Bravo Hairdressing

Beautiful Pembrokeshire

2011-06-24T16:16:00.002+01:00

Looking for a UK break? Take a look at our latest project
www.holidaylodgepembrokeshire.co.uk
We're offering all Bravo customers 10% on 2011 stays in our fab little holiday lodge in beautiful Pembrokeshire. And we guarantee an ash cloud won't spoil your journey across borders!

GHD Limited Editions - SAVE £10!

2011-04-19T12:30:00.006+01:00

Check out these gorgeous GHD limited editon packs. There are three to choose from, each coming with a funky little heatproof bag (which is sexy enough to be a clutch bag too), a couple of section clips and a "get the look" guide. Of course, each has a medium Gold Classic styler with GHD's best ever golden plate for ultra-shiny results.

The first is called "Glamour", inspired by Hollywood. The clutch bag is black satin-effect with little sparkles on the clasp.

The second is inspired by the bold and sassy looks on the catwalk right now, and is called "New Wave". The clutch is a sexy studded purse and comes in a funky electric blue gift box.

Finally (and my favourite) we have Boho Chic, inspired by the soft, natural look which is perfect for summer. the clutch is a tassled brown suede-effect.

The RRP is £129 - just a tenner above the usual Gold Classic price, but you can save that tenner by mentioning the Bravo blog! BARGAIN!!

Cloud Nine Micro Iron - Now in Stock

2011-04-07T12:03:00.003+01:00

Cloud Nine Micro Iron - Now in Stock

Check these little beauties out - blurb and pics from the Cloud Nine website

For the very first time, all the technology of a large format straightener has been delivered in micro size. Proving to be a massive hit with both the travel and male grooming media, The Cloud Nine Micro Iron isn’t just a cute addition to the family, it’s a little workhorse.

Measuring only 6" in length, it's perfect for any suitcase, making it the ideal travel size companion. Lightweight, with cushioned plates, this micro straightener not only allows you to focus on shorter areas of hair like the fringe, it's also ideal for shorter styles overall. With a heat guard and hibernation mode, as well as the same incredible black ceramic plates as the other Cloud Nine irons, it's a must for anyone wanting to look their best, no matter where they are in the world.

I've a funny feeling that these are going to become our best seller, and at £54.95 they're a bargain too! They come with a 2 year warranty and Teflon heatproof holder.

Current Vacancies

2011-03-29T14:08:00.006+01:00

We are currently recruiting: 1 x Full or part-time stylist - this would suit a soon-to-qualify or newly qualified applicant. We are not in a position to consider any stylist higher than Grade 2 at the moment. The job description for this position can be found here http://bravohair.com/pdfs/job-description-stylist-2010.pdf The closing date for this position is April 16th 2011. 1 x Saturday staff - this position is suitable for anyone, but preference is given to applicants who would like to pursue a career in hairdressing. The job description can be found here http://bravohair.com/pdfs/job-description-assistant-2011.pdf The closing date for this position is April 9th 2011. Application forms can be found here http://bravohair.com/pdfs/application-form-2010.pdf Applications can also be made by CV. You can apply by post: please mark your application for the attention of Anoushka. Applications by email should be sent to messages@bravohair.com with "Application - Stylist" or "Application - Saturday Staff" in the subject heading. Please ensure we have a telephone number as the first round of interviews is by phone. Good luck! Phil

Changes to the "Have One on Us" card

2011-01-08T08:51:00.003Z

More than half of our lovely customers are enjoying the benefits of the Have One on Us card, earning points to use against products and services on future visits.

In order to avoid any price increases this January due to the increase in VAT, we unfortunately have to reduce the number of points earned for every pound spent on services in the salon.

Until now, customers have earned 10 points per pound on services, and 1 point per pound spent on retail products.

Effective immediately, customers will earn 4 points per pound on services, and 1 point per pound spent on retail products.

Redemption remains unchanged: you must have a minimum of 500 points accumulated before you can redeem the points, 500 points = £5.00, and points must be redeemed in multiples of 50p. Remember, you cannot earn points and spend points on the same day, so if you use points to pay for part of your bill, you won't earn points on the part of your bill you pay by other means.

It's a shame we can't be as generous this year. Fell free to vent your rage at Mr Osborne/the bankers/the fates/the youth of today/etc.

If you don't have a Have One on Us card, you can sign up in salon to start earning lovely points straight away.

Phil x

Current vacancies

2011-01-06T14:05:00.003Z

We are currently recruiting:

2 x Full-time apprentices - Closing date 14th January

1/2 x Full/Part time salon assistants - Closing date 21st January

Job descriptions and application forms are available on the Careers page of the website. We also accept CV applications.

