Finally What You Need!

While tattooing is an ancient practice, cosmetic tattooing applied with the purpose of becoming permanent makeup – also known as micropigmentation, dermal pigmentation, and permanent cosmetics – is fast becoming a popular modern remedy for smudging eyeliner, bleeding lipstick, and uncontrollable eyebrows. But what most people don’t realize is that permanent makeup is a wonderful cosmetic procedure for cancer patients who have lost their hair. For them, very natural looking eyebrows and eyelash enhancers are a God-send. For those with Breast reconstruction – just having color implanted for an areola is incredibly uplifting.

The application of micropigmentation is a unique combination of artistic ability and technical skill. To create the most natural results, technique, placement, color, artistry and good judgment are paramount. Specialized instruments allow the permanent makeup practitioner to place color into the layer of skin known as the dermis. The Client is fully aware during a procedure, instructing the technician where to implant the pigmentation for the permanent makeup. There is little discomfort with most procedures in which a topical anesthetic may be applied. There is a wide range of colors a client may choose from. Because the outermost layer of skin, the epidermis, is always shedding and renewing itself, the color is viewed through a thin veil of skin. Because the color is placed ‘in’ the skin and not ‘on’ the skin a natural, soft look results. Following a micropigmentation procedure, in most cases, there will be slight swelling and redness of skin, which will subside quickly. Normal activities can be resumed immediately following the procedure. Normal healing is a process with final results not fully realized for at least two weeks. Traditional makeup can be applied over permanent makeup.

WHO BENEFITS FROM PERMANENT MAKEUP?

Men as well as women benefit from permanent cosmetics. Also, busy people with little time to apply makeup; people with allergies to conventional makeup skin sensitivities; anyone who desires the freedom and convenience from daily makeup application; athletic people and those with oily skin who tend to shed makeup easily; burn survivors and people with flaws in their skin; entertainers; actresses; models – such as Elizabeth Taylor, Dolly Parton, Racquel Welch, Cher and others. Chemotherapy patients find that eyeliner, eyelash enhancement, and brows can lift their spirits during very difficult cancer treatments. Other special needs for permanent makeup include scars, vitiligo, alopecia or other health problems. Also, the vision impaired who have difficulty applying their own cosmetics, and others with motor impairments such as arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, and stroke survivors.

IS PERMANENT MAKEUP REALLY PERMANENT?

Technically, permanent cosmetics procedures are considered permanent because the color is implanted into the upper reticular part of the dermal layer of the skin and cannot be washed or rubbed off. However, fading can and often does occur as with any tattoo. Periodic maintenance, color re-enhancement or color refreshing is desirable every one to two years.

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Permanent Makeup – Quiz

This quiz has 10 questions worth 100 total points. Once you have completed the quiz, you may review the answers and take it again. The information for this quiz was taken from this webpage.

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Aromatic liquid matter, known as essential oils are extracted from a variety of flowers, leaves, roots, trees, fruits and grasses. The Egyptians were the first known to invent ways of extracting the aromatic liquids through distillation, and distillation is still the preferred method of extracting essential oils in modern times.

The earliest known cosmetics and spa treatments incorporated the use of essential oils in ancient Egypt. Aromatherapy was also included in the ancient Egyptian religious rituals, burial rites, and mummification. Elaborate systems for bathing used by the Egyptians, were later adopted by the Greeks and Romans. It is known that public baths with heated floors were a major form of entertainment centuries ago. One past practice involved men and women undressing in different rooms, then walking through a series of about five rooms. Each room became hotter and hotter until the sweat dripped off them. Then they scraped off the sweat with a sickle-like knife. Next, they slathered themselves with light oil before immersing in what was called the bath-proper. The baths had restaurants, meeting rooms, and even exercise rooms. Everyone wore tunics there. It was a social gathering and lovely practice of the earliest form of pampering.

Today, cosmetic manufacturers understand and use essential oils (or chemical copies) in their cell-rejuvenating, age defying, and beautifying products. The perfume industry uses them for their fragrance as well as essential oil’s emotion and mood enhancing properties. Also, many essential oils are the active ingredient in prescribed drugs or the inspiration for man-made chemicals used in pharmaceuticals. Many of those pharmaceuticals are for the treatment of hair, nails, and skin.

Here are a few examples of where you will find essential oils used in salon and spa products:

Shampoos

Scalp Stimulators

Hair Conditioning Treatments

Facial Masks

Hair Masks

Paraffin wax

Facial & Body Creams

Mud Body Masks

Cuticle Softeners

Cream Makeup

Lip Balms & Treatments

Facial Saunas

Skin Cleansers and Toners

Body Massage Oils

Pedi-Spas

Exfoliators

Hair Growth Stimulators

Aromassage, which uses essential oils along with massage, can be performed on hands and arms during a manicure, feet and legs during a pedicure, and at the base of the neck to the base of the scalp as a complimentary service at a barber shop or salon. Full body massage frequently includes such relaxing essential oils like Lavender, which also has a great reputation for toning.

