designHouse Salon

Holistic Hair Salon Victoria BC

The Fall 2018 Makeup Trends Taking Over Victoria

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beauty salon victoria bc
It would be easy to tell you about a single trend hitting the city streets this fall, but we can’t. Makeup has always been a way for an individual to show their inner personality and colour on the outside. This fall, we’ll see the full spectrum come alive. Beauty salons in Victoria BC will be overrun with requests for anything from a natural to sci-fi inspired makeup look this fall.
 
Eyes
Time to bring your focus back to the eyes. Neutral lips are placing focus on bright eye colours. The 60’s are being channelled in creative ways. The floating liner look is back with a modern twist allowing for individual creativity. Although we have seen a lot of glitter on the runway, this trend will not translate to the streets of Victoria. Thanks to the microplastics movement, Victoria is a sustainability first kind of city. What we can expect is a range of natural, more business-ready, fresh faces and punk rock-inspired evening looks with vibrant splashes of colour.
 
Lashes are back. For a time, the focus was on liner and colour and, in many ways, this is still true. If you’re opting for a more natural and nude makeup look, long fluttery lashes are in. Layering on the eco-friendly mascara is the way to go this fall.
 
Lips
Lips are looking naked. The vibrant matte lipstick trend appears to be taking a break and instead shimmery nudes are back in the front seat. If you are craving colour, ombre lips are the look this fall. If you want to go dramatic and place the focus on your lips with some vibrant colours, a blended ombre is the way to go.
 
Skin
Hallelujah. The trend this fall is to move as far from layers of foundation and cover-up as possible. Cream over concealer. Let your beautiful skin shine through. The trend this fall is to layer up on moisturizer and SPF-protection in place of foundation and concealer. Healthy skin is happy skin and all the focus is placed on health and proper skin care first. This is a trend we love seeing. After the smokey air that your skin had to deal with this summer, a season of care is exactly what’s needed.
 
Hair
Often we ignore hair when we think about makeup. Not this fall. This fall, hair salons in Victoria, BC will be giving a wispier, layered look to frame your natural beauty. Your hair is a big part of your makeup this fall. Showcase your natural waves and opt for a bit of a natural, air-dried look instead of pin straight hair or heat-styled curls.
 
What we love the most about the makeup trends this fall is the focus on natural beauty. Makeup is a great way to have fun with colour but on a day to day basis, it’s refreshing to know that we will be seeing more of a ”woke up like this” aesthetic. Beauty Salons in Victoria, BC will be focusing more on selling sustainable and eco-friendly beauty products this fall to help your skin really glow. Come in today to shop Elate cosmetics and try some trending fall looks with a mini makeup application.

Staff Q&A Series: Master Stylist Cory

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We want you to get to know the people that do your hair because trust isn’t earned overnight. Our monthly Staff Q&A helps you learn a little bit about who we are outside the salon. This month, we focus on California bombshell, Cory.

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Besides earning more money and becoming even more profitable, what do you think the goals of designHouse Salon are?

I think one of our biggest goals has always been to educate our clients on the importance of sustainability in the beauty industry. I want to make sure each person leaves our space looking and feeling like a million bucks!

What do you contribute to the team that makes you stand out? What do/should clients come specifically to you for?

I like to build a strong bond with my clients and co-workers. I feel like being a caring and sensitive friend has always taken me far in life and I feel that it is something that is appreciated by coworkers and clients alike. I also love huge transformations and makeovers!

What does Sustainable Beauty mean to you and why is it an important focus?

To me, sustainable beauty means making people look and feel their best, while also taking care of the environment. This is important because people shouldn’t have to choose between helping the world and helping themselves. They should feel good about looking good.

Why should people come to designHouse Salon over the TONS of other available options?

We care about every person that walks through our door. Our service and attention to detail separate us from the competition. We are also a Green Circle Salon, which means that we strive to contribute very little waste to the environment.

What about the beauty industry excites you and why?

I love that boundaries are being broken down. The term “beauty” can mean so many things now. The classic definition of what is beautiful no longer applies and expressing yourself through your style is incredibly exciting!

