La Bella Vita Featuring: Cinderella Dreams

La Bella's slogan "Live, Look, Feel Beautiful" is more to us than just a catch phrase-- it is a vision set forth by our founder/owner Jessie because she knew that she wanted our salon to represent more than just helping people with their looks (although we are pretty good at it!). She wanted La Bella Hair Studio to encompass and embrace beauty in all aspects of life, which is something we strive for every day. It is important to embrace the beauty within yourself and the community in which you live.This year on our blog we're featuring a series called "La Bella Vita," meaning "The Beautiful Life." We have made it our mission to find twelve special people within our community, who have somehow impacted the lives around them, to be featured every month.

March marks the 3rd month of La Bella Vita, and we are featuring Cinderella Dreams, a cause we have grown very fond of- and we know you will too.

"Can you imagine being a teenage girl, dreaming about attending her Junior or Senior Prom, only to realize the cost of a dress is out of reach?". The Cinderella Dreams Prom Dress Project is a cornerstone project of the Midlothian Junior Women's Club . During the late winter and early spring, the club collects donated prom dresses, jewelry, shoes, makeup and other prom-related accessories at Greater Richmond area YMCA branches and Puritan Cleaners. With the help of community sponsors and volunteers, there is a 'shopping' event, where girls can shop for and select a dress and accessories for free. Every woman remembers her prom night (what she wore, her date, hair, etc) it is the first most important night in a young lady's life. Cinderella Dreams started in a woman's garage 9 years ago, evolving so much that last year they received 1400 donated dresses and  over 450 girls came out and found their dress!

 Every girl deserves to look and feel her absolute best, and with this project they all have the chance. This is a dream come true for so many girls, and as soon as we heard about the cause we wanted to have a part in it all. La Bella Hair Studio will be donating prom updos to 4 girls, chosen by raffle. You can make a difference too! Either by donating dresses to the drop off locations, helping to get the shopping location ready, or by volunteering your time to be a Fairy God Mother for one of the girls. Either way, no matter what, every little bit helps. The more people who are able to help, the more girls who get to feel beautiful on their big night! 

More About Donations

*All area Puritan Cleaners and YMCA locations are accepting donations for 2014!
The wishlist for donations includes:

New and like-new prom/evening gowns. They ask that gowns should be recent styles, from 2009 or later, spring, prom-style gowns. Please no causal dresses.

All sizes are needed – from size 0 up to size 28 and even higher. They take any size!

New and like-new evening bags.

New, unopened cosmetics, nail polish and perfume. Samples are appreciated!

Jewelry – earrings, bracelets and necklaces – the girls especially loved rhinestone/CZ, silver, and pearl jewelry for their big night!

Hair accessories and hair spray.

New, unopened hosiery.

Gift certificates for services and other necessities: department stores, hairdressers, nail technicians, restaurants, limousines, shoe stores, accessory stores, and any other ‘prom’ services.

They ask all gently used items be in clean and ready for the girls to wear!

Feel free to email donations@cinderelladreams.net for more information on donations.

                                                 

                                                 Shopping Hours for 2014

Storefront located in Westchester Commons between Regal Cinemas and Petco

Friday, March 14th 5-9PM
Sunday, March 16th 1-4PM
Tuesday, March 18th 7-9PM

                                                        Fairy God Mother

Fairy God Mothers are volunteers who work as personal shoppers for the girls, so they have help finding their prom dress It also helps keep a certain level of discretion so the ones getting the dresses don't run into their peers while shopping. What a wonderful way to make a difference- working personally with someone to create their perfect look for their big day. I imagine it is very rewarding!


As you can see, there are so many different ways to lend a hand a make a difference in someone's life. Hopefully we can all find a way to help no matter what form that help is in! Sign up to volunteer at: http://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0D4CA8AF2B0-20142


La Bella Hair Studio Live, Look, Feel Beautiful.
Inspire.

