How To Plan Bridal Hair For Your Big Day

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[quote]Dear Sizzor Shak,

I am getting married this fall!!!!! I wanted to know what kind of tips and suggestions you have for me as I plan my big day … I want to make sure everything is fairy tale perfect!

Thanks,
Bella the Beautiful Bride [/quote]

Dear Beautiful Bella,

First of all, our very best wishes to you! Getting married is a huge event in a person’s life – the closest time that we regular gals get to being a princess and living out a fairytale!

The first thing I would recommend would be to find ways to make the day as low stress as possible. Hiring a professional to do your hair and makeup will give you a chance to relax and look forward to revealing yourself and your amazing dress to your groom!

If you want to make a party of it, invite your bridesmaids, your mom and mother-in-law, your flower girls, and anyone else to join you. Assign someone to pick up bagels and fruit, enjoy some punch, then sit back with your favorite people in the world and enjoy the pampering!

On another note, I would like to encourage you on a very important matter. You said you want to make sure that “everything is perfect.” Every bride wants a perfect day – but, as I’m sure you’re aware, things happen. Things that are beyond your control, things that are within your control. Life is full of annoyances, even on your special day. But please let me assure you … it will be okay.

Perfect days are hard to come by — Snow White got food poisoning, Cinderella had a wardrobe malfunction, The Little Mermaid got laryngitis, and Sleeping Beauty overslept. Fairy tales definitely have their share of mishaps. So don’t aim for perfection. Set you mind on amazing, joyful, extraordinary …words that are more about your delight in marrying your prince and celebrating with all your friends as opposed to logistical issues with the florist and the caterer.

Then you are guaranteed to have an amazing day!!

Best Wishes,
The Shak Staff

How To Keep Your Hair Static Free

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Dear Sizzor Shak,

What advice can you give me about static in my hair? It is sticking up all over the place, it won’t hold a style, and it’s starting to make me crazy!!! I just got a great haircut that I want to show off, but I feel like I need to put a hat on my head every morning in order to tame this wild hair.

Please help,
Electric Elena

Dear Elena,

First of all, do not wear hats all the time – they will add to your problem! Hats create static electricity, and so does rubbing your feet on carpeting, and sleeping on flannel. Switch your pillowcase out to a silk or satin one, which alleviates static and also helps with hair breakage and facial wrinkles.

The most important thing you can do is make sure your hair is adequately moisturized. Always use a conditioner any time your hair is wet; a leave-in one’s work great if you want a quick touch up without having to do a full wash.

Add a deep conditioning treatment into your weekly routine – you can make an appointment with your stylist to have one done professionally, or you can invest in purchasing one from your salon to do at home. Or you can do both!

There are products and tools you can use that will also help make a difference. Smoothing brushes

with ceramic coating help decrease static as you dry and straighten your hair. Glossing drops, serums, and moisture lock sprays are available and work terrific! There are even anti-frizz restyler sprays, which work great for second day hair. They smell really great too!

A fun and easy trick that my 10th grade science teacher taught me was to rub lotion into my hands

and then lightly pat my hair, or run my lotioned hands over anything that wasgiving me problems (my skirt, pants, coat, etc.). It really works, but since hand lotion will only make your hair greasy and heavy, I only recommend this for emergency situations.

If you’re looking for advice on what products to use on your hair & you’re looking for a salon near Collinsville, IL, stop into Sizzor Shak Salon & Color Spa. There will be a friendly stylist waiting to share their expertise with you!

Have a great, static-free holiday,
Love,
The Shak Staff

How To Strengthen Those Strands of Hair

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Did you know that your hair is one of the strongest fibers on Planet Earth? One strand has the strength equivalent of copper wire of similar size. In fact, if your entire head of hair was made into a rope, it could lift 12 tons of weight!

Some hair has more strength than others, of course. Your diet, the environment, your stress level, and chemical processes all contribute to the health and resilience of your hair.

Vitamins do a lot for your hair; they promote healthy growth and prevent damage from the environment. Taking a multivitamin every day gives you the amounts you need to strengthen and rebuild your hair.