Tell us about your background. Where are you from? What have you accomplished?

I am originally from California, but my story really begins after moving here, meeting my boyfriend and having a beautiful daughter. They are by far my biggest accomplishment!

When you aren’t working, what are you doing? Hobbies, interests, etc.

When I’m not working, I love going on adventures with my boyfriend, Drew, and daughter, Chloe. I also love exploring the island, horseback riding, painting, jewellery making and planning my next vacation spot.

Do you prefer Cinnamon or Vanilla?

Both!

If you could grant a co-worker a superpower, who and what would it be?

I would grant Matt the power to magically make me food of my choosing mainly because he’s always at work when I am — and I’m usually hungry!

What’s your go-to midnight snack?

Chocolate.

Name 2 things you want everyone to know about you.

  1. I’ll never say no to chocolate;
  2. The best gift you could give me is to be kind to animals (via a donation to BCSPCA)

And lastly, name 3 things on your bucket list.

  1. Scuba dive with a whale shark;
  2. Skydive;
  3. Eat a chocolate croissant in France.

What’s the Difference Between Natural, Eco, Bio and Organic?

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Everyone wants their products to be natural, bio, eco or organic. In fact, we’re more health conscious and care much more about the environment than we did about 20 years ago. Marketers love to claim that their brand’s natural or organic products are better for your face and body. While that’s certainly true if the product comes through on its promise of health-conscious ingredients, it’s more important to do your research and find out what it all means.

While you may think natural and organic mean the same thing, they actually don’t. Marketers have this great ability to confuse us with what this all means. I’m sure anyone who reads this will agree they see natural skin care products as healthy and better than the alternative. Don’t let those labels fool you though. Do your research and find out if their claims are actually true before spending money. Some of the best skin care products in the world use natural ingredients, you just need to know how to find them.

As you can see, this can be confusing, so we wanted to outline the difference between these four labels.

Natural

Walk into any beauty product aisle and you’ll find natural skin care and makeup products everywhere, or at least, a product that claims it’s natural. Because the term “natural” is not regulated by the FDA, if a product has even a small amount of natural ingredients, a company can slap a “natural” label on it. If you got your product from a local producer, chances are good you have a real natural product, but make sure to ask about the ingredients. You should always remember to check the label of any product you find. If you read the ingredient list and can pronounce fewer and fewer words, the more likely the product isn’t as ‘natural’ as they’re claiming.

Eco

The term “eco” is also not regulated, so while the label may make “green” claims, that eco product may be filled with chemicals. Don’t forget to check the label!

Organic

We hear the term “organic” all the time. Regulated by the FDA, organic products like organic makeup are certified and tested. The ingredients in these products are organically farmed and are always guaranteed to be pesticide-free and not genetically modified. If the products want to be deemed as strictly organic, the product has to be made of 95% organic ingredients, otherwise, you’ll see a label that says the product was made with organic ingredients.

Bio

If you’re concerned about where the ingredients come from and the environment they were in, bio products are for you. They step it up a notch from organic products and are as green as can be.

designHouse offers a lot of different types of organic, natural, eco and bio cosmetic products so feel free to check out our selection online or in-store. If you’re still confused on what the differences are and which type of products are best for you, come and visit us at one of our locations! Ask any of our stylists, they’ll be happy to help you find the right product.

Staff Q&A Series: Senior Stylist Sara

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We think the world of our staff and we want you to think the same, too. Hence, the beginning of our new blog series, Staff Q&A. Trust is an essential component to any successful hair stylist-client relationship and we believe that by getting to know our stylists a little better, you’ll feel comfortable coming to them with all your hair care needs. Whether you’re a regular client or new and curious about who we are, get ready to discover our favourite people.

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Besides earning more and more money to grow and still be profitable (like any business that wants to thrive), what do you think the goals of designHouse Salon are?

  1. Provide quality services that not only meet but exceed client expectations.
  2. Make everyone feel welcome and taken care of.
  3. Operate as sustainable as possible to minimize our carbon footprint

What do you contribute to the team that makes you stand out? What do/should clients come specifically to you for?