Some other examples of aromatherapy follow: Chamomile essential oil aids in moisturizing the skin and promotes granulation and cell regeneration. Carrot Seed essential oil revitalizes and tones, and is considered one of the best essential oils for removing toxin and water build up in the skin giving the skin a fresher more firm appearance. Neroli essential oil, derived from the blossoms of the bitter orange tree, increases circulation and stimulates new cell growth, can prevent scarring and stretch marks, useful in treating skin conditions linked to emotional stress, is good for dry, irritated or sensitive skin, regulates oiliness and minimizes enlarged pores, helps to clear acne and blemished skin, especially if the skin lacks moisture. With regular treatment, it can reduce the appearance of fragile or broken capillaries and varicose veins. Balsam essential oil, collected from wild trees along the ‘Balsam Coast’ of El Salvador, is believed to promote growth of epithelial cells, is good for chapped skin and poor circulation; a wonderful moisturizer.

Ylang ylang, a sweet-exotic-floral essential oil, is known to enhance relaxation in the salon and spa, but did you know that ylang ylang is also amazing in hair as well as skin care products? Ylang ylang was a popular ingredient of hair preparations in historic Europe. In skin care it is useful with products for oily skin. Also, due to its ability to anchor perfumes and blend with a variety of other scents, ylang ylang oil is primarily used by fragrance manufactures today. It is even considered to be an aphrodisiac and evokes feelings of deep, languid calm that melt away anxiety, tension and stress. It is no wonder, that in Indonesia, ylang ylang flower petals are strewn upon the bed of newlywed couples. It is also believed to lower blood pressure in some individuals. So, it is no surprise that such a potent aromatherapy is used in salons and spas across the world.

Aromatherapy may be included in part of your beauty school education while studying chemicals and products. If so, you will most definitely learn that most essential oils in the pure state are extremely concentrated and should not be used directly on the skin without being diluted in a base. Base oils are nut oils, seed oils, or vegetable oils – such as sweet almond, avocado, coconut, jojoba, grapeseed, olive, carrot, and sesame oil (among many others). In ancient days gone by, and even in Arabian countries in modern times, these types of oils provide a standard method of cleansing. The Romans massaged oils into their skin and then scraped the oil off – along with the dirt. Facials and Body wraps performed in salons and spas use this same cleansing concept.

If you have the opportunity to study a little aromatherapy, you will learn that essential oils will have a synergistic effect when combining more than one essential oil in a blend. Mixing two or more essentials oil will create a chemical compound that varies from any of the component parts and the compound is very potent. The proportions must be correct, however as even a minuscule amount of one oil, is integral to the whole synergetic blend. That being said, there are some essential oils that should never be used under any circumstances. Some of those oils are: bitter almond, boldo leaf, calamus, yellow camphor, horseradish, jaborandi leaf, mugwort, mustard, pennyroyal, rue, sassafras, savin, southernwood, tansy, thuja, wintergreen, wormseed, and wormwood. All essential oils should be used with care as even the most pleasurable aromatherapy may cause sensitivity in a few people, while other essential oils should not be used while pregnant or lactating. This is one reason why is it very important to study aromatherapy before incorporating it in your salon and spa practices. It is also another reason why it is so important for beauty school students to learn the chemistry and anatomy of the skin, hair, and whole body.


When used safely and correctly, however, essential oils are, well – ESSENTIAL – to the world of pampering, glamour and beauty!

Needless to say, I am not just a firm believer in the potency of essential oils, but I am a daily benefactor of the therapies. Every evening and every morning, I include a drop of chamomile in my facial lotion. My skin feels moist all day long. If I don’t use it – dry, tight skin. But, another benefit of the chamomile is that it somehow gives my skin an amazing refreshing feeling. A side benefit I wasn’t even looking for – I have had far less colds since I began using the chamomile several years ago. When I do seem to be getting a cold, I put a few drops of cinnamon leaf and eucalyptus into a tissue and inhale it 5 to 10 times whenever I think of it during the day. My colds last only a few short days when everyone else’s last 2 to 3 weeks. Those are only a couple of uses. I have a small wine refrigerator where I store my oils year round so they will always be at room temperature and I will have these lovely ancient remedies at my fingertips. I recommend them to everyone who is willing to delve into the books and discover the benefits, and uses of aromatherapy. The very best book I have found is:

The Complete Book of Essential Oils and Aromatherapy: Over 600 Natural, Non-Toxic and Fragrant Recipes to Create Health – Beauty – a Safe Home Environment

I have read this book from cover to cover and go back to it again and again. And much of the information for this article was obtained from that book. Essential oils are truly potent, so you really do not want to start using them without guidance. This book is very informative, interesting, and full of useful directions. It is a must have.