"La Bella Vita" Featuring: Stephanie and Francesca Gasper

La Bella's slogan "Live, Look, Feel Beautiful" is more to us than just a catch phrase- it was a vision set forth by our founder/owner Jessie because she knew that she wanted our salon to represent more than just helping people with their looks (although we are pretty good at it). She wanted La Bella Hair Studio to encompass and embrace beauty in all aspects of life, which is something we strive for everyday. It is important t embrace the beauty within yourself and the community in which you live.The year of 2014 has been dubbed "La Bella Vita" meaning "The Beautiful Life".We have made it our mission to find 12 special people within our community, who have somehow impacted the lives around them, to be featured every month.

Well, we are now in our second month of the year, so it is time for Round 2 of "La Bella Vita"

February is known as the month of love, and gained its reputation thanks to Valentine's Day being on the 14th. The universal symbol for love is the heart, which actually symbolizes more than just that during this month. Many people are unaware that February means Heart Disease Awareness! It is very important that you take the time to learn about all different forms of heart disease and how to keep you and your loved ones informed on prevention and treatment. Heart Disease is leading cause of death in America and can come in many different forms from many different sources. 

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) is what we will be highlighting in this post. It  is considered to be the most common birth defect worldwide, and is the leading cause of birth defect related deaths. CHD Awareness Week is from February 7th-14th. For more information on how you can make a difference in the cause, visit the Congenital Heart Information Network. 

Featured for February in La Bella Vita are TWO very special people from our community. Both have proven to be fighters and, in my opinion, have the strongest hearts! Representing CHD Awareness is...

Stephanie and Francesca Gasper!

Stephanie is a loving mother of 2, who has been fighting her own battle with CHD since birth. Her story is one that shows us that you can overcome anything, and her strength is an inspiration. Francesca is Stephanie's daughter, who was born with the same form of CHD and has already proven to be a strong little girl having already overcome an open heart surgery at the young age of 6 months. I wanted Stephanie to share with us her story, give us an idea of the journey she and Francesca have been on, and tell us what we could do to make a difference.


Q: First and foremost, let's introduce- tell us a little about yourself!

"My name is Stephanie Gasper. I am 26 years old. I have a sexy husband and two amazing kids that I thank God every day for. Aiden (healthy heart) just turned 5 and Francesca (my heart baby) is 16 months old."

Stephanie, her "sexy husband" Alex, son Aiden, and daughter Francesca

Q: What exactly is Congenital Heart disease? 

"CHD can describe a number of different problems affecting the heart. It is the most common type of birth defect, and is also the number 1 birth defect that causes death in the first year of life."

Q: What is done to prevent/treat someone with CHD and what are the signs? Is there a cure?

"To prevent CHD, women who are expecting should get good prenatal care.  Treatment all depends on the condition that the person has. Rapid breathing, blue coloring, fatigue, poor feeding, and poor weight gain [are signs of CHD]. Surgeries and medication are forms of treatments but they are not necessarily a cure for CHD. When someone is born with CHD, they have CHD for life."

Q: CHD Awareness Week is Feb.7-14, is there anything we could do as a community to help raise awareness and contribute to furthering the cause?

 "One is educating yourself. 1 in 110 babies are born with CHD and majority of the hospitals in the US do not test infants when they are born. So bringing awareness to people is a great idea. There is a great non-profit organization here in Richmond called Mended Little Hearts and they work nationally and in the communities to support children with CHD and also their families, along with bring awareness"

Q: Would you mind sharing how CHD has directly effected you and your family's lives? 