My willingness to teach clients and coworkers about proper styling tools and the importance of creating rituals to improve quality of not only hair but life as well.

What does sustainable beauty mean to you and why is it an important focus?

Sustainable beauty is important because I care about planet earth, mother nature and all earth’s plants and inhabitants. When you not only care about yourself but also your environment that is shared with others, this caring is contagious in the sense that people will, in turn, make sustainable choices for themselves as well as encourage others too.

Why should people come to designHouse Salon over the TONS of other available options?

It is nice to see and hear about other salons becoming more aware of our environment, however, dH (designHouse) has set the standard for sustainability way higher than any other salon as well as supports a team environment. By supporting dH, clients can feel good about minimizing their carbon footprint as well as support an active business of the local community.

What about the beauty industry excites you and why?

Being able to make people feel good about themselves. Sometimes without even noticing, we can make a big difference in people’s day/mood/life/confidence.

When you aren’t working, what are you doing? (ie. Hobbies, interests, etc.)

Lately, I have been into low to no cost activities like hiking, cooking, and am currently one world away from beating Super Mario Bros.

Do you prefer cinnamon or vanilla?

Easiest question yet! CINNAMON! So much that 2% makes me a special “Sara Latte” with cinnamon steamed into the milk.

If you could grant a co-worker a superpower, who and what would it be?

EMERALD: I would grant her super wings to fly anywhere in the world at any time so she could come back quicker.

What’s your go-to midnight snack?

Salty: stove-top popcorn with butter, salt, and yeast flakes

Sweet: Toast with peanut butter and honey

Name two things you want everyone to know about you.

  1. I beat cancer
  2. I love nature

Name one thing on your bucket list.

Walk the Great Wall of China.

Super Sleek Hair Courtesy of Davines

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sleek hair

WE…

  • all love silky straight sleek hair that automatically elevates a simple look but re creating it at home can be a daunting task.
  • would all like to believe that one day we’ll wake up with perfectly straightened sleek hair but honestly it takes a little effort for even the straightest hair.
  • all have to work at varying degrees to get that smooth look but with some tricks even the curliest can achieve sleek tresses.

 

Starting with a smoothing shampoo and conditioner should be your first step. According to Style Caster “If your hair is prone to frizz and fly-aways, then you should be using frizz-reducing, smoothing shampoos and conditioners.” The Oi line from Davines offers a great starting point to achieving a smooth look. With the ability to give hair shine and body you’ll be well on your way to the silky look.

The next step is looking to pick a flat iron that’s right for your hair type. There are endless varieties of flat irons on the market but getting one that is the right width and has the right heat setting is essential.  Total Beauty provides a great outline, “look for flat irons that use ceramic, tourmaline or titanium metals. They will heat more evenly causing less heat damage to your hair.” Investing in a high quality straightener will in the long run lead to less hair damage and better overall performance.

Using a heat protectant on the hair shaft can make a huge difference when it comes to avoiding that fried hair look. Melu shield by Davines is by far one of the best heat protectants on the market. “A-listers like Victoria Beckham and Jennifer Aniston are fans of the brand, which came out of the Bollati family’s commitment to combining high-grade natural ingredients with first-rate scientific rigor, (source). ”

melu

It is suitable for all hair types and protects from blow-dryer and hot tool stress. It contains rosemary extract which is a powerful antioxidant that nourishes the hair and gives it a beautifully smooth, shiny finish that’s impervious to static.

