Beautiful Lengths of Love

One of the most amazing things we get to be a part of at the

Salon at Kids Club is hair donation.

Not only is it so much fun to see a transformation,

but it also is extraordinary to see kids give something of themselves to

a cause without hesitation.

At the salon we support both Locks of Love and Pantene Beautiful Lengths;

two incredible organizations trying to help those who have lost so much

regain a sense of normalcy.

 

Pantene Beautiful Lengths:

Pantene Beautiful Lengths was created in 2006

to help women who have lost their hair

 due to cancer treatments.

“We created Beautiful Lengths because healthy hair means a lot to us, and the appearance of healthy hair means so much to women battling cancer.

We want to be there for women when looking and feeling healthy is so important to them.

 As one breast cancer survivor put it,

‘It was very hard when my hair started falling out.

It really takes away who you are when you look in the mirror’.

Many of the women we help say that putting on a wig

makes them feel like themselves again. And when you donate your hair to the cause,

you’re helping make that happen.”

(http://www.pantene.com/en-US/PanteneBeautifulLengths/Details/beautiful-lengths-about-the-program.aspx)

Locks of Love:

Locks of love achieved its charity status in 2007.

They provide hair pieces to financially disadvantaged children in the

United States and Canada.

Most of these children have lost their hair from Alopecia Areata,

a disease which has no known cure or cause.

The current president, Madonna W. Coffman,  suffered from this disease, but it wasn’t until her 4 year old daughter lost her own hair from the same disease that Coffman knew

she needed to be a part of an organization that changed her life.

“Our mission is to return a sense of self, confidence and normalcy

to children suffering from hair loss by utilizing donated ponytails

to provide the highest quality hair prosthetics to financially disadvantaged children.

The children receive hair prostheses free of charge or on a sliding scale, based on financial need”. (http://www.locksoflove.org/)

These two charities help people fighting battles that could be made easier

with something as simple as hair.

Giving them something that most people take for granted,

hair which can help them feel less isolated

and more like a regular healthy individual.

First Haircuts from Around the World

One of the best parts about working in a children’s salon is being a part of something as special as a first haircut. As an anthropologist; it also piques my interest to see the different cultural traditions that surround this momentous occasion. There are so many diverse beliefs that accompany this milestone.

In traditional Chinese culture, the baby’s head is shaved symbolizing the shedding of “birth hair”. Locks are them wrapped in red ribbon or cloth and sewn to the baby’s pillow to help with tranquility. Today it is more common to see the baby’s hair trimmed and the locks saved in ribbon. If the head is shaved, the hair is sometimes used to create special calligraphy brushes carved with blessings.

It is Hindu custom to shave the baby’s head because hair from birth is associated with undesirable traits from past lives. It is also thought that the shaving process stimulates brain development. Some will leave a small tuft called the "sikha" at the crown of the head to protect memory, but complete shaving is more common. Boys receive their first haircuts at age 1 or 3, whereas girls, receive theirs at 11 months. This tradition is very special for girls because it is the only haircut they will receive.

In Muslim tradition, baby’s receive their first haircuts within 7 days of being born, signifying their initiation into Muslim practice. Their heads are traditionally shaved and then the weight of the hair is given a monetary value which members of the culture pay in gold or silver.

Orthodox Jewish religion practices many traditions that signify growing up; the first haircut is one of them. The ritual is called "upsherin" and it is performed on boys at age 3 to signify the commencement of formal education of the Torah. The hair is cut short except for the sideburns which are left long to please regulations in the Torah.

Polynesian males don’t receive their first haircuts until the early teenage years. Their hair is cared for by female relatives and is grown long. Between ages 12-14, the haircut is performed. The ritual consists of the females caring for the hair one last time before it is cut, after which the boy is plastered with gifts and money.

In the United States, there is no formal tradition, more than likely the hair is grown until a haircut is need, usually around the first birthday. At The Salon at Kid's Club, we take a picture and include a keepsake lock in a card to remember this milestone. Plus... we have lollipops, which seem to make any tears disappear!

Braids for Days!

The braiding classes are back at the salon! Once a month our stylists Leslie and Elizabeth teach a braiding class to help you control your little one’s locks.

 They begin teaching how to perfect the topsy-tail; a cute twist that you can incorporate into many other hairstyles.

Next it’s the inverted, or rope, braid which is just the fancy name for the braid produced when braiding under rather than over. The best part about the inverted braid is because you are bringing the hair to the underside, the strands will hide any mistakes.

After a few tries at a regular braid in the inverted style, it’s time for the inverted French braid! Then it’s just practice, practice, practice.

Once you become confortable with this style of braiding, you can master many trendy hairstyles.



You Ain't Nuthin' But A Houndog

Although it’s a new year, trends seem to be revisiting past eras.

