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salonpsychology · 5 years

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MAKE YOUR SALON A ZEBRA AMONGST THE HORSES EXPERIENCE

Whenever I look at a salons Branding and Culture I look at what they are doing to stand out.

What makes their salon experience memorable?

How are they adding value to their clients?

What rituals do they do differently from their competitors?

What standard of experience do they offer and, overall, do they care on a holistic level what influences that overall experience?

I used to work as a presenter reviewing spas, salons and accommodation all over Australia and in doing so I learnt so much about what makes a zebra amongst the horses.

My passion for quality, continuity and culture across accommodation, Spas and Salons grew immensely and now provides me with the blueprint for how I help beauty salons and brow artist build amazing culture and branding gives them the Zebra difference.

I want to share with you one of my favorite experiences and stays in a hotel ever! In April 2010 I traveled around Europe. I visited Venice, Paris, Rome, Florence and other amazing places. I stayed in some beautiful resorts, spas and bed n breakfasts. I also stayed in some seriously hideous scary hotels and accommodations. The most impressive of all places I stayed was in Barcelona. I’m sure you have all heard of the W brand of hotels. They are all over the world and have a fabulous reputation. Why would you stay somewhere that is so common I hear you ask? Well, Barcelona was my last stop and after staying in places all over Europe, some good, some bad and some ugly I really wanted to book somewhere I knew I would be guaranteed comfort, class and sophistication, along with outstanding customer service and experience. Having reviewed the first W hotel in 1998, I knew I could find all this plus much, much more at the W Barcelona.

If you are unfamiliar with the brand, the W hotels are renowned for the philosophy “Whatever/Whenever.” W guests are treated to whatever they want, whenever they want it by simply pressing the Whatever/Whenever button on their hotel phone! I know, right? How cool!

The hotel luggage free travel, thoughtful pillow menus and portable snacks for the plane ride home and more. You can even request anything from a pair jogging shoes ‪at 2 a.m.‬ to private jet service to the Hamptons to everyone's favorite: a bathtub filled with chocolates.

The rooms are exquisite and are scaled according to price. I went all out and stayed in an executive sweet. My room was 164 square meters with clean white walls, chandeliers, soft white carpet with a big fluffy shag rug under the day bed. Ceiling to floor window with remote control curtains and blinds overlooking the amazing view of the ocean. My favorite room, the bathroom, consists of a magic mirror (can press to enlarge), Hollywood lighting and a massive bench space for you to sprawl out your makeup and whatnot. The shower is just fabulous. With two showerheads to choose from, a massive rain shower head and a height adjustable head for a more normal experience. I had both on and had myself a complete water rejuvenation experience. The shower also doubles as a steam room, fabulous to recover from a long flight and regenerate your tired stiff body. Did I mention the tiles are heated! There is nothing I didn’t love about this hotel room. I had my own pillow menu, Swarovski crystal white Havana thongs in my size to wear to the pool and a plush white robe to relax in after my steam experience.

W Hotels were the first hotel brand to use SMS text messaging as a way to communicate with its guests during their stay. Upon my request, the Whatever/Whenever team -- which has its own department in every hotel! -- Would let me know when my room was ready after check-in, if I ordered a package they would let me know when my package had arrived, when my dry-cleaning had been delivered and more by sending me a quick text message to my mobile phone.

W guests can also communicate with Whatever/Whenever to confirm or change reservations for restaurants, spa appointments and any other needs or wishes. But what about text charges? Higher phone bills aren’t an issue as W hotels credits the guest's account for all W communication during their stay. I know, right?

Like me, if you are a sleepy-eyed guest who dreads the uninspiring wake-up call on the road, W has created a four-option menu, enabling the guest to select how they would like to start the day. For the philosopher, W will call with an inspiring message to get the day started on a positive note, or for the guest on the go, a quick simple call with the time and date will be offered. This is freakin’ awesome!!! The hotel basically called me when I requested and helped me set my intentions for the day and helped me start my day on a positive!

Guests whose days are packed with meetings can be awakened with the location and time of their first appointment. And for the adventurous guest who isn't sure where he or she will end up, W will also offer wake-up calls to cell phones!

But wait there is more… you have the best slumber ever because W has its very own pillow menu! The menu consists of three pillow types – perfect for making guests feel at home away from home. A neck-roll pillow for those who prefer support, a body pillow for those wishing to snuggle up with something soft, and a hypoallergenic pillow for guests with sensitive noses and… if you fall in love with their pillow each type will be offered at W Hotels Store!

W hotels wants your stay with them to be hassle free and enjoyable, so much so that they cater to your experience with them even before you get there. W has partnered with Luggage Free to help guests say goodbye to the hassle of carrying bulky bags and overstuffed suitcases through crowded airports and in and out of cars. Luggage Free offers guests door-to-door delivery of packages. And for those who hate coming home to laundry, W will clean clothes from the stay and have them sent home! Yep, they do your washing for you!

With Luggage Free, W guests no longer have to feel restrained by golf clubs, strollers, skis or other bulky objects – nothing is too big, too heavy, or too burdensome, making traveling easier than ever. Your stay with W is relaxing and hassle free.

No one ever wants to leave W. I certainly didn’t. W makes sure that the journey starts and ends with them in mind. Leaving the hotel, heading to the airport knowing that your holiday may be coming to an end is never a nice feeling, neither is hunger. With food service on airplanes nearly extinct, W has created an amenity to ensure its busy guests will never go hungry. In addition to printing airline-boarding passes for departing guests, the hotels will offer freshly-made meals to go, including a sandwich of choice from W's in-room dining menu, a bag of chips, a bottle of Voss water, an apple, and cookies. You feel like a kid with a play lunch. It’s awesome! As a guest you also receive a piece of "W in-flight entertainment," which might include a mini puzzle, silly putty or something else to help keep you content up in the clouds.

