At this point I am just thinking damage control, reminding you this is before I have even started.

Sex, Lust and Lips...Hot Pants Cosmetics will get you noticed!

Hemlines rise and fall, patent shoes come and go, but a perfectly made up face is an accessory that never goes out of style! Hot Pants is both a moniker and a muse for an extraordinarily too haute to handle, jaw dropping, traffic stopping, guaranteed-to-turn-heads color cosmetic line for the eye, lips, face and body. Inspired by fashion, Hot Pants Cosmetics offers mind-blowing colors, sensational textures, and unstoppable coverage.