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How to revive your curls without paying salon prices

<p>Maintaining curly hair takes a lot of time and effort and sometimes no matter what you do, the frizz just cannot be tamed. </p> <p>While getting your hair done at the salon can be a treat, having to pay salon prices to get softness, shine and definition for your curls is just not sustainable in the long run. </p> <p>Enter <a href="https://www.johnfrieda.com/en-au/home/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">John Frieda</a>'s newest Frizz Ease Miraculous Recovery range, which is now infused with repairing ceramides designed to transform frizzy and damaged hair. </p> <p>The Miraculous Recovery Repairing shampoo and conditioner are two of my personal faves, as I could feel the difference in how soft my hair felt after the first use.</p> <p>Not only are the products safe for colour-treated hair, they also made my curls more manageable and easy to style, with the effects lasting for two days, which is amazing considering how quickly my curls can go limp. </p> <p>I also loved how subtle the scent was, and found the most effective way of applying the conditioner was to comb it through my hair with a detangling brush in the shower, as it helps distribute the product evenly. </p> <p>While different curls all need slightly different care, I found the shampoo provided the perfect balance of cleaning build-up on my hair without leaving it dry or flaky. </p> <p>The star of the range was definitely the All-in-1 extra strength serum, which provided extra protection for my colour-treated and chemically treated hair. I love that you can apply this product through wet or dry hair, and it was the perfect way to revive my curls. </p> <p>The Finishing Creme was a bit too thick for my fine, curly hair, but for those with tighter curls or  those looking for some extra moisture during more humid days, a light layer of the product would surely tame any flyaways or frizz. </p> <p>With most of their products retailing for around $20 it is an affordable solution to bringing life back into colour-treated and damaged curls. The product can be found in all major supermarkets and pharmacies across <a href="https://www.chemistwarehouse.com.au/shop-online/5571/john-frieda-haircare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AU</a> and <a href="https://www.chemistwarehouse.co.nz/shop-online/5571/john-frieda-haircare" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NZ</a>. </p> <p><em>Images: Supplied</em></p> <p> </p>

Beauty & Style

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Championing confidence at the salon for those facing cancer

<div title="Page 1"> <div> <div> <p>When it comes to facing cancer, it's can often be hard to find support and understanding from people when your physical appearance can be changing. A salon day can do the world of good for anyone, especially for people going through a hard time. But for those dealing with cancer, their wants and needs at the hairdresser can be different than other clientele.</p> <p>Thankfully, <a href="https://lgfb.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Look Good Feel Better Australia</a> are here to support those on their cancer journey to look their best in the face of their health battle, </p> <p>From August 1st, the team at Look Good Feel better Australia have launched their latest initiative; <a href="https://www.styleforcancer.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Style For Cancer</a>. Created to unite the beauty, grooming and styling industry as a force for good, the initiative will help raise vital funds for the Look Good Feel BeIer program while giving service providers the opportunity to build their knowledge and position as part of an invaluable support system to those undergoing treatment for cancer.</p> <p>The new initiative caters to both the consumer, or the “Style Seeker”, and the expert, known as the “Style Maker”.</p> <p>Style Makers who sign up to take part in Style For Cancer will be provided with materials to help them better understand the common side effects of cancer treatment, and advice on language to use and avoid, in order to more sensitively and compassionately support their clients as they navigate diagnosis and treatment. </p> <p>The directory of participating Style Makers will be available to all Style Seekers, allowing them to choose salons and service providers who have a better understanding of what they may be experiencing if they are undergoing cancer treatment, while also knowing they are choosing a business who is consciously supporting the important work of the Look Good Feel Better program.</p> <p>General Manager of Look Good Feel Better, Carol Kavurma, shares the passion and excitement around the launch of Style For Cancer which will provide a way for the industry to feel more empowered while further connecting with their local communities.</p> <p>“Having 34 years of incredible knowledge behind us, when looking at the Australian beauty, grooming and style industries, we saw an opportunity to make salon appointments less daunting and more comfortable for those undergoing life altering treatments,” said Carol.</p> <p>“Everybody deserves to feel excited and uplifted after a trip to the hairdresser, nail salon or when sitting in the makeup chair – it’s the whole premise of the Look Good Feel Better program – and those undergoing cancer treatment are no different."</p> <p>“To help service providers – or Style Makers - feel the same excitement and confidence when working with their clients makes the Style for Cancer initiative even more important, and one we hope will be welcomed with open arms within the industry and the broader community,” she said.</p> <p>Look Good Feel Better program participant and Style Seeker, Jodie Strong, who underwent an array of cancer treatments says the physical and mental sensitivities during treatment are challenging, and while there is some support for mental recovery, the information and resources available for physical recovery are far less abundant.</p> <p>“During treatment, particularly chemo, I didn’t have the confidence to book in any services. After my active treatments were complete, while most service providers were sensitive and careful in the way they approached me and their language with me, I was usually the one to share what worked and didn’t work for me in my recovery rather than the salon or styling professional. I think that’s from a lack of awareness in the industry around this area, so as I was never quite sure what the right thing to do or not to do was,” explains Jodie.</p> </div> </div> </div> <div title="Page 2"> <div> <div> <p>“An important part of recovery from cancer is your feelings of self-worth and being able to take care of your body both mentally and physically. There are a lot of resources in the area of mental recovery, however not as much is available on the physical side of things."</p> <p>“Style For Cancer is an important initiative to bring awareness and some education to the physical side of recovery and help patients both during and post-treatment access services to help them feel more comfortable in their recovery.”</p> <p>Michael Kelly, Founder and Creatvve Director at Salon HER believes there is room for industry professionals to improve conversation and bolster skills for listening, empathising and creating a safe environment for clients trying to navigate cancer diagnosis and treatment.</p> <p>“I think language and the wholistic therapy side of the conversation could definitely improve. Not everyone has the resources to be able to hold space for another human in a very vulnerable stage of their life."</p> <p>"Style For Cancer is an obvious cause for me to be part of as I have lost family members I love to cancer, I’ve had family members recover from cancer, and I’ve supported clients who I care for deeply through some of their darkest days. It’s an initiative close to my heart.”</p> <p>Style For Cancer fundraising activities will take place in participating businesses Australia-wide during the month of August, however the Style Maker directory and registration in the initiative are available year-round.</p> <p>All funds <a href="https://donorbox.org/styleforcancerdonations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">raised</a> through the Style For Cancer initiative will directly support the Look Good Feel Better program, with each $100 raised allowing one participant to benefit from the program, free-of-charge.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Shutterstock </em></p> </div> </div> </div>

Beauty & Style

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Your passport to salon-quality haircare on a budget

<p dir="ltr">There’s nothing quite like the feeling of walking out of the hairdressers to proudly show off your new cut or colour, and your hair is the softest it's ever felt. </p> <p dir="ltr">While this post-salon feeling is second to none, it's hard to recreate at home to avoid spending big bucks at your hairdressers more than you need to. </p> <p dir="ltr">And then begins the seemingly endless journey to find a shampoo and conditioner that works for your unique hair type without breaking the bank. Trawling down the aisles of supermarkets and chemists in search of these elusive products can often raise more questions than answers. </p> <p dir="ltr">What ingredients should you be steering clear of? What brands are better than others? What problem area should you be targeting? Does more expensive actually mean better?</p> <p dir="ltr">And so on and so forth, forever. </p> <p dir="ltr">Until, an unsung hero swoops in to save the day. </p> <p dir="ltr">After absolutely perfecting affordable makeup, Revlon have made their foray into haircare, with Revlon Professional having the answer for everyone’s individual hair care needs while keeping the prices low.   </p> <p dir="ltr">Revlon Professional have a shampoo, conditioner and hair mask to cover everyone, with their systems covering everything from hydration and volume to colour protection, restoration, curly hair maintenance and more. </p> <p dir="ltr">I tried out the Revlon Professional RE/START Hydration system over two weeks while on holiday to really put it to the test.</p> <blockquote class="instagram-media" style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C1X1n6AI9FP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"> </div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"> <div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);"> </div> </div> <div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style="width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"> </div> <div style="width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"> </div> </div> </div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"> </div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"> </div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C1X1n6AI9FP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A post shared by Revlon Professional Australia (@revlonprofessionalaustralia)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p dir="ltr">While I was testing out the three-step system, I was exposing my hair to chlorine pools, salty ocean water and relentless humidity. On top of this, my poor hair has suffered years of abuse (at my own hands), and has been bleached several times, draining my hair of any natural moisture.</p> <p dir="ltr">I have tried dozens of ultra hydration products to make my hair look marginally better than a hay bale, and have yet to find my holy grail solution. </p> <p dir="ltr">I was expecting the Revlon Professional range to do what every other product does: give me maybe 12 hours of softness before my hair goes back to looking like a tumbleweed.</p> <p dir="ltr">Obviously my years of trying every product on the market has made me jaded, because the  RE/START Hydration system was so much more than I ever expected. </p> <p dir="ltr">Over two weeks of trying out the products, I used the shampoo, conditioner and mask about four times. After the first time of using them, I was completely shocked at how hydrated my hair stayed until it was next time for a wash. </p> <p dir="ltr">Unlike other products on the market, the RE/START Hydration system keeps your hair hydrated for days, all while looking clean, healthy, shiny and untangled, without weighing your hair down. </p> <p dir="ltr">At last, I have finally found my holy grail products and I will sing their praises from the rooftops. </p> <p dir="ltr">Whatever your hair concerns may be, Revlon Professional has the answer for you, all while keeping your wallet in mind. </p> <p dir="ltr">But don’t just take my word for it. The Revlon Professional ranges are available at <a href="https://www.adorebeauty.com.au/b/revlon-professional.html?p=2">Adore Beauty</a>, <a href="https://www.ozhairandbeauty.com/brands/revlon-professional">Oz Hair &amp; Beauty</a> and Revlon’s <a href="https://www.revlonprofessional.com/">official website</a> for you to find your own holy grail products, and have salon fresh hair all year round. </p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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10 polite habits nail techs actually dislike – and what to do instead