So why have I told you about this amazing hotel and my experience? No, I do not work for W hotels or Starwood, I am purely a raving mad fan of their Brand. Instead of staying at any hotel I chose to stay with W because of the overall experience the brand provides. They cater to your visit and stay with it in a completely holistic level. They think about their customers and they make you feel at home even when you are miles away from your own bed. W has delved into the psychology of their market and they know what you want. For me it caters to my values. I love quality, cleanliness and sophistication. I like comfort in design and flow in function. I like freedom in choice and when on holiday, I like to be spontaneous and do whatever I like! Before you even leave the airport, W is thinking of your comfort and experience. You start to relax and unwind right before you get to your room. W cares and makes its customer service approach a personal one. The staff are on top of things and never keep you waiting. They are ahead of your every movement. They are like staying with a personal assistant. W is my example of a Zebra experience. They stand out, they set the standard with their competitors. They are leaders and innovators. They know their market and have a solid relationship with them. They know their values and their philosophy and why they are who they are. W has a fantastic Culture and Branding and is a Zebra amongst horses!

For Your Salon to be a Zebra amongst the many, many horses its imperative that you factor in what I call the fundamental three C’s of Culture, Continuity and Community.

When I come into your salon as Your Beauty Mentor, I perform a 360 review on your salons functionality and flow according to my three C’s and then provide you with supported feedback on what we can do to transform your brand.

You can scale, forecast and streamline your products and service list as much as you like but that only gives you security in existing numbers. Building a sustainable and stand out brand requires the psychology and heart based awareness of thinking and feeling for your clients and THAT’S what I do.

To have me visit and perform a 360 Review for you and your salon, email me at [email protected]

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salonpsychology · 5 years

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Get to know The Beauty Mentor - Joni B

“Business is a journey, a relationship and a projection of one’s self. To truly know your business you need to know you, your values and what your stand for. Knowing yourself will allow you to inject that into your business, attract your ideal client and achieve your ultimate business success” -JB

Culture and Branding of a salon is the no: 1 most important aspect of your business model. It provides the foundation, the base and the core by which your business thrives.

“I can go into a Salon and within minutes know the culture, feel, energy and flow of the space and whether it will survive. Like Rain Man is to numbers I am to Salon Culture and Branding.

I provide my clients with five-star first hand experience, excellence and outstanding results. I deliver a holistic awareness of Business branding, business culture and Business flow.

I teach my clients successful customer retention and relationship building strategies that provide rapid growth to establish a referral based brand.

I look at the functionality of your salon, day spa, surgery or clinic and consider the overall flow and feel of the business.

“Continuity is the key to effortless results and client retention.”

“Allow your Business culture to build the relationship and enjoy an effortless ride to Salon success.”

For over 10 years I have immersed myself in the psychology of what makes a successful salon/practice. What makes a culture of a business thrive and survive and how successful salons are systemized.

I have reversed engineered what produced outstanding results for me in my business and now offer this to my clients so that they can achieve outstanding results in theirs.

I offer a solution-based program that unlocks the 6 essential keys to building Business Culture and successful Branding. I give you the necessary tools to achieve Salon success quicker, faster and sustainably and client growth and retention systems that will increase your database immensely.

A solid Culture and Brand awareness is the backbone and key component to a lasting relationship with your clients, your salon and your staff. It is ultimately the key to business success. Without a solid connection to your Culture and your Brand your business will not survive.

This is the no. 1 most important aspect in having a business. This is the core of what makes or breaks a business. As you know by now, I truly believe that “Business is a projection of one’s self.”

“A happy business owner equals a happy business.”

I make a personal promise that you will benefit far beyond just business development from doing this with me. You will have a deeper connection and relationship with yourself as an individual and business owner that you will have wished you had done it sooner.

“I stand by adding value and awareness, integrity and authenticity, love and passion to your business.

"A solid Business relationship is one that is had with one’s self first” -JB

“The most profound part about building an intimate relationship with your business and clients is the deep understanding and connection you build with yourself along the way. I promise that YOU, along with your business, will transform through this program. I can’t wait to meet you and transform your salon dreams together” -JB.

I offer a full 100% money-back guarantee on all my programs and services. The risk is all mine, the opportunity, growth and success is all yours.

Joni B x

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salonpsychology · 6 years

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SUNDARI DAY SPA BALI REVIEW

HOT OR NOT SPA REVIEW

WELCOME TO SUNDARI BALI

I visit so many amazing resorts and day spas through Australia and abroad that I have decided to start sharing them with you by means of review and rating them on a HOT or NOT scale.

Having worked as a spa therapist and spa trainer, training spas throughout Australia and through the Diploma of Beauty Therapy I hold a high standard of knowing holistically, what’s hot and what’s not in the spa world.

What makes a good treatment and an overall experience is something I seek in a spa and how I review my experiences according.

As this is my first review on this platform, to keep things consistent and comparable across the board, wherever I go I will review and grade according to these four main categories;

1:Ambience - The character and atmosphere of the spa environment

2:Staff - Greeting, comprehensive explanation of treatment ritual

3:Protocol & Ritual - The products and application/ delivery steps.

4:Spa Therapists - Human touch and professionalism.

and rate an overall experience using the HOT or NOT rating

Cold (Low don’t go)

Warm (good value but could do better) to Hot (it’s a must)

PLUS I will offer what I feel could have been done differently to make it a hot or not 5 spa experience by my standards.

Welcome to Sundari Spa Seminyak Bali.

