Blog
06/14/13
Products We Love
Smooth Infusion Style Prep
Smooth Infusion style prep is one of our best sellers and here’s why, it works.
Exclusive plant infusion; a blend derived from organic aloe, maize and guar bean which creates a smooth surface on hair
Organic tapioca defends against humidity for up to 12 hour
Hydrolized wheat protein protects against surface damage from heat styling
Apply one to two pumps on towel dried hair (don’t rub, gently squeeze out excess moisture). Blow dry until the hair is 100% dry. If you need more smoothness or it’s particularly humid (hello Chicago summer!) finish with a smoothing product on top. We like Aveda Light Elements Smoothing Fluid for fine hair to medium hair, Aveda Glossing Straightener for medium to coarse hair, and Aveda Brillant Emollient Finishing Gloss for coarse hair.
Overall rating on aveda.com:
4.7/5 stars
(1268 reviews)
1,232 of 1,264(97%)of Aveda customers recommend this product to a friend.
http://reviews.aveda.com/3812/16973/aveda-smooth-infusion-style-prep-smoother-reviews/reviews.htm
Looking for a new summer cocktail?
Look no further than this recipe from The Violet Hour for a delicious gin and cucumber based cocktail that is perfect for your next get together.
Juliet & Romeo
by Toby Maloney
Makes 1
3 slices cucumber, sliced 1/8" thick
3 sprigs mint
Tiny pinch of salt
2 oz. Beefeater gin
.75 oz. fresh lime juice
.75 oz Simple Syrup
3 drops rose water
3 drops Angostura bitters
Muddle cucumber, and pinch of salt, add mint and gently bruise. Add remaining ingredients. Let sit for 30 seconds (time allowing). Shake. Strain into a chilled coupe glass. Garnish with 1 floating mint leaf and 1 drop rose water on top of leaf.
**It has been tested extensively by one our our lovely receptionists and has been verified delicious. She used and highly recommends Leatherbee's Gin (available at Binny's) which is locally handcrafted right here in Chicago.
To read more about Leatherbee's here a couple of helpful links:
http://www.groupon.com/local/chicago/articles/letherbee-distillers-the-evolution-of-a-moonshiner
08/15/2012
Rainbird Foundation and Salon Soca
As our next fundraiser draws we wanted to give you all a little bit more information. The Rainbird Foundation is an organization committed to the end of child abuse. We will be holding a cut-a-thon on Sunday, September 9th from 10:00am until 4:00pm. Stylists are being split shifted for this portion of the event so that everyone has a chance to help with this great cause. Beginning at 5:00pm the founders of the Rainbird Foundation will join us for a cocktail, hor dourves and art show. Please RSVP to carlie at carliesoca@gmail.com if you are interested in joining us for this amazing event.
For more information take a look at the flyer below!
07/12/2012
Getting to know Cortney Tippin
What made you become a stylist? I've always been interested in hair. I was such a tomboy that I didn't want to admit it. I went from wanting to be a nurse, car mechanic, to finally realizing what I wanted to do all along.
Where do you find inspiration? Neon colors! Pinterest, creating different looks during fashion shows, beyonce - that girl has got it going on!
Best piece of advice you've ever got? I've always loved the Shakespeare quote "to thyne own self be true". I try living by that everyday.
Your coolest Fashion Show? 1. Sei Bella Fashion Show at the Drake. Anthony Maslo and I teamed with AVEDA to produce this amazing show (see pictures from this under "about" and then "photo gallery"). 2. The Birth of a Hybrid, a Bonnie and Clyde show.
Who is your mentor? My best friend and co-worker, Anthony Maslo. We are always challenging each other with new ideas. Some friendly competition on who is up on the latest trends.
What's your favorite outfit at the moment? I love my dresses with a high-low hem line. Anything neon, and of course my big earrings and bangle bracelets! Duh!
What's your favorite styling tool? My rod curling iron. You can get so many different looks. I also love air control and the whole damage remedy line to help repair my hair from all the updos and curling I do to it.
04/18/2012
Earth Month - why do we continue to donate?
As most of you know, Salon Soca partners with AVEDA and The Alliance for the Great Lakes every year for earth month. Our goal is to raise as much money to benefit clean water as we possibly can. But, did you know that the Great Lakes account for almost 20% or the earth's surface water? Or that the Great Lakes provide drinking water to more than 40 million people throughout the United States? Yeah, neither did we. That's why it's so important to us to continue to fundraise for such a great cause.
Over the last 5 years clients of AVEDA salons (including ours) ave helped to raise 16 million dollars to benefit the Alliance for the Great Lakes. So we would like to say "thank you" on behalf of Salon Soca and AVEDA. Let's try and hit 20 million by this time next year! You guys are awesome!
To learn more about the Alliance for the Great Lakes you can visit this website.
03/06/2012
Client Appreciation Week
What's the best way to say "thank you" to your clients? Well we've thought of our own way, client appreciatio week! During the last full week of March we will be giving clients 10% off of services AND retail. What could be better than that?
This is our way of saying "thanks" to our clients for their continued support. Without you, Salon Soca would not be what it is today.