  • Vitamin C works against free radicals from the atmosphere
  • Vitamin A, Vitamin E, and niacin all promote hair growth by nurturing the scalp
  • Vitamin B6 and B12 help to prevent hair loss
  • Biotin it is an essential water-soluble B vitamin, which increases the elasticity of the hair’s cortex, thus preventing breakage.

    • In addition to vitamin supplements, a healthy diet of fruits, green vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins will assist you in your quest for strong, shiny locks.

    Your daily hair routine can also add strength to your hair. Unless you need to, try not to wash your hair every day. Excess washing will strip your hair of its natural oils, making it dry and brittle. In addition to washing less, it is imperative to condition more. Add conditioner to your hair every time you wet it, because the conditioner will lock in your hair’s moisture and keep the your hair’s cuticle soft and flexible. A deep keratin conditioner once or twice a week seals the deal, creating hair that is healthy, shiny, and strong.

    When you’re ready to style your tresses, prepare your hair with a protective styling product BEFORE you use your heated tools. Look for a product that contains silicone, which will protect your hair’s cuticle and give you a polished, smooth look. It is a good habit to clean your tools with alcohol regularly. The residue your product leaves on them can become seared into your hair and make it weak and brittle.

    Finally, keeping up with your regular trims is the best way to keep your hair strong. You may have strands that are two years old or older, depending on your hair’s length. By keeping those ends in check, the split ends that crop up will have less of a chance of weakening the entire strand structure.

    If you’ve been checking out other salons in Collinsville, salons in Edwardsville, or even salons in St. Louis, give Sizzor Shak Salon & Color Spa a try! We want you to love your strong, healthy hair!

    How To Add Dimension To Your Hair

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    Dear Sizzor Shak Staff,

    I love my hair! I know, most people complain about it being too straight, too curly, too short, etc. But my hair is really silky and shiny and it’s a nice, light brown color. So all in all, I am really happy with my hair.

    But … I’m kind of getting bored with it. I want to do something different and I’m toying with the idea of getting highlights, but I’m really nervous. I like how shiny my hair is and I don’t want it to get dried out and damaged looking. Can you tell me more about the process so that I’m not so worried?

    Thanks,
    Sharon Shinyhair

    Dear Sharon,

    I love that you love your hair! Every person has beauty, and I think it is a shame that so many people concentrate on what they don’t like about themselves. If those people would take the time and think on it, they would find that there are a lot of things that they really do like about themselves. And that is such a healthier and happier way to live!

    Okay, enough with the psycho-babble … let’s talk highlights!

    Highlights are a great way to subtly or dramatically enhance your look. When you meet with your stylist, she will provide you with hair swatches so that the two of you can pick out the shade that will look best with your natural color. Staying within two to four shades of your own hair color is ideal for a subtle tweak or for a more dramatic look, we also have an array of fantasy colors available.

    Highlights are a lovely way to frame your face and add interest to your hair’s style. You can also add dimension by adding lights through the crown and back of your hair. The beauty of highlights is that you and your stylist can determine together how much or little you want, the placement, the intensity – you have so many options!

    I know you’re worried about damage, so let me reassure you. The nature of highlights means that only a selected number of strands on your head will be changed, which means the majority of your hair will be untouched. Also, your stylist will be able to determine the lowest level of color lifter needed in order tobring about the desired results. I would NOT recommend using a box color, due to the fact that there is no way to tailor the formula for your particular hair type. For home jobs gone wild, a visit to the salon for color correction is much more expensive than the original highlighting. And when you are ready for touch ups, your stylist can highlight just the out growth, which saves the ends of your hair from being processed over and over.

    Highlighting is definitely the way to go and adding highlights is a great way to introduce yourself to hair color. I am sure that as much as you love your hair now, you will adore it after your highlights!