<p><strong>Nail salon etiquette mistakes</strong></p> <p>Repeat after us: Pampering yourself is important. An easy way to do just that? Getting a manicure. Not only is it relatively affordable, but prettily painted nails can also put an extra pep in your step. Of course, the nail tech who does your manicure plays a large role in making you feel so good: From that wonderful hand massage to getting your cuticles in tip-top shape, their skills can make a huge difference. So, it only makes sense that you’d want to treat them really well.</p> <p>But here’s the thing: Certain seemingly polite etiquette rules can actually make a nail tech’s job harder. Plus, while it’s important to be nice, you don’t have to try extra hard to make their life easier. “A manicure is your time off, so you should relax,” says Karina Medrano, a nail technician.</p> <p>So what does that mean? It means there are certain polite habits that are totally a must. And then there are other moves you can (and should) skip so you can focus on your own relaxation. Since it can be hard to identify exactly what most people dislike, we turned to the pros to fill us in on polite moves that are actually etiquette mistakes at the nail salon.</p> <p><strong>Anticipating their next move</strong></p> <p>Over the course of your manicure, your nail tech will likely move your hands around a bit – turning them over to apply lotion and rotating each finger to paint your tips with the best nail polish. If you’ve had a number of manicures, you may even be able to anticipate what they’ll need you to do next and be tempted to save them from having to tell you how to move. Don’t do it. “Many times, clients position themselves in a way that seems to be helpful, but it’s the contrary,” says Medrano. You may make the wrong move and actually mess up their paint job, causing them to have to start over.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> “It’s best to let your nail tech move you around,” says Medrano. “There is no need to tense up – just relax.” Put simply, wait for them to direct you. One way to make that easier is to pay attention to what’s going on. If you have headphones on and are listening to music or a podcast, keep it at a low enough volume that you can hear your technician if they need you to do something.</p> <p><strong>Keeping the conversation going</strong></p> <p>When you’re getting your nails done, you’re literally face to face with your manicurist. Because of this, you may feel like it’s your job to chat with them and keep them entertained. But there’s no need to rack your brain for conversation starters. This is a job, and there is zero expectation that you should keep your nail tech entertained, says Medrano. If you want to chat, no problem. If you don’t? Well, that’s OK too.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> If you’d prefer quiet, Medrano says that it’s become totally normal to ask for a “silent appointment”. You can either let the salon know when you book your appointment or you can mention to your tech when you sit down that you are going to use the appointment to relax and have some quiet time.</p> <p><strong>Giving a colour a chance when you don't like it </strong></p> <p>You arrive at the salon and are faced with a wall of nail polish colours. Whether you want the trendiest colour of the season or just what you’re in the mood for, you’ll probably spend some time debating the perfect shade. Fast-forward to the moment your manicurist is slicking it on, and – you’re not so sure about it. But you feel bad and want to give it a chance. Maybe you’ll like it once the second coat is on, right? And you’d hate to make the tech take it off and start over.</p> <p>“For many, the hardest time to speak up during their appointment is when they don’t like the colour,” says Medrano. “But it’s better to tell us the second you start doubting your choice. Applying the colour is the most time-consuming part, and catching the colour change before doing all 10 fingers helps us stay on track with our appointments.” Plus, your nail tech wants you to walk away happy!</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> If you’re not feeling the colour, speak up as soon as possible. You can simply tell them you’re not sure you like it. Then, tell them what you don’t like – maybe the red you chose is too orange or the pink is too sheer. They may be able to suggest another shade that is what you are looking for. After all, they see lots of different colours every day.</p> <p><strong>Removing your own gel</strong></p> <p>If you get gel manicures, you know that removing that type of polish can take a long time. You have to sit with remover on your nails for a while before the gel can be scraped away. But trying to do it at home to save time and work for your nail tech is not advisable. Gel polish needs to be removed in a certain way to minimise damage, warns nail artist Braelinn Frank. If you try to remove it yourself and wreck your nails, your tech will be left trying to get them back into shape to prevent your nails from peeling.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> When you make your appointment, let them know you have gel polish that will need to be removed. This allows the salon to build in more time for your appointment so the gel can be removed properly by a professional and you don’t make a bigger mess for your manicurist.</p> <p><strong>Deferring to the pro</strong></p> <p>Do you want rounded nails or more of an almond shape? Do you want your cuticles cut, or do you just want your manicurist to use really good cuticle oil before pushing them back? These are all decisions you’ll need to make during your appointment. Don’t just defer to the tech. Yes, they’re pros, but these are your nails. “It’s helpful when someone knows what they want their nails to look like,” says Medrano.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> If you really aren’t sure what you want, avoid telling the nail tech to do whatever they’d like. A better way to approach it is to ask them for their input on the different options and then make the decision that’s best for you based on what they tell you.</p> <p><strong>Cleaning up</strong></p> <p>There’s always a little bit of a mess when you get your nails done – think nail clippings, dust from filing, used cotton balls from removing polish. Worried that your nail tech is grossed out by all this and annoyed at having to pick up after you? They’re not. Not only that, but if you try to clean up, you might just get in the way. “It’s part of our job to keep up with the mess,” says Medrano. “And we know our way around our station best.” Remember, you can always give yourself a manicure at home, but if you go to the salon, one of the perks is not having to clean up!</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> If you want to help, the best thing you can do is stay out of your nail tech’s way. As they try to wipe down their station, move your hands so they can do that. In other words, pay attention and adjust your positioning when needed – that will be the best way to help.</p> <p><strong>Moving your own stuff to the drying station</strong></p> <p>Your manicure is done, and it’s time to move over to the drying station. You feel bad about making a tech pick up your handbag, so you grab it yourself. While your intention is to be kind, you may smudge your nails and mess up all the hard work they just did. “We are here to help,” says Medrano, who confirms it’s better for them to help than to have you mess up your nails. Plus, even a little chip or smudge is a cardinal sin when it comes to making your manicure last longer.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> Allow them to move your bag (and any other items you have with you) to the drying station. Be gracious, and say thank you. Also let them pull out the chair or stool for you. Really don’t want someone to pick up your bag? Consider wearing a small crossbody bag so you can keep it on during your appointment.</p> <p><strong>Holding it in</strong></p> <p>Maybe you have to sneeze, or perhaps you are mid-manicure and suddenly have to pee. Holding it in does nobody any favours. While you may not want to interrupt the appointment, your nail tech would rather you be comfortable and enjoy the service. Plus, if you hold in your sneeze, it could backfire and lead to a bigger sneeze where you spray germs everywhere. “Do not be scared to ask if you need to do something,” says Medrano. “Nothing surprises us.”</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> Need to use the bathroom? Let your tech know, and ask when the best time would be for you to do so. Have to sneeze? Say, “I’m going to sneeze.” Then, rather than using your hands to cover your mouth (which your tech then needs to go back to touching), sneeze into the crook of your arm.</p> <p><strong>Trying to shimmy your credit card out of your wallet</strong></p> <p>If the end of your appointment has come and you still haven’t paid, sliding your credit card out of your wallet with wet nails may feel like a Herculean task. But you can’t possibly ask your nail tech to do that, right? That would be rude. Wrong again. It’s actually ruder to smudge the beautiful paint job your nail tech just put a ton of time and energy into.</p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em>Do this instead:</em></span> “The amount of times that I have helped take out credit cards? It’s quite often,” says Medrano. “Just ask! Truly, it’s no problem.” Make it easier on your tech by telling them exactly where it is and what colour the card is; that way, they don’t have to fish around for it. Also, there’s no need to apologise – just say thank you!</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images </em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/tips/10-polite-habits-nail-techs-actually-dislike-and-what-to-do-instead" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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12 red flags you’re about to get a bad haircut

