Beauty Partner – Mantra’s Hair Salon

I’m thrilled to feature this guest blog post from Jocelyn DeChenne, the new owner of Mantra’s Hair salon that is connected to the Mendocino Beauty studio. Our services complement one another and we now offer a full suite of services.
—Amy Wall

Beauty Partner – Jocelyn DeChenne, owner Mantra’s Hair Salon

A mantra is a sound, syllable, word, or group of words that are considered capable of “creating transformation” (cf. spiritual transformation).¹ Their use and type varies according to the school and philosophy associated with the mantra.

It has always been my dream to own a salon in the Mendocino Village. The moment I embarked on my new life here on the coast I have felt enveloped by my community as well as my fellow women (and men!) in the beauty industry. Almost immediately I crossed paths with Amy Wall, my dear friend and constant inspiration. Since 2006 I have been blessed to work alongside her doing bridal hair and makeup for women from all over the world on the weekends, while building a name and clientele for myself in hair cutting during the week.  All the paths I have been down since I rooted on the coast have led me to be able to launch my newest path, Mantras!

My passion for fashion started as soon as I was old enough to play with Tinkerbelle nail polish and lip glosses. From there it blossomed into intrigue in everything from vintage styles to urban funk.  I have had the privilege to come from a corporate background early on in my profession. I started out with Toni&Guy Hairdressing, working my way up from an Assistant to an Art Director, Educator and Platform Artist.  My intense training has covered everything from multi-cultural styling to prestigious customer service. My European training has focused me in the direction of specialization, meaning I only perform cutting and styling services. Toni&Guy was originated in Europe, adopting the career style of cut & color specialists as opposed to cosmotologists. I work synergistically with Mantra’s stylist, Marianella Brey, who performs traditional color services, along with Balayage and Brazilian Keratin treatments.

Our philosophy here at Mantras is to provide positive affirmations for the hair and spirit while setting intentions to assist in helping our clients become the best versions of themselves they can possibly be.  Careful attention to detail is taken to provide the utmost service while prescribing take-home hair care we are passionate about. We are enthusiastic about community events and love to create and elevate local fashion and style.  We hope to create a salon where clients can feel safe and confident in their artists, while allowing us to support them in the transition of their personal image.
~Jocelyn DeChenne, mendomantras.com

Beauty 

Products!

“How do I use my facial care products?” is one of the most common questions I get asked. 
Knowing the answer will help you get the most out of your skincare investment and bring out your natural beauty.

BEAUTY TIP: Day and night routines can differ but, in general, face skincare products are applied in the order of their viscosity.

Today we’ll review a skin treatment regime for someone with aging, dry skin:

1. Cleanse: Use a small amount as professional products are concentrated.
   Nighttime option: A creamy, emulsifying cleanser to help take off makeup.
2. Tone – Your “Second Cleanse”: This removes residues left over from the cleanser and helps prep the skin for your serum.
3. Treat – Serum: The most powerful part of your regimen! Concentrated, active ingredients that are made to correct and treat a variety of skin conditions.
   Nighttime option: Any serums containing Retinol or Alpha Hydroxy Acids.
4. Treat (Optional) Eye Cream: Pat around the orbital bone, never tugging or rubbing. The tissue here is extremely delicate so treat with care.
5. Nourish: This is where you are sealing in and conditioning your beautiful face with a high quality moisturizer. Look for ingredients like Peptides, Hyaluronic Acid and Ceramides. Smooth the product evenly around your face and down your neck and all the way across your chest. If you must combine this with a sunscreen, be sure it’s at least a 30 and, if you are in direct sun, reapply.
   Nighttime option: Use a cream with a richer texture, no sunscreen.
6. Protect – Sunscreen: I prefer a physical “block” rather than a chemical “screen.” Make sure to apply a generous amount. Get the tops of your ears and back of your neck, too!
7. Exfoliation and Masks: Exfoliate 3 times a week to help your skin turn over faster and remove dead, dull skin. A mask suited to your skin type would be perfect to do after this step. After rinsing, proceed with steps 2-5.

*Consult your Skin Care Professional for the best products for your skin type and conditions.

We sell exclusive lines of carefully selected facial creams and skincare products at Mendocino Beauty. I am available for phone or email consultation if you have any questions!
amy@mendocinobeauty.com or 707-937-9977

All About Brows

*New*   Mendocino Beauty is now featuring a Brow Bar!

In the tradition of some of the larger makeup lines at department stores, we are offering an easy, convenient way to keep your brows looking in top shape right at our Mendocino Beauty Makeup Counter.

Licensed Esthetician and Makeup Artist, Danielle Frey is available to shape and groom your brows on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 11-4 in our Makeup Room. $15

While you are there, ask to be color matched with one of our fabulous foundation formulas. We have loose, liquid and pressed Mineral Makeup lines, and we can help you find one to soothe and protect your skin while looking great.

Especially wonderful for calming freshly waxed skin!

Make an appointment online, or just stop by.

Walk-ins are welcomed and encouraged!

Tips and Tricks For Maintaining Your Own Beautiful Brows….

Our brows are the frame to our face and out of all of our features, are one of the most expressive and revealing.

Think of some  famous brows like the full, thick frame of Brooke Shields or the provocative arch of Marlene Dietrich and you can see that trends in brow shapes change radically and can become a real signature of style.

Use the following tips and tricks, and refer to the diagram below, to create the brow shape that is best for you.