"At just a week old, my parents were told that something was wrong with my heart and soon found out I had A-V canal defect, one out of the many congenital heart diseases.  At just five months old I underwent my first open-heart surgery followed by another one when I was 3 and my most recent surgery at age 17. As a baby, I would get too tired to suck a bottle, so my parent’s had to tube feed me up until I had my first surgery. They would also have to bring me into the doctor’s office for weekly check-ups and weigh-ins. Once my weight gain plateaued that meant it was time to operate. My first surgery, the surgeons actually took my heart out of my chest to work on it. Just thinking about that gives me chills. Even though I had CHD, my parents never held me back from doing things I wanted to do. The doctors told my mom, treat her like a normal kid-- so they did. I was enrolled in dance classes at age 3 and danced through high school.  But my story doesn’t stop here, when I was 20 wks pregnant with my second child they had found something wrong with her heart but being in utero it was hard to tell exactly what was wrong. Many babies have VSDs (hole in the heart) that close up before or shortly after birth, so I had hoped and prayed that was the case, but it wasn’t. At one day old, they had a pediatric cardiologist do some extensive tests on my little one and afterwards, she, too was diagnosed with A-V canal defect.  Talk about history repeating itself! A-V canal defect is a spectrum disorder and luckily, for Francesca her defect is not as severe has mine. Francesca was able to suck a bottle. She was just unable to feed for long periods of time, she got tired after a few minutes, so she would feed many times during they day but only consume small amounts. My husband and I would take Francesca every other week to get weighed to make sure she was growing. At six months we went up to UVA hospital and she had her first (and hopefully last) open heart surgery. Her surgery and recovery went very well. Now she still has a small hole in her heart that they will have to keep an eye on to make sure it does not become larger. But other than her CHD she is a thriving 16 month old who is so full of happiness and personality you would never know she was sick. She’s little, but fierce. She’s a fighter, like her mom!"

Stephanie and Francesca will continue to prove their strength while winning the battle against CHD

Two extremely beautiful ladies who have overcome so much already in their young lives, embracing life to its fullest each with a heart stronger than before. Thank you so much to Stephanie for sharing your story, and opening up to us in an effort to help raise awareness. Not only are you and Francesca an inspiration to all of us, you have given hope to many who may be in your same situation. 


Please take the time to see how you can make a difference in raising awareness with CHD and Heart Disease! It's little effort for a big cause and can save lives.

La Bella Hair Studio Live, Look, Feel Beautiful. 
Inspire.

American Heart Association

http://mendedlittlehearts.org/mlh.htm

http://www.tchin.org/index.htm

"La Bella Vita" Featuring: Michelle Valerio

La Bella's slogan "Live, Look, Feel Beautiful" is more to us than just a catch phrase- it was a vision set forth by our founder/owner Jessie because she knew that she wanted our salon to represent more than just helping people with their looks (although we are pretty good at it). She wanted La Bella Hair Studio to encompass and embrace beauty in all aspects of life, which is something we strive for everyday.

In 2013, we gave you all a closer look into each one of us on the team of La Bella, so we could share with you our passion, drive, and what sets us apart from everyone else. For 2014, we have something different planned. We are calling this year "La Bella Vita" meaning "The Beautiful Life". There are so many people in our community, family, places of work, school (you name it) who have lived beautifully- remember beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We have made it our mission to find 12 special people within our community, who have somehow impacted the lives around them, to be featured every month during the year of 2014! We are so excited to be doing something different and cannot wait to get to know so many amazing people, as well as giving you the opportunity to do the same.

So, the month is January...what does this month represent? New Beginnings. We found someone who has been known to face many obstacles in the form of New Beginnings, and build them into a strong path for a better future. She is known in the community as a high school teacher, always a favorite among her students with an empathetic attitude but a firm presence. She is not only known for constantly evolving and bettering herself as an individual- her hair seems to have taken the path right along with her in the best case of symbolism I have ever seen! 

              Featured in January's spotlight in "La Bella Vita" representing New Beginnings is.....

                                             

Michelle Valerio!

Michelle is a Spanish teacher at J.R Tucker High School in Henrico County and the head of the Foreign Language department. She is also a wife, a proud mother of 3 (4 if you include her dog, Rusty), and a doting grandmother as well. With her being so well known for a constant fresh start, I thought it important to have a little Q&A to help us all get to know her better- and her hair too!

Q: Tell us a little about where it all started for you- where you came from and how you would best describe your childhood.