<p><strong>Hair beware</strong></p> <p>There’s nothing quite like walking out of the salon with a haircut you love. A new ‘do can boost your confidence and put a little pep in your step. But a bad haircut? Ugh. That can leave you shaking your head and wondering what the heck just went wrong.</p> <p>Going to a new salon can leave you particularly vulnerable to getting a bad haircut. After all, you’ve never seen the stylist and don’t know if they’ll be a good fit for you. What if they make a ton of hairstyle mistakes? Or promise a hairstyle that’ll make you look younger but deliver a ‘do better suited to your granny? “A bad haircut or colour can ruin six months or more of your confidence,” affirms stylist, Natalie Palomino.</p> <p>Because of this, one of the very best hairstylist secrets you can learn is how to spot the red flags that you are about to get a bad haircut. Here, experts share the tell-tale signs you may be in for a bad cut (or colour!).</p> <p><strong>The salon is dirty</strong></p> <p>If you walked into a doctor’s office and it was filthy, you probably wouldn’t feel super comfortable getting care there, right? The same thinking should apply to a hair salon. “If a salon looks dirty or unkept, it is concerning,” says celebrity hairstylist Shantise Michelle. “This could indicate that they don’t prioritise cleanliness and sanitation, which can be a health risk.”</p> <p>So what constitutes ‘dirty’ at a hair salon? Michelle points out that seeing a few hair clippings on the ground, especially if a client is mid-cut, is totally normal. What’s not? Tools that look dirty, lots of dust or piles of hair that haven’t been cleaned up even after clients leave.</p> <p><strong>The stylist won't share examples of past work</strong></p> <p>Maybe you’re hoping to learn how to grow out grey hair gracefully. Or maybe you’re looking for hairstyles for women over 40. No matter your goal, it’s super helpful if new stylists are able to show you examples of their work.</p> <p>If they don’t post client cuts on social media, ask them to share pictures of previous cuts they’ve done. “Not being able to show you examples of their work is a red flag,” says Michelle. Even if they are relatively green, stylists should have examples from their training.</p> <p><strong>The stylist doesn't ask for a hair history</strong></p> <p>Before a stylist gives you a cut for the first time, it’s important that they get some key info from you. Without this assessment, you may end up with a cut or colour you can’t stand. “Before a bowl of colour is mixed, a stylist should know if you’ve used boxed dye recently or any other treatments you’ve recently had,” says Palomino. “If you are getting a cut, they should know what your normal hairstyling routine looks like.”</p> <p>This is crucial because it helps them tailor your cut to your needs. For example, a cut that will require lots of blow-dry time to look good is a no-go if you never have time to blow-dry your hair.</p> <p>Basic questions surrounding your hair history include how you normally style your hair and if you’ve had any recent treatments (think: relaxing your strands or a perm). If you’re going in for a colour, the stylist should ask when you last coloured your hair and how, as well as any other hair treatments you’ve recently had.</p> <p><strong>The stylist refuses to give an opinion</strong></p> <p>It’s your hair, sure, but your stylist is the professional. So if you ask for their opinion, they should give it. If you ask what they think and they don’t say much, be wary. “While this doesn’t necessarily mean you are seeing a bad stylist, it may be the sign of someone who is green and doesn’t know how to interact,” says Palomino. A stylist should have a general idea of what cuts work for different hair textures, face shapes and lifestyles, she says. If they don’t seem to know these things, you should be concerned.</p> <p>In an ideal world, you should feel like your stylist is a collaborator on your journey to great hair. You know your hair and what will work for you, and they have professional expertise and know things like the best blow-dryer for straight versus curly hair, or what looks good on round versus long faces. They should offer up this info to help guide you when you’re deciding the fate of your strands.</p> <p><strong>The stylist is pushy</strong></p> <p>You want someone to weigh in, not boss you around. After all, you have to live with the end results. “You should never feel bullied into getting a certain type of cut,” says Michelle. “A good hairstylist will listen to your needs and preferences and make recommendations based on that ­ – but not force you into something you don’t want.”</p> <p>Getting to the perfect cut for you should be a bit of a give-and-take. For example, if you want to go short, start by telling the stylist that. Then they can suggest a short cut that would flatter your face shape. From there, you can give feedback on their suggestion.</p> <p>Oh, and hairdressers shouldn’t be pushy about buying products either. If you like something they use and want to purchase it from the salon after your appointment, great. If you don’t have that in your budget, they shouldn’t make you feel like you have to.</p> <p><strong>The salon is always empty</strong></p> <p>If the salon is regularly a ghost town or constantly offers deep discounts, should it worry you? You bet. “If the salon is brand new, they may still be getting their name out there, and it’s not a reason to run away,” says Palomino. The same applies to a salon that has recently reopened after being closed for the pandemic or for another reason.</p> <p>“However, if the salon has been around for a while and is always empty, then you may want to look elsewhere,” she says. One way to suss this out? Rather than making an online appointment or calling a new salon, try stopping by on a Saturday – which tends to be the busiest day. This way, as you make your appointment, you’ll be able to get a feel for the salon and see how lively it is.</p> <p><strong>The salon has lots of bad reviews</strong></p> <p>Imagine looking up a restaurant before having dinner there and seeing a bunch of reviews that mention finding hair in the food or seeing lots of roaches. You’d find a new place to eat, wouldn’t you? Use the same logic when considering a new stylist. Look up the salon on Yelp or Google and give the reviews a good read.</p> <p>“If a hairstylist has a ton of bad online reviews, it could be a red flag and should be a concern,” says Michelle. “However, it’s important to read the reviews carefully and consider the context before making a decision.” If all the reviews give the same bad feedback (like the cut was a disappointment or the employees were rude), you can probably trust them. If there are a handful of poor reviews that seem more situational (perhaps someone is mad that they showed up late and weren’t accommodated), take those with a grain of salt.</p> <p><strong>An assistant takes you straight to a shampoo station</strong></p> <p>If you arrive at a new salon and an assistant immediately whisks you to the shampoo station, it should give you pause. “A stylist should always look at your dry hair when you come in, because this gives them a better idea of how your hair naturally behaves,” says Michelle. “This information allows them to make more informed recommendations.”</p> <p>For most stylists, a visit flows like this: they have you come right in and sit in their chair. They look at your hair and have a short consultation about what you’re looking for. Some stylists may even cut a bit of your hair while it’s dry – this is most common if you’re cutting a large amount of hair. In this case, they may take off some length before you have your strands washed.</p> <p>From there, it’s off to the shampoo station. (Oh, and a really good stylist will customise the shampoo for your hair needs. So if your hair is thin, they’ll use a thickening shampoo; if it’s dyed, they’ll use a shampoo for colour-treated hair – you get the idea.) Once you’ve been sudsed up, you’ll head back to the stylist’s station for shaping and the actual cut.</p> <p><strong>The stylist's hair looks worse for wear</strong></p> <p>A stylist’s hair is a bit of an advertisement. “If your hairstylist has really damaged hair, it could be a red flag, because it could indicate that they don’t know how to take care of their own hair properly,” says Michelle. “This could reflect how they’d mistreat your hair.” One thing to keep in mind: You should be looking at the condition of their hair – not the actual style.</p> <p>Dry, brittle, damaged tresses should worry you. They have access to great hair masks for damaged hair and other tricks that should help them avoid an unkempt appearance. So if their hair is looking not-so-great, it’s dicey. But not liking their cut or colour isn’t the same thing. You may just have different style preferences, and that’s totally OK.</p> <p><strong>The stylist's nervousness makes you nervous</strong></p> <p>Accidentally dropping a brush? No big deal. Anxiously looking at a pair of scissors and biting their lip every time they make a snip? Yikes. “If your stylist seems nervous or unsure of how to use tools, they may not be properly trained,” says Michelle.</p> <p>As they move about their station, look for signs that they are at ease. If they’re using a tool like a hair-straightener brush, they should look like they do it all the time. The same goes for getting you set up in your chair. Clipping on the cape should be second nature for them, as should raising and lowering the chair.</p> <p><strong>The stylist doesn't solicit feedback</strong></p> <p>Once your stylist has finished up, they should initiate another consultation, turning you toward the mirror, and then giving you a handheld mirror so you can look at the back of your head. “By asking what you think of the result, it helps ensure that you both are on the same page and that you are happy with the results,” says Michelle.</p> <p>But what if you aren’t thrilled with the outcome or think it’s a flat-out bad haircut? That’s what makes this step even more important. You should feel free to speak up about what’s not working for you. In turn, they should offer suggestions on how they could alter the cut so you like it more. Michelle says no good stylist should bristle at this kind of feedback.</p> <p><strong>The stylist doesn't discuss aftercare</strong></p> <p>At the end of your appointment, a good stylist should discuss aftercare with you. This information will be customised to your hair’s needs and your cut. For example, they may suggest the best shampoo and conditioner for your tresses or give you a few tips on how to use a curling iron to recreate the waves they added to your style.</p> <p>“How you treat your hair at home has a dramatic impact on the health of your hair,” Palomino points out. So when a stylist shares this kind of info, it’s a sign that they’re really looking out for you and your strands.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/beauty/hair-and-nails/12-red-flags-youre-about-to-get-a-bad-haircut?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>.</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Salon owner loses $40,000 from one $60 deposit