Good luck!

New GHD Christmas Collection! First pics!

2010-10-05T11:41:00.001+01:00

The first glimpse of the new GHD collection for Christmas. No details yet, but my gosh it's a pretty one!!

5 tips for Surviving Tough Times

2010-09-03T13:08:00.003+01:00

Let me begin by saying that I'm no expert on finance. I have a common-sense approach to running Bravo and an ability to keep asking the same question in different ways until I get an answer I understand from an "expert".

The last 18 months has been the toughest time we've faced and though I can't tell you how to avoid the effects of recession (a small business can't hope to fight the tide of a whole economy) I can explain how we've managed and give out a couple of tips I wish I'd had two years ago. Please bear in mind that this is a salon-owner's perspective - I don't expect this to apply to all businesses.

1. You have to spend. It's unavoidable. Rent, rates, materials, stock and wages are part of the financial ebb and flow. The recession has been a great kick-up-the-bum for us to review how we spend. Every cost has been reviewed and we've cheekily asked for discounts, reductions and better terms from everyone we deal with. Some suppliers have helped, some we've switched, some we're stuck with and some wouldn't help. What's the worst that can happen? I'm not scared of "no".

2. Spend where it makes a difference. Some costs can be shaved without your customers even noticing. They don't care that your toilet bleach comes from Poundland and your milk is from One-Stop (cheapest in Newbury - I've checked!). But some things do show - less apprentices, nasty coffee, cheap shampoos at the basins. Yeah, you can save a few quid, but unless you're charging less you can't afford to cheapen the experience. Someone much cleverer than me told me about the Price/Experience Match. Look it up: obvious stuff but so many places get it wrong. Bear in mind that your customers are having a tough time too - but I bet they don't want to be reminded of how crappy things are out there.

3. Be harsh. Unprofitable services? Ditch 'em. Carrying dead weight staff? Bye-Bye. Even customers can be unprofitable and in recession you really can't afford any passengers. The nice thing is, everyone knows what you're up against and my team have been fab when I've asked them for an extra ounce of sweat. Be aware of knock-ons though: getting rid of an unprofitable service is fine, but if the same customers are spending elsewhere in the business factor that in too.

4. Stick to the plan. You know, your business plan - your strategy. You do have one, don't you?? Assuming you do, stick to your guns. Our strategy is a living, breathing, scribbled out, Tipp-Exed monster which gives us direction in everything. I could be run over by a bus tomorrow and someone else should be able to pick it up and carry on (assuming they can decipher my horrendous writing). Our goals haven't changed much over the last couple of years, but the timescales certainly have. For example, one goal was a headcount of 15 by this June, now we're aiming for next September. This isn't simply re-setting goals that you've missed, it's adapting the strategy as conditions changed. That particular deadline has been scribbled out at least four times!

5. Play the long game. It's tempting to reduce headcount and cut investment in training and equipment, but recessions (even double-dips) won't last forever. I've been careful to ensure that we have the capacity and equipment to grow when things improve. What's more, with a lower cost base and a keener team I reckon we're placed to thrive over the next couple of years. Should give us enough time to stash some cash for the next recession ;-)

Phil x

5 Steps to Shiny Hair

2010-08-19T11:41:00.003+01:00

I've come to the conclusion that there is no good time of year for hair in Britain. The weather is either cold and wet, warm and wet or warm and humid - not exactly conducive to glossy, groomed locks.

It's almost impossible to eliminate all frizz from hair all the time, but these tips should help your lok your best:

Get off to a good start. A conditioning treatment will get your tresses looking glossy – time it with your cut to get rid of dry ends
Moisture = Shine. Make sure your shampoo is moisturising and condition EVERY time
Always dry your hair pointing the dryer from root to tip – this keeps the cuticle (outermost layer) of the hair closed to reflect light
High hold products don't tend to have much shine. Swap hair spray for a shine mist or serum for a glassy finish
Straight hair shines more: consider Kerastraight straightening for shiny hair every day, or use GHD straighteners sparingly to tame the frizzies.

Phil x

Essentially You

2010-07-20T12:03:00.002+01:00

Essentially You deserve a mention for the awesome website: http://www.essentially-you.net/eyinternet/home.html

It's always lovely to work with true professionals, and we've been lucky enough to work with Julie Tooby for more years than either of us would like to admit.

Best of luck with the new site Jules, it looks fab!
Phil x

Riot of Colour window

2010-07-20T11:53:00.000+01:00

First steps in our Riot of Colour window.