Sundari >Means Beautiful girl in sandsrcipt and if you didn’t feel too beautiful before arriving at this Seminyak secret then you will most definitely leave feeling it.

Bali has a reputation for being the place of cheap massages because you only have to walk down the street for a minute before you hear the words “massssage”

That’s why I feel going to somewhere like Sundari is a must for anyone staying in Seminyak or close by. Not only will you receive a beautiful massage but you get the added benefit of the beautiful surroundings that is the spa itself.

Having already visited and enjoyed a treatment at Sundari with a girlfriend on a previous trip, I made it a priority to book myself and my partner in for a couples ritual before we flew home last week.

Yes, somehow I convinced my very active (Bull in a china shop) partner who likes to talk a lot into having a three hour Bhakti Couple Ritual which included a Sundari signature massage, Body scrub, Body wrap and a romantic flower bath.

I did have to introduce him to his ‘Spa Voice’ prior to the treatment commencing ,which he quickly adopted after a couples of shooshes from me.

As I said previously. This was my second visit to Sundari so it’s fair to assume, I was impressed the first time. One thing that was different and that impressed me this time however was the complementary concierge shuttle that came to collect us from our villa to take us to the spa.

This was great because it elevated any stress of finding the spa or having to holla a cab off the street and try to get there on time.

I am not sure what qualifies you for this complementary driver service so make sure to ask for this when you book.

Also. It’s only a one way offer. You have to make your own way back which was a bit of a kicker and something I would suggest they change.

Upon arrival at Sundari and before we entered the spa we had to place our shoes outside in a draw. This is a Bali custom and sign of respect to wherever you’re entering.

This really initiated the experience for me as I feel it signified the beginning of a relaxing ritual. Plus, let’s be fair. If you are not ready to be bare foot you’re not ready to have a spa treatment.

Walking inside, the staff were very lovely and we were welcomed by an assumed sense of relaxation. An atmosphere one would expect of a day spa but surprising given the busy street we had just step off of.

We were quickly seated with a drink and cool hand roll to pat our face and hands down and then handed a form to fill out. The form was primarily to identify any contraindications (no no’s) and to help our spa therapist understand what pressure we would like for our massages and what areas of our bodies to focus on or stay away from.

Whilst we were filling out our forms, a staff member brought over a selection of oils for us to choose from. Each oil had its own remedial qualities and benefits that focused on anything ranging from, relaxation to detoxification.

Once we selected our oil we were then offered a selection of body scrubs to choose from. I went with the coconut and vanilla . I mean, who doesn’t want to smell like a giant bounty bar at the end a three hour indulgence package.

Our Bhakti couples spa ritual started with a cleansing practice of foot bathing which is generally done to initiate touch with client and therapist and also to make sure your feet are clean before any treatment begins. This was done with slices of lime, which I have never seen or had done before I’m assuming the lime aids in helping eliminate odor or is just simply refreshing and a point of difference.

Once our feet were fresh and clean

we were then led to our private spa room. Following a candle lit marble staircase up to a dimly lit, stunning wooden cocooned corridor of doors, we arrived at our treatment room.

Once in the room, our therapist showed us where to place our belongings, what to put on and reconfirmed what treatment we were having and then left us to get changed and settled in the room.

The temperature was perfect and the lighting was dimmed enough for us to see what we needed to in order to relax onto our treatment tables.

After about five minutes the therapists returned and it was time for your our couples spa ritual to begin.

Face down and ready to be massaged, scrubbed and layered in luxurious volcanic wrap, we first had the energy of the room calibrated with the soothing sounds of the singing bowl that one of our therapists walked around with.

Circling us with the bowl, my partner was very unsure at this stage of what was happing but managed to just go with it until we consulted at the end. (I had to laugh) we absorbed and took on the sound benefits of the bowls hum and relaxed into the space.

For those of you who are not familiar with energy or sound healing, then the singing bowl will be something new for both the ears and body to absorb.

It’s was then time for our treatment to begin. I am used to teaching and having seen practiced the delivery order and protocol of

1: scrub & remove work hot towel.

2: massage.

3: Body wrap

This has always made sense to me simply because you want the order of things to energise and stimulate the skin with the scrub and then eliminate and relax with the massage the absorb and regenerate with the body wrap

I was surprised then when my therapist started the ritual with the massage.

The control freak in me wanted to check in and make sure she knew what she was doing and that she knew I was having a scrub......but I surrendered and went with it. The massage was great. There was not too much stretching and pulling like you can get with some traditional Balinese massages where you feel like you’re doing an assisted yoga class. This was a nice balance of body stamping (held pressure) effleurage and lymphatic drainage.

Next came the scrub.

The oil from the massage was not removed and the coconut and vanilla body scrub that I had chosen came as a powder. I’m assuming (because my head was down and I couldn’t see) that water was added to allow it to be applied.

I was a little taken aback by the lack of actual ‘scrubbing’ involved in the application of the scrub. Although not one part of my body was left uncovered which I really appreciated. Upon initial application it definitely lacked any real scrubbing factor.......until I realised what was happening. The mixture was drying and setting on my skin to form a type of gommage effect. A “Gommage” is a product that exfoliates the face or body, leaving skin feeling silky soft. (The word gommage comes from the French word that means "to erase" because the rubbing action is similar to erasing a word written in pencil.

A gommage exfoliation is one of my favourite products to use. So I loved this surprise scrub factor. To remove the scrub the therapist literally started rubbing my body, eliminating and removing all the dead skin with it. Unlike traditional scubs that are granular based and can leave tiny scratches on the skin making it susceptible to bacteria and irritation. The gommage absorbs and attaches to the dead skin that is ready to be slothed off and peels it away.