<p dir="ltr">When beautician Thuy Le received a call from a supposed customer’s ‘husband’ regarding an accidental payment, she could never have foreseen the devastating turn her life would take from that point on. </p> <p dir="ltr">The mother of two, whose husband is living with Parkinsons and unable to work, recounted how her harrowing ordeal started with that one phone call, and the man on the other end requesting she return the $60 his wife had ‘accidentally’ paid. </p> <p dir="ltr">Le checked her bank statements to verify his story, and after noting one deposit that matched, she transferred the funds into the account he provided. </p> <p dir="ltr">She did not provide any of her own personal information, her passwords, or any critical numbers for her accounts. And yet, in the time to follow, Le could only watch in horror as more withdrawals were made from her account, into the very same one owned by the customer’s ‘husband’. </p> <p dir="ltr">The withdrawals totalled a devastating $41,600 stolen from Le’s life savings. </p> <p dir="ltr">Le also recounted how she was refused access to her business account, and that she got in touch with her bank as soon as she realised what had happened, suspecting she had been scammed. </p> <p dir="ltr">Her quest for support in her time of need was cut short, with the financial institution placing the blame solely on Le and ruling that they were not liable for the losses she had endured - this was despite the suspicious withdrawals raising no alarm with the bank, and the lack of personal information involved in the scam. </p> <p dir="ltr">Of their questionable red flag system, the bank claimed that it is “nearly impossible for an unauthorised third party to guess”, referencing the way that the logins for the costly transaction all succeeded on the very first try. </p> <p dir="ltr">Furthermore, as stated in a letter to Le, they declared that “the only reasonable explanation for these logins would be that your online banking credentials were known to the unauthorised third party, which would be in breach of the passcode security requirements.”</p> <p dir="ltr">“I am in financial hardship,” Le admitted of her dire situation, and the need to have the funds returned for her family and her husband’s crucial medication. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I have two little kids, I have a husband with Parkinson’s disease, he cannot work,” she continued. “We are still in the process of applying for government help and I have carried the financial burden on my shoulders.”</p> <p dir="ltr">While Le’s bank offered $200 to resolve her complaint, she was offered no further assistance, and took matters to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority, hoping to have her money returned to her. </p> <p dir="ltr">“I can’t sleep,” she confessed. “I want to know why this happened to me and how it happened to me.</p> <p dir="ltr">“I’m not a liar, not a criminal, not a fraud.”</p> <p dir="ltr"><em>Images: Supplied to 7News, Facebook</em></p>

Money & Banking

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15 secrets your hair stylist won’t tell you

<p><strong>The clients I dread the most are those who say things like “Do whatever you want”</strong></p> <p>Or: “I’m pretty easy to work with.” Nine times out of ten, hair stylists say, it’s not true.</p> <p><strong>We know you hate the word bleach</strong></p> <p>So we hairdressers use words like lightener and decolouriser. But no matter how we prettify the language, if we’re lifting a dark colour out of your hair, we’re using bleach. If you’re not sure exactly how much lighter your hair should be, here’s how to find the best hair colour for your skin tone.</p> <p><strong>Yes, I keep notes about you on your client card, and they can get pretty personal </strong></p> <p>I may note that you don’t tip well or that you talked loudly about how drunk you were last night. I may also write down that you’re going through a divorce or that you’re into tennis so I can remember to ask you about those things next time.</p> <p><strong>If there's one rule to live by, it's this</strong></p> <p>Don’t make your first appointment with me on a Saturday. That’s our busiest day, and I won’t be able to give you the time and attention you want and deserve.</p> <p><strong>Thin hair doesn't have to be worn short</strong></p> <p>I had a client who wore her super-thin hair short for years because she thought she had to. I finally talked her into growing it out into a stacked bob, and everyone now says she looks incredible.</p> <p><strong>I know you’ve heard you shouldn’t wash your hair before getting an updo, because a little grit can help maintain the style</strong></p> <p>But please don’t show up with hair that’s greasy, tangled, or smelly. Wash it the night before, and don’t put any styling products in it. That way, we hairdressers can start fresh and create our own texture.</p> <p><strong>Every year after school starts, at least one mom brings in her daughter with hair down to her waist and tells us to give her a pixie cut</strong></p> <p>We know what’s going on: a lice infestation. But when we point out the nits and tell the mum we can’t do the cut, she always acts surprised and says, “I didn’t know.” We’re thinking, Yeah, right. To save the embarrassment for all involved, get the situation under control before your appointment.</p> <p><strong>We don’t “wash” your hair – we “shampoo” it</strong></p> <p>When we’re trying to make you feel pampered, we can’t use the same word you use for doing dishes. One of the secrets to great hair according to pros is a cold rinse after shampooing.</p> <p><strong>Come at least five minutes early</strong></p> <p>If you’re running late, please call ahead. Show me some basic respect. This is a business, not fun and games.</p> <p><strong>Don't ask me to squeeze you in</strong></p> <p>My work takes time. When a client says she’s in a rush, I tell her she needs to schedule her time better. If I’m already booked, I’d be taking time and effort away from other clients. You wouldn’t like being treated that way. A rush job never looks good.</p> <p><strong>I'm not a psychologist</strong></p> <p>Hairdresser school does not teach about counter transference, projection, negative reinforcement, or personality disorders. If you’re looking for a therapist, all I have is a tail comb and an opinion.</p> <p><strong>Layers are the magic remedy</strong></p> <p>Some women think that if they keep their hair all one length the way it was in high school, everyone will think they’re still in high school. Guess what? You’re not. As you get older, you need to soften the lines around your face.</p> <p><strong>Bodies and hair change as hormones change</strong></p> <p>If your hair is dry, listless, or brittle, or if it’s not holding your colour or style the way it used to, see a doctor. If your hair isn’t overprocessed, you could be pregnant (surprise!) or menopausal (yes, I can tell).</p> <p><strong>Take a picture</strong></p> <p>Some clients will say, “Cut my hair just like you did last time.” That always baffles me. The average time between appointments is six to eight weeks. I have hundreds of clients. I already know which are the best haircuts for every face shape, but how am I supposed to remember exactly how I did your hair the last time? If you want a carbon copy of a cut and style you loved, take a picture and show me.</p> <p><strong>We see women at their worse</strong></p> <p>Their hair is wet, they have foils on their hair, they have no makeup on. There’s nothing for them to hide behind. So they tell us everything. The truth is, I really don’t care about their personal lives. I’m only interested in their hair. Hairdressers and manicurists have seen plenty of crazy things.</p> <p><em>Image credits: Getty Images</em></p> <p><em>This article originally appeared on <a href="https://www.readersdigest.com.au/healthsmart/beauty/hair-and-nails/36-secrets-your-hair-stylist-wont-tell-you?pages=1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Reader's Digest</a>. </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Woman reveals why she left a salon with lopsided lips