This year’s hot looks are borrowing styles from my personal favorite time period; the Fifties!

Polka dots, chuck taylors, and cuffed jeans are just a few of the looks we are seeing in the new year.

But, it doesn’t stop there!

The newest trend for boy’s hair is the classic pompadour.

Even the Biebs has chopped his signature locks for the Mad Men revival.

To achieve this sleek style we recommend using a strong hold gel.

We have two gels that smell great and don’t leave a crunchy residue; Grape Jam and Banana Spike Molding Putty.

For little ladies straight bangs, sassy bobs, and high ponies with plenty of hair accessories have been the presenting trend of 2013.

Three Cheers for Chelsea!

The votes have been tallied, and the employee of the month for June is Chelsea!

Chelsea's job title is salon coordinator, but she does much more than that. She bridges the gap between Kids Club and The Salon at Kids Club. She is the lovely voice on the telephone when you call to make an appointment for a hair cut. She gives a hand when we are behind in gift wrapping on busy Saturday afternoons, and as the Yelp reviewer points out, she even sometimes steps away from the desk to help a customer find toys:

'I really appreciate how helpful Chelsea the receptionist was because she showed me where I could find the exact toys I wanted for my classroom. I always suggest my parents of the kids I teach to go visit Kids Club because of their selection of kids clothes and cute cuts they give with darling hairdo's afterward.' 

--Sarah M.

Here's what her co-workers had to say:


'Chelsea is always positive and smiling. I have a lot of respect for how well Chelsea does a hard job.'

'Chelsea is a wiz at multi tasking. I could go on and on about how great Chelsea is to work with.'

Fun fact about Chelsea: She's vegan!
Ask her for a recommendation on salon products that are animal ingredient free.

Congratulations &

Thank You Chelsea!

Party Outside With Us!

Summer is just around the corner!

I am so excited to go outside and enjoy the music and style your child's hair this year. Guys, come get a faux hawk with the color of your choice. We have awesome Joico Spikers gel that colors and styles hair, and washes out at bath time! Girls always enjoy getting braids and pigtails, topped off with our Glitterati sparkles. 

Did you know, every time your child gets a hair cut at 

The Salon at Kids Club they get the same special styling? 

It's true!

[click on image to view larger]

[click on image to view larger]

I love seeing all the familiar faces every year and love getting to meet new kids too. The Salon at Kids Club table at Summer Concert Series has been a great opportunity for people to discover our salon, many of the kids I have met there have become our regular clients after meeting us there!

Visit the Kids Club table right next to us for fun and free kids activities every night too!

Located in the U Village parking lot in front of 

The Ram and The Apple store.

Every Wednesday starting July 13th through August 17th

from 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.

I hope to see everyone at Summer Concert Series this year!

-Leslie 

Rachel's Recommendation for Swimmers Hair

As summer approaches here in the Northwest, two things come to mind, long warm summer days and spending time in the pool. Swimming was always one of my favorite pass times as a kid. I spent most of my summer days in my grandparents pool and, boy did it take a toll on my hair! By September it was tangled and green and I would have to get a bunch cut off to make it healthy again. Now, as a stylist, I have found there are a few easy things we can do to help prevent the chlorine from damaging our children's hair. 

First, get their hair completely wet in the shower. The hair will soak up the clean, unchlorinated water, and will not soak up as much chlorinated pool water.

Second, when they are done swimming it is best to shampoo with a swimmers shampoo before the hair has a chance to dry. Once the chlorine dries in the hair it is much harder to get out. My two favorite brands of swimmer shampoos are: So Cozy and California Baby. The So Cozy smells great, like fresh apple, and many clients have told me the California Baby has helped their child's hair to return to it's original beauty.

[left to right: California Baby Swimmers Condition, California Baby Swimmer Shampoo, 

So Cozy Swimmers Shampoo, Surf's Up Zero Knots Detanger]

Last, but maybe the most important, CONDITION! I know it can be hard to get an extra step done on a child, but swimmers shampoo opens up the outer layer of the hair (the cuticle) and you need to use a good conditioner to smooth it back down. If you don't, you won't be able to get a comb through it! My favorite is the Surfs Up Zero Knots detangler. This conditioner is lightweight but slick. It won't weight th hair down and get the tangles right out. A spray detangler is great for getting tangles out on non-washing days, but is not enough to smooth the cuticle down after a swimmers shampoo. Just a quick wipe of conditioner through the ends and a rinse, can save you a lot of tangles and tears in the end.

I hope with these tips, your little darlings will have beautiful, chlorine free hair all summer long.

-Rachel

 To help you get ready for swimmers season, for the 
 month of June all swimmers hair care products are  
 20% off!