A: " I was born in the Bronx, New York and when I was 8, I was taken to Puerto Rico. I lived there until I graduated high school. Prior to moving to Puerto Rico, I attended PS41 for 1st, 2nd, and half of 3rd grade, in Greenwich Village (where Robert De Niro attended school). I would walk 10 blocks to school everyday as a little girl, and that was just the norm for me! One of my most fond memories would be around Christmas time going to my Uncle Hector's house in Ponce for a pig roast with the entire family. I always loved going to the beach and growing up on the island, but particularly appreciate the fact that I also have the memories of living in New York City during my childhood as well."

Q: You have had many "New Beginnings", so to speak, what would you say was the time you experienced your first significant new beginning, and how did it change your life?

A: "My first significant new beginning was the time I was taken to Puerto Rico in the 3rd grade. I was faced with the challenge of everything being in Spanish- a language I did not speak, although I did understand when spoken to because my grandparents and family all spoke Spanish to me. It changed my life in every aspect, because everything from that point on was in Spanish, I had to adapt very quickly. Now I am bilingual, a Spanish teacher, and the head of the Foreign Language Department!"

Q: You are known for having overcome many obstacles, how would you say you have evolved? Could you give us examples of some of those obstacles?

A: "I come from what is known to be a dysfunctional family, and my personal goals have kept me from continuing the vicious cycle of life. My internal desire to become highly educated and become the first medical doctor in my family is what has been my driving force. Examples of obstacles in my life stem from: not having money, taking on the role of a parent during my adolescent years, and enduring physical and verbal abuse. Being a single mother of 3 for 12 years (before I met my husband), I struggled, but I strived everyday to ensure my daughters would never be directly effected by it. However, over the years, I learned my life was not 100% normal or appropriate, so I took it upon myself to learn how to control myself in many situations instead of reacting or retaliating (which is a sign of ignorance and weakness)- I chose to rise above and not be a product of my surroundings. I had been working full time while my girls were young and aspired to go back to school and pursue my education...and that was exactly what I did. I continued to work a full time schedule and did evening classes at VCU (a lot of the time my daughters were in the lobby doing homework while I was in class!) and finished with a Masters in Education."

Q: Do you have any big plans for another new beginning in the future?

A: "I actually have many ideas for new beginnings! The first one is that my baby is going to college and I anticipate going through empty nest syndrome...all the while looking forward to finally just simply thinking of myself and only myself when making decisions about my life! I am currently enrolled at VCU and am pursuing a Post Baccalaureate Health and Science certificate in order to prepare for the MCAT and hopefully medical school. "

Q: How would you describe you hair growing up as a child? Did you or you mom do anything in particular to manage it better?

A: "My hair as a child was a joke. My friends and family still laugh about what I looked like when I would wake up in the morning. My mom would try to smooth it out with rollers, but usually just got it cut short (boy cut). I hated it!! As a teenager, I would relax it with chemicals and try to make it straight by using the old fashion rollers, which seemed to work best then."

Q: Before you started going to the salon on a regular basis, what was your air routine? What would you say are you fave products now?

A: "Before going to the salon faithfully, my styling routine was to use the rollers, sit under the dryer, then wrap my hair so it would loosen the curls. At that time I would use whatever I thought would work....including LA Looks gel and Aussie hairspray. Now (being a very faithful salon goer) I love Moroccanoil and the Glimmer Shine Spray- and for no reason in particular because I just love everything about that line!"

Q: You have been getting the Keratin Smoothing Treatment loyally now for five years--how would you describe your hair's transformation? How has it changed you styling routine from day to day?

A: "Ever since I have been getting the Keratin treatment my hair is manageable, I am able to blow dry my own hair in record time very successfully, and straighten it. I love my hair! I feel that my hair is everything that  have always wanted and I am not being unreasonable- I have simply always wanted to be able to manage my own hair. To this day when old friends see me or find me on Facebook they can't believe the drastic change in my hair. I am forever grateful that I can finally do my own hair and that it is presentable most of the time, if not everyday!"