You get a much more consistent exfoliation with this method and less irritation.

It is very messy however and did involve a lot of brushing off and sweeping up from the therapist which was a bit noisy and distracting to have straight after a massage. If you can overlook the lack of relaxation during that part of the treatment and focus on the benefits to the skin you’ll be right.

The goal of any spa therapist in executing a spa ritual, is to try and limit the amount of times you get your client to move. This was attempted by the front of my scrub being removed and the volcanic body wrap was then applied to the front of my body whilst the scrub was still on my back.

It wasn’t until the front was set that I was then asked to turn over, where the scrub on the back of my body was then removed and the rest of volcanic wrap applied. By this stage it had gone cold.

I completely appreciate why it was done this way. However, I believe and know the way it could have been differently that would still minimise movement and also a ensure the scrub and wrap didn’t mix during the process which it did doing it the way I experienced. Their are many ways to do things but when it comes to a spa treatment consistency and ease of flow is paramount and I feel they let themselves down at this stage.

The other distracting factor was that during the scrub and mask part of our ritual the bath was running for the entire time which both my partner and I found very distracting but worth tolerating as we got to soak together at the end.

Once our body wrap had set we were then left to soak for 30 minutes which was short lived because the bath was scolding hot and the cold water trickled out, so by the time we got it to bathing temperature it was time to get out. We ended up having to use the rain shower to get the mud wrap off us.....which made it fun but not the relaxing and romantic end we had signed up for.

Once we had removed all the mud we got dressed and had a little laugh about our experience. Even though right next to each other we both noticed and experienced things differently. My partner struggled not to laugh at the singing bowl intro and I struggled to surrender at the sequence of delivery but over all we both relaxed and enjoyed the experience and our skin felt great.

We both enjoyed our treatment differently and having the experience together made it special. The spa atmosphere, products and staff were absolutely lovely and score high for me. What let them down was human delivery and protocol which is simply added training.

My overall rating is heavily geared by value for money and the spas atmosphere simply because you’d be hard fast to find a spa of that beauty and get a treatment of that type for what you pay in Bali, in Australia.

It’s for this reason I was able to oversee a few little things and appreciate the treatment I was having and benefit of the beautiful products they were using.

So my review rating for my Sundari experience overall on the HOT or NOT scale is a WARM.

I would definitely recommend it to others to experience as it’s a visual delight, amazing value for money, they use beautiful products and the staff are lovely. All in all, this spa snob had a wonderful time.

My feedback for the management is as follows;

CONCIERGE SHUTTLE SERVICE

I feel the Spa could of continued and completed the experience by offering a return service. Either at a price or built into the package but to have it take us there and have to stand on the street in the sun after relaxing for three hours waiting for a cab is the last thing you want to be doing.

Luckily, it’s Bali and before you know it one is beeping at you. But for consistency of the experience a return shuttle or driver would have been ideal.

CHOICE OF PACKAGES

I would have liked to of had a few more options of packages to choose from for myself and my partner.

Three hours might be a bit too long for some couples but they still want a package option. Personally I would have selected a two hour option had there been one.

RITUAL DELIVERY & SET UP

I feel the bath could have been run in the time we took filling out the forms, having our feet washed and then getting undressed. This way, given the bath was run with just hot water it would have cooled to a nice bathing temperature by the time we were ready to wash the body wrap off.

At least this way the therapist or we could have added hot water if needed rather than missing out on soaking all together because it’s too hot.

Furthermore it wouldn’t impact the ambience and relaxation of the room during the treatment delivery.

Until next Spa

The Spa Snob > Joni B Beauty

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salonpsychology · 6 years

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HAPPY, HAPPY. HORMONES

Hormones. It’s not a dirty word!

If there is one relationship I have invested a lot of time on in my mid thirties, it’s the relationship I have with my hormones and how they best function.

Based on the conversations I have had with other 30 somethings I feel pretty secure in suggesting that there isn’t a 34-35 year old woman out there that doesn’t relate to feeling owned by her cycle and ruled by unruly hormones.

I often joke that I only have two speeds. Ovulation and menstruation! I’m either bloated and introverted, angry and combative or a cleaning, goal kicking, business running, brand building machine who can eat like Arnold during his bulking phase.

No one mood or mode so to speak never really lasts for long enough for you to document it in your Flo app or know exactly what’s influencing it. Essentially. You’re just one big hormone game of roulette and you just hope for a good spin each day.

When it came to getting to know my hormones better I wasn’t on the search for the perfect period. Because let’s be honest. There’s no such thing as the perfect circumstance of bleeding for a week without dying. This can and will not ever be made pleasant. What I was looking for was a road map or some kind of starting point for me to know what was needed for me to bring my body back to its optimal level of normal. (My normal)

In the effort to get to know my body better I went back to the basics of what makes our bodies function. I knew that my underlying problem was that my hormones weren’t communicating effectively and I had reached a feeling of burnt out. It only made sense to start with addressing the needs of my HORMONES and make the changes necessary to supporting their optimal functioning.

Just Incase you think hormones are just those things that make women crazy. They’re not. Hormones are practically everything and in everyone. Hormones are secreted from ductless glands straight into the blood by the endocrine system and are responsible for regulating and running our entire body and it’s functions. So, naturally. What we think, do, eat, breath and absorb all have an impact on what communicates our hormonal release.

