Salon Concrete

Knowing Your Purpose is Key!

Sites Craft — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:45:10 +0000

People ask me all the time why do you train people? You invest so much in your people. What if they leave? I believe it’s worse first of all If I don’t train them at all and they stay!

Knowing your purpose is key. My mission is to transform and develop people. I learn, grow and give back to others to help them grow. It’s why I’m here. In this amazing transformation something happens, I grow too! Years of developing others and watching them fly, gives me the greatest joy! I find when I hold on so tight in fear that people will leave is when the most resistance happens, this is what takes away the joy of giving. My mission it that each person I come in contact with knows the unconditional love and dedication I have to their growth journey.

What are some struggles you have when developing your team? Are you afraid to invest? Have you had people leave to spread their wings?

Re-hire old team members?

Sites Craft — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:31:41 +0000

QUESTION is do I re-hire old team members? I have asked myself this question many times. Most people that have left my company have returned sometimes for a haircut, or an opportunity to rejoin our team.

Meet Emily, she has returned after traveling around the country and learning a few things about herself 🙂

I have learned to be VULNERABLE and to LEAD with my HEART. Leading with the mind set of “Do they fit the culture and do they align with our purpose and mission” is the real question. Then you have harmony with your team.

Our mission is to lift others and help them reach their potential so they can lift and grow others. Many young people in their career are not so sure where they are going or even the opportunity that is directly under their nose. I believe people grow and discover more about themselves that allows them to align their decisions and choices with more purpose.

I am so very thankful to have Emily back on with the CONCRETE team!

Our COVID Re-Opening Plan!

Sites Craft — Tue, 22 Mar 2022 14:27:18 +0000

UPDATE 6.12.20
Dear Valued Guests,

WE WILL BE OPENING ONLY IN BELLWORKS AT THIS TIME.

We are terribly sorry for any inconvenience this may cause you. Our Red Bank salon is under some construction and will not be ready in time for the opening. As soon as I have an update I will let you know. For now, all appointments will be out of our Bellworks location.

Thank you so much for your patience as we plan our reopening the week of June 22nd.

We do know that our occupancy will be limited to less than 50% capacity. In most cases this is less than 10 people in the space at any given time.

I understand that everyone wants to get in and the best way we can do this is to start with our most frequently visited guests and move down the list to book appointments.

Starting June 22nd we will have a slow open with just our team and a very select few family members to get adjusted to the new protocols. Once our staff feels good and understands the safety guidelines, we will then book the next week.

Because we are limited on the number of people we see, we will only be performing essential services, including haircuts and single process color for the first 30 days. We will not be Blowdrying Until 8/1.

As the state opens up the guidelines we will be able to see more people and eventually offer our regular service menu.

I know this is hard, and I understand this is a very stressful time. One of the things we love to do is make you feel beautiful! And we are excited to be able to to get back to a little bit of “normalcy.”

WIth love and gratitude,

Christine and the Concrete Team!

Showing up for your team

rCote — Tue, 10 Sep 2019 12:00:56 +0000

This looks like a planning session, right? That is, because, it is! It is a strategic planning session with the Concrete Teaching team, to focus on the growth of our education for this year. What I really want to share with you is what went down hours before this photo.

4:00am wake up / meditate

4:30am create a power point and one page plan for meeting.

5:30am plan my day, and journal for a few min.

5:45am Start my pod cast from Amy Porterfield on marketing.

6:00am hear screaming from by my 16 year old daughter she is screaming from a severe stomach ache. Get out the young living essential oils and help calm her down! Jump in bed by her side rubbing her back while she screamed her stomach hurt. Rubbed her to head while she drifted off to sleep. At this point get Jolie rocking and rolling as I have literally 5 min left to walk out the door, but not before I make the breakfast smoothie and take all my vitamins! We run out the door lunches packed and with about 3 min to spare I am at this table.

NO one had a clue what my morning was like. I bet when they read this they will be completely surprised about the stress I encountered. It’s not the situation that happens it’s how you react to the situation that matters. I wasn’t always this way. I used to react to what life threw at me. Now I have the foundation to handle those stressful situations.