I'm so tired of hair salons being a vision in cream and chrome. We're meant to be creative! This window is going to be quite sinister and I want to explore the theme of colour as disguise.

We had a riot working on the backdrop today!

Phil x

Wonderful Colourful Cupcakes!

2010-06-10T21:12:00.000+01:00

Now THIS is how we like out clients - bearing naughty treats!

Emily visited today with a box of scrumptious personalised cupcakes for us to try.

Emily has a brilliant local reputation for running a variety of cookery and art classes from her beautiful home (www.treetops-newbury.co.uk).

Her latest course teaches the secrets of making perfect cupcakes, and Emily is also baking like mad for parties, gifts and weddings trading as Colourful Cupcakes of Newbury. Seems like she's bang on trend and if our treats are anything to go by I reckon she's going to be very busy indeed! http://colourfulcupcakes-newbury.blogspot.com for details.

Phil x

Full Head Clip-In Extensions step by step: Clix from Racoon

2010-06-07T08:37:00.016+01:00

If you're anything like me you'll be naturally suspicious of claims and pictures from product manufacturers, so it's one of the aims of the blog to give you REAL before-and-after pictures of some of the services we provide.

Hair extensions are an important part of our business and we've worked with Racoon for about 7 years. Clix clip-in extensions came along about 18 months ago, and we've been stocking the flash-packs since then. We didn't start stocking full heads of clip-in until earlier this year.

This is Chloe's hair before application. We've done nothing special to it - in fact this is how it was at the end of a very busy Saturday!

You can see her hair is just scraping the shoulder in a long-ish layered bob.

She was off to a party and wanted longer hair for the night. She's having a full head of Clix real hair clip-in extensions from Racoon, priced at £110 (£70 for "next-to-natural" hair). She's chosen extensions in "Cheeky Chocolate" which is a rich dark brown.

The first row of extensions goes in about 1"/2.5cm into the hairline. The hair is GENTLY back-combed then the Clix clipped in at the centre first, then clipped at the sides keeping tension on the strip.

The second row goes in at top-of-the-ear level in exactly the same way.

The final row goes in about an inch above ear level and should reach round to above the ear.

There are two "singles" in the pack - these go just in front of the ear. you could also buy a Flash Pack and swap these singles for a contrasting colour (a red or blonde would look good here).

The Clix are cut to length - you can probably get away with a bigger contrast between your own hair and the length of the Clix if you plan on curling the hair afterwards. you can straighten or curl using straighteneners up to 170 degrees C on both "Next to Natural" and "Real Hair" Clix.

The finished look.

The Clix were applied by Lizzie, and this was her first attempt. I reckon the whole process took less than 10 minutes including time for us to stop and take photos.

Apologies for rubbish photography (by me) and for Lizzie's chipped nail polish!

Phil x

Here comes the sun . . . and there goes my colour!

2010-06-05T11:00:00.004+01:00

Why does hair colour fade in the sun??

Annoying isn't it? Beautiful subtle tones all reduced to a washed out mess with shades of orangey gold.

Synthetic dyes are made of clever things called polymers. By the time they're in the hair the polymer molecule is relatively long and stable. Then comes nasty UV! Think of the polymer as a type of plastic, then picture what happens to plastics when they are left in the sun: they fade, go brittle and eventually break. This fading and breaking of the molecule is exactly what is happening to your hair colour. Add the fact that the cuticle of the hair opens in the heat resulting in loss of moisture: your lovely shimmering tones don't stand a chance!

What can you do?

Work on maintaining the condition of the hair EVERY wash
Wear a hat?!
Use a UV protection hair product whenever there's a chance of exposure to the sun. Check the labels - there's UV protection in a wide range of specialist products AND a lot of general styling products too
PERSONAL OPINION - Reds tend to fade quicker in the sun, so maybe avoid them for the summer months and bring them back into your style for the autumn
Factor a little fade into the equation - made reds or coppers slightly richer or more vibrant, browns a little deeper and don't be afriad of a little gold in your blonde.

Enjoy your summer!

Phil x

World Cup Hair Extensions. Good Grief. But only a fiver!

2010-05-20T19:08:00.001+01:00

OK, so it's a bit naff. But I KNOW you're going to get swept up in World Cup fever eventually. And if you're planning on getting any male attention at all during the football, you're going to NEED these! Not that they're only suitable for girlies - if you've got longish hair at the fringe, fellas can get away with them too - I should know as I've been wearing the blue and purple ones for months.

Dying your hair the England colours is best left to those without dignity, so these clever little clip-ins might just be what you need. Along with Racoon, we can offer these at a knock-down price - you only have to part with £5!!