For what sounds like such an amazing transformation, I wanted to provide photographic evidence of a before and after for the full effect. Check it ooouuuttt!


Before: Michelle circa 1980s

80's Hair at it's finest!

During: Michelle at her most recent tune up of the Keratin Treatment

Sometimes it takes a village

After: The New Michelle!

As you can see, her hair has been through a very noticeable transformation, and she looks beautiful!







A Special thank you to Michelle, for allowing us to put her in the spotlight and so graciously being the perfect example for our New Beginning segment of "La Bella Vita". Keep on being an inspiration, your story is very powerful, and we are so happy to share it! To live beautiful can be interpreted many ways, and for Michelle, it was keeping her head high, beating all odds, and overcoming many obstacles while learning to lead by example- and her hair evolving with her was an added bonus for sure!!

La Bella Hair Studio Live, look, feel beautiful. 
Inspire.

A Closer Look at Shandy's Faves

As you you've already heard, Shandy is our featured stylist of the month- and with that comes featured products. These products were specifically chosen as her two favorites and for the month of December, and we are offering them at buy one get one half off! Now we just need to familiarize you with them, so you can see why they would be perfect to amp up your holiday (or everyday) hairstyles!

The products are Morrocanoil Hairsprays (Medium&Strong) and Root Boost. Both come from the luxury line MoroccanOil, which we very proudly carry in its entirety!

I had Shandy answer  couple of questions to further explain why these are here preferred products.

Q: What is it about the Morrocanoil Hairsprays and the Root Boost that stands out to you the most, and why should someone purchase them?
A: "The hairsprays and the root boost are great products for the person who doesn't like to feel products in their hair. The hairsprays are made to be buildable, so if you want a light hold just do a light mist once or twice. If you want something a little stronger, you just spray on a few more coats. With the root boost, it gives you great volume, especially if you're blow drying your hair upside down. People should by the products because they do exactly what they say they say they will do while still allowing your hair to feel like hair."

                                

Q: La Brezzas are your fave service to provide, could you explain what would be the ideal occasion for coming in to get one? And explain each style and what it would go with best.

A: "I couldn't tell you how many times people tell us they wish we could come to their homes every morning to do their hair. La Brezzas give people the chance to have their hair done for that special occasion-like the baby shower or bridal shower, or even something every day; like a woman with arthritis who has trouble styling her own hair. Either way, they can come get their hair styled, and leave feeling gorgeous.

There are four styles of La Brezza and each one can be adapted to meet your needs:

The Milano is our signature style. This is our big, voluminous style that is done with the round brush. This would be the perfect hairstyle for a guest going to a daytime wedding.

The Firenze is our completely straight style. This look is perfect for our curly haired girls who want that changed up look without spending hours trying to do it themselves.

The Napoli is our big, curly style. This style would be perfect for that girls' night out, when you want to look fun and flirty.

Last, but not least, is my personal favorite: The Portofino. This look is our loose, carefree, beach wave look. This look could really take you anywhere, from your sister's baby shower to that date night with hubby"

There you have it: we now know more about the products and you have been given an idea on just when you could possibly need La Brezza services! (from the looks of it, I'd say any excuse is a good one) No matter what the occasion, you should take full advantage of our sweet December deals on these products and La Brezza.

After all....'Tis The Season to be jolly (and beautiful)

Moroccanoil's Hairsprays and Root Boost: BOGO 1/2 Off

Any La Brezza Service with Shandy: $10 Off

Call La Bella to book your next La Brezza Service with Shandy: (804)285-2490

Featured Stylist of the Month: Shandy

Here at La Bella, we like to consider our salon an intimate, yet upscale environment in which we take pride in personalizing the experience for each and every one of our unique and beautiful clients. Not only that, we are also an extremely tight-knit, family-like group who embraces each other for our own special talents, personalities, and style... after all, each one of us contributes a special ingredient to the recipe that is the La Bella Hair Studio Experience! Month by month we will be featuring a different hairstylist to offer you the opportunity to get to know us better, and to give us the opportunity to shine one by one!