    Sincerely,
    The Shak Staff

    How To Make Lashes Look Longer & Fuller

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    Dear Sizzor Shak,

    Everywhere I look, I am seeing ladies with false eyelashes on. I think this looks really glamorous for a night out, but I need to know how to make my lashes look longer and fuller for my everyday look. There are a lot of commercials on TV for different mascaras, but I was wondering what sort of salon options there are.

    Thanks for your advice,
    Lashless Lainie

    Dear Lainie,

    I’m really glad you asked this question. Eyelashes can do more to enhance your eyes than anything else, and our eyes are one of our greatest beauty features. Just read any poet or love letter!

    Let’s first go over some simple beauty tricks to make the most of what you’ve got. First of all, curl those lashes! I know for some people, an eyelash curler looks like a torture device, but the new ones on the market have a silicone pad that curls and lifts your lashes without the fear of pinching your lids. Blast the pads with your hairdryer prior to curling to really get results. Another option would be to get an eyelash perm. This is a fantastic way to make sure you wake up every morning with beautiful lashes. The procedure takes less than half an hour, is simple, and very effective.
    Eyeliner is almost as important as mascara when it comes to bringing out your lashes. The reason — a dark line at the base of your eyelid gives the impression that you have lots of lashes. Lots of lashes = beautiful eyes!

    Have you ever considered permanent cosmetics? Permanent eyeliner would provide you with this look all day, every day! Definitely an option worth looking into!

    When it comes to mascara, you have a multitude of options with all these innovative formulas and brush designs. These mascaras contain lengthening polymers, silica balls and tiny fibers that lengthen and thicken, silk nectar to repair brittle lashes, special brushes to guarantee that no lash is left untouched – all amazing features that can really increase your eye-batting potential.

    But no matter how great your mascara is, the application process if of utmost importance! First of all, a little known tip is to apply a first coat ONLY to the tips of the lashes. This is the thinnest part of the lash, so by putting a layer there FIRST, you are adding thickness without adding clumps! Then you can go ahead and put an application on the entire lash.

    There are other, longer-lasting options available. An experienced salon professional can provide you with eyelash tinting – a procedure that darkens your lashes from root to tip and lasts for a few months. Eyelash extensions are also available by select stylists who undergo expert training. The extensions are made from human hair and you and your stylist can determine together what length and thickness will work best for you.
    It was William Shakespeare who said, “The eyes are the windows to the soul.” However, we at Sizzor Shak like this quote from Audrey Hepburn best:

    For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others;
    for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness;
    and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.

    May we all strive for this kind of beauty.
    Sincerely,
    -The Sizzor Shak Staff

    Photo by: Kyle Weber

    9 Things To Get You Summer Lovin’

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    The Shak Girls of Sizzor Shak Salon & Color Spa list their favorite things about summertime!

    1. Flirty Skirts
    “Fun, flowered, swirly skirts. They are perfect to keep you cool on hot summer days and show off your legs on hot summer nights!”
    -Caitlin

    2. Conditioning & Detangling
    “I like to use leave-in conditioner to detangle & condition my hair while I’m out at the lake swimming with friends.”
    –Nikki

    3. Smooth Skin
    Spending my summer at the pool always required daily shaving – until I began waxing. What a difference it has made on my skin … and on my time!
    -Wendy

    4. Curly Hair
    “The new beach wave perms. Everyone who gets them can count on a summer of great hair – even if you go out with your hair wet!”
    -Kaci

    5. Pretty Toes
    “Wearing sandals and showing off my crazy toenails. I love all the different colors and designs I can use to show off my feet!”
    –Tricia

    6. Fresh Flowers
    “Flowers from my garden. Arrangements of hydrangeas, dahlias, and sunflowers mixed with kitchen herbs always delight my family and friends.”
    –Donna

    7. Sunglasses
    “Wearing my sunglasses all the time! They are the only accessory I need.”
    -Gretchen

    8. Flip Flops
    “I just got some pink, orange, and purple flip flops. I can bling them out and jazz up any outfit!”
    -Charlotte

    9. Family Time
    “Daylight until 8pm, barbeque, and time with family and friends. These are beautiful things to me!”
    -Linda