Hormones are effectively, messengers of the body and when the body is in synergy they can do their job in communication effectively. However. In today’s day and age of faced paced, comparison based, masculine overdriving world. Synergy isn’t always easily achieved causing an off balance from chemical blockers such as foods, alcohol, skin care products, perfumes and environmental variables that are absorbed into the body, messing up that communication and throwing things off balance (synergy)

I think it’s fair to assume then, with so much emphasis on cosmetics, lash extension clues, fake tans, hair dyes and all the other products that make up an Instagram model, most women’s hormones from the demand of living this life would be a tad out of whack!

I’m not a hormone specialist so what I share with you in this piece is purely from my own research, practice and understanding. I won’t go into depth with too much of the science of ‘what hormone does what’. However I do think it’s important that more people are body aware so that they can make aware choices about what goes in and on their bodies.

Remembering that your skin is the biggest organ and like a sponge absorbing everything you put on. In!

So that you know what relates to what when it comes to the endocrine system and the various body functions it regulates. I have included the list here;

The glands include:

• gonads – produces sex hormones (oestrogen and testosterone)

• thyroid – produces thyroid hormone

• adrenal – produce adrenaline

• pancreas – produces insulin

• pituitary – produces growth

Body fat, muscle, heart, liver, intestines and kidneys have secondary endocrine functions and also produce hormones.

There are things we do each day that contribute to our hormones in a negative way, blocking them from communicating effectively and regulating the above effectively. Things such as chemicals in our skincare products, perfumes and in/on our foods once absorbed and consumed become what’s known as ‘hormone inhibitors’ or blockers.

Essentially. When your hormones aren’t able to communicate effectively it’s like Telstra or Optus being down! I left Vodafone out because when do they ever actually work anyway!?

What I would like to share with you in this blog are the things I did in an effort to rebalance my hormonal madness and reset my endocrine system so it functioned in synergy and in accordance to natural functionality.

Before I do. Let me explain WHY I am so passionate about hormone awareness.

I spent almost 12 months being duck shoved around by general practitioners and specialist with a myriad of different labels for the symptoms I was presenting with being offered to me, instead of an actually solution. This was a very low time in my health and in retrospect, my immune system was just completely overwhelmed because nothing was communicating effector.

Luckily for me, I am not one for labels and I was brought up by a very body aware mother so I wasn’t letting the likes of fibromyalgia, depression, anxiety, or any other catalyst to prescribing me anti-depressants, stick to me.

Please. Take that as it’s written. I didn’t need prescription drugs I needed understanding and a pathway to health. Deadened labels weren’t it.

After a while of being fed up with being so fatigued that I couldn’t even get up the stairs and so moody that I lost count of the personalities that were residing within me. I went back to basics. I trusted that my body knew how to function given the support to do so. After so many years of burning the candle at both ends (to borrow my mums words) My body was burnt out and I was trying to make it run at optimal speed on an empty tank. My messages (hormones) weren’t communicating because the switch board was down. Nothing in my body was making sense and so everything kind of crashed.

I knew what had to change (me) but with so many things so seemingly wrong, I was overwhelmed with where to start.

I started Chinese medicine, had a series of infusions and started taking small steps towards health and happy. But it wasn’t until a very dear friend of mine gave me a book to read that I really turned things around. This book was like me talking to myself as it reminding me that I was the solution. The book is called Women’s Code by Alisa Vitti. I highly recommend EVERY woman own a copy. Alisa talks just like I am now about the endocrine system and how if you’re messengers (hormones) are not functioning then you won’t be.

I didn’t put the book down. It was like a big DERR-Slap upside the head and without even needing to finish it, I knew what I needed to do. And. So. I RESET!

I decided I was going to gradually let my body come back from years of being in full throttle with poor nutrition and very little self care (as you do in your 20’s) and reboot my endocrine system from both outside and within.

The very first thing I did was take some personal inventory and consider ALL the things that I was consuming, absorbing and doing that was causing my hormones to be off and committed to getting rid of these hormone blocking products, behaviours and foods.

The first to go was coffee. I know right! Quitting my two strong latte a day addiction was and still is one of the hardest things I have done. Second to not drinking alcohol for a whole year!

The reason I eliminated the latte from the lifestyle menu was to allow my body to start operating from a balance of genuine energy rather than adrenaline brought on by the caffeine. My body was already in a state of stress and adding things like caffeine to it was only adding stress on top of stress. So this first step was essential and I haven’t touched coffee since (for more on this. Flo living is a great website to follow https://www.floliving.com/3-reasons-why-women-cant-drink-coffee/)

The second thing I addressed was removing ALL the chemicals from my household and skincare products. It’s actually very easy to do. Everything from my shampoo & conditioner, body wash, skin care and house hold cleaning products, including Marli’s (my chihuahuas) dog shampoo are now all essential oil and plant based....bad stuff free! Just so you’re aware of what you don’t want in your products here’s a list of NO’

SLS

SLES

EDTA

PARABENS or SULPHATE

PALM OIL FREE

The extra positive about going chemical free with your products is that they are usually Vegan friendly and attached to a charity. For example the Thankyou. products 100% of profits go back into their end poverty incentive and their products are beautiful containing essential oils that smell amazing and are great for your skin.

The third thing I did was take some serious self love inventory and set some healthy boundaries around where my energy goes to keep my energy safe.

Learning to say NO mentally and emotionally to people and circumstances that are draining you is paramount for life and managing your stress levels.

Running in overdrive is stressful and often, if you do some self love admin you’ll find that you have many tabs open at once and sometimes they’re not just yours. When you can learn to stop taking on other peoples drama’s and stress and compartmentalise and priorities your own life and emotions. You’re able to breath deeper. BREATHING actually plays a HUGE role in regulating hormones so make it a non negotiable to give yourself the gift of fresh nutrient dense breath into your belly and through your body daily. For this, I go to go at minimum 3-5 times per week and substitute that with a beach walk with Marli when the weather permits.

