Like beauty itself, current beauty trends go much deeper than the whimsical and whacky images sometimes seen on Instagram. Outrageous fishtail eyebrows, bedazzled lashes, candyfloss-coloured hair, and corkscrew fingernails may provide some temporary fun for the selfie crowd looking for a little shock value and attention, but the lasting trends are those that offer long-term value and ease of application while creating a lower environmental impact.
One need look no further than the qualified beauticians and aestheticians in our region to discover what really matters to people right now. It is, after all, their job to know. Believing that it shouldn’t take hours of preparation to achieve your “going out” face, beauticians are offering more permanent solutions that save time in our busy lives.
Microblading
Coralea Courtland is the owner of The Beauty Mark, located in the loft suite of her home between Niverville and Ste. Agathe. Courtland is a microblading technician. Microblading is a jazzed-up name for semi-permanent eyebrow tattooing and provides a long-lasting solution for those whose brows are diminishing with age or who just want brows that are fuller and more defined.
“Mainly my clients have [come to me because of] loss of hair,” says Courtland. “They had really pencil-thin eyebrows and wanted to add some definition.”
A microblading session takes about two hours and the tattoo itself lasts between one to three years. Courtland begins with a consultation, determining the exact shape and colour the client is after. After applying a topical anaesthetic to keep the client comfortable, a vegetable-based pigment is used on the skin beneath and around the existing brow in short, hair-like strokes. In four to six weeks the client returns for follow-up and touch-ups if necessary.
Courtland says that the microblading pigments look very natural, more so than the harsher colours used with regular tattoos. Because of the shorter lifespan of the tattoo, this technique lends itself well to changes in colour and brow shape as the client’s whims change. Microbladed tattoos can also be completely removed with a saline solution before the tattoo wears off naturally.
While Courtland is a fully licensed and certified technician, she admits that it takes more than that to be skilled at what she does. It is, after all, an art.
“I love doing them as an artist. It’s all in the technique—how you shape and shade them. You need to be able to trust your [skin] artist.”
Airbrush Spray Tanning
Courtland’s salon is also the place to get your spray tan on. For the past 11 years she’s been helping people get that sun-kissed glow without the sun. The process includes the use of a sugar-based iodine sprayed directly onto the skin and then showered off. The entire procedure, she says, takes 20 to 30 minutes and is a much safer option than soaking in the sun’s UV radiation or lying under a tanning lamp.
“It’s nice for the client because they get instant results,” Courtland says. “You get this natural-looking colour that doesn’t transfer off onto your clothes.”
Body Sugaring
Kelsey Kosman, of Four86 Body Sugaring, is a certified hair removal technician working from a salon in her home in Niverville. Licensed in 2007, she created the salon in her home to provide her greater flexibility while raising her family. While her clientele are primarily women, she has worked on men as well who are looking for back and chest hair removal.
She was intrigued by body sugaring, she says, because it contains no harsh chemical ingredients.
“The sugar paste is all natural and results in less irritation [to the skin],” says Kosman. “The ingredients are sugar, lemon, and honey. The other huge benefit compared to waxing is that the hair is pulled out in the direction of the hair growth, not against. Most people experience less in-grown hairs [because of this], since less hair breaks at the surface.”
Kosman adds that this natural paste also acts as a great exfoliator, removing the outer layers of dead skin along with the hair, which results in smoother skin and clearer, more radiant skin tone. Most of her body sugaring appointments take less than 30 minutes.
Lash Extensions and Tinting
Charlene Kakish is the owner of Flirt Brow and Lash Studio, previously known as Lashes Lashes. She operates her salon in Niverville and her services include lash extensions, lifts, and brow- and lash-tinting.
Lash extensions are applied to the natural lash, providing fullness and length which you may not have naturally. The difference you get when they are applied at Kakish’s salon is a high-quality Canadian-made product with FDA-certified safe adhesives.
“Extensions are matched in length and thickness with your natural lash to ensure we have no damage or premature [eyelash] shed,” says Kakish. “You can be assured your lashes will be weightless and soft. You should never feel your extensions on. If you do, then they are too heavy.”