01/30/2012
Turmeric and its Benefits.
Recently AVEDA has come out with a few new products that feature an ingredient called Turmeric. So our question is, what exactly is it and how does it work?
Here is what we have found out. Turmeric is a spice commonly used in Asian foods. Its benefits are numerous and seems to help with a lot of digestion and proves to aid in certain health issues. The way AVEDA has used it is in two different products. The first is their new Invati system. They have also come out with a new lash growing product called Lash Abundance Boosting Serum.
The Invati system uses tumeric to stimulate the hair shaft and folicle to prevent the loss of hair. You will notice a warm tingly feeling when the products are applied to the head, this is how you know that it is working. It is proven to reduce hair loss by 33%.
Lash Abundance Boosting Serum uses the spice in a similar way. With a thin brush users will apply the product to their upper and lower lash lines twice daily. It will aid in the growth of longer, fuller lashes. Tumeric helps to stimulate the growth of the lashes within 8 weeks of use. Unlike those other lash growing products out there, Lash Abundace Boosting Serum is 98% naturally derived and safe for contact-wearers.
I have personally been using both of these new AVEDA products and am absolutely in love with the results I have seen. My lashes are noticably growing and my hair isn't clogging the drain anymore!
To learn about other benefits of Tumeric; here is a great site that I found!
12/14/2011
Shortage of Donated Food in Chicagoland Area.
The time of year has arrived once again. The time to donate and give until you have nothing left. So how could there be a shortage of donated goods throughout the Chicagoland area you ask? Well here is the long and short of it...
Since the decline of the economy the number of people in need of donated goods has almost doubled in size.
A charity in the south Chicago area reported that before the economy declined they saw about 1,300 to 1,500 people per month; compared to their monthly average of 2,100 to 2,300 in the present (link to article). So here we are asking ourselves what we can do to help out this holiday season, and the answer is apparent - donate, donate, donate.
Salon Soca is doing their part and participating in a holiday food and toy drive. Stop in with your donation and we will even extend the opportunity to get 10% off of your appointment in February.
11/02/2011
What's the deal with Quinoa?
We keep hearing about this protein known as Quinoa (keen-wah). So what's the deal? What's so great about it? Well here are the facts...
Quinoa protein was used by the Incas in 3,000 B.C. to sustain their troops. Found in the Andes, Quinoa was traditionally known as the "mother grain" (http://chetdaycom/quinoa.html). Turns out that with 16.2 percent, this little seed contains more grain than any other protein (www.quinoa.com).
With this protein now found in our most popular styling product, Damage Remedy Daily Hair Repair, we are able to give our hair the benefits that the Incas used to give their bodies. Maybe we should all look into using it in our food as well...I know the wonders that it has worked for my hair will surely benefit my body.
(ps. you can now get this in travel sizes for your holiday gift bags. Who wouldn't want to get a little hair therapy?)
09/04/2011
Aveda Smooth Infusion Retexturizing System - the facts.
Finally a retexturizing system that is safe for your hair! Aveda's Smooth Infusion Retexturizing System is 74% naturally derived and most importantly, still permanent. The most popular texture systems on the market, currently, will wash out within 6-8 weeks. Another great perk of The Smooth Infusion Retexturizing System is that it contains organic jojoba oil, meadowfoam seed oil, and coconut-derived conditioners to help protect hair during processing.
Unlike other systems though, guests who have had a sodium hydroxide relaxer are not eligible for this service, and once this service is performed; guests will not be able to go back to getting sodium hydroxide relaxers. The two services use different ingredients to retexturize the hair, if one service is performed after the other, the hair could be permanently damaged.
For more information about The Smooth Infusion Retexturizing System visit Aveda's Website, or set up a consultation with one of our stylists!
08/10/2011
Back to School, Back to School...you can finish the rest.
The time has come, yet again, for the kids to go back to school. Whether you're sending them off to college or they're leaving you for the first time - we found an article with some great money saving tips.
We found this money saving article interesting, mainly because it is so true! Plus, the extra money saved on "back to school" only leaves more money in Mom's pocket for, ahem, beauty!
I'd like to add some things to this particular artricle that may have been left out. For those college kids looking to save a few bucks and avoid carrying around those heavy text books, Course Smart is a wonderful website to try. During my college years I downloaded my text books directly to my computer (or iPad) and took them with me everywhere, without the hassle of carrying around 3 or 4 different books at once. In addition, they have recently made an app for this particular site for smartphones.
So when you are doing that "back to school" shopping for your little, or big, ones, make sure to keep these types of things in mind. You'll be grateful when you have some extra cash lying around to play with while they are away!
07/20/2011
Notice that color fading quicker because of the summer sun? You can prolong that color by booking a gloss treatment with your next appointment. This will not only protect your color from that pesky sun, but give your hair the shine it craves.
Using the Aveda Sun Care Protective Hair Veil every time you go out in the sun will help keep that color protected as well. Apply to wet or dry hair. For that added boost incorporate the Aveda Sun Care After Sun Hair Maque into your daily routine.