1. Always seek a licensed Professional if in doubt! Eyebrow hair can be stubborn and vigorous, but it can also stop growing where we consistently tweeze or wax. Make sure you are removing in areas that you really want bare.
2. Use a mild tonic like Witch Hazel or Le Mieux’s Iso Cell Recovery Complex, before and after tweezing. This helps keep bacteria at bay and also calms and sooths the skin. Tweezing can cause pinpoint bleeding and open skin can get infected very easily.
3. Keep your tweezers clean. Store them in a closed container and clean with alcohol after every use.
4. Invest in some good tools. Having a great pair of tweezers, small scissors, spoolie brush and angled eye brush is invaluable.
5. Step back from the close up mirror often and look at yourself from a distance. It is hard to see ourselves objectively when we are staring close up for a concentrated amount of time.
6. They are Sisters, not Twins! Do not concentrate on keeping them completely even with each other. Of course we are aiming for symmetry, but each side of our face is a little different so go for proportion not identicalness.
7. Don’t be afraid to put some color on them. Use a pencil or powder (with stiff, angled eye brush) anytime you want to extend the line of your brow, fill in sparse areas or camoflauge an area you are growing in.
8. After using a pencil or powder always go over the color with your spoolie brush. This helps move the color into the brows and takes away any traces of brush or pencil marks. You will be amazed at how natural it looks.
9. Always do eyebrow makeup when you do a dramatic makeup look. This sometimes get forgotten and it really pulls the whole look together.
10. Create your own spoolie brush out of an old mascara wand! You need a new mascara every 3 months so this is a renewable resource. Just throw away the tube and wash the wand thoroughly with soap and water. Run through dishwasher to completely sanitize and you have a great new tool!  I also sell them at Mendocino Beauty if you prefer a longer handle or just like a beautiful brush!

Practice makes perfect!

ove is a canvas furnished by nature and embroidered by imagination- Voltaire

Practice Makes Perfect!

We did the first trial run of the season on our beautiful bride, Amber Oswald. She brought in a picture that was a structured half up and half down style.
By the time we finished it had evolved into loose, romantic waves with just a few tendrils pulled back.

This is the great thing about a trial. We have the time to try out a style you have chosen and admired in a magazine or on a website. Sometimes it is perfect and we don’t change a thing, but sometimes it’s an exercise in finding out what you don’t want! This is a valuable discovery and not a failure by any means.

In this instance the style evolved right here, but often a Bride will wear her trial style for the day and then get back to us with feedback about what she would like to change. We then take careful notes and execute it perfectly on her wedding day.

We are here to help you find the style that is just perfect for you.

Don’t worry if you don’t have the time or budget for a trial, we will still work with you on the day of the wedding to make sure it’s is perfect and you feel like your prettiest, most special version of yourself.

My Best,

Amy Wall

New Event

 

New Event!

Mendocino Coast Whale Festival and Stella and Dot Jewelry Trunk show, March 6^th 2010

The Mendocino Whale Festival will be taking place on March 6^th and 7^th .

 Enjoy Wine and Chowder tasting on Saturday March 6^th, from 1-4, as you stroll around the beautiful Village of Mendocino.  Be on the lookout for Grey Whales, as there are 20,000 plus making their way from their birthing grounds in Mexico to their winter home in Alaska.

Mendocino Beauty will be hosting Jeriko Estate Vineyards and they will be featuring their Estate Brut, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Starting at 3 pm, Stylist Amber Gilmore, of Stella and Dot Jewelry, will be hosting a trunk show of the spring season of jewels and accessories.

Check the line out here-  http://www.stelladot.com/amberphilpott

All in all, it is sure to be a fantastic day- See you there!

My Best,

Amy

Beauty Rituals versus Routine.

Let’s bring an element of appreciation into our beauty routine.

I propose we start referring to taking care of ourselves as our Beauty Ritual. Investing the time and money in professional skin care products and treatments is investing in yourself, making this more than just something we should do. Facials serve as nurturing, stress relieving and ultimately face saving treatments.

Professional products at home make the most of your professional treatment, thereby giving you the results you are looking for.
Women who regularly invest in themselves feel and look better.
Plus, costly medical procedures will most likely not be necessary.
Most of all, we are spending time on and with ourselves.
An opportunity to tell your face — “I love you and you are worth looking fabulous!”

Now that is a ritual to embrace.

My Best,
Amy

Types or Conditions?

People often ask me to tell them if they have dry, oily, normal or combination skin. I confess I don’t think of skin only in these terms. Skin can be typed but I would rather treat and refer to skin in terms of the conditions that effect it.

I ask a series of questions that have to do with your climate and lifestyle and then specifics about what you are experiencing and what I see on your skin.

Some of the potentials conditions could be:
-pigmentation
-dry scaly texture
-broken capillaries
-sallow tone
-acne
-tightness
-excessive oil

Once I know these answers I can make  recommendations for you based on the best active ingredients to target and treat each challenge. I will recommend a combination of products ranging from cleansers, toners, serums and creams, depending on the severity of the condition and the priority you give it for correcting.

There is always room for improvement and it’s gratifying to see the skin improve. After a while you will start thinking of your skin the same way!

My Best,
Amy

Welcome to Coastal Chic

Welcome to the first posting at Mendocino Beauty’s new blog!

I am excited to share with you some of my thoughts and expertise in the world of skin care, cosmetics and especially inner beauty.

It is a gorgeous day here in Mendocino on this first week of the new decade and we celebrated a Blue Moon, too!  We are beautifully poised to start any project or intention we wish.

From this auspicious beginning I offer you this suggestion:

Take a moment today to take 6 deep breaths from your deep belly, through your nose, and exhale slowly through your mouth.

Visualize your 2010 self. Who will you be this year? What are your beauty and wellness goals? How do you look? How does that make you feel? Anything you don’t like?  Why just re-vision to your hearts content….

There, don’t you feel and look great? Practice often for magical results!
In an instant we can experience positive change that was easy and enjoyable to achieve.

Let’s have a great year and work together to look and feel our best!
I welcome any feedback or suggestions and look forward to sharing this journey with you.

My Best,
Amy