my favorite product: brilliant universal styling cream

even though it is really hard to pick one favorite Aveda product, i can say my decision is made. the brilliant universal styling cream is such a "universal" product that can work with almost any hair type to add shine, smooth down fly aways, protect from heat, reduce frizziness and it can be used on damp or dry hair!

the key to using universal styling cream successfully is the amount you're using, for thick coarse hair i would recommend using no bigger than a quarter amount on damp hair and no more than a nickel size on dry hair. for medium to thin hair a dime size amount will do for use on damp and dry hair. experimenting with product is one of my favorite things to do, and with Aveda products it's easy to use less since Aveda concentrates all of their products using pure flower and plant essences. so start with a small amount and add more if you feel the need.

i personally love using the universal styling cream before i use a flat iron or other heat styling tools on my hair, it gives great protection and gives hair a glossy smooth finish. the humectants (or moisturizing ingredients) in brilliant universal styling cream help keep moisture in the hair instead of drying it out, and of course Aveda uses only the best ingredients in their products. universal styling cream uses 100% certified organic aloe to moisturize the hair from the inside out!

keep checking back for a giveaway soon for a chance to win some universal styling cream!

xo.

change up.

before: during: after:

bre came in to town from hawaii and we totally changed her hair! we took about 4 inches off and turned her into a blonde! i'm in love with the results and i love that she has the style and courage to pull it off!

the end of summer can be lots of fun! call today to lighten up your hair for the oncoming fall months.

Victoria Ratliff

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619

mini weave

a mini weave is great for first timers with color. it consists of 10 - 15 foils and can be as subtle or dramatic as you'd like. in this instance my client has previous box color on her hair, so we lightened that out and then toned the highlights to a bright red/orange color.

a mini weave can range in price from 30 - 55 so it's easy on a tight budget too!

call today to schedule a mini weave!

Victoria Ratliff

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619

blonde + beach curls

brynn is a client that we see pretty often at azalea, from waxing to hair cut and color she's done it all.

she has such a fun personality and i'm always happy when i see her on my books!

this is actually the first time brynn has been into us for a color and she couldn't have been happier with the results!

brynn had various at home hair horror stories from the past few times she's had her hair done, so there was a lot of discoloration and stripes in her hair.

i evened out the stripy patches and toned to get the results we wanted!

i trimmed up her layers and thinned out and texturized her hair a ton! we decided curls would suit her since her hair is at an awkward length, that we both are trying to get through!

call today for any cut & color needs!

Victoria Ratliff

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619

beauty tips of the day: summer solutions

summer may bring glorious visions of natural highlights and long windblown hair to some.. the reality? summer sun, spiraling hot temperatures and related humidity may damage your hair's cuticle resulting in dry, drab, split, brittle or frizzy hair and ragged ends. sun exposure can actually be just as damaging to unprotected tresses as a super hot blow dryer or flat iron. so how can you save your hair while still looking like a goddess all summer? follow these simple tips!

• (Avedas summer solutions: Uruku Bronzer, Foot Relief, Smooth Infusion: style-prep smoother, Sun Care Protective Hair Veil, Control Force Firm Hold Hair Spray, Replenishing Body Moisturizer, Sun Care After-Sun Hair Masque, Sun Care Hair and Body Cleanser, Inner Light Mineral Tinted Moisture SPF 15, Nourish-mint Rehydrating Lip Glaze)

1. give your hair a summer shampoo break

shampoo less often to allow your hair to absorb its natural oils, or you can switch to more gentle cleansing methods which won't dry out sun exposed strands. try to opt for conditioner only or diluted shampoo for a few weeks and see the difference it makes! hair really needs to be treated more gently during the summer. you can always consider switching your shampoo for the season if you need the squeaky clean feel of shampoo, Avedas Dry Remedy collection is great to reverse the drying effects summer has on our hair!

2. back off heated hair styling tools

if you normally use hot styling tools (blow dryers, hot irons, rollers), give your hair a rest during summer months. air dry whenever possible or opt for easy chic styles. braid damp hair and leave over night which will create natural waves as the hair dries. play with half up/half down styles or boho braids and knots.

3. schedule deep conditioning treatments

utilize at home hair repair products such as Dry Remedy Moisturizing Treatment Masque for dry hair, Sun Care After-Sun Hair Masque for sun damaged hair, or Damage Remedy Intensive Restructuring Treatment for chemically desensitized hair. hair regularly exposed to the sun needs frequent deep conditioning treatments and moisture replenishment.

for extra conditioning treatment call Azalea Day Spa & Salon and schedule a Botanical Hair & Scalp Therapy Treatment, this treatment is a potent sensory experience and intense repair for hair. it begins with scalp, neck and shoulder massage—with up to 12 aroma-therapeutic essential oils—to increase scalp circulation while targeting pressure points that release tension. Then hair is treated with one of two intense repair formulas based on your hairs needs. This is the ultimate spa-like service, for your hair!