How are you showing up for your team? What are some situations that get the best of you? What are some ways that help you not react?

P.S- notice Leanne hiding her face

Position Leadership

SalonConcrete — Tue, 03 Sep 2019 16:20:32 +0000

I can remember when I worked at Vidal Sassoon, I was always eager to grow as a leader. Cleaning the entire staff room with Clorox bleach after hours and Doing anything and everything my manger needed, so I could learn and develop.

Thinking I was ready to manage and run the company! I look back on how much I din’t know and thought if they would just give me a position I would be able to the job better than they were!!

Now…many years later I have learned it’s not the position that makes the leader. It’s who you are becoming and living into and the influence you have around you. Cleaning the staff room was a step in the right direction, but doing it consistently and then teaching others to do it would be the next step I din’t see at the time. I see it so clearly now having my own company for the past 20 years. My #1 lesson even to this day is focus on who you are becoming and you will become what who you set out to be. “Position leadership is only the first level of leadership! It’s a the place to start, just not the place to stay for long.” ~ John Maxwell

What are some ways you are developing your team through their leadership? What areas are most challenging? How do you get your past position leadership?

Inspiration for your summer hair!

larry — Tue, 04 Jun 2019 17:39:03 +0000

Memorial Day has passed. The kids will be out of school soon. The days are getting hotter and longer. Summer is here. When it comes to fashion and hair, summer is generally a more relaxed time… just think about any warmer climate community: the Caribbean Islands, Southeast Asia, San Diego and even Long Beach Island. The fashion is more bohemian with less maintenance. For this week’s post, we wanted to give you a medley of photos as inspiration for your summer hair.

Before you dive into the photos, we do suggest a visit to the salon. The stylist can determine your needs before the humidity, sun and chlorine begin. When it comes to the heat, my philosophy is less is more. Take some length off, add some bangs, or even shave it all off. We’ve included some photos of women looking strong and feminine in the classic crewcut.

When it comes to pulling your hair back, think outside of the box. We did say casual and carefree, but we still want to look effortlessly chic. As you will see anything from flowers to rope can be used to pull the hair back, and you’ll look fresh and fun doing it. The summer is also a great time to play around with color. While orange, pink and bright blue may be harder to pull off with Fall and Winter palettes, the bold colors look great with summer whites and pastels.

So, take a look at the photos, and hopefully you find some fun inspiration for your next picnic or day at the beach.

Book an Appointment

Leopard print is the new black!

rCote — Fri, 17 May 2019 18:42:26 +0000

By now it’s safe to safe to say leopard print is practically a neutral staple and not a trend. You will see it every season from a great number of the top fashion designers. It’s the new black. It can be paired easily with just about any color and as a result, can add beautiful texture to your look. Aside from maybe the leather jacket, what other fashion item will go from the Upper East Side to downtown dive bar?

In Western fashion, leopard skins became a sign of status in the 18th century, worn by wealthy European aristocrats. At the turn of the 20th Century, with the rise of ready-to-wear, leopard became even a hotter commodity. But back then it was all real skins. The leopard print truly became a phenomenon when Christian Dior added leopard “printed” fabrics into his iconic “New Look” collection. It was at this point, the trend hit the American home.

Whether you’re new to the leopard movement or not, we’ve highlighted a few a key pieces (all under $100) which would be easy to incorporate into your current wardrobe. If you are still not ready to scream in animal print, start with a something with less of a surface area (smaller and not on a major part of the body) like a bag or shoe. These slides from J. Crew ($88) are a great way to add a little sophistication to a simple outfit (such as jeans and a tank) or add some punch and coolness to a floral printed, maxi dress. If slides aren’t your thing either, a simple leopard envelope clutch is a great way to be part of the trend. This envelope from Free People ($85) is a great piece to take on any day trip or evening get together. It’s simple yet functional and will communicate you understand trends but aren’t screaming fashion victim.

If you are someone trendy and you want people to notice, H&M’s sister company, & Other Stories, has a great leopard print, wrap dress ($99) which can take you anywhere from work to dinner; school to a party. This is a timeless piece in a classic silhouette which can be worn year long; well worth the investment.