After washing and blowdrying hair, prep hair for straightening by misting a heat protectant on the hair clipping it back in small sections. The thicker the hair the more sections there should be. Start half an inch down from the root to maintain some volume and slowly move the flat iron down the hair shaft. Maintaining a steady hand and pace throughout the process. Continue for the bottom and mid sections of the hair. “For the final sections near the crown of your head, lift hair off your scalp and get the iron as close to your roots as possible, pressing firmly while drawing the iron straight outward from your head to achieve a flat, smooth finish, (source).” Finish with a smoothing oil to firm down fly aways and add some weight to the bottom of the hair. The Oi oil by Davines fights frizz and detangles, while providing shine and a smooth finish.

oi oil

 

 

Chic Ways to Store Your Favourite Cosmetics

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If you’re like us, you probably have a larger than normal makeup collection that tends to get out of hand. Knowing this, we’ve thought up some great tricks to re-organize your makeup drawer that’s not only thrifty, but incredibly unique. Here at DesignHouse we like to champion sustainability, and reusing old items is a great way to do some spring cleaning.Below is some inspiration and guidance towards organizing your cosmetic collection:

1) Shoe Organizer as a Makeup and Hair Product Divider:

hanging

A shoe organizer is one of the easiest ways to organize an unruly makeup situation. With perfectly sectioned off pockets you can quickly divide products into groups and having see-through pockets is a must!

2) Magnetic Makeup Board

Bustle (https://www.bustle.com/articles/37679-14-diy-makeup-organizer-ideas-that-are-so-much-prettier-than-those-stacks-of-plastic-boxes)
Bustle (https://www.bustle.com/articles/37679-14-diy-makeup-organizer-ideas-that-are-so-much-prettier-than-those-stacks-of-plastic-boxes)

 

Such a unique way to showcase some of your favourite palettes and compacts from the brands you love! Simply glue small magnets onto the backs of your makeup compacts and put up a magnetic board on a wall of your choice! We love this idea from Bustle, magnetic boards don’t have to be plain and can even be a great piece of artwork.

3)  Use Cake and Cupcake Trays

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Re-purposing cute trays that you would occasionally use in the kitchen can add a fun and even vintage feel to your makeup counter.

4)  Use A Spice Rack as a Product Holder­­

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Great use for an old spice rack that’s been sitting in your cupboard! Cosmo provides this tip as spice racks can hold perfumes (and nail polish!)  in place and also showcase them side by side. Spice racks are already a space saver, who says they can’t be used for your favourite makeup products?

5) Use Small Flower Vases

Using small flower vases that you already have. Fill vases with coffee beans, rice or plastic beads and stick makeup brushes upright ensuring you can grab them easily.

6)  Mason Jars

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DIY Playbook (http://thediyplaybook.com/2013/04/mason-jar-organizer.html)

What can’t you do with mason jars? They’ve become the perfect DIY jar as they instantly add some interest to the most basic craft. You can group them in a corner or even mount them on the wall, making them a great versatile organizational tool.

7) Old Candles

Cleaning out old candles and using them as jars is an easy and cheap way to repurpose plastic or glass you would have thrown out. By gluing them into a pyramid shape they take up less space and look beautiful on a counter or desk. According to Life Ann Style, “You can remove the wax pucks by placing the candle in the freezer.  Freezing the wax will cause the wax to shrink and you can easily pop out the wax puck.”

Hopefully we’ve given some great tips and tricks to get started on the organization process! We also want to highlight Elate cosmetics magnetic palettes. They make an easy built in organization tool as you can pick and choose what colours to put in your palette making them great for travel or keeping out the specific colours you’re currently using. We would love to see you drop by DesignHouse Salon to take a peek at the palette options :).

 

Well FED Beauty – Davines Sustainability Month Fundraiser for FED

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Food + Music + Beauty

designHouse Salon, for Davines Sustainability Month, is proud to annonce a fundraiser for the Food Eco District (FED) of Victoria on April 7th at the Robert Bateman Gallery at 6pm.

We will be celebrating the connection between healthy eating and holistic beauty from the inside out.

There will be food stations provided by members of FED, Hoyne Brewery, Cultured Kombucha, and local music.

Limit of 90 tickets so act fast.

Special thanks to the FED members participating, eco-friendly businesses for silent auction items, YES Victoria, Cultured Kombucha, Hoyne Brewery, other sponsors, and the Robert Bateman Gallery for donating their space.

See you there !!

Buy Tickets

#WellFEDBeauty

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