4. use protection

hanging out in the sun without protection for your hair and scalp is one of the worst things you can do during summer. Use leave in hair products with SPF protection like Avedas Sun Care Protective Hair Veil which is a lightweight, water-resistant UV defense mist that forms an invisible screen to help protect hair from sun exposure for up to 16 hours, it helps minimize color fadage, damage and dryness. for added protection floppy beach hats are always an option as well!

5. be religious about trims

be religious about your trims. since the summer sun can rob moisture from your tresses, make sure you have your ends trimmed every 4-6 weeks during the summer months. when your ends are fizzy, it's a sure sign that they are either damaged, split or both. h

air can get sunburned just like the scalp, the only way to deal with severely burnt hair is by trimming the damaged sections off. prevention is always the safest plan, and frizzy hair is often the result of too much time in the sun.

6. hydrate, hydrate, hydrate

while it's important to amp up your moisturizing and conditioning duties during summer months, remember to keep your hair hydrated from the inside out. d

rink plenty of liquids to keep roots and strands flush with fluids, water will also keep your skin soft and plump. while it's tempting to drink ice cold alcoholic drinks keep in mind that they can dehydrate skin and hair. water is always the best choice for a poolside thirst quencher.

call today to get your summer solution products or to schedule your next trim!

Victoria Ratliff

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619

mommy to be

kristin came in the day BEFORE her due date to chop her hair, she figured her life was going to change quiet a bit so why not change her hair with it.

i think shorter cuts are great for new moms since having long hair can be such a hassle to deal with when the baby comes.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

kristins long hair was dry and lacked luster, just like so many of us here in utah with the dry conditions.

the shorter cut definetly suits her and will be a life saver when she has the baby, heck she's probably had it by now!

by the way, it was a little girl and her name was either going to be lily or indie. i think both options are adorable and i'm sure her little bundle of joy was too!

wether you're in the mood for a drastic change or just a trim call today and make an appointment!

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619

red head

michelle is christine's sister in law (from my pervious post), she also lives with jessica the fabulous receptionist at azalea.

i think since the first day i met michelle we've talked about the possibilities of doing her hair, first it was blonde, then teal & now we finally decided on red.

being a red head maybe i'm partial, but i absolutely LOVE red hair (it may be my favorite..)

these pictures really don't show how vibrant her hair really is, stinkin iphone. >:|

although these pictures do show how we take advantage of be located right next to smart cookie, a true blessing and curse.

call today & try a new color!

Victoria Ratliff

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619

the big CHOP!

christine is my boyfriends best friends wife (does that make sense?), anyways she's my friend and she has the cutest little girls ever! she's always trying out new crafts and i'm super jealous of how talented she is!

i've been doing christines hair for about six months now, we always thin it out a ton and recently have been playing around with the idea of going short.

most of the time i forget to take before pictures, heck sometimes i even forget to take after pictures.. sooo in this case i just stole a before from facebook.

before:

 after:

of course her long hair was gorgeous, and tons of fun to cut and play with every 4 - 6 weeks, but having a 3 year old and 4 month old she didn't have all the time to do it. the new shorter style will be a definite time saver for christine, plus she looks adorable!

the day after the cut i actually ran into christine at winco and she was looking cute as ever with her new short style, and i'm so glad that she loves it!

spring is here (hopefully), and it's time for change!

call today to change your look like christine!

Victoria Ratliff

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619

B IS FOR

BRINKLEY BLONDE and BOMBSHELL.

because that's what she is, today Brinkley came in to get her hair done this was the first time she's ever gotten it dyed! She has gorgeous long baby soft hair, I've cut it for her before but today was the day that I could finally color it! (I've wanted to do something to it since I met her, almost a year ago..is that weird?)

Brinkley already has very blonde hair, especially right around her hair line. So today we did foils in the back and around the front where she was a little darker to even out her color yet still have beautiful dimension. Since her blonde hair is natural, (for the most part) I wanted to keep it looking that way.

DO YOU WANT A BOMBSHELL LOOK LIKE BRINKLEY?

call today!

Victoria Ratliff

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619

10 foils + all over color.

I absolutely love Katie, we've been friends for a long time. She was even my very first floor model in hair school!

Amazing right?

Anyways, she's been coming to me since I was in school and now she comes to me in the salon I work at! (so loyal)

Katie has the most gorgeous long, thick, shiny and soft hair. (even though it gets very tangled after we wash it!)

Today Katie wanted to keep her length (of course, it's gorgeous) and go a little darker all over, with a few highlights on top.

BEFORE:

roots needed to be done and the color was a little faded.

 AFTER:

warmed up her color and freshened up the layers

Katie loved the look, and so did I! I think we'll work on going darker all over, but it'll be a slower transition for this gorgeous blonde.

Call today to freshen up your look like katie did!

Victoria Ratliff

Azalea Day Spa & Salon

741 W. 100 N., American Fork, UT

by Rodizio Grill and the Cinemark Theaters.

801.756.9619