Put your phone down. Stop scrolling and just be with you for 2min (slowly increase) each day to give yourself this nourishment. Since making these small changes for myself I am so much more connected to what my body needs and wants and am feeling a lot more on top of my health and happiness.

Having a body that functions is pretty easy if you let it. Happy hormone yourself with these three basic steps and start living your best hormone balanced life.

Joni B & 🐶

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salonpsychology · 6 years

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BODY BRUSHING

Body brush each day to flush the toxins away.

Body brushing is one of my oldest shower time rituals. My mum introduced me to the toxin eliminating, collagen stimulating and cellulite kicking treatment when I was in my early twenties and I have been body brushing in the shower, daily ever since.

Due to factors like ageing, lifestyle, lack of movement and foods such as processed fats and alcohol our bodies tend to store more toxins than eliminate them.

Through lack of movement (exercise) the lymphatic system which is responsible for eliminating cellular waste becomes sluggish and our skin (subcutaneously) gets good at storing this waste......which then turns into the dreaded C word. CELLULITE!

Stimulating the skin through body brushing is one of the simplest and most cost effective ways of combating this by reminding your body of how to function to do so. If you look at any of the cellulite treatments out there, are essential achieving two things. Increasing circulation and nutrients via blood to the skin and stimulating collagen and elastin production by doing so and eliminating toxins that contribute to the cellulite build up. Body brushing in the shower each day does the same thing.

Using circular motions with the hand held brush against the skin with medium pressure until you achieve a nice redness of the skin indicates fresh blood to the surface of the skin which flushes the cells of oxygen and nutrients and helps move the stagnant toxins for elimination via the lymphatic system.

Just Incase you don’t know what the lymphatic system is. A very quick and basic explanation is by comparing it to a garbage men and truck but for your body. Simply because it goes around and cleans up all the rubbish (toxins) that may reek havoc in your body if not cleaned up.

The other fabulous benefit of body brushing is that whilst you’re increasing blood flow that stimulates all this waste removal, you’re also flooding the cells with collagen producing nutrients. Collagen is the building block of the skin that keeps it firm and smooth. As we age, especially post 25 years of age we start to loose our natural collagen storage and our bodies ability to reproduce it becomes sluggish. Body brushing is like fluffing up a duvet when all the feathers do to one end. When you support the skin to stay firm and smooth with treatments like dry brushing you help reduce the appearance of cellulite that’s locked in. The thicker and firmer the the skin, the less the appearance of the stubborn pumps subcutaneous fat that we like to call the C word.

So. Why wouldn’t you dry brush? Your next question is probably HOW. It seems self explanatory but more people than not get tripped up on two things. Body brushing is lost commonly done dry and I have just said that I do it in the shower. Hence why I call it body brushing. Because it can be five dry or wet. Dry brushing done before you get in the shower helps remove dead skin cells and wake up all the skin stimulating nerve endings. I prefer however the shower option (wet brushing) because you have the added help of the warm water to help warm the skin and bring nutrients via fresh blood to the surface

The action of body brushing is simple. With Use circular motions with soft to medium pressure until flushing of the skin is achieved.I like to focus on the backs of the legs, stomach, muffin tips, backs of the arms and thighs. But there is really no limits to what you can brush. If there is skin, you can body brush it!

You can purchase body brushes from your local Priceline or online if you want a fancy one. I like the round hand held brushes that have both bristle and rubber massage nodes for that extra skin stimulating factor. A good body brush will set you back $25-30 compared to the $$$ and it’s as simple as doing it each morning in the shower. Enjoy

Joni b x

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salonpsychology · 6 years

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SKIN HEALTH & HEALING

When asked the question “How long will my brows last once they are healed” my response is always. “That’s completely skin dependant.”

Everyone heals differently and

our skin healing and retention of pigment once tattooed is influenced by three main factors.

1: What you put IN

2: What you put ON &

3: Your overall Skin health

SKIN FROM WITHIN

What you eat is imperative!

I’m not a nutritionist, but when it comes to skin my general rule for myself and what I share with my clients is to keep the gut happy and stay alkalised.

Foods are what fuel us and what you put in will always show through your skin.

Another huge influencer in how your skin functions and heals is;

MEDICATION

It’s VERY important to note that some prescription and non prescription medications can alter the natural state of your skin, making it challenging or even ineligible for tattooing. It’s duty of care on your behalf to make sure you fill out your consultation form properly and that your brow specialist knows if you’re contraindicated by meditation.

SKIN CARE

When it comes to skin care (and any product, cleaning, tan, shampoo, ect) I prefer to go chemical free. Applying natural, plant based products to your skin is not only great for your skins natural ability to function BUT it helps keep the hormones happy.

Our skin is our biggest organ and acts as much as a toxins exit route as it does a sponge. When we use yucky chemicals on our skin, they are absorbed into the blood stream and metabolised by our bodies. During the process they start to act like hormone blockers, mixing up the messages that keeps the body in synergy and balance and causing things to become out of whack! This impacts BOTH how the skin looks and functions (heals) and happy hormones = happy skin (life)

SKIN HEALTH

Your overall skin health is very much influenced by both these factors as well as lifestyle choices and genetics.

With this holistic view on skin care and looking after your skin from within

It’s not uncommon for my clients to leave having mentally made some healthy changes that will help influence their own skin health.

So. When it comes to healing and healthy skin retention MY pigment and application is one part (which I pride myself on). But your part is about looking after your investment and giving your brows the best chance at a long tattooed life.

Love your skin from within and everyone has a WIN.