You'll get one Ultraviolet White and one Raunchy Red clip-in, we'll show you how to put them in and take them out, and even cut them to the right length for you - all for a FIVER! Perfect for a World Cup party, and reusable at Christmas, Valentine's Day, St George's Day etc.!

VERY limited stock - call now on (01635) 552323

Phil x

AMAZING Kerastraight Results

2010-05-16T08:53:00.001+01:00

Yesterday was a GOOD DAY. It would have been a Good Day anyway, but my first customer was Trish who is lovely. She would be the first to admit, however, that she struggles with her hair. It is coarse and grows very, VERY densely. Throw in uneven curl, and of course the natural tendency for curly hair to lack moisture, and you have a challenging head of hair. Trish has kindly allowed me to use her as a before-and-after. Here's the before:

This is washed and gently blow dried without products - essentially in it's raw state. I haven't exaggerated for dramatic effect or tried to get more volume in the hair.

Trish has been a customer for several years and we've tried a few approaches to tame her hair. We used Wellastrate chemical straightener several years ago with good immediate results, but the hair was very dry afterwards and this was a NIGHTMARE to grow out - curly roots and straightened ends were harder for Trish to cope with than her natural hair. We tried perming, so at least the wave would be even and have direction. The condition was better, but as her hair grew the natural volume turned it into VERY big hair indeed.

Five weeks ago Trish was one of my first Kerastraight customers. I confessed to her that I really had no idea how effective to treatment would be and charged her cost price accordingly. I kind of knew it would help, but I had no idea weather it would just improve the condition, relax the wave a little, or actually straighten it.

Here's the after. Don't get me wrong, this is no instant fix - this was three hours of hard work!

Impressive stuff! So why have I waited this long to share it with you? Well, the picture above is how she looked leaving the salon. I wanted to see her six weeks later.

Her hair was still straight! OK, not as straight as it is in the picture above, and some of her natural volume is creeping back at the root, but it blow-dries like a dream and shines beautifully.

Trish admits she was unsure at first - in fact after the first wash she hated it! I've put this down to the very mild Kerastraight shampoo not really cleansing the straightening fluid out of the hair effectively, but after the second wash she LOVES the result and is getting great friends and family feedback too.

I know there are other Brazilian blow-dry products out there (Global Keratin, etc). Are they as good? I don't know. Do I care? Nope. This is truthfully the most impressed I have been by a hair product for a very long time. It's space on my shelf is assured.

Thanks Trish!

Phil x

Rebooking Discount is Dead - Long Live the Loyalty Card

2010-05-14T14:44:00.003+01:00

Hello All

We've spent the last few weeks gauging customer opinion on launching a loyalty card for Bravo customers and the idea has gained a resounding thumbs up!

I've been unhappy with the rebooking discount scheme for a little while for a few reasons:

We have some very high-spending clients whose visits fall outside the six-week period, and get nothing
Life isn't straightforward, and customers often have to move appointments - this has meant a few customers getting discounts they shouldn't really have received
The scheme was introduced to reduce our average rebooking period - that has now happened so it's time to look for something else.

The rebooking discount will end on 30th June 2010, with our new loyalty card being launched on 1st July.

You'll be able to earn points on all our services - I think the rate will be 10 points per pound, and a rate of 1 point per pound on retail products. You can save your points for as long as you like, then use them as discount on future services. Essentially it's like Tesco but you don't get a voucher in the post! The only difference is you won't be able to earn and spend points on the same transaction.

Look out for application forms on your next visit - I'm hoping to have cards to start distributing at the beginning of June.

Phil x

10 Tips for Wedding Hair

2010-05-14T12:24:00.004+01:00

Bravo's Ten Tips for Stunning Wedding Hair

1. Book your wedding hair appointment, then work backwards. I recommend a colour about a week before the wedding (more than that, your roots will start to show, less and the colour can look a brash). Your last cut should be about two weeks before to get rid of dead ends and give the cut time to soften.

2. Look like you! If you have beautiful curly hair, use it. If soft and gentle is your style, avoid sleek up-dos. He's marrying you - it would be nice if he recognised you.

3. Condition, condition, then condition some more. Ask your stylist to work out a programme of salon treatments for you. Buy a weekly treatment for home use (and actually USE IT!). Your hair should shine on your wedding day - not give a halo of frizz.

4. Have a trial - a hairdresser who styles your wedding 'do' without a trial is either lucky and psychic or careless and lazy. Insist on a dry run, bring ideas and any accessories you'd like to wear, and . . .

5. Choose your dress first. High backed dresses lend themselves to glam up-dos. Plunge backs are better for half-up/half-downs. A plunge back with an up-do leaves a lot of skin and is best left to the brave!