Lash fills, she says, are required every few weeks to keep them looking full, depending on your natural shed rate.
If you already have great lashes, you might consider the lash lift, which creates a better separation, extra definition, and increased lift, giving your eyes a more open, brighter appearance. Once the service is complete, your lashes are completely maintenance free and remain lifted for six to eight weeks.
Lash-tinting adds both definition and depth, eliminating the need for mascara. Eyebrow-tinting is also available.
Kakish says the many services she offers are about enhancing a person’s existing beauty. “They’re for anyone looking for get-up-and-go mornings. No need to fuss with mascara or brow pencils and powders. Everyone is born with brows, but they are not necessarily your best brows. You can create a more natural you or add some glamour or drama to your look while framing your face with perfect brows.”
Certified in 2015, Kakish has gained a wealth of experience but continues to train and stay on top of changing trends.
“With all my services, we discuss your expectations, maintenance, and aftercare,” says Kakish. “And [then], the big reveal. Yes, it is exciting!”
Organic Products
Just as low-maintenance services are growing in popularity, so too are organic and natural beauty products. In the information age, more and more people are becoming aware of the toxic and dangerous chemicals in the ingredient lists of many beauty products.
Salon 421 in Île-des-Chênes carries a wide range of products that are better for you and the environment.
“Every day we come into contact with different environmental and chemical exposures without even knowing it,” says Stacey Thomas-Niebel. “We have started to become conscious of what we put in our bodies, but what about what we put on our bodies? Since our skin is actually considered the largest organ of the human body and is our first line of defence against germs and viruses, shouldn’t what we put on our bodies also be something we consider every day?”
Among Thomas-Niebel’s line of healthier products are the Bio Sculpture Nail Gel, Image Skin Care, and Nectaya Hair Colours. Traditional nail gels, she says, are notoriously laden with harsh chemicals and toxins that are hard on the skin and nail bed and have been known to cause injury to the respiratory system and internal organs.
Similarly, most hair products have preservatives called parabens which have been linked to hormonal issues and breast cancer. Sulfates, silicone, and ammonia are also common ingredients which can dehydrate hair, cause our hair colour to fade faster, and create skin sensitivities with long-term use.
Thomas-Niebel says that she handpicks products that promote health without sacrificing performance.
“As the owner of Salon 421, health and the environment have always been a hugely important factor to me,” says Thomas-Niebel. “I don’t just want to help people to look good on the day of their appointment, but [also] help them feel better about themselves and the world around them. I want to help teach and educate my clients about making better choices.”
Karen Albaugh, of Done hair, skin and nails in Niverville, has been a long-time proponent of organic beauty products. Eminence Organics and Loma are her products of choice and are used for every service by the technicians in her salon.
“I specifically chose [these] when, in my early thirties, I became extremely sensitive to all of my beloved skincare and makeup,” says Albaugh. “A small shop in Kenora introduced me to the Eminence line. I noticed immediate change and really became passionate about it. I now use it exclusively and have been fortunate enough to make it into part of how I earn my living.”
Albaugh says organic facial treatments in her salon always begin with a consultation and skin analysis and her technicians are trained to customize the treatment to the client’s needs. The main ingredients in the masques are fresh fruit and vegetable pulps, vitamins, and minerals.
“People should care about organic products in the beauty world,” Albaugh says. “Our skincare line has been described as a raw food diet for your skin. Our bodies understand how to use these organic ingredients and, therefore, you’ll start seeing better, more visible results.”
Anya’s Hair Studio in Niverville also carries a complete line of natural and organic products. Owner Anna Sawatzky stocks the Surface haircare line as well as Pure Anada for skincare and makeup and Routine, a natural underarm deodorant.
While eliminating chemicals and toxins is important to her, she always looks for Canadian-made products, believing that it adds a level of integrity to the promises they make. The Pure Anada line offers vegan, gluten-free, and non-GMO products. The best part is that they are made close to home in Morden, Manitoba.
“I chose the products for the benefit of healthy living without all the harsh chemicals,” says Sawatzky. “And because they work.”