    Strawberries – The Great Fruit Fix

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    Did you know your body does not produce Vitamin C on it’s own? Not only is this vitamin important for warding off the dreaded cold, but it also helps your body produce collagen, which keeps your skin firm. Strawberries are a delicious source of Vitamin C, so eat them up!IMG_0928

    To make your own beauty treatment, puree 3-4 good sized strawberries along with the juice of one lemon and ½ cup of plain yogurt. Let the treatment chill in the refrigerator, then apply liberally to your face and neck. This facial helps to tighten your pores and lighten skin discolorations that are common from sun exposure. After rinsing, be sure to apply an SPF lotion, as Vitamin C makes you extremely sensitive to UV rays.

    Ask the Shak – May 2010

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    Dear Shak Staff,

    I love to try out different hairstyles, and a few months ago I got about 6 inches cut off of my hair. It is in a long bob, and to be honest, I really don’t like it. It just isn’t “me”. I‘ve thought about getting extensions, but I’m really worried about damaging my hair. What’s your opinion about hair extensions?

    Sincerely,
    Short-cut Sarah

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    Dear Sarah,

    First of all, kudos on trying out different hairstyles! There are so many great looks out there, and your willingness to try something new means that you will never get stuck in a hair rut!

    However, every hair maverick will sometimes find themselves in a style that is not quite right, as you are finding out. Your idea about using extensions is a good one. We think you will find yourself really happy if you go this route.

    We use the Hairdreams extension line at Sizzor Shak. The hair is soft, shiny, and has great elasticity. It is human hair that has been hand-selected in all colors from all over the world. People with tweezers and magnifying glasses sort each individual hair to give you the best extensions possible!

    While most extension lines use a glue-based bond, Hairdreams has a keratin bonding process that is proven to be gentler on your hair. This prevents the damage that you are concerned about, and it also gives you a stronger and more natural look.

    We know you are interested in extensions to regain your lost length, but extensions can also be used to provide mass and volume to hair. The thickening effect of Hairdreams is a great bonus for ladies with fine or thinning hair.

    Give us a call at 618-345-6446 and we will have one of our stylists provide you with a consultation and help you make a plan to regain your length. You will soon be back to hair that you love… maybe even more than ever before!

    Sincerely,
    The Shak Staff

    Have a queston for the Shak Staff? Send your questions to [email protected].

    ask the shak

    Break Out Of Your Hair Rut With 3 Looks

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    THE WAVY LOOK:
    We recommend using a moisturizing cream to help define the curls. When your hair is wet, work in Curls Rock: Leave in Conditioner and then let your hair air-dry.CollinsvilleSalon

    THE SLEEK LOOK:
    We recommend letting your hair air-dry then flat iron your hair with a heat protectant and hairspray in one, which we would recommend Straight Sexy Hair: Smooth and Protect.

    LOOSE UPDO LOOK:
    We would recommend letting your hair have a little wave by using Redken Fabricate through out your hair then letting it air-dry. Then use a loose ponytail and pull your hair up into a little bun.

    All of these products can be purchased here at the Sizzor Shak Salon & Color Spa.

    3 Tricks To Get the Perfect Ponytail

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    Check out Sizzor Shak’s 3 little tricks to get the perfect ponytail:

    1. Spritz your brush with a shine enhancing spray like BedHead’s Superficial Smoothing Liquid.Voted #1 Salon in Collinsville - Sizzor Shak This spray will control the fly-aways & frizz, while adding a delicious scent to your hair.

    2. To create just the right amount of bounce, use your brush to comb your hair straight back and secure it right between your nape & your crown.

    3. Take a piece of hair from the underside of your ponytail (about a pinky’s width will do). Wrap it around your hair elastic & secure with a bobby pin. Then, spray it with Phyto Organics VaporGel, a firm hold micro-gel mist that adds flexibility and texture, along with UV protection.

    Apply these 3 tricks & you’ll be on your way to achieving the perfect ponytail. For more information on products that will increase the beauty of your hair, stop by & see us at Sizzor Shak – Your “voted #1” Collinsville salon.