Joni B xx

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salonpsychology · 6 years

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EAT YOUR BEST LIFE

FOOD FOR FUEL

FOOD FOR FUNCTION

Your skin health is heavily dependent on your gut health and your gut health is balanced and maintained with a healthy lifestyle and healthy eating.

What you put in plays a big role in how you both look and feel.

I’m pretty in tune with what my body needs from food and when it comes to my skin I very rarely have breakouts or blemishes for this reason. I use face mapping. (I’ll blog about this soon) to identify what’s going on systemically (inside) for my body and aim to eat according to my systems needs.

It’s for this reason that on an every day basis my food is generally raw, snack sized and clean. I have found that grazing and eating every 2-3 hours works best for my digestive system and hormones. Side note: What you put on and in your body can either support or reek havoc on your hormones and your hormones are EVERYTHING! (That’s another blog post to come)

An example of what I eat at least 3 times a week is this delicious and super easy veggie and rice bowl. I’m not too worried about ration of fats, carbs and protein ect and I love these bowl mixed meals simply because there is very little prep time and it’s super simple to make. I have never liked cooking so when it comes to making my meals I want recipes with the least amount of responsibility!

So. What’s in it?

1: Coles green stir fry mix.

The legends at coles have already cut up and pre packages the right amount of cabbage, broccoli, snow peas and kale ready to go.

2: Ready to go brow rice

The handy rip open sachets type that serves two OR the come in one serve cup size.

3: Veggie burger

You find these in the fridge area of the supermarket with all the vegan and vegetarian foods.

It’s hit and miss with some of them. They can be all chic pea and super dry.

I just found the Coles brand Southern smoked sweet potato and black bean burger. It was DELICIOUS!

To cook

1: Stirfry your ready to go veggies in a fry pan with a table spoon of coconut oil and organic Tamari soy sauce until cooked to crunch. Poor it in a bowl to the side whilst you pan fry your veggie burger for 2 min each side.

2: Heat your rice

3: decanter into a bowl. EAT!

So simple and your body will love you for it.

Once you have your veggie bowl fundamentals down pat you can get creative and start adding things like smoked salmon (if you’re not vegan) and other healthy foods that you feel your body is craving.

This trick is to listening to what it wants and then looking at what it needs.

If you’re craving sugar and your skin is breaking out or not looking its best. You probably need more water, fibre, less crappy food or some food all together. Sugar cravings occur most commonly when blood sugar drops from lack of eating all together. Getting into a healthy routine with food is paramount and is key to establishing a healthy mind and body relationship.

Enjoy listening to your skin and body more. You know what’s best for you. Trust that and fuel accordingly.

Note: This is simply me sharing what works best for me. I am not a nutritionist or a health care professional. I have just invested a lot of time and practice into looking after my body from the inside out. If you wish to follow anything I share please make sure you do so with the awareness that any big dietary or lifestyle changes need to be supported with professional advice tailored to you.

Joni B Beauty xx

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salonpsychology · 6 years

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BROW LIFE

BROW QUEEN 👸🏼

I did t choose the Brow life the Brow life chose me.

I entered into the Beauty industry 17 years ago and as much as I tried to leave it it was always what I came back to. In that time I have worked in a multitude of different areas of the beauty industry including, teaching the beauty diploma, traveling Australia as a Spa trainer and owning my own business. Throughout all of it, I somehow managed to established myself as the Brow Lady. Regardless of what I was doing in life. In salon or trying to pursue a new direction in life, I always had a client base of loyal clients that would follow me and stick with me for their brows. And so. Here I am. The Brow Lady Hahah.

As a result. The birth of Embrowerment was so organic and supported by my loyal and long term clients. I love what I do and for me It’s more than just eyebrows. Its trust and connection with women and their self esteem every day. I’m honoured that woman come to me with faith that I will help make them feel better about themselves.

I do eyebrows but what I give is a place to come and feel seen, heard and have a laugh. The brow game is serious but life in my studio does t have to be. Embrowerment is all about self empowerment and leaving your time with me feeling as fierce as your brows. If you don’t have a brow lady. Come and see me. Every woman needs one ;)

#brows #beauty #eyebrows #browsonfleek #beautysalon #spmu #eyebrowsonfleek

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salonpsychology · 6 years

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PUT THE GOOD STUFF IN FOR HAPPY SKIN

SKIN LOVE

Put the good stuff in to get the happy skin.

Even in my 16+ years in the beauty industry I have always been an advocate for skin from the inside out and treating things on a cellular level rather than react topically to my skins needs.

Face mapping has been my primary means to knowing what my body needs from me based on how my skin in looking. I’ll blog about face mapping in another post.

So. Apart from injectables and the very occasional surface level peel I look after my skin daily with a simple ritual of putting some really good stuff in.

Our skin is our biggest organ and it’s our road map to health and well-being if we know what it’s telling us.

Starting with the gut, everything your skin needs to be healthy and youthful is systemic. Of course there are external factors such as UV and other elements that’s it needs protection from but other than that the primary needs of the skin are happening within.

There are three main rituals I do daily to make sure I’m looking after my insides and at the same time, my skin.

My rules are simple. Put the good stuff in first. Have rules around how you start you’re day and you’ll save money at the salon.

My rules are simple.

1: Flush.

2: Move

3: Replenish

1: FLUSH with Lemon in hot water.

To get my day started and things moving I start with lemon in hot water.

Now. Some may argue that this is bad for your teeth but for me, it’s the very first thing I do to start my day and with the health benefits I get from this simple ritual. Well. You can decide if it’s for you.

• It promoting hydration. ...

• It's a good source of vitamin C. ...

• It improves your skin quality. ...

• It supports weight loss. ...

• It aids digestion. ...