While many feel leopard can be tacky, ala Peggy Bundy… this animal print has evolved from trendy to ubiquitous and now, a timeless classic. In one of the signature photos of fashion Icon, Jackie O, she is seen wearing a leopard print coat. In another signature photo, Kurt Cobain is seen wearing faux leopard coat with grungy t-shirt and jeans. Leopard can take you from First Lady to Rockstar. Most importantly, let’s remember, you don’t have to spend a fortune on trendy pieces to look great.

Pink Carpet of the Met Gala Fashion Exhibition!

rCote — Tue, 14 May 2019 13:23:19 +0000

It has been a few days since the magical and surreal Pink Carpet of the Met Gala Fashion Exhibition, but social media and the press have been posting, writing and commenting continuously. The Met Gala carpet experience is fashion’s biggest night of the year; forget about the Oscars or the Golden Globes. It’s the annual “First Monday in May” which brings out the coolest and chicest in fashion.

This year’s exhibit focused on “camp,” not camping outdoors but the ideology of being extreme (over the top) in a tongue n’ cheek kinda way with a dose of humor. Many of the attendees (despite being in showbizness did not understand the term); Camp deserves its own blog post, and more importantly, it’s great research and history for anyone in the beauty or fashion industry. I recommend reading Susan Sontag’s “Notes on Camp.” This would be a great introduction into camp, but Sontag’s book gives you a condensed, whiter perspective. Camp goes back to queer subcultures dating back to the 17th century. It was then in the late 19th century, the black subculture personified Camp and brought all of its glory to the masses.

Don’t worry… even Andrew Bolton, the Met’s Curator of the Fashion Exhibit, states, the term “is nearly impossible to define or summarize.” The attendees of the big night are asked to dress in theme, but it seemed like even the artists were confused. We aren’t going to highlight the “best dressed” of the night, but rather, those who truly embraced camp vibes.

Images: vogue.com

Spring/Summer ’19 – the wet look

larry — Fri, 03 May 2019 17:21:51 +0000

The biggest hair trend on the runways for Spring/Summer ’19 was the wet look. The designers wanted (or predicted) for us to style our hair in one of the many variations they put on display. I don’t know about you, but when I think “wet look”, I think of the Robert Palmer Girls. The look was around for many, many years before the video, but Simply Irresistible turned slicked back, wet-looking hair into something it had never been before… effortlessly cool and super sexy.

As a quick recap, six months ago during the Spring/Sumer ’19 shows, some of the top designers to show different iterations of the wet look were Raf Simons, Chloë, Altuzarra, and Markus Lupfer. The Raf Simons version, while cool on the runway, isn’t so easily or desirably achievable in real life. Raf sent his models down the runway in half wet, half dry looks with tons of tendrils hanging off the face. Both Chloë and Altuzarra showed more accessible looks: swept-back hair, lacquered with volume at the roots.

I spoke to Salon Concrete Stylist, Kristen Collins about how perfectly to achieve this look:

“For the wet look, I would recommend Davines’ Medium Hold Modeling Gel. It is very versatile. If you apply the product and air dry your hair, you can achieve that “wet” look. For textured and beachy looks, I would recommend the Sea Salt Spray or Definition Mist. The Sea Salt Spray smells amazing and gives texture and wave- just be careful not to use too much. The Definition Mist gives you that “second day hair” look- it adds texture and also shine without weighing the hair down at all. Davines also has the Dry Texturizer, which adds texture and a little bit of hold.”

We know, of course, that Concrete Stylists always go above and beyond.

Now that we have achieve that super summery look, Kristen recommends a few tips for keeping you hair healthy and shiny during those extreme warm weather months:

“Davines also releases the Su line in the summer. This line is great to prevent damage from UV rays to your hair, and also nurtures your hair and skin afterwards. Grab the Su Milk for a leave in conditioner- put it in your beach or pool bag, and apply it after you get out of the water for moisture and UV protection.”