Another “must have” is guidance when choosing the very best beauty school, cosmetology college, aesthetics school, barbering college, etc to attend. I am so grateful to say that next week, I will be launching hundreds of new pages on the website www.finallywhatyouneed.com which contain the ability to contact the best beauty schools in the United States. Spread the word – its almost here!

Barbering History

The monuments of Ancient Egypt tell us that they shaved their heads as well as their beards. Razors have been found among relics of the Bronze Age (circa 3500 BC) in Egypt. The tools ancient Egyptian Barbers used to shave with were razor sharp, and looked like undersized hatchets. Men wore wigs over their shaved heads on a daily basis, as wigs were highly fashionable. Children’s heads were shaved off or cut short except for a long lock of hair left on the side of the head.

Recordings from fifth century Greece tell us that barbering was practically an art form there. Statesmen of Athens competed with one another in achieving the most excellently trimmed beards. Barbers were highly respected citizens rubbing elbows with their clientele of politicians, philosophers and artists who frequented the barber shop. The news and hubbub of the day was discussed in detail from the chair of the barber in ancient Greece.

Between 1094-96, William, archbishop of Rouen, France, prohibited the wearing of a beard. That is when the earliest known organization of barbers was formed. Barbers cut hair and practiced their shaving skills daily, but they also performed surgeries. These barber-surgeons where known as chirurgeons. When barbers became organized, they also began to thrive all over Europe. Barbers also performed dentistry at the time. These doctor-dentist-barbers were in constant conflict with the physicians proper and the standard surgeon-dentists of the time, however, the barbers continued to practice surgery as well as dentistry for centuries, benefiting from the barbering organization and the mediation of councils and kings. As a matter of fact, until the year 1416 barbers continued in this vein without much interference. Some of the duties of the barber included neck manipulation, cleaning of ears and scalp, draining of boils, fistula and lancing of cysts with wicks, bloodletting, leeching, fire cupping, enemas, as well as the extraction of teeth.

However, by 1416, too many barber-surgeons dabbled in quackery and the malpractices were brought to the attention of the mayor and council of London. An ordinance was passed at that time forbidding barbers from taking under their care any sick person in danger of death or maiming, unless within three days after being called in, they presented the patient to one of the masters of the Barber-Surgeon’s Guild.
Until 1461 only barbers practiced surgery, but new discoveries in surgery were being made in leaps and bounds (according to the times) and surgeons began to become jealous of the privileges given to barbers. In 1450, the Guild of Surgeons was incorporated with the Barbers Company by act of parliament. At that time, barbers were restricted to bloodletting, toothdrawing, cauterization and the tonsorial operations.

As the discipline of medicine, surgery and dentistry became more sophisticated; barbers became much less proficient at performing all the tasks that being a barber-surgeon-dentist demanded. Approximately June of 1745, the alliance between the barbers and surgeons was dissolved by an act of parliament, which received the sanction of the king. Barbers and surgeons became two separate companies. A comparable decision was made in France under the reign of Louis XIV. The only areas barbers dared practice the operations of surgery and dentistry were in small towns and hard-to-get-to places where doctors and dentists could not be obtained. After the barbers were prohibited from practicing medicine, surgery and dentistry, they became proficient in style and fashion.

In the beginning of barbering schools in America, the practical work of shaving, haircutting, and facial treatments, was mainly taught. Not much effort was made to professionalize the work of barbers until around 1920 when the scientific treatments of hair, skin and scalp were incorporated in the education of barbers.



For decades in America, barber shops have been locations where people exchanged stories about the news in their community, just as in ancient Greece. A social institution – as well as a place to have hair and beards groomed.

In the second half of the 20th century, Beauty Salons became more and more popular with men as well as women. A decline in Barber shops and schools began in America at that point. However, barbers have managed to reserve the right to shave with a razor – which cosmetologists do not perform unless they also possess a barbering license. For those who enjoy the luxury of a straight-razor shave, the barber shop will always be a pleasure they have in common with ancient kings, statesmen and philosophers.

The most important skill you must take into the industry with you when you graduate with a Cosmetology (Esthetics, Barbering, Massage Therapy, Nail Technology, etc.) Education – is the skill to develop rapport with people. Notice, I did not simply say with your clientele – with people. What people? Managers, co-workers, clientele, and anyone who might send business your way.