The Featured Stylist of the Month for December is....

Shandy!!

Shandy is our newest team member! Though she started out on the track toward a career in accounting, Shandy stumbled upon her love of cosmetology while doing her cousin’s hair & makeup for special occasions. She attended Empire Beauty School and received her cosmetology license in January 2013. As one of our Junior Stylists, she underwent La Bella’s training program when she started here while assisting her fellow stylist and building a committed clientele. She has been a natural at getting to know & working with La Bella’s great team and awesome clients, and we have been very lucky to have her as part of our family.

Q: How long have you been in the industry?

I have had my license since January 2013.

Q: What is your favorite service to preform, and why? 

I love doing La Brezzas. It's so fun to have a client come in, who is just taking the time to pamper themselves. Sometimes it's for a special occasion. Other times, it's just for the fun of it. The other week I even had a client come in for a costume party. It is just so fun to see the confidence that comes from someone getting their hair professionally styled.

Q: What are your two favorite products, and why? 

I absolutely love the MoroccanOil Hairsprays and the Root Boost.

I love that the hairsprays are designed to be applied in layers, so that you don't get that super sticky, 80s feel when it's applied. Your hair still feels like hair. I like the Root boost for the same reason. It has great hold and really gives amazing volume, but the hair doesn't feel like there is a ton of product in it.

Q: How would you describe your personal style/niche? 

Country Chic, like Carrie Underwood or Miranda Lambert ....I love dressing up when the occasion calls for it, but on my down days, I live in jeans and t-shirts.

Q:What is your number one beauty tip? 

Always take good care of your skin and hair! Drink water, take vitamins, take your make up off before bed! Any new hair style or make up look will only look as good as the skin/hair that is underneath it!

Q: What is your favorite quote?

"Never Give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway." - Earl Nightingale

As always, we each had something special to say about Shandy--

Susannah: "Shandy is fantastic. She's eager to learn and quick to pick up new techniques! She's always pushing herself to learn something new. In addition, she's extremely helpful and reliable as a team member. I love working with her!"

Eric-Michael: "From the day I met Shandy I realized she had a hunger for knowledge and desire to work like none I've seen in a long time. It's because of that and her ability to be down to earth sweet and heartfelt with everyone she meets. It is because of those qualities that she has become an important member of our team. I see a very bright future for this young person and wish her all the luck in every endeavor she undertakes."

Jessie: "If you've had the pleasure of meeting Shandy, then you already know she is one of the sweetest people on earth! Along with a kind heart she is also generous, passionate about her work, and savvy. I love that Shandy is always seeking to learn and staying up to date with what is going on in our industry. Her desire to grow and compassionate attitude make her an imperative part of our team. I truly enjoy having her work at La Bella!"

Sarah: "Shandy has an amazing thirst for knowledge. She's always looking for new opportunities to explore her field further as well as take on new techniques in hair and makeup. She's also a kind and patient person with her clients and friends. What makes her a great friend and stylist is her ability to listen and really relate to people. Her country charm makes her really accessible as a person and makes her clients feel easy in her chair."

Shanti: "There are so many wonderful/special things to say about Shandy, I don't even know where to start. She is by far the most motivated person in our industry I have seen in years, and it is extremely inspiring to see her eagerness to be the best at anything she can. Not only does she go above and beyond with her work, she spends her down time researching the latest trends and techniques...Seriously, if you catch her at anytime she is not on her feet I can guarantee she is watching a Youtube video of some sort of new hair or makeup technique! She takes pride in her work, isn't afraid to ask for help, and in turn is always offering a helping hand. She has such a humbling personality which is nothing short of genuine sincerity, empathy, and there is not an ounce of judgement exuding from her. She is somebody we are all privileged to know and work with, and I have just loved being around her!"

We love you Shandy!

To celebrate Shandy's success and reign of Stylist of the Month, we are offering deals on her featured products and services for the month of December only!