<p dir="ltr"> A woman who left her beauty appointment with half-plumped lips has <a href="https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10469965/Woman-left-lopsided-lips-forced-leave-beauty-appointment.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">revealed</a> the reason behind the incredibly awkward situation.</p><p dir="ltr">Hareem Shah, a popular TikToker with 6.5 million followers, revealed in a video that she had to leave after receiving a phone call informing her of a money-laundering investigation against her.</p><p dir="ltr">In the now-viral <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@hareemshahofficialx/video/7058436779015163138?is_copy_url=1&amp;is_from_webapp=v1&amp;lang=en" target="_blank" rel="noopener">clip</a>, Shah explained that she found out her accounts had been frozen midway through her appointment.</p><p dir="ltr">“I am in the UK right now. Today I went to the doctor to get my lip filler done,” she said in Urdu, as translated by <em><a href="https://www.indiatoday.in/trending-news/story/pakistan-tiktok-star-hareem-shah-lip-job-fia-bank-account-freeze-video-1907014-2022-02-01" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Today</a></em>.</p><p dir="ltr">“The doctor had just inserted a filler on one side of my lip when I received a call and I got to know that the Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency has frozen my bank accounts.”</p><p dir="ltr">She said she left the expensive treatment as she wouldn’t have been able to pay for the service.</p><p dir="ltr">According to media outlet <em><a href="https://www.dawn.com/news/1669061" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Dawn</a></em>, an investigation was launched against Ms Shah by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) on January 12 after she was seen holding two large stacks of money in a separate video.</p><p dir="ltr">Holding two stacks of British pounds, Ms Shah revealed in that clip that she had travelled to the UK with a “heavy amount” of the currency.</p><p dir="ltr">“The government had promised to increase the [value] of the currency, increase the [value] of the [Pakistani] passport, but they didn’t do anything. They could only talk,” she said in the clip.</p><p dir="ltr">She also issued a warning to travellers considering travelling with large amounts of money, as “they catch you”.</p><p dir="ltr">“Nobody said anything to me and, you know, they cannot. I came very easily,” she said.</p><p dir="ltr">According to the Pakistan government’s Federal Board of Revenue <a href="https://www.fbr.gov.pk/categ/travel-guide/51149/80881/%20131184" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a>, travellers are permitted to take out foreign currencies of “up to US$ 10,000 unconditionally”, but that “taking out Pakistan currency exceeding Rs. (rupees) 3,000 is not permitted”.</p><p><span id="docs-internal-guid-2f23e4c8-7fff-d01b-1450-f30998d8f244"></span></p><p dir="ltr"><em>Images: @hareemshahofficialx (TikTok)</em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Hair salon bans patrons who have had the jab

<p><span style="font-weight: 400;">A Gold Coast hair salon is turning away customers who have been vaccinated against COVID-19, claiming they are concerned for the “health and safety” of their staff.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Khemia HI Vibe Frequency Salon at Palm Beach posted a policy update posted the policy change on its social media pages, claiming the “unknown health effects of the mRNA vaccine” are not covered by its public liability insurance.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">According to their new policy, customers are required to notify the salon if they have had the vaccine before making an appointment.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“The unknown health effects of the mRNA vaccine are not covered by our public liability insurance,” the salon wrote on its Facebook and Instagram pages.</span></p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO96i_CJ7iz/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="13"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CO96i_CJ7iz/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" target="_blank">A post shared by Khemia HI vibe Frequency Salon (@khemia_frequency_salon)</a></p> </div> </blockquote> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“We are deeply sorry for any inconvenience to you.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">All vaccines confirmed for use in Australia have been heavily regulated to ensure their safety by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA).</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Australia’s vaccine safety and regulatory process is world class and people can be confident that vaccines approved for use are safe and effective,” Acting Chief Medical Officer, Professor Michael Kidd, and Head of the TGA Adjunct Professor John Skerritt said in a joint statement in April.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Our vaccines will save lives and are an essential part of tackling this global pandemic.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The Khemia team said the policy would be reevaluated after the completion of clinical trials in 2023.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The post was also flagged by Facebook as “missing context”, and a fact box appeared beneath it that read: “Independent fact-checkers say that this information could mislead people.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">The salon’s owner told 9News she had heard of women contracting side effects without actually being vaccinated.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“I guess a lot of people would question that and I think it’s like anything, it’s like the disease or the virus at the moment - it’s spreading somehow and somehow women are reporting side effects when they haven’t had the host,” she told 9News.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Though the side effects of vaccination might feel like you are sick, they do not mean that you are or that your symptoms are contagious, and there are no verified reports that support Ms Adler’s claims.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“Side effect symptoms cannot be spread to others,” Manisha Juthani, MD, infectious disease specialist at Yale Medicine and associate professor at the Yale School of Medicine, told </span><a href="https://www.verywellhealth.com/covid-vaccine-side-effects-not-contagious-5182483"><span style="font-weight: 400;">Verywell</span></a><span style="font-weight: 400;">. “The vaccine cannot give you the virus, so the symptoms you experience are a manifestation of your immune system building a response so that you can fight the virus in the future should you be exposed to it.”</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">Treasurer Josh Frydenberg told Today that public hesitancy over getting the jab was understandable but would not derail the government’s plans to reopen Australia’s borders.</span></p> <p><span style="font-weight: 400;">“It’s understandable that some people are hesitant, but ultimately, the more people that get the jab, the better.”</span></p>

Beauty & Style

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More than skin deep: Beauty salons are places of sharing and caring

<p>What happens when people visit beauty and hair salons? Are trips to the salon simply about shaping how one looks on the outside, or can these spaces involve something deeper?</p> <p>Research shows that beyond “beauty”, salons can be spaces for clients to have intimate conversations with salon workers.</p> <p>This means beyond technical hair and beauty skills, working in the industry involves listening to and managing the emotions of clients.</p> <p>In my <a href="https://blogs.deakin.edu.au/gender-and-sexuality-studies-research-network/2019/09/19/hannah-mccann-on-crisis-treatment-and-the-role-of-the-beauty-salon/">research</a> and interviews with salon workers between 2017 and 2019, most described themselves as makeshift counsellors. One sign in a Melbourne shopfront even read “<em>Therapy is expensive, get a haircut instead, we’re great listeners.”</em></p> <p><strong>Beyond the technical</strong></p> <p>Research conducted in the United States shows salon workers can act as “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/28388338">lay health educators</a>”. Workers have close physical contact with clients and potentially access to different and diverse communities, depending on the salon.</p> <p>Some US salon workers have even been engaged to assist public health campaigns, educating the general public about health issues such as melanoma, diabetes, and unintended pregnancy.</p> <p>Salon workers can develop a “<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/002224299906300405">commercial friendship</a>” with clients as they maintain close physical proximity with the client over a long period. But they are neutral figures in relation to emotional disclosures.</p> <p>This relationship means clients may disclose more details about the troubles in their lives than they would to friends or family. <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0038038501035004007">UK research</a> also shows salons are spaces where workers often provide clients with emotional support.</p> <p>It’s appropriate then that initiatives have emerged across the globe to train hairdressers and other salon workers to respond to client disclosures.</p> <p>In Victoria the <a href="https://www.edvos.org.au/">Eastern Domestic Violence Service</a> has been running a program called <a href="https://www.edvos.org.au/hair-3rs/">Hair-3R’s</a> (recognise, respond and refer), to train salon workers to safely manage client disclosures of family violence.</p> <p>In some US states, “cosmetologists” (hairstylists, manicurists and other salon workers) are <a href="http://chicagosaysnomore.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/ChicagoSaysNoMore-2016-12-NewLawSalonProfessionals.pdf">legally required</a> to do formal training in domestic violence and sexual assault awareness every two years to renew their salon licenses.</p> <p><strong>What workers signed up for?</strong></p> <p>Expecting salon workers to respond to issues such as family violence is asking a lot. Low wages and sometimes <a href="https://theconversation.com/health-risks-beneath-the-painted-beauty-in-americas-nail-salons-41660">dangerous working conditions</a> persist in the beauty industry.</p> <p>When I interviewed <a href="https://www.edvos.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/EDVOS-HAIR-3Rs-RESEARCH-REPORT-2019.pdf">salon workers trained in the Hair-3R’s program</a>, I found they were relieved to be able to have frank discussions about the nature of their work, and grateful to receive support and guidance in negotiating these issues.</p> <p>Research has shown salon workers are likely to have clients <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26813297">disclose intimate partner violence</a> to them at some point. But workers I spoke with also mentioned a huge array of different issues clients bring up.</p> <p>Marriage breakdown, mental health, suicidal ideation, gender transition and job loss were among the client issues reported by workers.</p> <p>While the majority of conversations a worker has in a day or even over the course of a week may not be so “heavy”, they will likely encounter diverse and sometimes distressing stories, given the huge segment of the community they come into contact with over months and years. Many workers suggested the Hair-3Rs training was the first time they’d spoken about the emotional aspects of their work or had it recognised as something they negotiate daily.</p> <p><strong>Beyond the surface</strong></p> <p>Feminists <a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-beauty-myth-9780099595748">writing about beauty</a> have long focused on the gender expectations maintained in these spaces. From this perspective, salons have been seen as reinforcing stereotypes of how women should look and how they should maintain their bodies.</p> <p>A reframing of this perspective notes the beauty industry is highly feminised, dominated by workers who are working class and often migrant women. Salon workers are represented as low-skilled “bimbos” in popular culture and the media. It is therefore no surprise the emotional nature of this line of work has remained largely hidden and both economically and culturally undervalued.</p> <p>As the beauty industry continues to boom – a day spa, nail salon or laser hair removal clinic on almost every Australian street corner and dotted throughout our shopping centres – we might speculate people are accessing these services for reasons beyond maintaining appearances.</p> <p>While some may <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-09-05/economics-of-beauty-industry/10182320">lay the blame</a> on an increasingly image-soaked world due to the popularity of social media such as Instagram, we might also look to what kind of emotional refuge the salon is providing for a <a href="https://www.sbs.com.au/news/dateline/from-9-11-to-christchurch-earthquakes-how-unis-have-supported-students-after-a-crisis">world in crisis</a>.</p> <p>Further research is needed to identify what can be done to support workers in this industry, who may accidentally find themselves acting as untrained social workers or therapists with little community support or recognition.</p> <p><em>Written by Hannah McCann. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-skin-deep-beauty-salons-are-places-of-sharing-and-caring-127006">The Conversation.</a> </em></p>