Leo Passage, the president and founder of Pivot Point International makes the following statement, in the forward of the book People Skills: Your Personal Guide to Salon Success
by Robert Wright:

[Quote] As industry research points out, experts believe that as much as 80 – 85 percent of your success depends on your ability to deal effectively with people – your clients, your co-workers, the boss. (And only 15 – 20 percent of your success is dependent on technical ability!) [End Quote]

Mr. Passage goes on to tell the story of how he worked with a young designer who was only a few months out of Beauty School. Her combouts didn’t look as though they had been combed at all! Leo, on the other hand, was an award winning, world champion designer working in the same salon. Imagine his surprise when this young lady, whose combouts left much to be desired, became the highest paid hair stylist in the salon! Why? Mr. Passage states in the forward – [Quote] She took the time to learn about people, to consult with them about their needs, and to show that she cared…[End Quote]

There are many successful business people who understand the overwhelming importance of people skills. The good news is, you do not have to have a degree in psychology to begin to enhance your ability to develop rapport with people. There are numerous self-help books on success that will guide you in the right direction. If you are serious about being head and shoulders above the average beauty school graduate – check out some literature by the following authors: John Gray, Ph.D., Dale Carnegie, Anthony Robbins, Doe Lang, Ph.D., Zig Ziglar, Norman Vincent Peale.

One of my favorite inspirational authors, Anthony Robbins gives the reader unique ways to develop and strengthen people skills. In his book, Unlimited Power : The New Science Of Personal Achievement
, Mr Robbins writes an entire chapter devoted to The Magic of Rapport. Another chapter is dedicated to How to Handle Resistance and Solve Problems, and yet another chapter devoted to people skills is The Power of Persuasion. In the chapter describing the magic of rapport, the reader learns that to establish rapport we must create or discover things in common with one another – but we don’t create rapport simply through conversation. The most effective rapport is developed through words and physiology combined. For instance, a client is in your chair, they are speaking loudly – laughing – smiling – using hand gestures. You smile, you laugh with them, and purposefully use the same types of hand gestures when possible — your client soon will naturally feel something in common with you. Perhaps the next client speaks in a softer tone – you also speak in a soft tone. When you do this, when you mirror your client’s demeanor, notice how they respond. This is simply one effective way to develop rapport without ever opening up a book on psychology!

Doe Lang, the author of CHARISMA will teach the reader thirteen kinds of charisma. The author also teaches how to stop putting yourself down; how to find your true best voice; projecting the charisma within you; overcoming performance anxiety, and more.

One communication skill all beauty school graduates need to develop, is the art of reading another’s body language. How can you tell if a client is truly happy with you? Sure, you may receive a tip from them the first time you provide a service… but are they going to come back – again and again? Learn to interpret body language, and you will have a very good idea. If you do not understand how to use your own body language, and interpret other’s body language – you may be perpetually harming your own business activities in the salon and spa.

Those who are successful, whether knowingly or by accident, are most certainly body language connoisseurs. There are numerous books on body language, and endless web pages to scroll through. My favorite website has a link that will lead you through about 70 pages of information on body language. The link is on www.changingminds.org.

www.changingminds.org educates us that body language is a vital part of communication which can make up 50 percent or more of what we communicate. Body language comes in clusters of signals and postures, depending on the internal emotions and mental state of the persons communicating. Recognizing a whole cluster is incredibly more reliable than trying to interpret individual elements of one’s body language. Below are examples of different types of body language you can learn to interpret by understanding the cluster of signals and postures of your clientele.

• Aggressive body language
• Attentive body language
• Bored body language
• Deceptive body language
• Defensive body language
• Dominant body language
• Evaluating body language
• Power body language
• Relaxed body language
• Submissive body language

You can send signals with individual parts of the body as well as in concert. The following is a list of different parts of the body which communicate messages – many times unwittingly: Face, Cheek, Chin, Mouth, Lips, Teeth, Tongue, Nose, Eyes, Eyebrow, Forehead, Hair, Elbow, Hand, Finger, Neck, Shoulder, Chest, Back, Belly, Bottom, Hips, Legs, Thigh, Knee, and Foot.

Here are some foot body language examples. Tapping the foot can be a sign of impatience as the person gets into a kind of tense repetitive state. The foot becomes like a clock’s pendulum, marking and moving on time.

The direction a person’s feet are pointing is generally where they would prefer to be. If an attractive member of the opposite sex is in the vicinity, watch where the feet point. If there is an interesting conversation – do the feet point toward the conversationalists (then they like the conversation) or away (they really want to run in the opposite direction!).

As for me, if you could see me right now, I am facing you with my palms open (and a huge smile) and I am inviting you to come back and view my website in about 2 ½ weeks, because that is when I will be launching my website makeover with links to information on over 1,000 accredited beauty schools in the United States that I will be recommending to those who are thinking about choosing the best cosmetology college to attend. See www.finallywhatyouneed.com ‘s website makeover very soon!