For the month of  December we are offering either of the Morrocanoil Hairsprays at BOGO 1/2 off (that's buy one get one half off in any combination)

Also during this month only we are offering any of the La Brezza services with Shandy at $10 off ($25)! What better time of the year to have such a deal, than the holiday season- when you are sure to have holiday parties, family photos, and dinners to attend!

Call La Bella to book your La Brezza with Shandy today: (804)285-2490

La Bella Featured Employee of the Month: Sarah

Here at La Bella, we like to consider our salon an intimate, yet upscale environment in which we take pride in personalizing the experience for each and every one of our unique and beautiful clients. Not only that, we are also an extremely tight-knit, family-like group who embraces each other for our own special talents, personalities, and style... after all, each one of us contributes a special ingredient to the recipe that is the La Bella Hair Studio Experience! Month by month we will be featuring a different hairstylist to offer you the opportunity to get to know us better, and to give us the opportunity to shine one by one!

The Featured Employee of the Month for November is....

Sarah!

Sarah is the administrative assistant/receptionist here at La Bella- many of you know her well, as she has a way of connecting with each and every one of our clients with the truest sincerity. What you may not know about her is: she graduated from VCU with a B.S. in Psychology, a field she is very passionate about (makes sense when you consider her uncanny personalized attention for ALL of us). She plans to continue her education and pursue a Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy.

She enjoys working with La Bella’s clientele and working so closely with cosmetology. The feeling is completely mutual!

Q: How long have you been in the industry?
A. About a year- La Bella has been my first foray into the beauty industry!

Q: What is your favorite service, and why? 

A. I love helping clients buy products. I enjoy the challenge of helping assess hair problems and finding a good product solution!

Q: What are your two favorite products, and why? 

A. Currently, my favorite products are UNITE's Session Whip and Go365 hairspray. The Session Whip is a great base for volume and the Go365 lets me choose how much hold I want/need. 

Q: How would you describe your personal style/niche?
A. My style, for a girl, is really simple! I like clean, classic lines in my clothing and tend to gravitate towards a neutral look with just a pop of color- usually in my jewelry! I like a natural look which translates to my hair and makeup choices too.

Q:What is your number one beauty tip? 
A. ALWAYS MOISTURIZE. It's a simple rule but your face will thank you for using an SPF and a simple moisturizer later in life!

Q: What is your favorite quote?

A. "There will come a time when you believe that everything is finished. That will be the beginning." Always try to embrace change, it's just the next chapter of your life.

Let me share with you some of the awesome things our team members had to say about Sarah--

Susannah: "Sarah so quickly and seamlessly became a part of our team when she joined us last year. She's so easy to work with! She's considerate, thoughtful, creative, and a lot of fun to be around."

Shandy: "Sarah is an excellent receptionist and friend. She stays on top of all the day-to-day tasks of the salon to make sure that the stylists are taken care of. She also genuinely cares about the clients and wants to give them the best experience possible, from their first phone call or email to their checkout. Above all, she is a great friend, who is always ready to listen and give advice."

Shanti: "It has been a pleasure getting to know Sarah. I really can appreciate her special way of dealing with each and every client as an individual. The way she remembers tiny details about each and every one of them really sets her apart in my book, because that kind attention to detail is hard to find. She is very considerate when booking clients, making sure to accommodate as much as possible, while still making sure the stylist is well aware of each circumstance! She is a fun person to be around and have a good laugh with!"

Eric-Michael: "Sarah is funny, sweet, and kind-hearted. She is always willing to help out in a pinch. It is so important to get to know our clients on a more personal level, and I really appreciate that she takes that to heart and truly takes the time to ask them how they are doing, or how their vacation was. It has been great having her on the team."

Jessie: "It's great that Sarah's bright and bubbly face is the first you see when you walk in the door at La Bella! She is my right hand man and keeps me straight 99% of the time. I can't tell you how many compliments I hear everyday from our guests who commend her on her positivity, helpfulness, and professionalism. It speaks more volume coming from you that I could even say myself!"