Beauty & Style

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Nail salon workers suffer chemical exposures that can be like working at a garage or a refinery

<p>Anyone who has walked past a nail salon is familiar with the noxious odors that emanate from acrylic nails, polishes and removers. Customers getting manicures and pedicures endure the smell temporarily, but manicurists who inhale these evaporating chemicals for hours expose themselves to health risks.</p> <p>The smells come from volatile organic compounds, or VOCs – compounds that <a href="https://toxtown.nlm.nih.gov/chemicals-and-contaminants/volatile-organic-compounds-vocs">easily become vapors or gases</a>. These substances have been <a href="https://www.epa.gov/indoor-air-quality-iaq/volatile-organic-compounds-impact-indoor-air-quality#Health_Effects">linked to health problems</a> ranging from headaches and respiratory irritation to reproductive complications and cancer. In a normal room-temperature environment, VOCs evaporate and humans breathe them in.</p> <p>Our research team, along with colleagues at Colorado State University, recently investigated <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.03.086">chemical exposures in six Colorado nail salons</a> and found that employees spent their days exposed to high levels of VOCs. Participating technicians, who had worked in salons for up to 19 years, reported suffering headaches and skin and eye irritation.</p> <p>We measured levels of benzene and formaldehyde in the salons, and determined that exposure to these known human carcinogens was increasing the workers’ lifetime cancer risks above one in one million – the level that <a href="https://www.who.int/water_sanitation_health/dwq/iwachap10.pdf">many U.S. agencies consider acceptable</a> in regulating exposure to harmful substances.</p> <p>Nail salon workers in New York City rally for safer working conditions.</p> <p><strong>Identifying health hazards</strong></p> <p>A 2015 <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2015/05/10/nyregion/at-nail-salons-in-nyc-manicurists-are-underpaid-and-unprotected.html">New York Times exposé</a> highlighted underpayment and poor working conditions in New York nail salons. However, it failed to address chemical exposures that salon workers experience daily.</p> <p>Several research groups have sought to <a href="https://doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2010.300099">characterize</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/09603123.2012.755152">quantify</a> VOC exposures <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-018-1353-0">in the nail salon environment</a>, using standard measurement techniques and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-007-9084-4">self-reported health surveys</a>. Their research shows that nail salon workers are exposed to higher levels of VOCs than they would typically be expected to encounter in most homes, occupations or urban environments. As a result, these workers frequently experience work-related health symptoms.</p> <p>Our study measured 10 VOCs, including the carcinogens <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envpol.2019.03.086">benzene and formaldehyde</a>. We found that VOC levels in the six salons where we monitored regularly exceeded common threshold levels for <a href="https://cfpub.epa.gov/ncea/iris_drafts/atoz.cfm?list_type=alpha">odor and inhalation risk</a>. In some cases this posed a significant risk of cancer over a 20-year exposure period.</p> <p>Twenty workers answered questionnaires about their personal health. Among them, 70% reported some form of short-term health symptom related to their employment, while 40% reported multiple related symptoms.</p> <p>We worked closely with salon owners to enlist volunteer nail technicians to participate. Having owners’ support was instrumental, since it allowed salon workers to accurately report on their health and working conditions without fear of reprisal.            </p> <p>Workers have participated in making groundbreaking policy change such as passing the SF <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HealthyNailSalon?src=hash">#HealthyNailSalon</a> Program Ordinance <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/EFCSRchat?src=hash">#EFCSRchat</a></p> <p><strong>Like working at an oil refinery</strong></p> <p>Many people view cosmetology as a relatively safe profession, but it isn’t. We found that exposures to aromatic hydrocarbons like benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylenes – collectively referred to as BTEX – resembled those previously reported in studies of <a href="https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Ambient-Air-Quality-Monitoring-in-Terms-of-Volatile-Singh-Ramteke/7089e7068ccb85bca9d05f36598e2b5fb92ae910">oil refinery workers</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/10807031003670071">auto garage technicians</a>.</p> <p>Our results aren’t unique. A 2018 Iranian study found similar concentrations of benzene, ethylbenzene, and xylene in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1186/s12995-018-0213-x">Tehran beauty salons</a>. Another study conducted that year in Michigan found concentrations of toluene at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00420-018-1353-0">over 100 parts per billion</a>, which is roughly 30 times higher than <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-09/documents/toluene.pdf">reported urban outdoor levels</a>.</p> <p>Regulation of this kind of workplace exposure has not kept pace with science. Many U.S. occupational safety and health exposure limits have not been updated <a href="https://ohsonline.com/Articles/2014/12/01/Can-OSHA-Update-the-PELs.aspx">for nearly 50 years</a>. The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration, or OSHA, readily acknowledges that many of its permissible exposure limits are “<a href="https://www.osha.gov/dsg/annotated-pels/">outdated and inadequate</a> for ensuring protection of worker health.”</p> <p>OSHA offers only guidance and recommendations for businesses, effectively shifting the burden of worker protection onto private industry. This is especially problematic in the nail salon industry, where over 90% of salons are small businesses that <a href="https://www.labor.ucla.edu/publication/nail-files/">employ fewer than 5 people</a> and do not have safety personnel on staff.</p> <p>Inadequate cosmetic product regulations and labeling requirements make it hard to know which products are actually safe. A 2012 study by the California Environmental Protection Agency found that 10 out of 12 nail products labeled “toluene free” still contained <a href="https://dtsc.ca.gov/wp-content/uploads/sites/31/2018/04/DTSC-Summary-of-Data-Findings-from-Testing-a-Limited-Number-of-Nail-Products-April-2012.pdf">up to 17% toluene</a>. Products labeled free of the so-called “toxic three” ingredients – dibutyl phthalate or DBP, toluene and formaldehyde – actually contained <a href="https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/nailsalons/chemicalhazards.html#resources">greater concentrations of DBP</a>, an endocrine-disrupting compound, than products that made no claims at all.</p> <p><strong>Solving the problem</strong></p> <p>Owners often work in nail salons, so they generally support efforts to improve air quality inside their businesses. Those who we interviewed typically had some understanding of the problem and wanted to fix it, but didn’t always know how.</p> <p>The <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2015-05/documents/nailsalonguide.pdf">U.S. Environmental Protection Agency</a>, the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/niosh/docs/99-112/pdfs/99-112.pdf?id=10.26616/NIOSHPUB99112">National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health</a> and <a href="https://www.osha.gov/Publications/3542nail-salon-workers-guide.pdf">OSHA</a> all publish healthy nail salon guides. Yet owners in our study had never heard of them – perhaps because the guides are only published in English, while many nail salon workers are Asian and Latino immigrants with limited English language skills.</p> <p>Several grassroots community organizations have published guides to improving salons’ air quality in both <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5783e9b9be6594e480435ffe/t/58f447f903596ebd7ca8f6f3/1492404219566/Nail-Salon-Booklet-FINAL-Vietnamese-March-26-2014-adjusted-for-color-copier-and-single-pages.pdf">Vietnamese</a> and <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5783e9b9be6594e480435ffe/t/58f447e386e6c023e6aff51c/1492404197241/Chinese-FINAL-Version-2-2012.pdf">Chinese</a>. These references discuss ventilation and use of personal protective equipment, which are paramount for mitigating chemical exposures in the workplace.</p> <p>Small changes, such as running ventilation continuously, wearing <a href="http://safety-zone.com/products/nitrile-gloves/">nitrile gloves</a>and utilizing proper <a href="https://www.firstaidglobal.com/product-page/carbon-filter-masks-n95-with-exhalation-valve">charcoal face masks</a>, can significantly reduce worker exposure. Results from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.buildenv.2019.106499">our most recent study</a> also suggest that placing large activated carbon sinks in salons could effectively remove VOCs from the air. We are currently experimenting with embedding these chemical-absorbing materials into <a href="https://cen.acs.org/environment/pollution/Environmental-engineer-Lupita-Montoya-scrutinizes/97/i32">pieces of art</a> that can hang on salon walls.</p> <p>Another priority is conveying information to larger audiences and advocating for more safety training in cosmetology certification programs. Education and training are particularly important for ethnic minority groups.</p> <p>Many workplace standards enforced by OSHA, such as those regulating exposure to toxic and hazardous substances, <a href="https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/nailsalons/standards.html">apply to nail salons</a>. However, cosmetic manufacturers are <a href="https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/cosmetics-laws-regulations/fda-authority-over-cosmetics-how-cosmetics-are-not-fda-approved-are-fda-regulated#Who_is_responsible">not required</a> to obtain federal approval for products or ingredients before they go on the market, or to file product information with the agency.</p> <p>In contrast, California passed a bill in 2018 that will require manufacturers to <a href="https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billTextClient.xhtml?bill_id=201720180AB2775">provide ingredient labels</a> on any professional cosmetic products manufactured after July 1, 2020 and sold in the state. The campaign for this common-sense reform was largely led by advocacy groups like the <a href="https://cahealthynailsalons.org/">California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative</a>. Practical steps like this can improve conditions for workers who receive little attention but are exposed to serious health risks on the job every day.</p> <p><em>Written by Lupita D. Montoya and Aaron Lamplugh. Republished with permission of </em><a href="https://theconversation.com/nail-salon-workers-suffer-chemical-exposures-that-can-be-like-working-at-a-garage-or-a-refinery-118152"><em>The Conversation.</em></a></p>