• It freshens breath. ...

• It helps prevent kidney stones.

TBH I do it primarily because it keeps me in routine and regular ;) hence the FLUSH factor.

If you’re not clearing things out one end it will show up the other end. Essentially what I’m saying is. If you’re not a regular pooper you’re skin will look like shit! Subtle enough!? The fact there are a list of other benifits of this simple and cost effective magic morning drink is just a bonus.

2: MOVE

Before I put anything in my body I wake it up. I get fresh blood flowing nutrients to my cells. When you’re cells are awake they are more permeable to receiving whatever you put into your body.

Movement is a big reason your skin may become sluggish. Whatever stays inside will try and get out. If you’re not flushing toxins and rubbish out through your bodies natural elimination processes it will try and get out via your skin! I’m sure you’ll think of that when you have a pimple next. It would have been a lot better in the toilet or flushed through the lymphatic system than on your face. So. MOVE. It will make you feel and look good!

3:REPLENISH Beauty Elixer

Once I have had my magic lemon drink and done my normal morning routine, move, shower ect. I will mix up my own Beauty Elixer.

There are three main ingredients to this and all cater to the absorption of each other

They are as follow;

* Pro biotic powder - The one I use is delicious and taste like choc mint thanks to its natural peppermint leaf ingredient thats great for soothing the gut lining. Probiotics are an essential makeup of our gut health. With our lifestyles being very fast paced and stressful most people aren’t eating the right foods, sleeping enough, and drinking too much. All of this reeks havoc on our internal balance causing it to become irritated and therefore susceptible to inflammation (irritable bowl) when this occurs your good bacteria is overwhelmed and struggles to bring things back to a happy level (homeostasis) where nutrients are absorbed and your tummy is flat or at least not bloated

Probiotics serve to support your digestive system and keep things in check

* Alkalising Formula

I use @welleco This is an all natural daily multivitamin with added minerals, digestive enzymes and trace elements to assist wellness and vitality. I have always used an alkaline agent to support my skin from within. I feel more energised, have a flatter tummy and my skin glows. When we are too acidic our bodies look to bring things back into balance and may draw nutrients from our tissues and bones to do so only causing more issues down the track. To stay healthy and youthful and keep the collagen in the skin fluffy you MUST alkaline your system.

•Marine Collagen

Just like a blanket that needs fluffing. Our skin loses 1% of collagen each year after the age of 25 so we need to start putting it in if we want to win the race against gravity!

Marine Collagen is a MAIN ingredient in my morning beauty Elixer for this reason. I use Collagen Beauty Elixer by @skinphysics because it has the added benifits of organic turmeric which is a powerful anti -inflammatory and very strong antioxidant so your cells LOVE it!

Note: It’s important to take this on as information to look into for yourself and not direct health advice.If you’re interested in approaching your health and skin care holistically as I do then I recommend seeking support and guidance from a naturopath and health care professional to make sure any underlying health concerns are addressed prior to supplementing for skin health. Consider this a nudge in the right direction ;)

Joni B Beauty x

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salonpsychology · 6 years

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TRUST THE PROCESS

GREAT BROWS ARE MADE WITH GREAT PATIENCE

After having great chats with a beautiful client of mine yesterday, who happened to be a nurse and was very knowledgeable about the skin (refreshing) I felt compelled to share this. Everything I share is to educate it’s VERY important to me that I help educate those of you considering brow tattooing about the ‘process’ involved in creating fabulous brows.

I say great brows are made with great patience because, PATIENCE is a KEY part of the brow creating process.

If you have never had any form of tattooing before or never had a wound that had to heal then it’s especially important to understand and respect what the skin goes through when healing from cosmetic brow tattooing. Because that’s essentially what you’re having done. To dramatise the procedure.....you’re essentially having a beautiful brow shape wound created on your forehead!

As much as I and the rest of the cosmetic beauty industry would love it to be, unfortunately it’s not as simply as bibbidi bobbidi boo and your brows are fabulous.

There is a process involved in creating said fabulous brows and the degree of which is very much so dependant on the level of recreation creativity that’s involved in your individual design plus how the skin responds to the brows being designed.

When it comes to an Embrowerment Brow

I don’t template ANY brows.

ALL Embrowerment brows are BESPOKE (individualised) for the client.

I explain that great brows are built over 2 to sometimes 3 sessions for this reason.

The first appointment is primarily focused on understanding your relationship with your brows and your expectations when it comes to what you want your brows to look like once tattooed.

What looks good to me may not look good in your eyes (or on top of them ;)) so it’s important that we are both on the same page.

The first application will then become the building foundation for your ideal brows and my vision for achieving them for you.

Your second appointment (touch up appointment) is to review how your new brows have healed, how the skin has retained pigment and to adjust the fullness, shape and balance slightly where needed.

Due to swelling from the initial appointment, there is only so much artistic work that can be done before the skin says STOP due to swelling and of course potential and likely bleeding. Hence the second appointment.

The third appointment is only ever necessary for resilient skin or brows that needed to be heavily reconstructed. This will be discussed and identified at your initial and second appointment.

So. Much like working out to get a bikini body or detoxing to clear your skin. Brow tattooing is also a commitment of dedication and patience. In the end. You’ll have beautiful brows that you wake up with every day but it’s imperative that you are aware of and are committed to the process to get there. Remember. It’s a blade or tattoo gun. Not a sharpie 😜

To discuss if brow tattooing is for you. You can book a 30min consultation with me at www.embrowerment.com.au

#brows #browshaping #browsonfleek #eyebrowsonfleek #eyebrows #beautysalon #beauty #salon #skincare #cosmetics #tattoo #makeup #spmu

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