I think we are all in agreement that Sarah is such a great asset to the team! 

As a big thank you to our clients from the La Bella team, we are offering some specials this month on Sarah's favorite products and a gift card special!

For the month of November, buy one Gift Card and get the second of Equal or Lesser Value for 1/2 OFF!**Original Gift Card must be at least $50 value to qualify for deal

AND... Sarah's favorite products, UNITE's Session Whip mousse and Go365 hairsprayl, are also Buy One Get One Half Off for the month of November! This deal applies to the purchase of one of each product OR two of one product. Drop by today to pick up your products and gift card before these deals are over!

Call La Bella Hair Studio to book your next appointment today! (804)285-2490

A Closer Look as Jessie's Fave Products

As you you've already heard, Jessie is our featured stylist of the month- and with that comes featured products. These products were specifically chosen as her two favorites and for the month of October, we are offering them at buy one get one half off! Now we just need to familiarize you with them, so you can decide whether or not they are as perf for you as they are for her.

The products are MoroccanOil Volumizing Mousse and Curl Defining Cream. Both come from the luxury line MoroccanOil, which we are very pleased to announce we carry in its entirety! 

I had Jessie explain to us, in her own words, what sets these two apart.

Q: What about the Volumizing Mousse and Curl Defining Cream make them so unique, you qualify as your favorite products?

A: "I love the fact that the Volumizing Mousse gives your hair an incredible amount of volume and you can barely feel it in your hair!  The Volumizing Mouse has "memory" which means that it will "remember" so to speak that you are styling to get height (ie. round brushing) but it doesn't have that tacky hold feeling. The great thing about this product is that it is extremely versatile too.  You can put it in your hair when wet and blow dry as usual but you can also finger dry your hair and add more in before you round brush.  You can also add some into your hair when is is dry (say, second day hair) and blow-dry it in to fluff up your flattened locks.  The other great thing about this being so light is that you can also use it in curly hair...which I would normally say to sty away from mouses if you have curl, because no one wants that 90's crunchy hair, but since the Volumizing Mousse is so light weight you can add it right in to your regular use."  

Volumizing Mousse

The Curl Defining Cream has the same curl memory factor as the Volumizing Mousse but it offers an intense amount of moisture. It controls frizz for an extended amount of time. Just like the Mousse you can also layer this with itself and other products (one of the great qualities about most of the Morroccan Oil products!). I will put it in wet out of the shower and then add a little more before I defuse my hair.  And on the occasion that I over dry my hair I will just scrunch in a little more and run out of the door.  It offers optimal hold with movement so you don't feel stiff.  A must try for Curly Girls!

Curl Defining Cream

Q: Styling Curly hair is your favorite service, what are 5 tips you would offer to any lady with curly hair?

A: "1. Use an old t-shirt instead of a towel when you get out of the shower.  The terry cloth will over dry your hair.  Switching to a shirt will really tame your frizz. Life changing for anyone with dry or curly hair!

2. Use pins to clip up the top of your hair when it is wet. Just clip them in at the base to add extra lift and simply let air dry.

3. The more you touch your hair the bigger it gets! So if you feel like your hair is getting a little limp just scrunch the top of your hair and leave the ends out of your hands.

4. Condition your hair! Curly hair tends to be drier so you need to do deep conditioners more often and use cremes so that your hair continues to get conditioned throughou the day.

5. Don't wash your hair every day! I understand your hair can look crazy when you wake up but like I said curly girls' hair is drier, so the more you wash it the drier it will get.  Try just rinsing your hair in the shower and conditioning so you don't strip out your natural oils." 

Figure out your curl type! (See below)

**There you have it: we now know more about the products and you have been given a "how to" from the Curly Queen herself! No matter what you hair texture, you can still take full advantage of our sweet October deals on these products and a special service!

Moroccanoil's Volumizing Mousse and Curl Defining Creamm: BOGO 1/2 Off

Any Moroccanoil Deep Conditioning Treatment: 20% Off