Beauty & Style

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Beauty salon causes a stir after banning children

<p>One of Sydney’s most popular beauty salons has caused a stir after they announced via social media that they will be banning children and babies from any future client appointments.</p> <p>Kristin Fisher, the woman behind the eyebrows of celebrities such as<span> </span><em>Today</em><span> </span>show star Sylvia Jeffreys, put the policy in place at her two salons in Double Bay and Rosebery after countless moments where children wreaked havoc after being left unattended.</p> <p>Charging between $75 and $95 for an eyebrow wax, shape and tint, and around $1,000 for eyebrow tattooing, Ms Fisher is highly regarded for her expertise in the beauty industry.</p> <p>Having two young children of her own, Ms Fisher made sure to inform her clients about the new policy through a text message and then posted about the change on her Instagram page.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BotSDEOn3Gr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BotSDEOn3Gr/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">WARNING! Long rant. Apologies in advance..... To our beautiful KFE clients. This is a very hard post for me because I hate upsetting people and I feel this may do just that, but we have no other option. We are imposing a new rule that clients must not bring children or babies to their appointments. Recently we have had times where there have been ten children in the salon at one time, all unattended, whilst their mothers get treatments done. It simply isn’t fair to the other clients who have come solo, who for them this is their monthly treat/splurge and want some peace and quiet whilst they have their brows or lashes done, nor is it fair to my staff who are constantly chasing after kids and nursing babies (even though we secretly love this - they also have to answer the phones and rebook clients!). We have had kids run onto the street, we’ve had clients leave midway through their appointments as they’re too annoyed about the noise being made by children and we’ve had mums call and complain saying their brows are crooked after they’ve been nursing a squirming baby the whole appointment... I of all people know how hard it is to get away for an appointment as I have two young children myself without any grandparents here in Sydney to help out and mind them when I need to pop out. That being said I make sure all of my ‘me time’ appointments are just that - for me. I know how hard it is to book a babysitter for such a short time, but given these appointments are monthly (at the earliest) I do hope our beloved mummy clients can find alternative childcare prior to their appointments in the salon. Thank you for your ongoing support and loyalty and we are looking forward to seeing you all in the salon (relaxed!) and child free 😘😘😘😘</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/kristin.fisher.eyebrows/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> KRISTIN FISHER EYEBROWS</a> (@kristin.fisher.eyebrows) on Oct 9, 2018 at 2:35am PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“This is a very hard post for me because I hate upsetting people and I feel this may do just that, but we have no other option,” she wrote. “We are imposing a new rule that clients must not bring children or babies to their appointments.</p> <p>“Recently we have had times where there have been ten children in the salon at one time, all unattended, while their mothers get treatments done,” she captioned on Instagram.</p> <p>“We have had kids run onto the street, we’ve had clients leave midway through their appointments as they’re too annoyed about the noise being made by children and we’ve had mums call and complain saying their brows are crooked after they’ve been nursing a squirming baby the whole appointment.</p> <p>“It simply isn’t fair to the other clients who have come solo, who for them is their monthly treat/splurge and want some peace and quiet while they have their brows or lashes done, nor is it fair to my staff who are constantly chasing after kids and nursing babies.”</p> <p>Being a mother herself, Ms Fisher said she understands how difficult it can be when finding alternative arrangements for your children.</p> <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned="" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BozyAzHHnAt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="margin: 8px 0 0 0; padding: 0 4px;"><a style="color: #000; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none; word-wrap: break-word;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BozyAzHHnAt/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank">I have been overwhelmed with the support from my loyal clientele and the general public on my decision to have a child free salon. As a mum and a business owner this decision has not been made lightly so I am grateful at how positive the feedback has been! Please note the children in this photo were removed from the salon at 8.59am 😆</a></p> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">A post shared by <a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/kristin.fisher.eyebrows/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_medium=loading" target="_blank"> KRISTIN FISHER EYEBROWS</a> (@kristin.fisher.eyebrows) on Oct 11, 2018 at 3:10pm PDT</p> </div> </blockquote> <p>“I of all people know how hard it is to get away for an appointment as I have two young children myself, without any grandparents here in Sydney to help out and mind them when I need to pop out,” Ms Fisher wrote.</p> <p>“That being said, I make sure all of my ‘me time’ appointments are just that — for me. I know how hard it is to book a babysitter for such a short time, but given these appointments are monthly (at the earliest) I do hope our beloved mummy clients can find alternative childcare prior to their appointments in the salon.</p> <p>“Thank you for your ongoing support and loyalty and we are looking forward to seeing you all in the salon (relaxed!) and child free.”</p> <p>The policy was taken positively, as Ms Fisher’s followers backed up her sentiments and offered their full support.</p> <p>“I’m shocked that people would take their kids or babies to a beauty appointment. I wouldn’t even consider it. I’m a Mum of two little ones, so not judging. But it wouldn’t be relaxing at all — for anyone. Sounds like a totally fair decision,” one woman wrote.</p> <p>“I’m a mum of twins and sorry to all the other mums but the last thing I want is to hear your cherubs running around when I’m trying to have a sneaky snooze while having my brows tamed!” another commented.</p> <p>Some women raised their voices against those who claim it’s too difficult to find childcare solutions well in advance.</p> <p>“If you have to book 4 weeks in advance for your brows you can book 4 weeks in advance for a sitter and knock a number of things off your list to justify it, simple,” she wrote.</p> <p>“I have taken my son to my hairdresser twice, once when he was 8 and once when he was 10,” another woman wrote. “He was with me the whole time, we played UNO, watched YouTube with headphones on etc. never left my sight. Didn’t make a peep. And I felt guilty at THAT! Can’t imagine people leaving children for your staff to supervise.”</p> <p>But despite the support, some women sat and hoped for a “family friendly” day, where the salon was only open to mums and their bubs.</p> <p>“One day a week where mums can bring their babies and other clients? There are many mums who can’t leave their babies, have no help or options but still want to have killer brows!” she suggested.</p> <p>But her clients who are child-free couldn’t be happier with the new policy.</p> <p>“I’m not a Mum and frankly if I was I couldn’t think of anything worse than having them attend a brow appointment or any other self-care appointment for that matter with me,” one woman wrote.</p> <p>Do you agree with this beauty salon's "no children allowed" policy? Let us know in the comments below. </p>

Beauty & Style

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How a manicure could save your life