The best thing about the wet look is you don’t need a new or special haircut. It will work on basically any cut or style, and there aren’t any formal rules… slicked back, tendrils, or ponytail. Of course, the wet look is inspired by the beach… that after the ocean look. But don’t limit yourself to wearing this look only on summer days. I personally love the wet look for evenings (à la Palmer Girls). This look can easily separate you from the rest of the crowd.

Head over to the Salon and speak to Kristen directly about how to achieve this look.

IMAGES:

simply irresistable: vh1.com

other images: vogue.com

The return of tailoring and dapper men

larry — Fri, 03 May 2019 17:14:54 +0000

This week’s blog post is for guys, some quick, simple and easy sartorial tips for your hair and wardrobe:

Whether you’re into fashion and grooming, or not, it’s highly likely that the warmer months limit your sartorial choices in most parts of the country. In July and August, layering is practically out of the question and one of the primary thoughts while getting dressed is, how do I stay cool while staying cool?

In regards to hair:

Let’s move on past the “Nazi Cut”, the quiff, and the undercut. It’s just too hot for all that pomade. No one (especially your significant other) wants to make contact with a head product, no real hair to run finger through. More importantly, your bouffant is no match for a beating sun and the humidity. Lastly, that quiff won’t cut it when it comes to a random day at the beach or pool. Instead we suggest going back to basics. For the summer, an all-over, scissor overcomb (or crewcut) is my first pick. The stylists at Concrete are well trained in a great short cut which is more elevated than your barber shop buzz. Also, take it from someone who has experience: the grow out is much cleaner. Keep in mind: the beauty of a crewcut is its freshness. You will need regular upkeep. (See Salon Concrete’s-Bellworks Club Membership) If you aren’t one for the crewcut, try a “high and tight” and ask for a little fringe on top. For someone who doesn’t want the extreme of a classic crewcut, this haircut will give you the same, carefree, airy feeling with just a little more on top to play around.

When it comes to fashion:

Avoid from dense fabrics, heavy shoes, and anything that will trap heat. Many stylists will recommend linen for the warmer weather Personally, I don’t believe the fabric has a luxe look or feel (even the more expensive versions). Everyone knows about the linen wrinkles. I am not one for looking right while getting ready and being a wrinkled mess as soon as I leave the front door. For goof reason, cotton is the most popular choice when it comes to summer dressing. It’s a lightweight fabric which breathes easily, letting the air in and out. Many of the new cottons (and cotton blends) have wicking abilities these days. Wicking fabrics have two main benefits: 1. They repel your body’s sweat to the outer layer of the garment. 2. They dry quickly so that your sweat doesn’t saturate the fabric. People expect people to wear less and try less during the Spring and Summer. You can’t go wrong with a navy trouser, a basic pocket tee, and sneakers. Relaxed, lightweight, and effortless.

The biggest trend of the season is tie dye. It’s all about the 70s signature look, but this time around, it’s more elevated. More sophisticated. A tie dye sweatshirt and chinos are a little more like it, rather than and old Grateful Dead tee with your cut-off shorts. If you want to be part of the trend, but not scream too much fashion, try a pair of pleated shorts and a polo with some tie dyes socks.

When it comes to your shoes:

I believe sneakers and camp mocs are the best bet. Other than your more formal settings, these two choices will get you through most of the summer comfortably and in style. But, if you are someone who really wants to be trendy, forget about the hyped up “Dad Sneakers.” This summer, it’s all about the “Steroid Sandals.” These newer versions of your old time classics (such as Teva) are bulkier, bigger, and more to love. It’s an easy throw on with any summer look.

Head to Salon Concrete and talk to your stylist about a new haircut which will work for you this summer. Enjoy that fresh cut and the relaxed vibes for the next few months. Tune back in, gentlemen, at the end of the summer for a preview of what’s in and what’s out for men’s fashion and hair. For now, we’ll just say that this Fall men’s fashion will be taking a huge turn. Say goodbye to streetwear and hello to the return of tailoring and dapper men.

camp mocs: zappos.com

sandals: urbanoutfitters.com

Sweatshirt: modaoperandi.com

crewcut: models.com

high and tight: netluxury.com

high and tight: http://hair.edni.net