6. Look at the big picture. A sleek vampy up-do may look great on you, but you'll look like a plum stood next to three bo-peep bridesmaids.

7. Keep it simple - or at least classic. You'll be looking at these photos for the rest of your life - Gaga-esque hair will date quickly and cause cringes later.

8. Train your bridesmaids. Make sure they are present when you're hair is styled - they should be equipped with a mini can of hairspray, hairgrips if needed and some sort of shine product for retouches. If you're having a veil or tiara make sure your bridesmaid knows how to take it out without wrecking your style.

9. Less really is more. A detailed dress, flowers, tiara, diamante grips and a veil will leave you like an ivory Christmas tree. Choose a tiara OR a veil for all but the fanciest weddings, a few pretty grips OR some small-bud flowers are fine. Bear in mind that fresh flowers can look jaded by the first dance.

10. Relax - hair will move! A few strands loosening as the day wears on is natural and actually looks rather lovely.

Phil x

Kerastraight Video

2010-05-05T08:31:00.003+01:00

Prompted by the continued interest in our Brazilian blow-dry service, I did a bit of exploring and was chuffed o find this video on YouTube. OK, it's a bit hairdresser-y as it's designed to demonstrate the service from a stylist's point of view. That said, it's a useful little vid if you are interested in straightening you hair and are wondering what the process involves. Follow the link - any questions give us a buzz. There are other brands of Keratin Straightener (Global, etc). The process is essentially the same, and we went for the brand that Trevor Sorbie uses - if it's good enough for him , etc.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=phJiV9Z6npc

Phil x

CHOCOLATE!

2010-04-23T13:32:00.001+01:00

For a couple of weeks we've swapped our favourite mini biccies for a full size Galaxy Bubbles chocolate bar. And it's completely guilt free because it isn't breaking your bikini diet if it's a freebie. That's the law.

Phil x

New limited edition GHD

2010-04-20T09:17:00.001+01:00

Just got this postcard for the new limited edition GHDs. No details of pricing yet - I'll keep you posted.

They apparently come with a "quilted heat resistant pouch and stylish protective case".

Phil x

Agyness Deyn's latest look - Thoughts??

2010-04-18T15:43:00.006+01:00

So what do we think of Agyness Deyn's latest GI Jane look? I personally think it's rather lovely, and just goes to show that you can get away with a lot if you are young and gorgeous enough.

(Photo from today's Sunday Express)

That's not to say you can get away with EVERYTHING - check out this picture of her jaw-length bob. No-one can ignore head and face shape, and it's one of the first things we learn as hairdressers - notice how much extra width the style beings to her chin. Great colour though.

(Photo from http://www.dailymakoeover.com/)

Pull all that length away from the face, and try to create more of a triangle from the chin to width at the top and you have a really dramatic outline - I love this shot.

(Photo www.leblanconline.com)

Finally, I couldn't resist this little textured crop - teaches us nothing about face shape due to the expression she's pulling, but what a beautiful cut.

(Times Online, 3/6/08)

Nice one Aggy!

Phil x

Creating atmosphere in Newbury

2010-04-17T10:08:00.000+01:00

Good to see the Chef's Challenge in the Market square today. The Rotary Club, Kitchenmonger and Newbury Sound are all involved bringing a touch of something different for Newbury shoppers. It looks to be well organised and has been drawing a small crowd all morning.

This is the kind of thing we, as business owners, really appreciate and it's a mystery to me why we're nit approached to get involved in things more often. Keep up the good work chaps, and more like this please!

Phil x

Blonde blonde blonde!

2010-04-08T17:11:00.000+01:00

Please take some time to see our new window display. Wella have launched some new blonde shades for the summer, so we took the opportunity to dance round a May pole. Well, why not??

Phil x

Cheap St smartening up!

2010-03-30T17:15:00.003+01:00

So pleased to see Cheap Street smartening up - it can't all be due to our glamourising influence, surely?

OK, so the new cinema sticks out like a sore thumb, but it's more pleasing on the eye than the building site we'd all got used to. Almost as impressive is the old Laurel which is having a fair few quid spent on it.

More pleasing to us and the other retailers is seeing an estate agent MOVE OUT of Cheap Street - in the nicest possible way - GOOD RIDDANCE! We're chums with some of the agents on the street, but they really do interrupt the flow of interest from the railway station into town.

Finally the King Charles is getting an exterior spruce up - and looking mighty fine for it! This is our favourite pub in town and the managers have been really brave with their menu and ambience in an effort to give us some much-needed choice in Newbury. Keep it up guys!