<p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__intro sics-component__story__paragraph">Sarah Burrows was having her usual monthly manicure when the beauty therapist doing her nails casually asked about a mole on her chest.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Burrows had been ignoring it for months, thinking there was nothing particularly unusual about it, but the fact that her beautician had noticed it – and was concerned enough to bring it up – took her by surprise.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">She felt compelled to get it checked out by her GP, starting a chain of events that would lead to her being diagnosed with melanoma, the deadliest form of skin cancer.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"If it hadn't been brought to my attention, I don't think that I would have ever done anything about it," says Burrows, 52. "It's hard to think that I could be telling a completely different story now if I hadn't had that conversation while getting my nails done."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Burrows, a marriage guidance counsellor from Macclesfield, Cheshire, UK, had been a regular visitor to the clinic of holistic beauty therapist Lucy Dempster for nearly five years. It was in January last year, while she was wearing a slightly lower-cut top than normal, that Dempster spotted the mole on her chest.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Burrows recalls: "She really gently said that she had been doing some training on skin cancer and perhaps I should get it checked out. She reassured me that, of course, if it was nothing then I would only have taken up maybe five minutes of a doctor's time."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Dempster recognised the mole as she had recently taken part in a pilot training course designed to help beauty, hair and skincare professionals spot skin cancer. Launched in the UK in January this year, the Masced training scheme (short for Melanoma and Skin Cancer Early Detection) aims to improve early diagnosis rates based on the assumption that many people get their hair or nails done more frequently than they see a family doctor.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Through a professionally accredited, 45-minute online course, beauty professionals are trained in the warning signs and given advice on how to bring up concerns tactfully with clients. While they are not expected to diagnose the disease, they can suggest someone visits their GP to get checked out.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Skin cancer is on the rise in Britain, with the incidence of melanoma soaring by 128 per cent in the past 20 years. Experts have put the rise down to the growing popularity of cheap package holidays to sunny destinations, as well as a boom in sunbed use in the '70s, '80s and '90s.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Melanoma is now the fifth most common cancer in the UK and one of the most common among 15- to 34-year-olds. Most melanoma cases occur in the over-85s, who have had a lifetime of exposure to the sun, and rates are expected to rise by another 7 per cent by 2035 as the population ages.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">While incidence of skin cancer has seen similar growth in other Western countries in recent decades, the UK has slightly higher mortality rates, with 2.6 deaths per 100,000 people compared to the European average of 2.2. Lower survival rates have been partly blamed on a tendency to diagnose cancers later in the UK – something the Masced scheme aims to combat.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">The project is the brainchild of Claire Dale, of cancer charity Skcin, who came up with the idea after her mother died of malignant melanoma aged 63.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"My mother was really into beauty and health and fitness so she was always in the gym or at the salon, but rarely went to the doctor," she says.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"No-one ever noticed the mole she had on her abdomen until it was too late. That got me thinking about whether the kind of professionals she saw all the time could be trained to spot skin cancer in otherwise healthy people. If Masced had been around then, her mole might have been seen in time and her life could have been saved."</p> <blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"> <p dir="ltr">Please Retweet. Great article in <a href="https://twitter.com/Telegraph?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Telegraph</a> today about our <a href="https://t.co/HqhvQY86G9">https://t.co/HqhvQY86G9</a> campaign and how it has helped save a life! Huge thanks to all involved <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/skincancer?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#skincancer</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/melanoma?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#melanoma</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/beauty?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#beauty</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/health?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#health</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/manicure?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#manicure</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/skincare?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#skincare</a> <a href="https://t.co/dUSNmEGHl1">https://t.co/dUSNmEGHl1</a></p> — Skcin (@Skcin) <a href="https://twitter.com/Skcin/status/1036678764955136001?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 3, 2018</a></blockquote> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">While it was sadly too late for Dale's mother, the scheme is already saving lives. Burrows, a mother-of-two herself, saw her GP after speaking to Dempster and was referred to a specialist. He diagnosed the mark on her chest as a basal cell carcinoma, a type of tumour that occurs in eight out of 10 skin cancer cases and rarely spreads.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">While that was easily treatable with a chemotherapy cream, the doctor found another suspicious mark on the back of her left thigh. "He asked how long I'd had the mark for and I said: 'What mark?' When was the last time you looked at the back of your own legs? I had no idea it was there," she says.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">A biopsy revealed it was a malignant melanoma – a spreading form of skin cancer that kills six people every day in the UK. Burrows went in for surgery to have it removed, only for doctors to find yet another malignant tumour on her other leg. She was referred to The Christie cancer hospital in Manchester for tests on her lymph node to check whether the cancer had spread. Luckily, biopsies showed she was all clear.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"On both occasions, it was caught before it had spread throughout the rest of my body, which they say it probably would have done had it been ignored any longer," Burrows says. She sighs as she imagines what the outcome might have been had Dempster not spotted the original mole.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"It was one of those chance conversations with somebody who had been told to keep an eye out. The mole didn't have any of the signs you normally read about – it wasn't bleeding, itchy or uneven. It was only because somebody else mentioned it that made me do something about it."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Ironically, Burrows is always careful in the sun as she is quite fair-skinned and doesn't tan. Doctors believe most of the damage was probably done before she reached puberty and she blames it on an incident of being badly sunburnt as a young child.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"It was my seventh birthday and I was in Cornwall. I remember it because it was my birthday so I was supposed to be happy, but I was so sunburnt, I was just crying," she says.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">"I've since spoken to my mother and aunts and uncles and they have all said suncreams just weren't around nearly as much back then. In fact, I remember my mother putting olive oil on, which seems like really crazy behaviour now."</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">Dempster, 49, plays down her role in saving Burrows's life, but agrees that the training could protect hundreds of lives nationwide. Although she runs her clinic single-handedly from her home near Wilmslow, Cheshire, she has already helped four clients who have received treatment for suspected tumours.</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph">She says: "If it makes that much difference with just one person, imagine how much of an impact it can have if everyone in a busy salon is trained."​</p> <p class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph"><em>Written by Rosie Taylor. Republished by permission of <a href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/life-style/well-good/teach-me/106797232/how-a-manicure-could-save-your-life">Stuff.co.nz</a>. </em></p> <div class="sics-component__html-injector sics-component__story__paragraph"> <div class="SandboxRoot env-bp-350" data-twitter-event-id="0"> <div id="twitter-widget-0" class="EmbeddedTweet EmbeddedTweet--edge js-clickToOpenTarget tweet-InformationCircle-widgetParent" data-click-to-open-target="https://twitter.com/Skcin/status/1036678764955136001" data-iframe-title="Twitter Tweet" data-scribe="page:tweet" data-twitter-event-id="1"> <div class="EmbeddedTweet-tweetContainer"> <div class="EmbeddedTweet-tweet"></div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

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Warning against pedicures after woman almost loses leg

<p>A woman in America has warned of the dangers of getting a pedicure at a nail salon after almost losing her leg.</p> <p>Tracy Lynn Martinez suffered a serious infection in her foot and leg after indulging in a pedicure at a local salon, which she claims was caused by a callus cutter.</p> <p>"I just wanted to share my story to save someone from going [through] what I'm going through or even death," Martinez wrote on Facebook.</p> <p>Martinez believed the "grade A salon" in Winston Salem to be very clean.</p> <p>"The whirlpool baths have the disposable bags, and they bring the new fresh tools in a new bag," she said in her Facebook post, "but also bring a nice bacteria infected callus cutter too."</p> <p>Martinez visited the nail salon on June 22 for her pedicure and the next day, was suffering nauseousness, chills and vomiting. She attempted to sleep off the symptoms of what she thought was the beginning of a cold, but by June 24 – just two days after the pedicure – she had no strength, lack of balance and her leg had swollen to a huge size.</p> <p>She continued explaining on her post on Facebook, "I am [in an] ambulance to the Emergency Room to find out [if] I am toxic and have a serious case of cellulitis caused by a strep infection in my blood stream caused by the scrapes on the outside of my heel from the callus cutter."</p> <p>Martinez added, "I have been through hell, pain, shock, all of it.... But I want to raise awareness. Say NO to the callus cutters/shavers."</p> <p>The 35-year-old has since discovered that callus cutters are not permitted in nail salons in North Carolina, writing, "There is no way to properly disinfect this tool to continually [use] on people. I no longer recommend pedicures but definitely say NO to these callus shavers if you do go!"</p> <p>She is still recovering from the infection after a two-week stint in hospital and is required to take medication for the next 3 months. Martinez explained that she will also have to wear compression stockings for the rest of her life, to protect herself from another infection, as well as take a separate medication for life.</p> <p>"Every day was a new chapter of what was going to happen to my leg. Was I going to lose my leg? Was I going to lose my life?" Martinez shared.</p> <p>Do you regularly get pedicures at nail salons? Tell us in the comments below.</p>

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